Interview Questions with Answers
7/2013
Tell
me about yourself. Confine
your answer to work-related stuff. Never
go much into the personal details unless the panel asks you. Your answer should relate to the skills,
experience and characteristics that the employer is seeking. Your answer should be organized and concise,
60-90 seconds.
Tell
me about your dream job. Think
about the job you're applying for – your answer should describe it. Don't include a laundry list of things you
expect to have – you may be seen as a diva.
You could also talk about things you liked about previous jobs.
Why
did you leave your last job? Give a
positive reply that is short and sweet.
Your answer shouldn’t be long and it shouldn’t be negative. But do be prepared to give additional details
if asked. Practice this one a lot if you
were fired or left under negative circumstances. Never talk badly about previous employers.
What
is your weakness? Have an
answer prepared for this. Pick something
that won't get you disqualified. Show
that you've really analyzed the job.
Lead and finish your answer with positives. State how you've improved or what you learned. Don't ramble on. Only offer one weakness, but have others
prepared in case you're asked for more.
Example: "One weakness as it
pertains to this job is I would have to learn more about your culture and
processes before I'd be running at 100%.
But I'm a quick learner and have a track record of taking a short time
to get up to speed, so I'm sure this won't be a problem." Or…"In my last job my supervisor really
liked the fact that I strived for perfection, but she pointed out that some of
my assignments were late and it was more important to her that I complete
projects on time, even if they weren't perfect.
So I learned to break projects into parts and assigned a timeframe for
each one. I set a final deadline for
myself that was before the actual due date, to allow myself some time to review
my work and look for errors. The result
was that I was able to finish projects on time and still maintain nearly
flawless results."
What
are your strengths? Have
three prepared along with examples of how each strength helped your company. Pick strengths that will help you in the role
you're applying for.
What
do you know about the type of work that we do?
Do your homework by navigating through the company’s
website. Google the company for recent
news articles. Talk to people who work
there (find them on LinkedIn).
Why
should we hire you? Articulate
the strengths, experience and characteristics that make you an ideal
candidate. Your answer should be
organized and concise, and should exude confidence.
Do
you consider yourself successful? Invariably
say yes. Success does not mean getting
control over the whole world. Discuss
your major achievements at your recent jobs.
Why
have you been unemployed for such a long time?
Answer the question with any productive activity that you
have done during the time like attending courses to improve skills,
volunteering in your community, professional development, etc.
What
do co-workers say about you? Think
about compliments you received from colleagues.
What were you the go-to person for at your company? What were you the best at? How did you approach the job differently than
your colleagues?
Do
you think you are overqualified for this position? Convince the recruiter that you
are appropriate for the job. Speak in
positive terms regarding why you're a good fit, instead of negative terms, like
seeking less responsibility. Show enthusiasm
for the work you'd be doing instead of disdain for higher-level work you've
done. You may be prompted to provide
reasons why you're not seeking a higher-level job, so have a short positive
answer ready to share.
Describe
your management style. Focus
on communication which should include active listening. If you never had a supervisory position, be
prepared to share examples of how you took a leadership role in recent jobs.
Are
you a team player? Once
again a firm yes is necessary for this question! Give one or two examples where you have
succeeded as part of a team. Include
your role and the results.
What
is your philosophy toward work? Speak about your basic values and how they
have benefited previous employers.
What
position do you prefer on a team working on a project? Create a sense of a feeling
that you are flexible and don’t mind whether you have to follow or lead.
What
irritates you about co-workers? Tell
the panel that you've successfully worked with diverse and challenging personalities
by keeping an open mind, trying to understand more than seeking to be
understood, and finding things to like about people you disagree with
people. You might name a specific
characteristic, but speak softly about it (don’t show a great deal of irritation)
and how you worked around it.
Why
do you think you would do well at this job?
To answer this well, you have to know what you’re getting in
to. When offered an interview, you
should request a copy of the job description if it hasn’t already been made
available. You may find it differs
greatly from the help wanted ad.
Highlight relevant skills and experience from previous jobs along with
personal characteristics that show you’re a good fit.
What
would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is? Mention 2-3 characteristics and
have examples to share about how they positively impacted your employer. Show letters of recommendation or performance
evaluations to the recruitment panel for reference.
Tell
me about your ability to work under pressure.
Share examples where you have thrived under pressure and
achieved better results.
How
do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? Highlight your transferable
skills and achievements to create a sense of confidence. Mention some similar roles you have succeeded
at. Have an example prepared of how you
quickly succeeded at something you had no previous experience with.
What
motivates you to do your best on the job?
Answers that include salary or benefits will decrease your
chances of being hired. Quote some
positive things like being part of a productive team, achieving strong results
(be specific), etc.
When
do you feel successful in this job? You may
answer, “When I exceed expectations and establish a relationship as the
go-to-person for (list strengths here).”
Are
you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own? A simple yes, followed by an
example or two of how you’ve gone above and beyond in previous jobs. This is a test of how far you integrate with
the company and take things seriously to meet and achieve the organizational
goals.
What
qualities do you look for in a boss? Think
about a previous boss with qualities you admired, and discuss those, rather
than stating what you want to avoid.
Don’t include an entire laundry list – just 2 or 3 qualities.
How
do you see yourself five years from now?
Employers want to hear that you still plan on working at
their company in 5 years, that you achieved competency in your job and assumed
extra responsibilities.
What
have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Don’t just disclose blunders at previous workplaces. Be sure to share what you learned from your
mistakes. Don’t pick examples that ended
very badly or would eliminate you from consideration.
If
you were hiring a person for this position, what would you look for? Look for areas where your
experience and the job description overlap and focus on them.
Why
do you think you can succeed in this job?
Your answer should highlight the similarities between the job
requirements and the skills you possess.
What
do you think of the last company you worked for? Showcase it as a great platform
that helped you improve your skills and avoid any sort of negative spin.
How
do you handle criticism? Speak
out as if the criticism is the best way to improve. Say that you never take criticism personally
and quote a few instances that depict your ability to handle criticism and use
it to improve your performance.
Age 62