Top 10 Interview Questions – Asked in 95% interviews.
- Tell me about yourself.
Keep this answer to 1 mint max or you will lose the
employers attention. ‘Tell me about yourself’ doesn’t mean they want your life
story. Summarize your skills and experience in a way that make you stand out
and show why you are the best person for the job.
2.
What about this job interests you?
The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates
you’ve given this some thought and are not sending out resumes just because
there is an opening. Be clear about why you are interested in the job and the
value you can bring to their organization.
3.
What are your career goals and where do you see
yourself five years from now?
The key here is to focus on your achievable objectives and
what you are doing to reach those objectives.
Sample Answer:
“Within 5 years, I would like to become the very best mechanic your company has
on staff. I want to work toward becoming the expert that others rely on.
Hopefully, this will allow me to take on greater responsibilities with the
company if the opportunity arises. I am also working towards additional
certifications in the field to enhance my career potential.”
4.
Why are you leaving your current job?
When answering this question, always focus on the
positive: You are looking for a new
challenge, more responsibility, more experience or a change of
environment. Never be negative about
your former or current employers or talk about negative experiences you had
there.
Sample Answer: “I feel that the time is right for me to
transition the outstanding skills and experience I obtained. I received experience
and have been given job assignments that have enhanced my technical skills,
leadership ability and taught me how to meet deadlines and multi-task in a very
fast-paced and often stressful environment. I can bring these same skills to
your organization.”
5.
What are your strengths?
This is one question that you know you are going to be asked
so be prepared! Concentrate on discussing your main strengths. List three or
four proficiencies such as your ability to learn quickly, determination to
succeed, positive attitude, your ability to relate to people and achieve a
common goal, etc.
Sample Answer: I have very good organizational and time
management skills, but my greatest strength is my ability to effectively handle
multiple projects and deadlines. My strength is my flexibility to handle
change. As a front line manager at my last job, I was able to turn around a
negative working environment and develop a very supportive and productive team.
6.
What are your weaknesses and areas you would
like to improve?
This is another frequently asked question. Everyone has weaknesses, but when answering
this question in a job interview, stay away from personal qualities and focus
on professional traits. Describe what steps you taken to overcome your
weaknesses so that you can demonstrate areas of improvement.
Sample Answer: “I am
always working on improving my communications skills to be a more effective
presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters which I find very helpful.”
Sample Answer: “Sometimes I have trouble delegating duties
to others. This has sometimes backfired because I’d end up with more work than
I could handle. I’ve since taken courses
in time management and learned more effective delegation techniques and I’m
happy to say that my last several team projects were a great success.”
7.
What are your salary expectations?
Do your research and know your bottom line. Research the
industry standard for the positions you are applying for in your geographic
area. Whenever possible, try to defer the salary question on the first
interview so that you don’t under or over sell yourself. If pressured, be prepared to give the
employer a salary range.
Sample Answer: “I’m sure that your company offers a fair,
competitive salary for someone with my education / training, skills and
experience. I am also willing to negotiate for the right position.”
Sample Answer: “I
will need more information about the job and the responsibilities before we can
discuss salary, but it would be great if you could give me an idea of the
salary range you have budgeted for this position.”
8.
Have you ever had a conflict with a superior or
colleague?
How did you handle it? Almost everyone has been in this
situation. If you say no, interviewers
will usually dig deeper until you can give then an answer. The key is to show how you reacted to the
conflict and what you did to resolve it.
Sample Answer: “I think that everyone at some point has had
a conflict at work whether it’s with a supervisor or co-worker. I’ve found that
when I’m in a difficult situation, it helps to communicate with the other
person, understand their perspective and try to work out a collaborative
solution whenever possible.”
9.
Why should we hire you?
Be prepared for this question because this answer will sell
your story. Know clearly what you bring to the organization such as your
knowledge, skills, experience, education/training and personal qualities that
demonstrate why you are the best person for the job. Be able to show how you
add value to the company. Always qualify your answers with quantifiable results
you have achieved in previous jobs or assignments. This will add tremendous
credibility!
Sample Answer: “I think I am a great match for this
position. My degree in management coupled with more than 10 years of experience
managing 100+ employees and delivering top notch training, helped me to improve
staff productivity by 30% and reduce employee turnover. I believe that I can do
the same for your organization and would be a great addition to your team.”
10.
Do you have any questions?
Always be prepared to ask the interviewer a few questions as
well. This helps to demonstrate your preparation and interest.
Sample questions might include:
How would you describe a typical week/day in this position?
Is this a new position? If not, what did the previous
employee go on to do?
How would you describe the company’s management style?
Who does this position report to? If I am offered the
position, can I meet him/her?
How many people work in this office/department?
Is travel expected in this position? If so, how much?
What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
What would you say are the best things about working here?
Would you like a list of references?
If I am extended a job offer, how soon would you like me to
start?
At the end of an interview, thank the interviewer for their
time and ask them about next steps and when you can expect to hear back from
them.
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