Congratulations, you have secured a job interview! That is fantastic news, and in this competitive job market, it is a great achievement! So, how helpful would it be if you knew the interview questions you would be asked, before your actual job interview?
Whilst this is probably not achievable, it is possible to ensure you thoroughly research and prepare in advance. Doing this will increase your chance of getting that job offer. Your answers to interview questions will always be a lot stronger if you prepare and think about each response. To practice you can also try videoing yourself on your phone or laptop. That way you can see what you sound like and also check out your body language.
To help you prepare, spend time writing down your answers to some of the commonly asked interview questions listed below.
Q. Tell me about yourself?
This is a really important and commonly asked interview question, designed to break the ice. Currently, with most job interviews still being done online, it is often the first question asked. It can really set the scene for how the whole interview will progress. A strong, succinct answer will quickly gain the interviewer’s attention and separate you from other candidates who may be tempted to divulge their life story or give too much personal detail.
Give a brief, concise description of who you are and your key qualifications, strengths and skills, ensuring this is relevant to the job you are currently being interviewed for! What is your USP (Unique Selling Point)? Tailor your answer to the job you are being interviewed for. Then declare the strongest benefit that you offer an employer. This will leave the interviewer compelled to know more. Finally, aim to keep your answer to around 2 minutes.
Q. Why do you want to work here?
The interviewer is trying to gauge your enthusiasm for the role as well as your level of knowledge about the company. Give specific examples of things that attracted you to the company and elaborate on your strengths, achievements and skills and how they match the position description, for the role you are being interviewed, helping make you the right fit for the role and the company.
Q. What are your strengths?
The interviewer wants to know what you are particularly good at and how this would fit into the role. Choose a few of your key strengths that are required for the role and give examples of how you have demonstrated them successfully in the past. Strengths could include the ability to learn quickly; composure under pressure; ability to multi-task; team player; excellent communication skills; analytical skills.
Q. What are your weaknesses?
The interviewer is trying to gauge your self-awareness. We all have weaknesses so it is best not to say you don’t have any. Avoid using the word ‘weakness’ and instead talk about an ‘area for improvement’ that is not vital for the job, or specify a ‘challenge’ that you are working to overcome. Demonstrating a willingness to develop yourself and face challenges turns the answer into a positive.
Q. What have been your achievements to date? OR What are you most proud of in your career?
The interviewer wants to know if you are a high-achiever and ascertain how your accomplishments will be beneficial to them. Select one or two recent accomplishments that are directly related to the job you are being interviewed for. Identify the situations, the actions you took, skills you used and the positive outcomes and result; quantifying the benefits where possible. Show how you can bring what you learned to the new role.
Q. What is the most difficult situation you have faced at work?
The interviewer is trying to find out your definition of ‘difficult’ and whether you can show a logical approach to problem solving. Select a tough work situation that was not caused by you. Explain the way you approached the problem, including the actions you took and the solution you applied to overcome the problem. Give your answer with the air of someone who takes setbacks and frustrations in your stride, and as part of the job.
Q. How would your colleagues describe you?
Even though this question refers to your colleagues, the interviewer might actually want to see how you view yourself. The interviewer might also want to assess whether or not you have the soft skills to fit in with future team members. Make sure your answer is honest but positive, and focused on the skills and personality traits required for the job.
Think back to when a colleague has praised an aspect of your personality, such as when you were a great team player on a project, or when you demonstrated empathy and helped a struggling employee. Perhaps a colleague has recommended you on LinkedIn, read through their recommendation and what they said about you.
Example Answer: “My colleagues have told me that I am extremely organized and also excellent at time management. Recently during one major project, my team members praised me for developing and sticking to a timeline for all the phases of our project. We ended up successfully completing the project ahead of time”
Q. Why do you want to leave your current employer? OR Why have you left your last employer?
This should be straightforward. Reflect positively on your current employer but state how you are looking for more challenge, responsibility, experience and a change of environment. Explain how your current role can no longer provide you with these things, but how you believe the role on offer presents an opportunity for growth that will make full use of your strengths and potential.
If your role has been made redundant then tell them that. For example, due to a restructure etc, my role was made redundant. There is no need to give any more explanation than this.
Q. What are your goals for the future? OR Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
A sense of purpose is an attractive feature in an applicant, so this question is designed to probe your ambition and the extent of your career planning. Your commitment is also under question, but avoid blankly stating that ‘I want to be with your company’. Instead, describe how your goal is to continue to grow, learn, add value and take on new responsibilities in the future that build on the role for which you are applying.
Q. How do you respond to working under pressure?
The interviewer wants to see that you have composure, problem solving skills and can stay focused in difficult conditions. Give an example of a time when you were faced with a stressful situation (not caused by you) and how you handled it with poise. Describe the context, how you approached the situation, the actions you took and the positive results and outcome. Demonstrate how you remained calm, in control and got the job done.
Q. Tell me about a successful team project that you have been involved in. What was your role and what made it a success?
The interviewer is trying to gauge your interpersonal skills and team contribution. Outline the project objectives, your responsibilities, the actions you took to assist the group and the successful results. Provide evidence of how you were a keen collaborator and how your contribution was critical. You also want to demonstrate that you value teamwork and understand its key attributes such as honest communication, a shared purpose and effective problem-solving.
Finally………
Use these questions as a guide to help you prepare for your next job interview. Wherever you can, aim to give real life examples. Tell brief stories on when you have previous experience doing the things they are asking.
Remember, it is all about research and preparation before any job interview. One of the benefits now is that most job interviews are currently being conducted online. This enables you to have notes and post it notes as prompters and reminders!
If you feel you would benefit from one on one interview coaching, then can contact me directly for more information on how I can help you nail that job interview!
