20 most frequently asked Questions in an Interview
- Please tell me about yourself.
Inquiring about you at an interview is an excellent way to break the ice and put you at ease. It also allows the interviewer to determine whether you are a good fit for the position.
Before going to an interview, consider what you want to convey to potential employers when you explain yourself. Making an elevator speech, which is a concise review of your past, is a fantastic way to prepare an answer.
- What are your strengths?
When responding to inquiries regarding your abilities, emphasise the qualities you possess that will assist you in achieving success in the position for which you are applying. Avoid being too humble. It is vital to communicate your qualifications to the recruiting manager.
- What are your weaknesses?
There are a variety of techniques of dealing with questions about one’s limitations. One method is to turn a negative into a positive by demonstrating how something you considered as a weakness actually benefitted you on the job. The alternative is to talk about the new skills you’ve acquired as a result of your work on those that needed to be improved.
- Describe a difficult situation you’ve faced and how you handled it.
Discuss how you overcome problems, used the experience as a learning opportunity, made use of the resources available to you (including people/colleagues if necessary), and came out on top! That is how you should answer this interview question. Maintain a professional, rather than a personal, tone.
- How do you deal with pressure and stress?
How do you handle difficult situations at work? Are you able to maintain your composure under duress? Or do you have difficulty dealing with high-stress situations? If you’re interviewing for a position that requires a high level of pressure, the interviewer will want to know that you can handle it.
- What do you know about the organisation?
Employers will want to ensure that you are familiar with their:
- Industry/sector.
- Goals
- The most significant difficulties
- Significant competitors.
- Cultural values and norms
Additionally, they’ll want to know how enthusiastic you are about the prospect of working with them. Ascertain that your comment displays your enthusiasm.
- Why are you quitting or have you already quit your job?
There are numerous reasons for quitting a job. You may be leaving your work because you desire better prospects for advancement, you may be seeking a pay raise, you may be relocating, or you may have another reason for leaving. When meeting with representatives of a prospective employer, be consistent in your response, as they may compare notes.
- Why should we hire you?
The most efficient strategy to overcome this issue is to emphasise what you can provide to the company. What is your contribution? What skills and qualities do you have that will benefit the organisation? What would you do if you were hired? This is your chance to persuade the recruiting manager that you are the right person for the job.
- What salary expectations do you have?
Salary questions can be challenging, especially if you are unfamiliar with the pay scale for the position. One method to answer this question is to explain that you’re open to negotiation based on the complete compensation package, including perks.
- Why are you interested in this position?
What components of your job and company excite your interest the most? The employer is interested in learning why you believe this job is a suitable fit for your career goals. Take the time to explain how your qualifications are a good fit for the job. The more proof you have that you are competent, the easier it will be to find work.
- What caused the gap in your employment history?
To avoid answering this question, ensure that your job application or CV does not include a gap in your employment history. In the eyes of an employer, a gap is a red flag. It may create doubts in their minds when they should have none. You can reject this statement by offering a plausible explanation. Employers will analyse your time management skills. Have you taken a course to broaden your skill set or travelled to broaden your horizons, for example? Alternatively, did you waste your time by not aggressively seeking work?
- Tell me about your biggest achievement.
This question is designed to obtain information about you and your motivations.
Employers are looking for more than just a person to fill a position; they are also looking for a personality. When someone recounts a hardship that shows resilience, such as overcoming an enduring physical challenge or reaching a charity aim that reveals a strong social and ethical awareness, it illustrates their worth.
- Describe an instance when you failed.
This is a common interview question in a wide range of occupations, from retail to corporate, and is intended to assess your capacity to learn from mistakes and bounce back when things don’t go as planned.
Employers want to know that you can recognize your mistakes, accept responsibility, and learn and improve from your mistakes. That last point is crucial if you want to respond appropriately to this inquiry.
- What would you do in the first year in the job?
Employers want to know that you’ve considered your objectives for the role.
They’ll want to know whether you understand the job requirements and how you’d contribute to the organization.
Additionally, employers utilize this question to filter out candidates who are not committed to the position.
- What would be your dream job?
Employers like this question because it puts candidates on the spot. It frequently indicates candidates who are unlikely to remain loyal in the near to medium term. It is not meant to confuse candidates. It’s about going beyond planned and scripted responses to find out what candidates really desire.
- If you were an animal what would you be?
Offbeat interview questions like this one are frequently hard to respond. They’re often used to examine a candidate’s ability to handle pressure, their level of initiative, and their reaction to being pushed outside of their comfort zone.
After you’ve given yourself some thought time, you should be able to choose an animal that reflects some of your primary skills or characteristics.
- What are you passionate about?
What is most important to you? What is your favorite thing to do? The answers to this question do not have to be totally work-related. The firm is assessing your general personality, and what you enjoy doing outside of work can reveal information about the type of employee you would be if hired.
- In five years, where do you see yourself?
Three significant reasons why interviewers ask, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
- They’re curious as to whether you’ve examined your professional options.
- They want to know that you are self-motivated and hardworking.
- They want to make certain that the employment they provide is a good fit for your goals.
Therefore, pick a work-related aim for where you want to be in five years and make it sound somewhat challenging or ambitious.
- Could you share with me any of your leadership experiences?
Even if you are not being interviewed for a management post, leadership interview questions may be posed. Employers are looking for employees who can take the initiative and lead projects and tasks, even if they are not their major responsibilities. Additionally, it suggests that you have development potential and may be promoted in the future.
Therefore, before to any interview, evaluate one or two current examples of leadership, especially from work situations. Have you led any meetings or projects? Have you ever had the opportunity to train or mentor someone? Have you taken the initiative on a new project at your place of employment?
If you lack work experience, examine your academic experience, athletics, or other clubs/activities where you led a project, task, meeting, or event.
- Do you have any questions for me?
Typically, the final question in a job interview is one about what you’d like to learn about the role and the company. Prepare a list of important questions. If you have no areas of interest, you may appear uninterested.
