Prepare more adequately and you may start the year with a job. Picture: Pexels
The most common interview questions are assumed to be the easiest to practise but they may be challenging to answer if you’re not sure how to.
There are numerous popular questions that companies use to learn what they want to know about you.
Here are the 7 most common interview questions and how you should answer them according to job portal, s1jobs:
Tell us about yourself
At face value, this sounds simple, but what information should you give the interviewer? You only need to provide some background information about yourself and how you got to this stage in your career.
You don’t want to go on for too long because many of the facts may be essential for subsequent questions, but do provide a summary with specifics.
This will all depend on where you are in your career and the type of job you are applying for. A young graduate looking for their first job, for example, may want to mention their university degree briefly, but as you advance in your career, a course you studied 10 years ago will become significantly less relevant than your work experience.
Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
This is a typical question. When answering, the crucial thing to remember is the context in which you’re being questioned – a job interview.
The interviewer does not need to know all your life goals and ambitions. They want to know where you see your career going and how it will help them.
There will be a tight line between demonstrating your inherent ambition and seeming as if you’re going to outgrow the post you’re looking for and move on shortly.
Companies will not expect you to respond that you hope to be in that exact position with the company in five or 10 years, but you do want your response to reflect that you see yourself evolving in the career you’re applying for.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Self-awareness is an important ability that recruiters and interviewers seek for. Any question about your strengths and weaknesses is an opportunity to not only highlight your strengths but also recognise areas for improvement.
Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of claiming that your only flaw is that you’re a perfectionist or that you work too hard – we’re all human, and it’s acceptable to admit to having flaws in an interview.
It’s also a good idea to explain how you’re working to overcome this problem. But you should not openly state that you’re bad at things that are listed as job requirements.
For example, if they have requested good Microsoft Suite skills, don't imply you need further training. If the job’s requirements are a weakness of yours, you may want to re-evaluate the opportunities you apply for.
Tell us about a time you have been challenged
The opening of this question indicates that it is evaluating your competency. Interviewers use phrases like “tell us about a time” and “describe a time” or “have you ever” to elicit examples of how you have responded to specific situations in the past.
You must define whatever skill they are searching for and provide an example that demonstrates your expertise in your response. Your experience demonstrates your suitability for the job you’re looking for.
Why do you want to work here?
Employees who are pleased or satisfied are more productive, according to interviewers. It is in their best interests to determine whether candidates are truly enthusiastic about the position. Although you can demonstrate this during the interview with your attitude and energy, interviewers will frequently ask you why you chose to apply.
Try to cover two points in your response:
Your reasons for applying for this role.
Describe your reasons why you wish to work for the company.
What do you enjoy most about your current/last job?
People quit their jobs for a variety of reasons. One thing a possible new employer does not need to know is if you are dissatisfied with your current job.
This is not the time to express any grievances you may have with a current or former employer. It will give the impression that you are a frustrated employee.
Even if you are dissatisfied with your current position, try to think about the chances it has afforded you, such as any famous clients or projects, or the team spirit.
What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
In any profession, we have an impact – on the results we produce, on our colleagues, on the clients we serve, and so on. But what is your proudest achievement? This is an excellent question since, even if you are not directly asked it, the same narrative might be used in another answer.
Consider professional accomplishments that demonstrate your effect, such as quantifiable results. In an interview, using numbers or figures can be especially compelling. It’s difficult to deny the impact of a 10% rise in revenue, 400 additional email subscribers, and so on.
However, the emotional component should not be overlooked. Interviewers respond greatly to human-interest stories; it all relies on the instances.
IOL Business
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