Over the years I have found myself on both the interviewee and interviewer sides of the desk various times. Through these experiences, I have noticed that certain interview questions get asked more frequently than others. The following are five of the most common interview questions/inquiries and example positive responses to them.
1. Tell me about yourself.
The interviewer is offering you the chance to tell him or her all the skills that you have that match what the company is looking for in the ideal applicant for the position. Hopefully, you have had a copy of the job description made available to you ahead of time and have gone through it to match your talents to skill sets that are desired.
2. What are your strengths?
This question is another version of tell me about yourself. Emphasis the skills and background that you have that match what the employer is looking for. Do not stretch the truth. Simply, related how your particular skills will enable to you succeed in the job.
3. What are your weaknesses?
This question trips job candidates up more often than any other. People are too quick to give a laundry list of what they do not do well, with no positive ending to the response. Instead, it is best to show how you have worked to improve on a weakness. For example, one of my least favorite things to do in the office is filing. I tend to procrastinate at the task. In order to combat that procrastination, I have made filing into a game. If I keep up with my filing for a certain period of time I will treat myself to a frozen yogurt. As you can see, I have turned a weakness into an area where I am making improvements.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The best response indicates your desire for continue growth in knowledge and positions of responsibility in your chosen career field. Show that you want to keep learning and advancing.
5. Do you have any questions for me?
Absolutely you do! Always ask at least one question of the interviewer. One of my favorite questions is to ask the interviewer “What are you ideally looking for in a person to join your team?” This provides the interviewer the opportunity to tell you exactly what the successful job candidate looks like . You can then reiterate traits that you have that match that list.
By preparing yourself ahead of time for questions that you will most likely be asked, you can be calm, collected, and impressive in your responses.
I spent 6 years doing interviews and I always stared the interview with tell me about yourself. It’s amazing the things that people say in response to that question! Personal details that I’m not allowed to ask were constantly revealed. And when I’m interviewing, I still hate the weakness question. I never know exactly what to say.
So many people overshare in interviews to their detriment.
Thank you for these tips. I am in the middle of a career transition and have been on several interviews over the past few months. At least one of those questions was asked in each interview I’ve been on! Stopping in from SITS!
Yes, it is amazing how the same questions get asked again and again.