You’ve submitted your CV, made it through the initial screening process – now you’re ready for the interview. With so much competition in the job market, this is your opportunity to demonstrate you’re the best person for the position. The way you handle yourself during the interview is only one of several factors that ultimately determines whether you get the job, but it is one of the most important nonetheless.
The good news is, you can generally prepare in advance for questions you may be asked. The following are some typical interview questions – and some insights on what a hiring manager may be looking for in your answers.
When practicing interview questions and answers, try and think of examples you could use to describe how you have dealt with different situations. Here are some examples of how to answer common interivew questions.
“Tell me a little about yourself”
This is the ice-breaker of the interview world, and it’s always a challenge to answer because it’s so broad. The best approach is to narrow the scope of the question by focusing on those aspects of your background that make you qualified for the position. From there, you can talk about your interest in this particular job and company.
“Tell me about your last job”
Most interviewers are looking for a direct link between your responsibilities in your most recent position and the job they have open. This is your chance to highlight your transferable skills and talk about specifics, including who you reported to, the number of people you managed, how your position fit into the company’s big picture and the contributions you made. Make sure you aren’t general in your answers. Tell the interviewer what your job entailed day to day and how those responsibilities have prepared you for the current position you’re seeking.
“What are your weaknesses?”
This one can be the bane of the interviewee’s existence. After all, it’s difficult enough admitting your downfalls to those you know well, much less someone whom you’ve just met. This isn’t the time to beat yourself up: don’t talk about all those projects you started but didn’t have time to finish at your last job. Instead, be candid and brief. Maybe planning wasn’t your strong suit in the past, but you’ve found an organisational system that keeps you on track.
“Why should I hire you?”
Don’t get caught up in what may appear to be an easy answer (“because I’m the best person for the job”). Instead, hone in on specific qualities that make you a good fit for this position. Talk about what you know about the job from the description and how you can make a significant contribution. Then relate examples of your skills to back it up.
“What’s the biggest problem you faced in your last job, and how did you solve it?”
An interviewer who asks this question is looking for insight into what you consider a challenge and how you would handle a difficult situation. Come prepared with two or three examples of difficulties you overcame on the job that are relevant to the position for which you are interviewing.
“What kind of salary do you require?”
Generally, it’s better to postpone discussions about salary until you have a thorough understanding of the job responsibilities and what the employer is willing to pay. But in case it does come up early in the interview process, be sure you know your monetary requirements and market value. Your perceived “value” is generally the basis of most companies’ salary decisions.
The questions covered above are not all-encompassing, but you will probably encounter many of them during the interview process. By practicing your answers in advance and knowing what not to say, you’ll be well on your way to a successful meeting – and maybe a new job as well.
Questions provide your final opportunity to sell yourself to the interviewer(s). Use this opportunity to find out more about the organisational structure, your prospective role in it, the nature of the job, the challenge it offers and its career potential. If you feel that you will not remember all the things you need to ask, write them down and ask if the interviewer minds if you refer to your notes. Remember to limit the time spent on questions because the panel will be irritated if you appear too demanding and throw the interview schedule off too much
Follow up
Always write a thank-you email after an interview. Re-affirm your continued interest in the post or email and say that you hope you will be called back for a further discussion. If your application is unsuccessful, do not be afraid to call and ask for feedback. This can be invaluable advice to inform your next round of applications.
Do:
Don’t:
A successful interview relies partly on thorough preparation and partly on thoughtful response to questions on the day. In addition, you can demonstrate a lot to your interviewers with your own questions and effective follow-up.
