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Common interview questions

This article is more than 14 years old
The interview is an opportunity for both the company and you to evaluate whether you are a good fit for the job so expect questions relating to your ability, work history, future goals, and whether you fit the company culture

Prepare for the type of questions you're likely to get. You'll probably be asked questions to find out whether or not you have the skills/experience to do the job, so make sure you can answer questions relating to the job specifics. The ad itself is a good place to work out what they're likely to ask you regarding your professional abilities.

You'll probably also get some general questions, so they can find out more about you, your future plans and so on. Expect questions like 'Tell me about yourself' (an opportunity to present your particular strengths and fit for the job), 'What are you weaknesses' (an opportunity to show how you have learned useful lessons) or 'Where do you want to be in the next X years' (allows you to show ambition and company loyalty).

Good preparation is essential, so spend time before the interview reviewing your CV, to make sure you can connect your background (your skills, accomplishments and learning curves) to the job and company requirements. You may also need to explain gaps on your CV, or the reasons why you left a company.

These are common, general questions you should prepare to answer:

Tell me about yourself
This, or any of the alternative introductory questions ('What sets you apart from other candidates?' or 'Why should we hire you?') is an ideal opportunity for you to talk about how you're a good fit for the job. You can almost guarantee you will get a question like this, so prepare an answer, but be careful not to sound too rehearsed. Concentrate on how your experience, successes, or personal characteristics make you a strong candidate and avoid irrelevant information. Aim to talk for a minute or so, then check with the interviewer that s/he has enough information. Don't describe yourself using cliches like 'I'm a team-player', but demonstrate through examples how you match the job description or ideal candidate profile.

What motivates you?/Why do you want this job?
For this type of motivational question, you'll need to know what inspires you and keeps you happy at work. Select a couple of aspects that also highlight your abilities: winning new business; training people in new skills; identifying new markets; discovering new talent for example.

What are your strengths/weaknesses
Expect a question relating to your personal characteristics. Alternatives could be 'How would you describe your personality?' or 'How do your employees/managers perceive you?' Choose the most relevant strengths to the job you're applying for. When answering the 'weakness' question, avoid cliches like 'I work too hard/I'm a perfectionist'. Instead, choose a real area where you're aware you could do better, and say what you're doing about it. For example, 'I tend to clam up in meetings, but if I go in with prepared points, I find I can contribute much more effectively.'

Where would you like to be in the next three/five years?
This is a good opportunity to talk about your career goals, and link them to what the company offers in terms of promotion and career development.

What did you like the most/least about your last job?
Knowing what the role involves is important, as it'll help you frame your answer. Saying you disliked working for a disorganised manager will be counterproductive if you're interviewing for a similar position. Try to emphasise the positives. For example, 'I enjoyed being able to help my manager be more efficient by organising his diary and correspondence' would be more appropriate in this instance. Although you need to show self-awareness of what you really dislike, it's not an invitation to criticise your previous company. A safe approach is to stick to generalities: 'I like working with supportive colleagues/in companies which promote openness and transparency' or 'I dislike office politics'.

In a recent Communicate for Success Q&A, there was some great advice for interview techniques. Jennifer Bekenn, client relationship manager at executive and graduate headhunters, Moloney Search, advised these three key points for people to remember for communicating well at interview:

  • Prepare yourself — know your CV; I know that sounds obvious but when you are nervous and concentrating on impressing the interviewer you can often forget the key points on your CV. The more you have gone through your acheivements and work experience the better you will be able to communicate these
  • Try and relax — this will allow you to be more natural and the more you will smile and engage better with the interviewer.
  • Mirror the style of the interviewer — this will allow you to build rapport more easily and will lead again to a more natural conversation where you are likely to perform and communicate with a higher degree of ease.

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