It’s very rare in this world to find a job that you can apply for and get on the spot.
In most cases, we have to go through an interview process.
For many people, this is a stressful time of not knowing and confused emotions.
If you send in a resume or application, you can spend days wondering if you will get called in for the next step.
You can spend hours trying to figure out whether you even want the job and whether you are overqualified for unqualified. Once you get called in for an interview, however, you may feel that you have gotten one step closer, and you certainly have, but the journey is not over.
Interview questions can be challenging, especially if you are not prepared for them. Unless you can see the future, you can really have no clue as to which questions you will be asked. What you can do, however, is familiarize yourself with a few common questions you can expect to be asked in an interview.
What are your strengths? This is one of the most common interview questions and one of the easiest to answer. A good tip for answering this question is to think about strengths that would help you to work the job for which you are applying.
What are your weaknesses? This question and the question listed above are two questions that go hand in hand. A good idea is to make sure that your weaknesses are not necessarily bad. Answers such as “I dedicate too much time to my work” and “I sometimes try to accomplish more than I can handle; I guess I’m an overachiever” are booth good answers.
What skills or experience do you have that make you a perfect candidate for this job? These kinds of interview questions can be tough since this information is often already on your resume or application. Make sure that you don’t just repeat the information on these documents. Instead, supplement the information and provide greater detail.
What would your past employers say about you if we were to ask them right now? Remember that if you are being seriously considered for a position, they probably will ask your former employers about your performance. Try to be consistent with the experience and skills that you have already discussed.
What role do you see yourself playing in our organization? When you hear these kinds of interview questions, it normally means that an interviewer wants to find out how you function with others.
For example, if you are a creative thinking, then you may want to talk about how you always have new ideas. If you are great at strategy, then talk about how you see the big picture and like to make different components of a process work together to achieve common goals.
Are there any questions you have for us? Many interviewees stumble at this question. The best thing to do in this scenario is to go into an interview with a few questions in mind. Ask about your duties, the history of the company, or even some questions regarding procedure.
