Wouldn’t it be helpful if you knew exactly what questions you would be asked by your hiring manager in your next job interview? We cannot read minds, unfortunately, but we will provide you the best help: a list of common interview questions & answers. As you prepare for your interview, you may consider which questions the employer is going to ask you. While there is no way to know what topics will be covered, there are many basic interview questions you can expect you would be asked. Here is how to answer the most common interview questions.
List of common interview questions & answers
“Tell me something about yourself”
Most of the time in an interview, the first question asked is ” Tell me something about yourself.” If you are the interviewer, there is a lot of things you should already know: The applicant’s cover letter and resume should tell you plenty of things, and Facebook, Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn can tell you more. The objective of an interview is to determine whether the applicant will be outstanding in the profession, and that means calculating the skills and attitude needed for that job. Should he or she be an empathetic leader? Ask regarding that. Does she need to take your organization public? Ask about that.
If you are the applicant, discuss why you opted for certain jobs. Tell the reason why you left. Explain why you studied in a specific school. Share the reason why you decided to study in a grad school. Discuss why you took a year off and what did you do during that time? When you answer this question, connect the dots on your curriculum vitae so that the interviewer knows not only what you have done, but also the reason behind doing it.
What are your biggest weaknesses?
Every job applicant knows how to answer this question: Just choose a theoretical weakness and transform that mistake into a strength in disguise. For instance, “My biggest weakness is getting absorbed in my work so much that I lose all track of time. Every day I look up and realize that everybody has gone home! I know I must be more aware of the time, but when I love what I love to do then nothing matters to me.
So, the person who is taking the interview will understand that your “biggest weakness” is that you will put in extra hours and effort than anybody else.
One of the best approaches is to choose an actual weakness, which you are trying to improve. Share what are you doing to tackle that weakness. No one is perfect but realizing it and finding ways to improve is good.
How did you hear about us?
Another one among the various common interview questions & answers is a perfect chance to stand out and show your passion for the company. For instance, if you found out about the job through a professional contact or friend, mention the name of that person, then share why you were so excited about it. If you find the company through an event or article, tell about that. Even if you came to know about the job through a random job board, even if you found the job through a job board, share what, specifically, caught your attention about the job role.
What are your strengths?
Make sure your experience and resume make your strengths instantly apparent. Even so, if you are asked, offer a sharp, and on-point answer. Be clear and precise. If you are a great problem solver, do not say it just like that: Provide a few instances, relevant to the opening, that proves you are a great problem solver. If you are an emotionally smart leader, do not say it randomly: Provide a few examples that prove you know how to give a reply to the unasked question.
In simple language, you must not simply claim to have specific attributes- you must prove those attributes too.
Why do you want to join us?
It is one of the common things you will find in job interview questions and answers sample. Beware of generic answers! If what you say is quite common or if your response makes you sound like other applicants, then you are missing a great opportunity to stand out. Experts recommend one of four strategies: Do your research and point out something that makes the company unique that appeals to you; discuss how you have watched the company expand and change since you first knew about it; focus on the company’s opportunities for the future growth and how can you contribute to it; or share what’s gotten you thrilled from your interactions with staffs so far. Whichever route you select, ensure to be specific. And if you cannot find out why you would want to work at the organization you are interviewing with by the time you are into the hiring procedure, it might be a bad sign showing that this position is not the right fit for you.
What makes you different from other candidates?
Often, employers ask this question to find out why you might be more skilled compared to other candidates whom they are interviewing. To respond, focus on why appointing you would benefit your relationship to theirs. Speaking about why your background makes you a perfect fit will allow employers to know your traits and qualifications make you well-prepared. As a candidate cannot compare himself with people he does not know, all he can do is explain his incredible passion, desire, and commitment, and ask for the job.
What is the reason behind leaving your current job?
Let us start with what you should not say.
Do not about how your boss is strict or hard to handle. Do not talk about how you cannot get along with other workers. Never bad-mouth your company.
Instead, you must focus on the positives. Discuss what you want to attain in this new job. Talk about what you want to learn. Tell the interviewer about the ways you want to grow in your career, about things you want to achieve, clarify how a move will be great for you and your new organization. Complaining about your existing employer may show you are the kind of person who likes to gossip. The interviewer may think if you are speaking bad about someone else, you will do the same to him or her.
Define your dream job
One of the most common interview questions & answers is to explain your dream job. Three words define how you must answer this question. These are relevance, relevance, and relevance.
However, this does not mean that you must create an answer. You must learn something new from every job. You can learn new skills in every job. Work backward: Find out things about the job you are applying for that will help you if you find your dream job someday, and then define how those things apply to what you want to do someday.
And do not be scared to admit that you might someday move on, whether to join another organization or-better- to start your own business. Employers no longer expect “forever” workers.
Tell me how other people would define you
It is a total throwaway. For answering this question, you can say like” I think people would say that what you see is what you receive. If I say I will do something, then surely, I will do it. If I say I will help, I help. I am not sure whether everyone likes me or not, but they all believe in what I say, and they know how hard-working I am.”
Where do you see yourself in the next backward years?
Understanding how you see your life in the future can help the interviewer understand whether the route of the role and company fits in with your personal development objectives. To answer this question, provide general ideas about the skills that you want to learn, the kind of roles you would like to be in the future, and the goals you would like to achieve.