You’re anxiously awaiting your interview day. Preparing, organizing and anticipating but you’re not 100% sure how to answer a couple tough questions.
Some of us do not like talking about ourselves. Some LOVE it; so much as to say TOO much! So what’s a comfortable medium?
Let’s go over some of the common questions that employers usually ask during an interview so you can not only impress them but get the job!
Question #1 – Tell me a little about yourself….
Yes, they have your resume right in front of them so why do they still ask this? Much like a first date they want to know a little bit more about you that’s not on paper. They would like to know your perspective on things or what you are looking for or aspire in life. Don’t get personal, stay strictly professional. Focus on some areas of your resume that you want to highlight. Limit this time to a couple minutes at most. Try not to ramble, this could lead to giving too much information or getting off topic. Sometimes hiring heads will ask this question to let you have the floor, allow you to set the tone for the interview and show your personality.
Question #2 – What do you know about the company?
Employers love it when you do your research! Showing that you are interested and curious about the company, it’s background, structure and industry trends is very impressive. This will make you stand out from other candidates that concentrate on selling themselves and not learning about the business. Look at the company website before your interview and get to know the basics and form a couple questions of your own.
Question #3 – What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Review the job description. Find key elements that employers are specifically looking for in this position and identify them emphasizing your strengths pertaining to the role. Limit weaknesses to just 1. Everyone has a weakness, no one is perfect but keep this short and sweet. Demonstrate your willingness to improve on them.
Question #4 – Why do you want to leave your current position?/Why do you want this job?
STAY POSITIVE. If you are currently employed and you are asked why you want to leave it is crucial that you do not bad mouth your current company. Most candidates will start by saying what benefits they will gain from accepting a particular job (like better hours, more perks…shorter drive time) but the employer wants to know what you can do for the company too. “I want a new challenge and after learning about your company I feel that we could really work together and use my experience to accomplish the big picture.”
Question #5 – Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This is not meant to be a hard question but often stops applicants in their tracks. Open your mind and think long term. That is exactly what the employer wants. Long-Term. They want to know if you are going to stay with the company and build a career or if you are looking at this job as a stepping stone to something else. 1 word to show professionalism….Successful! Then you can go into how you want to expand your knowledge and become an industry expert, possibly even throw a small weakness in there that might make them laugh (depending on the hiring heads personality) like “5 years from now I’d like to only drink 1 cup of coffee a day.”
Remember interviews are not only meant for employers to get to know their applicants but also a chance for applicants to get to know the company and staff they would be working for. Take advantage of this, keeping in the back of your mind that you are also interviewing the company and be confident in yourself!
*Careerbuilder.com – The Work Buzz – By Michael Kingston – 5 Common Interview Questions and how to answer them.