How To Deal With The Top 3 Job Interview Questions
Getting the job you want is almost always balanced on the success of your interview. Therefore, the key is to be prepared. But instead of spending all your time preparing by shining your shoes and rewriting your resume or CV, make sure you put some time aside to prepare for these top 3 job interview questions.
1. Tell me about yourself:
This is by far the most common job interview question and is often the first thing that is actually asked of you. You need to have a short yet concise answer, so that you do not rabble on and aggravate the interviewer.
However, do not over rehearse, as this will become evident when you start talking. The best way around this is to use bullet points on a piece of paper that you can build upon (but only use this for preparation - do not take this piece of paper into the interview).
Remember that the aim of this question is to find out your skills and suitability for the position.
It's not the same as when out on a date and the other person asks this same question; in an interview, the hiring manager wants to know who you are in a more professional sense...they don't care if you've got 3 cats and like to ice skate.
They care about your attitude, your career aspirations and previous (work related) achievements.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Try to put a positive spin on why you left your last job. This question is designed to do two things...
a) find out if you're willing to bad mouth previous managers and colleagues b) whether you are inclined to job hop every few months.
Essentially, the hiring manager wants to see a positive and substantial reason why you left your last position, or at least why you are looking for a new job.
3. Tell me about your weaknesses?
This question is used to find out how honest and level headed your are. The employer wants to This question is used to find out how honest and level headed your are. The employer wants to get a realistic picture of you and whether you will honestly fit in with this job.
The key here is to only mention weaknesses that will not severely affect the job you're applying for, or better still, use one or two weaknesses that you can turn into a positive.
Examples would be:
"I am often conscientious in my approach which means that although I might take a little longer to do key tasks, I can always guarantee that the task will be done to the highest possible level of professionalism and attention to detail."
When it comes to job interviews preparation is the key. One of the most important things to prepare for is tough job interview questions and the potential answers you might give.
Use these examples of tricky job interview questions to prepare for your next job interview. Above all, make sure that you don't over-prepare and end up sounding like a scripted robot.
The key is to get the answers prepared mentally in a brief outline.
What about this question?
"What is your greatest strength?"
This is your chance to shine, your greatest window to impress the employer above all else. However, don't get carried away and go overboard here, as you might come off as a little phony.
Try to be concise and list a handful of your strengths such as:
- Ability to work well under pressure - Ability to train other people - Problem solving skills - Positive attitude - Organizational skills - Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers
The way to make this answer really pack a punch is to provide examples.
Remember not to ramble on too much, but simply give a brief example for each strength.
Of course, the more you are able to align and tie in your strengths with that particular job position the better.
