Giving a job interview is probably a nerve-racking routine for any candidate, no matter how much qualified, experienced or confident he/she is. The key is to prepare well for the tricky but sometimes predictable questions in a way to make you stand out of the crowd. So, here are the top 4 interview questions for which you MUST prepare well before going for your next interview.
1) Introduce Yourself!
Ah, the dreaded question that no one knows how to answer. The question is meant to be an icebreaker and provides an opportunity to get the ball rolling. But if you haven’t prepared your elevator speech for this one, the whole interview is in for a bumpy ride.
The first thing to remember is that the interviewers are sitting there not to trap or confuse you, but they genuinely want to know about you and your abilities. They want to see whether you will be a good fit for their company. It is, however, imperative that after quoting the necessary information on your residential and educational background; you must focus on bringing out jobs and experiences which are related to the position for which you have applied. We accept that your metal guitar playing skills are a huge hit at the bar, but these skills probably are not sufficient for you to get that Engineering job.
Focus on picking out phrases that would relate to the job description and prove how your values and work ethics coincide with those of the company.
2) What are your weaknesses?
This tricky question stumps most of the people. Of course, an easy way out would be to say, “I have no weaknesses,” but that would only show a lack of self-awareness, which is probably not a good thing.
The best way to answer this question is to point out a weakness that is not a too big deal. Saying I can’t handle pressure or I can’t work in a team will certainly be a deal breaker, so choose cautiously. Try to pick something that is believable but also can be corrected easily.
For example, you could say:
My weakness is that I am a workaholic. I feel my day is not complete without checking off all stuff that is on my to-do list. But I’m sure I can turn this weakness into a strength. I can use my being workaholic to ensure all my work for the day is complete before I leave the office.
Which, as you guessed, would be a TERRIBLE answer.
Here’s a much better, logical and straight-forward answer:
I understand that you’re ideally seeking a candidate who has five years of experience in designing 2D & 3D parts in AutoCAD. I only have three years of direct experience in this area. However, I’ve always been able to meet all design specs and submit my designs on time. I’ve been designing such parts using other softwares as well.
The above answer would be a much better one to score a job.
3) Describe yourself in one word?
This question is for judging your personality and preferences. It also reveals what you value the most about yourself. The question often comes with follow-up the question of “Why you chose this word,” so choose wisely.
Here are some words that can be used to describe yourself: Assertive, Confident, Driven, Optimistic, Passionate.
Always remember that you must always keep a follow-up story for anything you claim in the interview. Using the STAR story technique has proven to be a success for lots of people.
You should take this Personality Assessment Test and read the book is called: How the World Sees You: Discover Your Highest Value through the Science of Fascination, Written by Sally Hogshead to know better about yourself and answer this question more holistically.
4) Why did you leave your last position?
The hiring managers want to make sure that they are hiring someone they can trust. The best way to respond is, to be honest, clear, and transparent.
Lying never bids well, and the experienced interviewers would probably see right through you. Write down the reasons for leaving your previous job and have someone evaluate it before you go to your job interview.
Also, never slander or bad mouth your former employer, no matter how evil he/she was. Ranting about your boss’ flaws will only show that you lack the courage to own up your flaws. It indicates that you would probably behave the same way as you did before.
Do you know more effective answers to these questions? Comment below to let us know!
