Standard Interview Questions:
What are they REALLY asking?
During most interviews you go to, there are usually a series of “standard” questions that you will be asked. Taken off guard, they can possibly throw you for a bit of loop, but trust us – in asking these, there is a specific motivation and method behind the madness.
We’ve listed a couple of the more common ones below, with some handy hints on how to form the best response you can!
Tell me about yourself?
They want you to open up to them, and to see how confident you are at presenting yourself. The easiest thing to do here is to tell them about your qualifications, career and range of skills that are applicable to the job you’re applying for. You may even want to tell them a little about your hobbies and interests – it shows what motivates you outside of the office and if you can relate those motivations back to the office, even better!
What are you most proud of?
This is a bit of a kicker – often what you personally feel is your proudest moment may be something that happened to you, rather than something you actively went out and did – such as your children, for example, if you have any.
With this question however, the interviewer is trying to find out if you’re an achiever. It doesn’t have to be work related, but think back to a time you overcame a challenge you faced – demonstrate how you overcame it and how it has benefited you; do you still use those skills?
What are your strengths?
The dreaded question. It can be difficult to answer but we all have our strengths, so you have to be prepared to talk about them! The interviewer is essentially looking for someone who will fill a gap in their company and wants to know what qualities, skills or experience you have that will set you apart from the competition, so there’s no room for modesty here.
You need to take the time to identify your strengths and PRACTICE talking about them in advance – the more the better! You may not need to talk about them all in one interview, but it’s good to have options. Then develop at least one example or story to illustrate each strength, and make sure that you’ve taken a look at the job description before the interview to identify which of your strengths are most relevant to this specific role.
If you’re struggling, check out our post on how to answer this in more detail here!
What are your weaknesses?
You probably immediately had at least a couple answers in your head, just by reading that question! The sad fact is, it’s common to be able pinpoint your faults much more easily than it is for your strengths.
In this, the interviewer wants to see how self-aware and honest you are, as well as your openness towards self-improvement rather than letting these weaknesses hold you back, so don’t respond with answers such as “I tend to work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist” – answers like these come across as insincere, and a little thoughtless.
Of course, you don’t want to respond with weaknesses that will prevent you from succeeding in getting the role either! For instance, if you’re applying for a Project Management job, maybe don’t admit that your time management could use some work.
Instead, try to find a weakness that can also be considered a strength; a professional weakness such as lack of experience in a certain area can always be overcome by training, for example.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Please, please, please do not be tempted to respond in an arrogant manner, such as “in your chair”. The interviewer wants to know your motivation and career aspirations and whilst wanting to progress is a natural desire, don’t let this overshadow the job you are being interviewed for.
Try not to give a specific job title, but instead focus more on what you’ll be gaining from a role and the surrounding environment such as: “I see myself in a role that allows me to be autonomous, and one that is both challenging and rewarding”. This type of answer lets the interviewer know that you wish to continue progressing in your career and are willing to work hard to achieve it.
Some final points to bear in mind …
Interviews are a two-way process. You’ll have a chance to ask questions, but make sure they are relevant to the role and company, so don’t immediately start getting involved in discussing money at this stage – unless the interviewer specifically asks you.
Remember that the questions you ask tell the interviewer more about you than some of the answers you give, so remember to do your research about the company and start thinking!
If you want to have a more detailed discussion regarding interview techniques with one of our trained Recruitment Specialists, please just contact us here and we’ll be happy to help!
