If a company sticks to the common or frequently asked interview questions over the more recently integrated behavioral interview questions, below are several to think about before you head to your interview. I don’t recommend that you have canned answers to every question, but being familiar if you are asked will help ease some additional interview stress.
1. Tell me about yourself…
May seem like the interviewer is trying to open the door for conversation here; however, the interviewer really wants to see how you present yourself. Do not recite your resume, they can read. What you want to do is relate a strong connection between your background, interests, and the position for which you are interviewing for. Try and leave personal details out of this stage unless it amplified your experience or your career path.
2. What are your strengths?
We all know it can be challenging to talk about ourselves, especially when you are trying to highlight areas of greatness. When answering this question, share your true strengths, not those you think the interviewer wants to hear. In addition, be relevant with the strength you choose. Don’t pick a strength that is not related to the position you are interviewing for. Finally, be specific and give examples of why your strength is a strength in a professional setting.
3. What are your weaknesses?
Trying to pick out a weakness is sometimes more challenging than thinking of a strength. When an employer askes you this question, they are trying to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. Strike a balance by thinking of something you struggle with, but you are also working to improve. For example, maybe you’ve never been strong at public speaking, but you’ve recently volunteered to run meetings to help you be more comfortable when addressing a crowd.
4. Explain to me the gaps of employment…
If you were unemployed for a period of time, be direct and to the point about the why. It doesn’t need to be super personal. The interviewer doesn’t need to know specifics on if you were off for maternity leave and the issues you faced, or something of that nature. Once you identify why, make sure to follow up with how you want to contribute now. For example, “I decided to take a break at the time, but today I’m ready to contribute to this organization in the following ways.”
5. What can you bring to the company?
If you are asked this question, there’s no better time to sell yourself and your skills. To completely answer this question, you will want to cover these three things:
- That you can not only do the work but you can deliver great results
- That you will really fit in with the team and culture
- That you’d be a better hire than any of the other candidates
6. What interested you about the company? Or what do you know about the company?
Make sure you are well prepared for this question, most times research will need to be done. When interviewers ask this, they are partially trying to see if you read up on them before the interview, but they also want to know that you understand the company goals, mission, and vision. Begin with a line that shows you understand the company’s goals, then make it personal. For example, “I really feel a connection to your core value [enter core value here] because…”
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
When an interviewer asks this questions they are looking to see if your responses will match their needs. Early in your career, interviewers want to get a sense of your personal goals, ambition, drive and direction. If you are mid-career, they are making sure your response lines up with their short term and long term business goals.
8. What are your salary requirements?
When answering this question, it isn’t what you think you are worth, it is a range based off of your research on the specific opportunity that should fall in your desired range. Do your research on what you should be paid by using sites like Payscale or Glassdoor. It is recommend to state the highest salary in that range that applies to your experience, education and skills. After stating your number, make sure the interviewer knows that you’re flexible.
9. What do you like to do outside of work?
When interviewers ask personal questions like this it is to see if candidates will fit in with the company culture. In other words, if during an interview you are asked about hobbies or interests outside of work, this is your time to open up and share what really makes you tick. Make sure to keep these hobbies semi-professional, you don’t want the interviewer to have any red flags raised about you.
10. Do you have any questions for me?
Always ask questions! Bring a mental list of questions with you to the interview.
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