TOP 21 QUICK ANSWERS TO JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS!
50+ most common job interview questions
This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s crucial. Heres the deal: Don’t give your complete employment (or personal) history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Muse writer and MIT career counselor Lily Zhang recommends using a present, past, future formula. Talk a little bit about your current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment), then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant. Finally, segue into why you want—and would be perfect for—this role.
Possible answer to “Tell me about yourself.”
“Well, I’m currently an account executive at Smith, where I handle our top-performing client. Before that, I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national healthcare brands. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to dig in much deeper with one specific healthcare company, which is why I’m so excited about this opportunity with Metro Health Center.”
anticipate the two most important interview questions
The job interview process is in some ways like dating. Employers and job seekers are trying to determine, through a series of social interactions, whether to enter a relationship and make a commitment. As a job candidate, it’s important to be ready, and one way to prepare is by thinking of the most common and important interview questions and crafting potential responses ahead of time. Below, I’ve highlighted a few key questions my career coaching clients almost always face.
An interviewer may also try to assess your procedural and/or analytical knowledge by asking questions such as, “How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” or “How many tennis balls do you think would fit in this room?”. Again, they are likely not looking for an exact answer. Instead, they want to know how you would explain the procedure or go about solving the problem.
However, companies may have certain technical skills or processes that they find very important. If a company is looking for candidates with understanding and/or experiences in these areas, then they will ask technical questions during an interview to evaluate your level of expertise. Occasionally companies will also ask about technical steps taken in your class/work projects, or about how a particular technical skill was used to solve a problem. If a company is planning to ask detailed technical questions, they will typically let you know beforehand so that you can prepare.
As discussed previously, interviewers use behavioral-based questions to learn about how you handled certain situations in the past because this provides insight about your skills and how you are likely to handle similar situations in the future. The first step in providing an effective answer is understanding what skill or character trait the interviewer is trying to assess. Sometimes it might not be completely obvious. For example, if an interviewer asks you to describe a particularly challenging problem that you solved, he or she isn’t looking for a detailed explanation of the problem. Instead, he or she is interested in your problem-solving skills and wants to hear about the process you went through to solve the problem.
You should also reflect on your preferences/interests and understand how they align with the position and/or company. For example, if working for a ‘green’ company is important to you and during your research you find that the company is working to cut greenhouse gas emissions and releasing fewer pollutants into the environment, this would be a good point to discuss. If the company culture or industry really appeals to you, be prepared to mention this. See Step 2 of this online guide for a more detailed approach to determining your preferences and skillset.
Abstract questions are very rare, so you do not need to spend much time preparing for them. With these questions, interviewers may be trying to see if you can quickly process and answer a question or deal with a stressful or unknown situation. There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer for these questions. For example, if you are asked, “If you could be any color what would it be?”, you shouldn’t sit and try to think of the ‘right’ answer for a long time. You also don’t want to just give a one word answer like “Red”. Instead, you should try to explain the reasoning behind your answer (e.g., “Cardinal Red because it reminds me of growing up an Iowa State fan and of all the wonderful experiences I’ve had so far as an ISU student.”).
FAQ
What are the 10 most common interview questions and answers?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What attracted you to our company?
- Tell me about your strengths.
- Tell me about your strengths.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Tell me about a time where you encountered a business challenge?
What are 5 tips for a successful interview?
- 1) Be punctual at your interview. It is mandatory to be on time at a job interview. …
- 2) Do your research on the company. …
- 3) Don’t forget about nonverbal communication. …
- 4) Be polite with everyone. …
- 5) Be prepared for your interview.
How do you answer interview questions smartly?
- Know when to tell a story, and when not to. …
- Share specific facts and data to make your answers more impressive. …
- Make a comparison. …
- Be brief and concise. …
- Take your time and ask for clarification if needed. …
- End your answer with a question. …
- Make it about them, not you.
What is the STAR method when interviewing?
