For some people the hardest part about finding a job is not sprucing up your resume to catch employers' eye or even approaching employers about recent openings, it's the interview that has people nervous. However, with practice and going over your answer to potential questions, you can help make the interview process a breeze.
Glassdoor.com has provided a list of the most common interview questions applicants should prepare to answer ahead of time. Here are seven of the most commonly asked question and tips on how to respond to them.
1. What are your strengths?
Some job seekers fear this question because they are afraid that sharing their skills will come off as overly confident. This is just the employers' way of having you verbalize your skills because it is likely that they already know your strengths, otherwise you probably wouldn't have gotten offered an interview. Use this time to mention the skills you have that fit well with the position you are applying for. Your ability to eat 15 hotdogs in a minute should be left a secret as it has nothing to do with how well you will perform as an office assistant.
2. What are your weaknesses?
Once upon a time, job seekers were advised to answer this question with a strength, for example answering that you work too hard, so that your true weaknesses are kept hidden. It is now suggested that job seekers answer this question with a weakness they once had, and ways in which they were able to change that weakness into a strength. However, it is important that you give an honest answer to this question, as you do not want to be placed in a position that you are not prepared enough to have.
3. Why do you want to leave your current company?
Answer this question in an honest manner, without badmouthing your current place of employment. People leave their jobs for all sorts of reasons all the time. Some people hope to change their job because they've gained all they can from their current workplace, while others would simply like to cut down on their commute time to work. This is not a trick question, so just be honest.
4. Why are you interested in working for (the company interviewing you)?
This question can be best answered when accompanied by some kind of prior research done by the job seeker. Information on almost every company can be searched online. Find a few things that stand out to you about the company and use that to share with the employer what impressed you about their company. This assures employers that you want the job not just for money, but to also help the company continue to have an impressive presence.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
Employers ask this question to make sure that the people they are hiring have goals and aspirations. Sharing your future plans as well as ways you can improve the company in the coming years is a good way to show employers that you have goals for your career path.
6. What questions do you have for me?
It is important that you actually have questions for the employer when this question is asked. Nothing screams "I'm not prepared" more than not having questions to ask the employer. It shows that you do care about the company and the position and want to learn more about it. Questions about what the ideal candidate would be for the position, why the position is open and what aids in the company's success are good questions to ask employers.
7. Why should we hire you?
This question once again makes room for you to share what you can bring to the table and why you would be an asset to the company. Take advantage by mentioning other things you may have forgot to mention when asked about your strengths and share how those things can help the company reach its goals.
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