While you cannot read minds of recruiters beforehand, however, you can prepare for a job interview by practicing answering most common and typical interview questions.
While you cannot read minds of recruiters beforehand, however, you can prepare for a job interview by practicing answering most common and typical interview questions.
You should do all the background research that you can on the company before your attend the job interview.
As you prepare for your answers, think about some anecdotes and select specific examples from your previous work experiences to share with your interviewers.
Although I don’t advise you to have a canned response for every interview question, I do recommend that you spend some time getting comfortable with what interview questions you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for in your responses to the questions, and what it takes to prove that you’re the right person for the job.
This prior preparation will help you feel more confident and less stressful during your job interview.
Here is a list of the most commonly asked interview questions.
These top 20 frequently asked questions touch on the necessary aspects the hiring managers want to know about every candidate:
This is probably the most asked question in a job interview. Actually, it is not even a question. It is an invitation. When asking this question, the interviewer wants to see how you present yourself. It helps you to break the ice and gets you to talk about something you are comfortable with talking about.
Nevertheless, this is not an offer for you to narrate your resume.
When the interviewers ask this question, your greatest strength is something they actually need. Remember that the interviewer is looking for your work related strengths that fit the job skills.
This is always a tricky and challenging question but being ready for this question is the best strategy. This question is all about how you perceive and evaluate yourself. The interviewers who ask this question often see it as a test of the candidate’s preparation, interest, and the right skills for the job.
This question, often worded as “significant accomplishment,” is ranked among the most predictable and important things you will be ever asked. Actually, interviewers want to hear from you about how you tackled something big. It is imperative that you give them an articulate and organized story.
Consider this question an invitation to exhibit self-importance about what you have achieved in your career that can benefit this new employer. This question provides you with a personal marketing opportunity. Share your accomplishments that demonstrate that you are a good fit for this employer and job.
The hiring manager is trying to find out why the company should hire you for this job over the others waiting to be interviewed. If there are many candidates, your response to this question could make or break your interview.
When the interviewers ask this question, they want to know: Did you have a good reason for leaving your previous job? The Human resources manager does not want an employee that just jumps ship the moment things go bad for the company.
It is a fair question if the interviewers want to know, “Why do you want to get this job? What are you looking for in a new position in this company?” The interviewer knows you are looking for a new opportunity, and a job. However, what do interviewers exactly want to know? What do you find most interesting about the job and the organization? Why did you apply for this position?
The employer wants to know why you think this job is a match for your career objectives. A candidate with good reasons is going to be more interesting. More you can show that you are a qualified candidate, the easier it will be for you to be hired.
Therefore, take the time to describe how your qualifications are a match for the job.
Questions about employment continuity often come early in an interview to assist the interviewers understand the chronology of your job history. You must be ready to walk through your resume without dithering.
Most job interviews start with a walk through your resume. This gives you opportunity to explain and it gives the interviewer a chance to create a mental picture of your career history.
What is an employment gap? Anything less than 6 months is generally acceptable. However, you still need to explain it, but job or employment seeking will cover it.
It can be a tricky interview question. While asking what your dream job is, the interviewer wants to know if you have the right skills to be successful in the job and if you will stick around in the company.
It is a good sign if the hiring manager or recruiter is interested in knowing more than what is there on your resume. It is likely that they looked at your resume, believe you might be a good fit for the role, and want to know more about you.
Hiring manager asks this question to understand your preference for a team environment. Your answer to this question lets the prospective employers know if their team environment and company culture might be the right one for you.
Employers like candidates with strong teamwork skills who know how to work productively with others.
When the interviewers ask you to tell your leadership style what do they want to know?
They want to know a brief success story about a time when you managed or led an employee or team. Interviewers ask leadership questions regardless of your experience, because they want to choose the best candidates with the most potential.
When an interviewer asks this question, he is trying to know what your strong points are and how you prioritize your important work qualities. You should reply knowing that your answer will give insight into both of these aspects.
It is one of the more common interview questions so be prepared. Hiring managers will also ask this question to get a feel for your teamwork ability, personality, and about how well you interact with others. Interviewers will ask this question to get a sense of what your own sense of self-perception is. Employers want confident employees.
Employers want to make the best hire for each role. If they know that a certain role sometimes involves stressful situations, they may want to confirm that a candidate can react to that situation in a constructive rather than destructive manner.
The hiring manager really wants to know whether you can handle job-related stress, and what you do in particularly stressful situations at work. This is mainly important if you are interviewing for a position where stress is an integral part of the job. That is because job stress can have a negative impact on workplace performance of an employee.
The Interviewers may also be wondering whether some stressful issues outside of work can affect your job related performance. Human resources managers look for candidates who can handle a range of stressful situations, whether these are work-related or personal.
What does the hiring manager really want to know? The hiring managers ask this question to learn about you as a person and make sure you have certain interests and passions in your life. They want to hire someone who is excited about their life and work. They are looking for a person who shows up enthusiasm and can energize the workplace. They want to ensure this is the work you like doing. They do not want to hire someone who is likely to quit in the first year itself.
When interviewers ask, “What do you like to do outside of work?” they want to get a glimpse of your personality. They are curious about you and want to know you exactly who you are and if you will be a good fit for the rest of the team in the company.
Why would potential employers expect you to tell them where you will be in five years? You do not own a crystal ball. It is not because they are trying to analysis your psychic abilities. Your interviewers are asking this question for an important reason. Your hiring managers do not expect you to wield a crystal ball and tell them exactly where you will be in five years’ time. They are asking this question to weed unsuitable and out weak candidates.
Employers want to recruit persons who are motivated, passionate, self-aware, share similar goals, who values engaged in their job. Recruitment is a time-consuming and expensive process. The potential employers want to be sure that you plan to stay in the company.
Why do hiring managers want to know your current salary and your salary expectations for the new position? Potential employers may ask this question to get a sense of whether or not they can manage to pay for your help. They might also ask you this to see how much you value your work and yourself.
The interviewers typically ask this question at the end of interviews. It is a critically important part of the interview discussion. In fact, hiring managers expect you to ask questions. It signals them that you are invested and serious about the job.