How would it feel to attend an interview, whether physical or virtual and know exactly what the interviewers will ask? Surreal, right?
While it's impossible to know the questions interviewers will ask or in what format they'll ask them, there are some common and basic questions you'll need to answer to give your potential employers an insight into who you are, what your goals are, and how you'll be of help to their organization.
Different companies have different interview approaches due to different needs, demands, nature of work, or even the role. An interview for a senior-level role will most likely not be the same as that of a junior or entry-level role in the same organization. It's essential to ensure you know your level, what is expected of you, and what you can bring to the table.
Preparing for interview questions shouldn't be nerve-wracking. One way to calm yourself is to see it as a chat with the interviewers to prove your competence for the role you applied to. If you deep it, that's what interviews are for. Don't see it as a way for hiring managers to filter out candidates, but a way to see who's the most suitable for the job. This slight change in mindset can give you the confidence boost you need to ace your interview.
In this article, we'll tell you how to answer famous interview questions, but let's tell you why you need to prepare for it first.
In most interview phases, there is usually more than one candidate. Depending on the company and the number of people they're looking to employ, you might have tens or hundreds of other candidates to beat before you get the job.
As mentioned earlier, hiring managers want to know who's the most suitable for the job, so they need to speak to each one to know who would be the most valuable for their organization.
With that being said, can you see why you need to prepare mentally for some of the questions you'll be asked and prepare the answers? The first step is knowing why interviewers ask specific questions. Then, you can work on how to answer them, no matter what style or format they're asked.
Now, let's discuss the famous interview questions in detail.
1. Tell us about yourself
This is usually the first question in many interviews, and the aim is for the interviewer to know you, your background, personal interests, and experience. You can tell an interesting story and tie it back to how it helped you develop interest in the role. Make it short and straight to the point, and avoid sharing personal information that is irrelevant to the interviewers or the role.
Make sure you mention your qualifications and skills to give the hiring manager an idea of what you're capable of or have done. Put your strong foot forward and start from the most relevant point to the least relevant one.
Example: “I've been working as a junior copywriter at XYZ company, where I help craft compelling social media copy, high-converting email copy, and blog content that generates organic traffic from search engines. I graduated with a mass communication degree at XYZ University, where I was also a member of the Union of Campus Journalists and later became an editor. At this stage in my career, I'm looking to take on more challenging roles and progress in my career.â€
2. Why do you want this job?
Interviewers want to know why you're interested in the role and if you understand the intricate demands that come with it. You can answer this in many different ways depending on your motivation. Talk about the company and its culture or the part of its system that appeals to you. Another way is to highlight your relevant skills and how they fit the company's demands in the job description.
Example: "This role is what I've been looking for as it requires and encourages teamwork, which is refreshing in an industry like this. I've always wanted to collaborate and plan with other data analysts on the best ways to get the most out of data and prepare useful insights for clients. So, I think this role would help me work not only with other knowledgeable data analysts, but also with employees in other departments."
3. Why are you leaving your current job?
Be careful not to paint your previous workplace in a bad light, no matter how you left. It can leave a wrong impression on the interviewers on your relationship with other people. If you quit or want to leave on your terms, mention why you're leaving and let the interviewer know that you're intentional about applying for the role.
Keep it short and avoid overexplaining anything.
Example: "I've worked in my current role for about three years. However, I feel I need to take on more challenging roles and responsibilities, which I think this job would do for me."
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This is a tricky one. Employers want to know if the role aligns with your long-term goals. This question aims to test your level of loyalty. Are you ready to switch at any slight opportunity, or you'll stick around for a while?
To answer this, focus on the job and how it aligns with your long-term goals or dream project. You can also mention an industry skill you wish to gain within that period and how the role can help you get it.
Example: "I'd love to become a creative lead in 5 years time and explore the skills required to mentor and guide amateur art directors to get the best out of them. I believe this role will prepare me for that and allow me to take on expanded responsibilities as they become available."
5. What are your strengths?
It can feel weird singing praises of yourself, but employers want to know your best attributes and their relevance to the role. It's essential to mention qualities that qualify you for the job. You can give a quick story or briefly explain where you applied one of the strengths before.
Example: "I have extremely strong communication and conflict management skills. My ability to resolve seemingly difficult situations earned me 3 Best Customer Service Representative awards in 5 years in my previous role. My communication skills also help me work well with customers, team members, and executives."
6. What are your weaknesses?
Talking about your weaknesses to the interviewer can feel odd when you're there to prove your competence, but you can frame it in a positive light that tells the interviewer that you're self-aware and ready to learn. You can talk about an actual weakness and add context by providing a specific example.
Example: "Due to my keen attention to detail, I sometimes spend more time than necessary on a project. Though, it's always to get the best result required of me. However, in recent years, I've learnt how to complete projects swiftly while still maintaining the quality of the result."
7. How do you deal with pressure/Can you work under pressure?
Contrary to popular belief, you don't necessarily need to give a direct yes/no answer to this question. Here, employers want to know if you can hold your own when things go south and require a level of tolerance and endurance from you. They want to know how you handle workplace stress. You can also give an example of a stressful situation you have managed.
Example: "Lately, I realised that I thrive in a challenging environment. In fact, some of my best articles have come when I had to handle multiple projects and meet tight deadlines. I use the pressure to harness my creativity and discipline. I once had to write 10 articles in the same week, but I created a schedule and broke them down into smaller tasks, which then helped me complete and submit the articles before the deadline."
8. Tell us about the gap in your resume
There may be periods in your professional career when you didn't have any role, thereby leaving a gap in your resume. Employers might want to know why. Even though this might differ from one person to another, it is important to be honest about it. If you took a break, say it. If you went on an internship or it's due to circumstances out of your control, let them know. You can also talk about how you picked up skills during the break that would help you in your career.
Example: "I was laid off due to organizational changes, but it was a blessing in disguise as I had more time to work on my personal development. During that time, I also volunteered to work on various projects and gained more certifications in preparation to return to the workforce."
9. What are your future goals?
When an interviewer asks a question like this, all they want to know is how committed you will be to the job or if you even see a future where you're still in the industry. They also want to know if you'll stay around, at least for a while. Ensure your answer aligns with the job or a long-term goal you have that relates to the industry.
Example: "I'd love to develop into a marketing manager in a fast-growing fintech company like yours. This would require me to collaborate with many departments to make every campaign successful and train sales representatives. I believe this experience can help me achieve that."
10. What are your salary expectations?
Don't make the mistake of quoting a price and selling yourself short or pricing yourself out of the job. Before attending the interview, do your research on what the salary base is for your industry and job title. You also have to consider your experience, skills, and the type of company you're applying to. All these will help you pick a reasonable price range to tell the employer.
Example: "I'm open to discussing a fair salary for this role. However, based on my skills, experience, and industry knowledge, I know that the salary range is between NX and NY. I expect to receive something in that range, and I'm open to discussing the numbers with you.
1. Do a lot of research on the role and the company.
2. Check the job posting for specific skills required.
3. Draft common interview questions and prepare their answers.
4. Appear and sound confident.
5. Don't cram your answers. Prepare for the questions and let the answers flow.
6. Get to the interview location, venue, or channel a few minutes before the scheduled time.
Conclusion
When you get invited for an interview, the first step is to prepare for it. Research the company and role to know what is expected of you. The next step is to anticipate likely questions you'll be asked, as we've discussed in this article, and draft your answers for them.
With good preparation and skill, you will ace any interview and get your dream job.
Good luck!
