5 Common job interview questions and how to answer them

This article offers powerful preparation techniques, on how to answer the most common interview questions, and above all how to win confidence and ace the interview. Wouldn’t it be great if you knew exactly what questions will be asked in a job interview? There are hundreds of job interview questions you may be asked but they are usually a variation on the most common interview questions. Be well-prepared and comfortable with these interview questions. However, keep in mind that canned answers don’t work, so don’t parrot them. You don’t want to be someone else. The best person you can be at a job interview is yourself.

1. Tell Me About Yourself

This is one of the first job interview questions you are likely to be asked. This question seems simple, but so many people fail to give a well-prepared answer. Do not tell the interviewer your employment history, which can be found in your CV. Read here what to put on a CV. Instead, you need to tell the story in other words, like a pitch. You can start with your job title and show a logical progression how you got there. Keep it brisk and business-like and finish with a question- Is there anything else you would like to know? This is one of the most important common interview questions, because you will set the tone and show the interviewer that it will be fun and worthy to spend the next hour with you.

2. What is Your Greatest Strength?

With this commonly asked interview question you can show off your skills and show that you are the best fit for the role. The main reason interviewers ask this question is to identify whether your strengths align with the needs of the company and the job’s responsibilities. First of all, make a list of the skills which will position you as qualified for the job and a good fit for the company. Choose two or three skills and back them up with some examples of how you have applied that strength in the past.

3. What is Your Greatest Weakness?

Another typical common interview question that interviewers will ask is about your weaknesses. Don’t pretend you don’t have one or avoid answering this question. After all, everyone has improvement areas. You just actually answer the question. Answering this question can be a great opportunity to highlight how you are working and that improvements are already being made. Avoid answers like: “I am a perfectionist” or “I am a workaholic”. The interviewer has already heard them. However, you can mention something that is obvious in your CV, as the interviewer already know.

4. What Are Your Goals for The Future?

One of the commonly asked interview questions during a job interview is about your future goals. What the interviewer really wants to know is if you have thought about your future, if you have ambition with a plan and if all these align with the company objectives. Do some research on their business strategy or objectives before the interview and explain how you can help in achieving them. Do not discuss non-work related or personal goals.

5. Why Should We Hire You?

See this common job interview question as your sales pitch. You will want to show the interviewer how you can add value to the company, how you can deliver great results and why you are the best fit for this job. How will you solve their problem? The strategy here is to choose two or three of your skills and attributes listed in the job description or the objectives of the company and show the interviewer what you can do for the company, as well as how they can benefit from you. Do not forget to share a brief story that illustrates how you have effectively used them in a previous work experience.

These 5 common interview questions should be a standard part of your preparation process and just as important as your pre-interview research. By knowing why the interviewer asks the questions, which skills will fit the job description and by preparing the right examples you will be confident, stand out among other candidates and get the job you want.

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