Question: What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment
Consider this question an invitation to do some bragging about what you have achieved in your career that can benefit this new employer. By asking this question, the interviewers are inviting you to share an achievement/accomplishment which provides proof that you are the best candidate for this job
Focus on them: Choose a recent accomplishment, if possible, that demonstrates your ability to do this job very well. Have several good examples prepared before the interview.
Like your greatest strength, your greatest accomplishment aligns with something they need. Again, as with strengths, while you have many accomplishments you could describe, the smartest strategy is to focus on your recent accomplishments that make it clear you can do their job very well.
Be truthful and also be very careful about treating this question casually. Advanced preparation is the smartest strategy.
Hopefully, your and your resume reference this accomplishment or situation in some way.
Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years
If asked this question, be honest and specific about your future goals, but consider this: A hiring manager wants to know a) if you’ve set realistic expectations for your career, b) if you have ambition , and c) if the position aligns with your goals and growth. Your best bet is to think realistically about where this position could take you and answer along those lines. And if the position isnt necessarily a one-way ticket to your aspirations? Its OK to say that youre not quite sure what the future holds, but that you see this experience playing an important role in helping you make that decision.
Do You Have Any Serious Medical Conditions
When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn if you have any medical conditions that could impair your ability to do the job correctly.
In most cases, youre not obliged to give an answer. If you do have a health condition, and it doesnt have anything to do with your career, you can simply choose not to answer, or to say No.
However, you might want to disclose anything that could potentially have an impact on how you perform.
For example, if the job requires you to lift heavy boxes, for example, and youre not able to do so because of a condition, you should let the HR manager know.
Possible answers:
I dont have any serious medical conditions
Im unable to lift heavy objects because of issues with my back, but it wont have any impact on how I perform at an office job
You May Like: How To Give A Good Interview
Tailor Your Answer To The Role And Company
When an interviewer asks that, they really mean tell me about yourself as its relevant to the position youre applying for and this company. I think theyre giving you an opportunity to articulate succinctly why you have the right qualifications, says Muse career coach Tina Wascovich.
Take advantage of the opportunity! In order to do that, youll want to spend some time combing through the job description, researching the company, and figuring out how you can tell your story in a way that makes it crystal clear why youre interested and what you bring to the table that aligns with the role and company.
This is the best chance to be very direct and share your objective. But your objective needs to fulfill their goals, says Muse career coach and recruiter Steven Davis.
For example, a client he worked with was leaving a job where shed worked on a team developing a new antibacterial cream and getting it ready for clinical trials. The new job she wanted entailed working on an entirely unrelated product, so the important thing for her to mention in this case was that prior to her current role, shed never had experience working on antibacterial creams and was able to come in and figure out how to move the process forward, just as she could do in this new role.
Generally the that always resonate with me show that they really get the role, she says, as well as why they applied. I get more engaged because I can see that its going to go somewhere.
Responding Confidently While Under Pressure
Preparation is key if you want to tackle interview questions effectively!
You’re midway through an interview for a role that you really want, and all is going well. Suddenly, the interviewer asks you a question that you’re not prepared for and your mind goes blank.
Your heart sinks, your pulse races, and you start to sweat. You start talking without thinking. You know you’re not making any sense. But surely saying anything is better than saying nothing or, worse, admitting that you simply don’t know the answer, right? You know you’ve performed poorly and you leave feeling deflated.
If this scenario fills you with dread, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be this way! In this article, we explore how you can prepare for and answer even the toughest interview questions calmly and concisely.
Tip:
Download our list of 50 Common Interview Questions and Answers, and read on for advice on how to answer them!
Also Check: How To Kill An Interview
Tell Me About The Last Time A Co
Conflict is inevitable when a company works hard to get things done. Mistakes happen. Sure, strengths come to the fore, but weaknesses also rear their heads. And that’s OK. No one is perfect.
But a person who tends to push the blame — and the responsibility for rectifying the situation — onto someone else is a candidate to avoid. Hiring managers would much rather choose candidates who focus not on blame but on addressing and fixing the problem.
Every business needs employees who willingly admit when they are wrong, step up to take ownership for fixing the problem, and, most important, learn from the experience.
Dont Say Youve Never Led Anyone
Pick your most impressive leadership experiences as you think back and try to come up with an answer for this. It might be on a sports team, in a class project, or previous jobs.
But whatever you do, dont answer this interview question by saying, Im not really a leader, or Im not sure, Ive never really led people in the past.
Find SOMETHING, no matter what. .
Don’t Miss: What Do You Do At A Job Interview
How Would You Handle A Situation In Which You Had To Do Something You Werent Familiar With
Starting a new job position often means doing at least a few tasks youve never done before. And, depending on the position, you may be asked to regularly perform tasks that are beyond your current experience level. Hiring managers want to know how you approach situations in which youre required to learn new duties or take on new responsibilities, so your answer to this question should include your personal techniques for developing new skills.
For example, you could say that in your previous position when you were asked to do something new, you were more than happy to do so as long as you had a more experienced employee providing guidance.
Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job
This is a toughie, but one you can be sure youll be asked. Definitely keep things positiveyou have nothing to gain by being negative about your current employer. Instead, frame things in a way that shows that youre eager to take on new opportunities and that the role youre interviewing for is a better fit for you. For example, Id really love to be part of product development from beginning to end, and I know Id have that opportunity here. And if you were let go from your most recent job? Keep it simple: Unfortunately, I was let go, is a totally acceptable answer.
You May Like: How To Properly Answer Interview Questions
Do You Consider Yourself Successful
This question might make you uncomfortable. But you can think of it as an opportunity to allow the interviewer to get to know you better and to position yourself as an excellent choice for this job. First off, make sure you say yes! Then pick one specific professional achievement youre proud of that can be tied back to the role youre interviewing forone that demonstrates a quality, skill, or experience that would help you excel in this position. Youll want to explain why you consider it a success, talk about the process in addition to the outcome, and highlight your own accomplishment without forgetting your team. Zooming in on one story will help if you feel awkward tooting your own horn!
Tell Me About A Time You Were 75 Percent Through A Project And Had To Pivot Quickly How Did You Handle It
Life happens when we are in the middle of projects, and Amazon leadership will want to know how you handle these types of situations when they occur. You could encounter this question for many different types of roles, including technical and management positions. Your answer should speak to your agility, leadership, and problem-solving skills:
At my last job, I was leading a project that was near completion. Everything was moving smoothly and on-target for timely completion. Then, one of our partners providing one of the software upgrades that were to occur at the 90 percent mark encountered a breach of their systems and was estimated to delay the project by two to four weeks.
I had to review our plans and come up with options to keep the project on target as much as possible. Going with another software provider wasn’t a viable option, as the groundwork had been laid to go live with the current provider, and starting over would have delayed the project even more. Instead, we were able to allocate two resources to support the provider in recovering from the breach in less than half of the time that was projected.
As a result, we were able to complete the project only two days after the originally scheduled completion date. Fortunately, since we had built in a cushion for contingencies, we were able to go live on schedule.
Don’t Miss: What Is A Working Interview
Talk Me Through A Bad Professional Relationship You’ve Had Why Didn’t It Work
Everyone has had a boss that got on their nerves or a colleague that irritated them. Offices are high pressure environments, and emotions often boil over.
Ask this question to understand the root cause of the bad relationship. What was the bad feeling based in? Did the candidate work to overcome the issue and recover the relationship?
Most candidates are hesitant to badmouth their bosses and colleagues, so this question always prompts a few interesting answers.
Watch out for weaker candidates who will cite problems like being passed over for a promotion or blame for project failure as the reasons for bad relationships. This is kind of blame culture is not something that you want in your organisation.
How Do You Handle Stress
Stress can occur at work due to impairments, impending deadlines and other challenges. For this reason, employers want a candidate who can focus and get work done even in the face of stress. Demonstrate how you effectively manage stress by referencing how you made the most of these experiences.
Example:‘I was once given a project with a short deadline. At first, I was overwhelmed, but I calmed down and broke the project down into individual tasks. I asked some colleagues to help with some of these tasks, which took a little pressure off, and I made an achievable plan to tackle the others. In the end, I successfully reached the deadline with high-quality work’.
Also Check: What To Say In A Phone Interview For A Job
If I Called Your Previous Boss/manager Why Would They Tell Me I Should Hire You
How to Answer: If you think about this in advance, its probably easy to come up with an honest answer. What would your boss say about you? And why? Think of an anecdote that will indicate why youre a pleasure to work with, are a team player and have the right skills for this position.
Example: They would tell you that I am dedicated to my work, a team player and have the right skills for this position because .
Do You Have A Work Style
How to Answer: First, consider what your work style really is. And then consider whether that style is suited for the job and company culture youre interested in. If youre an extreme extrovert but the job requires hours of independent, fairly isolated work, you will have a much harder time answering this question than someone whose work style does, in fact, match the job.
This question is really getting at whether your personality is a fit for the role and the company so try to answer accordingly.
Example: While I typically work best independently, Im absolutely a team player and appreciate collaboration with my colleagues.
You May Like: How To Conduct A Job Interview
Close The Interview By Asking The Question If They Have Any Concerns
You may not get a chance to address shortcomings in a follow-up interview it is imperative to understand what was missing from the discussion while still in the interview.
After you have had a chance to ask your questions, you will want to validate that you are an ideal candidate for the job. To do this, you should probe into the minds of the interviewers and see if there are any concerns they have about you.
The key question to do this can be along the lines of:
After discussing this job, I feel as if I would be a perfect fit for it. Im curious to know if there is anything I said or DID NOT say that would make you believe otherwise.
The answer you get to this question may open the door to mentioning something you did not get to talk about during the interview or clarify any potential misconception over something that was covered.
Do You Work Well Under Pressure If So What Is Your Method Of Approaching High
Most employees will experience some level of pressure in their positions, so being able to work well under pressure is an important quality that many employers look for in applicants. This question is particularly important if youre applying for a job thats known to be high stress. When answering this question, youll first want to confirm that you do work well under pressure and then describe how you manage high-pressure situations. For example, you could discuss your organizational approach and how it ensures you stay on track even when your workload is overwhelming.
Also Check: What Questions To Ask In An Interview For Administrative Assistant
Go Beyond The Common Interview Questions
Yes, the job search is intimidating, but reviewing interview questions and answers in advance is one way to calm your nerves and boost your confidence. Are you looking for more ways to stand apart from the competition? Set up a free profile with Monster and we can send you career advice, workplace insights, and more job interview tips directly to your inbox. It’s a quick and easy way to stay one step ahead.
What Are Your Strengths
In this question you are expected to let the interviewer know why you are better than other candidates for the job, says careers expert Margaret Bui. Your answer should focus on what you specifically can bring to the job and offer the company. Anyone can say they have good experience or are a good communicator but that wont make you stand out. Quantify your experience and back up every answer with a relevant example from your previous roles.
A good example for answering this question is to match your strengths to the job role. Companies hire people to solve problems, so let the interviewer know what problems youve solved and how your employers benefited as a result, advises Bui.
Also Check: What Is A Technical Screening For Interviews
End Your Answer With A Question
Asking questions mid-interview helps you target their needs and tailor your answers as the interview goes on!
Lets look at how to do this
Example:
They mention the job requires managing people and ask for your experience in this area.
After answering and highlighting your relevant experience, youd say, Can you tell me more about the management Id be doing? For example, what size team would I lead, and would I be responsible for hiring and growing the team?
This will also make it feel more like a casual two-way conversation, which will boost your confidence and help you give better answers overall.
Can You Explain Why You Changed Career Paths
Dont be thrown off by this questionjust take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager why youve made the career decisions you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesnt have to be a direct connection in fact, its often more impressive when a candidate can show how seemingly irrelevant experience is very relevant to the role.
Also Check: What To Take To An Interview
Why Did You Change Your Career Path
If you recently changed your career path, the interviewer is sure to ask about it.
Dont worry – theres nothing wrong with this.
A lot of people go through a career change. Some even do it several times in their lifetime!
As long as youre good at what you do, no one cares if you were a pediatrician in one year, and a professional chef in another.
When asked this question, all you have to do is answer truthfully. Explain how your old job just wasnt for you, and how the job youre applying for is so much more interesting.
Possible answers:
- Sample Answer
I realized that being a doctor is not for me. While I did enjoy my 3 years in med school, the 6 year study period was too much.
I wanted to start making money and help out my family way before that, so I dropped out of university and started taking online courses in accounting.
At this point, Im pretty good at it, having done 2 internships so far in and .
- Sample Answer 2
Simply because I enjoy doing sales much more than accounting. After 5 years of working as an accountant for Firm X, I decided I wanted to try something new.
I asked my boss at the time to let me transition to the sales team, and I ended up liking it AND being pretty good at it.
