Who Is The Smartest Person You Know Personally Why
These questions test what the candidate values and aspires to by forcing them to think of a real person they know, and then articulate what makes that person smart.
A good answer to this question:
Ideal answers vary, but could include specific examples of the person they’ve chosen’s ability to think ahead several steps and execute. They could also touch on the person’s decision-making skills, ability to connect, desire for learning, or application of the things they learned.
Use The Star Method To Structure Your Answer
During your job interview, the interviewer wants to discuss previous work situations and wants you to elaborate on them. By preparing example scenarios, you can give exactly the information that he or she is looking for. Make sure that you provide the interviewer the situation you were in, your task in that situation, the action you took, and the specific results that can come out of those actions. In short, this is called the STAR-method of providing an answer. The STAR method is discussed in more detail later on in this article.
The STAR method allows you to concisely provide the interviewer an answer by logically walking them through the situation. Below the STAR method is discussed step by step.
General elements to consider when structuring your answer:
Variations On Tell Me About Yourself
Since youre trying to get straight to the heart of what your interviewer is asking you, its important to listen for all the variations you may hear on the tell me about yourself question.
If the interviewer doesnt ask you to tell them about yourself straight out, they may ask one of these questions:
Walk me through your resume
This may sound like an invitation to simply repeat all of the information on your resume, but that is the absolute wrong approach to take.
Think of this question as merely a conversation starter. Even though they asked you to walk them through your resume specifically, you dont want to merely recite your resume bullet points and give them no additional useful information.
Tell me something thats not on your resume
Another very similar variation is:
Tell me something unique about you.
These questions are phrased in such a way that it may make starting the conversation easier. You probably can think of something thats unique about you, but remember you dont want to raise any red flags or go off on too many rabbit trails.
If you have a hobby, interest, or unique history that can be folded into a discussion about your job skills, so much the better!
You May Like: Best Interview Attire For A Woman
If I Were To Poll Everyone You’ve Worked With What Percentage Would Not Be A Fan Of Yours
At work, you can’t please everyone all the time. The answer to this question will help you find out if your candidate has enough drive and conviction in their own work to have ever conflicted with one or more of their colleagues.
Obviously you don’t want the candidate to be an unlikable person, though, so consider asking follow-up questions to find out why they might have alienated these coworkers: “If I were to interview these people, what words would they most frequently use to describe you?”
A good answer to this question:
The follow-up question about word choice is more important than the percentage they give in the initial question. In their answers, you should be encouraged by words like “passionate” and concerned by words like “lazy.”
Of course, not all negative words are red flags — while words that indicate a lack of work ethic might be a bad sign, words like “stubborn” could show a candidate’s self-awareness — and commitment to things their coworkers would rather move on from.
Tell Me About A Challenge Or Conflict Youve Faced At Work And How You Dealt With It
Youre probably not eager to talk about conflicts youve had at work during a job interview. But if youre asked directly, dont pretend youve never had one. Be honest about a difficult situation youve faced . Most people who ask are only looking for evidence that youre willing to face these kinds of issues head-on and make a sincere attempt at coming to a resolution, former recruiter Richard Moy says. Stay calm and professional as you tell the story , spend more time talking about the resolution than the conflict, and mention what youd do differently next time to show youre open to learning from tough experiences.
Read Also: What Should Females Wear To A Job Interview
How Would You Advocate For Diversity With A Coworker Who Doesn’t Understand Its Importance
There are people in the workforce that don’t understand the value of diversity, and your interviewer will want to see how you deal with these people. If this is something that you have faced before, utilise the STAR method to provide an answer that highlights your professionalism and communication skills. Your answer should mention both the statistics that prove diversity in the workplace is beneficial to the entire company, and also mention how diversity has improved your own working experience.
Example answer:’For some, seeing the benefits of diversity and inclusion isn’t so obvious. But I believe it’s my job as an employee and someone who believes in diversity to help these people see the value it brings to the company. First, I’d start by mentioning the studies that show the financial benefit that diversity, equality and inclusion bring to companies who embrace these ideas. Then, I would share my personal experience of how diverse workplaces have benefited me and my career. Diversity has pushed me beyond my regular ways of thinking and made me a better problem solver.’
Tell Me About Your Last Job
Bad answer: “Didn’t you look at my resume?”
A snide “Didn’t you look at my resume?” is not the way to answer questions about your employment history. Have patience with interviewers: Not only do they talk to a lot of people, but also this is a standard interview question that helps interviewers open up a conversation.
Be prepared to discuss your previous jobs with the interviewer, and review your resume ahead of time so you know where you worked when.
Think of this question as an opportunity for you to highlight impressive qualifications as well as any skills that map well to the job you’re interviewing for.
Read Also: Design Interview Preparation
How Did You Learn About The Opening
Job boards, general postings, online listings, job fairs — most people find their first few jobs that way, so that’s certainly not a red flag.
But a candidate who continues to find each successive job from general postings probably hasn’t figured out what he or she wants to do — and where he or she would like to do it.
He or she is just looking for a job often, any job.
So don’t just explain how you heard about the opening. Show that you heard about the job through a colleague, a current employer, by following the company–show that you know about the job because you want to work there.
Employers don’t want to hire people who just want a job they want to hire people who want a job with their company.
Preparing For The Feedback After The Interview
To give candidates feedback on interviews, its crucial to prepare well for the interview itself.
Prepare a standard set of questions before the interview, and dont forget to take careful notes during the interview. After the interview, you can compare your notes with coworkers and form a list of strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. The lists that you made can be used when giving feedback to the candidates.
Remember that youre supposed to give positive feedback, so constructive criticism is the way to go when evaluating a candidate.
Don’t Miss: Interview With Cfo
Whats Your Work Style
When an interviewer asks you about your work style, theyre probably trying to imagine you in the role. How will you approach your work? What will it be like to work with you? Will you mesh well with the existing team? You can help them along by choosing to focus on something thats important to you and aligns with everything youve learned about the role, team, and company so far. The question is broad, which means you have a lot of flexibility in how you answer: You might talk about how you communicate and collaborate on cross-functional projects, what kind of remote work setup allows you to be most productive, or how you approach leading a team and managing direct reports. Just try to keep it positive. And remember, telling a story will almost always make your answer more memorable.
How Do You Prioritize Your Work
Your interviewers want to know that you can manage your time, exercise judgement, communicate, and shift gears when needed. Start by talking about whatever system youve found works for you to plan your day or week, whether its a to-do list app you swear by or a color-coded spreadsheet. This is one where youll definitely want to lean on a real-life example. So go on to describe how youve reacted to a last-minute request or another unexpected shift in priorities in the past, incorporating how you evaluated and decided what to do and how you communicated with your manager and/or teammates about it.
You May Like: Prepare For System Design Interview
Brush Up On Interview Etiquette
Is it okay to bring a cup of coffee or your cell phone to the interview? How should you greet the interviewer? And what should you bring with you to the meeting just yourself, or your resume and cover letter, or a complete copy of your application including portfolio? Brush up on proper interview etiquette before you go and avoid being caught wrongfooted during the conversation.
What Are Tell Me About A Time Interview Questions
Tell me about a time interview questions can target how you handle certain situations or provide insight into your general behavior and attitude. They ask about a candidates unique experience, so answers to this question should be as specific as possible. Some employers phrase these questions differently by asking directly how you handled a question or using sentence stems such as Describe a time when or Give me an example of when then listing the scenario.
Also Check: Preparing For System Design Interview
What Can You Do For Us That Other Candidates Can’t
Emphasize what makes you unique when you’re asked, “What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?” This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills and traits. Summarize concisely: “I have a unique combination of strong technical skills, and the ability to build strong customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge and break down information to be more user-friendly.”
What Do You Think Are The Three Essential Skills For A Career In Marketing
This is your opportunity to demonstrate to your interviewer that you understand what skills and abilities theyre looking for in a candidate. Your answer to this question should reference some of the skills that were outlined in the job ad like this:
First of all, I think great communication skills are essential. A marketer needs to understand the requirements of the client and be able to present ideas and concepts. Being able to stay organized and work in a fast-paced environment is also an essential skill. I think being proactive and trying to anticipate client needs is also very valuable.
You May Like: Questions To Ask Cfo During Interview
What Would Your First 30 60 Or 90 Days Look Like In This Role
Your potential future boss wants to know that youve done your research, given some thought to how youd get started, and would be able to take initiative if hired. So think about what information and aspects of the company and team youd need to familiarize yourself with and which colleagues youd want to sit down and talk to. You can also suggest one possible starter project to show youd be ready to hit the ground running and contribute early on. This wont necessarily be the thing you do first if you do get the job, but a good answer shows that youre thoughtful and that you care.
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.
Don’t Miss: Mailscoop Io
How Would Your Boss Or Coworkers Describe You
This question is pretty much the same as what are your greatest strengths, the only difference is that it should be from the point of view from your boss or coworkers.
Here, you want to focus on your traits and achievements that youve previously been praised for .
There are at least 2 ways to answer this question:
1) Describe a specific situation where you excelled at work
Sample Answer
Theyd say Im super hard working. During my weekend-off, not one, but three of my coworkers got sick, and I had to spot for them.
The weekend was peak season in Nantucket, so the restaurant was getting seriously overwhelmed. All of a sudden, we went from being very prepared for the season, to complete panic.
Had to jump between serving, bussing, and line-cooking, but overall, managed to survive through the weekend successfully.
2) Quote a performance review
If youve previously worked in an office job, youre probably all too familiar with these.
Did your boss give you a glowing performance review? Make sure to mention it here!
Sample answer:
Well, in my last performance review in September, my boss described me as someone who takes initiative.
My position as a PR manager involves constantly keeping track of our clients brand reputation, and if something goes wrong, dealing with it as fast as possible.
In a lot of cases, you need to be very proactive – if you wait for your entire team to have a meeting on how to deal with the issue, it might already be too late.
More Help For Succeeding In Your Job Interviews
As some of you know from reading my free Job-Hunt interviewing guide Successful Job Interviewing: What Job Candidates Need to Know I recommend building a checklist of key experiences and attributes you want to cover and find opportunities to present them during the interview. The Standard Questions are often times those moments.
In developing your answers to the typical questions, focus on stories rather than simply stated facts. Read my post The Secret to Job Interview Success for details on how to choose and structure those stories.
Also Check: Interview Questions For A Cfo
Top 20 Essential Interview Questions And Answers
- /
If youre looking for the commonly asked job interview questions, then keep reading.
After working for years as a recruiter, Im going to share the top 20 job interview questions and answer examples, plus dos and donts to get you ready to ace your interview.
For each question, youll get:
- Notes on why hiring managers and recruiters ask this question
- Dos and donts, including the top mistakes to avoid
- Word-for-word example answers that will impress any employer
Lets get started
What Do You Consider To Be Your Biggest Professional Achievement
Here’s an interview question that definitely requires an answer relevant to the job. If you say your biggest achievement was improving throughput by 18 percent in six months but you’re interviewing for a leadership role in human resources, that answer is interesting but ultimately irrelevant.
Instead, talk about an underperforming employee you “rescued,” or how you overcame infighting between departments, or how so many of your direct reports have been promoted.
The goal is to share achievements that let the interviewer imagine you in the position — and see you succeeding.
You May Like: Questions To Ask The Cfo In An Interview
What Are Your Pet Peeves
Heres another one that feels like a minefield. But itll be easier to navigate if you know why an interviewer is asking it. Most likely, they want to make sure youll thrive at their companyand get a glimpse of how you deal with conflict. So be certain you pick something that doesnt contradict the culture and environment at this organization while still being honest. Then explain why and what youve done to address it in the past, doing your best to stay calm and composed. Since theres no need to dwell on something that annoys you, you can keep this response short and sweet.
What Did You Like Least About Your Previous Position
Bad answer: “I hated the job and the company. They were awful to work for.”
It’s important not to badmouth the companies or people you worked for because you don’t know what relationships they may have with the company you’re interviewing with. I once had an applicant who told me that her employer was the worst place to work ever. That employer happened to be our biggest and most important customer.
Plus, a negative response when discussing your previous job will make interviewers wonder if you have a poor attitude, or may complain about their company if you are hired.
Even though this question seems framed to draw out something negative, do your best to keep your response positive. One way to do this is to discuss how you grew from your experience.
Don’t Miss: What To Wear For An Interview Women
