How Long Do You Think It Will Take For You To Make A Significant Contribution To This Company
This is a difficult question to answer and should be asked towards the end of the interview process. If the candidate has researched the company and the position, they should have a good idea of what they can bring to the table with their experience and skills. Based on this, they should be able to give you a well-thought-out response using deductive logic.
Red flags: The candidate suggests much too long or short a time frame or doesn’t know.
Where Is The Company Going
Most of the questions you ask should serve the dual purpose of expanding your knowledge about the job and showing the interviewers that you’re really interested and qualified. It’s a good idea to inquire about the organization’s plans for the future.
A general way to phrase the question would be:“Are any important changes, new programs or initiatives in the works?”If your research suggests it, you might ask a more specific question about an expansion or merger, for example, or changes to deal with the unpredictable economy. Such questions let interviewers know that you’re interested in the organization for the long haul and that you want to be a part of its future.
Read on for some suggestions of questions that might make the interviewer open up — and make him or her feel friendly toward you, too.
Why Is There A Gap In Your Work Experience
In most cases, a gap in your work experience doesnt really mean anything. You probably have a very good reason for it.
The interviewer, however, will definitely ask about it, and you should answer adequately.
Theres no secret sauce to answering this question, just let the recruiter know about your situation, whatever that may be:
- Maternity leave
- Caring for a sick family member
- Time off to pursue further education
- Relocating to a different city
- Working on a personal project
Whichever the case may be, just explain the situation in brief and move on.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if you were laid off at work, or you quit and had trouble getting a new job, you should be very subtle about it.
If the interviewer knows that youre struggling to find a job, youre going to give them the upper hand in salary negotiations.
Possible answers:
I had a baby and had to take maternity leave.
- Sample Answer 2:
My father was sick, so I had to be the one to take care of him full-time over a few months.
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Best Questions To Ask In An Interview
Come to your interview with your questions prepared. Give thought to who you’re interviewing with and what questions would be best suited for them. For example, recruiters will have the best knowledge of company culture, benefits and high-level responsibilities of the job while VPs or CEOs are best equipped for questions about strategy, vision and goals of the company. Beforehand, practice asking at least three questions that demonstrate youve thought seriously about what it would be like to do this job. Here are a few examples of questions you might ask:
Why Are You Filling This Position Now
It’s not unreasonable to want to know why the company is hiring for this job. One way to find out is to ask, “Is this a new position?” If the answer is yes, that opens the way for more questions and discussion. You’ll want to know why the position is being created. Does it involve a new initiative? Is an existing position being duplicated or divided? Who has defined the job and its responsibilities? How will success be measured, if there’s no precedent?
A “no” answer also raises more questions. Why did the previous person in the job leave? How long do people typically stay in this job? Are there usually chances for advancement?
Some other good questions also tend to raise more questions. Read on.
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Common Questions Recruiters Ask Candidates
Getting hired isn’t just about having the required job skills it’s also about confidently answering any question you’re asked.
As a recruiter, I saw many candidates that I loved on paper, but who couldn’t successfully manage the interview process. Most often this was due to one major issue: They did not prepare well enough for the recruiter interview questions they had to face.
This preparation begins by understanding the categories of interview questions and why they’re asked.
How Would Your Colleagues Describe You
This question can give your future employer some insight into how you are perceived by others and whether or not you would be a good fit for the company. It can also help you understand what qualities your potential colleagues value.
If youre asked this question in an interview, take a moment to think about who your closest friends at work are. What adjectives come to mind when they describe you?
Are you hardworking? Creative? Organized? Friendly? Honest? Take these qualities into account and try to come up with a few words that best describe yourself.
If youre having trouble thinking of adjectives, try asking your friends directly. Theyll likely be happy to share what they think of you and may even have some stories to illustrate their point.
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What Is Your Weakness
Weakness is a question that can make or break your chances of getting a job. Here, your interviewer is testing you about how self-aware you so do not answer it by saying you don’t have any weakness or that you work too hard. Instead, tell them about something that you struggle with but are trying to improve. For example, you can say that you are not too good at public speaking, but you recently took part in a debate or are going to try your hands in an open.
Weakness can also depict something which is not negative. For example, you can say, I give a lot of attention to details or I have trouble saying no. Be truthful and try to answer your weakness instead of saying that you dont have any. The interviewer is checking how good you are in accepting your weakness and how you would explain working on it.
Here Are The Most Commonly Asked Interview Questions You Can Expect To Be Asked In Your Interview And Advice On How You Can Craft Effective Responses
Know these popular interview questions and answers.
Too many job seekers stumble through interviews as if the questions asked are coming out of left field. But many interview questions are to be expected. Need some job interview tips? Monster has you covered. Study this list of popular and frequently asked interview questions and answers ahead of time so you’ll be ready to answer them with confidence.
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Tell Us About A Time When You Overcome A Challenge
The best way to answer this question is to give an example of a time when you were faced with adversity and describe how you reacted. Stay positive and focus on your strengths. Avoid talking about things that went wrong or that you didnt do well.
Be sure to explain the steps you took to overcome the challenge and what you learned from the experience. Discussing what you learned shows that youre reflective and that youre able to learn from your mistakes.
Make sure that your story is relevant to the job for which you are interviewing. If possible, use an example from your work experience.
Whats Your Proudest Professional Achievement
Interviewers ask this question so they can find out about what achievements are important to you this question is about personality as much as it is about workplace triumphs.
Nevertheless, its still a great chance to show off. Pick a career moment that youre particularly proud of and explain it in a way that links it to the job youve applied for so the interviewer knows you can bring that level of success to the new position.
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Tell Me About Your Work Experience
An interviewer may or may not already be familiar with your background. Regardless, this question gives you the chance to detail your experiences that are most valuable to the prospective role. Employers want to know that youve reflected on their expectations for a qualified candidate and that you have directly relevant or transferable skills. Consider these tips for answering:
1. Quantify your experience:I have 10 years of experience in personal finance management, and I have assisted 45 repeat clients in increasing their capital by an average of 15% every year.
2. Illustrate connections to role:As a financial analyst, Ive used visual growth charts to show my clients how each saving plan option can impact their goals. When I became a senior financial analyst, I supervised other analysts and trained them in providing the most helpful experience to our customers.
3. End with a goal statement:”As your senior financial consultant, I aim to integrate my individualized approach to helping clients build the retirement fund they will depend on.
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Tell Me About Yourself And Your Background
This will always be one of the first questions in any job interview. Happily, it seems pretty easy to answer: you need to give a brief history of your employment, highlight your key achievements, and explain what makes you perfect for the position.
Dont sleep on your preparation, though. Prepare an elevator pitch for this part of the interview sell yourself in under a minute without becoming boastful or arrogant.
Dont just list your CV , either. Highlight the key achievements, but remain conversational rather than robotic interviewers are looking for someone who is confident and comfortable.
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What Personality Types Do You Work Well With Why
This question is not designed for office matching. Rather, it provides insight into the candidate’s awareness of personality traits. If a candidate knows their own personality and the type of people they like to work with, they can contribute to a stable work environment.
Red flag: The candidate does not know.
Who Was The Most Difficult Person You Ever Worked With
Approach this question with an abundance of caution. Youre going to be working with a lot of people in your new role, and you wont get along with everyone. But youll still need to work together productively.
The who here isnt importantand no matter what, do not give a specific name. Rather, the interviewer wants to know how you managed to work with this person despite the difficulty. After all, if you worked through a challenging work relationship in the past, you can do it again. Dont be petty and be sure to end on a positive note.
I had a challenging lab partner last year. He was disorganized, and we kept missing deadlines because he didnt update me on his progress. Eventually, I insisted on weekly, in-person check-ins to stay on track. He found it annoying at first, but we got the work done, and in the end, we walked away on good terms.
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Why Are You Interested In This Position
Interviewers typically want to be sure that you applied for this job because youre genuinely interested in it. Avoid voicing concerns about your current position or companynegative comments about your employer are often interpreted as unprofessional. A good answer will positively frame your transition and communicate your desire to grow in the role youre interviewing for.
Research the role and company ahead of time to understand how it relates to your background. Ask yourself questions such as, How will this position help me advance in my career?, How does the position align with my future goals? and What makes me a good fit for this company or role?
Example answer:While I highly valued my time at my previous company, there are no longer opportunities for growth that align with my career goals. This position fits perfectly with my skill set and how Im looking to grow in my career. Im also looking for a position at a company like yours that supports underserved communities, which is a personal passion of mine.
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+ Questions To Ask In A Job Interview
Job interviews should feel like a conversation, with two people asking and answering questions. You should follow the lead of your interviewer and prioritize giving them information about yourself, but know that interviewers expect you to ask questions, too. When you do, it shows that you have enthusiasm for and genuine interest in the job.
In this quick video, Indeed recruiter Linda gives examples of questions you can ask your interviewer.
Your opportunity to ask these questions typically comes at the end of the interview. Its a chance to learn more about the company culture, the challenges and opportunities the organization is facing, and what being in this job is really like.
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We All Hope To Improve On Our Weaknesses But Sometimes The Best Approach Is To Do A Lot More Of What You Already Do Best
Are you as successful as you would like to be?
If you’re like most people, the answer is, “Probably not.” Not because you’re greedy, not because you’re an egomaniac, but simply because you have goals and dreams and work tirelessly to achieve them.
So here’s an approach that will help you do just that.
The following is a guest post from Ryan Robinson, an entrepreneur and marketer who teaches people how to create meaningful self-employed careers.
Here’s Ryan:
If you want to become a successful entrepreneur, it goes without saying that you need to be damn good at what you do.
Taking the time to find your strengths and focus on perfecting the skills that’ll help you be the best in your industry becomes a very crucial decision point in every entrepreneur’s journey. To make that discovery process even easier, download my free Skill Assessment Guide designed specifically for those wanting to become entrepreneurs.
Through my interviews and experiences working with successful entrepreneurs, I’ve come to notice many remarkable similarities they tend to share.
They’re often ruthless when it comes to managing their time, which very quickly becomes their most important resource.
They know the importance of optimizing their lifestyle and doing their most challenging work at the time of day that best suits them.
They never give up and actively refuse to take no for an answer.
Their approaches to achieving success, and the tools they employ in doing so, varies greatly.
Most Common Interview Questions
When it comes to the interview process, research, and preparation for the interview can oftentimes determine your chances of making it to the next step. One of the best ways to get ready for a virtual job interview is to practice your responses to the most common interview questions.
To help you get started, Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview reviews to find out some of the most common interview questions candidates get asked during recent interviews. So, if you have a job interview lined up, practice in front of a mirror or ask a friend or family member to listen to your answers to the following questions so youâll be ready to put your best foot forward.
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Can You Tell Us A Bit About Yourself
This question is a common interview opener, as it gives recruiters a chance to break the ice with interviewees. Although it might seem like a straightforward question to ask, its important that you prepare an answer for it that will summarise the most important facts about you.
Pick a couple of crucial moments from your professional life, like your degree, your most relevant work experience or any other major accomplishments. Your answer should be brief but compelling, and it should cover different areas in your professional career .
Make sure to tie the company into your answer and explain what brought you here too.
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Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job Interview Question
Whilst I very much like my employer, and the team I am in, I feel ready for a new and fresh challenge. I had planned on staying there for many years to come, but now is the right time to move forward and I have been on the lookout for the right position to emerge within your company. I have so much to offer and I feel excited about the prospect of putting my skills, attributes and experience to test with hopefully your organisation and a new and innovative team.
TIPS FOR HOW TO ANSWER WHY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR CURRENT JOB OR EMPLOYER? INTERVIEW QUESTION
Tip #1 Do not be disrespectful about, or criticize your previous manager, company or employer.
Tip #2 Say you want a fresh challenge with a new company.
Tip #3 Be respectful in your answer by telling them they are innovative and forward-thinking.
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Can You Tell Me About Yourself
This is the simplest and one of the common questions during the interview, yet people fail to prepare for it. Normally, when this question is asked, people give their whole employment or educational history, but the key is to pitch 2 to 3 accomplishments that show that you are fit for the applied job and end it with how those experiences will help you in this role. Define what you do and your interests that relate to the job. You can also script what you want to say as this is a definite question and practice well.
Sometimes the interviewer wants to know about you more than what you have mentioned in the resume. They are giving a chance to tell more about yourself. Be confident and share your interests, likes, and accomplishments. Try to explain what you are and what you could do for the company but remember not to overshare.
