What Are Good Answers In An Interview

Get Directions And Arrange Transportation

It’s important to know where you need to go for your job interview. You don’t want to be late or arrive out of breath and flustered. Use Google Maps to get directions if you’re not sure where you are going. Program your GPS, if you have one, so you can find the best route to the company. Check on parking and/or public transportation, so you arrive with time to spare. Consider doing a test run the day before to make sure you have the right directions.

How To Answer Interview Questions About What You Need To Improve

Heres how to answer what areas need improvement? when employers ask in your interview.

First dont give some cheesy answer like well, I work too hard sometimes, so I need to learn how to take breaks and not work so much.

No hiring manager will be impressed with that. When hiring managers ask interview questions about areas of improvement, they want to really hear something legitimate that youd like to improve and feel you could improve upon.

Also, dont name anything thats vital to the job. For example, if this is a supervisor position, dont say you need to improve your communication skills or get better at delegating tasks

Those are vital pieces of a supervisors role, and the hiring manager is going to have serious concerns about your ability to lead if you give that type of answer when they ask about your areas for improvement.

Thats essential stuff for being a good supervisor and theyre less likely to hire you if you say youre lacking in those areas!

Whats A Time You Disagreed With A Decision That Was Made At Work

The ideal anecdote here is one where you handled a disagreement professionally and learned something from the experience. Zhang recommends paying particular attention to how you start and end your response. To open, make a short statement to frame the rest of your answer, one that nods at the ultimate takeaway or the reason youre telling this story. For example: I learned early on in my professional career that its fine to disagree if you can back up your hunches with data. And to close strong, you can either give a one-sentence summary of your answer or talk briefly about how what you learned or gained from this experience would help you in the role youre interviewing for.

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The 25 Best Interview Questions

How many golf balls can you fit in a limousine? Who would win in a fight between Batman and Superman? Who’s your favourite Disney Princess?

Some of today’s hiring managers rely on some pretty unconventional questions to identify talent.

Google’s famous interview questions have inspired a generation of interviewers who try to outsmart and confuse candidates with complex brainteasers.

This style of interviewing is going out of fashion though, and even .

It still pays to be a little creative when you’re speaking to applicants though, as you need to dig deep and ask interview questions to determine skill, cultural fit and intelligence.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a collection of 25 top interview questions that will show you whether any candidate is a fit for you.

Some of these might seem boring, but they serve a purpose. They’re the perfect way to ease candidates into the interview and get the background information you need to move up a gear.

What Would The Person Who Likes You Least In The World Say About You

Imagine that your job interview has been going along swimmingly. You feel a kinship of sorts with your hiring managerand then they ask you this question. You might feel surprised since theyre asking you to pick a trait about yourself that is negative.

But theres a trick to this question. Youll still need to pick a quirky characteristic . Then, instead of just mentioning that youre impatient, turn it into something positive. Show how being impatient works in your favor as a remote workermaybe it means that youre a stickler for deadlines or that you will always follow up with a coworker who might lack quick communication skills.

For example, Theyd probably point out that Im impatient. However, I feel that it makes me a better worker as I rarely miss deadlines, I respond to emails quickly, and I regularly get answers to questions I have.

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Question: What Are Your Salary Expectations

This question is the start of the salary negotiation, in case they decide to make you an offer .

Reality is that salary is on part of the employers compensation package which may include other items of very high value, like bonuses, tuition reimbursement, healthcare, paid vacation, and other benefits.

Be prepared by researching what most employers in your location pay for this type of job if you can, find out what this employer pays for the job. Conduct your research on sites like PayScale, Salary.com, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Google.

When you do answer, provide a salary range rather than a specific number, and indicate that it is variable depending on the benefits they offer. Be sure you are comfortable with a salary at the bottom of this range.

This Will Show That Youve Given Thoughtful Consideration To The Position

I have a strong desire to help others through improving education, which has led to my past success as a teacher and curriculum developer. Tell me about yourself or tell me why you feel you are a good candidate for this job. You may be an expert in operating machines or devising work procedures or managing accounts but if you fail to be a peoples person, you are missing out on a lot of things. Inaccurate/inappropriate communication between employees can cause many problems to the company. So to do that you need to understand yourself, which includes pretty much everything like your personality, your skills and your other qualities that may fit appropriate to your job. A good employment interview preparation process should include the following:

Dressing appropriately, sitting erect, maintaining eye contact, waiting to sit until your interviewer is seatedthese things all show respect for the person and the situation. Tell me about yourself or tell me why you feel you are a good candidate for this job. The very purpose of the interview is to evaluate you in terms of your skills and capabilities. Control of anger and aggression. If there was something you wish you had said during the interview, but didnt get a chance to, this is a good opportunity to mention it.

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What Was Your Salary In Your Last Job

This is a tough one. You want to be open and honest, but frankly, some companies ask the question as the opening move in salary negotiations.

Try an approach recommended by Liz Ryan. When asked, say, “I’m focusing on jobs in the $50K range. Is this position in that range?”

Maybe the interviewer will answer maybe she won’t. If she presses you for an answer, you’ll have to decide whether you want to share or demur. Ultimately your answer won’t matter too much, because you’ll either accept the salary offered or you won’t, depending on what you think is fair.

Why Did You Decide To Apply For This Position

Through this question, the interviewers want to assess how passionate you are for the position. And no, the answer isnt:

Well, Im very passionate about not starving to death.

Well, I needed the money, and you guys tend to pay a lot.

What the interviewer is looking for here is to see how passionate you are about the job or the company. After all, job performance is directly linked to job satisfaction. The happier you are about your position at the company, the more productive youll be.

And heres the kicker – your passion will be very evident during the interview.

When youre talking to a person thats passionate about something, you can pretty much feel them glow as they talk. And if youre an HR manager whos interviewed hundreds of people, this is a very good sign to hire the candidate.

So, use this knowledge to your advantage.

When asked this question, your answer should include 2 things:

Sample Answer 1:

Im very passionate about sustainability and renewable energy. In fact, I minored in Environmental Science at .

Ive always wanted to put my engineering degree to a good cause – and the position as a Sustainability Coordinator at is just the right thing.

Ive been following your company for the past few years, and I love how youre changing the renewable energy landscape in America.

Possible answer 2:

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What Are Three Positive Things Your Last Boss Would Say About You

It’s time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss’s quotes to answer the question, “What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?”. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else’s words: “My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor.”

Example Weakness : Perfectionism

I tend to be a perfectionist and can linger on the details of a project which can threaten deadlines. Early on in my career, when I worked for ABC Inc., that very thing happened. I was laboring over the details and in turn, caused my manager to be stressed when I almost missed the deadline on my deliverables. I learned the hard way back then, but I did learn. Today Im always aware of how what Im doing affects my team and management. Ive learned how to find the balance between perfect and very good and being timely.

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Practice Answering Interview Questions

Taking the time to review typical interview questions will help give you a framework for your responses. It will also reduce stress because you won’t be scrambling for an answer during the interview. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time, and it will be much easier when you’re actually in a job interview.

Example Weakness : Difficulty With An Area Of Expertise

Math wasnt my strongest subject in school. To be honest, as a student, I didnt understand how it would be applicable in my adult life. Within a few years of being in the working world, though, I realized that I wanted to take my career in a more analytical direction. At first, I wasnt sure where to begin, but I found some free online courses that refreshed the important basics for me. In my most recent job, this new foundation has enabled me to do my own goal setting and tracking. Actually, getting over the math anxiety I had when I was younger has been incredibly empowering.

Of course, youll need to personalize the above examples according to your personal weakness and the ways that youre adapting and improving yourself.

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Out Of All The Candidates Why Should We Hire You

Since a candidate cannot compare himself with people he doesn’t know, all he can do is describe his incredible passion and desire and commitment and … well, basically beg for the job.

And you learn nothing of substance.

Here’s a better question: “What do you feel I need to know that we haven’t discussed?” Or even “If you could get a do-over on one of my questions, how would you answer it now?”

Rarely do candidates come to the end of an interview feeling they’ve done their best. Maybe the conversation went in an unexpected direction. Maybe the interviewer focused on one aspect of their skills and totally ignored other key attributes. Or maybe candidates started the interview nervous and hesitant, and now wish they could go back and better describe their qualifications and experience.

Plus, think of it this way: Your goal as an interviewer is to learn as much as you possibly can about every candidate, so don’t you want to give them the chance to ensure you do?

Just make sure to turn this part of the interview into a conversation, not a soliloquy. Don’t just passively listen and then say, “Thanks. We’ll be in touch.” Ask follow-up questions. Ask for examples.

And of course if you’re asked this question, use it as a chance to highlight things you haven’t been able to touch on.

Example Answers To What Are Your Greatest Strengths

Remember to be humble, not braggy. Your response to this question needs to be approached objectively State what you do well while also tying your strengths into your personal goals as well as the companys growth and development goals.

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Tell Me About Yourself

At the beginning of the conversation, your interviewer will likely start out by asking you about yourself. They are seeking to understand your qualifications, what led you to the job and generally why you think you’d be a good fit. The key here is making your answer concise and direct, including only professional information relevant to the job. Your answer should be structured as follows:

1. Start by describing your background with a summary of your most impressive responsibilities:”I’ve been a hostess at XYZ Restaurant for just over two years where I greet and seat customers, assess wait times, fulfill to-go orders and answer the phones. I love the lively and busy environmentwe often have Friday and Saturday wait times of one hour or more…

2. Next, briefly summarize your previous experience with key achievements:”…Before working at XYZ Restaurant, I worked in retail as a floor associate for five years. Working in retail developed the customer service skills that make me a great hostess, offering a top-tier dining experience from the moment customers walk in the door. It also equipped me with the ability to work quickly under pressure…”

Read more:

Tips on responding to “Tell me about yourself:

So When You Answer What Skills Do You Need To Improve Pick A Real Area Youd Like To Get Better At But Make Sure Its Not Something Essential To The Job

You can choose something youre already pretty good at, but still trying to improve even more. You can choose something that you learned a long time ago but havent used in recent jobs very much.

You can name something not directly related to your work but something youre passionate about learning. For example, maybe youre an Accountant but someday youd like to be a Team Leader, so youd like opportunities to improve your leadership. You could suggest that youd like to lead a meeting or project to begin, just to build out that skill-set over the long term.

Lets look at some example answers and this will start to make more sense

Ill put that Accountant example above as the first example.

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Question: How Do People Describe You

Heres another opportunity to differentiate yourself. Everyone claims to be: a hard worker, good communicator, and team player.

But how many are a: problem-solver, game-changer, leader in the industry?

Be creative, and have stories to back it up. The interviewer will want to know why someone thinks you are one of these things.

Focus on them: You want to present attributes that make you sound like the go-to guy or gal wherever you work. Even the standard answers can be taken a step further to be more valuable:

• Yes, they want hard workers, but most likely thats commonplace at their office. Maybe you work hard, but also help others work fewer hours .
• Good communicators are everywhere. But this does not mean just speaking well. It includes active listening. Do you hear things that others dont? Do you understand things quickly? Can you figure out what people are trying to tell you through other clues ?
• Being a good team player is expected, too. But what does this really mean? Getting along with everyone? Thats not hard to do if youre a nice person. Pulling your weight in the office? Again, expected. What have you done, beyond your job description, that saved the team from a disaster or helped them make an impossible deadline? Have you won an award for this?