What Are Some Basic Interview Questions

Question No : What Are Your Strengths

Hint: Professional interviewers should identify your strengthswithout inquiring about them. They get their salary for this capacity. Nevertheless, you can meet a variety of bodies in your interview. Sometimes the person leading the meeting can have little or no experience with interviewing people for the job . In this case, the question makes at least some sense.

You should pick relevant strengths. If possible, you should elaborate on your answer, saying how you demonstrated your strengths in your career, how they helped you in the jobs you had .

I love to talk to people, and I believe I do understand them wellwhat they need and desire in their lives. My empathy helped me in my volunteering experience in a nursing home, and I hope to use this strength in my career as a social worker.

Responsibility is my greatest strength. I consider my job the first priority, and it has never happened to me that I came late to work, or that I did not finalize my tasks in time.

Tell Me Something That You Regret Doing And Are Now A Little Ashamed Of It

You might come across such interview questions amongst the basic interview questions and answers, which throws you off the chair.

Do not get flustered.

Instead, take some time to recollect yourself and the best way to answer such tricky questions is to avoid giving in.

You could answer this HR interview question in the following manner:

I cant really recall having any regrets. I would like to add that the best way to avoid regrets is to not cause them in the very first place.

So, as a practice I take time out at the end of each day and recall the days events and reflect.

I look at every conversation I had with the people I work with. This helps me to get a clear perspective and avoid regrets.

What Was The Organizational Structure Like In The Previous Organization

Here you basically need to explain the hierarchy which was prevalent in your last organization and where you were situated I fit in it.

Take for example, you were a Senior Sub Editor in a media organization, you can mention your Skip level boss followed by Senior Associate Editor, your team lead and subordinates if any.

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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.

How Good Are You At Sticking To Your Deadlines

Time plays a crucial role in todays fast paced life. Employers not only want quality job, but they also need it on time as a lot is at stake for the company based on it.

Possible answer to this basic interview question and answer can be formed in the following manner.

I always submit my work on time because I understand that the company is liable to its clients.

Any delay in submission can lead to face loss in front of our clients, resulting in loss or fall in business.

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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

How To Answer Tough Interview Questions

We teamed up with The Daily Mirrors Careers Editor, Tricia Phillips to offer a free webinar on how to answer tough interview questions. We sent a survey towards the end of last year and wanted to know what questions you got in an interview and needed advice for. We received some great responses, some very surprising and some common so we decided to cover them in the following webinar.

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If You Were To Rank Them What Are The Three Traits Your Top Performers Have In Common

Once again, consider all the relevant qualities required for the role, tally it with yours and answer the question.

Possible answer to this basic interview question and answer can be framed like this.

“According to me the three common traits in my top performers are honesty, hard work and diligency.

I believe these qualities are very important to reach the top.”

However, be ready for a follow up question where you might be asked to justify the importance of the qualities.

What Would Your Former Colleagues Say About You If You Weren’t In The Room

Hopefully nice things! Everyone wants to be thought highly of by their friends, family and colleagues, but if a candidate has significant drive and ambition it’s possible that not everyone was her biggest fan at her last company.

Most candidates will probably answer this awkwardly, it’s an uncomfortable idea, but the best responses will be balanced. Something like: “my colleagues would probably say that I’m pretty passionate about my work but that I can occasionally overlook small details”.

If everything goes to plan, your new hire will be at your company for many years to come. With that in mind, you should ask a few interview questions that give you an idea of how candidates see their career evolving and how they handle strategic decisions.

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What Steps Have You Taken To Improve Your Skills

Look for candidates who have attended voluntary skills training or external courses, especially those with industry-related certifications. This will indicate a desire for growth and a willingness to take on additional challenges.

Red flags: The candidate has only attended work-mandated skills courses or none at all.

Arent You Over Qualified For The Role

This HR interview question can be seen as another trick question from the employers end.

Hence, it is very important to sound humble yet firm. Based on your judgement, there are two ways to address this question.

I see the job market running similar to any other marketplace, running on the laws of supply and demand.

Given the tight condition of the same, I understand the relativity of the term over qualified.

But, given the experience I have gained over the years, I think I can bring better positive changes within the team/organization as compared to someone who is yet to acquire the same level of experience.

I honestly believe that you can never stop learning.

You might feel that I possess a lot many degrees, but honestly, I think a person grows everyday with every conversation he/she has with number of people.

I believe there is something or the other that I can always learn which not only can help me grow but also bring up better ideas for the team/organization.

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What Is The Most Important Piece Of Safety Equipment For An Electrician

Example:”The most important piece of safety equipment for an electrician is, in my experience, head protection. The kinds of job sites I have worked at often include the risk of head injury, and so this risk often outweighs the risk of shock. The next most important item, however, is insulated gloves, especially in high-voltage situations.”

Question No 1: Do You Have Any Questions

Hint: You will get a chance to ask some questions in your interview. It is good to ask one or two questions at least, since it shows that you still want the job, after everything that has been said and done in your interview.

But you should not ask about something that was already discussed, or about something that was clearly explained on the job description. Focus on their working environment, next steps of recruitment process, company culture, their goals and plans, their product portfolio.

What are the next steps of recruitment process? Is there anything else I can do to improve my chances of getting this job?

I really like your product ABC. Can you tell me more about the plans you have with the product, and the innovation you plan in the future?

Do you set any goals for sales managers, such as monthly sales volume?

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What Technologies Could You Not Live Without

Stephen Negron of LegalTech Consulting, Inc. wants to know what tech skills candidates bring to the table, of course. But after thats out of the way, he has a different line of questioning a list of revealing questions that tell him about the interviewees life as a techie .

He asks:

• Tell me about your computers at home. Whats your internet speed?
• What are your favorite gadgets? Apps?
• What kind of phone do you have?
• What are your tech pet peeves?

I really want to know if they practice what they preach, if they live the tech life, and if they have an understanding of the everyday tech frustrations, he says.

This is a point thats easy to overlook amidst loftier talk of expertise, but if youre not consciously engaging with devices, apps, and websites, all the technical skills in the world wont bridge that gap toward empathizing with the end user when it comes to designing your own products.

What Do You Consider To Be Your Weaknesses

What your interviewer is really trying to do with this questionbeyond identifying any major red flagsis to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, I cant meet a deadline to save my life is not an optionbut neither is Nothing! Im perfect! Strike a balance by thinking of something that you struggle with but that youre working to improve. For example, maybe youve never been strong at public speaking, but youve recently volunteered to run meetings to help you get more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

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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:

Describe A Difficult Work Situation & How You Overcame It

This is another typical interview question. The interviewer is looking for some insight about how you problem-solve and how you handle a challenge.

How to Answer:

Break it down into parts, giving a detailed overview on how it was fixed, especially your role in solving the issue. Make sure to provide measurable metrics and results for the interviewer.

Example Answer:

We were down 5 staff members prior to a charity event we organized for our client who generates roughly 75% of our annual business. They expect a flawless evening every time we put the event on so missing 5 key staff members who had prominent roles was crucial. I ran through all options immediately after receiving the news and began coming up with another game plan. . The evening went without a hitch and the client continued doing business with us the following year…

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How Did You Hear About The Position

When they ask how did you hear about the position? its typically best to give an honest, direct answer.

The interviewer is simply curious how you came to know about them and the general idea behind why you applied. Theyre curious how youre finding positions to apply to in general, too.

If you found the job through a colleague, through researching employers online, through a job board or job posting, or any other common method, simply tell them the truth.

• Be clear, direct, and upfront
• Tell the truth unless its something very embarrassing .
• Explain why the job interested you, if possible

Dont:

I found the position while looking for jobs online

I heard about it from a colleague/friend

Your company was recommended to me by somebody I worked with in a previous job and had heard good things about your organization

I saw the job posted on LinkedIn, and the position seemed interesting so I wanted to learn more

Tell Me About Your Strengths

The best way to address a question about your strengths is to ensure it aligns with the job description.

A lot of people tend to downplay their strengths, but they shouldnt. This is a great opportunity to showcase what you can do.

You must be prepared, however, to back up your strength with a good example. For example, if you say your creativity is a strength, youll also want to be able to talk about a time when you used your creativity to solve a problem or address a challenge.

For example, I think a strength of mine is my adaptability. During my time as an office manager, I supported a small team where being able to think on your feet and be flexible was a real asset. When two members of our four-person team happened to fall sick at the same time and were out of the office for two and three weeks, I worked overtime to support our clients by performing the function of my colleagues while they could not.

Some general strengths that often work include:

• Trustworthiness

You could also mention any hard or technical skills that is required in the job ad.

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What Projects Do You Handle At Your Current Job

Example:”I am currently in charge of new build wiring for a major hospital under construction in my area. I lead a team of six apprentices and journeymen, and I delegate tasks to them as well as work alongside them to get the job done right. I follow blueprints, troubleshoot with the site engineer, order materials as necessary and determine each day’s work. I am also dedicated to enforcing the highest level of safety on the job site, and we have not yet had a reportable incident.”

What Are Your Hobbies Outside Of Work

Employers will often ask questions about your personal life to get an insight into your personality and see how youd fit in with the team. Although this question is relatively informal, make sure your answer is sensible.

If youre part of a sports team or community group, this is a great thing to mention as it shows that you can work in a team or enjoy helping others. If you enjoy reading industry blogs or watching webinars on the weekend, its great to mention this too. But, if you dont do these things, dont lie. Cycling, watching the cricket or trying out new recipes are all good enough answers!

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Have You Ever Committed A Mistake In Your Last Job

Although it is only human to commit mistakes, what needs to be remembered is the magnitude of it and the damage it caused the company.

So, mention the mistake but keep the major focus on the measure you took to fix it.

Here’s a possible answer to this HR interview question.

“Mistakes are an inevident part of human nature.

However, none of my mistakes have ever been of the magnitude that my team or organization ever faced a severe brunt.”

What Would You Say To Your Boss If Hes Crazy About An Idea But You Think It Is Not Really Up To The Mark

You will find many such tricky HR interview questions amongst the basic interview questions and answers asked.

Always remember, whenever pitted against loyalty and honesty go for integrity.

Here’s a possible answer to this HR interview question.

Well before anything else I would like to look at the positive aspects of the ideas and give him/her an honest opinion because that is what my boss will be looking for.

Then if permitted we can discuss the changes to make the idea better than before. But in case not, then I would follow what my boss tells me to do.

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