Tell Me About A Time You Demonstrated Leadership Skills
You dont have to have a fancy title to act like a leader or demonstrate leadership skills. Think about a time when you headed up a project, took the initiative to propose an alternate process, or helped motivate your team to get something done. Then use the STAR method to tell your interviewer a story, giving enough detail to paint a picture and making sure you spell out the result. In other words, be clear about why youre telling this particular story and connect all the dots for the interviewer.
Tell Me A Little About Yourself
If you’re the interviewer, there’s a lot you should already know: The candidate’s resume and cover letter should tell you plenty, and LinkedIn and Twitter and Facebook and Google can tell you more.
The goal of an interview is to determine whether the candidate will be outstanding in the job, and that means evaluating the skills and attitude required for that job. Does she need to be an empathetic leader? Ask about that. Does she need to take your company public? Ask about that.
If you’re the candidate, talk about why you took certain jobs. Explain why you left. Explain why you chose a certain school. Share why you decided to go to grad school. Discuss why you took a year off to backpack through Europe, and what you got out of the experience.
When you answer this question, connect the dots on your resume so the interviewer understands not just what you’ve done, but also why.
What Are Your Future Goals
This interview question, like the previous one, is intended to see if you’ll be a good long-term fit with the company.
The interviewer is looking for commitment and motivation.
How to Answer:
Focus on your career goals that align with the company. Demonstrate your understanding of the company’s mission, and how you can find your place there.
If there is a clear promotion path available that you’re interested in, feel free to mention it.
Example Answers:
Eventually I’d like to make my way into a project management position. I’m already familiar with many of the aspects of the work, so I’d like to improve my knowledge in the areas I’m less familiar with so that I can oversee an entire project.
I enjoy working with people and helping to resolve conflicts, so I can see myself moving up in HR eventually.
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Whats Your Biggest Weakness Interview Question
My biggest weakness is that I am too trusting sometimes. In my previous job, I was working with a number of other team members on an important project and I made sure the task I was working on was completed on time, and also to the required standard. As the project deadline approached, we all got together to discuss the final stages and it became apparent that two team members were way behind with their tasks Id trusted them to do their job, and they simply had not delivered. I actually learnt a lot from that experience, and whilst I still think its important to trust your work colleagues, I now make sure I hold regular update meetings with team members, to make sure we are all working toward the same goal and the same timeframe.
What Would Your Former Boss Like You To Improve On Common Interview Questions
For a question like this, try to think of a minor issue that your previous boss brought up with you. Dont think of anything too drastic as it wont sell you as a candidate. Instead, think of something thats fairly insignificant. If possible, try to think of a way that you rectified the problem already, or put a positive spin on it.
Example: In my last role, my manager thought that I needed to be more vocal in meetings and when planning projects. I tended to stay quiet in these scenarios because I wanted to focus on listening to other peoples ideas, then possibly approach them individually with improvements or other follow-ups.
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Are You Willing To Travel
If a job involves travel, you will likely hear interview questions such as: “Are you willing to travel?”, “How much are you willing to travel?”, etc. If they ask an open-ended question about your willingness to travel, you should indicate the percentage of time you can expect to be somewhere else.
I am prepared to travel up to 40% of the time. This is what I did in my last job, and I know I’m comfortable with that amount.
Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years Time
An interviewer will be impressed if you have considered your short-term and long-term goals. Talk about the kind of job you’d eventually like to do and the various steps you will take to get there.
Show that you have the ambition and determination to make the most of every job you have held to get where you want to be and always relate this back to the position you’re interviewing for. Avoid telling the interviewer that you want their job.
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What Do You Plan To Do If
Every business faces a major challenge: technological changes, competitors entering the market, shifting economic trends. There’s rarely one of Warren Buffett’s moats protecting a small business.
So while some candidates may see your company as a stepping-stone, they still hope for growth and advancement. If they do eventually leave, they want it to be on their terms, not because you were forced out of business.
Say I’m interviewing for a position at your ski shop. Another store is opening less than a mile away: How do you plan to deal with the competition? Or you run a poultry farm : What will you do to deal with rising feed costs?
Great candidates don’t just want to know what you think they want to know what you plan to do — and how they will fit into those plans.
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Tell Me Something About Yourself
How hard can it be to talk about yourself? We do it on a daily basis without much thought to it.
However, recruitment managers are not looking for your whole life story, your third-grade achievements, or what you had for dinner last night. Instead, they are looking for a pitch.
This is usually the first question asked in an interview, so it acts as your introduction. Make sure your answer is relevant to the position you are applying for. What you should be aiming for here is to present yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.
A good rule of thumb is to structure your talking points as follows:
- Briefly introduce yourself: Whats your name? How long have you been working as ?
- What do you love about your job?
- What are your top 2-3 achievements that are relevant to the job youre applying for?
Now, lets go through some examples:
Possible Answers for “Tell me About Yourself”:
- Sample Answer 1:
Hey! So, my name is John Doe and Ive worked as a business analyst for 5+ years in Company X and Company Y.
I have some background in data analysis, having studied Information Systems at University.
Throughout my career, Ive done some pretty impressive stuff .
For example, at Company X, I led a project for migrating all operations data to a new data warehousing system to cut down on costs. The new solution was a much better fit for our business, which eventually led to savings of up to $200,000 annually.
- Sample Answer 2:
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Tell Me About A Time When Youve Had To Handle A Difficult Situation Common Interview Questions
How you answer this question will almost entirely depend on the example that you give. Try to think of a work-related scenario where youve used skills that are relevant to the job that youre applying for in order to handle the situation. If possible, try to find a situation that was resolved positively.
Example: In a previous role, I was head of a team in which there were two members who couldnt resolve their differences regarding how we approached a project. I used my leadership skills to work with both of them to find a solution which satisfied both parties, allowing us to get on with the project.
How To Answer 14 Most Common Interview Questions
These questions are the ones youre bound to hear at just about any job interview – whether youre an intern, or a senior professional with a decade of work experience.
All of these questions are used to learn more about you, both as a person and a professional.
You might have heard the popular idea that theres no right or wrong answers for job interview questions.
Well, while that might be true, there ARE a set of rules you need to follow when answering these questions.
If you understand what, exactly, the interviewer is looking for with each question, youll be able to give the right answer
In this section, were going to go through 14 of the most common job interview questions and answers. Were going to explain what the HR manager wants to see in you, as well as give you sample answers you could use.
So, lets get started!
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What Are Some Good Job Interview Tips
1. Arrive early and engage in friendly communication with other people there in order to get used to connecting with people.2. Set up Google alerts for the industry and company youre interviewing with. This way youll be up to date with any recent news and can bring it up in the interview.3. Turn the interview from an interrogation into a conversation between peers. Ask questions and get some back and forth going between you and the interviewer. This will lower your nerves and you come across as more of a colleague or a peer to the hiring manager.
Tell Me About The Toughest Decision You Had To Make In The Last Six Months
The goal of this question is to evaluate the candidate’s reasoning ability, problem-solving skills, judgment, and possibly even willingness to take intelligent risks.
Having no answer is a definite warning sign. Everyone makes tough decisions, regardless of their position. My daughter worked part-time as a server at a local restaurant and made difficult decisions all the time — like the best way to deal with a regular customer whose behavior constituted borderline harassment.
A good answer proves you can make a difficult analytical or reasoning-based decision — for example, wading through reams of data to determine the best solution to a problem.
A great answer proves you can make a difficult interpersonal decision, or better yet a difficult data-driven decision that includes interpersonal considerations and ramifications.
Making decisions based on data is important, but almost every decision has an impact on people as well. The best candidates naturally weigh all sides of an issue, not just the business or human side exclusively.
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Q: How Long Would You Expect To Stay With This Company If We Hired You
You want to make sure that you know in advance what type of position the company is hiring for and answer the question in line with that. For example, if it is a temporary position, then note that you are aware that it is a temporary position and that you would stay through the end of your contract with the possibility of being open to further employment if it is offered. In general, you want to show that youre not going to just jump at the next big chance, leaving this company in the lurch, so use this question to explain your commitment and loyalty to the projects that you take on.
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What Is Your Biggest Weakness
Ah, this is always a tricky one!
After all, you dont want to mention your flaws during an interview, so its guaranteed to be a tough question.
The trick to answering this one is realizing that the interviewers dont expect you to be perfect. Everyone has flaws, weaknesses, and things to improve on.
When asking this question, the HR manager is actually seeking to learn:
- Whether you have the right skills for the job. If youre applying for the position of a server in a busy restaurant, and you say your biggest weakness is performing under pressure, then youre definitely not getting a callback.
- If youre self-aware and really know what your sticking points are.
And NO: fake humble-brag weaknesses dont count as weaknesses. You cant just say that your biggest weakness is that you work too hard, or that youre a perfectionist.
The key here is to mention a weakness thats real, but not something that would get in the way of you doing your job. You wouldnt want to say youre bad at math if youre applying for an accountant position, would you
Its also good practice to mention how you are working towards overcoming this weakness and realizing how it affects you negatively. If you can, just balance it with a positive side effect: treat it like two sides of the same coin.
Possible answers:
- Sample answer 1:
My biggest weakness has always been my communication skills. Ive been pretty shy and anxious as a kid. Over the years, however, Ive been really working on the issue.
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Practical Skills And Job Logistics Questions
Although they may not seem as nerve-wracking or difficult to answer as the other types of questions above, your responses to logistical questions are hugely important to your interview. Always answer honestly, even with questions that may paint you in a negative light. Being fired from a previous position or admitting to applying to other jobs will not guarantee that youre ruled out as a candidate employers know that no one is perfect and they will value your honesty. These questions are also important for you to gauge whether or not this truly is the right job for you.
From Your Resume It Seems You Took A Gap Year Would You Like To Tell Us Why That Was
Gap years are more popular in some cultures than others. In some professions, gap years may have a negative connotation .
Let your interviewer know that your gap year wasnt about procrastinating over your transition from childhood to adulthood, but that it added value to the confident professional you have become. Based on what part of the world youre in and how common these are, employers are likely looking to hear stories of what you did and how your experiences have benefitted and prepared you for this role.
Provide a short explanation of why you decided to pursue a gap year, then focus on what came out of it that made a positive difference for your future.
Example: During my last year of high school, I didnt feel ready to choose my educational path, so I took a wilderness course for a few months to sort out my life goals. It may seem a little random, but the time I spent actually helped my develop so many new skills in the areas of leadership, communication, . During that time, I realized that I wanted to earn a degree in to align with my passion .
To make a winning impression, youll need to answer each question with poise and passion. But practicing first really helps. Meticulous preparation will allow you to appear confident and in control, helping position you as the ideal candidate when the competition is tough.
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Q: What Are Your Career Goals
You should think through this question before you go to an interview and come up with a truly honest answer that rings true for you. Then you should tailor this answer to be appropriate to the interview. If your goal is to enter an entirely different field, you need to explain clearly why this job is the perfect stepping stone to that goal. For bonus points, identify a well-known mentor in your field, and explain the assets and aspects of their career that are touchstones for your own career goals.
What Makes You Unique
Employers often ask this question to identify why you might be more qualified than other candidates theyre interviewing. To answer, focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer. Since you dont know the other applicants, it can be challenging to think about your answer in relation to them. Addressing why your background makes you a good fit lets employers know why your traits and qualifications make you a strong candidate.
To help you prepare this answer consider the following:
Example answer:“What makes me unique is my ability to meet and exceed deadlines. In my previous role, my manager consistently praised me for completing my projects efficiently with a high level of quality. This allowed me to take on additional responsibilities and eventually led to a promotion.”
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