What Do They Ask You In A Job Interview

Why Should We Hire You Example #: Programmer / Developer

Honestly, I almost feel like the job description was written with me in mind. I have the 6 years of programming experience youre looking for, a track record of successful projects, and proven expertise in agile development processes. At the same time, I have developed my communication skills from working directly with senior managers, which means I am well prepared to work on high-profile, cross-department projects. I have the experience to start contributing from day one and I am truly excited about the prospect of getting started.

Why We Like It:

the experience to start contributing from day one.

Can You Describe The Working Culture Of The Organisation

Asking this question is a great way to assess the working environment of the company and it gives you the opportunity to discover whether you’ll fit in.

From the recruiters response you’ll learn if and how the organisation prioritises employee happiness, of any benefits on offer and what the work-life balance is like.

How To Answer Competency

Competency-based interview questions draw on real-life scenarios to find out more about your knowledge, skill set and workplace behaviour. They usually start with “tell us about a time when…” or “tell us about a situation when…” followed by a scenario relevant to the job you’re applying for.

While you can’t anticipate which competency-based questions you’ll be asked, you can use a strategy to answer them well. Use the STAR technique:

• Situation where did it happen?
• Task what were you expected to do?
• Action what did you actually do?
• Result what was the outcome?

Try to be as specific as possible. If you can mention some specific statistics you’ll definitely impress your interviewers.

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Questions About The Department Where The Open Position Is Located

This is a critical line of questioning because you’re getting to know the specifics of your coworkers. You’ll also see the types of processes that your coworkers abide by to generate success.

• Who is the person that I’m directly reporting to?

• Can you explain more about the department that I’ll be working with?

• Is there another coworker that I’ll work closely with other than my manager?

• What do you believe are my manager’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?

• Is there going to be more hires in this department over the next year?

• Is there another department that I’ll be coordinating with daily?

• Is there a common trajectory for people who’ve previously worked in this department?

• What opportunities do you see from working with this team?

• Are you aware of team-building activities that this department participates in?

• How much of an impact do you believe this department has in regards to the success of the company?

Why Interviewers Ask What Do You Know About Our Company

There are a couple of reasons why employers ask this question in interviews.

The first reason is they want to make sure you did some research before applying. They dont want someone whos applying to 200 positions per day without even looking or caring what type of job they get.

Why? Well, employers want someone who will be motivated and work hard in their job. And they figure if you have thought about your job search and have specific reasons for applying, then youre more likely to really like their job.

Whereas, if youre just applying randomly to as many jobs as you can find online, theres a greater chance you wont like their job which means you might leave, lose motivation, etc.

Thats how employers see it.

So companies ALWAYS want someone whos being careful and selective in their job search.

If you dont know anything about their company, why did you want to interview? Or how do you know you wont hate working for them?

So they ask, what do you know about the company? to see how much research and preparation youve done for this interview. And to impress them, you need to be ready to get specific and name facts and details you read about their company.

Now lets look at how

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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

Show Off Your Industry Knowledge

During your interview preparation, you will have read a lot of information about your client and the wider industry as a whole thanks Google. Show your knowledge by dropping in a question about current events, for example:

• How do you think the recent merger between your two main competitors will affect the future of the industry?
• What impact do you think the new regulations coming into force next year will have on the company?
• I heard you were recently acquired by a large international company how likely is it that this role could be relocated in the next five years?

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Signs You Got The Job After An Interview

If you recently interviewed for a job, you may be eagerly looking for signs of whether your interview went well, and you got the job. It’s important to be objective when reflecting on your interview performance and consider the big picture rather than reading into details. While you typically cannot know with certainty whether you got a job based on your interview performance alone, there are often some signs that suggest whether the interview went well. In this article, we cover 14 different signs to look for in the interview that suggest you got the job.

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How To Answer The Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question

Although it might be tempting to share a list of your most compelling qualifications for the job, a more low-key approach will probably help you to develop a personal rapport with your interviewer.

One option for your response is to share some of your personal interests which don’t relate directly to your career:

• Examples might include a hobby that you are passionate about like quilting, astronomy, chess, choral singing, golf, skiing, tennis, or antiquing.
• Interests like long-distance running or yoga that help to represent your healthy, energetic side are worth mentioning.
• Pursuits, like being an avid reader or solving crossword puzzles or brain teasers, will help to showcase your intellectual leaning.
• Interests like golf, tennis, and gourmet food might have some value if you would be entertaining clients in your new job.
• Volunteer work will demonstrate the seriousness of your character and commitment to the welfare of your community.
• Interactive roles like PTA volunteer, museum tour guide, fundraiser, or chair of a social club will help show your comfort with engaging others.

Remember, as with “tell me something about yourself that’s not on your resume,” one of the goals of this question is to get to know you a little bit beyond your career and on-the-job attitude and experience.

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Why Have You Switched Jobs So Many Times

If youve switched jobs in a very short period of time , the interviewer is bound to ask about it.

After all, job-hopping is one of the biggest red flags for HR managers.

True, you might have had a reasonable cause. Maybe the second company you got hired in just wasnt a good culture fit for you.

Well, youll have to communicate that.

Companies tend to be skeptical because of the following reasons

• You might be a job hopper. Some people tend to switch jobs the moment they get a better salary offer.
• You might be unqualified for the job and you quit because you couldnt deliver.
• You get bored easily and your solution to that is quitting.

So, your job here is to convince the interviewer that you dont belong to any of those 3 categories.

You need to make them realize that you will not jump ship a few months after getting hired just because some recruiter PMd you on LinkedIn with a better offer.

The best way to answer this question is to explain the reason you switched jobs. It could be one of the following:

• The company culture wasnt a good fit. This happens to the best of us – sometimes, the company just isnt the right one.
• The job description was misleading and you ended up doing something you either didnt enjoy, or were not qualified for.
• You learned that you simply didnt enjoy the job, and are not willing to try out something different. While this isnt the best potential answer, its honest and chances are, the HR manager will understand.

Possible answers:

Are You Applying For Other Jobs

Interviewers want to know if youre genuinely interested in this position or if its just one of your many options. Simply, they want to know if youre their top choice. Honesty is the best policy. If youre applying for other jobs, say so. You dont have to necessarily say where youre applying unless you have another offer. But they might want to know where in the hiring process you are with other companies. You can also mention that youre actively looking for offers if your interviewer asks.

Example: Ive applied to a couple of other firms, but this role is really the one Im most excited about right now because

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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.

Whats Your Current Salary

Its now illegal for some or all employers to ask you about your salary history in several cities and states, including New York City Louisville, North Carolina California and Massachusetts. But no matter where you live, it can be stressful to hear this question. Dont panicthere are several possible strategies you can turn to. For example, you can deflect the question, Muse career coach Emily Liou says, with a response like: Before discussing any salary, Id really like to learn more about what this role entails. Ive done a lot of research on and I am certain if its the right fit, well be able to agree on a number thats fair and competitive to both parties. You can also reframe the question around your salary expectations or requirements or choose to share the number if you think it will work in your favor.

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Whats Your Biggest Strength

When talking about strengths, try not to give generic answerseveryone will say theyre a hard worker. Instead, find personal traits and skills earned from experience that set you apart and make you a valuable asset to the company. Keep the job description in mind for this answer and try to highlight the strengths you have that match what theyre looking for.

Rather than simply naming the strength, consider giving an example of a time when youve used it in action or a person has pointed out that strength in you. That way you come across as humble and confident!

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.

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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!

It’s A Chance To Learn More

Your interview gives the hiring manager insight into your professional experience, qualifications and accomplishments, but its also a great time for you to learn more about the company and job. Focus on asking questions about topics that werent covered, or topics you would like to discuss in greater detail.

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Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job

This is a toughie, but one you can be sure youll be asked. Definitely keep things positiveyou have nothing to gain by being negative about your current employer. Instead, frame things in a way that shows that youre eager to take on new opportunities and that the role youre interviewing for is a better fit for you. For example, Id really love to be part of product development from beginning to end, and I know Id have that opportunity here. And if you were let go from your most recent job? Keep it simple: Unfortunately, I was let go, is a totally acceptable answer.

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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Why Are You Leaving Your Job

Makeameme – Sayingimages

This is another one of those behavioral interview questions.

The specific reasons for your leaving are often less important to the interviewer than how you conduct yourself when discussing it.

The interviewer is often looking to see if you speak ill of your former employer and/or left on good terms.

How to Answer:

When asked about why you are moving on, state your reason in a positive manner rather than being directly critical or accusatory.

Focus on what you’ll get out of the change in employment. If you are currently employed, you can explain that your career goals dont line up with the company’s direction, and if you were recently let go, give them a brief overview about why, without ever bashing your previous employer.

Example Answers:

“My current employers vision has changed over the past few years and no longer lines up with mine.

After 4 years with the organization, Ive made the decision to look for a company where I can utilize my skills and share similar values…”

Other Potential Problem Questions

While not illegal in all states, or explicitly illegal, there are some other questions that could land your company in hot water:

• “Have you ever been arrested?” This has been seen, in some cases, to lead to racial discrimination and being arrested does not mean guilty of anything.
• “Can you work weekends or nights?” This can be seen as a question of religious observance or a proxy way of asking about family status.

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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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