Are You Willing To Relocate
While this may sound like a simple yes-or-no question, its often a little bit more complicated than that. The simplest scenario is one where youre totally open to moving and would be willing to do so for this opportunity. But if the answer is no, or at least not right now, you can reiterate your enthusiasm for the role, briefly explain why you cant move at this time, and offer an alternative, like working remotely or out of a local office. Sometimes its not as clear-cut, and thats OK. You can say you prefer to stay put for xyz reasons, but would be willing to consider relocating for the right opportunity.
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Common Interview Preparation Mistakes To Avoid
When it comes to preparing for an interview, the biggest mistake you can make is not doing it at all. Even if youre a highly-skilled professional overflowing with potential and natural poise, you cant assume that is enough.
On average, it takes five job interviews before youll land a job.
Wow, right?
Plus, 57 percent of professionals say theyve had a job interview go poorly. Thats more than half of all professionals, people who know their jobs well and are likely at least reasonably successful.
An interview isnt like a normal conversation with a colleague. Instead, youre being tested, put on the spot, and asked to defend your resume. Some questions are designed to put you back on your heels. Others are so open-ended, that its easy to drift off-topic.
Preparation allows you to be at your best when that fateful interview day arrives. Youll have great answers just waiting to be deployed, and a strategy that can help you navigate the unexpected. In turn, youll be more likely to succeed, making all of the effort worthwhile.
However, thats not the only misstep aspiring new hires make. Choosing the wrong mock interview questions can also hurt you. For example, some candidates spend all of their time on generic interview questions. Sure, you need to be ready for classics like, Tell me about yourself and What motivates you? but you also need to be prepared to face off against field- or job-specific ones, too.
MIKE’S TIP:
Why Did You Choose A Career In Sales
This is where you can show the interviewer that this is more than a job to you. They want to hear that youve got a reason for being in sales other than hey, it pays the bills.
Example answer:
I want/chose a sales career because sales is one of the few professions where your hard work, strategic thinking, thorough preparation and perpetual action, literally pays off. Its fun and at times frustrating, challenging, lucrative and rewarding work.
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What Are You Passionate About
Much like the previous question about motivation, employers might ask what you are passionate about to better understand what drives you and what you care most deeply about. This can both help them understand whether you are a good fit for the role and if it fits into your larger goals. To answer, consider this structure:
1. Select something you are genuinely passionate about and explain why youre passionate about it:As a software developer, Im passionate about creating truly beautiful, efficient digital products to make peoples experience with technology memorable…
2. Provide examples of how youve pursued this passion:”…One of the things I loved about my last job was witnessing the results of my teams code update and watching as our months of work yielded positive user feedback…
3. Relate it back to the job:”…Having the opportunity to lead projects from ideation through launch was one of the reasons I was so excited to apply for this role.
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What Is Your Greatest Weakness
This classic question freaks people out but it shouldnt. As long as you pick a weakness that isnt a key competency for the job and you show that you have taken steps to work on it, you will be fine. Dont try and sidestep this question.
For a more thorough look at the what is your greatest weakness question click here.
- Show that you are aware of your weakness and what you have done to overcome it.
- Show that you are self-aware and that you have the ability to take steps to improve yourself.
DONT:
- Dont you DARE answer with the cliche Im a perfectionist answer or any other such answer that the hiring manager can see right through.
- Dont highlight a weakness that is a core competency of the job.
- Dont dodge this question.
Do you want a word-for-word sample answer to this question? Well, youre in luck! Weve prepared a Job Questions and Answers PDF Cheat Sheet that will give you perfect sample answers to Whats Your Greatest Weakness as well as the other questions on this page. .
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How Many Tennis Balls Can You Fit Into A Limousine
1,000? 10,000? 100,000? Seriously? Well, seriously, you might get asked brain-teaser questions like these, especially in quantitative jobs. But remember that the interviewer doesnt necessarily want an exact numberthey want to make sure that you understand whats being asked of you, and that you can set into motion a systematic and logical way to respond. So take a deep breath and start thinking through the math.
What Did You Like Or Dislike About Your Previous Job
What They Want to Know: What you liked and what you didn’t like about your last job or the company you worked for is an indicator of how you might feel about this position if you were to be hired.
Be careful what you say when you’re interviewing for a similar job. If the roles are alike, you may want to keep what you didn’t like to yourself. It’s important to be positive and enthusiastic about the job for which you’re being considered.
I liked the progressive, staged training program my employer used to teach new hires the ins and outs of financial services there was always something new to learn, and we knew we would be steadily promoted as we became more experienced. I didnt like the commute, though, which is why Im now applying for jobs closer to home.
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What Do You Think Makes Someone A Good Designer
Apart from being a skilled designer, think about the ways in which you are a well-rounded creativeemphasizing the requirements of the job. Some of the qualities you may wish to highlight are interpersonal skills, efficient with time management, juggling multiple projects, problem-solving skills and always eager to learn.
Tip: After indicating the qualities that make you a great team player, explain how your design skills can help with tackling a client brief, including your process and how you would approach a project. Emphasize the qualities you think a great designer should possess and how do you compare?
What Are Your Greatest Strengths
In your answer to this question, share your most relevant technical and soft skills. While it may feel uncomfortable to talk highly of yourself, remember that this is your opportunity to tell your interviewers what makes you a great candidateand they want to hear it. To answer, follow the formula below:
1. Share one to a few positive qualities and personal attributes:”Ive always been a natural leader…
2. Back them up with examples:”…Ive exceeded my KPIs every quarter and have been promoted twice in the past five years. I look back at those successes and know that I wouldnt have reached them if I hadnt built and led teams composed of highly skilled and diverse individuals. Im proud of my ability to get cross-functional groups on the same page…
3. Relate them back to the role for which youre interviewing:”…Ive also regularly honed my management skills through 360 reviews and candid sessions with my team, and I know continuing to build my leadership skills is something I want from my next role.
Read more: Interview Question: What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
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Are You A Team Player
Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioral examples to back up your answer.
A sample answer: “Yes, I’m very much a team player. In fact, I’ve had opportunities in my work, school and athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent project”
Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be prepared. Read more
Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself
Dont be fooled: interviewers ask this question to see how well you can pitch, not just to get to know you.
So even though it may seem silly to prepare for this question since it seems so easy to answer, thats exactly why you should prepare. Its too easy to talk about yourself for too long.
How to answer:
Stick to the core information: who you are, and why thats relevant of who you are, and the position you are after.
You should mention when you have been successful in sales, and highlight your achievements with specifics.
Be brief, genuine, speak your truth, make it interesting, be present and passionate.
Give examples to give substance to who you are and why they should hire you.
Example answers:
Im from a family of driven entrepreneurs who taught me to go after what I want, and to never give up. In college, I worked to minimize student loans, and studied business because Im fascinated by it.
I am great at new business development. I tripled the client base in my territory in the first year, yielding revenue gains of over $1.2 million.
I won the top sales incentive trip the last three years.
As a manager, I am really good at developing people. I doubled the number of sales reps on my team and led them to revenue growth of over 75% last year.
Im excellent at relationship building and leveraging sales. One example is when I
I love a good challenge, like when.
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What Is The One Professional And/or Technical Skill You Would Most Like To Develop
Why employers ask this: This is about determining whether youre interested in learning and growing which can be a great quality in an employee. Employers want to find out if you have an appetite for self-development and improvement, Shepard says.
How to respond well: An answer that shows a desire to improve behaviour and continuously learn and grow is important, he says. Always offer a reason for why you want to develop a particular skill. For example, you might say youre interested in developing your photoshop skills in order to enhance your marketing ability.
Can You Tell Me About A Stressful Work Situation And How You Overcame It
Keep in mind that stories are more memorable than facts and figures. This is also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your human side and how you’re willing to take the initiative without being asked.
Example:It was the first day of my boss’s two-week vacation. Our agency’s highest-paying client threatened to leave because he didn’t feel he was getting the personalized service we promised him. I spent my lunch hour on the phone with him, talking through his concerns. We even brainstormed ideas for his next campaign. He was so grateful for the personal attention that he signed another six-month contract before my boss even returned from her trip.
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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.
Read more: Interview Question: “Why Are You Interested in This Position?”
Why Did You Leave Your Last Job What Are Your Weaknesses If You Were A Type Of Fruit What Would You Be And Why
OK, so some interview questions are easier to answer than others. But whilst you cant predict exactly what youll be asked, any question has the potential to make you stumble unless, of course, youve prepared in advance.
To help give you an idea of what could come up, heres our list of common interview questions, and how to answer them:
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Can You Tell Me About A Time You Overcame A Difficult Work Situation
Behavioural questions like this are commonly asked to assess skills like critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and time management. Answer them in the STAR format, addressing the situation you had to deal with, the task at hand, the actions you took and the results of your efforts.
Example:’I was filling in for my manager when our biggest client was very dissatisfied with the team’s performance. I couldn’t reach my manager to meet with the client, so I personally reached out to them and went through their expectations step by step and identified where we were experiencing a disconnect. I put together an action plan and asked if we could review again when my manager got back. Upon her return, she was able to show proof that progress had been made on the action plan. The client then doubled their next order’.
When Can You Start
Your goal here should be to set realistic expectations that will work for both you and the company. What exactly that sounds like will depend on your specific situation. If youre ready to start immediatelyif youre unemployed, for exampleyou could offer to start within the week. But if you need to give notice to your current employer, dont be afraid to say so people will understand and respect that you plan to wrap things up right. Its also legitimate to want to take a break between jobs, though you might want to say you have previously scheduled commitments to attend to and try to be flexible if they really need someone to start a bit sooner.
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Tell Me About Something On Your Resume
Everyone has something on their resume that theyâre really proud of. Whether itâs a skill or achievement youâve listed or a specific place you worked, considering answering this question with the most interesting thing on your resume. Plus, donât just say something relevant to your most recent positionâyouâre already going to be asked about that. Instead, think back to one of the older positions listed on your resume and talk about how that job helped you grow into the person you are today.
Do You Prefer To Work As A Team Or Solo
The company wants to see how versatile you are and how well you can adapt to the needs of a project. This is a great opportunity to highlight the positive aspect of both options and that you are capable of working efficiently as a team and alone.
Tip: Ask the hiring manager about the team structure and how their teams work together. You can provide examples of situations where you worked successfully as part of a team and demonstrated accountability for a project you worked on alone. Explain that depending on the needs of the task, you can work independently and work collaboratively with a team.
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What Do You Like To Do Outside Of Work
Interviewers will sometimes ask about your hobbies or interests outside of work in order to get to know you a little betterto find out what youre passionate about and devote time to during your off-hours. Its another chance to let your personality shine. Be honest, but keep it professional and be mindful of answers that might make it sound like youre going to spend all your time focusing on something other than the job youre applying for.
Do You Prefer Working Independently Or On A Team
Your answer should be informed by the research youve done on the company culture and the job in question. Nevertheless, you should expect that most work environments will have some team aspect.
Many positions require you to work collaboratively with other people on a daily basis, while some roles require you to work on your own. When you answer this question, highlight the best traits of your personality and how they fit the job requirements. It could also be in your interest to answer this question by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of both situations.
Example: I enjoy a blend of the two. I like having a team to strategize with, get diverse opinions from, and reach out to for feedback. But I am also comfortable taking on assignments that require me to work independently. I find I do some of my best work when I can focus alone in a quiet space, but I really value collaborating with my teammates to come up with the best ideas.
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