What Do You Think We Could Do Better Or Differently
This question can really do a number on you. How do you give a meaty answer without insulting the company or, worse, the person youre speaking with? Well first, take a deep breath. Then start your response with something positive about the company or specific product youve been asked to discuss. When youre ready to give your constructive feedback, give some background on the perspective youre bringing to the table and explain why youd make the change youre suggesting . And if you end with a question, you can show them youre curious about the company or product and open to other points of view. Try: Did you consider that approach here? Id love to know more about your process.
Best Questions About Contribution And Problem Solving
3. Tell me about your greatest achievement at work.
What you want to know: The applicants answer tells you a lot about what they value and consider important. It also demonstrates what the applicant considers to be an achievement. This will tell you about the most important contributions they consider that they make at work.
Occasionally, consider asking an additional question about what the prospective employee thinks of when asked to name the three key values that they would bring to your workplace.
My greatest achievement, one that I will remember for a long time, was when I led my product development team to release a major product release on the date we had promised our customers and resellers. This was probably the first time in company history that we released a product on time. I had a fantastic team that was highly motivated to add this achievement to our record. Everyone pulled their own weight, contributed their work on time, and they were committed to adding value for our customers.
4. Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a major obstacle that stood in the way of you accomplishing a goal or commitment. How did you approach the situation?
Once I had a co-worker who needed to provide several reports for me every week by Tuesday. They were late almost every week, which caused me to be unable to complete my overview of the department’s performance.
You Seem To Change Jobs Frequently
How to Answer: Average job tenure is growing shorter and shorter but that doesnt mean hiring managers dont get worried when they see someone that cant hold a job down without changing every year or two.
Its a big investment of time and money to hire someone new and they want to make sure that you are not fickle or immature about your choices. If you can provide context about inevitable job changes that werent your fault , that will put the interviewer at ease.
Example: While I loved my last few jobs, I had to move around the country due to my spouses work. Now that he opened his own business instead, we are loving being settled here.
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How Does Your Company Measure Success
This question shows that you are eager to be successful in this role. It gives the interviewer a chance to explain what success looks like to their company and how they keep track of employees’ achievements. This question is useful to ask since the job description typically covers skills, duties and qualifications rather than this topic.
Why Do You Want To Work Here
Interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you took the time to research the company and think critically about whether youre a good fit. The best way to prepare for this question is to do your homework and learn about the products, services, mission, history and culture of this workplace. In your answer, mention the aspects of the company that appeals to you and aligns with your values and career goals.
Example answer:The companys mission to help college grads pay off their student loan debt resonates with me. Ive been in student loan debt myself and would love the opportunity to work with a company thats making a difference. Finding a company with a positive work environment and values that align with my own has remained a priority throughout my job search and this company ranks at the top of the list.
Read more: Interview Question: Why Do You Want to Work Here?
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Whats Your Work Style
When an interviewer asks you about your work style, theyre probably trying to imagine you in the role. How will you approach your work? What will it be like to work with you? Will you mesh well with the existing team? You can help them along by choosing to focus on something thats important to you and aligns with everything youve learned about the role, team, and company so far. The question is broad, which means you have a lot of flexibility in how you answer: You might talk about how you communicate and collaborate on cross-functional projects, what kind of remote work setup allows you to be most productive, or how you approach leading a team and managing direct reports. Just try to keep it positive. And remember, telling a story will almost always make your answer more memorable.
Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job
How to Answer: Not sure of how to answer this question? Remember that this isnt a time for a job-seeker to bad-mouth your boss or previous employer. Doing so will be a red flag and create a problem that could hurt you as early on as during the phone interview.
What this question is really getting at is why you are looking for a new job at the place youre interviewing. So even though its not phrased that way, respond by talking about how appealing this specific opportunity is to you. As tempting as it may be to vent, dont spend any time dwelling on the things that make you sound unhappy or unsatisfied at your current company.
Example: I am leaving my current role because I am inspired by s mission to and Im seeking new, exciting challenges. My experience in my current role really lends itself to pushing the envelope here, and I am looking forward to leveraging that experience to help bring its goals to fruition.
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Describe A Time You Had To Make A Difficult Decision At Work
How to Answer: No matter what your position is, chances are, there has been a time when youve had to make a tough call. Perhaps you had to fire someone. Maybe you decided to confront your manager about something with which you disagreed.
Demonstrating your rationale for making this decision gives the interviewer insight into your judgment and thought process. Walk her through the pros and cons and the different aspects you considered before coming to closure to show that youre thoughtful and understand the ramifications and impact of your ideas.
Example: I was once tasked with firing someone for not fulfilling their responsibilities. While it is never easy to fire someone, I had to take the emotion out of it, understanding that I had to do my own job, too. Fortunately, I was able to quickly replace that person with someone else who has exceeded my expectations.
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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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:
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?”
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Based On Your Understanding Of This Role Which Of Your Skills Do You Believe Will Be Most Valuable To Our Organisation
Why employers ask this: Employers want to get a sense of how well you understand the role and its day-to-day requirements, Shephard says. They also want to find out whether your skills match the job description and what you can do for the organisation overall.
How to respond well:If you can link your skills to what the company or organisation does and its business goals and objectives, youre on the right track, he says. Aim to give practical examples of your past experiences and where your skills can add value. The more you understand about the role and have researched the organisation, considering its stakeholders, customers, business strategy, goals and objectives, the more youll be able to talk about how you can contribute.
Tip: Do some research into the companys goals and objectives. Check out their website or social media pages, look back to the job ad, then note down which skills of yours could help them in these goals.
Top 10 Interview Questions
What the 10 most common job interview questions and answers?
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Looking to hire a job interview coach? Check out what Top Resume has to offer.
Have you ever stumbled over your words during an interview? Maybe a certain question had you stumped?
Dont worry: weve all been there.
Preparing yourself for questions commonly asked during a job interview can be the difference between landing or losing a job offer.
While theres no need to memorize every possible question and come up with the perfect answer for all of them, its still important to educate yourself about the interview process and the common interview questions you’re likely to be asked.
The more prepared you are the less nervous you’ll be, so even if you’re asked something unexpected, you’ll be able to think on your feet and answer.
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Here Are The Most Commonly Asked Interview Questions You Can Expect To Be Asked In Your Interview And Advice On How You Can Craft Effective Responses
Know these popular interview questions and answers.
Too many job seekers stumble through interviews as if the questions asked are coming out of left field. But many interview questions are to be expected. Need some job interview tips? Monster has you covered. Study this list of popular and frequently asked interview questions and answers ahead of time so you’ll be ready to answer them with confidence.
General Effectiveness And Workplace Interaction
9. How would your co-workers at your current job describe your interaction with them and your general effectiveness in your work performance? How would your co-workers describe you?
What you want to know:You want to understand how the candidate thinks that their co-workers view their interactions. You also want to assess how co-workers like working with the candidate. These questions give you an idea about the candidate’s assessment of their effectiveness in their current job and in relationships with co-workers. Past practice can predict future results.
My co-workers in the past appreciated that I am a team player and a person of integrity. I believe that they’d tell you that they respect me and the contributions I made. I made efforts to share the glory when the team was successful and I never threw anyone under the bus. They’d also say that I was reliable and accountable.
10. How would your current boss describe your work and contribution?
What you want to know: You want to understand how the candidate perceives the support and opinion of their current employer. This question tells you about the candidate’s interaction with their current boss. It also informs you about how well they accept criticism and feedback. If the interaction with the applicant’s current employer is positive and uplifting, this can shape the job applicant’s expectations of their new work environment.
12. How do you go about continuing to develop your professional skills and knowledge?
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Questions About The Company
One important note here: Dont ask things that you can easily find with a quick Google search .
Tell Me About Someone You Admire And Why
How to Answer: There are many types of interviewers, and those who really want to get a good sense of who you are might ask this question. This is often a question people ask to get a sense of what your values and aspirations are.
Theres certainly no wrong answer you can name someone personal or a celebrity but being authentic here matters because theres no point in trying to guess what someone thinks the right answer is. Your reasoning is also probably more important than the name of any individual.
Example: I really admire because our values really align. has succeeded in , which inspires me to do the same.
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Why Did You Decide To Leave Your Previous/current Job
When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn:
- Did you have a good reason for leaving your last job? The HR manager doesnt want someone that just jumps ship the moment things go bad.
Incorrect Example:
Oh, well, the company started bleeding cash and was on its way to bankruptcy.
Correct Example:
I felt like it was time – I got to a point where everything I was doing felt monotonous. I learned as much as I could at this position while delivering amazing results. It was, however, time to switch to something new.
- Did you leave on good terms? Meaning, did you go through the offboarding process, instructing your coworkers on how to take up your responsibilities? Or did you just say Adios and stopped showing up at work?
Incorrect Example:
Things started to get really boring, and the boss man was kind of mean. I totally deserve better, so I just ghosted them and now Im looking for a new company. Hi!
Correct Example:
I didnt feel like the companys values coincide with mine. The management was too controlling and micromanaging. I prefer to have some control over my work, and being able to contribute by going above and beyond my requirements.
Of course, I went through the off-boarding properly. Meaning, gave a timely resignation notice, and transferred all the essential company knowledge to my replacement.
- Did you leave voluntarily, or were you fired?
Incorrect Example:
I got fired for missing work for a week without an excuse.
Correct Example:
