Connect With Your Company Contacts
Want to boost your chances of getting hired? Get a referral from a networking connection. Contacts who work for the company can give you the inside track to getting the job. Hiring managers often prefer to interview candidates who come recommended rather than those who apply online. Your contact can also tell you more about the hiring process at the employer, which will make it easier to navigate than if you come in without insider knowledge.
How Do You Like To Be Managed
This is another one of those questions thats about finding the right fitboth from the companys perspective and your own. Think back on what worked well for you in the past and what didnt. What did previous bosses do that motivated you and helped you succeed and grow? Pick one or two things to focus on and always articulate them with a positive framing . If you can give a positive example from a great boss, itll make your answer even stronger.
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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What Makes You The Right Candidate For This Position
Some job seekers can stumble on a tough interview question like this because it walks a fine line between being proud of your accomplishments and bragging. The best way to differentiate the two is in your delivery.
If you make it seem like you saved your former employer from financial ruin because of an initiative that you single-handedly implemented, then youre bragging. However, if you back up the specific reasons why your work experiences, education, and skill set align with what theyre looking for , then youll have a great chance at getting the position.
Consider an answer like this: Because of my background with publishing and my certification, I know that I could complete the tasks required of the job with excellence. In my previous role I performed similar tasks that wound up increasing our readership by 40%.
Do You Have Any Questions For Us
You probably already know that an interview isnt just a chance for a hiring manager to grill youits an opportunity to sniff out whether a job is the right fit from your perspective. What do you want to know about the position? The company? The department? The team? Youll cover a lot of this in the actual interview, so have a few less-common questions ready to go. We especially like questions targeted to the interviewer or the companys growth If youre interviewing for a remote role, there are some specific questions you might want to ask related to that.
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What Interests You About This Role
Hiring managers often ask this question to ensure you understand the role and give you an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills. Study the job description carefully and compare its requirements to your skills and experience. Choose a few responsibilities you particularly enjoy or excel at and focus on those in your answer.
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.
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What Is Something You’d Be Happy Doing Every Single Day For The Rest Of Your Career
While it’s important to hire for skill, it’s also important to hire someone who’s likely to be happy in the job for which you’re hiring. A question like this one will help uncover what makes each candidate happy at work — which is a great way to gauge whether they’d enjoy their role and stay at the company for a long time.
A good answer to this question:
There’s no right answer to this question — it’s more of a learning opportunity for you to see what your employees most enjoy in the industry. Nonetheless, a candidate’s answer to this question should align with the core responsibilities of the job for which they’re applying.
A sales candidate who says they could lead client kickoff meetings every day, for example, is a much better fit than a sales candidate who prefers to create lead-generating campaigns .
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How To Nail Your Answers To Behavioral Interview Questions
Make a list of your “greatest hit” stories.
Before you begin interviewing, make a list of times when you demonstrated professional skills or made a positive impact at work. It’s easier to have a roster of stories to draw upon than it is to memorize the many possible behavioral questions plus an answer for each.
You can adapt your stories to fit multiple types of questions. For example, a story you thought would fit well with a question about adapting to change could also demonstrate leadership.
Review your list regularly. You’ll want to call stories to mind quickly during the interview.
Stick to examples from your professional life, rather than personal.
Limit your stories to your professional life, and leave out the personal. The interviewer wants to know how you behave at work. Our professional life calls for different kinds of behavior than we show at home.
It will come across as awkward and inappropriate to bring up personal stories.
Gather your thoughts before answering.
Pause for a moment to collect your thoughts prior to answering questions. Though a long pause isn’t ideal, it’s better than losing track of your story or the question you’re answering while talking.
Outline your response in your mind before you start talking so you’re not squirming mid-answer.
If you do flub an answer, try not to let it shake your confidence. You still have the rest of the interview, plus your interview thank-you email, to improve the interviewer’s impression of you.
Practice.
Good Questions To Ask At The End Of The Interview
As the interview winds down, or when the interviewer has indicated that the interview is ending, you need to ask these end-of-the-interview questions.
Tell the interviewer that you are very interested in the job and enthusiastic about joining the organization. Then, finish by asking these questions.
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Practice Answering Interview Questions
Taking the time to review typical interview questions will help give you a framework for your responses. It will also reduce stress because you won’t be scrambling for an answer during the interview. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time, and it will be much easier when you’re actually in a job interview.
What Is Your Definition Of Hard Work
Some organizations move at very different paces, and this question is an effective way to tell whether your candidate will be able to keep pace with the rest of the team. It also helps you identify someone who is a “hard worker in disguise,” meaning someone who might currently be at a slow-moving organization or in a role that is not well-suited to them, but wants to work somewhere where they can really get their hands dirty.
A good answer to this question:
A good answer doesn’t have to produce evidence of hard work — it should rather reveal if your candidate knows what it takes to get something done and solve the problems it was designed to solve.
Answers that talk about working hard by working smart are great, as well. Always listen for this — putting in the work to find the best way of doing something is often just as important as the task itself.
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What Do You Like Least About Your Job
Tread carefully here! The last thing you want to do is let your answer devolve into a rant about how terrible your current company is or how much you hate your boss or that one coworker. The easiest way to handle this question with poise is to focus on an opportunity the role youre interviewing for offers that your current job doesnt. You can keep the conversation positive and emphasize why youre so excited about the job.
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What Are Some Tips For Interviewing Over The Phone
With the large surge of phone interviews in todays work world, its nice to have a few tips and tricks in your pocket to stick out. Here are a few tips to help during your next phone interview:
Find a nice, quiet place away from other distractions
Do some research on the company prior to the interview
Write down talking points prior to the call
Keep your resume in front of you
Dont speed through questions
Take your time
Prepare some question to ask
Ask if they noticed anything from the conversation that you can work on
Send a thank you email
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What Was Your Biggest Accomplishment At Your Last Job
How to Answer: You know why youre good at your job, but make sure you have a specific accomplishment you can point to. Interviewers like details, so have an anecdote ready that shows how you oversaw a successful project from start to finish.
Example: My biggest accomplishment in my last job was tripling our sales numbers in the last year.
What Did You Like Least About Your Last Position
This question can tell employers about types of work you enjoy, your experience level with certain workplace scenarios and whether or not you would be a good culture add. Avoid saying anything negative about your former employer, managers or colleagues. Dont mention any aspects of your last role that youre aware would be part of this role. Make your answer about your career growth and enthusiasm for joining their organization.
Example answer:While I enjoyed my time learning and growing in my last job, there was a lack of opportunity in the way I wanted to progress in my career. I deeply enjoy being challenged and getting better at what I do, which I understand is a top priority for managers at your organization. Thats why Im excited to continue having conversations about this opportunity.
Read more: Interview Question: “What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?”
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Where Do You See Yourself In X Years Or What Are Your Goals
Interviewer intent:
- To learn about your long-term plans and estimate your potential tenure and career path with the company.
Response tips:
- You dont have to share a very specific answer to this question, but providing the interviewer with a general sense of your passions, interests, and career aspirations should suffice.
- Talk about your dream job/role explain how the position you are applying for will lead you to achieve it.
- In your response, emphasize your commitment to the role and the company.
- Demonstrate openness to learning new things and taking on more responsibilities.
- Dont focus on personal life goals like marriage or buying a house.
Whats Your Biggest Professional Achievement
Humilitys a great quality, but dont let it stop you from being straightforward about your accomplishments in your interview. Choose something that highlights your strengthsespecially the ones that are relevant to the position youre going forand focus on the actions you took to solve problems and get great results. Dont be shy about naming numbers and dollar amounts if those results can be measured in that way.
Think about your response before your interview so you can have an achievement in mind. Rambling, drawing a blank, or downplaying your success in the moment can make it sound like you didnt really accomplish much, even if you did! Be confident in your answer, and of course, dont criticize others in order to make yourself look more impressive.
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What Are Your Goals
When you’re asked, “What are your goals?” sometimes it’s best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future. For example, “My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility.”
Behavioral Interview Questions And Sample Answers
Here are some common behavioral interview questions you may be asked during a job interview. Review the responses and consider how you would answer the questions, so you’ll be prepared to give a strong answer.
As you can see from the sample responses, it’s important to be ready with specific examples and anecdotes.
While you don’t need to memorize answers, have a sense of what experiences you would share and how to describe them to the interviewer. You’ll want your examples to be both clear and succinct.
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Can You Explain Why You Changed Career Paths
Dont be thrown off by this questionjust take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager why youve made the career decisions you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesnt have to be a direct connection in fact, its often more impressive when a candidate can show how seemingly irrelevant experience is very relevant to the role.
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No matter how many you go on, job interviews can always be nerve-wracking. You put on your nicest clothes, print out your resume, and remind yourself to smile real bigâand just when you think everything is going well, the interviewer hits you with a curveball question you arenât prepared for.
Luckily, youâre not going to let that happen again and youâre planning ahead to ace this monthâs interview. The best way to for anything is to do your research ahead of timeâwhich is why weâre here to help.
If youâre preparing for a big interview during COVID-19, prepping beforehand with these 15 interview questions will help you get one step closer to that dream job.
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Do You Have Any Interests Outside Of Work
If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!
It means that they liked your professional background, and now theyre just trying to get to know you and see if youre a good fit for the company culture.
Its pretty hard to go wrong here, unless youre going to answer something like:
I have literally no hobbies.
or…
What Is Your Ideal Work Environment
How to Answer: Your interviewer doesnt want to hire someone whos not comfortable in the environment of the businesss office. If you arent, it will reflect on your own work, and others will take note as well.
For example, if the organization has an open office layout, you should probably temper your expectation of having a personal office. Do your best to align your ideal work environment with that of the companys.
Example: I do my best work at the office, where I can meet face-to-face with my colleagues.
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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.
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How To Answer Questions About How Well You Communicate
Like time management, most jobs will prioritize communication. You must be able to articulate your thoughts clearly and with respect. Most people will be able to come up with examples of communication, but the key here is to tell a story that highlights thoughtful preparation and logical thought process.
Communication questions are also a chance to highlight the different methods of communication you use and excel at. So if youre a fantastic writer, tell a story about a time you used written communication, if youre a great salesperson highlight your persuasiveness, and if you struggle with communication, dont shy away from it. Emphasize this isnt your natural strength and tell a story that shows youre working on improving in an area of weakness.
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