...Job Interview Basics...

A critical part of ...winning... a job is the interview process, where it is necessary to demonstrate skill in the applicable field as well as positive social ...attributes... to work in a team. Although preparation can help in being relaxed during the interview, one of the best approaches is to naturally be yourself and let your competency speak for itself. However, preparation does minimise the chances of a question, comment, or situation coming unexpectedly. There are many structured methods which attempt to generalise the process of answering a question and handle certain comments or situations. The considered methods include the ... . No matter what, do not lie or try to stretch the truth - always try to be sincere and authentic.

Common Interview Questions

The following are common questions with some points to think about when answering. It is not necessarily necessary to memorise answers to these questions, but preparation should be performed to at least expect the questions with a thought-through answer. Additionally, seeing an expected question will help to minimise stress and relax for other questions. The interviewer may know these are common questions and may expect a higher quality of confident, concise, and organised answers without hesitation.

• Tell us about yourself? How would you describe yourself? Tell us about something not on your CV? What are you passionate about?

This is an open-ended question with many possible routes and it should be used to start the interview and break the ice. Essentially, the interviewer is trying to determine the personality of the candidate and if their personality will be a good fit for the position. It is critical to mention a short introduction, including education, with emphasis on education which is related to the job, and motivation, with relation to being an excellent candidate for the job. It is also a good idea to share some personal interests and experiences which do not relate directly to work, such as briefly mentioning interesting hobbies and upbringing with short bursts about personality in between points. However, try to avoid giving too much personal information. A possible sequence of answering could flow from upbringing to education to motivation to hobbies. If the candidate is already quite experienced, it would be helpful to also include reference to their current job and achievements, while reducing the parts about upbringing. On sensitive topics, avoid mentioning family, social, political, and religious views.

This question is also usually asked by the interviewer to gauge whether a candidate will fit in well within the team and culture of the business. In most cases, it is important to be positively upbeat and show a willingness to try new things. It can also be useful to mention other hobbies which are challenging and require adaption, perseverance, work ethic, and discipline to be successful. The inclusion of social hobbies with degrees of interaction can demonstrate characteristics which show teamwork and loyalty.

To be more direct, it is also possible to pivot sharply into discussing aspects related directly to work. This can be accomplished through a phrase like "in addition to these interests and passions, my professional life is a huge part of who I am, because enjoy investing time to work on complex problems", which can be followed up by mentioning experience with and skills which are involved in solving these complex problems.

• Why are you the best person for the job? Why should we hire you over other candidates? What can you do better for us than other candidates? What can you contribute to this company?

This essentially requires the provision of a sales pitch about why the candidate would be ideal for the job. It is good to start with qualifications and experience related to the requirements in the job listing, such that the response is relevant and aligns with what the interviewer specifically wants with regards to the goals of the company - it is advisable to thoroughly study the requirements in the job listing and website of the company beforehand. This can also be complemented by personality traits which supplement the work which would be performed in the job. It is critical to standout as a unique candidate with strong and specialised skills. If the candidate is already quite experienced, it would be helpful to also include reference to their current job and achievements, while emphasising how these aspects are uncommon in their field.

It should be noted that, even though the question is asking for a comparison, it is probably best if the candidate does not directly compared themselves to others. A comparison can easily come across as a rude critique, insult, or attack against an opponent who is not their to defend themselves, when it is almost always better to build a humble and modest impression and avoid arrogance. Instead, the candidate should simply focus on the aspects which make them unique in a positive manner, rather than sweeping statements which disparage other candidates. Likewise, it is advisable to avoid mentioning anything specifically negative about the company or its products which the candidate believes they would be able to improve. It may even be helpful for the candidate to start with a disclaimer stating that they are not aware of the abilities of the other candidates or situations in the company which are not publicly available.

• Why do you want this job? Why are you a good fit for this position? Why do you want to work at this company?

This can be a difficult question, as the interviewer is partially trying to judge whether the career goals of the candidate are aligned with the needs of the company. However, the interviewer is also trying to judge how much the candidate knows about the company, mission, and operations. Thus, it is necessary to take the initiative and learn about the workings of the company and aspects or strengths of the company which are attractive. Even if it is a primary reason, try to avoid mentioning salary, working hours, or commute, as these are factor in which the interviewer is not necessarily interested - instead, try to align the mentioned positive reasons with those of the interviewer.

• Tell us about your work experience? How has your prior experience prepared you for this role? What is your related experience in this field? Do you think your experience matches the needs of the role? Do you think you are qualified for this position?

To answer this question, it is necessary to emphasise experiences and qualifications related to these experiences. The interviewer is trying to gauge whether the experience and qualifications of the candidate will be suitable to satisfy the requirements of the job and a valuable asset for the company. In most cases, it is beneficial to be specific and directly speak about past responsibilities and accomplishments which align with the position - if possible, provide a quantitative description along side the qualitative attributes. Likewise, it is often unhelpful to dedicate time to past responsibilities and accomplishments which are not aligned with the position, although these should still be listed on the curriculum vitae for the interviewer to ask about if necessary.

• Why are you looking to leave your current job? Why do you want to change jobs? Why did you resign from your prior position? Why were you fired from your prior position? How were you laid off from your previous employer? Why are you looking for a new opportunity?

Even if the culture was terrible and management was exploitative, it is essential for the candidate to avoid talking about anything negative about their previous job, as this may cause the interviewer to question whether these problems were due to the culture and management or whether these problems were due to the attitude of the candidate (and if the candidate will simply complain about the culture and management regardless of the company). Also, if the candidate left their previous company on negative terms, they should not directly lie about the situation. It is always best to give an honest explanation which reflects the specific circumstances. It is far better to move attention from the previous job and focus on the opportunities of the new job.

The interviewer may also ask this question, because they are curious whether the candidate left their previous job voluntarily or if the candidate was fired or laid-off. If the candidate quit, the interviewer will try to gauge whether the reason for quitting was appropriate. A good reason for quitting may be a lack of options for growth, preference and enjoyment for the job changed, difficult or demanding working schedule, becoming over-qualified after gaining new certifications, relocation without the possibility for remote work, change of management, deciding to enter into a new field, or needing to take care of an ill family member - if this reason is not phrased correctly, the candidate is at risk of possibly appearing unreliable, lazy, or unmotivated. If the candidate was fired or laid-off, it is best to openly admit if there were any faults or if the position became redundant, but always remain positive about actively seeking new opportunities.

Essentially, try to emphasise why the new job is more suitable than the previous job and even compliment the culture of the company as being attractive if possible, rather than venting about the aspects of the previous job which were deficient and unsatisfactory. However, to avoid the possibility of ...digging a hole... with unaccommodating detail, it is recommended to keep the answer short, strategic, and emotionally neutral, where the interviewer will ask for additional details if necessary and relevant.

• What is your greatest strength? What are some of your best skills? Where are some areas of your skill set in which you really excel? What do people often complement about you? What strength will help you most to succeed in this job? How will your greatest strength help you perform?

In some circumstances, it may be best to focus on and go in detail for a few very specialised strengths, as opposed to listing a long collection of mediocre strengths. It is always a good idea to make a defined list of strengths beforehand with specific points which are related to the position - even if the candidate is highly skilled, they will be rejected if their credentials do not fit the job. The mentioned strengths can include education, training, soft skills (non-technical skills related to interactions with colleagues, communication, negotiating, problem solving, innovative thinking, and work management), hard skills (learnt technical skills related to sales, user experience design, business analysis, marketing, administration, engineering, and programming), and past work experiences. The candidate should also be prepared for the interviewer to follow up on some of the mentioned strengths and ask about situations when these skills were applied practically. It is necessary to have a balance between modesty and exaggeration with gracious self-confidence.

If the candidate is uncertain of the degree to which one of their skills is a strength, it can be helpful to ask a colleague or friend to provide some feedback on their ability. Additionally, the candidate can compare their skills against other people in similar positions to judge whether their skills are unique and valuable. Lastly, the candidate should note comments and criticism received in previous positions to recognise their progression and improvement over time.

• What is your greatest weakness? What are some of your worst skills? Where are some areas of your skill set in which you could maybe improved? What do people often criticise about you? What weakness will make you experience challenges in this job?

It is always a good idea to make a defined list of weaknesses beforehand, while having a backup to justify these weaknesses and show a willingness to improve, because the interviewer is looking to judge honesty, self-awareness, and abilities to learn from mistakes. If they interviewer is unsatisfied with the response, they are most likely to assume the candidate is hiding something, rather than thinking the candidate is perfect with minimal weaknesses. However, the candidate should not give the interviewer an immediate reason to believe that they will not be competent enough to perform the job, so it is often a good idea to discuss weaknesses in skills or shortcomings which are not critical for the job and can be improved - this approach to improvement is a strength in itself which shows a desire to develop.

When mentioning a weakness, especially if it is critical for the job, it can be beneficial to mention a weakness which the candidate has been working to improve. The interviewer will see this as a committent to self-improvement, while approaching the weakness from a positive perspective, since the weakness has been improved and is no longer as inhibiting as it used to be. It is also possible for the candidate to mention a skill in which they are inexperienced, such that they are not necessarily weak at the skill, but they have not been exposed to opportunities to practice it practically. The response should always be framed from a positive perspective and avoid absolute negatives.

• What are your career goals? Where do you see yourself in five years? What do you hope to achieve in this job to progress to your next job? How does this job fit in with your career aspirations? What is your professional development plan?

This question provides an indication of whether the candidates career goals align with the goals of the company. This allows the company to gauge whether the candidate is likely to stay for many years or leave after a few months. The candidate should focus on their goals directly related to the position and company for which they are applying and generally avoid mentioning other personal goals they are looking to achieve. Additionally, it is beneficial to be specific and research the available opportunities for growth within the company. However, it is not always necessary to focus on progressing into higher positions with promotions, but it could be useful to consider skills development and mastery of a certain discipline through experience at the company.

From an alternative perspective, it is possible to express the career goals as results and improvements the candidate wishes to achieve. These results and improvements could be achievements and optimisations in performance internal to the company or external with the client. When answering, it is usually best to start with short-term goals and then move to long-term goals. It should always be kept in mind that, even if the candidate is planning to leave the company relatively quickly, it is usually best to keep this information to themself.

• How do you handle failure? Are you willing to fail? What have you learned from your mistakes? Can you tell me about a time something did not go as planned?

It is inevitable for someone to eventually experience a failure. If the interviewer asks about a previous failure, it is best to be honest about the failure, explain the situation and what happened, and show that it was a learning experience from which the candidate was able to improve in some aspect. The interviewer is trying to determine how the candidate may react to possible failures in the position for which they are applying and basing this on how they handled their composure during previous failures and learnt from these previous failures. It can also give the interviewer an idea of whether the candidate views failure from an adverse and anxious perspective or if the candidate views failure from a ... perspective, as a chance to try again and avoid repeating similar failures in the future.

The interview is also looking to see whether the candidate takes responsibility and holds themselves accountable for their part in the failure or if the candidate simply absolves themselves from the situation and blames someone else, although it can be acceptable to defuse the negative impact by casting it within a team context. It could be safer for the candidate to mention failures which occurred long ago in the past, such that they are able to emphasis how they have improved since the failure and strategy if a similar situation were to occur again. It is also useful to avoid self-deprecation and avoid focussing on the negative aspects of the failure and consequences which resulted, unless the interviewer pushes to ask for more than just the basic context of the failure. Under no circumstances should the candidate try to avoid the question by claiming a lack of significant failures in their past.

Other Miscellaneous Questions

What makes you unique? How are you different from other candidates? Do you consider yourself successful? To whom do you compare yourself? Are you nice? Would you rather be liked or respected? Can you describe your work ethic? How do you handle stress and pressure? How many hours a week do you normally work? Do you take work home with you? Do you work well with other people? How well do you assimilate into a new environment? What type of work environment do you prefer? How did you fit in with the company culture? How would you adjust to working for a new company? What would you not miss about your last job? How would you describe the pace at which you work? How would your co-workers describe your personality? What motivates you? Are you a self-motivator? What strategies would you use to motivate your team? What are the most difficult decisions to make for you? Have you ever had to make a really tough decision at work? What are you passionate about? What are your hobbies? What are your pet peeves? What is your dream job? What is the worst thing you have gotten away with? Why should I take a risk on you?

What is your educational background? Why did you choose your major? Which subjects did you like the most and least? Why did you select your college or university? What was your biggest challenge as a student and how did you handle it? Do you feel that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? Do you have plans for continued study? What applicable experience do you have? Have you completed any internships? Are you overqualified for this job? How did you impact the bottom line of your previous employer? In your previous position, what were your expectations for the job and to what extent were they met? Why were you not promoted at your last job? What did you like or dislike about your previous job? Which were the most and least rewarding aspects of your previous employer? What problems have you encountered at work? What do people most often criticize about you? What is the biggest criticism you received from a past boss? Who was your best boss and who was your worst boss? Can you describe your ideal boss? How would you handle it if you knew your boss was wrong about something? What do you expect from a supervisor? Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager? How would you manage a problem employee? What makes you angry? How do you evaluate success?

How has your college experience prepared you for a career? How is our company better than your current employer? What interests you about this job? What do you know about this company? Why do you want to work here? What would be your ideal company? What are you looking for in your next job? Do you like working in a fast-paced team environment? Did you prefer working independently or in groups on school projects? Are you willing to travel? What is good customer service? Why should we hire you? Why should we not hire you? What would you be looking for in an applicant? What unique attributes can you bring to this company and position? What were your starting and final levels of compensation? What are your salary expectations? What are your salary requirements? Why would you take a job for less money? Why are you interested in taking a lower level job? What have you been doing since your last job? Why have you been unemployed for an extended period of time? What extracurricular activities have you participated in? If you could relive the last ten years of your life, what would you do differently? Is there anything else we should know about you?

Structured Answering Methods

A very common structured answering method is the STAR response, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. This answering method is particularly useful for behavioural questions, where the interviewer usually asks for past examples of how the candidate reacted to past experiences, such as problem solving, creativity, failure, success, teamwork, stress, or certain skills. These behavioural questions partially rely on the interviewer assuming that the candidate would behave in a way predicted by these past experiences if placed within a similar situation again. Essentially, behavioural questions are more detailed and specific than traditional questions.

• Situation - Describe the situation or set the context of the experience. It is essential to provide sufficient detail for the interview to fully understand, but try to avoid rambling with irrelevant information.
• Task - Describe the issue or problem confront during the experience. This should also mention the initial objective or plan and how the issue or problem was affecting the initial objective or plan.
• Action - Describe the contributions taken to intervene or solve the problem. This should focus on the personal action and particular individual contributions, rather than the overall reaction from the team.
• Results - Describe the outcomes generated from the action. It can be advantageous if the result is quantified with an actual value, rather than just describing it in qualitative terms. This can also include the things which were learnt from the situation after reflecting on the experience.

Questions To Ask

Contract Negotiations

Other Comments

It is better to over-dress for the interview than under-dress. By dressing smartly, the candidate will appear professional regardless of the job and position, while dressing casually may be acceptable if the interviewers is expecting the candidate to dress casually, but dressing casually will show a lack of seriousness if the interviewer is expecting the candidate to dress smartly.

Finally, remember to smile and appear enthusiastic, even if the interviewer is indifferent to the situation; maintain eye contact with the interviewer as much as possible; sit up straight and maintain a good posture throughout the interview; take your time to think about replies and avoid speaking too quickly; avoid using disfluencies and filler words ("uh", um", "huh", "hmm", "erm", "ah") as a crutch but rather pause for a few seconds to recollect thoughts; and always speak clearly with fluent annunciations. At the end of a day, it is kind of a performance and you need to be the lead actor.