Interview guide
- 2. So, if… You know yourself and what you have to offer. You know you and the position match. You know the organization’s history and the benefits you would bring to it. You have prepared a professional CV. You’ve selected appropriate attire. You’ve practiced your smile, eye contact, and firm handshake. THEN, you just need to get ready for your interview and prepare great answers for the most typical questions.
- 3. Typical Job Interview Questions 1. Why do you want this job? One of the most predictable questions and a very important one! You need to prove that you have researched the employer.
- 4. Typical Job Interview Questions 2. What has been your greatest achievement? To say that your greatest achievement was getting your degree will do nothing to distinguish you from all the other candidates. Try to say something different that will make you stand out.
- 5. Typical Job Interview Questions 3. Describe a situation where you worked in a team. The interviewer needs to assess how well you relate other people, what role you take in a group and whether you are able to focus on goals and targets.
- 6. Typical Job Interview Questions 4. What do you expect to be doing in 5 years time? This question allows you to demonstrate that you have done your research on the career routes open to you within the organisation and so you should try to be specific.
- 7. Typical Job Interview Questions 5. What are your weaknesses? The classic answer here is to state a strength which is disguised as a weakness, such as “I’m too much of a perfectionist”.
- 8. Typical Job Interview Questions 6. Who else have you applied to/got interviews with? You are being asked to prove the consistency of your career aims as well as your interest in the job. However, you have to make clear that the present employer is your first choice.
- 9. Typical Job Interview Questions 7. What are your strengths? This allows you to put across your “Unique Selling Points”.
- 10. Typical Job Interview Questions 8. Why do you want to leave your current employer? (Positive, positive. A prospective employer doesn’t want to hear a litany of grievances against your current employer.)
- 11. Typical Job Interview Questions 9. Why should I hire you? The easy answer is that you are the best person for the job. And don’t be afraid to say so. But then back it up with what specifically differentiates you. Are you the best person for the job? Show it by your passionate examples.
- 12. Typical Job Interview Questions 10. Have you got any questions? At the end of the interview, it is likely that you will be given the chance to put your own questions to the interviewer. Ask about the work itself, training and career development: not about holidays, pensions, and season ticket loans! Prepare some questions in advance.