Top 10 Common Job Interview Questions and Best Answers

Top 10 Common Job Interview Questions and Best AnswersTop 10 Common Job Interview Questions and Best AnswersAre you ready to ace your upcoming job interview? Its always important to be prepared to respond effectively to the questions that employers typically ask. Since these questions are so common, hiring managers will expect you to be able to answer them smoothly and without hesitation. How to Respond to Interview Questions You dont need to memorize your answers, but youshouldthink about what youre going to say so youre leid put on the spot. Your responses will be stronger if you prepare in advance, know what to expect during the interview, and have a sense of what you want to focus on. Knowing that you prepared will boost your confidence, help you minimize interview stress and feel mora at ease. Top 10 Interview Questions and Best Answers Review the fruchtwein common interview questions andexamples of the best answers. Also, be sure to review the bonus questions at the end of the article so youre prepared for some of the more challenging questions that might come up. 1. Tell me about yourself. What They Want to Know The interviewer wants to know why youre an excellent fit for the job. Try to answer questions about yourself without giving too much, or too little, partieal information. You can start by sharing some of your personal interests and experiences that dont relate directly to work, such as a favorite hobby or a brief account of where you grew up, your education and what motivates you. You can even share some fun facts and showcase your personality to make the interview a little more interesting. As an ER nurse, I find that the best way for me to de-stress when Im notlage working is to relax outdoors, rain or shine. Ive always been an avid hiker, nature photographer and trout fisher, and one of my favorite things to do is to volunteer with the U.S. Forest Service and with local salmon habitat restoration groups. I also lead group hikes on some of Mt. Bakers more challenging trails.Thisis where the skills I developed during my initial training as a military nurse sometimes come in handy.My current personal goal is to climb Mt. Rainier next summer. Being outdoors never fails to renew my spirit so that Im able to be the best ER nurse I can be. ExpandMore Answers Tell me about yourself. 2. Why should we hire you? What They Want to Know Are you the best candidate for the job? The hiring manager wants to know whether you have all the required qualifications. Be prepared to explain why youre the applicant who should be hired.Make your response a confident, concise, focused sales pitch that explains what you have to offer and why you should get the job. You should hire me because my experience is almost perfectly aligned with the requirements you asked for in your job listing. I have seven years progressive experience in the hospitality industry, advancing from my initial role as a front desk associate with Excalibur Resort and Spa to my current position there as a concierge. Im well-versed in providing world-class customer service to an upscale clientele, and I pride myself on my ability to quickly resolve problems so that our guests enjoy their time with us. ExpandMore Answers Why should we hire you? 3. What is your greatest strength? What They Want to Know This is one of the questions that employers almost always ask to determine how well you are qualified for the position. When you are asked about your greatest strengths, its important to discuss the attributes that qualify you for that specific job, and that will set you apart from other candidates. As a cyber security specialist, my greatest strength is my intellectual curiosity.I enjoyresearchingthelatesttechnology trends so that our critical information technology systems remain uncompromised. Not only do I do this by reading the latest issues of cyber security journals, I also convinced my employer to fund my participation in quarterly informatio n technology conferences.Thishas allowed me to build a network of peer resources- many of whom are leaders in the field- that I can call upon for strategies when new threats arise toour systems. ExpandMore Answers What is your greatest strength? 4. What is your greatest weakness? What They Want to Know Another typical question interviewers will ask is about your weaknesses. Do your best to frame your answers around positive aspects of your skills and abilities as an employee, turning seeming weaknesses into strengths. You can also share examples of skills you have improved, providing specific instances of how you have recognized a weakness and taken steps tocorrectit. My greatest weakness used to be procrastination. Friends who knew my work style would tease me, saying, Panic precipitates performance. In college, I was the person who pulled all-nighters to finish their essay right before deadline. This isnt as irresponsible as it sounds- from the moment Im assigned a project, Im thi nking about it. Most of my first and second drafts get composed mentally, so its only a matter of writing down the final draft. And, since I have an excellent command of grammar, I dont have to spend much time proofreading or revising.However, after I landed my first job as a content writer, it became clear that while this process worked for me (Ive never missed a deadline), it made my editor extremely nervous. And so Ive learned to set early deadlines for myself, at least 24 hours before the actual deadline, so that my projects now always arrive with plenty of time to spare. ExpandMore Answers What is your greatest weakness? 5. Why doyouwanttoleave(or haveleft) your currentjob? What They Want to Know The interviewer wants to know why you want to work for their company. When asked about why you are moving on from your current position, stick with the facts, be direct and focus your answer on the future, especially if your departure wasnt under the best circumstances. I was very fort unate to be hired by ABC Company right out of college. They taught me a lot about digital marketing, and its been stimulating to work as a contributor to their creative teams. However, Im ready for the next step. Ive always been a leader- I was captain of the crew team in college, student bodyvice president, and Ive served as team lead for most of our projects in FY 2019. I think Im ready to move into management, but ABC Company already has very talented managers in place, and they wont be leaving such a great employer anytime soon. Ive completed supplemental management training courses during my time there, and I know I can hit the ground running as your next digital marketing manager. ExpandMore answers Why did you leave your job? 6. What are your salary expectations? What They Want to Know The hiring manager wants to know what you expect to earn. It seems like a simple question, but your answer can knock you out of competition for the job if you overprice yourself. If you underpr ice yourself, you may get shortchanged with a lower offer. Reliable salary calculators, like the one used by Glassdoor.com, say that experienced sous chefs here in Portland average around $50,964 a year, 5percent below the national average. I brought home around $49,700 last year. While I would definitely welcome a salary over $50K, particularly given the cost of living here, Im open to negotiation if a lower salary was accompanied by greater flexibility in scheduling and additional vacation time. ExpandMore Answers What are your salary expectations? 7. Why do you want this job? What They Want to Know This question gives you an opportunity to show the interviewer what you know about the job and the company, so take time beforehand to thoroughly research the company,its products, services, culture and mission. Be specific about what makes you a good fit for this role, and mention aspects of the company and position that appeal to you most. Construction plan is in my blood- both my da d and my grandad were home builders who owned their own construction firm. From the time I entered college, I knew that I wanted my architecture career to be focused on sustainable, green design practices, so I earned my certification as a LEED Accredited Professional. Greenways Construction is the most respected sustainable design firm in Texas.Ive been following reports of your LEED Certified projects in Journal of Green Engineering, and I wrote my capstone project on the energy modeling you pioneered for the ACME Business Park and the ABC Tech campus. Working here really would be my dream job, since your mission aligns perfectly with my goals as a sustainability specialist. ExpandMore Answers Why do you want this job? 8. How do you handle stress and pressure? What They Want to Know What do you do when things dont go smoothly at work? How do you deal with difficult situations? The employer wants to know how you handle workplace stress. Avoid claiming that you never, or rarely, exp erience stress. Rather, formulate your answer in a way that acknowledges workplace stress and explains how youve overcome it, or even used it to your advantage. Im not someone who is energized by or thrives in stressful environments. My first step in managing stress is to try to circumvent it by keeping my work processes very organized, and my attitude professional. When customers or associates come to me with issues, I try to look at things from their perspective, and initiate a collaborative problem-solving approach to keep the situation from escalating. I find that maintaining an efficient, congenial office with open lines of communication automatically reduces a lot of workplace stress. Of course, sometimes unanticipated stressors will arise. When this happens, I just take a deep breath, remembering that the person Im dealing with is frustrated with a situation, not with me. I then actively listen to their concerns and make a plan to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Exp andMore Answers How do you manage stress? 9. Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it. What They Want to Know The interviewer wants to know howyourespondwhen faced witha difficult decision. As with the question about stress, be prepared to share an example of what you did in a tough situation. Its important to share details to make the story believable and engaging. I think the most difficult situation I face as a production manager is when I have to lay off staff, either because they arent doing their job properly or,even worse,because sales are down. When I can, I try to work with underperforming personnel to see if we cant improve their efficiency.If not, then I hand them their pink slip and give them straightforward reasons for why they are being laid off.No one wants to be fired without an explanation. When this happens, I keep my tone polite and avoid using too many you statements I absolutely do not want to cast shame on them. ExpandMore Answers What are the most difficult decisions to make? 10. What are your goals for the future? What They Want to Know This question is designed to find out if youre going to stick around or move on as soon as you find a better opportunity. Keep your answer focused on the job and the company, and reiterate to the interviewer that the position aligns with your long-term goals. Im someone who likes stability.My goal is to find a job thatIcanhold long term with a local company, becoming a valued employee as I gradually advance to positions of increasing authority and responsibility. Im extremely interested in the teller job here at First Financial Credit Union because of your internal training program.My long-term goal is to eventually become a branch manager after Ive proven my competencies in customer service and team leadership. ExpandMore Answers What are your goals for the future? Possible Follow-Up Questions Here are some related questions you might be asked during a job interview tha t will require some thought to answer. How do you handle success?How do you handle failure?Do you work well with other people?What can you do better for us than theother applicants?Why are you the best person for the job? ?What else will the hiring manager ask? Review more of the most frequently asked interview questions, tips for responding, and sample answers you can use to practice for a job interview. You can also expect to be asked about how you would respond to a specific work-related situation. Heres a list of examples of these behavioral interview questions you may be asked. What shouldnt the interviewer ask? There are some questions that hiring managers should not ask during a job interview for legal reasons. Here are questions that shouldnt be asked, with advice on how to responddiplomatically. Questions to Ask the Interviewer At the close of the interview, most interviewers ask whether you have any questions about the job or company. If you dont have any questions, th is can make it seem like you are apathetic about the opportunity. Its always a good idea to have a list of questions ready, and to be prepared to discuss them. How to Prepare for a Job Interview The more time you spend preparing for a job interview, the better your chances will be of acing it. Youll feel more comfortable speaking with the hiring manager if youre familiar with the companys products and services. Research the company. Before your interview, take the time to learn as much as possible about the job and your prospective employer. There are many different resources you can use to find information and news about the organization, its mission and its plans. Tap your connections for insider information. Who you know at a company can help you get hired. Check LinkedIn to see if you have connections who work at the company. Ask them if they can give you any advice that will help with the interview process. If youre a college graduate, check with your career office for alum ni who may be able to help. Make a match. Take the time before the interview to make matches between your qualifications and the requirements as stated in the job announcement. This way, you will have examples at hand to demonstrate your suitability for the job. Practice your responses. Write out your answer in advance for each question and then read it aloud to ensure it sounds natural. Try to keep it short and sweet.You dont want to come across as the type of person who endlessly drones on about themselves. Be prepared to show and tell. It can be helpful to remember the tip show,dont tell. For example, rather than stating that you are an excellent problem solver, instead giveanexamplethat demonstrates this, ideally drawing on an anecdote from your professional experience. How to Make the Best Impression The first impression you make at a job interview, is going to be the most important one. Hiring managers can decide whether youre a good candidate,or not,within a few minutes o f meeting you. behauptung tips will help you make a terrific first impression. Dress for success. What you wear to the interview is important because you dont want to be underdressed or overdressed. A three-piece suit can be as outofplace as shorts and a t-shirt. Carefully choose appropriate attire, and dont be afraid to ask the person who scheduled the interview if youre not sure what to wear. Be on time or a little early. You definitely dont want to keep your interviewer waiting, so be on time or a few minutes early for your appointment. If youre not sure where youre going, do a trial run ahead of time so you know how long it will take you to get there. Keep it positive. Always try to put a positive slant on your responses to questions. Its better to give the impression that youre more motivated by the possibility of new opportunities than by trying to escape a bad situation. In addition, its important to avoid bashing your current organization, colleagues or supervisor. An employ er is not likely to want to bring on someone who talks negatively about a company. Follow up after the interview. After every job interview, take the time to send a thank you note or email message sharing your appreciation for the time the interviewer spent with you, and reiterating your interest in the job. If there was something you wish you had said during the interview, but didnt get a chance to, this is a good opportunity to mention it