You will almost always be invited to a job interview, regardless of whether you are a student looking for a part-time job or a recent graduate looking for permanent employment.
This is great news. This is good news. However, if this is your first interview for a graduate position or with a company that you like, it can be a bit daunting.
Hiring managers are not always the most creative when it comes down to creating questions. This means that there are many common interview questions that are repeated.
This allows you to organize your answers and eliminate nerves, which will help you present yourself calmly and effectively. And if you are a student having difficulties with combining studies and job, do not hesitate to turn to Domyhomework123.com.
Here are some common questions that job interviews ask, along with tips on how to answer them.
“Tell me about you …”
The most popular job interview question, “tell me about myself”, is often used by interviewers to get to know you quickly.
The answer should not be a recitation of your resume (which the interviewer may have at least read). This is your chance to pitch yourself to the interviewer for the job.
Highlight not only your main selling points but also your approach to work and why this industry is important to you.
You can briefly outline your work experience in your current position, but don’t go into too much detail, because you may be asked later about those roles.
Be careful to not sell yourself short. This question will help you to understand yourself as a person and what your ambitions, interests and reasons for applying for the job.
The answer should be concise and not exceed one minute. A final sentence should summarize why you applied and what you are currently seeking (e.g. “A new challenge”
“What do you know about the company?”
You will likely know a lot more about the company if you do your research before you go to the interview.
Interviewers don’t want to hear you talk for half an hour about every company’s history. They want to see that you have done your research before going to interview.
Let’s start with the basics. How old is the company? What do they do? Every company has some output.
Identify what it is. clothing or food products, or something they produce for their customers (e.g. news or information. You should also mention any new projects or news that the company has published recently.
Make this question concise and specific, and prepare what you will say ahead of time.
“Where do your eyes see yourself in five years?”
I would be surprised if anyone could honestly answer this question, but it is a common interview question.
You won’t need to give too much detail to the interviewer. Don’t feel pressured to mention the company in your future plans. However, do not mention that you worked for a competitor.
You should talk about where you want to go in five years. Talk about your goals, the skills that you would have acquired by then, and how this job would help you get there.
Many employers don’t like people who refer to their company as a steppingstone. They want to hear your passion for the job and your desire to help the industry grow with your ideas, motivation, and skill.
“Why would you like to work here?”
This is a difficult interview question, especially if you are motivated primarily to pay the bills.
This is where you need to remember that while bill-paying is important, passion and interest in your work are even more important. You can still have passion and interest, even if you are earning high wages!
Answer this question by focusing on the reason you were attracted to the job posting. Let your interviewer know, for example, if you are interested in the company’s work, its culture, or the potential progression.
It might be worthwhile to mention a project you were a part of while researching the company. This will show that you are interested in the work and the culture.
“What can you bring to this role?”
This is important because it’s one the few interview questions that will allow you to sell yourself and your skills.
No matter if you have had any experience in similar roles, you can still speak about skills that you acquired during your studies, internships, or part-time jobs. These skills can be applied to the job you are applying for.
You might find that your part-time job taught you how to work in a team and how to build professional relationships with clients and colleagues.
Interviewers who have offered you a job are likely to be aware of your experience and recognize the potential in you.
Give examples of situations where you have used the skills they are looking for in a new context. You have the opportunity to show off all your ‘transferable skills’ as a recent graduate. This includes analytical abilities, written communication skills, and IT mastery.
“What’s your greatest strength?”
Many new graduates find this question a problem because they don’t have the confidence to confidently use their professional skills.
This can lead to too vague or modest answers, which means that graduate employers won’t believe you have the skills and confidence necessary to accept the job.
The answer should reflect a skill that is relevant to the job. However, it can also be something that you have learned at work, on vacation, or at university.
Consider the job at hand and give an example of a skill that would be relevant, such as multitasking, organizational skills, or innovative thinking.
You need to be able to distinguish between confident and humble. If you are too confident, your strengths will not be obvious.
Being too humble can lead to you sounding arrogant. Focus on your strengths and give examples of how they were used.
“What’s your greatest weakness?”
Another common interview question is “What is your greatest weakness?”. This is a scarier version.
Instead of seeing it as an attempt to catch your attention, consider this a chance for you to discuss the skills and attributes that you would like to improve and develop in your future career.
You can also use this opportunity to highlight any gaps in your CV and show your desire to fill them in.
If you can answer honestly, it will highlight a problem in your skillset (e.g. You will then need to explain what you are doing to improve your technical skills.
You can do this by taking a MOOC on beginners’ programming or building your own website. Graduate employers will view your honesty about your shortcomings and show that you are motivated to improve.
This is a sign of strength in character. It demonstrates integrity, self-awareness, and ambition.
“What is your greatest accomplishment?”
Similar to the “biggest strengths” question, many graduate employers will ask this question to see if you can provide more examples of your abilities.
You can use any accomplishment, whether it’s a student project or a personal feat, but make sure that they relate to the job.
This question will be answered well if you talk about the achievement itself, the challenges you faced, the things you loved about the experience, and the results you achieved.
“Tell us about a problem you have faced and how it was overcome.”
This behavioral interview question allows interviewers to observe how you respond to possible problems.
This question is a good one to prepare an answer beforehand so that you don’t get caught off guard during the interview.
It could be a challenging customer from a previous job, an issue in a group project at school or a module you have struggled with.
Using the STAR method to explain it is a good way to do this. You can explain the situation (give some context), the task at hand, what you did to solve this task and the end result.
Related: 60 More most common job interview questions and how to answer them
“Are you having any questions?”
This question should never be answered “no”. You should always have something to say at the end of any job interview.
Asking intelligent questions will show you care about being hired and also demonstrate your initiative.
It’s a good idea to write down some questions before you go. However, these might be answered during the interview.
Pre-preparing your questions is a good idea. However, it’s important to listen attentively during interviews to avoid asking questions that have already been answered. If all of your questions are answered at the end, tell the interviewer.
Interviewers should also ask “What do you love most about working at the company?” “What training will I receive if I am offered the job?” and “What would be your expected progression path in this position?”