COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERS The interview. Here we are, preparing for the interview we have been waiting so long for. Choosing the best outfit, getting our resumes together, thinking about how to answer possible questions…..ugh. For many of us, interviews put a fear in us like no other - the fear of the unknown. Who will be interviewing me? Will there be more than one interviewer? What questions will I be asked? How long will the interview last? Will I be dressed appropriately? It is difficult to predict the answers to these questions. Thorough preparation is the key to easing the fears associated with the dreaded interview. Basic preparation should not be limited to choosing the best attire and making sure you are on time to the interview. Researching the organization you are interviewing with, reviewing your skills, interests, and values and how they relate to this position is imperative. In addition, anticipating the questions you are likely to be asked and practicing the answers are key elements to a successful interview. These preparation guidelines will ease your fear of the unknown, increase your confidence level, and will increase your likelihood of landing the job.
There are limitless possibilities of questions that may be presented in the interview. Many questions, regardless of how basic they may seem, stump interviewees, which often results in frustration. Examples of these questions include: Tell me about yourself; What are your greatest strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why should we hire you? What made you apply for this position? How would you describe your ideal manager? What are your career goals? These questions are only the tip of the iceberg, but can be pivotal in the successful interview. Following are guidelines to these questions and examples of what not to say in an interview.
- Tell me about yourself. This question often stumps many. There is so much to tell. You likely have family and personal information that you would like to share. It is easy to tell your life story. The most effective way to respond to this broad statement is to focus on your education and work history. It is important to avoid speaking of your families, children, age, religious affiliation, basically any information that could be grounds for possible discrimination. Here is an example of a good answer: "I graduated from Lancaster High School and went on to attend Ohio State University. There I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. I had the opportunity to participate in an internship in the Financial Aid Department at Ohio State University while earning my degree. I gained customer service and accounting experience in the position as a Customer Service Representative at a locally owned bank while continuing to strive for a challenging position to utilize my education and experience."
- What are your greatest strengths? For this question, you want to focus on action verbs that will express your ability to be a good employee, as well as someone who is easy to get along with. Examples of positive answers to this question are: Strong organizational skills, able to multi-task, dependable, punctual, self-starter, motivated, team player, adapts well to change, friendly, etc. Take the time to evaluate your strengths and be prepared to answer this question.
- What are your weaknesses? For this question, it is important to
avoid any statement that would give a negative impression. For example, you do not want to respond with, "I have a bad habit of being late." Or "I have a hard time getting along with people." Or "I have trouble following through with projects." All of these statements would shoot down your chances from the start. Instead, try to find a trait that could be construed as a weakness and make it into a positive. For example, "I tend to offer assistance to other team members and take on many tasks at once, and I get overwhelmed with work." This statement would indicate that you are a strong team member, with the minor weakness being you have difficulty saying "no" when asked to assist. Another possible answer may be, "I tend to double check my work very carefully, which may result in my taking longer than another employee to complete a certain task. However, I also have a very high accuracy rate and very rarely have to make corrections to my work." As you can see, it is important to turn a possible negative into a positive.
- Why should we hire you? When answering this question, you will want to reemphasize any experience and education you can bring to the position. Take this opportunity to emphasize your strengths. Don't be afraid to gloat a little bit and state you feel you are the best person for this position because……and brag away!
- What made you apply for this position? This is an opportunity to put your research of the company to good use. It is important to state that you are seeking a new position with a new challenge. You can also impress the interviewer with specific information regarding the company and express how the position fits into your overall career plan.
- How would you describe your ideal manager? When answering this question, be sure not to criticize any past managers. Describe your ideal manager as someone who is fair, leads by example, has an open door policy, open to ideas and suggestions, treats all employees with courtesy and respect, etc. Be sure NOT to state anything that would indicate laziness or mistrust.
- What are your career goals? When answering this question, be sure to incorporate the position you are applying for in your career plan. Although this position may not be a long term goal for you and the company may not be one that you plan on being with for the long term, emphasize your desire to excel in this position and be a great asset to this organization while participating in training and development opportunities to open the door for future advancement opportunities within their organization. An inappropriate example of an answer would state that this is just a job to make some money so you can move on to the next as soon as possible.
These examples are only a few of many potential interview questions. For additional assistance on interview questions and answers, visit WorkNet or contact a Success Coach or Career Advisor. Also, ask about the GO! Workshops on Interviewing and Skills Identification. Good luck!!
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