21 Most Common Interview Questions
By Justin Osborne
If you are looking for a job, you probably know that the typical recruitment process involves an interview and maybe a technical test. The interview is the opportunity to get to know the company better.
And they also have to get to know you better, so a lot of questions will be involved. Here are the 21 most common interview questions that will help you prepare for the big day.
- Tell Us About Yourself
One of the first questions a recruiter will ask you. Be honest and sincere and share the most important things about yourself. You can shortly talk about your work experience and your qualities.
- What Do You Know About Our Company?
This question aims at discovering if you have made prior research about the company. It is important to know a few details like the domain the company is active in and the services it offers.
- Where Did You Hear About This Job?
This question goes hand in hand with the one above. It is important to also state your desire to have this job, like this the recruiter will know that you are motivated.
- Which Are the Most Interesting Tasks from the Job Description?
Most jobs that are advertised online provide a job description where key tasks and responsibilities are listed. A recruiter will ask you this question to see if you have read it and if you are interested in this position for real.
- What Are Your Strengths?
This is the moment when you need to list your qualities. You can also say how you have developed those strengths. For example, during college, you have been an essay writer and this activity helped you develop your critical thinking skills.
- What Are Your Weaknesses?
We all have weaknesses we are aware of and want to change. List some of them and show the recruiter that you are honest and capable of correct self-evaluation.
- What Is Your Ideal Work Environment?
Even though you might not know a lot about their work environment, you surely know what you would like. So, do not be shy or afraid, they need to understand your way of working to decide upon the team you will best fit in.
- What Are Your Salary Expectations?
The best answer to this question is the sincere one. If your expectations are too high, they will surely find a way to negotiate and offer you compensatory benefits.
- How Do You Deal with Challenges or Conflicts at Work?
You will probably be asked to provide an example too. Just think about a situation where you have been part of a conflict and describe how you managed to solve it. The same goes for challenges.
- What Can You Offer That the Other Candidates Cannot?
This is a tricky question because you do not know the other candidates and their strengths. The best piece of advice is to be bold and bet on your qualities and desire to learn and improve yourself.
- What Do You Do in Your Spare Time?
An easy question that aims at making the interview atmosphere more friendly. Just list your hobbies and your favorite activities.
- How Do You Work Under Stress?
We all get stressed by different things and it is important to know how you deal with a stressful environment. Highlight how you made it through a difficult situation.
- What Are the Achievements You Are Proud Of?
This is tricky because you do not need to tell about your high-school contests. Instead, tell a situation where you managed to bring a plus to a team and helped others succeed.
- Describe Your Work Experience
This is the moment when you need to offer all the details about your previous work experience. It is the one that recommends you for this position along with your strengths.
- Do You Have Any Volunteer Experience?
Most recruiters want to find out if you have been involved in any activities that do not bring money rewards. Be honest! Your volunteering experience during high school counts.
- Tell Us About Your Leadership Experiences
The most important thing to highlight is that you do not have to describe your leadership roles because they are listed in your resume. Instead, tell a story about how you managed to be an effective leader.
- Do You Have Long-Term Career Goals?
You have probably thought about what job you would like to have and about the areas you want to improve. Share them with the recruiter.
- Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
This is one of the most common questions recruiters ask. You do not have to detail only your career goals, but your personal life goals too. Maybe you want to develop your hobbies and become more proficient at them.
- How Would People Describe You?
Do not think about a long list of adjectives that describe you. Instead, take some time and think about all your interactions with other people. How would they describe you?
- Why Do You Want This Job?
Now is the moment to tell the recruiter how this position is great for your long-term goals and how it will help you accomplish them.
- Do You Have Any Questions?
Most candidates say “No” and this is a huge mistake. Show the recruiter that you are genuinely interested in this position and ask him questions like: “What are your expectations from the person that will be hired on this position?”. It is your opportunity to find out more.
Conclusion
Interviews can be stressful, but if you think ahead about these most common questions, you can rock it. Take your time to think and answer and do not rush things. Be sincere and honest and do your research.
***
Justin Osborne is a essay writer, he loves to share his thoughts and opinions about education, writing and blogging with other people on different blogs and forums. Currently, he is working as a content marketer at law essay help.