Job interviews are one of the most dreaded parts of job hunting, aside from the examinations. The desire to make a great first impression definitely adds to the edge of any applicant. While answering job interview questions truthfully also works, practicing the best and right answers can give you better chances of acing the interview.
If you are getting ready for a job interview, review your answers to the most basic and complicated questions that you might encounter. Here are the top 5 job interview questions and how to answer them.
1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
This question might sound easy, but many people fail to address the question. No, the interviewer doesn’t want you to give your complete employment history or the story of your personal life. They want to know if you are an excellent fit for the role.
You can start by sharing your personal interests and experiences that are relevant to the job you are applying for. This is your chance to differentiate yourself from other candidates. There is a lot of information you could answer this question with. However, you should aim to only include information that is pertinent to the job.Â
2. What is your greatest strength and weakness?
This is one of the questions that will test your personality and qualifications for a specific job. When asked about your greatest strength, you can always start with basic skills or the most specified one for a job. Additionally, you can also indicate if you have attended seminars and certification courses that helped you gain knowledge in the field.
As for the weakness, provide a weakness that can be framed in a positive aspect. You can also add humor to have a lighter side, which can also give more impact to your application. Weaknesses such as being too absorbed with work, lacking social skills if you are introvert, and also being too good at some skills can be great answers. Besides, you can always say that you are willing to learn and improve these weak points.
3. Why should we hire you?
Try to get away from generic answers that interviewers always hear. Focus more on the qualities and skills that you can contribute to the company. You can touch on the generic skills like hitting deadlines, being able to manage a team, or working with less supervision needed. More importantly, you need to show the value in yourself and why the employer needs you in the company.
4. What are your salary expectations?
This question might make you think you should overprice yourself, but there is a better way to answer this. Remember to be honest with the interviewer and mention previous offers from former companies. However, say that you are open to negotiation if a lower salary was accompanied by greater flexibility and other perks.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?
As you know, this question reflects whether you plan to stick around or move on as soon as you find a better opportunity elsewhere. To be engaging, keep your answer focused on the job and the company, then reiterate that the position is aligned to your long-term goals.
You can say that you are after stability and if you are given an opportunity to advance your position, you can see yourself working for the company long-term.Â
Conclusion
Job interviews can help you develop your social skills and reflect on your values. To ace the interview, you need to stay calm, give answers with essence, and stay away from pretentious responses. In addition, keep your eyes focused on the interviewer and prepare for follow up questions. It is important to see friendly and confident during an interview. Aside from just answering questions, there are many other factors that go into giving a great interview. So, be sure to prepare fully!
