You submitted your resume for your dream job and now you’ve been called for an interview. Congratulations…for now you know that your resume has done what it was meant to do and it’s all up to you to make the most of this opportunity.
Interviews can be nerve wracking. It is demanding to present yourself as self-assured and confident while your brain is constantly trying to sabotage your efforts by bringing up unpleasant thoughts causing anxiety. Been there! However, after several years of experience in Human Resources, I can guarantee that you can almost always overcome your fears and convince the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the job. Now wouldn’t that be great!
Most often candidates come with virtually no preparation and this is the single most important mistake you can make. Preparation makes you confident. Confidence is key in winning the votes of the hiring team. Even if you are the smartest in class or blessed with quick wit, you could be challenged if you don’t prepare well. So here are some common questions and how to navigate them.
1. Tell me about yourself
This is the most basic of all yet the most critical one. Your answer can make or break the interview. The interviewer is looking for an overview of your profile or key highlights that make you a suitable candidate. So don’t just ramble on about yourself, rather have an elevator pitch ready to roll. An elevator pitch is a brief 30-45 second intro about your education, experience, accomplishments and interpersonal skills. Tweak it slightly so it relates more to the job in question. Do not share any personal details about your family, ethnicity, etc. Also, please do not start with “My name is XYZ”. The interviewer already has your resume, that’s how they called you and chances are you’ve already exchanged pleasantries so it may be a tad late to tell them your name. Remember this is a broad overview of your experience so keep it short but include everything that is important for the job. Also, to pique the interest of the interviewer, leave some open ends. A little mystery will keep the listener engaged.
2. What do you know about “the Company”?
The interviewer is trying to assess your interest levels and commitment to the interview process. You’ve researched about the company so you’ll know. When I say research, it means you must go through their website and social media pages at a minimum. To learn more, you can also read about the company on Glassdoor or Indeed. Reviews will give you a deeper insight into the culture and other aspects of the company. When asked this question, do not read from their website verbatim. I am tired of listening to how many people just simply narrate the exact same words written on our company website. So read and rephrase it into your own words. If you do not understand exactly about the company, tell the interviewer what you know and then ask about the areas you are not sure about. They would appreciate honesty over pretense.
3. Why do you want to join this company?
Here the interviewer is trying to gauge whether your values, goals and expectations from the company align with the company’s values, goals and culture. This alignment is extremely important to establish. Even more important than your qualifications, in my opinion. I have hired candidates who may not have all of the skills and qualifications but fit perfectly with the company culture. Your knowledge of the company will of course make it easier to respond appropriately. Pick on things during your research that exemplify this alignment with the company overall or the role in question.
4. What are your biggest accomplishments?
The hiring team wants to know if you’ve got it in you to deliver as per their expectations. Read the job description thoroughly and keep a few examples from your past experience up your sleeve. Stick to work related accomplishments. The more you can relate to the current job at hand, the better. If you’ve been instrumental in achieving business targets, won any awards or received a promotion in record time, this is the time to lay it all out. Of course you own the bragging rights but make sure it is subtle and does not come across as overconfidence. Keep it balanced with a hint of modesty, confidence and politeness all thrown in there.
5. What are your weaknesses?
This one is an old favourite. Gone are the days when you could show off your smart-ass wit by listing a positive personality attribute such as “perfectionism” or “working without breaks” as a weakness. Honesty is appreciated far more than astute responses. The reason being, no one is perfect and we all have shortcomings that affect our way of working. Interviewers want to understand if your shortcomings are something they can work with and they want you to be as transparent as possible. This definitely does not mean you lay your negatives out in the open for them to judge, instead present them with something genuine and unique while ensuring that it doesn’t really affect the job in question directly. A good response is something you are already working on to improve or a technical skill that you did not get a chance to improve so far but can easily be fixed with a training or a certification.
6. What would your colleagues say about you if I asked them?
This is another way interviewers use to get to know about your strengths and weaknesses. They are also looking to see how you perceive yourself. Think about what others have said to you in the past – your peers, your managers, your friends and even your close relatives. Try and relate to the job in question. Read the “Skills required” section of the job posting to see if you have any skills they need. Review any recommendations you may have on your LinkedIn profile. The interviewer may already be tracking your profile to see how accurately you describe yourself. You may even talk about your weaknesses but be cautious and try to present it in a positive light.
7. Why do you want to or why did you leave your current/previous organization?
The interviewer is trying to understand your motivations for seeking opportunities outside of your current/last job. If you were laid off, this one is easy to answer but if you left willingly then you must be open about your reasons since it gives the prospective employer a chance to see if you would be a good fit and if the organization can match your expectations. Refrain from saying anything negative about your previous employer, no matter how bad your experience was with them. Focus on the current role instead. If the reason is better learning and growth and the role in question provides that, say so. If there are benefits that the current company provides such as sponsoring education or greater flexibility, you may mention that as well but don’t let it be the primary focus. Never ever make salary as the sole reason for changing jobs. That will only lead the interviewer to think that you are focussed on money and will not be motivated internally in the job. Let salary be a separate discussion.
8. Why is there a break in your career?
Let’s face it, it is definitely a red flag if you have a gap of more than a couple of months in your resume unless you have a justifiable reason. The interviewer wants to see if the gap was deliberate or if it was due to circumstances beyond your control. If it was deliberate, then was it due to your own poor choices or personal characteristics (got fired due to insubordination or poor performance) or something you planned for (traveled all over Europe for a year!). If it was something outside your control such as lay off or sickness (your own or a family member), it is best to be upfront about it. Again, you do not need to share the exact personal reason but the more you are able to share, the more convincing it would be.
9. What are your salary expectations?
This is particularly a tough one but honestly there’s no trick here. The interviewer is genuinely trying to understand if your expectations are falling within their range. There are only two ways to justify a salary range – the job requirements and the skills you bring to the table – which means you need to know what the job pays and what you are worth. Read up on various job sites about comparable positions to get a broad idea of the range. Narrow it down by analyzing your own skill sets. Some jobs may require certain specific, niche skills that you have or you may have experience in certain areas that are crucial to the role. In such cases peg yourself at the higher end of the range. If it is a role that involves a learning curve for you and monetary benefits outweigh the growth prospects and then you may stick to the lower end of the spectrum. You will gain a better understanding of this while speaking to the interviewer. Note if they talk about certain specific expectations and whether you have the ability to deliver on those. Quote your figure keeping in mind all of these considerations. Do not simply say as per industry standards lest you are short changed at the time of negotiation. Be confident in your own worth and substantiate with facts from your experience.
10. Would you like to ask me any questions?
The interviewer is asking you questions because they care about your candidature. Similarly, you must have questions ready with you because you care about the position you are being interviewed for. It is after all a significant step in your career so prepare questions in advance if possible. Use information from your research. Do not ask about things that are easily available online just to show that you have some questions to ask. Instead, during the interview, note things that the interviewer talks about so you can follow up on them later on. That shows that you were actively listening during the interview and you have the ability to connect things across the discussion. Now that’s an ideal candidate.
Being prepared with at least these most common questions will help you cover a lot of ground. It is in your best interest to prepare responses to these in advance of your interview. However, this list is by no means exhaustive and you may still be hit with something unexpected. Stay connected with us to learn about “How to deal with curveballs during an interview”. Coming Soon…