Ah, the joy of job interviews. The whole process seems to be a pretty inefficient way of hiring good employees, but it doesn’t look like it is going away any time soon.
Sad as it is, job interviews often reveal how skilled a person is at interviewing, rather than how good a fit they will be for the job. Rather than getting frustrated at the process, our best course of action is probably to go with the flow and learn how to play the game. So, what can we do about it? Be as prepared as possible!
ChristianPF has compiled this list of the 25 most common interview questions asked. Although the questions may be slightly different, they all have similar answers. Having your answers prepared to these common interview questions beforehand makes a world of difference and it helps eliminate any interview jitters.
- Tell me about yourself
- Why did you leave your last job?
- What qualities do you look for in a boss?
- Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
- Would you be willing to relocate if required?
- Why do you think you would do well at this job.
- What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
- What motivates you?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What are your goals for the next five years / ten years? How do you plan to achieve those goals?
- What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
- Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
- Tell me about a time that you participated in a team, what was your role?
- Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
- What challenges are you looking for in a position?
- Why are you the best person for the job?
- What kind of contribution will you make to our company?
- What interests you most about this job?
- What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
- What kind of work do you enjoy the most?
- How do you deal with conflict?
- What are your special skills or abilities?
- Why should we hire you?
- Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
- What is your greatest strength/weakness?
Valery Amador, Daily Venus Diva -- Daily Venus Diva.
One of the question I always absolutely hate is #23 — Why should we hire you? To me it seems like a stupid question. As an interviewee I shouldn’t have to answer this. They should be asking themselves why they should/or shouldn’t hire this person. And if they don’t know they haven’t asked the right questions. “Why should we hire you?” is a fluffy question that is in my opinion a time waster.