5 Common interview questions and the best way to answer them.

A lot of women and indeed both sexes still struggle with interviews. Many leave with the feeling of having aced the interview but never get the callback. Sometimes this could be due to wrongly answering the interview questions.

Below are five of the most common interview questions and how best to answer them.

Tell me about yourself.

The problem with this question is usually where to begin. Its usually in your best interest to provide a  bit of personal background so the interviewer can know you a little bit better. However, keep the most of the information shared to work experiences, your last job, what you learned along the journey and what you hope to achieve in the future.

What are your strengths/weaknesses?

It is usually important not to brag about a strength too much and not just think of things you are good at. Make a list of skills and characteristics you are good at and specify which is relevant to the job.  It’s best to only talk about skills that are on both lists.

With weaknesses,  your best bet is to do something similar to the strengths.

Make a list of skills you could improve on and compare it to the list of skills desired for the job. Whatever is on your “needs improving” list and is NOT on your “desired skills for the job” list is a good jumping off point. Once you’ve decided on the weakness you are going to focus on, you should also describe how you are working to improve that skill.

Why are you interested in this role/company?

This question is more specific to the individual job and company. The answer is likely to change for each interview you do, and that’s okay. It’s actually great! You should re-evaluate each of your answers for each interview so that you are making the most of your time with the interviewer. When answering this question, think about what drew you to this company, what aspects are involved in this job that you haven’t had the opportunity to do before, and what experiences you expect to get from this job. Make sure that you are excited about the opportunities presented by this job and company, and feel free to show that excitement to the interviewer.

Why do you want to leave your current role/company?

Stay away from being too negative here. In fact, if you can phrase your entire interview in a way that shows zero negativity, you are doing well. Obviously, you want to be straightforward here, but instead of saying “I hate my old boss,” say something more along the lines of “I had a great experience working with many different personality types, but I felt that it was time I grow and learn from a new mentor.” Keep it focused on what things you are excited to accomplish with this job and remember not to bash on your old job, company, boss, or anything!

 What is your greatest accomplishment?

This is a fun question, one where you can feel free to get a little nerdy. Talk about something you are excited to do and that you are good at – something you just can’t wait to tell them about. Sometimes this is open to personal and professional topics, but I’d ask what way they want you to take it before you dive into something on the more personal side.

Source: careerwomen.com