Land Your Perfect Job with These Interview Q&A
Knowing how to put together a strong answer to the most common interview questions is obviously key to landing a job. The art and science of creating great answers involves being strategic in crafting your responses as well as practicing till you’re as strong a possible.
If you’d prefer to get started with a free resource before paying for a coach or a program, see the following possible questions and answers that you can get asked in an interview.
1. How to Answer: “Tell Me About Yourself”
Your elevator pitch that gives the interviewer a quick idea of who your are – for better or worse.
This question may come disguised as, “What should I know about you?” or they might say, “What would you like me to know about you.”
Then, in the intervew, you tell them the things that emphasize how your accomplishments and experience make you an ideal candidate for the job you are seeking.
Answering the Real Question
You probably find yourself wondering, “What is it they really want to know?” Excellent thought!
That thought is, luckily, your ticket to understanding the question — putting yourself in the shoes of the interviewer to imagine what they would want to (need to) know about you.
What you don’t tell them.
I call this question a “spider web” because if you simply tell someone about yourself without planning or context to the target job you are there to interview for, you could blow the opportunity.
Prepare in advance with your answer to this question. Without answering carefully, you could share all kinds of information that leaves them with the impression that you are:
- Over-qualified or under-qualified
- Ditzy or disorganized
- Inarticulate and a bad communicator
- Someone who doesn’t understand the opportunity or the employer
- Or simply a risk for the company
Most people talk about what they know, ramble even, about where they live, kids, likes/dislikes, but, remember,THIS IS A JOB INTERVIEW, not a chat.
Example:
“I have more than five years of experience as a technical project manager at top Wall Street companies. Most recently, I led the development of an award-winning new trading platform. I’m a person who thrives in a fast-paced environment so right now I’m looking for an opportunity to apply my technical exp and my creative problem solving skills at an innovative software company like this one.”
2. How to Answer: “Describe Your Current (or Most Recent) Position”
One of the easier questions to answer – but you’ll still need to use it to highlight your job-relevant greatness.
1. Focus on results. If you want to impress your interviewer, focus on how you performed and how you went above and beyond the job description.
Stress any impressive achievements (a promotion, an award), statistics (#1 sales person, 26 people managed), numbers (revenue generated, expenses reduced), or other details.
2. Customize for the position. You can develop a standard approach to this question. Once you have a standard approach in mind, be prepared to customize it for each new job opportunity. For some positions, your standard description may work perfectly.
For other roles, it may make sense to add an extra line or detail if the firm is looking for specific expertise that you don’t always highlight. Analyze the job description and think about how you can show that your current position has prepared you to master the new role’s responsibilities.
3. Be concise. Don’t try to describe absolutely everything that you do. Nobody wants to hear about TPS reports. Focus on the highlights that this particular interviewer will care about. Don’t feel obligated to explain details that could be confusing or lead you off on a tangent.
Example:
Lauren is currently an administrative assistant for a book publishing company
“I’m currently the administrative assistant for a senior editor at Big Book Publishing House and I basically run his calendar and his office. I always say my job is to take care of all of the administrative details so he can focus on his projects.
He travels a lot and I do everything from booking his flights to preparing and printing his presentation decks to filing expense reports. I also keep the office running smoothly — one of my favorite tasks is managing the manuscript submissions log and bringing interesting submissions to my boss’ attention.I actually revamped the whole submissions log system last year and my new approach has now been adopted by the rest of the company.”
3. How to Answer: “Why are you looking for a new opportunity now?”
The question that can either put your interviewer at ease or raise serious red flags.
Your reasons for leaving a job are always relevant for a potential employer. Here are some things your interviewer is likely looking for:
- Did you leave for a good reason? — If you left on a whim or for an odd reason, the interviewer will wonder if they can trust you to be responsible, loyal, and reasonable.
- Did you leave voluntarily? — If you were let go, your interviewer will want to try to determine if it was because of performance or integrity issues.
- Did you leave on good terms? –If you can state that you are still in touch with your previous manager, that will go a long way in demonstrating that you were a good employee and have good relationship skills.
- What are your work values? — Did you leave for positive reasons or because you felt slighted or unappreciated? Sometimes it makes sense to leave a job if you’re not appreciated, but be aware that this reason should be expressed skillfully so you don’t appear to be a diva.
Your interviewer wants to feel like her company is wooing you away from your current employer. The ideal answer from their perspective: You are only thinking about leaving because this new opportunity (and the company offering it) is just SO awesome. Maybe you weren’t even looking. Maybe you’re content in your current role, but just could not resist this interview because the position is your dream job.
Example:
“I have been at my company for three years now and have learned a lot from working with some amazing salespeople. I worked my way up to regional sales manager 18 months ago and my region has beat our sales projections by at least 25% each quarter since. However, I am starting to feel like I need some new challenges. This position really appeals to me because it would allow me to manage a bigger team and sell more innovative products.”
4. How to Answer: “What are your strengths?”
Your chance to toot your own horn – but make sure to do it artfully. Being able to do 20 pull-ups does not count as a strength.
By doing your research beforehand!
The absolute best way to answer this question is to assume before you even get to the interview that it’s going to come up…which means doing your homework ahead of time. First thing you want to do is turn back to your trusted research skills and do a little digging on both the company and the job you’re interviewing for.
Start out by researching the company and finding what they value as far as strengths and qualities go.
Then look at the job itself. Can you pull out a few core needs that you know you can meet with confidence? Good.
Now take all those pieces and put them together in one single answer and make sure that you have practical examples and success stories from your past that support your claims.
A few things to keep in mind while you’re preparing your answers. Make sure your answer is truthful, relevant to the position and company you’re applying for and accurate.
Ultimately what you’re aiming to do is to reassure the hiring manager that you’re the right person for the job. You want to make sure your answer shows them that your strengths are in line with what the company needs and is looking for.
You need to let them know that you are fully capable of doing the job you’re being hired to perform and that you are the best person…the perfect candidate for the position. You want them to know that by hiring you they’re getting someone with the qualities, skills and experience that will not only make you an excellent part of the team, but also sets you apart from any other potential candidates.
Example:
“I think one of my greatest strengths is as a problem solver. I have the ability to see a situation from different perspectives and I can get my work done even in the face of difficult obstacles. I also feel that my communication skills are top notch. I feel just as comfortable presenting to senior executives as I do mediating a conflict between junior team members. I worked as a programmer in the past so I have that perspective of a developer and I think that they respect me for that.”
5. How to Answer: “What is your greatest weakness?”
A question that can sink you unless you’re careful. Obviously, “I work too hard” is not the answer.
Nobody wants to admit that they have weaknesses, but a good candidate…a perfect candidate…can take that weakness and turn it into a strength…even while still dealing with overcoming that weakness.
Think about times you’ve had trouble in the past.
- Did you learn from those experiences?
- How have you grown as a person?
- Have you ever been told you have a flaw in your personality?
Now take those things and really examine them. Are you fixing them? How did you overcome the troubles you had in the past? What did you learn and do you continue to apply that to similar situations? How have you addressed the flaw (or flaws) in your personality?
NOW…take a good look at the job you’re applying for. Think about how those weaknesses you’ve discovered in yourself can apply to the position you’re interviewing for.
Example:
Too Direct
“Sometimes I can be a bit too honest when I provide feedback to coworkers. My personality is naturally very straightforward and to the point, and most of my colleagues really value that, but I have learned that there are times on the job when more diplomacy is required.
I took a training class on conflict management and it really opened my eyes to the need to communicate differently with different people. So now I am much better at providing constructive feedback, even if it doesn’t always come naturally.”
Other examples include:
Delegation | Public speaking | Impatience
6. How to Answer: “Why do you want to work here?”
Repeat after me: Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money”
Remember, every job is a stepping stone to your next position and a job that offers you nothing more than money can be just as big a roadblock as no job. Speaking of your next position, look at your career goals. How does this company and this job align with your future plans? Is this job a stepping stone or a holding cell? Does the position AND company align well with your personal brand?
Focus your answers to include specifics like the company’s overall core values and reputation. These can also include non-position related things like the company’s community involvement, outreach programs, marketing campaigns,training programs…anything that you find about the company that intrigues you and draws you in.
You can also reference incentive programs and employee awards and or management philosophies. The idea is you’re digging deeply enough that you’re not only aware of these things but that they resonate with you and make you want to be a part of the corporate structure.
Example:
“I feel that my proven track record leading multi-functional teams makes me an excellent match for the job requirements. Also, the role excites me because I love the idea of helping to develop cutting-edge software products and I know I could start delivering results from Day 1.”
7. How to Answer: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Possibly one of the silliest questions – but it requires an artful and diplomatic answer.
In today’s competitive job market, interviewers are looking for any red flag to use as an excuse not to hire someone. So you could be unfairly eliminated from contention if you answer this question in a way that even hints this is not the one and only job of your dreams.
Understandably, an employer wants to hire someone who is truly excited about the job at hand, someone who sees it as a great career move and will work tirelessly to do a good job.
1. Keep your answer fairly general, especially if you don’t know a lot about the typical career path at the company. For most interview questions, I recommend being SPECIFIC because general answers tend to be bland and easily forgettable. This is the exception. Make your answer truthful, but broad enough that it doesn’t raise doubts about whether you would be a good fit for this position at this organization.
2. Stress your interest in a long-term career at the company (especially if you have short job tenures on your resume). Your interviewer wants to know that you’re ready to settle in and grow with the firm. The truth is that anything can happen. The company could go out of business, they could lay you off, or you could be lured away for a better opportunity.
3. Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job as an exciting next step for you. Most importantly, make it clear that you are motivated to take on this opportunity right now.
Example:
“My goal right now is to find a position at a company where I can grow and take on new challenges over time. Ultimately, I’d like to assume more management responsibilities and get involved in product strategy. But most importantly, I want to work for an organization where I can build a career.”
8. How to Answer: “Why should we hire you?”
The money question. “Why” indeed. This is where you need to spend a ton of time thinking about the role, the competencies, and how you’re the perfect fit.
Well, this question is the perfect opportunity for you to pitch yourself one last time to your potential employer and reinforce the idea that you are the perfect candidate!
The perfect candidate doesn’t get cocky with this answer and they certainly don’t beg. As the perfect candidate, you’ve already taken the time before the interview to research the position and figure out exactly what they’re looking for…and how you match up to those needs.
This is your chance to wow them with your highlight reel. Your answer should summarize the top three or four best reasons to hire you. It’s better to have three or four strong reasons with memorable descriptions and/or examples than to rattle off a laundry list of twelve strengths without context.
This is an opportunity to reiterate your most impressive strengths and/or describe your most memorable selling points, tailored to align with the top requirements in the job description. Your 3-4 bullet points could include a combination of the following:
- Industry experience
- Experience in performing certain tasks or duties
- Technical skills
- Soft skills
- Key accomplishments
- Awards/accolades
- Education/training
Example:
“Well, I have all of the skills and experience that you’re looking for and I’m confident that I would be a superstar in this project management role.
It’s not just my background leading successful projects for top companies — or my people skills, which have helped me develop great relationships with developers, vendors, and senior managers alike. But I’m also passionate about this industry and I’m driven to deliver high-quality work.”
9. How to Answer: “Do you have any questions for me?”
Your questions here can either leave a strong, lasting impression on the interviewer, or make you come across as clueless. Here are some good questions to think about.
This question gives you a fantastic opportunity to stand out from the crowd and show your knowledge and passion for the company or organization you are interviewing for. Always have a few questions prepared and have one based around something you found during your company research phase.
Your questions
DO:
- Focus your questions on the company and what you can do for them.
- Ask about something you’ve discovered in your company research. This will show your passion and knowledge of the company.
- Ask if there is any reason the hiring manager wouldn’t hire you. (This can be a little daunting to ask BUT can really pay off. It allows you to address something they may be thinking in their head but haven’t brought up.)
Example:
1. Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
2. What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
3. What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days, year?
4. Describe the culture of the company.
5. Where do you think the company is headed in the next 5 years?
6. Who do you consider your top competitor, and why?
7. What are the biggest opportunities facing the company/department right now?
8. What are the biggest challenges facing the company/department right now?
9. What do you like best about working for this company?
10. What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
11. How do I compare with the other candidates you’ve interviewed for this role?
12. What are the next steps in the interview process?
Remember: Don’t ask about salary or benefits just yet. Wait until you are in the final steps of the interview process to negotiate with the hiring manager or an HR representative.
Conclusion
The key thing to remember is to focus on the needs of the company instead of your own when answering any job interview question. As we always say every job interview and every one of your answers to any job interview question should be “tailored” to the company you’re interviewing with.
Have a look at the entire series of how to get a job:
How to get a job – Step 1: Get Organised
How to get a job – Step 2: Search for jobs
How to get a job – Step 3: Apply
How to get a job – Step 4: Don’t get discouraged
How to get a job – Step 5: The interview / Land your perfect job with these interview Q&A
How to get a job – Step 6: Follow up
How to get a job – Step 7: Accept the job
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