Top 5 Interview Questions
These are the top 5 interview questions on my list of 50 Top Interview Questions.
Tell us about yourself?
This is effectively your elevator speech or elevator pitch. It is not about your age, marital status kids or sports. This is the best opportunity for you to advertise yourself and your background (sneak in a few achievements of yours) on the other hand, this gives the interviewer an insight into how well you could fit into the company culture and environment.
What about your greatest strengths?
More than one answer – 5 would be good hall evidenced by stories or case stories. Don’t toot your own horn to much, but don’t underplay your achievements. Keep it simple and factual and DO NOT creae any factual inaccuracies.
What are your weaknesses?
Be honest and have a plan in place to address the problem. State what actions you are currently undertaking to rectify these problems and strengthen your overall skills.
Why do you want to work here?
Show your enthusiasm and passion AND the fact that you have done your homework. You should always have a passion for the industry that you are venturing into, and it is good practice to brinf this passion to the potential workplace. List some key reasons as to why you would prefer this company over others.
Why should we hire you?
Opportunity to restate and resell yourself. What do you bring to the table. Open-ended question – take full advantage of the question. You are mad if you don’t.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Focus on how you plan to grow within the company and contribute to its success. Emphasise your desire to develop new skills, take on additional responsibilities, grow and achieve your career goals and contribute to the goals of the organisation.
What are your hobbies?
This is another opportunity for you to sell yourself, as well as create an air of ‘likability’ around you. Be honest and truthfully, and perhaps you will meet others on the organisation that share the same hobbies and interests.
Why did you leave your last job?
Be honest and diplomatic. Focus on any positive reasons about your departure. Be sure to use this as a way to highlight your desire for new challenges and opportunities, as well as career growth.
Do you have any questions for us?
Ask insightful questions on the team dynamics and company culture. This is a way for you to interview the interviewer and often gives red or green flags to aspiring applicants.
Give an example where you have worked under pressure?
Again be truthful and honest. use this question to state a positive outcome of working under pressure. Perhaps it was yo leading a team, or venturing into something you were not skilled in? Either way, show yourself off.
These questions are almost guaranteed to be asked. Just looking at them won’t help you. Sorry.
Write the questions down, write out your answers in long hand. Then edit them, say them out loud, shorten them and polish them until they sound sensible – oh and no naff and predictable answers please! 🙂
For more questions to ask yourself in regards to your job, read Six Powerful Questions to Inspire Your Job Change Journey here!
Choose from the interview courses available here or buy Filtered OUT The Workbook on Amazon here.
