The more interviews you experience in your life, the more you will become used to the questions you will be asked. Overall most interviews consist of very similar questions to cover various topics to get an overall idea about yourself as a candidate.
In a job interview the aim is to get to know you in a very short space of time so use your time wisely and prepare for all questions possible. Take a set of notes with you which you can refer back to. Having a set of notes on you will provide you with confidence as you will have something to look at if you lose your train of thought.
About You
Q: Tell me about yourself?
This is one of the first questions interviewers will ask to gain knowledge about yourself. Without explaining your entire life, using up valuable interview time talking about yourself, use about 5 minutes to briefly describe yourself as a person.
Your Skills
Q: What skills do you have?
Q: What are your strengths?
Q: What are your weaknesses?
All employers want to know what your skills and qualifications are. This is where you can talk about your education and qualifications you have achieved through college or university.
Employers will also want to know your strengths and weaknesses. Here you should pull out all of your strengths that would benefit the job you are applying for. In your preparation list a few of your strengths to talk about such as previous experience in this area. Not all weaknesses are bad, your enthusiasm could be considered as a weakness, where you are eager to start projects as soon as possible. However with this you could say that careful planning will help you work more efficiently.
Your Ambitions and Goals
Q: What are your lifetime ambitions?
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 year’s time?
Employers will want to know that you are taking on this job for more than just a job and that you will put all your efforts into the role. You will be asked what your lifetime ambitions are, so if there is a specific job role you would like to have in the future you can discuss it here. You will also be asked the question of where do you see yourself in five year’s time. Be honest and not worried that you will not be accepted if you speak the truth. If in 5 year’s time you want to be in the same role as the interviewer that is fine, they will see that you are being ambitious and would like to progress in your career.
Your Career History
Q: Where have you worked before?
Q: What roles were you given in your previous job?
Interviewers will want to find out about your career history. Don’t read out the information they have already seen on your CV, instead go into more depth about your career history. Focus on one of your most successful careers and the roles you were given in this career along with the experiences you gained.
Your Personal Interests
Q: What films do you enjoy?
Q: How would your friends describe you?
To keep the interview fairly relaxed, the interview may ask what your personal interests are. This may be what your hobbies are such as a sport or activity such as sewing or jewellery making. A few questions that may be thrown in could be your favourite film or favourite book. The interviewer may also ask how your family or friends would describe you. This is a great way to explain your positive attributes through the words of someone else.
The Employer/ Company
Q: Tell me about this company?
Q: Who are our competition?
If you have done your research correctly then you should be confident in answering these questions. Here you can talk about the company and who they are. The interviewer may ask who the competition of the company are – you can refer back to your notes for this but if you give about 2-3 competitors and your reasoning behind them being a competitor which could be due to providing similar products or services.
The Products or Services
Q: What products/ services do we provide?
Q: Is there anything you would do to improve our products/ services?
The employer will want to know that you fully understand the products or services the company offers to customers. Note down a few products you believe are the best sellers and be prepared to be asked if there are any products or services you feel could be improved. Again refer back to any notes made in your preparation. At the end of the interview you could always leave you notes with the interviewer so they can look back on them to make their final decision.
The Job
Q: What would be your main responsibilities?
Q: What experience do you have that would benefit this job?
This is one of the most important parts of the interview is talking about the job you are applying for. You may be asked what your main responsibilities would be, so make sure you have done your research and feel prepared to answer in confidence. You can speak about all your past experiences and what you can bring to the job. You may be asked why you should be chosen and here you can respond with the fact that you have so many years experience in this area and this is what you can bring to the job.
Working as a Team
Q: Have you worked as a team before?
Q: Give me an example of where you have successfully worked as a team?
All employers will want to know how you work as a team. Most workplaces work best as a team, so examples of previous experience in working as a team will benefit you in this instance. You may be asked if you have worked as a team before where you can speak about previous experiences. You may also be asked to give an example of good team work. Here you can talk about how you successfully worked as a team to achieve the targets you needed for that week for example.
The more interviews you experience in your life, the more you will become used to the questions you will be asked. Overall most interviews consist of very similar questions to cover various topics to get an overall idea about yourself as a candidate.
In a job interview the aim is to get to know you in a very short space of time so use your time wisely and prepare for all questions possible. Take a set of notes with you which you can refer back to. Having a set of notes on you will provide you with confidence as you will have something to look at if you lose your train of thought.
About You
Q: Tell me about yourself?
This is one of the first questions interviewers will ask to gain knowledge about yourself. Without explaining your entire life, using up valuable interview time talking about yourself, use about 5 minutes to briefly describe yourself as a person.
Your Skills
Q: What skills do you have?
Q: What are your strengths?
Q: What are your weaknesses?
All employers want to know what your skills and qualifications are. This is where you can talk about your education and qualifications you have achieved through college or university.
Employers will also want to know your strengths and weaknesses. Here you should pull out all of your strengths that would benefit the job you are applying for. In your preparation list a few of your strengths to talk about such as previous experience in this area. Not all weaknesses are bad, your enthusiasm could be considered as a weakness, where you are eager to start projects as soon as possible. However with this you could say that careful planning will help you work more efficiently.
Your Ambitions and Goals
Q: What are your lifetime ambitions?
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 year’s time?
Employers will want to know that you are taking on this job for more than just a job and that you will put all your efforts into the role. You will be asked what your lifetime ambitions are, so if there is a specific job role you would like to have in the future you can discuss it here. You will also be asked the question of where do you see yourself in five year’s time. Be honest and not worried that you will not be accepted if you speak the truth. If in 5 year’s time you want to be in the same role as the interviewer that is fine, they will see that you are being ambitious and would like to progress in your career.
Your Career History
Q: Where have you worked before?
Q: What roles were you given in your previous job?
Interviewers will want to find out about your career history. Don’t read out the information they have already seen on your CV, instead go into more depth about your career history. Focus on one of your most successful careers and the roles you were given in this career along with the experiences you gained.
Your Personal Interests
Q: What films do you enjoy?
Q: How would your friends describe you?
To keep the interview fairly relaxed, the interview may ask what your personal interests are. This may be what your hobbies are such as a sport or activity such as sewing or jewellery making. A few questions that may be thrown in could be your favourite film or favourite book. The interviewer may also ask how your family or friends would describe you. This is a great way to explain your positive attributes through the words of someone else.
The Employer/ Company
Q: Tell me about this company?
Q: Who are our competition?
If you have done your research correctly then you should be confident in answering these questions. Here you can talk about the company and who they are. The interviewer may ask who the competition of the company are – you can refer back to your notes for this but if you give about 2-3 competitors and your reasoning behind them being a competitor which could be due to providing similar products or services.
The Products or Services
Q: What products/ services do we provide?
Q: Is there anything you would do to improve our products/ services?
The employer will want to know that you fully understand the products or services the company offers to customers. Note down a few products you believe are the best sellers and be prepared to be asked if there are any products or services you feel could be improved. Again refer back to any notes made in your preparation. At the end of the interview you could always leave you notes with the interviewer so they can look back on them to make their final decision.
The Job
Q: What would be your main responsibilities?
Q: What experience do you have that would benefit this job?
This is one of the most important parts of the interview is talking about the job you are applying for. You may be asked what your main responsibilities would be, so make sure you have done your research and feel prepared to answer in confidence. You can speak about all your past experiences and what you can bring to the job. You may be asked why you should be chosen and here you can respond with the fact that you have so many years experience in this area and this is what you can bring to the job.
Working as a Team
Q: Have you worked as a team before?
Q: Give me an example of where you have successfully worked as a team?
All employers will want to know how you work as a team. Most workplaces work best as a team, so examples of previous experience in working as a team will benefit you in this instance. You may be asked if you have worked as a team before where you can speak about previous experiences. You may also be asked to give an example of good team work. Here you can talk about how you successfully worked as a team to achieve the targets you needed for that week for example.