Knowing how to answer the most common interview questions can be the difference between landing that job and missing out.
We’ve prepared advice on how to answer common job interview questions. Make time to practise giving detailed and relevant answers. Preparation means you’ll be more confident, less fearful of the unknown, and less likely to suffer from interview nerves.
Tell Me About Yourself....
This is a common opening question giving you complete control, so you need totake full advantage of it.
Keep your answer relevant, and try not to go off topic. You’re here to interview for a particular position, and you shouldn’t lose sight of this.
Your answer should be about a two or three minutes long and briefly cover your education, your interest in the field, work history, and experience.
Why Should We Hire You?
There will be a number of candidates having interviews, so this is your chance to demonstrate why you want the job, and why you would be a perfect fit for the company. This is your opportunity to sell yourself!
Make sure when answering you have read the job description thoroughly so you can tailor your answer to what the company are looking for.
Where do You See Yourself in 5/10 Years Time?
The interviewer wants to see that you’ve thought about your future, and this isn’t just a stop gap position. Additionally, it’s vital your answer is tailored to the position you’re interviewing for.
Show passion for the industry, fit your career goals around the company’s objectives, demonstrate ambition, and utilise your strengths.
What Motivates You?
Employers want to find employees who will be enthusiastic and engaged at work each day, so they need to know if you'll be motivated by the work involved. Show your enthusiasm by giving specific, real-life examples of times that you've felt motivated at work.
Why are You Leaving Your Current Job?
Employers ask this question to understand what you're looking for in a new role. Always be positive about your previous employer, even if you left under less than ideal circumstances.
Emphasise your career goals, what you hope to achieve, and why you think this employer is a perfect fit for you.
What are Your Salary Expectations?
Have a look at the average salary for someone in this industry, area, and who possesses similar skills to yourself, and you should get a basic idea.
Giving a broad salary range will usually be enough to move on, but be prepared to back it up if you need to. Remember not to sell yourself short!
Do You Have any Questions for Me?
This is your chance to show how engaged you are by asking your own questions so you must ask questions however tempting it might be to say no.
If you ask interesting, relevant questions, the interviewer can tell that you've done your homework and fully researched the company.
It's also a good chance to find out about anything that you might need to know about the job.