For many of us, interviews are the most fearsome part of finding a job. But they are also our best chance to show an employer our qualifications.
Interviews are far more flexible than application forms or tests. Use that flexibility to your advantage. As with tests, you can reduce your anxiety and improve your performance by preparing for your interviews ahead of time.
Begin by considering what interviewers want to know. You represent a risk to the employer. A hiring mistake is expensive in terms of lost productivity, wasted training money, and the cost of finding a replacement. To lessen the risk, interviewers try to select people who are highly motivated, understand what the job entails, and show that their background has prepared them for it.
You show that you are highly motivated by learning about the company before the interview, by dressing appropriately, and by being well mannered--which means that you greet the interviewer by name, you do not chew gum or smoke, you listen attentively, and you thank the interviewer at the end of the session. You also show motivation by expressing interest in the job at the end of the interview.
You show that you understand what the job entails and that you can perform it when you explain how your qualifications prepare you for specific duties as described in the company's job listing and when you ask intelligent questions about the nature of the work and the training provided new workers.
Commonly Asked Interview Questions.
One of the best ways to prepare for an interview is to have some practice sessions with a friend or two. Here is a list of some of the most commonly asked questions to get you started.
- Why did you apply for this job?
- What do you know about this job or company?
- Why did you choose this career?
- Why should I hire you?
- What would you do if... (usually filled in with a work-related crisis)?
- How would you describe yourself?
- What would you like to tell me about yourself?
- What are your major strengths?
- What are your major weaknesses?
- What type of work do you like to do best?
- What are your interests outside work?
- What type of work do you like to do least?
- What accomplishment gave you the greatest satisfaction?
- What was your worst mistake?
- What would you change in your past life?
- What courses did you like best or least in school?
- What did you like best or least about your last job?
- Why did you leave your last job?
- Why were you fired?
- How does your education or experience relate to this job?
- What are your goals?
- How do you plan to reach them?
- What do you hope to be doing in 5 years? 10?
- What salary do you expect?
- Strategy When Answering Interview Questions.
Essentially, your strategy in answering interview questions should be to concentrate on the job and your ability to do it no matter what the question seems to be asking. If asked for a strength, mention something job related. If asked for a weakness, mention a job-related strength (you work too hard, you worry too much about details, you always have to see the big picture). If asked about a disability or a specific negative factor in your past--a criminal record, a failure in school, being fired--be prepared to stress what you learned from the experience, how you have overcome the shortcoming, and how you are now in a position to do a better job.
