How to answer most common interview questions

Here is my second Graduate blog post for x4 recruitment

How to answer most common interview questions

Whilst you can never quite predict what will happen at an interview, there are several basic questions you should expect to be asked. Thinking about your answers ahead of time will improve your chances of putting your best foot forward when under pressure on the day.

1. Tell me about yourself

You don’t need to go into a huge amount of detail when asked this scarily open-ended question. Be sure that your answer has some relevance to your professional skills and your interest in the job you are being interviewed for. You can refer to a generalised personal quality you believe you have; such as honesty, integrity, determination – or, to use that most popular of phrases – being a ‘team player’, but keep it on track. If you do refer to your interests outside of work keep it brief.

2. Why do you want to work here?

In order to be able to answer this question you must have fully researched the company. Make sure you understand what the company does, what the role you are being interviewed for entails, and how you think you could fulfil that role. Speak about your attributes, training and education and how you think you could put that to good use working for this company. Reference how you believe the atmosphere of the company will encourage you to work well.

        3.  How do you feel about your career choices to date?

This question is as much about your self-esteem as your career progress. Be positive about what you have done and the routes you have taken but give the impression that there is still much that you want to learn. Speak about how you believe the environment of the company is a place for you to both learn and build on what you have done previously.

4. Why do you want to leave your current job?

There’s only a certain number of reasons why people want to change jobs. Usually they are to do with new challenges, a change of location, the opportunity for progression, improvements to salary, the opportunity to gain in pride and prestige or for the chance to work for a more stable company. You can be honest about your reasons, but try to link it to why you feel this new job in particular is so suited for you. So if you say you are looking for new challenges in your new role you could say that you felt your skills and experience weren’t being harnessed to their full potential in your current job but that they will suit you perfectly in this job.

5. How do you see yourself in the future of this company?

Easy answers would include how you would like to be seen as competent and friendly by everyone who works for the company. To make this answer more specific you will need to research the opportunities that the company offers for career progression. Ambition is good, but so is the desire for stability. If you want to stay in the job you are applying for because it is stable and secure you can say so.

6. What are you most proud of during your career?

Try to keep your answers job-related. There is no need to exaggerate your contribution to past major projects. Instead emphasise the chances you had to put your learning, training and experience to good use. Emphasise working hard to reach a target, working well with people, and making a difference.

7. What do you think you will be best at doing in the job description?

Mention some of your key personal qualities and keep them relevant to the job description. Include examples from your previous work placements and experience.

8. What do you think you will struggle with the most from the job description?

Try to put a positive spin on anything you say when answering this question! You can mention something you haven’t done before, but try to make it clear that you have at least done something similar to that before, and that you are quick and eager to learn. Perhaps mention a weakness you have had in the past with something similar to your job description, but how you managed to overcome this problem, and how you would do so again.

9. How do you feel other people rate your abilities?

The chance that you will be asked a question like this a good reason while you should ask for clear references and letters of recommendation from your employers before leaving your current job. You can produce these, or at least paraphrase these, when asked this question. If you have no references of letters available you can describe certain areas you felt you gained recognition in, and how that further enhanced your abilities.