A job interview is a stressful event even for experienced candidates. And for first-timers, thatโs a real nightmare. You donโt know where to look, how to sit, and what to talk about. Youโre trying to keep a balance between being too excited and too indifferent, and you also have to look motivated but not too desperate at the same time.
Of course, being successful in a job interview โ is a whole science. Thankfully, interviews are not spontaneous, and candidates have enough time to prepare themselves. For example, you can compose a well-structured resume to impress your potential employer or to order one at CareersBooster.
You canโt get ready for absolutely all kinds of questions, and you should always be ready to improvise. But we highly recommend you to look at the list of the questions that we provide below and read our recommendations.
That will help you to describe yourself in an interview in the best possible way and become the most beloved candidate.
1. Tell us about yourself
Source: forbes.com
Usually, thatโs the first question that you hear. Itโs simple but extremely confusing at the same time. What do they want to know? Your date of birth? Your parentsโ names? All wrong. Your interviewers want to learn more about your PROFESSIONAL life.
Start with a statement that summarizes your experience, for example: โIโm a marketing manager with seven years of work experience in US and EU markets.โ Then, add a few facts about your last or current job: your responsibilities, challenges, team, etc.
Youโre also welcome to mention why youโre interested in this specific job offer. And make sure that itโs not the salary!
2. Describe your strengths
One more time: your interviewers are interested in your professional strengths. Your talent for making pancakes or whistling wonโt work. You should also avoid cliches such as โhighly motivated,โ โstress-resistant,โ or โorganized.โ
Pick the traits which you have and which are necessary for the job. In addition, tell about life situations and challenges that allowed you to demonstrate these qualities. For example, if you want to become a project manager, being great at negotiations is a must. If youโre a born diplomat, share a story about how this strength has helped you in your career.
3. Describe your weaknesses
Source: markwarner-recruitment.co.uk
This question is more difficult than the previous one. One needs the courage to acknowledge oneโs faults, especially in front of complete strangers. But you donโt have to (and shouldnโt) share all your dark secrets. List two or three traits that you consider your weak spots. But they shouldnโt be the qualities that will absolutely compromise you as a professional. We also recommend adding some details on how youโre working on improving your skills and why they wonโt be a problem for a new employer.
4. Why do you want to change your place of employment?
Thatโs probably the most delicate topic to discuss with your future boss. In our humble opinion, honesty is the best policy in this case. But you should also be careful with the choice of words. You canโt say anything like โI got boredโ or โMy boss was a control freak.โ Pick less straightforward expressions like โIโm looking for new professional challengesโ or โIโm a creative person, and my supervisor prefers conservative approaches and methods and rejects all new ideas.โ
5. What makes you the best candidate for this job?
Source: inc.com
This question helps your potential employer to evaluate whether you understand the challenges that await you at your new job. Sometimes, a candidate perceives a job offer in the wrong way, and that may be a reason for future misunderstanding or disappointment. For example, you might say that youโre attentive to details and good at following instructions. But a company is looking for an employee with a creative mindset, and it will be hard for you to fit in.
6. What would you consider your biggest mistake in your professional life?
As well as the question about weaknesses, this question is aimed at testing your honesty and readiness to admit your mistakes without equivocation. When youโre telling the story of your mistake, donโt forget to mention that it will never happen again and what measures youโve taken to avoid the same failure in the future.
7. What was the biggest challenge in your career and how have you overcome it?
Source: staatalent.com
When you answer this question, the interviewer gets the opportunity to assess your problem-solving skills as well as your ability to act independently. This challenge doesnโt have to be connected with your work responsibilities. You may also share a story of difficult negotiations or how youโve managed to solve a problem with communication within your team.
8. What motivates you?
We can admit that the majority of people want to get a job in order to make a living. Thatโs the obvious thing, and you shouldnโt emphasize it during the job interview. Instead, look at the list of the companyโs values and pick two or three of them which are the most attractive to you. Justify your choice. For example: โIโm highly motivated by the opportunity to improve my managerial skills, and your company has a great leadership program.โ
9. What are your future career goals?
Source: digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Our life is unpredictable, but a mature professional always has some kind of plan for his/her future. An employer needs to know whether his company can satisfy your ambitions or it wonโt be a great fit for you. You might want to become a team lead in a few years, but nobody is planning to expand your department. You should clarify your intentions during a job interview in order not to deal with negative consequences later.
10. Describe a perfect workplace for you
Make sure that your description will be more about atmosphere, values, and organization and less about a comfortable chair, free cookies, or office parties.
We want to give you one more hint โ be proactive and ask questions about your future job and workplace. That will demonstrate your interest and motivation. Besides, everybody loves talking about themselves, and your potential employers are no exception. Good luck!