Every day you wake up late, much later than the sun, but one day something special comes your way. This something special is so important to you that it manages to push you right out of the bed, not to mention, much earlier than before. This ‘something special’ is nothing but an interview. With the interview on your mind, you dress up quickly and smart because, after all, you want to look your best. You get a thousand butterflies in your stomach; they leave no space for hunger and you feel extremely agitated. You surf the internet to get as much information on the company as possible. You read up everything you think is necessary and end up feeling pretty good about yourself. With confidence, knowledge on relevant matters and an undying urge to bag the job, you present your resume to the interviewer. The interviewer looks at your resume, shoots the usual, “talk about yourself” and right there, you give in to the pressure. Next question is “why do you want this job” and with a quivering body, you mumble something in a small voice. Needles to say, the interview doesn’t go quite the way you wanted it to go. Don’t let this happen to you again. Go through the following section for some frequently asked questions and answers that can help you prepare well for your interview.
Commonly Asked Interview Questions And Answers
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Talk about yourself! Have a short statement ready for such a question, but don’t make it look like you have memorized anything. Stick to the point and talk about your education, skills, previous experience, etc.
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Why did you leave your last job? A tricky question, but it can be handled well. Bring positivity in your answer instead of talking about problems you had with your supervisor, colleagues and management. State the reason for quitting with a smile on your face and explain how the new position, for which the interview is being held, is a chance for you to do something new and a lot more satisfying.
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Where do you see yourself after five years from now? Talk about your skills and talents here. Don’t be too specific or you can make it seem like you are blowing your own trumpet. Assure your interviewer about long term commitments. Interviewers basically ask this question to look for people who are clear about their career plans.
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How well can you work with people in teams? The purpose of this question is to determine if you like working alone or in a team. Be honest while answering. This will help your interviewers know if you are flexible with working alone or working with people, because in the end, all that matters are targets.
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Why should you be hired? Here, make it a point to give concrete examples on why you are more deserving than the others. Share your accomplishments and interests and draw comparisons between your abilities and the job description. This should help you get what you want.
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Do you read? Which was the last book that you read! Be extremely honest in answering this. Flatly refuse if you are not a reader or you might find yourself in a spot of bother.
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Talk about a few incidents that you consider as accomplishments in your past: Elaborate when you answer this question, because your answer matters quite a lot.
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How much do you know about the company? To answer this question satisfactorily, you should have done your homework. You should be familiar with everything that there is to know about the company. This question is almost always asked to find out how prepared you are for the interview.
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What are your demands from the job! Give yourself some time while answering this question. It should be based on the research you have done on the organization. Show your sincerity and weave an answer around your long term career goals.
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Why did you resign/get fired? Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never talk about problems you had with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization you previously worked for. If you do, you will be making yourself look bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for positive reasons such as better opportunities and chances to do something special.
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What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? Do not bombard the interviewer with answers related to your strengths. You may only come across as a show-off. Focus on what is the most important thing to be mentioned. Follow the same pattern for weaknesses and be modest enough to accept your past mistakes.
These frequently asked questions lay down the first impressions of the candidate and thus need to be answered smartly. So gear up, do your homework and prepare your answers well. Only this will help you crack each and every interview you attend.
