Let’s start with a hypothesis. Consider that you have just been invited for a job interview. How do you feel at that? In all probability, you will experience a gamut of emotions. You might be jubilant, anxious and filled with eager anticipation, all in the same breath. However, the thought of the interview leaves many highly-strung making them submit the interview to fate. This is nothing but losing your edge even before you start. It is only through interviews that employers hire the most appropriate and the suitable people to fill vacant positions in the company. During the interview, the interviewee’s communication skills, confidence and personality are gauged as s/he gets to be known as a professional and is made to answer certain questions. As objective closed-ended ‘yes or no’ questions hardly give an insight into your abilities, interviewers turn to open-ended questions that seek to gather in-depth information from potential employees. The subjective elaboration that open-ended questions necessitate poses a great challenge for job-seekers. Now stop worrying and refer to the information below on how to answer open-ended interview questions.
How To Answer Open Ended Interview Questions
“Tell Me About Yourself”
Here, what the hiring manager is looking for is a quick and brief account of who you are and what qualities make you suitable for the post. You are given a chance to introduce your work qualifications, experience and your personality. You can mention details regarding where you grew up, where you attended school or a significant career move in a nutshell.
“What Are Your Strengths And Weaknesses?”
If you are asked to elaborate on your strengths, it is your chance to showcase your USP to the organization. Your strength ought to be a trait that pertains to the position you are applying for. As far as weaknesses are concerned, you can either give an honest evaluation of a related area that you lack experience in and need to improve upon, or you can point out a couple of weaknesses that double up as strengths. For instance, you can say that you tend to be too meticulous about the quality of your work.
“If I Were To Ask Your Professors To Describe You, What Would They Say?”
For such questions, there exists a threat of cross-checking and referencing your answers. To do the spadework for this question, approach your erstwhile bosses or professors in advance and if they are willing to provide a positive reference, request them for a letter of recommendation. When you answer, you can tell the interviewee what your professors feel about you while mentioning that you can show the letters of recommendation.
“What Do You Think Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?”
Many interviewers are seen floundering with such questions as they are not sure whether they are expected to boast about their qualities or not. The purpose of this question is to gauge the value you can offer to the company. However, do not feel shy of highlighting your job-related positives. You have to convince the interviewer as to what specifically distinguishes you from the rest and what makes you the most suitable candidate for the post.
“Why Should I Hire You? “
If you are keen on working for the organization, you may have researched the company and its market position to gain a fair understanding of the job and the reasons you want it. Remember that honesty and clarity come handy, and so, commend the organization for its achievements. If you are applying just to better your job opportunities, try to find out at least one aspect that you can point out as the appeal factor.
What Are Your Salary Requirements?
A hefty pay may be meaningless if you do not pick up the necessary skills that can bolster your career by training you for your next job and add weightage to your resume. However, you must research the remuneration in your field to get an idea about the salary bracket for your post. If you are asked to give a number, always give a range that is slightly higher than the average.
Hope you find the above-mentioned information on how to answer open-ended questions useful. As first impressions always linger on, a lot depends on how confidently you project yourself.
