10 Common Job Interview Questions and Sample Answers
You prepared a compelling resume, made yourself visible on LinkedIn, networked with the right set of people and now it’s the D Day, and you are going to appear for the interview. This day requires a special kind of preparation, preparing for the right set of questions. You can be sure about your technical skills and must have prepared well to answer those. But there will be some questions, which are asked of every jobseeker but the originality of answer is expected.
This blog delves into frequently asked job interview questions and provides sample answers to help you articulate your skills, experience, and suitability for the role. By familiarizing yourself with these questions and practising your responses, you'll be better equipped to make a positive impression on potential employers.
1. Tell Me About Yourself
When the interviewer asks you about yourself, you have to share things about yourself, which is not already in the resume. Be creative and prepare an introduction, which gives a positive impression. You can start by basic introductions, talk about your interests. Share any details about project you are doing currently which can be of importance in the role you are applying for. Know where to stop and don't extend the answer beyond a certain limit that it gets annoying. You will get a lot of opportunities to speak about yourself in the interview ahead.
2. Why Do You Want to Work Here?
Your previous research about the company, the role you have applied for and your genuine reasons why you applying for this job will be helpful here. Interviewers always like jobseekers who know what they are looking for and are well prepared to answer this question. Always give reference points to your answer, if you are motivated by their vision or the technology they are working on. If they are inspired by the leadership under which you will be working.
3. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
This is a tricky question and people have learned to answer this with their strength. Identifying relevant strengths will also help you articulate your answer well. If you are applying for a role of creative writer, you can elaborate on how equipped you are with research skills. But be alert to not mention any weaknesses, which can prevent you from getting the job. Interviewer would like to know you as a genuine person whose skill sets and answers align with role when hired.
4. Describe a Challenge You Faced at Work and How You Overcame It
Always answer this with a real situation, how you managed that and how it helped you evolve as a professional. Make note of such challenging situations which you encountered in the past and how it helped you position yourself better in your last job.
5. Why Should We Hire You?
This is an opportunity to showcase how you are perfect fit for the role. You can speak about relevant prior experience. Basis your research you already know what is the expectations of client and how you carry all the relevant skill set.
You can also share your zeal to learn new things, adapt to dynamic environments. Your understanding of the role and company culture, will help you position yourself better in the interview. Read their job description well before the interview.
6. Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
Answer this question with presence of mind and don’t be too boastful. Never tell them you plan to join a bigger competition post 5 years or anyway which may sound like a threat to the company or over ambitious. You should not try to cut a pie bigger than you can eat.
7. How Do You Handle Stress and Pressure?
Not just for the interview but in reality, as well, you should know how to beat the stress and not over power it in your life. You can tell them how you manage your work and life. Employer wants to evaluate how organised you are and how much pressure you can handle in the job. Every life situation comes with some amount of stress, so your preparedness to answer this question will give you some brownie points. You can speak about your healthy habits, like mediation, daily walks, hobbies which helps you keep yourself stress free.
8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
Ideally this question comes by end of the interview but a very important question. I have written a complete blog on how to answer this question. Don’t skip this question by saying, you have nothing to ask. It may showcase you as an uninterested person. Read Questions to Ask Hiring Managers During a Job
9. What motivates you to come to work daily
You can tell them what matters to you, if it’s exciting to work on something new, meeting people. Seeing yourself progress towards your goal. Think for a while before you answer. Once the answer is out of your mouth, you can do any damage control. Too much improvisation in the answer will also not leave a positive impression.
10. How to answer case studies
In these questions, the interview evaluates your analysing skills. They want to understand your comprehension skills, problem-solving skills and presence of mind. How you articulate the answers.
So, understand the case well, and then try to answer it genuinely. The best way to solve the situation is, imagine yourself in the situation handling it in real life. You might find the answer well.
By exploring these common job interview questions and reviewing the sample answers provided, you’ll gain valuable insights into how to effectively communicate your qualifications and increase your chances of securing the job you desire.
Read more:
