Question 1: So, Tell Me about Yourself…
This is the most common question to start with in an interview.
The biggest mistake people make in this answer is they summarize their resume or their entire job history. But that’s not what the interviewer wants.
Instead, prepare to say a few things about your accomplishments, strengths, and a quick summary of your career. Be sure to keep your answer brief with a 60- to 90-second answer.
Question 2: Reasons You Want this Job
With this question, highlight what interests you about the job. But focus on the specific job responsibilities or the values and mission of the company. Focus on what you will do in the job and what excites you about the position, not the benefits or salary or day-to-day tasks.
Example:
“What excites me about this position is the opportunity to interact with the customers and understanding what people want or need. So, I look forward to using that skill to understand the user experience and consider how to improve it so that the company stands out among its competitors.”
Question 3: Why did you leave your last company/position?
With this question, you want to be careful. You don’t want to complain or make negative statements about your previous/current company or supervisor. But you do need to be honest at the same time.
Some common reasons you might have for leaving a job include:
- Looking for a new challenge
- Looking for an opportunity to grow your career
- Current company let go of most of its recent hires as a part of reorganizing its structure and you were a part of them.
- Recent or upcoming move to a new location
Question 4: Why would you be the right choice for this position?
With this question, the interviewer wants to know how will your skill set or professional experience benefit the company and help reach its goals.
This is an opportunity to focus on your strengths, a past accomplishment, and/or your skills. Then you want to connect that to how you’ll use that strength or skill in this new position.
Example:
“In the job description, I see that the top priority is to increase sales. One of my skills is the ability to identify opportunities for growth and strategize accordingly. In my previous job, I saw an opportunity to increase our market share through new marketing strategies and I was able to increase our sales by 12% within one year. I look forward to bringing those same skills to this position.”
Question 5: A time you handled a high-pressure situation.
With this question, the interviewer is looking for specific examples of how you have performed in the past. They want a real story, a concrete example. They also want answers that are quantifiable. What does that mean? It means to show the quantity of something or something that is measurable.
Examples include:
- I increased sales by 6% in 3 months by…
- I introduced a new filing system…
- I signed on 3 new high-end clients by…
Question 6: What do you think your top strength is?
Talking about yourself and your strengths can be uncomfortable. But it’s unavoidable. The best way to handle these questions is to highlight a particular skill or strength with a story. Show how you’ve used that skill in the past.
Example:
“I’d say I’m definitely good at noticing patterns in numbers and identifying anomalies, which is essential in tax preparation. I love that I’m able to use this skill to help our clients save money.”
Question 7: What salary range were you looking for?
If you receive a question about salary that can definitely feel uncomfortable. It’s always a challenge to talk about money. In your answer, you don’t want to offer a number that is too low or too high. It is best to research on the common salary for that position and for someone with your qualifications.
Example:
“The typical salary range for this position is XXX to X,XXX so I would expect something within that.”
Question 8: Closing Questions
Example Questions
Do you have questions for me?
Are there any questions you’d like to ask?
Now it is your turn to ask questions. And you definitely should. These questions should relate to the job, company culture, expectations, etc. (not the benefits package, salary offer, vacation time, etc.).
