19 Nov Top 5 Interview Questions

The questions you will be asked in an interview will vary from employer to employer and from job to job. There are a few questions that pop up in most interviews, though. Here’s a list of some of the top 5 most frequently asked questions in interviews, and advice on how to answer them.

Can you tell me about yourself?

This one can be extremely daunting. You’ve only just sat down and you’re being asked to describe yourself to a stranger. How do you approach this question? Do you be completely honest or hold yourself back? Here’s our advice: Be strategic. Talk the interviewer through your relevant life and work experience, as well as aspects to your personality that you think would help the company (i.e. dedicated and hard-working). You don’t need to explain a list of your work experience history from high-school to now, just pick the appropriate experiences to talk about.

Why do you want to work here?

This question will probably come up in some form or another. You’ll likely be asked something along the lines of ‘Why here?’, ‘Why this specific role?’, or ‘What do you know about this company’. This is your chance to show the interviewer that you care about the company and this specific role. Firstly, explain why the job appealed to you. Do some research on the company’s goals and values, and explain how you relate to them. By explaining how you relate to the company on a fundamental level (i.e. their mission is to help students in debt, and you were previously a student), you can show your passion for the role. Then, it’s a good idea to explain how your personal traits match up with the role requirements. This way you can show you understand the role and give them reasons to hire you at the same time.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

This question is often dreaded amongst job seekers. How do you explain your weaknesses without putting the employer off hiring you? How do you talk the interviewer through your strengths without seeming arrogant? The best advice on this question is to be accurate. When talking about your strengths, pick your genuine strengths but also keep them relevant to the job role. Don’t talk a lot about strengths that don’t apply to the job you are interviewing for. Additionally, be specific; don’t be wishy-washy and use a blanket term for your skills. For example, instead of saying ‘people skills’, explain that you are good with building a rapport with clients. It’s also a good idea to back up your strengths with real-life examples of how you’ve used those skills in the workplace.

When talking about your weaknesses, don’t do the dreaded thing of saying what you think they want to hear. Show the interviewer that you are self-aware and constantly trying to improve upon your skill set. Explain your weaknesses and ensure that you end your answer by telling the interviewer what measures you are putting in place to improve them.

What are your goals for the future?

By asking you this question, the interviewer is trying to understand whether your goals and desires are in line with the position you are applying for. The employer wants to see that you have ambition, and that you have considered this question before. If you can’t give an answer to this question, it may come across as though you lack drive and determination, and the future is something that you don’t often consider. If you aren’t sure of what you want to do in the future, it’s okay to explain that. If that is the case, however, it’s a good idea to explain how you think the job is important in helping you decide what you want to do in the next 5 years.

Do you have any questions?

This question is your chance to find out information that hasn’t already been covered during the course of the interview. By asking questions, you can show your interest and excitement in the role. It’s likely that any basic questions will have been answered during the interview, so come prepared with some unusual questions. Consider asking the interviewer what they personally like about working for the company. Additionally, you could show your passion by asking how to do well in the role or ask what the challenges may be for a person in this role.

The team here at Kiwi Recruitment wishes you the best of luck for your interview.

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