Ten Interview Questions You Should Prepare For

Preparing for an interview can feel daunting, especially if it’s your dream job. You don’t know what questions they’ll ask until you walk into the room, and no one likes to be put on the spot. By preparing answers to some of the most commonly asked interview questions, you can get ahead of the competition and give yourself the best possible chance of landing the job.

Here are ten interview questions that you should prepare yourself to answer.

 “Tell me about yourself”

Many interviewers will start with this question in an attempt to break the ice. This question can feel like a challenge because it’s so open-ended. You know everything there is to know about yourself, but what does the interviewer actually want to know and what exactly are they looking for?

When answering this question, it’s important to talk about your present, your past and your future. First, briefly explain your current role, including a recent accomplishment. Next, explain how you got to where you are today, mentioning any relevant experience that may support your application. Finally, talk about your goals for the future and why you’re interested in the role you’re interviewing for.

“Why are you looking for a new job?”

In your response to this question, the hiring manager is looking for any red flags that may come up to suggest that you may leave shortly after being hired. For example, do you struggle with conflict resolution? Are you able to handle pressure? In particular, they will be looking to see whether you say anything negative about your current employer.

The key to answering this question is to remain positive. No matter what you think about your previous employers, think about how you can word your answer to this question positively. A negative answer may reflect poorly on your judgement and ability to handle difficult situations. Use this question as an opportunity to emphasise your skills and abilities and talk about how this opportunity will help you to develop them further.

“Why should we hire you?”

Whilst the focus of this question appears to be on you, it’s important to turn this question around. Think about the needs of the hiring manager and how your strengths can help them to solve their biggest challenges. This will demonstrate that you understand the company you’re applying to and give you a fantastic advantage over the competition.

You can prepare for this question by identifying the skills that the employer is looking for. Make sure you thoroughly read the job description and person specification, along with visiting the organisation’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

“Tell me about a time you made a mistake”

This is always a difficult question to answer. The hiring manager is looking for ownership and learning. They want an employee who will own up to their mistakes, put them right and then learn from them so it doesn’t happen again.

When you’re answering this question, make sure you don’t pass the buck. Take full ownership for your mistake and talk about how you made it right. Then, talk about how you learnt from it and measures that you’ve put in place to ensure that the same thing doesn’t happen again. This will demonstrate to the employer that you are capable and confident, and that you won’t blame others when things go wrong.

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

This can often feel like a trick question because the answer often isn’t the job you’re applying for. However, the hiring manager is generally looking for ambition. An ambitious candidate will always be looking for ways to improve and develop.

Think about your goals for the future and articulate these in a way which fits with the direction of the business. You can mention the skills and expertise that you’d like to have developed in the future, or additional responsibilities that you’d like to take on.

“How do you cope under pressure?”

The interviewer is looking here to find out how you handle stress at work. They don’t want to hear that you never get stressed, because that’s unrealistic. They’re looking for the techniques you use to manage your workload, keep the stress to a minimum and ensure that your work gets done.

Try and think of examples of when you’ve had several projects to manage. Talk about how you managed to prioritise these to reduce stress and ensure that deadlines were met. You can also talk about how pressure may also motivate you, enabling you to be more creative and productive.

“What would you hope to accomplish in the first 30 days in this role?”

The employer is looking to find out how you will adjust to your new role if you are hired. The most successful answers to this question are those that are assertive and confident, showing that you will take a lead in your induction.

You’ll need to talk about both the job and your colleagues in your answer to this question. First, talk about how you’ll learn about your job and the wider company, becoming productive as soon as possible. Don’t forget to also talk about how you’ll get to know your colleagues, working to quickly cultivate positive relationships with your co-workers.

“What is your biggest accomplishment?”

This question gives you the opportunity to share a relevant accomplishment, demonstrating the value that you will bring to the company. Try and choose an example which is relevant to the role you’re applying to if possible, as this will give you an edge over other applicants.

The STAR (Situation, Task, Approach and Result) method is a great way to approach this question. First, explain how the situation came about. This generally takes the form of an issue that you or your team were experiencing. Next, explain the task. What was your role and what skills did you offer? Then, explain how you approached the task. What options did you consider and how did you decide on the best approach? Finally, explain the results. If you have statistics to back it up, this will look great!

“What are your salary requirements?”

This question can often feel awkward, but it doesn’t need to. Make sure you’re honest with the employer. If you play down your salary expectation, you could end up underpaid. However, exaggerate what you’re looking for and you may be screened out.

Websites such as JobCollate will always display jobs with related salaries when available, while a website like Glassdoor can be useful for gaining an insight into what others at the company are being paid. Also look at other similar companies to get a baseline idea. If you’re worried about the figure sounding too high, you can always mention that you will take benefits such as health care or annual leave into consideration.

“Do you have any questions?”

This is your opportunity to show that you’ve researched the company and you’re serious about the job. Avoid saying no, even if you’re sure that it’s the right job for you. This is also your chance to leave a lasting impression with the interviewer, as it’s generally the last thing you’ll talk about.

It’s worth preparing a few questions beforehand because it’s likely that the interviewer will cover some of the answers before you have chance to ask the questions. You could prepare questions about the job, the company or the next steps after the interview. Avoid asking questions about salary, benefits, or annual leave unless the interviewer directly mentions these things to you, otherwise it may send the message that you’re more interested in how the company can benefit you than what you can bring to the company.

Interviews can often be challenging, leaving you feeling on the spot and exposed. However, by preparing answers to some of the questions you’re almost guaranteed to be asked, you will boost your confidence and put yourself ahead of the competition.