Possible Interview Questions
Answers must be relevant, succinct, personal and to the point
Think before you speak
There is no one right answer to an interview question. Here are some questions to think about and some guidance as to how to answer them
Tell me about yourself
Memorise some of your best attributes (perhaps your good attention to detail, or your ability to cope with stressful situations - remember that there is not a "right" answer because everyone is different). Think about your education, training, qualifications and work experience. Make it relevant to the role you are interviewing for.
Tell me about your achievements
Key points should be: work related, recent, relevant, show a tangible benefit and be about how YOU personally achieved, not the team you were working with.
What do you like/ dislike about your current job?
Make "likes" relevant to the role
Don't dwell on "dislikes", do not open a can of worms or really run down your current employer. Do not be too specific or critical. However, try to be honest about your dislikes as there is very little point in securing a new role which is full of tasks which you can't bear to do.
What are your strengths?
Make them relevant with examples of them in action at your last job
What are your weaknesses?
Never say "none"
Think about lack of experience or training - perhaps in the context of what you would like to go on to achieve in the future.
Think about weaknesses that could also be perceived as strengths
Describe what you have done to combat these or turn them to your advantage
Why are you leaving?
Build your answers around progression, challenges, more experience
Avoid being negative or highlighting money
Are you happy with your career so far?
Be positive; do not show a lack of focus, good decisions or planning. Try to concentrate on talking about where you want to be in 3 or 5 years time and how your career so far has helped you move toward this goal. However, if your CV has obvious gaps in it, do be honest but try to focus on your goals today.
Describe a difficult/ pressurised situation at work
Never describe a situation in which the cause of the stress was you! Show logic, and explain what you did, how you handled it and the positive outcome
What kinds of people do you respond to/like working with/ for?
Be flexible and positive. This question might be exploring how you will fit into the existing team and you need to display that you are capable of getting on with all types of people.
What do you enjoy about this sector/industry?
This question is easy if you have done some research and thought about it - after all, you wouldn't be applying for the role if it didn't attract you in some way!
How do you cope with anger/ frustration at work?
How do you cope with conflict of interests?
How do you cope with disagreements with bosses?
Do not be the cause; be logical, calm, effective and reasonable. Do not be too specific about prior frustrations.
Do you prefer to work alone or part of a team?
Have some specific examples prepared of being happy to do both.
What changes at work have given you problems?
Find an example of when you have coped with and embraced change. Do not give the impression of being inflexible.
How do you feel about working long hours/weekends?
Try to give an example of when you have done this in order to achieve a specific task or complete a project to a tight deadline. Do not worry about saying that it is something you wouldn't want to do regularly if this is how you feel.
When have you failed/ felt out of your depth?
Find an example of where you have lacked support or training, avoid being the cause of the failure and try to discuss what you have learnt from the experience and what you would do differently next time.
What can you bring to this company/ why should we hire you?
Highlight past relevant achievements
What are you looking for in a company?/Why have you applied for this job?
Tailor your answer based on your research in to the company and the role. Be enthusiastic, you need to convey that you really want the job.