How To Ace The 10 Most Common Interview Questions

These are the ten most frequently-asked interview questions that you can expect to face:

1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Can you list your strengths?
3. What weaknesses do you have?
4. Why should I consider hiring you?
5. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
6. Why do you want to work here?
7. What is your salary expectation?
8. In What Ways Do You Think You Can Make a Contribution to Our Company?
9. What makes a good team player?
10. Is there anything that you would like to ask me?

Every answer to every question must demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the job.

1. What can you tell me about yourself?

Talk about yourself in summary and avoid rambling. Don’t tell them your life story. Pick three or four skills, areas of expertise or personal attributes related to the position.

2. Can you list your strengths?

List all your strength and relate them to the job opening. If you are a strong organiser, for example, then talk about a project that you coordinated, or a new procedure that you formulated.

3. What weaknesses do you have?

Never say that you have no weaknesses. Everyone who does this comes across like they have simply not prepared for the interview. Remember that being able to identify a weakness is a strength. Focus on an area of your work that needs to be improved.  Point out that this is a weakness, but something you have identified and are focusing on resolving.

4. Why should I consider hiring you?

If you are highly qualified for the job you are applying for, then you should point this out, but don’t forget that other people being interviewed may match or exceed your suitability. In such cases, focus on what else you can bring to the job, perhaps with your soft skill set, like being able to integrate well with existing members of the team, for instance.

Accentuate the positive aspects of what you can do now and how quickly you will be able to progress with what you don’t know if hired.

5. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

This is your chance to talk about your wider ambitions and goals. It is okay to say you’d like to progress on from the position on offer in most cases. Bosses want to hire people with determination so don’t be shy about sounding ambitious or hungry for success. Ideally, try to contextualise your ambitions within the organisation that you are applying to join because this tends to go down better.

6. Why do you want to work here?

Be specific. Show you’ve done your research. Make sure the interviewer knows that you understand their business. Focus on their needs and the value you add, not the fact that it pays well or is five minutes from your home.

7. What is your salary expectation?

Firstly, it is okay to talk about pay in terms of ranges and not to be specific about a particular number. It is also okay to include other benefits, like healthcare, pensions and time off within the context of salary. Make sure you have looked at other, similar jobs being advertised in other organisations so that you have an idea of the pay rate in the market.

8-In What Ways Do You Think You Can Make a Contribution to Our Company?

Pick three or four skills, areas of expertise or personal attributes and demonstrate their value to the position.

9. What makes a good team player?

Many people say in their CV that they are good at working cooperatively or are team players, but few say what this actually means. This needn’t be from your professional life. You could cite any examples from clubs or organisations to which you belong.

Answering this question well is especially important for people who want to be team leaders or to manage a department.

10. Is there anything that you would like to ask me?

This question signals that the interview is coming to a close. Prepare a closing statement to tie up all of the relevant skills, areas of expertise and personal attributes that demonstrate the value you bring to the position. You can also use this as an opportunity to showcase any additional information about yourself that has not been discussed, such as rewards, accolades, etc.

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