Applicants should always keep in mind that a job interview is one of the most important processes in every job application. This is the opportunity for applicants to showcase their achievements, personality, character, skills, experiences, and suitability for the position. Being sufficiently prepared for a job interview can significantly increase an applicant’s chances of getting hired for the role. Interviewers or potential employers ask a series of questions to assess the candidate’s qualifications and determine if the applicant is the right fit for the role, the team, and the company. As a recruiter for almost 20 years, what I will share with you in this article are the questions that we frequently ask that have some influence on the interview result.
Tell me about yourself or walk me through your resume.
Typically used as the opening question to put applicants at ease and give the applicants the opportunity to share their professional experience and achievements. This is asked to establish your job fit and to help recruiters align your professional background, relevant experiences, and key skills with the job requirements. Avoid sharing too many personal details that are unrelated to the job and focus more on demonstrating your experience that is aligned with the job that you are applying for. Unbeknownst to some, seasoned recruiters can easily establish if an applicant is qualified for the role by asking this type of question.
Describe a difficult project you worked on or describe a difficult task that was assigned to you.
This is another opportunity to showcase your skills and talent. The right way to answer this is to provide past experiences that, in your own assessment, allowed you to showcase your skills and talents. You must provide a specific scenario in answering this type of question as this question helps the interviewer picture you in a workplace setting.
Teamwork-related questions. Tell me about a time that you worked in a team that struggled to meet the metrics. Tell me about a time that you had a teammate who struggled to meet his/her metrics. Tell me about a time that you experienced difficulties working with a teammate.
Teamwork is essential in most professional settings. Share experiences that show how you work in a team. Established companies have a culture in place, interviewers, especially hiring managers, have a culture in mind on what they want in their teams. This helps the interviewer identify if you fit the culture of the team and the company as well.
Interest in the Location, Shift, Salary Package, Salary Objective, Work Setup
This is normally asked early or towards the end of the job interview. It is important to establish if your expectations are aligned with the job and the company. Be honest in answering these questions since details here hardly change. Many are reluctant to provide their salary package; in some cases, this is acceptable especially if the organization is flexible in their offer, but for most organizations that have a more structured salary band and offer computation, this is very important for involved parties to know and to not waste the applicant’s and employer’s time. Any personal information that you share is considered highly confidential and will only be used as part of your application.
Why are you interested in joining our organization? What do you know about our organization?
Prior to your job interview schedule, do your research about the organization. This is not exactly considered a common question, but if this question is asked, it would be critical if you don’t know anything about the company/organization that you applied for. Your answer to this question speaks loudly about how prepared and serious you are about joining the organization. Not being able to provide an adequate answer to this question gives an opposite impression to the interviewer.
Preparing for a job interview is extremely important for any job seeker. Do anticipate and practice responses before your scheduled interview. Recall all the things that you have done that would be substantial in the position that you applied for. This will increase your chances of sharing the best possible answer to any question that will be asked during the interview. Being well-prepared not only shows your ability and suitability for the role but also indicates your eagerness and commitment to becoming a valuable member of the company. Lastly, always be AUTHENTIC. The word “fit” in recruitment is not one-sided; instead, it has always been mutual to both the candidate and the organization.
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