It would great if we knew exactly what questions the interviewer would be asking us in a job interview. Unfortunately, we aren’t mind readers. Fret not! Here is a list of most commonly asked interview questions and tips we’ve compiled from recruiters and how to answer them.
While we don’t encourage having a standard answer for every question, we do believe that it’s important to get yourself familiar with what you might be asked and give some thoughts of these commonly asked interview questions.
Take this list as your interview guide.
1. Can you tell me something about yourself?
This question seems casual and hence caught a lot of candidates off guard. Hint: The hiring manager is not asking you to repeat everything on your resume. Instead, try crafting a concise pitch that tells why you’re the right fit for the role. Share a little bit about your personal interests and maybe 2-3 specific achievements that would highlight your strengths to the interviewer. Don’t forget to conclude the pitch talking about how your previous work experience has prepared you for this role.
Read more: How to Answer “Tell Me about Yourself”
2. How did you hear about the position?
This is a good opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the company and the role. For example, if a friend told you about the vacancy, tell your friend’s name. If you found it on a job site, share what caught your eyes about the position.There is no right or wrong answer for this question, just be honest and tell the truth!
3. How much do you know about about the company?
Although interviewers appreciate you reading their “About” page or memorizing their mission and vision, they are more interested to know if you truly passionate about the company. A good way to tackle this question is to show you understand what the company is trying to achieve or identify the gap they are trying to fill. Connecting the company’s values to your advocacy or personal experiences could be a plus point. For example, make your line more personal like “I feel strongly about the vision personally because…” or “My personal experiences in this industry make me believe that…” and share your thoughts confidently.
4. Why do you want this role?
Obviously, companies want to hire people who are interested in the job. You should have thought about this before applying for the role! Make sure you structure your answer properly. Start off with the reasons why the role is a great fit for you (e.g. “I love designing because I can be creative and create something new”), follow by why you choose the company/industry (e.g. “I’ve always been interested in technology development and I see myself growing in this role”).
Read more: 3 Steps for Answering: Why Do You Want This Job?
5. Why should we hire you?
In most job interviews, this question may seem direct but undoubtedly one of the best questions for any hiring managers to ask. There is no better way for you to market yourself and your skills to the interviewer. Be confident and share about your capabilities and how you can contribute to the company. Don’t forget to mention how you will fit in with the team and adapt to the company culture.
Read more: 6 Best Ways to Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”
6. Why are you leaving your current company?
This is a tough one, but it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll be asked. It’s never a good idea to be negative about your past employers. Instead, keep things positive and tell your experiences in a way that you’re looking for more career growth and that the role you’re interviewing for is closer to what you want. For example, “I’d love to be more involved in the overall campaign planning and this role provides me the opportunity to do so.” Never lie about your reason of leaving and even if you were retrenched, it’s okay to be honest.
Read more: 3 Strategies for Answering “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”
7. What are your weaknesses?
This question is to gauge your self-awareness and humility. Don’t see this as a negative question but take it as a opportunity to show the interviewer how well you know yourself. Be honest and share something that you struggle with and what measures you took to improve it. For example, maybe your presentation skills aren’t good enough but you’ve started taking public speaking classes to help you be more comfortable when presenting in front of people.
8. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The interviewer wants to know if you have a clear goal in mind and if the goal is realistic. Now it might be hard to imagine what’ll happen in the future but it’s important to show the interviewer that you have a career plan. The best way is to think realistically about where this role could take you and how your skills can be further developed. However, if you just started your career and still quite uncertain what the future holds, it’s okay to be honest about it. But, reassure the interviewer that the new role could help to make things clearer for you.
Read more: How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years”
Find these tips useful? We have more career advice, workplace tips, and job search tips on our blog. If you’re looking for jobs in the Philippines or abroad, sign up now and start applying!
Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash
