How to Answer 6 Common Interview Questions

When you are invited for a job interview, there are some common interview questions that you are likely to be asked. Answering these interview questions in an honest, complete and well thought out manner can mean the difference between getting the job or going home.

The following questions are purposely open-ended and are asked in some form or another by most interviewers. Answering these interview questions correctly is a way for you to separate yourself in the interviewer's mind from the other job candidates. So use the following advice to give the best answers to the most common interview questions you are likely to be asked.

Instructions

1. 

   Can you tell me a little about yourself?

   This first interview question is the most common and will probably be asked by every interviewer you will encounter. It is also the hardest to answer without a little forethought.

   This question should be answered in a manner that is concise and fairly relevant to the job you are applying for. The interviewer does not want to hear your life story, just some significant facts about you or experiences that led you to where you are now. Give a little background on your education, previous employment experiences and current situation. How you describe yourself should subtly include why you are suited for the job you are interviewing for.

   For example, if you are applying for a job folding paper airplanes, you could include something like: "In my last job I worked in the paper folding department, but I decided I really wanted to move forward and focus my career on folding paper planes so I took classes on paper plane design".

2. 

   What is your greatest strength?

   This is another common interview question, but one that really gives you an opportunity to show how special you are and set yourself apart from the crowd.

   When you answer this question don't be afraid to toot your own horn so to speak. You should answer confidently and positively, without being too arrogant. You are not bragging, just stating a fact about why you are so great and how your strength makes you perfectly suitable for the job.

   Use the job description as your clue for what type of strengths they are looking for and focus on how your strength matches with their needs. For instance if the job describes a need for good organizational skills, then describe how you always organize yourself in a manner to get things done quickly and efficiently or that your strength is your attention to detail. If it seems like a fast paced, results driven job, then describe your strength as how well you work under pressure and enjoy having lots to do.

   There are some things you should avoid when answering this question. Do not use personal strengths that are too personal or not at all related to the job. Your ability to build a bong out of driftwood or pay attention at meetings while doing sudoku puzzles are great, but they probably won't get you the job. Also, you don't want to completely lie about what your strengths are (exaggerate maybe, but not lie). There has to be some strength, ability or characteristic that you possess that will make you a good employee so reach deep down, find it and apply it to the job you are interviewing for.

   A variation of this interview question is to list three of your greatest strengths. Be prepared with a few of your strengths just in case.

3. 

   What is your greatest weakness?

   This interview question is universally feared because the job interview is supposed to be about showing how great you are, not to display your shortcomings or incompetence. However, there are ways that you can answer this question that don't seem too bad or make you look like you can't do the job.

   First of all, you have to answer with some weakness that you have. You cannot just say that you are all strengths and have no weaknesses. Even if you are perfect in every way, avoiding the question will just make you look like a liar or too full of yourself to be taken seriously. Another thing to avoid if possible is too obviously turning your weakness into a strength. Interviewers are generally hip to the answers "my weakness is that I work so hard it makes my coworkers look bad" or "sometimes I'm so focused on my work that I forget to eat".

   The way to answer this question is with a minor weakness that is professional, but will not impact your ability to do the job that you are interviewing for. As always, you want to look at the job description and match your weakness to something that is not specifically required by the job. For example, if the job requires strong focus on teamwork your weakness could be something harmless like "my weakness is that I sometimes focus too much on the end result and not enough on the details of a project". When you answer the question, you should also include what steps you are taking to address this weakness. Continuing the example, "...so I have made an effort to increase the level of planning I do by outlining each step of a process".

   By answering this question correctly you will demonstrate that you are self aware enough to know that you have faults, and that you are also proactive enough to work at overcoming them.

4. 

   Why did you leave you last job? (Or, why do you want to leave your current job?)

   There can be many reasons why you are looking for a new job from being downsized, just moving around or being grossly incompetent and fired from your last job. When answering this question you want to highlight the positive reasons that you are looking for a new job and downplay the negative reasons.

   Above all this interview question should be answered positively. If this job is an upward move for you, you could say that you want to take your career to the next level to develop as a person, and that you feel ready to take on the new responsibility that this job offers. If the job is a lateral move, answer that you have the skills to do this new job and look forward to broadening your experience in the area. If the job is a step back, explain how you are qualified to do the job but this would be an opportunity to hone the skills you already possess.

   Even if you were fired or downsized, answer like you were planning to move on anyway and being let go from your former job was just an opportunity to do so. Interviewers want to hire someone who genuinely wants the job, not someone who is desperately trying to take whatever comes their way. If you were fired, you should give a brief explanation, but try to focus on the circumstances rather than whose fault it was. This is not the proper time to rant about how mean your old boss was or the politics of your former company; no employer will want to hire a self-professed malcontent.

   Another thing to remember when answering this interview question is that this is really not the place to talk about money. Increasing your income may be your motivation for applying for this job, but this question is not the place to discuss how you are just applying to this job for more money. There will be discussions about salary at some point so be patient. Employers are looking for someone who will be fulfilled and dedicated to the job, not just in it to make a buck.

5. 

   Why do you want to work at (this company)?

   The answer to this interview question will really depend on research you have done on the company before your interview. Before going to the interview, be prepared with some background on the company, and even the department or area where you are applying if possible. Some basic information to find out can be what exactly the company does, how big it is, what is its position in the industry, how it is viewed by the public or competitors and what its future looks like.

   Your reasons for applying to this company could be varied, but your answer to the interview question should focus on why you think the company would be a great place to work, and how the company would benefit from having you. Describe what positive aspects of the company you like and why. Talk about how this company is perfectly suited for you in regards to your career goals and life plans. Be specific about the details of how well the company fits your plans, and how your abilities will fit in with the company's future. This tells the interviewer that you have done your homework and that you have really given some thought on where to apply.

6. 

   What kind of salary are you looking for?

   This is probably the most problematic interview question to answer. It's a classic catch-22 situation. If you go too high you might price yourself out of a job offer, but if you go to low then you are cheating yourself out of fair compensation. Answering this question, like many others, will require a little bit of preparation on your part.

   If the job description does not come with a defined salary, then there are other resources you can use to find a range of salaries to base your answer on. Web resources such as salary dot com can be used to find what others are being paid for similar positions in that particular industry. Another resource is a Google search of the job title and salary. You could also look at other classifieds for comparable jobs that might have the salary expressed in the ad. The purpose of your research is to get an idea of what they consider an appropriate salary, what you deserve and what you might get.

   When you answer the question, indicate that you have done some research and have a salary in mind. If you feel confident that you know what that salary should be and that you will get it, go ahead and say so. Be direct, "based on the job description and my research into the position, I feel that $XX would be an appropriate salary for someone with my experience". If you are not quite so sure what the exact number is, answer the same way but with a range of salaries you feel comfortable with based on your research. Make sure the range is not so wide that you sound ridiculous or so small that there is no room for negotiation. Plus or minus 10% on either side of your expected amount should give a comfortable range to work with.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared

• Tell them how perfect you are for the job

• Have good examples and explanations

• Keep it professional

Resources

• Acing the Interview
• 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions
• Winning Job Interviews