How to Answer Job-Interview Questions

Interviews are a two-way street. Be confident about the skills you bring to the table.

A successful interview is one in which both the interviewer and the interviewee provide honest answers about work, qualifications and experience. The conversation should lead to both of you being able to make an informed decision about whether you are right for the job. Interviewing is more art than science, so your social skills in communication, connection and likability will help reinforce the job qualifications you have. To perform well in an interview, you need to practice ahead of time and prepare solid answers to common interview questions.

Instructions

1. Prepare. Learn all you can about an organization and the person you'll be meeting prior to the interview. Be knowledgeable of the history of the organization, challenges it is facing and its growth patterns. Study news sources and have conversations with people in the industry. Examine the job description and prepare to demonstrate how you can fulfill each of the requirements.

2. Establish trust and demonstrate what you can do for the company throughout the interview. Project confidence in your abilities and knowledge of your job's subject matter. Interviewing has a lot to do with making a personal connection and giving your interview a good gut feeling. You can do all of these things by having prepared answers, mirroring the body language of your interviewer, and finding a common ground for discussion.

3. Tell stories. Use personal anecdotes to lay out what you can do for the company. Make the stories compelling but brief. "Harvard Business Review" says if you are a natural storyteller and you can relate old college football days to how to perform well on a job, do it. Otherwise, stick to anecdotes from your professional life. Prepare at least one story on a failure you've experienced. Be sure to finish it with the lessons you've learned.

4. Prepare answers to the typical situational and behavioral questions asked on an interview. Inevitably you will be asked about strengths and weaknesses and handling past and hypothetical situations. Use the STAR method to fully convey your answers: describe a Situation related to the question, the Tasks you had to perform or goal you needed to reach, the Actions you took and the Results of your action.

5. Ask questions. An interview is a two-way street, and you should think of yourself as an equal partner in the process. Ask your interviewer to clarify something you don't understand. Ask if you have given all the information the interviewer was seeking, and most important, ask probing questions to help you get an insider view of the organization.

Tips & Warnings

• Communicate well. Watch out for the "ums" and "ahs," the "likes" and "you knows" and other distracting language.

• Don't forget to send a thank-you note following the interview.

References

• JobWeb: Art of Interviewing Well
• Drexel University: The STAR Method
• EMC Career Center: Effective Interviewing
• University of Minnesota: Interviewing Well
• CommonGood Careers: How to Handle Tough Interview Questions
• Harvard Business Review: How to Ace an Interview

Resources

• Harvard Business Review: 3 Tips for Acing the Interview
• Quint Careers: Free Sample Behavioral Interview Questions
• Society for Human Resources Management: Interviewing Toolkit
• Quint Careers: Job Interview Question Database: Questions with Excellent Sample Responses
• Interview Coach: Free Interview E-Course
• U.S. Department of Labor: Interviewing Essentials: Strategies for Creating a Positive Impression