Common Job Interview Questions
Common Job Interview Questions
Being a job seeker can be very stressful; from looking for vacancies, submitting resumes, sending mails, follow-ups and interviews which most times leave us skeptical of our chances of landing the job.
Alongside getting all your application materials in order and ensuring that they are error free, it is important to have a pre-knowledge of possible questions that the recruiter may ask. These increases your chances of saying the right thing which would boost your chances of getting the job.
Most of the common job interview questions are;
Briefly tell me about yourself and background: Interviewers would like to hear a brief story about you with a great beginning, something that pushed you into that line of career, academic background, trainings, and a positive end.
How did you know about this vacancy: Here, they want to know if you have been following up their company, if you were recommended (be sure to mention the person’s name and why he or she thought you could fit into that position. Do not assume they know this person), if you got to know from the recruiter or through the post office or if you sought out the role yourself.
Read More on This
- Areas to Improve Questions in Interviews and How to Answer it
- Reasons You Were Not Called up for an Interview
- How to Respond to Recruiter’s Email
- Six Mistakes Job Seekers Make
- How to Determine if You Have Low Emotional Intelligence at Work
What kind of work environment do you thrive in: Make sure you had done a bit of research about the company. Your preferred environment show match the company’s and create the illusion that you are already used to this. The opposite could and it seem you would not do well after being hired. Share how your expectations matches that of the company’s.
How do you have pressure or stressful situations: Here, the employer wants to know if you will experience burn out of meltdown when the work load comes in. If you will keep a cheerful face regardless of the work stress. You can share your previous work experience and how you handled the stress. The ability to handle stress and stay calm and optimistic is a highly needed soft skill.
Which do you prefer, teamwork or working independently: Your answer should be based on the research you have done on the company. Many jobs would require that you work in a team to accomplish a task and independently on a daily basis. When answering this question, share your teamwork skill and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of both.
When multitasking, how do you keep yourself organized: The employers want to know if you have your way of staying on track with work schedules, and multitasking, whilst trying to be efficient and proficient on the job. Be sure to state that you can meet up with deadlines and deliver projects on time.
Why did you leave your previous work: You have to be truthful here as most companies would do some background check and digging. State briefly what happened. Do not over emphasize details if you resigned because of something that took place.
What are your salary expectations: This question is a very tricky one as employers want to test you. You can come out plainly, admit you did a background check on the company and state that you are convinced that the company has already had a figure in mind for such position so as not to come off as greedy or stupid. If possible, state just a salary range, not a specific figure. See more tips on how you can answer this.
Are you applying for other jobs: Employers want to know if you are really into the position or it’s just an option amongst many. You can genuinely state that you are actively searching for jobs.
Why should we hire you: This is where you can unwrap all your skills and let them know why you are the best fit for the position.
Other common questions are?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why do you want this job?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- How does this role fit into your career plans?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you a pre-knowledge of common job interview questions recruiters ask. You can now brace yourself and answer them with confidence. Leave a comment if you have any questions for us.
