If you are in the middle of looking for a job and you are discussing potential openings with a specialist recruitment service, you’ll know that you will have to be ready for the inevitable job interviews. It can be a nervy and anxious time to prepare and head into a job interview – it is something that we have all done – and understanding what to expect in general, as well as specific questions you might be asked by that company and about their industry, will stand you in good stead. Here, we take a look at some of the most common questions that you might be asked during a job interview, helping you to prepare for every possibility.
Before you tackle the probably questions that come up in most job interviews, it is important to understand what it is you want out of a job. Finding work through a recruitment agency will help you to find the perfect job for you. This is because a good recruitment company will perfectly match a candidate with a job role. Think about the job advert that you saw and think about your own skills. Do they match up? Is this a job role that you want, that you would enjoy, and that will provide you with career fulfilment?
If the answer is yes, then move on to thinking about the types of questions that you might be asked in the job interview stage of the process and come up with answers that are not just the same stock answer in every interview. You only ever have one chance to make a good first impression and by answering thoughtfully, creatively and passionately every time, you give yourself a better chance to be picked out as the winning candidate once every applicant has been interviewed.
So, what are the types of questions that you can expect in the vast majority of job interviews?
- “Tell me a bit about yourself?” – Probably the most common of all interview questions, and one that many people struggle with. Keep things brief, light and confident.
- “What do you know about the company?” – You won’t be expected to know everything, of course, but learn the basics about the company and the industry, their competitors and goals. Be enthusiastic with your answers.
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” – Always think about this in direct relation to the role you are applying for. Never list a weakness that would impair your ability to do the job, but you do need to show self-awareness and how the company could help you improve. The same for strengths, be careful not to list strengths that have no relevance to the job you are interviewing for.
- “What challenges are you looking for in any role you take?” – Demonstrate that you are a problem solver by talking through specific challenges you have learnt about the role/company and how you plan to achieve success.
- “What motivates you?” – At the interview stage you should have more of an idea of what the company is looking for and you can match your desires and motivations with specific approaches to the role.
- “Why do you want to work for us?” – Always try to focus on positive aspects of the company, rather than just your desire for a regular salary (for example). It is also advisable to not mention anything negative about your current employer.
- “Why should we hire you?” – Don’t hesitate when answering this question and focus on your USPs in relation to the skills this specific role is looking for.
- “Why is there a gap in your employment history?” – A gap in a CV is always a red flag to any company, in any industry, so always try not to leave any gap in your application form and CV. If you have a gap though, try to be honest without being too honest, state what you did during that time and the accentuate the positives from all other roles you have in your past.
- “What sort of salary are you looking for?” – Salary negotiations should be left for when you have been offered a job and you should never bring it up in an interview. If the company brings it up however, have in mind the average salary for that role within the industry and don’t undersell or oversell your value.
- “Do you have any questions?” – This is a great way to get to know the company a bit more and to build a rapport through an opening up of discussion. It could help demonstrate that you are open-minded and innovative in how you approach any role and project.
Also, think about how the job interview process has changed in recent times. It could be that you are asked to take a job interview remotely due to the pandemic restrictions. Your focus should remain the same, as should your detail in preparation, but your mindset and where you choose to do the interview will differ.
There is no reason to worry yourself sick when you are preparing for an upcoming job interview. As long as you do your research on the company you are interviewing with and their industry and you are fully prepared for the types of questions that we have listed here, you’ll be on your way to getting the job. All you can do is to be fully prepared and to give it your best shot. With a good recruitment team behind you, you can understand exactly what it is a company is looking for in a candidate and what types of questions you can expect to be asked in a job interview. In some cases, you might even be asked to perform a task or take some sort of test. Going in blind to any type of job interview is never a good idea, so ask as many questions as possible from your recruiter and find out as much as you can about the company you are taking the interview with.