Whether you are a fresher or looking for a job change, you must undergo a recruitment process that includes interviews, group discussions, tests, and exams. When it comes to interviews, you need specific common questions to prepare your answers to increase your confidence. A little practice with prepared answers can avoid high stress and anxiety during your interview. The article covers common interview questions and how you can prepare your answers for these questions. In the end, it also provides some tips to prepare for the interview.
Common Interview Questions and Answers to Prepare:
Introduce yourself/ Tell me about yourself:
This is a general question asked by interviewers. Talk about your academic background and passion and how you ended up in this industry. You should also tell your strengths in combination with your work experience, making you a good fit for the job role. Finally, you can mention your achievements and extracurricular activities.
Why do you want to work here?
In many interviews, the interviewer asks you, ‘why do you want to work with this company?’ and listens to your answer to ensure you have applied thoughtfully and not sent a resume randomly because of a vacancy. Here, you should answer how your career goals, work culture, and even payscale meet your expectations.
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
While answering this question, you should always discuss short-term goals like getting a job in a growth-oriented company aligning with my expectations. Of course, you can always tell your long-term goals in the short term as they might change based on your career growth, but you can give an abstract idea of your long-term goals.
What are your weaknesses?
You should minimise your weaknesses by staying away from personal qualities. While answering this question, you should focus on professional traits and explain how you overcame them.
Why should we hire you?
This question allows you to summarise your qualifications, experiences, and proven record that can make a difference in the company if you are selected. You should answer it confidently in your abilities, professional expertise, and capabilities.
Why did you leave your previous job?
Typically, employees leave companies due to negative experiences, such as their boss, company policies, work culture, bad events, or just wanting to leave the place. But, when asked by the interviewer, you should never badmouth your former employer. It is always best to give reasons about what you are looking for in your next job as well as career growth.
What are your salary expectations?
Though it is an advantage to get a chance to tell your expectations, do not hurry up. First, you should know the market range and where you stand. You can give a fair idea of how much you expect but also show your readiness to discuss and agree on a reasonable amount for you and the company.
Do you have any questions for me?
This question is designed to see if you have prepared for this particular job and are curious to know details about the job role/company before you leave. So, you should ask questions related to the job role, company updates, or even doubts during the interview.
Moreover, you should know your preferable work environment, how you deal with stressful situations at the workplace, whether you prefer to work independently or in a team & why.
Interview Preparation Tips:
If you want to give a stress-free interview, it is always a great idea to prepare for it. However, the interview preparation tips discussed below can reduce your tension and anxiety about the interview by increasing your confidence.
Understand the job description:
Employers provide a clear job description, including the list of the qualities, qualifications, and background required for the particular vacancy. While preparing for the interview, the job description can be taken as a guide, and align yourself with all the details. In addition, it provides you with ideas regarding questions you may come across during the interview and help you prepare better.
Know why you have applied for the job:
Before opting for the interview, you should clearly understand why you applied, why you want it, or why you are qualified for a specific job. It provides an opportunity to convey your interest in the position and why you will be a good fit.
Research on the company:
It’s essential to know the company you’re applying for. It’s not beneficial only for the interview but clarifies all aspects of the company. A basic understanding of the products and services offered by the company can benefit the interview. If you know details about the vacancy, it can help you prepare thoughtful questions.
Prepare your questions:
Hiring managers sometimes allow you to ask questions. Your questions show them your homework and interest in the company. Ask questions to help you understand if the company fits your career goals and life. Research the company and get updates on its new products/services or innovations. It also helps interviewers to see whether and how much you are interested in the company, your job role, and the chances of joining the company if selected.
Practice:
Before the interview, you should practice the common questions discussed in the above section. You should get comfortable presenting yourself and your work without stress and anxiety. You should speak out loud your answers in front of a mirror or ask your friend/ family member to conduct your mock interview, or record yourself and observe your responses.
Conclusion:
Whether a fresher or experienced professional, interviews bring stress and anxiety. Though questions depend on the job description and role, some non-technical questions are commonly asked in all interviews, as discussed in the article. You should prepare answers to these questions to reduce anxiety and increase confidence. Some interview preparation tips are shared at the end of the article. To know more about it, Join Seekho Select Membership today.
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