HOW TO ANSWER THE FIVE MOST ASKED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

By AK. Udofeh

Job interviewing never seems to get any easier - even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count. You are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don't know.

Here are job interview tips to help prepare you for interview effectively. Proper preparation is necessary as this helps alleviate some of the stress involved in job interviews and the more you prepare, the more comfortable you will be interviewing. 

Question one: Tell Me about Yourself

Now you walk into the interview room, shake hands with your interviewer and sit down with your best interviewing smile on. Guess what their first question is? "Tell me about yourself."

Do you "wing it" and actually tell all manner of things about yourself? Will you spend the next 5 minutes rambling on about what an easy-going, loyal, dedicated, hard working employee you've been? If this is the case, you stand a good chance of having bored your interviewer to death thus creating a negative first impression.

Because it's such a common interview question, it's strange that more candidates don't spend the time to prepare for exactly how to answer it. Perhaps because the question seems so disarming and informal that we drop our guard and shift into ramble mode. Resist all temptation to do so.

Your interviewer is not looking for a 10-minute essay here. Instead, offer a razor sharp sentence or two that sets the stage for further discussion and sets you apart from your competitors.

Keep in mind that the interviewer doesn't want to hear about your family or spouse, your hobbies, pets, or personal life. The best way to answer is to stick to business.

The interviewer wants to hear what you've done in your career, and what you plan on doing. To give them the answer they're looking for, it's best to talk about your past career, things you've accomplished, and what made you decide to apply for this position. Include details about skills you have that directly relate to the job you are applying for.

The "tell me about yourself" interview question often serves as a conversation starter in job interviews. It's a tricky one, though, because the information you reveal about yourself can lead the interviewer to keep considering you as a candidate, or it can cause them to cross you off the list.

Question two: Why do you want to work for us?

The deadliest answer you can give is "Because I like people." What else would you like - animals?

Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able -or wouldn't want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don't really want.

Question three: Why should we hire you?

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. In essence the interviewer is asking you, “What can you do for us that someone else can't?”

Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to beep your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.

Question four:  How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

Question five:  Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cut back, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts.

The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The "We agreed to disagree" approach may be useful. Remember that your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for an interview.

Please note that list is inexhaustive, yet you can still use these sample questions to prepare for your next scheduled job interview, or adapt them for your individual entrepreneurial needs.

Best wishes in your upcoming interview.