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Interviews are nerve-wracking events at the best of times. But they can be made even worse when you’re suddenly hit with a question you didn’t see coming. All of a sudden your palms get sweaty, you seize up, and you’re unable to think of a good answer.
This is the sort of thing that can really derail an interview, even if you’re the perfect candidate for the job. So let’s spend a bit of time looking at some of the most dreaded
Why Do You Want A Job With Our Company?
For the money, of course. Although an answer with this level of honesty usually won’t go down all that well. Managers want to know why you want a job at their company specifically, rather than at one of their competitors.
The usual strategy with a question like this is to use flattery. You’d say something like “because your company is the most prestigious.” But this response is getting a little cliched these days. Plus, it’s usually not true or particularly relevant, and managers know it.
Interviews are nerve-wracking events at the best of times. But they can be made even worse when you’re suddenly hit with a question you didn’t see coming. All of a sudden your palms get sweaty, you seize up, and you’re unable to think of a good answer.Click To TweetA better option is to do your research on the company and find something that really appeals to you. Perhaps you like the fact that the company produces the best products in the industry and you want to be on the cutting edge. Maybe you like the culture and feel that it is the ideal place for you to work. Perhaps the company offers opportunities for personal development that other companies don’t. Or maybe you’re just in love with the product, and there’s nothing else like it in the industry. Any of these answers and good answers will show hiring managers that you’ve thought carefully about why you’re a good match.
Introduce Yourself
Some interviewers like to ask candidates to talk about themselves to get an idea of how well they can present themselves. But as this informative resource points out, answering this question well is easier said than done. The best approach is to prepare a response in advance so that you’re not tripping over all your words. Hiring managers want to see whether you’ve got great language skills, you’re able to communicate effectively, and you would be able to impress if you were talking to somebody over the phone. In short, introducing yourself really doesn’t have an awful lot to do with the actual content of what you say: it’s more about how you say it.
What Is Your Biggest Weakness?
This is another common question that comes up in an interview and can really catch people off guard (even though it’s a question that’s been asked for decades). When it comes to talking about weaknesses, it’s important to tread carefully. Most interviewers won’t want you to name the core competency they’re hiring you for as a weakness. Instead, try to pick something tangential that you’re working on. If you get nervous in front of an audience, then talk about how you’re going on regularly and speaking in front of large groups to get yourself used to it. Tell the interviewer about the progress that you’ve made.
No matter how good you look, how much research you've done, or how perfectly your qualifications match the job description, if you're not prepared with great answers to the toughest interview questions, you won't get the job.
