Question number 1: Tell us something about yourself

What makes this question very difficult to answer is that its too broad. The
question also sounds disarmingly informal which throws a lot of job seekers off
balance, enough to lose their concentration and begin rambling in their answers.
Most recruiters and employers often use this question both as an icebreaker and
as an opportunity to get to know you beyond whats in your resume.
Suggested Answer: Highlight your Unique Selling Proposition or Personal
Branding Statement
This is your opportunity to capture the interviewers attention by providing a short
synopsis of your unique selling proposition or personal brand. Give a one to
two sentence description of who you are followed with a statement on your
strongest personal strength and how the company can benefit from the strength
you have mentioned is an ideal structure to wrap your answer around.
Add more value to your answer by incorporating a monetary value to the
strength(s) you bring to the table. You are most likely to get a follow-up question
probing the scenario behind your answer so be prepared to talk about the details
of your response.
If done correctly, your answer will pique the employer's attention and they would
want to know more. This will help increase your recall value that will also
increase your chances of getting considered or possibly hired for the position.

Question Number 2: Why do you want this job?

Interviewers are looking for a compelling reason about why you want the job and
why they should give it to you. Answering this question correctly helps move the
interview forward as the question of how much you want the position is already
answered.
Suggested Answer: Come Up with a Great Sales Pitch
The Undercover Recruiter shares four key steps in selling yourself into the job:
Step 1: Flattery Will Get You Somewhere
A little bit of flattery will get you somewhere. Start your answer with a short
statement on why youd like to work with the company and what you really like
about it. The only way you can answer the question without sounding insincere
is when you research about the company prior to the job interview. Use the
internet to find out as much as you can about the organization, the culture, and
the people working for the company.
Step 2: Share Your Insights About the Job Posting

Impress the interviewer by sharing what you know about the job posting. This
shows that you are genuinely interested in understanding the dynamics of the
position and are willing to embrace the requirements of the job posting.
Step 3: Relate Your Previous Achievements to the Job Posting
Interviewers and employers alike will appreciate your efforts to relate your
achievements to the job posting you are applying for. This indicates you wont
have problems going through training, seminars and other activities you may
need to attend to do the job well.
Step 4: Prepare a Rebuttal Statement
Expect follow-up questions that may question your suitability to the job and be
ready to fend off concerns about why youre perfect for the job. Always wrap
your answers around the fact that you are genuinely excited to be working with
them and that the skills you have fit perfectly with the job requirements.

Question Number 3: Tell us about your Strengths and

Weaknesses
Recruiters, hiring managers, and employers ask this question to assess job
seeker skills and assets that will prove most valuable to the company once
hired. The question also allows them insights to job seeker traits that may be
problematic for the organization in the long run.
Suggested Answer: Highlight your Strengths while Downplaying Your
Weaknesses
Emma Charnock, Hays Hong Kong Regional Director suggests highlighting the
skills you are good at and demonstrating a competency relevant to the job
applied for, such as report writing, time keeping or your ability to get things done
on time. Review the job advertisement for information on the skills required for
the position and focus on these areas by using examples that demonstrate these
skills.
With weaknesses, Charnock suggests talking about things you find difficult doing
and putting a positive spin to it. For example, you are very thorough which can
take time, but youve also found this means the quality of your work is always
high.
Sample Answers:
My greatest strength is my ability to multi-task without sacrificing the quality
of my work. I do this by keeping a daily calendar of the things I needed done
for the day and sorting them according to priority. I also make sure to followthrough with the schedule as much as I can and in case I am unable to

complete them that day, I make sure theyre first on my list the next day. My
greatest weakness is my tendency to over-think. I sometimes find myself
taking too much time strategizing on how to go about a certain task and
testing several solutions before settling on something which was in fact one
of the first things I thought of.

My greatest strength is my ability to work in a highly-organized manner. I

like to plan my strategy from start to finish making sure to anticipate any
hiccups or roadblocks that I may encounter along the way. My
<greatest/biggest> weakness is related to my greatest strength, I am very
organized to a point that when things dont go according to plan, I begin to
worry and can be a bit inflexible.

Do you have some more interview questions you would like answered? Leave
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conversation.

he 50 Most Common Interview Questions:

1. What are your strengths?
2. What are your weaknesses?
3. Why are you interested in working for [insert company
name here]?
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
5. Why do you want to leave your current company?
6. Why was there a gap in your employment
between [insert date] and [insert date]?
7. What can you offer us that someone else can not?
8. What are three things your former manager would like
you to improve on?
9. Are you willing to relocate?
10.
Are you willing to travel?
11.
Tell me about an accomplishment you are most
proud of.
12.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
13.
What is your dream job?
14.
How did you hear about this position?

15.
What would you look to accomplish in the first 30
days/60 days/90 days on the job?
16.
Discuss your resume.
17.
Discuss your educational background.
18.
Describe yourself.
19.
Tell me how you handled a difficult situation.
20.
Why should we hire you?
21.
Why are you looking for a new job?
22.
Would you work holidays/weekends?
23.
How would you deal with an angry or irate
customer?
24.
What are your salary requirements?
25.
Give a time when you went above and beyond the
requirements for a project.
26.
Who are our competitors?
27.
What was your biggest failure?
28.
What motivates you?
29.
Whats your availability?
30.
Whos your mentor?
31.
Tell me about a time when you disagreed with
your boss.
32.
How do you handle pressure?
33.
What is the name of our CEO?
34.
What are your career goals?
35.
What gets you up in the morning?
36.
What would your direct reports say about you?
37.
What were your bosses strengths/weaknesses?
38.
If I called your boss right now and asked him
what is an area that you could improve on, what would
he say?
39.
Are you a leader or a follower?
40.
What was the last book youve read for fun?
41.
What are your co-worker pet peeves?
42.
What are your hobbies?
43.
What is your favorite website?

44.
What makes you uncomfortable?
45.
What are some of your leadership experiences?
46.
How would you fire someone?
47.
What do you like the most and least about
working in this industry?
48.
Would you work 40+ hours a week?
49.
What questions havent I asked you?
50.
What questions do you have for me?