Frequently Asked Questions at Job Interviews

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Today, I am sharing a few frequently asked questions at the job interview. Naturally, these are all open-ended, meaning, you will not be able to respond with merely a 'yes' or 'no'.

Interview questions at a glance

Interviewers pose them to draw you out into conversation, giving you the opportunity to display what you have to offer to the organisation.

Tell me about yourself.
Name two of your strengths.
Name two of your weaknesses.
Why do you want to leave your current job?
Why do you want to join us?
What experience do you have in .. (e.g. your field / a particular area of expertise)?
What aspects of your last job did you find challenging and how did you handle them?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
What is your salary expectation?
Do you have any questions?

Why and how to prepare?

Preparing for these questions helps to raise your own self-awareness. Reflecting on them is beneficial as you are better able to draw on this understanding when the interview scenario calls on you to explain yourself.

Many of us squirm when asked about ourselves - and some of these questions are probing in nature. Thus, express your thoughts. Practice sharing your insights and saying them out loud.

You are then ready to tackle any version of the interview questions. Nowhere am I suggesting that you memorise impressive sounding model answers. Remember, in past articles, we have focused on being yourself.

What next?

Over the next few weeks, I will consider responses to some of the above questions. Essentially, I will share why interviewers pose the questions and what they are attempting to find out. Do take a moment to reflect on these questions and we will see if we are thinking along the same lines. You are also most welcome to comment and to share your interview experiences.

Interviews are not the last word

Bear in mind that interviewers are also human, capable only of subjective assessments of who you are as an individual. No matter the complexity of assessment tools they have up their sleeves that promise to take the guesswork out of their decisions, their decision to hire is still a guess. So take heart if you do not receive an immediate offer. Continue to improve and believe in yourself - a better match lies in the near future.

This post first appeared on BLOGdll at https://munyeewrites.com