How Would Your Boss Or Coworkers Describe You
This question is pretty much the same as what are your greatest strengths, the only difference is that it should be from the point of view from your boss or coworkers.
Here, you want to focus on your traits and achievements that youve previously been praised for .
There are at least 2 ways to answer this question:
1) Describe a specific situation where you excelled at work
Sample Answer
Theyd say Im super hard working. During my weekend-off, not one, but three of my coworkers got sick, and I had to spot for them.
The weekend was peak season in Nantucket, so the restaurant was getting seriously overwhelmed. All of a sudden, we went from being very prepared for the season, to complete panic.
Had to jump between serving, bussing, and line-cooking, but overall, managed to survive through the weekend successfully.
2) Quote a performance review
If youve previously worked in an office job, youre probably all too familiar with these.
Did your boss give you a glowing performance review? Make sure to mention it here!
Sample answer:
Well, in my last performance review in September, my boss described me as someone who takes initiative.
My position as a PR manager involves constantly keeping track of our clients brand reputation, and if something goes wrong, dealing with it as fast as possible.
In a lot of cases, you need to be very proactive – if you wait for your entire team to have a meeting on how to deal with the issue, it might already be too late.
Can You Give An Example Of A Time When You Had To Cope With A Difficult Situation
This question is one of the most popular competency-based interview questions. It allows the employer to assess how calm and reliable you are under pressure. Outline an instance where you’ve coped with an unexpected problem, discussing how you reorganised and managed your time. Think about times where you’ve had to meet tight deadlines or handle difficult people.
Similar questions include:
- Give an example of a time when you had to cope under pressure.
- Give an example of a time when you’ve handled a major crisis.
- How do you manage your time and prioritise tasks?
- How do you respond to stress and pressure?
What Percentage Of Employees Was Brought In By Current Employees
Employees who love their jobs naturally recommend their company to their friends and peers. The same is true for people in leadership positions — people naturally try to bring on board talented people they previously worked with. They’ve built relationships, developed trust, and shown a level of competence that made someone go out of their way to follow them to a new organization.
And all of that speaks incredibly well to the quality of the workplace and the culture.
Recommended Reading: Top 10 Behavioral Questions
How Much Money Are You Looking To Earn
This question is left off of many lists of common job interview questions, yet its extremely important and the wrong answer can cost you thousands of dollars.
The best answers to this question follow one rule: DONT say a specific number or even a narrow salary range that youre targeting.
Why? You have the least amount of leverage possible at this point in the job interview and job search process. You havent finished interviewing with this employer, and they dont even know if youre a good fit for the position.
So you cant command a high salary right now. Theres nothing to gain by answering salary questions so early, and quite a bit to potentially lose.
If you go too low with your desired salary range, it could limit the offer you receive later, even if they would have offered more normally. Or, you could worry them that youre not at the level they were hoping for!
Meanwhile, if you share a number or range thats too high, you could scare them off before they get to know you and see your worth! Whereas, after talking with you in a few interviews, they might have been willing to stretch their budget to hire you! Ive seen this happen frequently as a recruiter.
Therefore, its a lose-lose to tell them your salary target before you know theyre interested in hiring you. When youre preparing what to say in a job interview, especially an early-stage interview, salary goals should not be a part of it!
Dont:
Example answer:
Tell Me About Your Work Experience
An interviewer may or may not already be familiar with your background. Regardless, this question gives you the chance to detail your experiences that are most valuable to the prospective role. Employers want to know that youve reflected on their expectations for a qualified candidate and that you have directly relevant or transferable skills. Consider these tips for answering:
1. Quantify your experience:I have 10 years of experience in personal finance management, and I have assisted 45 repeat clients in increasing their capital by an average of 15% every year.
2. Illustrate connections to role:As a financial analyst, Ive used visual growth charts to show my clients how each saving plan option can impact their goals. When I became a senior financial analyst, I supervised other analysts and trained them in providing the most helpful experience to our customers.
3. End with a goal statement:”As your senior financial consultant, I aim to integrate my individualized approach to helping clients build the retirement fund they will depend on.
Read more: Interview Question: Tell Me About Your Work Experience
Also Check: Mailscoop Io
Government Job Interview Tips
When you interview for a governmentjob, you will most likely be interviewed by more than one person. This is called a panel interview and is very common for , particularly in the federal sector. Keep these things in mind if you find yourself undergoing a panel interview:
- When you are asked a question, begin your response by making eye contact with the person who asked the question, but then make eye contact with all the members of the panel.
- The panel members will most likely come from different backgrounds or departments, so try to frame your responses through as many different lenses as possible.
- Be careful not to focus your attention solely on the interviewer with the most senior position, or the one who will have the final say in the hiring decision. You should address all members of the panel equally, as they will all have some say in the final decision.
- Do not let a panel interview intimidate you panel interviews work in your favor because they help prevent bias that one person might have.
As part of your interview, you might also be asked to quickly devise a solution to a hypothetical problem or challenge. The interviewers are not looking for a perfect answer, theyre more interested in identifying how you think through a challenge to find a possible solution.
One strategy for this type of interview is to think of it more of a conversation or a brainstorming session. Dont be afraid to maintain a dialogue with the interviewer as you think through a problem.
Tips For Answeringwhat Is Your Greatest Strength
As you consider your experiences to formulate your answer, here are some things to keep in mind:
-
Be cautious of accidental weaknesses. Some strengths can actually be weaknesses depending on the situation.
For example, being a perfectionist can be a good trait in the context of being thorough and catching mistakes, but it can quickly turn into a weakness if youre so fixated on the little details that you end up missing deadlines because you cant manage your time efficiently.
-
Be relevant. Try to choose strengths and experiences that you know will be valuable to the company. Being able to hold your breath for eleven minutes underwater might be a useful strength to mention if youre applying for a job as a snorkeling instructor but isnt going to help you land a job in customer service for a phone company.
-
Discuss your weaknesses first, then your strengths if an interviewerasks about your strengths and weaknesses in a single question. This way, you can end the question on a positive note.
-
Take other peoples perceptions of your strengths into account. If you dont have any good managerial feedback from past reviews at work that you can use as a reference, reach out to a colleague or friend and get an outside opinion on what youre good at.
Read Also: System Design Interview Preparation
I Read X About Your Ceo Can You Tell Me More About This
Make sure to research the company you’re interviewing with, not only to shine when answering the questions asked of you, but to seem informed and engaged when it’s your turn to ask the questions. Oliver says questions like this simply show you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in the company and its leaders.
What Are Your Hobbies
Try not to overthink this question. Hiring managers dont ask it to trip you up. Rather, they genuinely want to make sure youre a good fit for their company personality-wise. Again, honesty is the best policy here. You dont want to lie and say something you think is impressivelike that karate is one of your hobbiesonly to find out the hiring manager is a black belt and wants to know more about your dojo.
Avoid anything political, religious, or that could have a negative connotation , unless youre applying to a job where you know such answers are appropriate. Simply share two or three hobbies that show commitment and illustrate you have a life outside of work. For example:
One of my favorite hobbies is running. I try to run every day and run about ten 5Ks a year. It helps me relax and get outside of my head. I especially love running to raise money for causes Im passionate about, like the Humane Society. I have two rescue dogs, who are really fun, so I love spending time with them, too.
You May Like: Questions To Ask Cfo In Interview
Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years
This question catches a lot of job seekers off guard because on the surface it seems simple enough but when you dig a little deeper youll see that there are a couple of traps you could fall into.
You DO want to show that you are an ambitious person BUT you need to show that you dont have your head in the clouds and are focused on the job at hand. For more in depth info on this question check out our blog post: Where do you see yourself in 5 years.
- Demonstrate when you answer the question your level of commitment to the position they are interviewing you for.
- After you have demonstrated your commitment to the role you are interviewing for, outline a realistic growth strategy that is directly tied to the role youre in and the needs and values of the company.
- Stress your interest in a long-term career at the company
DONT:
- Dont exhibit ambition to the point of seeming like this particular job is just a brief stepping stone for you. You need to show commitment.
- Dont say you want to be CEO of the company in 5 years.
- Dont say Actually I want to be in YOUR seat within the next 5 years. to the hiring manager.
How Do You Prioritize Your Work
Your interviewers want to know that you can manage your time, exercise judgement, communicate, and shift gears when needed. Start by talking about whatever system youve found works for you to plan your day or week, whether its a to-do list app you swear by or a color-coded spreadsheet. This is one where youll definitely want to lean on a real-life example. So go on to describe how youve reacted to a last-minute request or another unexpected shift in priorities in the past, incorporating how you evaluated and decided what to do and how you communicated with your manager and/or teammates about it.
Also Check: Design Interview Preparation
Whats Your Current Salary
Its now illegal for some or all employers to ask you about your salary history in several cities and states, including New York City Louisville, North Carolina California and Massachusetts. But no matter where you live, it can be stressful to hear this question. Dont panicthere are several possible strategies you can turn to. For example, you can deflect the question, Muse career coach Emily Liou says, with a response like: Before discussing any salary, Id really like to learn more about what this role entails. Ive done a lot of research on and I am certain if its the right fit, well be able to agree on a number thats fair and competitive to both parties. You can also reframe the question around your salary expectations or requirements or choose to share the number if you think it will work in your favor.
What Are The Most Important Things You Are Looking For In Your Next Role
Start with your skills. Identify a skill that you exceed in and talk about how you are looking for a role that will utilise and further develop that skill.
You should also explain your motivations and how this role can help you achieve your long-term goals. Always ensure that your answer is relevant to the company and the role in question.
Read Also: Cfo Interview
Why Should I Hire You
The interviewer wants to know how you will do the job better, quicker and faster than any other candidate. Out of 10 people equally qualified, what gives you the edge?
Read the job description and work out what problem the company is addressing by hiring for the role, then think about the skills and experience you have that prove you’re the best person to help them solve it. Bring real examples from your career to date, demonstrate the soft skills you’ll use to your advantage, and outline how you’d approach scenarios or tasks listed in the job advert.
Can You Tell Me About A Stressful Work Situation And How You Overcame It
Keep in mind that stories are more memorable than facts and figures. This is also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your human side and how you’re willing to take the initiative without being asked.
Example:It was the first day of my boss’s two-week vacation. Our agency’s highest-paying client threatened to leave because he didn’t feel he was getting the personalized service we promised him. I spent my lunch hour on the phone with him, talking through his concerns. We even brainstormed ideas for his next campaign. He was so grateful for the personal attention that he signed another six-month contract before my boss even returned from her trip.
Read Also: Interview Questions To Ask A Cfo
How Do You Feel About Working Weekends Or Late Hours
Youre gonna get asked this question in one of the following 2 cases:
1) Youre applying for a job that requires working odd hours.
In this case, your answer is pretty straightforward – since youre applying for such a job, you probably dont have any problems working odd hours.
Sample answer:
Sure! Im OK with working late hours or weekends, as long as you let me know about it at least a few days in advance.
2) Youre applying for just about any other type of job.
Now, you should look at this as a red flag. Is the employer just checking your dedication, or are they looking for someone thats going to work 24/7 with no overtime pay?
In this case, ask them to clarify what they mean.
Sample answer:
Given enough warning, sure. Is that something Ill be required to do often? Do you offer overtime pay for this kind of situation?
Register For Free To Read More
You can read two more articles on Tes for free this month if you register using the button below.Alternatively, check if your school has a Tes subscription. If not, for just £5 per month you can subscribe personally for:
- Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
- Exclusive subscriber-only articles
Don’t Miss: What To Wear For An Interview Women
How To Answer What Is Your Greatest Strength
Before you start scripting out your answer, make a list of your top skills that align with the qualifications specified in the job listing. You want to make sure your answer is going to be relevant.
Carefully consider your soft skills and hard skills. Try to think of a past experience that would allow you to highlight both types of skill sets.
Once youve narrowed down your top three to five strengths or skills, think of how youve leveraged these strengths in the past and come up with short experiences, no more than a few sentences, that can put these strengths into context.
A winning answer is one that showcases how your strengths have led to professional accomplishments and how they will continue to advance your career goals while aligning with the goals of the company as well.
What Do You Know About This Company/organization
A quick search in the About page of the company/organization you are applying for should be enough, right? Well, yes and no.
Think of this as an open-ended question. Theres no real wrong answer here, other than:
Incorrect Example
I dont know anything about this organization. In fact, how did I end up here? Can you guys call me a cab real quick?
However, the more you actually know about the company, the better your chances of getting hired.
Imagine 2 equally competent candidates:
Which one would you pick? Exactly, the second one!
So, with this job interview question, you want to convince the recruiter that youre the candidate #2.
Now, how do you do that? Well, a rule of thumb here is to do some Googling before the interview and learn the following about the company:
- What does their product or service do?
- What impact does the product / service have?
- Whats the company culture like?
- What are the latest news about the company? How are they performing?
- …And pretty much whatever other type of info you can dig up.
Possible answers:
- Sample Answer 1:
I hadnt heard about you until recently, actually. I found out about through your job ad on RandomJobBoard.
- Sample Answer 2:
Don’t Miss: Questions To Ask Cfo During Interview