The Top 5 Sample Interview Questions and Answers

The idea behind this sample list is to give you (the interviewee) a chance to work out before the interview, the answers you are going to give to some of the more difficult questions, as you will have noticed most of these questions are open ended so now's the time to say what you need to say and no more.

Try practicing with a friend, then, when the day of the interview comes you may not feel so nervous.

Tell me about yourself?

It seems like an easy interview question but we are always wondering what the employer really wants to know!

To start off the employer does not want your life story, use this time to tell them what makes you the best candidate for the job, give them examples of your background and experiences and substantiate the content in your resume (instead of repeating what it says) such as giving examples of leadership situations, being part of a team or doing some original work

Why should I hire you?

This question comes in many guises like why are you leaving your current job and why do you want to work here?

Here they are trying to find out if you are applying for a number of jobs or are specifically interested in working for them and what makes you stand out from the rest of the applicants.

A good answer would be 'I've been very careful about the companies where I have applied; you should hire me because I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are likely other candidates who also have the ability to do this job. Yet I bring an additional quality that makes me the best person for the job' then substantiates what specifically differentiates you.

What are your Goals (long-range objectives)?

Talk in terms of your career goals unless specifically asked about your personal goals and try to tie them in with the company's goals (it helps if you have done your research before hand). The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives.

Spare some thought for this because your prospective employer is interested in knowing how clear you are at this moment about what you want to achieve and if it ties in with the company's goals.

What Are Your Weaknesses?

This is the most dreaded question of all. Stay away from personal weaknesses like "I'm a manic depressive' and go towards professional traits, especially ones you are actively working to overcome like 'my design skills aren't great' (do not use if you are going for a job as a designer!) But then emphasis that you are taking action to improve this skill, for example 'to get over this I am taking a course on Photoshop'.

What is your salary expectation for this job?

Here they are looking for two things, one can they get you on the cheap and two have they got the budget to be able to afford you!

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. One possible answer would be: "I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?" This helps to get them to answer rather than you.

There is no way you can accurately predict the questions that will be asked in a job interview, but you can be ready and prepared by thinking about the factors that might concern an interviewer or employer before the interview (the all important research).

As you can see a job interview is more than just showing up on time in the right clothes. It is your best and only opportunity to convince an employer that he or she should hire you. Good job hunting.

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