Whether you’re an entry-level candidate looking for your first job or an experienced professional looking to switch gears, the job interview process can be one of the most intimidating and frustrating steps in securing that perfect position. Oddly enough, many interviewers stick to a standard list of questions, regardless of the position being applied for. This standardization can be used to your advantage, as it allows you to prepare and even rehearse your answers to typical interview questions.
Here are ten of the most common job interview questions, and some tips for handling them.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #1: Tell me about yourself.
A lot of less-inspiring interviewers start off with this cookie-cutter icebreaker. It’s a pretty easy one to field: tell them about yourself. Just make sure to think before you speak. Don’t ramble; don’t say anything incriminating; don’t be offensive.
“I love to drink tequila and watch porn,” is probably not appropriate information, no matter how true it is.
If possible, try to tie in some elements that explain why you, an an individual, are a great fit for the company or the position. Interviewing to work with an all-terrain vehicle manufacturer? It might be worth mentioning that you’re an outdoors and motorsports enthusiast.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #2: Tell me about your last job.
This is another question that often comes at the beginning of interviews; it can be a bit tricky to answer. Your goal here is to explain why this new position is better suited to you than your last job without whining or bashing your former company. Potential employers are extremely wary of anybody who has an overabundance of negative stuff to say about their last job.
As an example, let’s say you used to work at an insurance company’s call center, and you’re trying to move into a quality-control role. “Those dumb bastards didn’t have a clue,” is probably not something you want to say about the insurance company.
Instead, try something like, “I enjoyed the customer service element of my previous position, but there simply wasn’t enough problem-solving to keep me engaged. That’s why I decided to look for a position with a little more responsibility that draws upon my technical skill set.”
Job Interview Questions and Answers #3: Tell me about a difficult situation you’ve had with a customer/client and how you handled it.
This can be a very tricky question for entry-level candidates who don’t have a whole lot of formal work experience. If you don’t have a good answer, admit it, and instead try drawing on an experience you had with a friend or family member. Basically, the interviewer is looking for proof of your people skills, so just tell a story about a time when you were able to make an unhappy person happy.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #4: Tell me about a difficult situation you’ve had with a co-worker and how you handled it.
Although it sounds a lot like #3, this question is designed for a very different purpose. Here, the interviewer is trying to judge your ability to “play nice with others.” On some level (and this is especially true for entry-level candidates) the interviewer is also using this question to gage how much bulls*** you can take without snapping.
To answer this question, use (or make up) any story that makes you sound like an easy-going person and an effective communicator. Don’t break out a story about how, at your last job, you punched the accounting team lead in the face because he accused you of mistakes in your TPS reports.
Unless you’re applying for a managerial or supervisory position, this question should never be used as an opportunity to prove how assertive, self-confident and tough you are.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #5: What is your greatest accomplishment?
If you don’t have a lot of work experience in roles that allowed you to “accomplish” anything meaningful, feel free to draw on an experience from your education or hobbies. A satisfactory answer to this question can be as simple as, “Getting my bachelor’s degree.”
Don’t draw on feats that involve eating, drinking or bodily functions of any sort, as awesome as they may be. The interviewer is most likely a square and won’t be impressed by the fact that you once drank 32 beers in 3 hours. Also don’t draw on luck-based feats–winning $2,500 on a slot machine is not an “accomplishment. However you decide to proceed, answer this question without bragging or elaborating more than necessary. Make yourself sound awesome without insisting upon how awesome you are.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #6: What is your biggest weakness?
The interviewer isn’t actually trying to find out your biggest weakness; they know better than to think anybody would answer this question honestly. What they’re really trying to do here is judge your problem-solving and spoken communication abilities. Specifically, how are you going to handle a trick question like this?
For entry-level candidates, it’s easy: “My lack of formal experience. Coming out of school with limited work experience, it’s hard to find a company willing to invest in me and my skills, so getting some solid work experience under my belt is something I’m really anxious to do.”
But if you’ve been in the workforce for a while, this trick question can get even trickier. A simple classic is, “I tend to be over-ambitious in the amount of work I take on, and sometimes it gets me in trouble.” Yes, you risk looking like an idiot who can’t manage time properly… but at least you’re an enthusiastic and over-achieving idiot.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #7: How do you handle work-related stress?
“By calling in regular bomb threats to my workplace.” Just kidding!
Just answer with fluff that makes you seem like a wholesome, grounded person. For example: “I’m pretty good at separating my work life from my personal feelings, but when I do get stressed out, I like to let off steam by hiking/fishing/spending time with my family when I get home.”
Job Interview Questions and Answers #8: What sort of pace do you prefer working at?
“I really prefer faster-paced work, but I’m adaptable to pretty much any type of work environment.”
Never, ever, ever, ever admit to preferring slow-paced work, even if you’re applying for a job as Head Paint Drying Supervisor.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #9: What do you look for in a manager?
The simple answer: “I like managers who trust me to accomplish my work independently, but who are accessible to answer questions and monitor my performance on a regular basis.” Don’t make it sound like you need a baby-sitter, but don’t come off as anti-authority either.
Job Interview Questions and Answers #10: Why do you think you’d be good at this job?
When this question gets asked, it’s probably your last chance to sum up why you must have this job, and why it’s perfect for you and only you. (Since all jobs essentially suck, you might have to get creative and do a little bit of acting.)
Do everything you possibly can to tie your previous experience and training into the job, whether it’s actually relevant or not. Examples: “My time working as a gas station attendant helped me to build advanced customer service skills,” and, “My English degree ensures that I have top-notch written communication skills, which I’m sure is important when managing a fast food restaurant.”
Above all else, make sure to mention how enthusiastic and excited you are about the position (even though you’re probably not, since work sucks.)