Question mark in Esbjerg (Photo credit: alexanderdrachmann)
There are a lot of questions that recruiters ask during an interview, but there are a few that are common and asked by almost all of them. My plan for this series is to give you the most common questions AND some acceptable responses to help improve your interviewing skills.
Question 1: Tell me about yourself.
This is considered an “ice breaker” question used to put candidates at ease by asking them to talk about something familiar to them. When interviewers ask this open-ended question, it can tell them a lot about you depending upon your answer.
For example, “Well, I’m a Scorpio. I love going out with friends for a few drink since I’m a social butterfly. I’m a mom of three kids, a PTA member, and married to a wonderful man.” The interpretation by the interviewer; you are very comfortable talking about your personal life.
This could be good or bad depending upon the position. If you’re applying for a job dealing with customers in a retail setting, it could be good. You may put the customers at ease. If you’re applying for a job that requires confidentiality, it may turn them off. If you’re comfortable sharing details so quickly in a relationship, what else would you share?
Best practice: Keep it focused on the position. Tell the interviewer traits you possess that would match you more closely to the role. For example, try saying, “Well, I’m a very social person and volunteer with some organizations in the community. I manage multiple schedules in my household and keep everyone on track. I’m great with relationships.”
Question 2: What do you know about our company?
When interviewers ask this question, they really want to know if you’ve done your homework. Have you gone to the company website? Have you talked to people who work there? Did you really go beyond the obvious webpage reading to find out who you would be working for and what the culture is like?
The worst thing you can say is, “I really don’t know much about your organization.” That phrase right there is enough to cost you the job. It tells the interviewer that you really don’t care to know about the organization or its mission. This role is just another job you applied to and not viewed as a career option. If you’ve only gone to the website, congrats. It’s a step up from not doing anything but still won’t make you stand out.
Best practice: Take that extra step. Read recent articles about the company or the industry they are in. Know some of the trends in their market. Know who their competitors are and ask them how they differ from them. It will tell the interviewer that you are resourceful and have more than just a passing interest in their company. Big opportunity to score points on this one!
Question 3: Why should we hire you?
Ah, the big question. It’s usually asked for two reasons. Either it’s a standard question on the interview sheet and it’s asked of everyone, or, the interviewer is on the fence about you and wants to hear your pitch as to why you should be moved on to the next level.
The worst thing to respond with is “because I need a job.” Thank you Captain Obvious.
Best practice: This is your time to sell yourself. It’s a closing argument for your case of getting the job. A great response would be a combination of your potential contribution to the position and your past experience that makes you qualified. Let’s go back to our retail job as an example answer.
“My ability to build relationships, multi-task and deliver unparalleled customer service means I would be productive immediately upon hire. I would need very little training before I was contributing to the success of the company.”
Hope these help. The next series will be on behavioral based questions. But if you have specific questions you’d like to contribute, by all means, please do.
Good luck!
The Rant 