Some most common questions asked in an interview
Manisha Jyala
One of the essential steps of preparing for an interview is practice. Knowing what common questions you might be asked helps you to prepare better. You can prepare the points to include in the answers, and crafting your answers well in advance will boost your confidence. It will help you to feel more confident in your responses during the interview. However, every interview has a different flow as the interviewer has a different approach to questions. Still, there are some basic behavioral interview questions that most of the job interviews include.
Here, we are going to share some most common questions asked in an interview. Also, we will share some tips given by Ms. Alka Madan, Campus director at Pearl Academy (Jaipur), on how to answer those questions.
Tell me something about yourself?
This is often the first of many interview questions and your opportunity to tell the interviewer something that is not in your resume. Ms. Madan, highly experienced and expert in corporate relations, suggests not to start your answer by telling your name or any information that is already there in your CV. It’s important you offer new information, such as your hobbies and other interests outside of work, or you can focus on key aspects of your professional life and career. This information helps the interviewer to know you better.
What are your strengths?
This seems to be an easy question, but you should be careful while answering this question. Identify some of your best attributes, and don’t forget to give concrete examples of those strengths. Ms. Madan recommends avoiding answers like, I am very hardworking or I am very positive. Choose the strengths which you can demonstrate with examples and work experience. For example, you can talk about your communication skills, leadership skills, etc.
What are your weaknesses?
Everyone has some weaknesses, but how one portrays those weaknesses makes all the difference. You should be careful while choosing your weakness. You would not want to say something that gives a negative impression of your personality. You can not say that you are not a team player, or you can not meet deadlines or anything which makes you less fit for the job. Maintain a balance by telling something that you struggle with something but that you’re working to improve. With this question, the interviewer wants to know about your self-awareness and honesty.
Where do you want to see yourself in the next five years?
You should be realistic with your answer to this question. Talk more about the learnings, the skills you want to acquire, milestones in your career that you want to achieve, and your professional growth. Be goal-oriented and demonstrate your awareness of industry trends in your answer.
Why should we hire you?
This is one of the best opportunities to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Mention the skill sets that match the job description that makes you a good fit for the job. Summarise your experience and how your skills can contribute to the growth of the organization.
What are your salary expectations?
If you are someone with experience, then you should negotiate according to the latest salary trends. Ms. Madan suggests that as a fresher, you should answer this question in terms of the learning opportunities that the company would provide you. In terms of salary, you can say that the salary should be enough to make you survive in the city and make you financially independent.
It is not only about what you say but also how you say it. Even a right answer can go wrong if you are not confident about what you are saying. Sitting in an interview can make you nervous, anxious and can create pressure. Reviewing interview questions and answers in advance can really help you to calm your nerves and boost your confidence. So, it is better to be prepared than to lose opportunities.