Every interview requires some basic steps you’ll need to complete before you sit down with a hiring manager. You will cultivate your professional appearance with the right business attire. You’ll research the company to learn more about operations and company culture to see if you’ll be a good fit. And of course, you’ll prepare your interview responses. Planning your responses can help your performance; however, you don’t want to sound scripted or robotic. Ahead, we’ll show you the most utilized interview questions with appropriate ways to prepare for them.
Can You Tell Me A Little About Yourself?
The classic way to open an interview, this question almost always opens the floor for your pitch. Sometimes you’ll get the vibe and give them the answer they want to hear, but sometimes it is hard to know how exactly the manager wants you to answer this question. Our recommendation? You can’t go wrong with a description of your career path and how it led you to apply for this post, and ending with a fun fact about yourself. Concluding with a quick nod to your kayaking prowess can humanize you so you avoid being just another candidate.
What Is Your Greatest Achievement?
When you’re ready to talk about your strengths, you may get hit with this similar question that can catch you off-guard. You may be prepared to discuss your initiative or reliability, but you need to be ready to answer a question that requires a more measurable response. To best discuss your greatest professional achievement, reach for a tangible accomplishment, or back your answer with data. For example, your greatest achievement might be a promotion within six months on the job. If you don’t have a singular accomplishment, try to measure your growth. Sit down with some statistics so that you can prove you were able to increase your company’s website traffic by a specific percentage, or increase the number of satisfied clients.
What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
Another typical interview question, you should expect your potential employer to ask you what your weakness is. This question requires a balanced answer. You can’t claim to be perfect without seeming arrogant or ignorant, but you don’t want to over-expose your shortcomings. Here’s what we recommend – stick with a skill that you haven’t had the opportunity to improve. For example, if you’re applying to an entry-level position, your greatest weakness could be your lack of management experience. If you haven’t had the opportunity to supervise, you still have a chance to improve those skills in your next role.
Find Your Next Job with Job Store Staffing®!
Ready to find the perfect position for your abilities? We can help! Our recruiting experts can fix up your application materials and pair you with the right opportunity today.