What do a recent graduate have in common in search of their first job, someone who aspires to a job improvement, or who want to get out of work? That all of them must successfully pass a job interview.
A job interview is like an exam, the more prepared you go, the more your options will increase. The ideal candidate is not only for the CV, or for the previous experience, but the personal interview with the different candidates usually determines who will eventually be the chosen candidate.
Preparing yourself to safely answer the various questions you may be asked is one of the best things you can do before applying for a position. Know what you can ask, and how to respond will help you feel more confident and reassuring the day of the interview.
What are the typical interview questions?
There are 7 groups of questions that often compose job interviews. If the interviewer is part of a staffing company, (of those who do hundreds of interviews every week), the logical thing is that he asks the same questions he asks everyone. Learning these questions is one of those things that, once mastered, serves you for life.
The 7 most common types of interview questions.
- · Questions about your training
- · Questions about your old job / boss / colleagues
- · Questions regarding the company and the position offered
- · Questions about your personal profile and suitability for the position
- · Questions about salary
- · Personal questions
- · Specific questions for managers and middle managers
- · Bonus: And you Do you have any questions or questions?
Most Common Questions In Job Interviews
1. Questions about your training
Normally they ask about recent graduates since they do not have previous professional experience. If you are looking for your first job, they will almost certainly do it for you. Sometimes the interviewer does not know the specialty you have studied and may be interested in your impression, and other times it may happen that the interviewer and you have studied in the same faculty.
These are easy questions to answer and are usually asked at the beginning of the interview to break the ice. Some examples of questions and good answers for a candidate in search of their first job are:
Why did you choose that race?
Respond that you always wanted to be a doctor / lawyer / chemist / computer ... whatever you are. So you show that you got what you wanted. If you say that you studied X, but that you could have chosen anything else, you have a negative point. The motivation of the candidates is always important, and a newly qualified is asked above all enthusiasm and desire.
What do you think about the career you've studied? Was it what you expected?
Yes! Of course u loved it It is what you always wanted to do, but in the University you study the theory and now what you want is the experience of working in a company of the sector.
What subjects did you like the most / least and which did you get the best / worst grades?
This question is open that allows you to respond freely. There is not much mystery here, you should take the opportunity to highlight your best skills. An appropriate response might be that you liked the practices. Instead of saying which subject you liked less, you can say which was one of the most difficult.
Do you plan to expand your studies?
Yes of course. In the future I plan to do a master and I love languages, but first I have to save a little.
2. Questions about your old job
(Including ex-partners and ex-chiefs)
The first rule for all interviews is that in no case should the old company, bosses or colleagues be criticized. It is not polite to speak ill of a third party to a stranger, even if you have reasons. If you break this rule you already have a negative point.
The first question of this type is always the same, in version (a) or (b):
A) If you are not working:
Why did you stop at the previous job? What happened?
B) If you are working:
Why do you want to change company ?, Is something wrong?
If you do not have a job because you were fired you should not be ashamed, many valid people have been left jobless by reductions in workforce or readjustments in the company, simply comment it naturally.
If you are working, then bet on the cards to take on more responsibilities, gain more experience, or improve your career.
What is not very useful is to use the argument of making more money, or living closer to work. They may be valid, but they are much less powerful than responsibility, experience, and professional career. Those who change jobs only for money are not well seen because it means that in the future they will also go somewhere else if they are paid more.
Since when are you looking for a job?
It is the natural question that follows the previous ones. If it is a long time, you can say that you are always reviewing the market in your sector and you have seen its interesting offer. Thus you show to be a person interested in surroundings of his profession, awake, and proactive.
How about the relationship with your previous superiors? Or with your classmates?
As has been said, speaking ill of others is always a mistake. Be positive, discuss your values and what you learned from them. The interviewer will judge that the relationship with the new superiors will be similar to that maintained in the past. Take two or three positive things to tell about your former classmates or ex-bosses.
Other possible questions may be:
· What functions did you perform in your previous work? You learned?
· Which of your previous works did you like more / less? Why?
· Explain a situation in which your participation was decisive for the success of the company
· What has been your greatest achievement in the previous company where you worked?
· What are the professional achievements that you consider most satisfied?
· Explain a problem that you have successfully solved at work, or a difficult situation you had to face and what you did.
· What are the most difficult decisions you have to make?
· What do you do when you have to make an important decision?
· How would you describe the impact you will have if you leave your current company?
3. Questions regarding the company and the position offered
Why do you want to work here? What attracts you to the position you choose?
Before this question it is tried that you demonstrate your interest by this particular position. Make the coach know that you know that this is the job you want and that this is not for you an interview any more.
Do not say that you are looking for work anywhere in the world, or that you need any job, because you will end up with your possibilities. People who are desperate for work to do whatever it takes are bad points.
You can refer to what attracts you to the sector, and then to the company highlighting some important information such as your strategic situation with respect to your competitors, your corporate values, your projects, or products ... you can find all that information on the web.
It is about showing that you know the company you are targeting, so you will make clear your initiative and especially interest in that particular position.
You have to make the recruiter see that it is the job of your dreams, you are looking for that position and in that company, that the job is perfect for you, and you are perfect for the position.
Would you work Saturdays / weekends / holidays / Christmas?
If they ask it is because this situation is going to happen, so it is convenient to show availability and in any case ask if it will be every weekend, or how many times a month / year is working on a holiday. If you can adapt to the requirements of the position you will have easier because surely not everyone can or want to make the effort.
What is not intelligent is to lie to get the job: If you are not willing to say it ... and assume that work may not be for you. If you do not have it clear you can ask if it is negotiable, or how the holidays worked are compensated.
Would you be willing to move to another city / country, or to travel frequently?
The same as the previous question, if you ask it is because there is the real possibility, so it should be honest.
4. Questions about your personal profile and suitability for the position
These are the most difficult questions of all for many people. Besides a professional profile (lawyer, teacher, dentist, accountant, chemist ...) we all have a personal profile. The professional profile is demonstrated with titles and experience, but the personal profile manifests itself in the way of behaving in the day to day, also in the work.
Companies are as interested in the personal profile as they are in the professional. Can you imagine hiring a shy salesman? Little will sell. That is why interviews often include one or more personality tests; And that is why interviewers are often psychologists or sociologists, in order to evaluate the candidate's personal profile beyond the titles he or she has.
These questions are the most open questions in the interview, and they are crucial. Prepare them well and show security in the way you express yourself. Each person answers differently and is the most important for positions of responsibility. These are manual questions that serve the interviewers to rank you based on your answers.
What are your strengths / weaknesses? Could you indicate three virtues and three defects that you have?
Typical manual question. The question is open and serves the interviewer after having talked a little with us to see if we know to sell. It is enough to give 2 or 3 key points that we want to emphasize about ourselves, and that we want the interviewer to associate with our profile.
Tip: To know your strengths and weaknesses make a personal SWOT.
For the virtues, obviously you must emphasize those qualities more suitable for the development of the position offered. If there is any important feature yours that has not yet come out, this is the time to put it on the table. Come on! This is your chance.
Regarding the defects, it is necessary to highlight those that affect to a lesser extent the performance of the position and always accompany them of your efforts to correct them. Example: "I am a bit clueless, so I have an agenda where I write down all my pending issues".
Other variants of this question are: How would you describe your personality ?, With what three adjectives would you define yourself and justify them? O What can you tell me about yourself? These are more or less open questions that the experienced interviewer can retrace as we speak.
You always have to take advantage to highlight those 2 or 3 key points that make you the ideal candidate.
Why should I hire you and not another candidate? What differential element do you bring? What makes you better than the other candidates?
This question is like a challenge, not to be too modest but also to be presumptuous. Explain how your knowledge, experience and skills fit the professional profile you need. In addition to pointing out your motivation. Example: "I believe that I have the ability to successfully address this position, as well as very keen to show my value in this company".
Why do you think you are ready to access this position?
You have to respond with confidence, showing motivation for the position. Demonstrate that you have the appropriate training, experience and professional background. Let's see that this is the next logical step in your working life.
What do you expect from your future boss in this position that you aspire to? What relationships do you think should be between a boss and his immediate partner?
In these questions it is well to reflect the idea of how positive it is for anyone to count on the support of an experienced boss who allows us to grow professionally, who knows how to respond in exceptional situations, but who has the confidence in us to manage the issues they are Of our competence.
Other questions in the manuals:
- · If you were the one in charge of making this selection and I was the candidate, what qualities would you like me to meet?
- · Do you try to take initiative at work? Do you prefer to be directed?
- · Do you consider yourself a creative person?
- · How do you act in discussions with a superior / with an equal / with a subordinate?
- · Where do you consider yourself most effective, in individual or group relationships?
- · How do you prefer to communicate? How do you feel when you have to speak in public?
- · How do you react to pressure? What about a troubled customer?
- · What do you consider most important: to finish a job in the established time or to do it well?
- · What would your ideal business / job look like?
5. Questions about salary
Let's face it: The job of the recruiter is to find the best person for the job ... and the company has to pay as little as possible. Keep in mind that the interviewer wants to know what is the minimum for what you would get the job. It's part of his job to find out.
Your job is to know how much you normally pay in this sector and for that position, and your goal should be to get that standard salary.
Many times you will be asked how much you earned in the past, in your last job or in your current position. Eye here !! Especially if you have been earning little, the interviewer will determine that you will conform to the same or a little more.
How much are you now? How much did you earn on your last job?
A perfect question if you answer it intelligently: If you ask how much you earn now or how much you earned in your last job, it responds with the amount that you should be earning according to your training and experience.
Respond with the amount you earn the most from those who have the same training and experience. For example, if you win € 20,000 but you know you could / should be making € 24,000 instead of € 24,000. Whenever credible, you gain your current salary, so you'll value yourself more.
If you do not want to give the first figure you can ask what is the salary range offered by the company for this position. Information is power.
What salary do you aspire to? What are your economic expectations?
It is not always easy to answer. Especially if you have little experience because it is not easy to quantify how much value you will contribute to the future company if you do not know in depth the sector of the company that offers the position.
A good way to approach this topic is to say that you expect a salary commensurate with your training, experience and responsibilities. Remember that your job before the interview is to inform you about the average salary of your future job. Or are you going to let them buy you for less than you are worth?
The other way to respond is, as has been said, to refer to your income in the past, but with intelligence. Do not sell very cheap ... not very expensive. You are not an elite footballer who can ask for what he wants, for a position there is always a logical number. For most positions, the maximum is equal to equal pay, equal pay.
If this figure is to be specified, it is always recommended to move in a salary band, indicating a minimum and maximum value. Example "In this sector, these types of jobs are being paid around 30,000 gross euros per year". The time to finally negotiate this issue will come when getting the job.
6. Personal questions
Personal questions should not be too personal; the law prohibits certain types of questions such as political religion or sexuality. In some countries they are stricter with respect for personal issues than others, but professional interviewers know the rules and do not often break the 'limits'.
In theory workers can not be discriminated against because of their personal situation, but the reality is that for some jobs if it is discriminated against ... generally the higher the job the less often it is discriminated against.
Acceptable personal questions:
What is the most important thing for you in life? Tell me the three most important things for you in order of importance.
Typical examples: Family, friends, professional career, children (if you have) ... It is not necessary to say that it is money, people who are motivated by money is not well seen.
What is your future project in three or five years? How would you like to see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
Companies like to know that their employees are clear about their goals and are stable people. However, try not to be too specific and stick to your aspirations in a generic sense. For example, explain that you expect to have a job that is a continuous challenge and allows you to develop professionally and personally. If you are thinking about studying a master, or improving in languages you can comment here.
What do you do in your free time? What are your favorite hobbies? What other interests do you have outside your profession?
If you can try to link some of your hobbies with the job offered. If you have hobbies of risk - as for example extreme sports - it is advisable to hide them because they give rise to think that any day you can take the fall by accident. What never fails is to say that you like cinema, reading, or cooking.
What is the last book you read? What do you think about it?
It is a book question, if they do it is stuffing because it is not usually final to win the position, just like the one of what are your hobbies. At best, a wrong answer can subtract points.
Do you have a boyfriend? You're married / a? Do you intend to get pregnant?
They should not ask you these questions, nor those related to politics or religion ... if you do and you do not want to respond or you think it can hurt you be smart with the answer, or ask if that is important for the job.
7. Other possible questions for managers or middle managers
To lead, to direct, and to know how to delegate are three of the qualities that every manager should have, besides good communication skills. 80% of the questions go this way, examples:- · Describe your managerial style.
- · How do you motivate people?
- · Describe how you organize and plan your activities.
- · Do you consider yourself a good leader? Why?
- · What are the characteristics that a good leader should have in the professional field?
- · How do you set your priorities?
- · What is most difficult for you to delegate?
- · What advantages and disadvantages do you see in the way you drive?
- · What do you look for when you hire a person?
- · Explain a complicated situation with one of your collaborators and what you did.
- · Do your collaborators think that you support them in their professional career?
- · Do you do something to create a good atmosphere in your work group?
- · How do you determine the ability of a subordinate?
- · What kind of collaborators do you prefer? Why?
- · How is your personal relationship with your team?
8. Bonus: And you Do you have any questions or questions?
At the end of the interview there is always time for your own questions. After a good while surveying you, it stands to reason that the interviewer gives you the opportunity to ask your questions. To satisfy your curiosity and also to listen to what your concerns are.
The questions you ask say things about you to the recruiter, and you should have some questions prepared. Not asking any questions can make it appear that you are not very interested in the position. Ask smart questions, do not ask about vacations, extra fees, schedules, or want to know how many possibilities you have to be hired. It's not that kind of question you're expected to ask right now.Smart questions to ask, which demonstrate that you also select the work you want to devote your efforts to in the next few years can be:
- Questions about the company:· How many people are in the department?· What are the possibilities of promotion within the company?· Is there a training program for employees?· Does the company have expansion plans?
- Questions about the job:· Is it a newly created position or a position that already existed in the company?· What would be my position within the organization? On whom would it depend hierarchically? Who will I report to?· Would you work as a team or autonomously? How many people would be in charge?· What does the company expect from the person who holds the position?· How do you see the evolution of the department in the next 3 years?
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