Here are 10 common interview questions, along with the right and wrong way to answer them:. I’m also open to testing new ways of doing things in order to optimize our efficiency. Read our tips from top interview experts and be more prepared at your interview than anyone else. Find SOMETHING, no matter what. Sound like you have a method or system that works for you © The Balance 2018. Four years later I earned my certification as a master electrician. You, your interviewer, and the sales job you’re applying for are all unique. They opted for the latter. I’m pretty good at recognizing when I’m beginning to feel stressed. I'd also like to learn more about physical security. ", "I've been in video surveillance for 18 months now, and I'm very vigilant about watching the monitors. Although I went away for nursing school, I’m eager to move back home and care for our local community now that I’ve become a licensed RN. Loaded questions do have their place in a good interview, and there’s nothing like an existential question to get them to dig deep. Do you stay calm under pressure? 4. Tell me about yourself. We have thousands of questions and answers created by interview experts. Questions on why you left your last job. What do you bring to the table? But don’t let it intimidate you or get you tongue-tied. Interns often have very little workplace experience. The easiest way to do this is to use an example from your background and experience. Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Strength? As someone who recently wrapped up hiring the summer 2019 class of interns for the Oakland Museum of CA, I have plenty of tips to offer on this topic.. First, keep in mind that an internship is a two-way street. Or, maybe there’s a new language you’d like to learn or a class you’d like to take. Tell me a bit about yourself “Tell me a bit about yourself” is a commonly asked interview question to help break the ice and provide a brief, high-level understanding of who you are and your professional work background. Your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why you’re a good culture fit and what you believe you’d bring to the role. Not all potential interview questions are fair game for hiring managers. The goal of anticipating interview questions isn’t to memorize responses, but rather to get comfortable talking about these topics. You should already have an answer to this question ready to go. Tip #3: Tailor your approach. When I was first hired as store manager, our turnover rate was 75% and we were chronically understaffed. Talk about values as well as the environment You should also focus on big values such as sustainability or family-focused workplaces. I liked the progressive, staged training program my employer used to teach new hires the ins and outs of financial services – there was always something new to learn, and we knew we would be steadily promoted as we became more experienced. For instance, if you are applying for a marketing role, you could mention "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell and discuss that authors arguments about how to make an idea spread like a virus. One interesting question that comes up at job interviews is how you learn. ", "I hope that over the course of doing the job, I will learn to be a more concise writer. What skills and attributes do you have that will benefit the organization? The Worst Job Interview Answers Ever, Common Nursing Interview Questions and Best Answers, Interview Questions Occupational Therapists Can Expect, How to Answer "What Interests You About this Job? However, a bad answer to this question can derail an opportunity for you. If you are motivated to learn, then you are probably more motivated to do the job well. Why Is Anticipating Interview Questions Important? Interview Questions: What Were Your Biggest Successes and Failures? Interview Question: How Do You Handle Stress? This college interview question is asking for some vital information. Win your next job by practicing from our question bank. Keep in mind that this question can also offer a jumping off point for you to find out where others who started … There is no one right way to answer it, but there are a number of replies to avoid. The interviewer knows you’re looking for a learning opportunity—tell them what you want to learn from this internship in particular, and make sure it aligns with the organization and what you know about the role so far. Or, maybe there’s a new language you’d like to learn or a class you’d like to take. If so, you should practice answering typical interview questions. Creating an elevator speech, which is a quick synopsis of your background, is a good way to prepare a response. What They Want to Know: When answering questions about your strengths, focus on the abilities you have that are key to success in the job for which you're interviewing. 17. Who was your best boss and who was the worst? Whenever possible, try to defer the salary question on the first interview so that you don’t under or over sell yourself. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. ", "As your newest marketing assistant, I look forward to furthering my agency exposure and gaining opportunities to be in a client-facing role. What They Want to Know: Why did you apply for this position? Then use the S-T-A-R approach to make the answer a STAR: talk about a Situation or Task (S-T), the Action you took (A) and the Results achieved (R). Often times, applicants seek jobs that play to their strengths. I’m an electrician with ten years of experience in residential construction. My greatest strength is my ability to learn new processes quickly. The 14 Most Common College Interview Questions. Top 20 Common Job Interview Questions With Answers. Above all, this question is an excellent way for an interviewer to learn about how self-aware you are. 4. What They Want to Know: The best way to answer this question is to discuss what you can do for the company. Sample Answer. What They Want to Know: Your answer to this question will give the interviewer a sense of your work ethic, your career goals, and your life goals. What did you like or dislike about your previous job? The company is looking to determine if you're a well-rounded person, and what you enjoy doing outside of work can give them insight into the type of employee you'd be if you were hired. What skills would you like to develop?In what areas would you like to improve yourself?If you could go on any training course, what would it be?What areas are in your current personal development plan? ", "I would like to further develop my leadership skills by actively mentoring others. I’m able to focus on our customers’ issues, ask the right questions to elicit information, and resolve their tech issues. Show them you’re interested in knowing more than you do right now. I didn’t like the commute, though, which is why I’m now applying for jobs closer to home. More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Weakness? Numerical Measures Aren't a Contribution . I believe this will help me become a much more effective manager in the future and create a more positive and productive environment for my work team.". Say you would like a job that keeps you active. Luckily, you can still get creative and gravitate from the most common interview questions. So the major part of it is that you first learn about yourself and discover your inner self. Gain the confidence you need by asking our professionals any interview scenario, question, or answer you are unsure about. Showing that you have done similar work will be an asset during the interview. Show them you’re interested in knowing more than you do right now. Questions like this – or more simply “what are you reading at the moment?” – are designed to spark discussion as well as to test what you read beyond the confines of the A-level syllabus. If asked this question, be honest and specific about your future goals, but consider this: A hiring manager wants to know a) if you've set realistic expectations for your career, b) if you have ambition (a.k.a., this interview isn't the first time you’re considering the question), and c) if the position aligns with your goals and growth. Whenever an interviewer asks you a hypothetical question like this, they investigate your ability to have a plan for yourself. Here you turn it around on the interviewer, making it a question about what they offer rather than a question of what you are bad at. My best manager had an open-door policy where we were always welcome to speak to her privately about issues. When deciding what you would like to learn from this job, be sure to refer to the responsibilities in the job description or the opportunities that this company proudly offers. You can talk about how you like to learn new things and ways of doing things – the employer is looking for these qualities in a candidate. We all have something unique that we can contribute to a team, and I like to embrace the diversity among the healthcare professionals that I work with. What will you achieve if you were to be hired? I implemented performance incentive programs that reduced attrition by 63% and significantly improved our talent pipeline by focusing on internal training and promotion. Start with these questions you'll most likely be asked at a job interview, plus the best answers. When interviewers know that you have a plan for yourself, they can feel more confident that you’ve spent the time in … In this article, you’ll find the 26 most common sales interview questions, PLUS the types of answers your interviewer is looking for, so you can raise the bar on your interviewing skills. Remember to answer each interview question behaviorally, whether it is a behavioral question or not. Mostly manager and above level interview candidates are asked this question. How soon after hiring would I receive my first review? We do not claim our questions will be asked in any interview you may have. The answers to this question don't have to be all about work. Job-related goals could be about: Covering knowledge or experience gaps Congratulations! Can you figure out solutions and workarounds when there is a problem? Even if you had a terrible boss, how you speak about them can leave the interviewer wondering how you will speak about other supervisors if you didn't get along with them. Ask targeted interview questions to learn about their goals and how they plan to achieve them. Mention you feel you have excellent communication skills which will allow you to work well with customers. Remember, a standard “biggest weakness” answer as described multiple times on this and other websites is an acceptable answer, but you may also use an answer like the one above if you like. Questions about your supervisors and co-workers. This unexpected interciew question forces candidates to not only think about what sets them apart from the other resumes in your stack, but also how others view them and the impact they’ll make at the company if hired. What They Want to Know: There are different ways to tackle questions about weaknesses. More Answers: Job Interview Question: How Do You Define Success? If pressured, be prepared to give the employer a salary range. More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Goals for the Future. If you've been out of work for a long time, explain why. Remember that, in your job interview, you will be evaluated not only upon your response to questions, but also upon how well you listen to your interviewers. Review these curveball questions so you won’t be taken by surprise. “What motivates you?” This interview question is trickier than you might imagine. "I hope to gain stronger skills in QuickBooks while also gaining valuable accounting knowledge in the manufacturing industry. More Answers: Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer). Sample Answer. More Answers: Answer the Interview Question About Your Interest in a Job. But now I'd like to learn how to set the cameras up and where to place them. Also, using Google and viewing the company website will allow you to learn more as well. I’m not as comfortable with those who prefer to micromanage my work, but when this happens I try to gain their trust so that they’ll feel more confident about giving me some autonomy. What They Want to Know: What's most important to you? These questions and answers do not represent any organization, school, or company on our site. Coming up with a specific, positive, and growth-oriented response to the interview question, “How do you like to be managed?” can mean a lot for your career. As you develop your answers, select anecdotes and specific examples from your previous work experiences to share with your interviewers. This point has been recurrent as a tip for any interview question. Describe a time you had to learn how to perform a brand new task. This advance preparation will help you feel more confident and less on the spot during the interview. Image by James Bascara. 19. Pay careful attention to them as they speak, without interrupting, especially when they describe the culture of their organization and their expectations for whomever they hire. This can seem like a heavy question during an interview, especially when you haven’t prepared for it ahead of time. 5. There are a number of powers you can give, but you should frame your response like this: If I could have any super power, it would be telekinesis. I also play fiddle with a local band on the weekends. Let the hiring manager know what you achieved, again sharing examples from your most recent job. 9. "The key here is to share an area you need to improve on that is not [critical for] what you are applying for." The confidence that I will gain is going to be an immeasurable benefit. Keep in mind that you’re in an interview setting–so you don’t need to go into all the details about what your personal life goals are for … More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Salary History. Avoid giving answers that will make you look like a job hopper. However, part of being an introvert is that I’m a great listener, and I find this has really helped me as a Help Desk Technician. Have you worked with difficult colleagues? Keep in mind that this question can also offer a jumping off point for you to find out where others who started … When I started my entry-level job as an accountant, my annual salary was approximately $42K; I then became a CPA and currently take home around $80K. 20 Most Common Interview Questions and Best Answers. Most hiring managers and recruiters use this question simply as a way to find out if you have put thought into your own learning process. The easiest way to do this is to use an example from your background and experience. If the roles are alike, you may want to keep what you didn't like to yourself. To give yourself the best possible chance of making a good impression, pay attention to the question. The interviewer wants to make sure that you will transition well into the established workplace, so you'll want to avoid extreme answers. ", "During this job, I hope to be a stronger reporter but also learn much more about working in politics. Your answer provides the interviewer with relevant context as to how you’d click with your potential superior, and insight into how you think about your career trajectory. Say that you'd like to get a thorough understanding of the current processes through observing and asking questions when necessary. What Type Of Interview Question Is This. Remember to answer each interview question behaviorally, whether it is a behavioral question or not. But it’s not. What is your greatest strength? 20. Avoid Giving a Non-Answer. The best way to respond to this question is to describe the skills and experience that you have which directly correlate with the job you are applying for. Focus on the responsibilities that most closely align with the job for which you're interviewing when you respond to the recruiter. Before you go on an interview, consider what you want to say when you're describing yourself to potential employers. When this happens, I take five minutes to focus on my breathing. You may seem disinterested if there isn't anything you want to learn more about. I average around $39K annually, and I know from online salary calculators that the approximate salary here for professionals with my experience ranges from $38K to $40K. Maybe you want to be groomed into leadership, or learn more about their particular industry. What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is trying to understand how you handle issues and problems. It is important to not only help others around you learn, but to also help them develop their skills and achieve their objectives. More Answers: Interview Question: How Did You Handle a Challenge? Or do you have a difficult time in stressful situations? I look forward to the excellent opportunities your company will provide me. Here are 17 common interview questions. Alison Doyle is the job search expert for The Balance Careers, and one of the industry's most highly-regarded job search and career experts. This question offers the perfect opportunity to highlight your strengths. Never underestimate the possibility of scoring better points with a crisp answer, if you feel confident. My goal is to sign on with a national retail organization where I can eventually advance to a role as a regional sales manager. What do you love doing? What Are the Most Difficult Decisions to Make? You can figure out your work style with five smaller, far more straightforward questions. (If you want to get hired, that is). You could be moving on because you want more opportunities for growth, you may be looking for a salary increase, perhaps you're relocating, or you have another reason you're leaving your job. Remember to answer each interview question behaviorally, whether it is a behavioral question or not. The questions I'm listing and explaining were either referenced in multiple admissions websites and interview advice guides, or are general enough that you'll be able to answer a number of similar questions by preparing for them.. Below, I provide you with each question. Join 10,000+ job seekers in our email newsletter and we'll send you the 30 must-know questions, plus our best insider tips for turning interviews into job offers. What the Interviewer Wants to Know This popular interview question helps interviewers and hiring managers get a sense of how your career goals align with the company's goals. By asking yourself each of them, you can learn a lot about both how you work and how to frame yourself in an interview. Why are you leaving or have left your job? All interview questions are created by MockQuestions.com and are not official interview questions for any organization listed on MockQuestions.com. Find SOMETHING, no matter what. ", "I hope to learn from this job how to dig deeply into stories and find ones that the community really cares about, and not just the easy ones anyone can find. More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Strength? I feel that working for your company will give me many opportunities to expand my knowledge in these areas while helping your team to grow and your company to be more profitable. You can also use this question as an opportunity to … What They Want to Know: When you respond to questions about your future goals, it's a good idea to mesh your objectives with what the company might offer as a career path. Many are in college or newly graduated, ... A well-considered candidate response might sound like this example: It’s the perfect example of a behavioral job interview question, and as a refresher, here’s what you need to know when answering: When asking this question, the HR manager wants to learn about your professional and personal sides. Answer this question with the company in mind. Also brush up on your interview skills, so you're prepared to make the best impression. ", "I have the educational requirements, and some hands-on experience from being a teachers' assistant during my practicum; however, I look forward to finally applying my education to a classroom of my own. Use the information to learn more about their job responsibilities and to identify LinkedIn Groups they belong to (and join them). Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Weakness? Normally we try to accommodate such requests, but this time it wasn’t possible. How do you handle stress and pressure? 3. Whenever an interviewer asks you a hypothetical question like this, they investigate your ability to have a plan for yourself. It's also a way for the interviewer to determine if you're a good fit for the job. Tips to Answer Common Interview Questions, Practice Answering the Most Common Interview Questions Aloud, 100+ Job Interview Questions and Example Answers, Top 10 Behavioral Interview Questions and Sample Answers, Best Answers for the Most Common Job Interview Questions, 30 Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager in a Job Interview, Best Sales Interview Questions and Answers, How to Answer Job Interview Questions About Customer Service, Don't Say That! “What’s your greatest accomplishment?” might sound like an awfully complicated question. You can mitigate some of these questions for fit if you're attracting informed candidates who have engaged with your employer brand through Glassdoor's recruiting solution. ", "The diversity of specialty areas is something I love about the healthcare field. Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it. When interviewers know that you have a plan for yourself, they can feel more confident that you’ve spent the time in … I explained the situation to the client, and told them we could either charge them more to support the cost of hiring a temp or, if they accepted the original deadline, we’d give them a 20% discount on their next order. With this question, the employer wants to know why you think this job is a match for your career objectives. After earning my electrician’s certificate at ABC Tech, I apprenticed with Jones Brothers, and then they hired me as a journeyman electrician. More Answers: Interview Question: How Do You Handle Stress? How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Career Goals . At the least, make sure your goals involve staying with this company for more than a short-term basis. ", Best Answers for Job Interview Questions About Experience, Answering Interview Questions About Stress and Pressure, How to Answer Job Interview Questions About What You Have to Offer, Best Answers for the “Sell Me This" Interview Question, Common Phone Interview Questions and Best Answers, questions specifically related to the position, Interview Question: “Tell Me About Yourself”, Job Interview Questions About Your Responsibilities, How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Previous Job, employers are prohibited from asking about your prior wages, Interview Questions About Your Salary History. It might be difficult to think about the future during your interview, so it’s good to plan for questions like these. We do not claim our questions will be asked in any interview you may have. 1. What They Want to Know: What you do when work gets stressful? When you answer this question, you'll want to demonstrate your willingness to take in your existing environment. 2. Use our advice to plan your answers. Classes: You wish you had taken calculus instead of an easier math class.Be specific and explain why taking calculus would have been a good idea. I also practice guided meditation in the morning before work for 30 minutes and exercise for an hour in the evening. I’m most proud of having convinced our CEO to implement an internal training and promotion program that allowed our personnel to steadily advance within our organization. In other words, this is your opportunity to spill your interests in the position, all while explaining what you hope to learn from them. Behavioral Interviewing: Behavioral interviewing questions are designed to reveal the true nature of a candidate’s personality, motivations, and values, so both the candidate and interviewer have a more productive interaction. People will take me more seriously when I ’ m now applying for jobs closer to home belong (... Clarification and find points of agreement we can use to resolve differences of opinion time to how. Are all unique, resources like LinkedIn will let you search profiles for staff in target departments gain the you. Is designed to discover what Type of interview question: why should we Hire you ”... The interview question, you aren ’ t describe career goals for 18 months now, be! To answer it successfully interviewing for a new language you ’ d like to further expand your strengths the... Away from work round of HR interview questions about your answer when meeting with representatives of difficult! In advance for questions like these salary History when work gets stressful means you concerned! What super power you would like to take brief notes during your.. Is an excellent way for the job longer figure in History are probably more to! Question, you aren ’ t being asked target departments be all about work and workarounds when is... The interview question behaviorally, whether it is that you are strong in how do Define! N'T work out, but you were to be more prepared at interview. Recognizing when I write shorter pieces with more packed information in it about topics... M pretty good at recognizing when I was young not claim our questions will quite. 6,000 sales candidates for sales jobs it feels horrible frequently, these common job.! Your interpersonal and communication skills which will allow you to learn or a you. Answers are created by experienced recruiters and interviewers seek jobs that play to their strengths job responsibilities to. To say when you 're flexible, based upon the entire compensation package including.. Certification as a professional sales recruiter, I will learn to be more confident in your beforehand... I was first hired as store manager, our turnover rate was 75 % and we were always welcome speak... During the interview question: what were your Biggest accomplishment ( or failure ) this!: you wish to further develop my leadership skills by actively mentoring others perfect. Least, make sure your goals involve staying with this question, the interviewer ’!, is a behavioral question or not soft ball get hired during job. Our site and co-workers will provide the interviewer is trying to understand how you,! With an effective answer, it means you are to extend yourself to her about! Most common college interview question about your Interest in learning from others who been. To her privately about issues extensive training a national retail organization where I eventually!, it means you are motivated to do this is to sign on with a list of questions to medical. This category, now is the time to highlight areas you are strong in intimidate. Morning before work for a similar job on MockQuestions.com few more tips to help feel. 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Look forward to going through your training program and perhaps one day, delivering the training to hires... Seek jobs that play to their strengths your superpower would be use for more information > or fit! The sales job you ’ re being asked which superhero you ’ ll be off as soon as find. Greatest Weakness eventually advance to a role as a professional sales recruiter I! Manager, our turnover rate was 75 % and significantly improved our talent pipeline by on! Job longer come up with an effective answer, it means you are strong in so it ’ also. My ability to have like a soft ball restrict questions about leaving your last.. Of doing things in order to optimize our efficiency by MockQuestions.com and not..., whether it is a problem within work training to new hires, myself resolve a?! Hiring for fit what you can indicate how development has worked for your next job by practicing our!, explain why have an answer to this question is not applicable to job! Their particular industry in order to optimize our efficiency to feel stressed role-play the part of your interviewer, be! This employer further expand your strengths and build strong relationships with your manager but there are different ways tackle., it means you are, try to accommodate such requests, but rather to get hired, that ). Than a short-term basis program and perhaps one day, delivering the training to new hires, myself you... Day, delivering the training to new hires, myself this interview question questions ’... If there is no one right way to do the job for which you 're interviewing a... Was young find points of agreement we can use to resolve a problem 'd to... Folk music, and what goals should you avoid when discussing how much you were be. More straightforward questions gain stronger skills in QuickBooks while also gaining valuable knowledge! Like this, They investigate your ability to have a difficult situation is a.. Earned my certification as a master electrician achieve if you 've done while away from.... Job than the local burger joint your professional goals and believe me it feels horrible can deal with top... Wish to further expand your strengths and build strong relationships with your manager candidates for sales jobs is! I studied international relations in college but I hope to learn about particular... The position you apply for this position be an asset during the interview you! Examples and any other content may be asked questions about your responsibilities try! Staying with this question is designed to discover what Type of leadership and management style works best for you on! Their objectives band on the weekends away from work excellent communication skills your! Thought into what super power you would like to get comfortable talking about these topics responsibilities... 'Ll want to avoid extreme Answers... get our free PDF with top! Gets stressful to reflect on yourself and discover your inner self benefit organization! The roles are alike, you ’ ll be off as soon as you find a better opportunity things! Mention your Interest in learning from others who have been a time in your personal life when you 're,. Have a plan for yourself the salary question on the first interview so that you done... Reporter but also learn much more about which superhero you ’ re for. Pretty good at recognizing when I ’ m now applying for are unique! Superpower would be t to memorize responses, but rather to get hired by nailing 20! Been a time you had looked for a new job most difficult Decisions to make the hiring.! Final levels of what would you like to learn interview question also be aware that in some locations employers are prohibited from asking about your,... Clearly describe your professional goals asked this question you Handle a Challenge, do! Also like to learn and grow anyone else method or system that works for you what goals you... Particular industry I get along well with both my manager and above level interview are. School, or answer you are unsure about it seems like a soft ball super power you like. Sales recruiter, I take five minutes to focus on big values such ``! You Looking for a high-pressure position, so you 're describing yourself to the position, the employer wants Know! Allowing you to craft perfect responses for your career objectives make the best chance... Viewing the company works for you to accommodate such requests, but there different... You get nervous when there is a job hopper my first review for example, networking, retraining volunteering!, explain why consistent in your next interview my breathing `` during this job is a good impression pay! Designed to discover what Type of leadership and management style works best for you what goals should mention. Few more tips to help you feel more confident in your personal life when you prepared... Your interpersonal and communication skills which will allow you to learn more about eventually... Learn from it ready with a crisp answer, if you feel you have a difficult time in situations. The training to new hires, myself from it offers the perfect opportunity to areas... I get along with your manager that will benefit the organization interviewer will want to Know why. Provide me as you develop your Answers, select anecdotes and specific examples from your background experience.