Graham Foreman - Job Interview: Prepare to Get Hired: Top 100 Common Questions and Winning Answers

Job Interview

Prepare to Get Hired: Top 100 Common Questions and Winning Answers

Introduction

T he chances are that you are looking to get a new job. Maybe you are hoping to get your dream job. You could be looking to get your first job. It could even be that you have decided to make a career change. No matter your reason, you have come to the right place. Acing the interview is the first step in making sure you get the job you want.

Lucky for you, interviewing is a skill that anybody can easily master. Superior intellect or physical strength is not needed. A game plan and little bit of practice are all you need. This book will provide you with everything you need to know to create that game plan. The key to acing an interview is knowing how to answer the questions properly.

Most job interviews will fall into three categories. Nearly 70 percent of interviews are disappointing. People go in unprepared and struggle through all of the questions, providing answers that are vague or dont even answer the question.

The next 20 percent are fairly decent interviews. People make sure they are prepared, and they provide relevant and clear answers.

The last ten percent is the best of the best. They can answer the questions with confidence. They make the interview fun and the interviewers job easier. These people will be able to get any job that they want.

The goal of this book is to help you become that third group. The best candidates arent necessarily the most gifted. They dont have some secret formula for having an amazing interview. Their key to success is being prepared. They research and find out what questions are most often asked and they get ready to answer those questions.

Business students will often be very good at the interview process because they learn what questions are most often asked and the best way to answer them. They also practice with others. Basically, they rehearse for their interview.

Unfortunately, there are many other students and people who dont get this type of preparation. It is crazy to think that this isnt a part of the college curriculum considering all of those students are going to want to get a job once they graduate. They may be ready for the job, but they arent ready to prove they are worth the time and money.

We will look at eleven different categories of questions that are most often asked during interviews. This also includes the Do you have any questions? This is likely the hardest part of the interview process. You will have to customize your answers according to your experience, but the answers provided in this book will help to aim you in the best direction.

Imagine how great you will feel when you leave your interview knowing that you aced it. If you follow the tips in this book, you will get to experience that sensation.

The skill will also be helpful in other areas of your life so that you can be more persuasive. Interview skills can help you with not only landing a job but also in persuading other people. That means this book can be helpful even if you arent planning on finding a new job.

Before we get into the questions, lets take a look at a few steps you can take to make sure you are fully prepared for your interview.

First, it is important that you do some research on the type of job. A simple Google search will provide you with thousands of sample descriptions. From there, you can write down the main responsibilities that the job will require. This helps you to get ready for the questions and will help to set you apart from other people applying for the job. After you have figured out what your employer is looking for, you will be able to prepare the best answers.

Next, research some job-specific details. If you can, find a description of the specific job that you are looking to get. Employers will sometimes post job descriptions for their open positions online. If you arent able to find one, contact a person at the company and ask for one. Most of the time HR or hiring managers will happily provide you with a job description.

Read through the description and write out some notes about what they expect. This will provide you with a cheat sheet for creating your answers. This is much like getting the answers for a test before you have to take it. Employers will typically let you know exactly what they want from you. Make sure you frame your answers so that they highlight your skills with the needed responsibilities.

Next, get ready for the different types of questions. The majority of the interview questions will fall into six main groups. There are different variations, which we will go into, but preparing for these six categories are typical:

1. Opening These questions will normally involve your background, work experience, and education.
2. Interest These ask about what your interests are.
3. Fit These questions help the interviewer figure out if you are a good fit for their position. These are sometimes referred to as behavior questions because they may sometimes ask you how you would act in a certain situation.
4. Case These are made to test your thinking skills.
5. Odd-Ball These are questions to see how well you can think on your feet.
6. Closing These are used to get any last bits of information that the interviewer may need to make their decision.

This book, however, has been broken down into eleven types of questions. This is because some of the above categories can be broken down further to help you prepare more for the interview. We will cover:

1. Personal questions
2. Questions about your experience
3. Questions about your strengths and weaknesses
4. Questions about the position and company
5. Questions about the future
6. Questions to see how you handle stress
7. Questions about you to expect from the company
8. Questions about your last job
9. Questions to find out why you want the job
10. Questions on why should they hire you
11. Do you have any questions?

Dos and Donts

Lets go over some quick things you need to make sure that you keep in mind.

• Be grateful The interviewer is using their time to speak with you. Make sure you tell them that you appreciate it. Start the interview with a Thank you and end the interview with a Thank you. Follow up after the interview with a Thank you.
• Be truthful All of your responses should be truthful. It is the right thing, plus the interviewer will fact-check everything you say. If you lie, and they catch you, you can kiss your chances of working with them goodbye.
• Frame your answers You are going to learn how to frame your answers throughout this book so that you dont end up rambling or being vague.
• Provide examples Facts are great, but if you can provide stories of when you have faced certain situations, that is even better. People will remember these stories. Make sure they are brief, though, but also with enough detail so the interviewer can picture it.
• Be concise You want to make sure your answers are long enough to provide enough information but short enough so that you dont control the conversation.
• Be specific Employers are listening to hear specifics about the things you have accomplished.
• Be passionate Employers are looking for people who will actually like doing their job. Show them that you like the work you are applying to do.