How to answer those common interview questions
18th January 2022
While all interviews and interviewers are different, there are some common interview questions that are asked to find out more about the candidate and how they deal with certain situations. We’ve compiled a list of some of those questions and guidance on how to confidently answer them.
Tell me about yourself
Some interviewers will start the conversation by giving a little insight into the business and will then most likely ask you to tell them a little bit about yourself.
Give them a quick summary of who you are and what you have been doing and some insight on any experience you’ve had which is relevant to the job. It’s a great point in the interview to mention your top achievements and to say why you think you’d be perfect for the role.
The interviewer won’t want to hear your life story or about your family history here. Make sure to talk about experience relevant to the position instead.
Why are you looking to leave your current role
Make sure you are honest about why you’re looking for work, but try not to talk too negatively about your current employer. Try focusing on something like you are looking for new challenges, possibly even highlighting aspects of the job you are interviewing for which aren’t available with your current employer.
Tell me about a tricky situation you have dealt with and how you solved it
When being asked this kind of question, the interviewers want to find out more about your negotiating skills or potential clashes with colleagues. The best way to approach these type of interview questions is to explain the situation, how you resolved it and what the outcome was.
Try to steer clear of describing a situation where you caused conflict as this might give them the wrong impression.
What are your weaknesses
Being asked this question can be quite daunting, but don’t let it scare you. We previously dedicated a blog to this question that you may find useful.
Talk about something you know isn’t your strongest point but which you are working on. Picking something that you can get training on and willing to develop will be the kind of answer the interviewer is looking for.
What are your career goals?
When answering these interview questions, it’s important to differentiate between your long-term and short-term career goals. Your long-term goals may be wider, overarching achievements that you would like to accomplish in the future. Whereas your short-term goals should be smaller, actionable objectives that may improve relevant skills or performance.
The salary question
Don’t undersell yourself here or say to the interviewer that you’re happy to take whatever they think will be best.
A lot of job adverts will include a salary band and if this isn’t the case, you can take a look at similar roles and get a good idea of an appropriate salary from those. There may also be some room for negotiation between you and the employer, so bare this in mind.
You can then justify what you are asking for by mentioning relevant knowledge and experience you will bring to the team.
Do you have any questions
Avoid asking about working hours and holidays here but instead, ask something about the business. Something you might have read about and you’d like to find out more. Maybe there is a new product or service they are launching which you can ask about. This shows the interviewer that you have done your research on the company.
You could also ask what goals and objectives the company has over the next, 3, 5, 10 years etc. This will indicate your interest in their mission and longer-term commitment to the business.
Are you looking to take the next step in your career?
Advance TRS is growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. Find out more about our current opportunities or for a detailed and confidential conversation, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.
