Need help answering Interview questions?

 

Tips To Guarantee You A Successful Interview

 

Whether you love or loathe interviews, going to an interview gives you a real chance to impress hiring manager and make sure you’re given the job you’re applying for. There’s no guarantee about what you’ll be asked, but there are a number of questions that come up again and again. If you have powerful answers to these, it will help you to make a big impact. Here are some of the most common interview questions and suggestions on how to answer them.

Tell Me About Yourself
This is usually the opening question and is a great opportunity to showcase your strengths. Begin your answer with an overview of what you’re doing now then run through the jobs you've held so far in your career. You can follow the same structure as your CV, giving examples of achievements and the skills you've picked up along the way. Don't go into too much detail - your interviewer will ask for you to expand on any areas where they'd like more information.

What Are Your Strengths?
This question is a perfect opportunity for you to explain what you do well and why that means you’re right for the job. Pick the three attributes that you have that you think are the most important for the job you’re applying for and give examples of how you have used these strengths in a work situation.

These could be tangible skills, such as proficiency in a particular computer programme, software system or a foreign language, or intangible skills such as good team management. Make sure you explain how each strength relates to the role you’re applying for.

What Are Your Weaknesses?
It’s much better to answer the question ‘what are your weaknesses and what have you done to overcome them?’ So don’t give examples of things you’ve not done well if you don’t also have an example of how you’ve learned from it or worked to improve your skills as a result.

What Are Your Goals?
You should answer this question in terms of both short-term and long-term goals unless it’s asked in specific terms such as ‘where do you see yourself in five years’ time?’

Tell the interviewer about the kind of job you'd eventually like to do and how you plant to get there. Show the employer you have ambition, and that you have the determination to make the most of every job you have to get where you want to be.

Why Should We Hire You?
This is where you get the chance to tell the interviewer about the skills, experience and attributes you have that mean you should be hired. When preparing for the interview, check the job description and try and include some of the phrases in your answer (if they are relevant).

Whenever you talk about a skill or attribute you have, make sure you relate it back to the company or the role. Don’t just list your experience without explaining how it could benefit the organisation.

Why Do You Want To Work Here?
You may feel you’ve already answered this, but what the interviewer is looking for here is for you to spell out how well your skills, experience and attributes match the requirements of the role and the company or organisation’s ethos.

Make sure your answer is really powerful. Practice what you’re going to say so that your answer is clear and that the interviewers are left in now doubt that you should be hired.

What Salary Are You Seeking?
This is a question that you shouldn’t really answer. If you come up with a figure in the interview, it may put you in a weaker position when you come to negotiate later on.

Rather than saying nothing, make sure you prepare by finding out the value of someone with your skills and if they have provided a guideline salary with the job description, you could mention this and say it's around the figure you're looking for.

(Source: Robert Walters Recruitment.co.za)

Interview Do's and Don'ts

General Interview DO’s and Don’ts 

Decisions can be formed from the very first visual contact with the interviewee. The rest of the interview will be used to confirm or counter this initial impression.

If you create a positive impression from the outset, it can dictate the whole nature and direction of the interview

DOs

·     DO shake hands firmly with your interviewer (Don’t break their wrist) and always look the interviewer in the eye

·     DO smile; remember the interviewer will make decisions from the very first interaction. A smile conveys that you are relaxed, approachable and it will set the tone of the meeting (remember, a smile doesn't mean a fixed grin throughout the interview, this will tend to imply that you’re slightly odd)

·     DO be a good listener as well as a good talker. Over eager or nervous candidates will tend to jump in or interrupt the interviewer. This is natural, but it will agitate the interviewer and implies that you’re not listening or showing respect. Always listen carefully and wait for the interviewer to finish their sentence(s). This is very important.

·     DO turn up well presented. The general rule of thumb is, smart dark suit, skirt or trousers. Shirts, blouses etc should be as plain as possible (for the boys, white or blue always seems to work best). Wear a tie with a suit and try to leave the cartoon ones in the draw! Shoes should be black, sensible and polished. Also for the boys, a shave is a must, facial hair might look good in the bar or on the beach, but in an interview clean shaven is your best option.

DON’TS

·     DON’T ‘over answer’ questions. Be as concise as possible and don’t keep talking if you can’t answer the question

·     DON’T try to answer questions if you don’t know the answer. The response “I don’t know” if said diplomatically, is often better than a guess. Always add that “if I was asked that question in the context of the role, I would always ask someone for help”. Remember, the interviewer is keen to see how you answer the question, as much as what you answer it with. Often people will get questions wrong, but if the interviewer can see your way of thinking, then credit can still be gained

·     DON’T enquire about salary, holidays, bonuses etc at the initial interview. Talking about salary and  holiday etc will imply that your are unfocussed and dwelling on the wrong issues.

(source : Robert Walters Recruitment .co.uk)

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