The job interview is one of the most anticipated and tense phases of the selection process. Many candidates don't know what to say in front of the interviewer. A very effective way to prevent this from happening to you is to see what the main job interview questions are and how to best answer each of them, understand what the interviewer wants to know and give them what they need. may come?
What happens during a job interview
The job interview is the phase in which the interviewer asks candidates to better understand their experience, professional profile, knowledge and even interest in related companies. This is also the time to ask questions about professional resumes. This is the main objective, whether in person or via video calls.
What to wear to a job interview
A job interview is usually a formal dialogue between the candidate and the interviewer. The basic rule is that if you work for the company, choose the clothes you will wear on the day of the meeting. For traditional companies and banks, the tip is to choose clothes that make you feel comfortable. For example, pants and shirts are generally very useful. For more modern and casual companies, you can swap your dress pants for darker jeans, which are more neutral. A ripped denim outfit with a vest may be suitable for someone who is already working at the company, but it is not the best option for an interview. In this case, the best way is not to risk too much, so as not to make mistakes.
How to behave in a job interview
Your attitude in the job interview is also very important. Some simple tips that can make an impact are: Look the recruiter in the eye. Of course, this idea is not an exaggeration, much less “looking” at that person during the conversation. You need to convey credibility, so it's important to maintain eye contact, especially during the presentation. Don't waver. In stressful situations, people naturally shrug their shoulders or cross their arms. Prevent this from happening and try to sit up straight. To learn more about how to behave in an interview, check out our post “Pay attention to your posture in a job interview”. What are the most popular job interview questions In order to make you the best preparation for this conversation, we have listed below 25 very common questions in job interviews – and, of course, how best to answer each of them. Understand that the idea does not arrive with preparation and memorization of the answer, which can even harm your performance. The suggestion is to read the questions, understand what the interviewer wants to know through them and how to organize the presentation to show that you are the ideal person for the position. may come?
1. Can you talk about yourself?
It sounds simple, but talking about yourself in a job interview needs to be prepared. The recruiter does not want you to report your entire resume at this time. It's best to choose two to three accomplishments or experiences to prove that you're suited for the job in question. Before the interview, remember these examples. Finally, it's worth explaining how these experiences prepare you to take the job you're striving for.
2. How did you find out about the vacant position?
This is an opportunity to make you stand out. If you hear about this job from a friend who works at the company, say their name and tell them how excited you are. If you find an opportunity on a website, describe the content of the ad that caught your attention and why you are so interested.
3. How much do you know about the company?
Just repeat what you read on the company’s “About Us” page and it’s easy. However, if you work harder, you can score points with the interviewer. In this question, he wants to know what your relationship with the company is like. A good way to respond is to show that you understand the company's goals. You can even use some keywords and phrases from the website, but you must add some personal content. For example, “I am drawn to this mission because of…” or “I really believe in this approach because of…”. That makes all the difference.
4. Why do you want this job?
The company wants someone who is passionate about their work. To best answer this question, identify some of the key factors that make this position ideal for you (e.g., “I like customer service because I like interacting with other people and helping someone solve problems”). You can also talk about the company. For example: “I have always been passionate about education. I think you’re doing great things and I want to be a part of it.”
5. Why should we hire you?
Now is the time to show why you are the right person for the job. When responding, it's important to show that you can not only do the job, but also produce good results and that you fit into the company culture.
6. What are your strengths?
The tip here is to talk about your true strengths – not the ones you think recruiters want to hear. Choose the strengths that are most relevant to the job and be very specific. For example, instead of saying you have “interpersonal skills,” it’s better to say you have “persuasive communication” or good at “building relationships.” Then give a real example to illustrate how to apply this feature in a professional environment.
7. What are your weaknesses?
The interviewer wants to assess your self-awareness and honesty, but that doesn't mean you need to destroy your chances of getting the job. For example, suppose you never meet the deadline, which is not the case. Not to mention, it's time for you to market yourself as the perfect professional. The interviewer is very clear that this does not exist. It's best to list the areas that you know can be improved and that you are working on. example? “I'm not good at public speaking, I'm a little scared, but I work hard, I even volunteer to chair meetings and I'm used to speaking to a wider audience.”
8. What is your greatest professional achievement?
A good way to answer this question is to use STAR technology, which helps you organize your speech by providing specific examples that show you have relevant work experience and skills. Stars come from:
- Situation (situation);Task (task);
- Action (action);
- Results (results).
In practice, you need to put the situation into context (e.g. “In my last job as a junior analyst, my role is to manage the billing process”), describe what you actually did (actions) and what you achieved (results). ). For example, “In one month, I simplified the process and saved everyone 10 hours of work per month and invoice errors were reduced by 25%.”
9. Talk about challenges or conflicts you encountered at work and how you dealt with them.
This is a very common question in competency-based interviews. The interviewer asks candidates to tell the truth about what they have experienced. For example, this could show how they achieved challenging goals or resolved communication issues. Likewise, you can use the Star method and focus the answer on how you handle the work situation. Of course, ideally, the story should have a happy ending.
10. Where will I be in five years?
In this question, it is important that you are honest and specific about your goals. However, consider that the interviewer wants to know:
- If you set realistic expectations for your career;
- If you have ambition
- Whether the position meets your growth goals.
An interesting way to construct an answer is to consider where that location might lead and construct the answer along that path. What if the position doesn't align with your career goals? You might say you're not sure about the future, but you believe this experience can help you make your next decision.
11. What is your dream job?
The interviewer wants to know if this position really fits with your values and career goals. The best way is to talk about your goals and ambitions and explain why this work is so important to you.
12. Are you applying for positions at other companies?
The interviewer wants to know that you sincerely express your interest in the sector in which the company operates. The best thing here is that you are exploring some similar options in the same market segment. Interestingly, a common feature of all the jobs you are applying for is that you can use some of the key skills and abilities you have. For example, you might say “I'm applying for several positions at an IT consulting company where I can analyze customer needs and translate them into development teams to find solutions to technical problems.”
13. Why are you leaving your current job?
This is actually one of the hardest job interview questions to answer, but you can be prepared because it's likely to come up at any moment. The main tip is not to say anything negative to your current or previous employer. Now is not the time to vent. It's best to show how excited you are to take advantage of the new opportunity and how the position you're applying for is a better fit for you than your current or previous position. For example, “I really want to be involved in product development from start to finish. I know I will have that opportunity here.” If you are fired, tell the truth: “Unfortunately, I was fired.” to respond.
14. Why were you fired?
The recruiting area is small. So be honest with this answer. You don't need to provide details. If you can use your learning experience at your old job as an advantage in your next job, please indicate so.
15. What are you looking for in your new role?
This is easier. Try to answer by accurately citing the main points that the paper should provide. Be very specific.
16. What kind of work environment do you like?
Again, the answer is in the job advertisement. The interviewer wants to know if you agree with the work environment of the company you are applying for
17. What is your management style?
Typically, companies look for managers who have leadership and flexibility. It's interesting to provide some examples of managerial performance – when you grow your team from 5 to 15 or train low-performing employees to become the company's best salespeople. he knows?
18. Under what circumstances do you play a leadership role?
The best answer depends on the position you want to win. You can choose an example to demonstrate your project management skills, for example leading a project from end to end, dealing with multiple parties. Or it's better to cite a situation that shows you have the ability to lead a team confidently and effectively. Remember, details make the story real and memorable.
19. Have you ever disagreed with a work decision? What about this?
The interviewer wants to see if you can disagree with your boss in a productive and professional way. The idea is not to badmouth your boss or former boss, but to show that you can disagree with ideas for better results or more effective relationships.
20. How do your boss and colleagues evaluate you?
Be honest and try to draw out strengths and characteristics that you didn't discuss in the interview. Professional ethics or willingness to participate in other projects when necessary are good choices.
21. Why are there vacancies on your resume?
A gap in a resume can be a bad thing, so it's important to explain this fully to the recruiter. If you have been unemployed for some time, it is important to show that you are not unemployed. Do you volunteer, take courses, blog, teach? All of this is important. If you take a break to study, travel, or care for your relatives, focus on what you're willing to do now. “At the time I decided to take a break, but today I will contribute to this company in the following ways…”
22. Can you explain why you changed careers?
Explain why you made this decision and show how previous experience can help in your new role. If you show an unusual relationship between one profession and another, you may even surprise the interviewer – something he never imagined before.
23. How do you deal with stress or stressful situations?
It's best to choose an example that shows you can handle this problem while achieving your goals. Explain how you organize yourself to remain efficient and focused even in extreme situations. It's worth sharing an example of a stressful situation that you handled well.
24. How many tennis balls can be put in a luxury car?
1000? 10,000? Hundred thousand? Same? Sometimes “nonsense” or “weird” questions appear in the dialogue to investigate whether you understand the question being asked and how you organize the reasoning and logic in the answer. Take a deep breath and ask for paper and a pen if necessary.
25. Do you have any questions?
This is your chance to show your true interest in the company and clarify your doubts. Remember some questions to ask during the interview. The ideal is to avoid the obvious. A good idea is to focus on the company's growth (“Can you tell me about the company's growth plan? Are you ready to launch any products?”).
