Picture this: you have submitted your CV/Resume and have been shortlisted to attend an interview where they will give an ultimatum of if the company sees a future with you or not. Interview. The dreadful 3 syllable word. Up until now, there was a possibility of projecting a profile that spoke aspirational and polished. Somehow, an interview sounds much scarier and solidifies the whole process of job hunting or college admission. Knowing what to expect is incredibly important and can help to prepare, thereby, support the image you have created with your profile. So what can you expect from an interview?
Here are a few customary questions that are asked in an interview.
1. Tell us about yourself?
This question is for the employee to acquaint with you, but at the same time to put you at ease. Try practising and perfecting what you want the employee to know about you: name, where you are from, what have you have majored in, and you can chime in your hobbies. Try not to flesh out your profile here, as this is only the first hurdle. Talk about things that you are familiar with and speak about you, something that grounds you. Do not go too personal, either. Make use of action words so that you can express yourself better and in all honesty.
2. Give us a brief about your work experience?
Here, be descriptive about the experiences you have had. Go in reverse chronological order: talk about the latest post you held and for how many years. Touch upon how you started about and where you are right now: promotions, skills acquired, and lessons learned - all of which show personal growth and what you are capable of. Talk about achievements: leadership skills, financial cuts that were successful, and plans that led to an efficient work atmosphere. If you are a fresher, squeeze in internships, paid and unpaid ventures.
3. What are your Strengths and Weaknesses?
This can be your hologram of the image you have foreshadowed with your Resume/CV. Bring out your best foot forward. Keep in mind not repeat the common phrases of hard work, team player, patient et al. Talk about how you work smart, who is always looking for ways to tackle things at hand most efficiently. Even talking about weaknesses, convert them to your strengths, like a backhanded compliment. If you say you are not a social person, talk about how that has propelled you to focus more on work or how you are working on getting better at it. Roll the dice to your favour.
4. Why are you leaving the current job?
This can be a tricky question, and if you reason your answer correctly, will give you a mighty long impression. You can talk about how you were looking for something challenging and thereby felt it was time to look for something new. Talk about how it felt like you wanted to grow, and the current setting did not exactly support the ambitions you have in mind or are willing to pursue. Here, be ambitious and how you want things to go around.
5. Why do you want to work in this company?
To answer this question, you need to know about the company or the college you are interviewing for. Dig a little deep about what the institution is built on and what they are keen on developing. What they are famous for, their origins as well their current state. Talk about how this will be the ideal place where you can spread your wings and ultimately metamorphosis into that person you want to be. Illuminate the institution in the brightest of lights.
6. What are your salary expectations?
This question lets the evaluator know how aware you are of the industry. Talk to people who are or have held similar positions and discuss potential pay brackets with them. Quoting less or more than what is expected will indicate how out of touch you are. It makes you sloppy. Asking for fewer shows how under confident you are about yourself and your abilities. However, asking for more shows arrogance. Try to hold a middle ground.
7. What makes you different from the others who have applied for the same position?
For this, talk about your trials and tribulations without being soapy about it. Instead, talk about how you overcame it. Pick a professional circumstance, if you have one, and how you chose not to give up. You can include a few callbacks to your strengths, to support your statement
8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Knowing where you want to see yourself and the company in 5 years gives the employee an idea of what is in your mind and the changes you are keen on bringing into the company. Devise a plan on what you would like to change or improve about the company, and talk about how you would like to implement that in the company. Do not forget to include your personal growth: talk about how you would like to see yourself in a position that is nicer than what you started with. Be precise and try to keep your head above any confusion or cloudiness.
9. Why should we select you for this position?
Here you can bring out your best qualities. Talk about how your decade-long experience in a particular field, that, has taught you what to expect from any situation. If you lack experience, talk about how your freshness will bring from a new perspective in any situation or is an indicator of how much you are willing to learn more.
10. Do you have any questions for us?
This is perhaps the most important question in the interview, which will show how interested you are in the company or institution. If there is any question you have about the workings of the institution, this is your turn to clear it all off. You can even turn the tables by asking the evaluator about what they like about their job or the company.
To ace, your interview, practising is the only way forward. Go through your answers and look for any possibility of a question that can be expected.
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