While some tough job interview questions catch us off guard, we can see others a mile away. How we answer job interview questions will make the difference between getting and not getting the job. We all have questions that we would rather not be asked during an interview. But how can one fully prepare for a difficult interview?
The answer to this question really comes down to some intense preparatory work. Bottom line, do your homework. Make sure you know your resume thoroughly, and expect questions about your work history to come up. Also, expect questions about the company you want to work for and the kind of future you want at that company, and finally, expect questions about yourself. You should use several large lists of questions in preparation for the interview. Below is a list of tough job interview questions that should be helpful in preparing for the job interview.
While the questions below are fairly standard and can be expected in most job interviews, you should also create your own questions. When creating your questions in preparation for an interview, you really need to sit down and think about what you would ask if you were the interviewer. Remember that the person interviewing you also has a job to do. If you can provide a good answer to most of the questions below and to the questions you have created, you have increased your chances of getting the job you are looking for.
Obviously, during a job interview, regardless of your personality, you need to be friendly and polite. Try not to appear nervous too. The most important thing is that you try to appear confident, but not to the point of appearing arrogant. Remember, the interviewer isn’t just trying to select the best candidate for the job, they also want to make sure you’re compatible with other employees you’ll be working with. Also, remember that the interviewer is doing everything they can to find red flags that may be present in your past work history.
The following is a list of questions that you can expect in most job interviews. Chances are you won’t be asked all of these questions, but you can expect some of them. Many of these questions come from About.com and some were created by our staff.
Job Interview Questions: Work History
What is the name of the company you worked for and what titles or positions did you hold?
When were you employed at this company?
What were your expectations for your previous job and to what extent were they met?
What were your starting and ending levels of compensation?
What were your responsibilities?
What were the main challenges and problems you faced? How did you handle them?
What did you like or dislike about your previous job? Which was she most and least rewarding?
What was the biggest achievement and failure in this position?
Why are you leaving your current job?
Why did you get fired? What did you enjoy most about your previous job?
Job Interview Questions: About Your Supervisors and Coworkers.
What was it like working for your supervisor?
What do you expect from a supervisor?
Who was your best boss and who was your worst?
What is the ideal co-worker? What is the ideal boss?
Job Interview Questions: About You
What is your greatest weakness?
What is your greatest strength?
In terms of your current or last position, describe a typical work week for you. Do you take work home?
How many hours do you normally work per week, including work done at home?
How would you describe the pace at which you work?
How do you handle stress and pressure? In terms of your career, what motivates you to move up and achieve more success?
Which are yours expectecions of Salari?
What do you think are the most difficult decisions to make?
Tell me about you. What has been the biggest disappointment in your life?
What have been your greatest achievements in your life?
What are you passionate about?
What are your hobbies?
What do people usually criticize about you?
When was the last time you got angry? What happened?
If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently?
If people who know you were asked why they should hire you, what would they say?
Do you prefer to work independently or in a team?
Give some examples of teamwork.
Were you responsible for any major projects in your last position and, if so, briefly describe the project you were responsible for?
What type of work environment do you prefer?
How do you evaluate success?
Have you ever given a work-related presentation to a group of 10+ people, and if so, how did it go?
If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something, how would you handle it?
Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it.
Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.
What have you been doing since your last job?
Job Interview Questions: About the New Job and the Company
What interests you about this job?
Why do you want this job?
What applicable attributes or experience do you have?
Are you overqualified for this job? What can you do for this company?
What do you know about this company?
Why do you want to work here?
What challenges are you looking for in a position?
What can you contribute to this company?
Are you available to travel?
Is there anything I haven’t told you about the job or company that you’d like to know about?
How do you plan to move up within our company?
What is the highest level you want to advance to within our company?
Why should we select you for this job?
Once again, the key to a successful job interview is preparation. When you are fully prepared, you will tend to be less nervous. Of course, it is very likely that you will be presented with a question or two that you did not expect. This is why preparation also involves having the knowledge base that you can expect the interviewer to tap into.
Here I am not talking about the knowledge required to do the job. That should be a given anyway, otherwise he wouldn’t have been asked to be in the interview. Here I am talking about knowing yourself and your attitudes, and being able to present your attitudes in a way that the interviewer can appreciate. It doesn’t hurt that the interviewer knows what really motivates you, if the interview goes in that direction.
Make sure you display an enthusiastic attitude. Be sure to present the interviewer with a willingness to learn and a desire to advance in the company he is about to work for. You don’t want to seem like you lack seriousness, and you definitely don’t want to come across as arrogant. Try to appear enthusiastic and positive in a mature and professional manner. If you are naturally an enthusiastic and positive person, then half the battle is won. The point is to be yourself, but try to present the best of yourself.
Remember this, many employers prefer a less educated candidate with fewer credentials who is bright and willing to learn, rather than one who is more prepared but lacks the right attitude. A good example of this is the entrepreneur who wants to launch a new business. For him or her starting a new business, hiring someone who is bright and has the right attitude is extremely important. More important than previous education. In this case, the entrepreneur is looking for someone who is not afraid to take risks and is very goal-oriented. Here it is very important that you show the interviewer your ability to work as a team. The type of 9 to 5 worker who expects to work basically the same hours 5 days a week would not be a good fit here. And the interviewer needs to know this.
To conclude, in the end, most interviewers are looking for the right attitude for the job they are trying to fill. If you also have the right credentials along with the right attitude, then your chances are greatly increased. If you can answer most of the questions above, display an enthusiastic attitude, and present yourself in the best light possible, you should be successful.