COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND HOW TO SMASH THEM

Why do you want to leave your current company?

Everyone has different reasons for leaving their job. These can be both positive and negative but it’s always best to stay as positive as you can when talking about your current employer. You can go with generic answers such as wanting a new challenge, a change or new opportunities to progress your career. If your old workplace is toxic or dysfunctional, you can mention this in a constructive way.

You could mention that you feel there is a lack of communication which prevents you from doing your job effectively. If you go this route, show that you have tried to resolve this problem in the past but that it hasn’t been resolved so you feel that it’s time to move on. Showing that you can communicate your concerns and try to resolved them before moving jobs will make you look good.

What questions do you have for me?

This question is asked at basically every interview so make sure you’ve got some questions lined up! Think about what’s important to you and will you succeed in a workplace. You could ask about the company’s culture or values or a campaign that they’re running through their social media channels.

You can use this time to show you’ve done your research and that you’re invested in the company. The questions you ask can leave the interviewer(s) with a positive impression of you.

Why should we hire you?

You know your worth, but the person(s) interviewing you don’t. Yes you can talk about skills or training that you have that sets you apart from other candidates but what can only you bring to this job.

Do you have a strong work ethic or a passion for the services the company offer? Are you always willing to go the extra mile or take on more work to support the team? You need to use this question to your advantage and show what sets you apart from the other candidates and highlights why you would be the best person for the job.

How did you hear about this position?

This is usually a question that they’ll ask you on the application or over the phone pre interview. However, some companies might ask this in the interview as a starter question. Be honest about how you found this job, on a job site, social media or the companies website. They’ll use your answer to this question for their records and reports to check how their jobs are being found.

What can you offer us that someone else can not?

This question can be tough to answer off the cuff in an interview. For this question, note down some tasks that you’ve completed in previous jobs that will set you apart from the competition.  If you’ve worked with uncommon software or completed some high-level training you could use this as an answer. Maybe you’ve been on a personal journey that has given you skills that other candidates won’t have.

Whatever you can offer, make it as memorable as possible so that you stand out amongst a sea of interviews. 

Why are you looking for a new job?

You can be honest when answering this question, just try to keep it as positive as possible. If you’re leaving a company due to changes in upper management, you can say that you feel that the company is going in a direction you don’t feel aligns with your values. However, if you’ve left a company on bad terms, you can say that you want a new challenge or your looking for career progression. You might have just finished a big project and feel that this is a natural for a change.

How do you handle pressure?

Pressure presents differently in everyone so really think about times where you have been under pressure and how you dealt with the psychological effects whilst getting the job done efficiently and to a high standard.

Pressure might make you more efficient and/or productive. Or, it might make you procrastinate and less efficient. If this is the case, you’re best to be honest but highlight how you’re overcoming this and how you have handled this when working under pressure in previous job roles.

What are your salary requirements?

This is a question that a lot of people find difficult to answer or feel awkward discussing. The reality is that companies want to know if they can meet your expectations and/or if they’ll need to re-budget should they wish to hire you. Before going into the interview, it’s best to do some research on average salary for a role so that your expectations are realistic. However, if you are currently on an comfortable salary and know you can’t drop below this, be honest and see if they’re willing to negotiate.

What questions haven’t I asked you?

This is where your question prep comes in handy. This is the chance to bring up any questions that you prepared for prior to the interview. If you know that you’ve got an answer that really highlights your skills and talents, use it to your advantage. Leave the interviewer(s) knowing more about you than they did before they asked the question.