Interview Questions
1. Can you tell me a little about yourself Translation: Tell me why you're the right fit for this job.
A formula I really like to use is called the Present-Past-Future formula. So, first you start with the present—where you are right now. Then, segue into the past—a little bit about the experiences you've had and the skills you gained at the previous position. Finally, finish with the future—why you are really excited for this particular opportunity. Let me give you an example: If someone asked, "tell me about yourself," you could say: "Well, I'm currently an account executive at Smith, where I handle our top performing client. Before that, I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national healthcare brands. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I'd love the chance to dig in much deeper with one specific healthcare company, which is why I'm so excited about this opportunity with Metro Health Center." Remember throughout your answer to focus on the experiences and skills that are going to be most relevant for the hiring manager when they're thinking about this particular position and this company. And ultimately, don't be afraid to relax a little bit, tell stories and anecdotes—the hiring manager already has your resume, so they also want to know a little more about you.
2. How did you hear about the position?
Another seemingly innocuous question, this is actually a perfect opportunity to stand out and show your passion for and connection to the company. For example, if you found out about the gig through a friend or professional contact, name drop that person, then share why you were so excited about it. If you discovered the company through an event or article, share that. Even if you found the listing through a random job board, share what, specifically, caught your eye about the role.
4. Question: Do you have any questions for us? Translation: Have you really been listening?
Translation: Have you really been listening? It's easy to go into an interview with a list of questions about the position. But the tougher part—and what the interviewer really wants to see—is whether you can roll with the punches, engage in the conversation, and ask questions that weren't already answered over the course of the interview. This will require some thinking on your feet. As you're going along in the interview, be thinking which key areas—job duties, company culture, the team you'll be working with—haven't been covered yet, so you can target your questions there. You can also prepare ahead of time by thinking of more non-traditional questions, or ask questions targeted to the interviewer herself, which probably won't be covered in the interview. Try things like: What you like most about working here? What drew you to work for this organization? What do you think are the current strategic challenges facing the organization? What advice would you give to someone in this role? Remember, there's no "right" answer to an interview question—or at least not one that's right for every job. But by thinking about what an interviewer is really after, you can go a long way in showing her why you're right for the job.
