Interview Questions

What have you done professionally that is not an experience you'd want to repeat?

Admin stuff- scanning. It's important and was vital to launching us forward, but it was tedious.

What did you like/dislike about your previous job?

Don't be too negative. The reason is that you don't want the interviewer to think you'll speak negatively about their company when you're ready to move on, if you even get the job. Ex. - It makes more sense to talk about yourself and what you're looking for in a new role.

Why should we hire you?

Give concrete examples of why your skills and accomplishments make you the best candidate for the job. Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company and position. Ex. - A good answer would be something along the lines of "You will most likely never have problems with me that will cause you or your company any stress/pressure."

What's a typical work week in your perspective?

Interviewers expect a candidate for employment to discuss what they do while they're working in detail, but before you answer, consider the position you're applying for and how your current or past positions relate to it. The more you connect your past experience with the job opening, the more successful you'll be at answering questions. Ex. - "A typical work week for me would basically just be doing what I'm told and to learn from my past job experiences. If I was told to do something and I procrastinated, I would make sure not to do that again."

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

It's important to be careful how you respond because you'll need to tailor your answer to the job for which you're interviewing. Ex. - In order to prepare for this question, you should organize a reasonable career path.

What's your greatest strength?

It's important to discuss qualities and characteristics that will qualify you for the job. Ex. - If being interviewed for something in retail, like a clothing store, you could say you're organized, efficient, and take pride in what you do.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?

Keep in mind the position you're interviewing for, the company's culture, and the work environment. Your answer should help show the interviewer why you're a match for the job and the company. Ex. - Say something like "I'm a people person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different people."

Tell me about yourself

Never answer 'tell me about yourself' by reciting your work history. Instead, explain the whybehind the things you do." — Rajiv Nathan

What has been the greatest disappointment in your life?

The answer will help the interviewer determine how easily you're discouraged. Tell about a personal disappointment if possible. Ex. - Like the death of a parent, child, school friend. It's okay to have a 'greatest disappointment'.

How do you evaluate success?

The best thing to do for this question is just be completely honest. Reflect back on a moment that made you feel successful in life. Ex. - "I evaluate success in different ways. At work, it's meeting the goals set by my supervisors and fellow workers. At sports, like softball, success for me is being on the field catching the winning pop-up."

What interests you about this job?

The best way to respond is to describe qualifications listed in the job posting, then connect them to your skills and experience, that way, the employer will see that you know about the job you're interviewing for (sometimes, not everyone does) and that you have the qualifications necessary for the job. Ex. - For example, when and if applying for a job in retail, you could say "I love being around and working with people. Even though I might not be around people all the time, it just makes me happy to make you and other people happy."

Do you prefer to work independently or with a team?

The employer asking you this question would just like to be informed if you like working by yourself or if you're a team player. Ex. - You could say something like "I'm equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. When working with a team, I won't let other people slack off and get the credit for the work, but I won't be too pushy and I will accomplish my share of the project."

What's good customer service?

The interviewer wants to know what you consider quality customer service and how you'd be willing to provide it to the customers. Ex. - "Good customer service is treating customers with a friendly, helpful attitude and doing what they ask you to do."

How will your greatest strength help you perform?

When responding, relate your strengths to both the job description and your own ability to perform at work. Ex. - If being interviewed for a clothing store, you could say that being organized and efficient makes it easier for the customers shopping at the business and supervisors/managers.

What type of work environment do you prefer?

When you're being asked about work environments, your best bet is to say you're flexible, or something along those lines, because at this stage in the interview process, you don't know what it'll be like working for this company. Ex. - "I can be flexible when it comes to my work environment. I can adapt to whatever the environment shall be."

What do most people often criticize about you?

The person interviewing you usually just wants to find out how sensitive you are and how you accept criticism when asking this question. Ex. - "There's no on-going criticism and I'm open to person and professional growth. I'm always welcoming the opportunity to improve."

If people who know you were asked why you should be hired here, what would their answer be?

The person interviewing you wants to know what your perception is of what other think about your qualifications, abilities, and personality. Ex. - "if you asked my friends why I should be hired, they'd probably tell you that I'm qualified and I acquire the skills outlined in the job description. Also, I bring ___ years of experience. I'm also hard working, professional, trusted, and a team player when I need to be."

What motivates you?

There's no right or wrong answer to this question. The person interviewing you is trying to understand the key to your definition of being successful in the job you're applying for and wants to make sure it's a good fit. Ex. - "Seeing people being happy around me makes me want to attempt to do my job more efficiently."

If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something, how would you handle it?

This question is asked to find out how you deal with a difficult situation. "It depends on the situation and the personality of the supervisor, could you please give an example scenario?"

Why do you want to work here?

When answering this question, be prepared and knowledgable about the company. Research the company before the interview so you're able to talk about the benefits of working for this employer. Ex. - "This company is internationally known in ___, and I have fine experience in ___ that would greatly benefit this company and the people within."

How do you handle stress/pressure?

When being asked this question, it's a good idea to give examples of how you've handled stress. That way, the interviewer may get a clear picture of how well you can work in stressful situations. Ex. - "I react to certain situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful." "I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging work environment."

What's your greatest weakness?

When being asked this question, try to turn a negative into a positive. Ex. - Instead of saying you have a sense of urgency to get things completed, say you're someone that'll make sure projects are completed on time.

What are your pet peeves?

Your answer to this question will help the interviewer determine whether you would be a good fit with the company culture. Ex. - "I don't have a pet peeve. If something's bothering me, I step back, analyze 'why' and find a proper, well-fitting solution to the problem."