The graduation season has just come to a peak. Many graduates and individuals are now preparing their resumes to apply for a job. But in today's competitive job market, interview preparation is as crucial as making a top-quality resume. While confidence is a great asset, it is still better to be prepared to leave thoughtful and remarkable responses that can leave a lasting impression on employers. The primary and essential strategies you need to excel in interviews and secure your dream job are discussed thoroughly in this article, including common interview questions and how to answer them effectively.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Interview Process
The interview process comes in different types and has almost no exact formula for acing it. But with proper preparation, you will have an edge over the other applicants who don't even spend a second practicing. So, it is essential to understand this process to prepare better and create a pleasing response and good flow once the HR Manager starts interviewing you.
Different Types of Interviews
Phone Interviews
Initial screenings like phone interviews may evaluate basic qualifications and initial fit.
Virtual Interviews
Nowadays, virtual interviews are already a standard setup. It may be conducted through video conferencing, providing face-to-face interaction with the employer remotely. However, make sure that you are dressed appropriately.
Panel Interviews
Another involves more than one interviewer to assess your compatibility with the team and the company itself. This is called panel interviews.
Behavioral Interviews
Some focus as well on one's past experiences and behavioral responses to predict future performance. This type is commonly known as behavioral interviews.
Technical Interviews
Job interviewers also focus on assessing a job applicant's knowledge and skills in the field or industry they're applying for, and this is called technical interviews.
While there are many types of interviews out there, note that two or even more types of interviews presented above can happen in a single interview process. So make sure to get prepared by these interviews as well.
The Purpose of Each Interview Stage
Screening Stage
On the screening stage, your qualifications and initial fit will be evaluated.
Skills Assessment Stage
On the skills assessment stage, your abilities related to the job requirements will be assessed.
Cultural Fit Stage
On the cultural fit stage, it will be determined whether you fit with the values and work environment of the company you are applying for.
Decision-making Stage
On the most important stage, the decision-making phase, the employer assesses your overall suitability for the position based on the interview process and qualifications you have.
Preparing for Common Interview Questions
Just as what is mainly iterated in this post, comprehensive preparation, or a brief rehearsal at the very least, is very vital before attending any interview. This section teaches you the necessary steps to make a remarkable impression on your interviewers in a good way.
Do Research on the Company and Position
Make a basic research regarding the background of the company and the role you are applying for. Doing this thing enables you to come up with a suitable answer showcasing your natural and genuine interest once they ask you something related to this thing.
You may do it by visiting the official website of the company and studying their mission, vision, values, as well as its recent achievements so that when they ask you something about what you can contribute with the company, you may answer something that comes from the heart which are aligned on the details you researched. It will leave an impression to them that you are well-updated about the company and that you are really interested in becoming a part of it, together with achieving the goals and embodying its mission towards success.
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
You need to research the company's background. It is a must to identify your strengths and weaknesses so that when they ask you how you can make a difference, you can mention how your strengths can significantly help the company. Also, acknowledge your weaknesses and say that such things will help you in the position you are aiming for and in the company itself. Also, say that you are constantly working on improving them and that the company will be a great avenue to overcome those weaknesses while ensuring that the value of work you provide is of excellent quality due to your various experiences across the industry.
Read Common Interview Questions
Put in mind that every interview is unique, and there might be some questions that are out of the box sometimes. However, there are common questions recurring across industries and by anticipating these questions, it will help you prepare answers that are both insightful and impactful. But here's the catch: do not ever memorize a generic answer because this might affect the flow of the interview, especially when you are very nervous. Instead of leaving a good impression, you might just put yourself in an embarrassing moment when you do that. Therefore, try answering these common questions and practice doing it in front of a mirror to build up your confidence and to have an idea of how you can answer a given question.
Common Interview Questions and Effective Answers
Now that you understand the significance of preparing before the job interview, let's dive into the eleven most common interview questions and learn how to answer and ace them effectively.
Tell Me About Yourself
This open-ended question is quite often a cliche question, but take note that it gives you the opportunity to make a solid first impression and set the tone for the rest of the interview.
To answer it, tell your name first and immediately give a brief introduction about your professional background to emphasize the relevant experiences and skills you have acquired and demonstrate your qualifications and passion for the field. Do not make the answer long by still stating other details such as your age, address, and favorite book, among other things because they are very generic. Besides, you have already included them in your resume, and of course, they may have already scanned it.
Can You Walk Me Through Your Resume?
Aside from the answers you've given in the previous question, state your most recent role and highlight the relevant experiences and accomplishments you have. Also, focus on skills that align with the job requirements and which you may apply to the company because the interviewer wants to have a concise yet impressive overview of your career trajectory and accomplishments, which may be beneficial to the fulfillment of the company's goals and mission towards success.
What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
As mentioned, do not just exaggerate your strengths to the way that it seems pretentious or close to being perfect already. Still, being humble in a nice way is much more presentable and better. On the other hand, to mention your weaknesses without overshadowing your strengths, focus on areas of growth and improvement. Mainly emphasize your willingness to constantly learn and develop.
Why Should We Hire You?
Answer this question by saying your edge from other applicants by highlighting your unique value proposition such as specific skills, experiences, and achievements you are good at then align it with what the company is looking for. Do not forget to express enthusiasm and confidence in mentioning it so that it won't seem rehearsed.
Describe a Challenging Situation and How You Overcame It
Before answering it, think of a relevant situation that significantly challenged you. Then begin by delineating the steps you took to address such a situation. You can make it better by highlighting the lessons you have learned and what's the positive outcome afterwards.
How Do You Handle Stressful Situations?
Answer this question by describing an organized approach to emphasize management techniques or other ways like seeking colleague support. Then provide clear examples of times how you successfully managed to overcome such stress situation and how it produced a positive outcome so that the interviewer may evaluate how you maintain composure when you are under pressure.
Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
While this question seemed challenging and might make you uncomfortable, know that such a question like this helps employers understand your career decisions as well as your motivations for seeking a new opportunity. Do not makeup lies just to conceal flaws. Instead, be honest and professional about your reasons for leaving by framing your response positively and highlighting your eagerness for growth and new challenges in a good way.
Why Are You Interested in Our Company?
Use what you found out from the research you made about the company, and you may answer it by sharing detailed information that resonated with you. One by one, incorporate your attributes and how it is aligned to the company's vision, mission, and objectives.
How Would You Handle a Difficult Colleague?
It is essential for an employee to have interpersonal skills and conflict-resolution abilities. Thus, describe a genuine approach to resolving conflicts. You may use open communication as an example and explain further how it becomes a common ground to resolve such conflicts. After which, highlight how empathy and collaboration are significant in overcoming such situations.
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
The HR Manager might ask about your long-term career aspirations as well to assess whether your aims are suitable for the fulfillment of the company's goals. That is why you would need to also explain how your commitment, aspirations, and enthusiasm for constant professional development in five years are beneficial.
How Do You Stay Organized and Manage Time Effectively?
Since it is essential for a company's success, you should answer this question by mentioning your organizational and time management skills. If you like marking your calendars with events that will happen on particular days or making to-do lists, emphasize how crucial it is in meeting deadlines and achieving your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some common questions that job seekers often have about interview preparation are answered here: