HOW TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MOST COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS The Daily Muse Editor

HOW TO ANSWER THE DREADED TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF Give a pitch that makes the hiring board wanting more! Concise, compelling and that shows why you’re the right fit for the job. Start with 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences that you most want the interviewer to know about, then wrap up talking about why your previous experience has positioned you for this specific role.

Formula Present-Past-Future formula

Start with present- where you are now. Then, segue into the past- a little bit about the experiences you’ve had the skills you gained at the previous position. Finally, finish with the future-why you are excited for this particular opportunity.

EXAMPLE: IF SOMEONE ASKED, “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF,” YOU COULD SAY:

Key:

Remember throughout your answer to focus on the experiences and skills that are going to be relevant for the hiring manager when they are thinking about this particular position and company.

Relax a little bit, tell stories and anecdotes- the hiring manager already has your resume, so they want to know more about you.

CONNECTING WITH YOUR INTERVIEWER Make a connection with the interviewer you are given. Once you do that you no longer have to work on “spitting” out rehearsed answers and focus on the genuine conversation!

1. Observe, Then Imitate take note of his or her initial demeanor from the beginning and begin mirroring it.

2. Don’t save Your Questions for the End, make a more genuine connection with your interviewer, it’s helpful to interject relevant questions throughout the conversation, instead of waiting until the end.

3. Pay Attention to the Interviewer’s Answers

When you start listening to your interviewer’s responses, you can determine what kind of answers he or she is looking for.

THE CONNECTION CONTINUES

Lastly when building that connection, make certain that you are

Paying Attention to the Interviewer’s Answers

Once you start asking questions, you’ll have another powerful tool in your hands-because when you start listening to your interviewer’s responses, you can determine what kind of answers he or she is looking for. Pay close attention: In response to your questions, does your interviewer go into a lot of elaboration? Does he or she tell personal stories or use data sources (charts, spreadsheets) as examples?

Then, model your responses the same way: If your interviewer consistently mentions percentages and numbers, make sure to weave those into your answers as well, clearly indicating that you decreased your department’s case backlog by 65%, or that you exceeded your fundraising goal by $1,500 last quarter. Observe and adapt, you and your interviewer will feel more comfortable, and you’ll have an easier time opening up.

“WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?” Step 1: Express Enthusiasm for the Company. Show what you know about the company. So, to prepare, spend some time honing in on what you know about the company and select a few key factors to incorporate into your pitch for why you’re a good fit.

Say you are interviewing for a small quantitative asset management company. The start of your answer might sound like this:

“ The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the position posted was definitely that it was at EFG Advisers. I know that you build a lot of your tools in-house, the team is small, and you run a variety of long-and short-term strategies in the U.S. equities markets using a quantitative approach.

Especially with smaller companies, it’s always impressive when a candidate knows a thing or two about what goes on at the company. And the best thing about this is you rarely have to go beyond reviewing the company website or having a quick conversation with a current or past employee to learn enough to sound like you’ve been following the company for a while.

Step 2: Align Your Skills and Experiences With the Role

Next, you want to sell why, exactly, you’re right for the role. There are two ways you can do this: You can either focus more on your experiences (what you’ve done before that brings you to this point) or your skills (especially helpful if you’re pivoting positions or industries).

Keep it short-you’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk about how you got your skills or relevant stories throughout the interview-and just focus on highlighting a couple key relevant abilities or experiences for the position.

WHY DO I WANT THIS JOB?

Step 3: Connect to Your Career Trajectory…. What?????

You want to show that the position makes sense for where you’re going in your career. Ideally, you won’t give the impression that you’re just using the position as a stepping stone. Show that you’ll be around for the long haul, and your interviewer will feel more comfortable investing in you:

“ I’ve been interested in switching to finance for a while now and have been actively managing my own personal portfolio for a few years. Joining a quant shop makes sense to me because I think it’s one of the few places where I’ll still be able to use my technical skills and spend my day thinking about finance. I’m really excited to learn more and see how I’ll be able to contribute to the firm.”

You don’t have to state specifically that you see yourself in the position for a long time. Just show that you’ve given some thought to how the job makes sense for you now and that it continues to make sense for the foreseeable future. String these three components together, and you have a response that will impress on three fonts: your knowledge and enthusiasm fort eh company, your relevant skills, and your general fit with the position. Plus, this framework has the added benefit of not stopping the flow of the conversation the way going through your entire life story would.

(Lily Zhang Career Development Specialist at MIT)

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A NEW JOB? Prepare to respond by comparing your interests and goals to the requirements listed in the job posting. That way, you can offer a personal response specifically tailored to the job for which you're applying.

The employer wants to know if your goals match the needs of the company.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?

REALISTIC GOALS

AMBITIONGOAL

ATTITUDE & GROWTH

LENGTH of STAY

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?

When answering this question keep in mind that it isn’t so much about the specific job you would like to have but the duties you would like to perform within a job.

“After a reasonable time working as a customer service agent, I would like very much to become a customer service manager.”

WHY DID YOU LEAVE OR WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?

REMEMBER THIS INTERVIEW QUESTION IS “CRITICAL”

NEVER BE NEGATIVE ABOUT YOUR CURRENT OR PAST EMPLOYER

REMAIN UNBIASED WHEN ANSWERING

WHAT TYPE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT DO YOU PREFER?

Make certain that you are familiar with the company culture, so that you can answer this question

WHAT IS YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE?

Define “Good Management” Add Your Spin Give an Example

WHAT WOULD YOUR COWORKERS OR BOSS SAY ABOUT YOU? When future coworkers ask this they are looking for:

Are you Dependable?

Are you Trustworthy?

Are you Hard-working?

Do you have a Sense of Humor?

Are you Considerate?

Are you a Positive person or Negative person?

When future managers ask this they are looking for:

Are you Dependable?

Are you Efficient?

Are you Hard working?

Are you Dedicated?

Are you Organized?

Are you Punctual?

Are you Reliable?

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PRESSURE & STRESSFUL SITUATIONS? I react to situations, rather than stress

I work better under pressure and thrive in a challenging work environment

I manage my stress by ____________________ (Working out, Reading) What is applicable to you?

Prioritizing my responsibilities, so I have a better idea of what needs to be done the next question maybe how do you do this? (lists, calendar) etc.

If people are contributing to my stress, I speak with them about options for better ways to deal with the stress.

Bottom line make this a positive not a negative!

YOU WANT HOW MUCH?

Money, Money, Money……….Money

Do your research to get your number—learn as much as possible about the position and comparable salaries from local and industry sources and job sites such as glassdoor.com

Let the employer know that you are flexible or willing to negotiate.

Don’t be afraid to be aggressive

Focus on your target price

Be flexible

WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL WOULD YOU BE?STAY AWAY FROM

stay away from animals that have negative associations, like snakes, hyenas, rats, or chickens.  Or spiders.

STICK TO Horse: Really strong and able to function individually or in a team

Ants: Hard workers and ultimate team players.

Monkeys: Quick learners

Elephant: Strong, loyal to group, intelligent and unstoppable

Dolphin: Considered one of the smartest animals

Dog: Good for support roles. Loyal, Man’s best friend.

WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?

Why are you the best candidate for the job?

Why are you the right fit for the position?

What would you bring to the position?

Either variation the interviewers reasoning for asking the question is to gather information and hire the “best” person for the position.

This is your chance to wow them. Your answer should summarize the top three or four best reasons to hire you.

Step 1: Brainstorm

Step 2: Structure Your Sales Pitch

Step 3: Practice

Example Answer: New College Grad

Example Answer 3: New College Grad

“I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant position. I have almost two years of television production experience — including two summers interning at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all aspects of TV production and worked so hard the first summer that they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities.

During my senior year at UC San Diego, I have been working part-time for a production company, where I have served in an assistant role but also recently had the chance to help edit several episodes. I have a reputation for getting things done — and with a smile on my face.

That’s because I love working in the television industry and am excited to learn and get experience in every way possible.”

COMMON MISTAKES

Lack of preparation

ModestyBeing too general

Talking too much

CONFLICT YOU’VE FACED AT WORK, AND HOW YOU DEALT WITH IT? You never get a second first impression!

Pick the Right Story

Make a Statement

Finish Strong

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS? THE ONE QUESTION ALL SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE CAN ANSWER IMMEDIATELY!

If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?

Knowing your superpower means you now yourself well enough to have a focus, and that’s the same competitive advantage that makes you so great at what you do!

If you have never considered what your superpower might be, do!

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS?

What do you know you need to work on?

First, think about something that isn’t your strong suit, whether it’s delegating to others or attention to detail, but think about it back in the past.

How have you taken steps to overcome it, or worked hard on getting better, and mention that you’re still working and working at becoming even better at this skill set.

I AM A SUPERSTAR!

Describe how indispensable you were in your previous position.

STAR method: Set up the situation and the task that you were required to complete to provide the interviewer with background context describe what you did the action and what you achieved (the result).

You Will Be Awesome in This New Job

Interview the industry prior to the interview. Give a response that showcases your skills and how they transfer.

You Are the Perfect Fit for This Job

You must make certain that you connect with the interviewer. Eye contact, active listening, smiling, and avoid nervous laughter. “Relaxed formality”

You Really Want This Job

Show enthusiasm for the job. How can I add value in the role based on previous experience, what new challenge it offers for growth and development.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US? WHAT WILL A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, HOW WILL I BE TRAINED?

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THIS PERSON IN THE NEXT 30, 60, 90 DAYS?

INTERVIEWER TAKE AN INTEREST AND ASK QUESTIONS

THE COMPANY I WANT TO KNOW MORE

THE TEAM

THE CULTURE

NEXT STEPS IN INTERVIEW PROCESS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF ME?

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-answer-the-31-most-common-interview-questions