Questions and Relevance

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Review these questions to gain insight as to what types of answers employers often look for in an interview

Q. Tell me about yourself.

The question behind this question may be:

Are you prepared?

Can you organize relevant information and express it concisely?

How does your background relate to the job?

Suggestions: Keep it brief, avoid getting into details. You can quickly cover your youth, education, work experience and present situation. Focus on the skills you have developed that are relevant to the job.

Q. Why should I hire you?

The question behind this question may be:

Can you convince me you are the right person?

Help me decide on the best candidate

Suggestions: Show how you could solve a problem for the company by using a relevant example from your past. This will help the interviewer “see” you in action. If you have little experience, sell your education and give examples of situations that demonstrate your key strengths (motivation, energy, positive attitude,…).

Q. What are your major strengths?

The questions behind this question may be:

What important qualities and traits would you bring to this job?

What is your level of maturity and self-knowledge?

Suggestions: Choose from your top five self-management skills [PDF] (Qualities, Traits) those that you believe are most important for the job and the organization.

Q. What are your major weaknesses?

The question behind this question may be:

Are you aware of your weaknesses?

What is your level of maturity and self-knowledge?

Can you handle difficult questions?

Suggestions: Never say you have none! Never admit a weakness that could affect your ability to do the job well. Never disclose personal issues. Choose your weakness before the interview. Limit your answer to one weakness and say what you did in order to overcome it. Overcoming a weakness is actually developing a strength.

Q. What salary do you expect to receive?

The question behind this question may be:

Are you too expensive for our budget, or would you still feel motivated with a lower pay?

Are your expectations too low for what we wish to invest in this position?

Are you prepared, well-informed about your market value?

Suggestions: Find out in what salary ranges the job is situated. Never discuss salary before you receive a job offer. Mention that you trust that if an offer comes, it will be reasonable. When the interviewer insists, answer the question using a range.

Q. What prompted your decision to apply for this position?

The question behind this question may be:

Do you know what motivates you?

How much do you really want this job?

Do you really understand what it takes to be successful in this job?

Why us? How do you know you would be happy in our organization?

Suggestions: If you apply for positions that match your true needs, this should be an easy question. Link your interest and enthusiasm to the skills and knowledge that are most relevant for the position. Mention what you like about the organization and the people who work there.

Q. Could you please give me an example from your past that describes when you took initiative?

The question behind this question may be:

Show me evidence that you have initiative

Can you prove with facts that you really do have initiative?

Suggestions: Prepare for behavioral questions by compiling key moments from your past that describe well how you handled different situations. For example, other possible behavioral questions might be:

Tell me about a great decision you made.

What about a decision that proved to be a mistake?

Give an example of a time when you handled a difficult customer.

What was one of the most difficult goals you had to reach? How did you go about meeting that goal?

Q. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

The question behind this question may be:

Can we depend on you?

Are you focused?

Can we offer you what you really want?

How long do you intend to stay with this company?

Suggestions: Focus on tackling the challenges within the job to which you are applying. For the longer term, you can underline how you wish to develop your career by developing new skills and knowledge that are meaningful both to you and to the organization.