The most nerve-wracking part of any interview is responding to the wide variety of questions that are asked. You may have “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”, “ If you were an animal what would you be?” and even “ What is your favorite book?”. You can never know for sure what questions will be asked but you can predict and prepare!
It would be very easy to read stock answers to the common and uncommon interview questions online, but this is not the best strategy to impress. While checking out the wide variety of questions online is helpful, memorizing the “best” answers is not. You want to sound like you are giving a genuine answer, not something they have heard 100 times before!
Hiring managers are looking for genuine, confident candidates. When asked about your strengths and weaknesses, be honest and genuine. Talk about your strengths that help out your team!
Weaknesses are harder to see in yourself. They can be even harder to confess, especially in an interview situation. Interviewers know that no one is perfect. Share how a weakness was turned into a learning opportunity. For example you can say that you tend to stay late a lot to make sure everything gets done. You can add on that you are becoming great at finding new ways to prioritize tasks so you don’t have to pull late nights anymore. Always show you are improving somehow. Acknowledging your weakness shows confidence and poise.
Another tricky set of questions are “Why are you looking to leave your current position?” and “Why do you want this position?” Your answers to these questions could be an important factor in the company’s decision process.
It is important to convey a positive message regardless of your current employment situation. Prospective employers are looking for upbeat, positive new hires. Bad-mouthing your current or former employer is never a wise decision. Be honest but be positive…always.
