6 Most Commonly Asked Interview Questions: Ready, Set, Go!

By Walbert Castillo on September 9, 2014

Do you suffer from anxiety when answering questions during a job interview? Do you take long pauses and hesitate while responding?

Well if you do, you have come to the right place. Listed below is a comprehensive list of the most frequently asked questions during a job interview.

Planning out what to say will assist you immensely on your road to professionalism and success. Although there is a chance that these questions may not be asked during your interview, reading this article can greatly benefit you.

Always be sure to prepare beforehand and reach out to resources on your campus where you can take part in mock interviews.

Image via: www.lifeteen.com

1. Could you please tell me more about yourself?

Typically at the beginning of every job interview, this is the most reoccurring question your employer will ask.

Although this question is fairly simple, you absolutely do not want to get caught up talking about yourself for an extended period of time. If there are certain work or volunteer experiences on your resume that you would like to touch upon, elaborate even more on these experiences while this question is being asked.

Remember, this is a job interview, not a chance to talk about your whole life story. Usually it is best to talk about two to three accomplishments as well as your hobbies.

If you are proud of your experiences and accomplishments, be sure to show it in your facial expressions and tone of voice. This is your spotlight, your chance to prove to your employer that you are more than just a piece of paper (resume).

2. Why should we hire you for our company/business?

Be sure to research everything about the position and what the job entails. It is imperative that you have a gist of the company’s mission statement.

Grasping this information, this is your ultimate chance to talk about your passions and your involvement leading up to this interview. This is your chance to talk about what you love and how your professional skills benefitted you in a previous workplace environment.

If you have any past experiences relating to the job you are applying for, it would be best to elaborate more upon that particular situation and what decisions you made. At the end of your response, it is best to tie up everything as a whole mentioning how your skills will benefit this “amazing” company.

3. What would you say is one of your greatest strengths?

Sometimes being truthful about your strengths can lead you to your greatest downfall specifically when mentioning your “lack of self-awareness, modesty and strengths that don’t help [you] stand out” stated by Big Interview.

One preparatory method that will assist you with this problem is to create a comprehensive list of five to 10 of your strengths. Out of all the strengths you listed down, label each in numerical order ranging from one to 10, listing what you personally think is your greatest strength and ranging to your weakest strength.

Additionally, you want to make sure that your top strengths are the most suitable for the company you are essentially applying for. It is not about how much you can elaborate on your particular strength, it is about how much you can truly contribute towards the company as the worker you are potentially going to be.

4. What would you say is one of your greatest weaknesses?

This is absolutely one of the most difficult questions asked during an interview. You have to make sure your weakness is just as strongly elaborated as your greatest strength.

With that being said, The Muse states that an individual should “paint the weakness as a strength.” Employers are looking to see your straightforwardness and honesty in the way you present your weakness.

With whatever weakness you select, be sure to elaborate upon how you prevailed. Make your negatives turn into positives.

Example answers from an article on Job Search:

*“I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense.”

*“I’ve learned to make my perfectionism work to my advantage at work. I am excellent at meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my work is correct.”

*“Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I’ve never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task, and to be confident when assigning others work.”

5. Can you describe a difficult academic/work experience of yours and how you overcame that situation? 

This is a question of utmost significance due to the fact that it presents a time of conflict and how you dealt with it in a previous workplace environment.

Be sure to accentuate your side of professionalism through your response. Find a good example that you have experienced in the past, be specific and express the steps you took to resolve the problem.

Be resolute in your answer, get straight to the point and avoid any extra information that may distract the employer from getting your point across. Employers want to hire an individual who is persistent all the way through. Show your resilience and you will have a higher change of getting that job.

6. Do you have any questions for us?

You are at the end of your interview but this does not mean it is a sign of relief. This is probably one of the most critical questions a future employer will ask you.

The reason is because your answers are going to show how interested you are in the company/business. If you want to learn more about the company you will work for, you have to show a sense of curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Make sure to leave a mark on your employer because you will be the ones that they will remember the most.

According to Career Nook, these are questions you can ask at the closing of an interview:

*“How does this position fit in with the rest of the company/organization?”

*“What would a typical work day/week be like for me?”

*“How would you describe the company culture?”

*“What would you say employees like most about working here?”

*“If I do get the job, how soon would you like me to start?”

Image via: www.cpmire.ie

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format