Job interview questions

 

 

 

 

Questions related to the company, the position

• What do you know about the company?
• Why do you want to work for us?
• Where did you hear about the job opportunity?
• What are your expectations for the job?
• What kind of work environment do you like to work in?
• Why do you want to gain the position?

The purpose of the employer is to filter out the frivolous applicants with these questions. It’s worth checking up the company before the interview. What is the main profile, what is the organizational culture like, in which countries it is present, what is its mission, vision, what kind of CSR programs does it have, etc. The companies want to employ the employees, who can identify themselves with the corporate goals and who can be integrated into the corporate culture.

Autobiographical questions  

• Talk about your studies.
• What were your duties?
• What did you like to do the most?
• What was the biggest challenge?
• What results did you achieve? Which one are you the proudest of?
• Why do you change jobs?

The autobiographical questions can easily check whether the applicant was honest, on the other hand they clear up the possible misunderstandings. It may happen that the interviewer read the CV only superficially, thus it would be a mistake to think that he is fully aware of its content.

We are walking on thin ice with the question concerning the job change. Now is not the time to mention the workplace conflicts. It does not provide a positive picture of the candidate if the reason of the change was the poor performance. However, it is not advisable in this case either to distort the reality.

Self-awareness, self-characterization

• Talk about yourself!
• If I could ask you a reference, what would it contain?
• How would your colleagues or superior characterize you?
• Why did you choose this area of activity?
• What are your weak points? And your strengths?
• How could you contribute to the success of the company?
• How do you spend your free time?
• Why should we hire you?
• How could you prove that you possess the mentioned competences?

The appropriate self-awareness already played a major role at the CV writing, and during the interview it is needed even more. The strong and week points are mentioned during most of the interviews. It often happens that it is not asked specifically but though the presentation of a situation. It is important to ensure not to mention a weakness that will be key element of the work. Of course, the clichés like “I am perfectionist” should also be avoided. Highlight what we do to develop our weak points and emphasize the strengths that the future employer also considers valuable. In answering the questions always keep in mind what kind of person the company is looking for and adapt to it.

Motivation, setting goals

• What are your plans for the next 3-5 years?
• Where do you see yourself after 10 years?
• What expectations do you have concerning your career?
• According to you how the salary affects the performance? How much it motivates you?
• What are your expectations concerning your future workplace?
• In what environment can you perform best?
• What motivates you the most in work?
• What were you satisfied with in your previous position? What you were not satisfied with?

The employer wants to know how loyal the applicant will be to the company. We can find out from the answers to the questions how purposeful is the applicant, whether he/she can plan ahead.

Stress questions

• Why do you think you are suitable for the job? Why should we choose you?
• Talk about yourself for 5 minutes.
• How long before you would gain the position of your boss?
• Why don’t you try to apply at the concurrence?
• What bad traits do you have?

It is rare that an interview is a stress interview from end to end, it is applied only in case of certain positions. However, stress questions may appear also during a traditional interview. The interviewer wants the applicant out of his comfort zone with these questions. He wonders how the applicant will react to unexpected situations, what he will do when he needs to get out of the comfort zone. The early situational awareness and keeping calm are the most important at the really uncomfortable questions.

Behaviour-based interview questions

The behaviour-based interview starts from the assumption that the actions in the past prognose the future, expectable behaviour. The best way to prepare for it if we think about our experiences, bring back the memorable moments (whether positive or negative) and try to recall in details exactly what happened then.

Possible topics: stress and conflict management, problem solving, teamwork, leadership skills, decision-making ability, planning ability, creativity, advocacy, proactivity, organizational skills, etc.

• Describe a situation when your work very angered you.
• Talk about a case when you were under pressure and you could overcome. What exactly did you do to solve the situation? What did you learn from this situation?
• How do you behave if the others disagree with you? Give a specific example.
• Talk about a specific case when you were specifically obstructed by someone. What exactly did you do in this case, how the problem was solved?
• Talk about a specific case when you had to fight for the justice.
• How do you react when someone disturb you while working?
• Talk about a difficult, work-related problem, tell us how did you solve it.
• Describe the situation that mostly proves your problem-solving ability. What was your role in it?
• Describe a period when a team became more effective under your leadership. What did you do?
• Talk about an occasion when the members of the team did not agree with you? What did you do?

Follow-up questions: How did you behave? What exactly did you say? What did you do then? How did you react? How did you argue? How did you think about it? What result did you achieve? What would you do differently? What did you learn from it? Why? How? Where?

Practical questions:

The applicant shall be prepared also for the questions relating the practical information that are important for the employer.

• When can you start?
• What is your salary demand?
• Do you have other job application in progress? If yes, in what status?
• How mobile are you? Are you ready to move?

+1 Do you have any questions?

This question indicates the end of the interview and at the same time gives one more opportunity to the applicant to make a good impression to the interviewer. For example, if he asks about the position, colleagues, tasks or the professional development opportunities. If there is no question, the interviewer can believe that the applicant is not even interested in the position.

We wish you a good preparation!