It's about a flow, and an interview should represent a conversation. As much as you are being interviewed, you are also interviewing them. Would you like working there? What is their culture like? What does the average day look like for this person getting the job?
All things to consider when in an interview, so let's get started:
1. Tell me about yourself
To answer this question, walk them through your background, anything relevant to the position you are interviewing for.
Take them on the journey that is you and highlight all key accomplishments, career moves and why, as well as stating where you are now and why you are looking to leave.
Example:
“ I started off my career in HR after Graduating with a Business degree in HR Management in 2017. I have spent the last 6+ years working in the industry by gaining experience in the retail, marine, manufacturing, and hospitality industries. Growing and gaining more experience in each position I have carried. The last 2.5 years have been in managerial roles with a team of 4 under me, we curry out full cycle HR and continue to grow and evolve as the company grows. The reason for my decision to leave is based on the idea of Company Culture. I would like to be in a position where HR is empowered and supported and I don't feel that is happening here any more.”
2. How did you hear about this position?
This one is always asked and will either be in person or on some form of an application. They want to streamline the hiring process in the future by knowing what is working for recruitment and what is not, so in short make sure you answer honestly.
Examples:
I found this position on Indeed while searching for my next career
I heard about it from Steve in Marketing at your company
I was sought out by a Recruiter who thought i was a good fit for this position.
3. So tell me, what do you know about this role and our company?
This one is IMPORTANT! It showcases you are interested in them and not that you were power applying to any and eerie job on indeed. Make sure you look them up and research when they respond for an interview.
Take notes, right out Likes, dislikes, questions, and what I like to call “their unicorn”, what makes this company stand out from the rest.
Examples:
“From what I read, your company is one of the leaders in providing security software to other businesses. I read the list of clients on your website and it was quite impressive! Do you mostly serve startup companies? Or are you guys looking to expand into the big box retail market?
4. Why did you apply for this position, why us?
Its best to come off here like you were being picky, like you are the best fit for their company and why. Companies want the best and they are picky within their job hunt so we must prove that its a match for us.
Never bad mouth your current/old employer, it never looks good. Focus on the positives you experienced and the growth your hoping to gain with this company
Examples:
Since beginning my career, I've wanted to work for a larger organisation in this industry and i know your one of the leaders in this space.
I'm very interested in your services, especially the mobile applications you’re building recently, So id be excited to come here and grow my skills with an organisation like yours
5. Why should we hire you
Try to talk about them and how hiring you would benefit them without being arrogant of course. Show you've done your research and make it clear that we know what this position involves and you're ready/able to perform them.
Examples:
“I read in the job description that you are looking for someone with experience in HR program implementation. I've done that for the last 4 years in my position now with a smooth transition for all employees, I would be able to execute this with no problem.
6. Strengths and Weakness
First rule of this question is to be honest. Employers, especially recruiters have heard everything in the book and can tell when you are lying to sound good. When it comes to weaknesses keep it to one maybe 2; and make sure you have a solution ready to speak to on how you will fix what you find are opportunities with yourself.
Examples:
“I believe that my professional strengths at attributed to why I excel in these HR roles. I am extremely organized, I cannot have things in the wrong place, there is a place for everything. I excel in interpersonal skills as I have been told I am approachable and bubbly to everyone, I can quickly build rapport with all my staff and gain their trust. And lastly, my strong initiative and drive push me to always succeed in every role I am put into.
As for my weaknesses, I have heard from my past employers that I struggle saying no and that I take on more responsibility that is not part of my job description. I am actively working on improving this by coaching my managers and team members to be better at time management and holding them accountable to their task list. “
7. Tell me about a challenge or conflict youve faced at work and how you dealt with it.
Focus on specific work related challenges or if this is your first position then school related works as well. You want to showcase to the hiring manager that you are able to critically think and overcome challenges.
Examples:
In my last job we were subject to tight deadlines as trucks were delayed. Our client was waiting for their shipment in order to finish their project on time. I took the lead on this project and organized all the logistics making sure the client still had his shipment delivered in a timely manner. It wasn't on time but explaining to the client and showing him the urgency on our part he was very happy.
8. What are your salary expectations?
This question is bound to come up, whether in the application or well into the interview process. It is important to let the hiring manager know that this is negotiable and will be based on the job description, if there is a commute involved, etc.
Examples:
“This is negotiable as I am eager to find a company that will enhance my experience and growth over the next 10+ years. Currently I am making $$$ and I will need to make this or more to cover my expenses at the moment.
9. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What are your career goals?
Time to showcase your dreams! The hiring manager wants to know if you are invested in the company for X number of years. It also shows the hiring manager that you are looking to grow and evolve in the company. That you are more than just this role, you are ready for a succession plan and growth.
Examples:
In terms of job content, I am interested in working in a company that consistently evolves my skills in _____ and ______. I believe that with this growth I will be able to seamlessly transition into the next role set up for me.
10. Why did you leave your last position?
If you quit your last position on your own terms, then stay positive. Never speak ill-will of another person or company to the hiring manager. That will only trigger the hiring manager to think “as soon as something goes wrong will you start bad mouthing us?”. It is best to focus on what you learned and what you were no longer gaining being in that previous position.
Examples:
I was sought out for another position I couldn't refuse.
I didn't feel as though there was any opportunity for me to grow within my time frame at that company.
I have been with the organization for many years and I was needing something different, a new challenge, a change in scenery.
11. What other companies are you interviewing with?
Hiring managers are wanting to know their competition for candidates, especially if you're someone they are thinking of bringing on board. The Key here is being honest, in some of our experience it has worked out in our favor. You are an applicant they want and there is competition, they will be negotiable on their contract (within reason) as well as the process may speed up!
Examples:
I actually am interviewing with a couple companies for positions similar to yours. Interviews are set for this week.
I am interviewing with a few different companies to see where I will best fit. It all comes down to best experience, engagement initiatives, and culture.
12. What type of management style do you work best with/under?
Most employees love autonomy after training and its 100% acceptable to say so. Bottom line, every company wants that super star employee that they can train and trust that they will have the initiative to run it with little to no supervision.
Examples:
I find that I work best under full autonomy. I believe that after training I will be able to carry out the duties of my job description skillfully and efficiently.
I believe that I have a strong initiative and confidence to ask for help when needed. I am someone that can be trusted with tight deadlines.
13. What type of work environment do you prefer?
Realistically the environment that fosters creativity, growth, and independence. No one does well under micromanagement and that is a fact. We can refer back to their website and 99% of website talk about their company culture and pull phrases like “ we encourage our employees to grow” and state this as well as ask for further clarification (during the interviewee question time)
Examples:
I find that I work best under a culture that truly treats its employees as families. I understand a lot of companies like to say that but don't follow through. I see on your website that it says “we encourage our employees to grow” . I like that your company takes this initiative.
I always work best under the “team player” atmosphere. Where we all work together for a common goal. I find management is key in telling us the WHY and then we make sure we execute this task as a team!
14. What is a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?
Before an interview focus on brainstorming a few examples of these for reference and write them down so that they are ready to go. The hiring manager wants to see how you critically think and find solutions. How you overcome possible tension and find common ground. And lastly how you are able to move past this experience and what did you learn?
Example:
I learned early on in my career that it is fine to disagree if you can back up your thoughts/feelings with data. Because of this, I was able to navigate through my boss and I disagreed with placement of racks on the floor as I had 2 seasons of data to show that my plan was proven successful based on sales numbers.
15. Can you explain the change in careers?
We never want to look like a Job hopper, every 6 months we start a new job. This is mind we need to make sure we are prepared with concrete statements as to why you left each one, why there are possible gaps in your resume etc.
If concerned, its always acceptable to add brief, 1 line, statements as to why there is a gap or a jump in your resume.
Think through how things are perceived to the hiring manager and make sure they are presented briefly and concise, hiring managers don't need the whole novel on who is enter name here, They just want an answer as to why.
Examples:
I took the summer off to travel
I left this position because of the lack of growth within the company
I took two years off here to deal with an illness/family emergency
I Left this company as they said I would be working 24/7, I didn't expect that to be true and I burnt myself out.
16. Tell me about a time you failed at something
This is a common interview question that employers ask to see if you were able to learn from your mistakes and come back stronger.
Talk about something job related so that you can show the hiring manager the initiative you took to own your mistakes.
Examples:
In my most recent job I was incharge of marketing and social media company wide. I was set to strict deadlines, I forgot about the time change and some of the content was released too early and upset my bosses. Upon my next deadline company wide, I set reminders in my phone after doing the time difference math so nothing was sent out to early.
An employee was acting up and I confronted them in front of others. It made the situation worse and also caused a distraction on the floor for a while. I knew instantly what I had done, and tried to rectify to problem moving forward. I also apologized to all those who witnessed as well as the accused.
17. How would your bosses and coworkers describe you?
Be open, honest, and brag alittle! Its your time to shine!
Example:
My last performance review, my manager mentioned that I was strong in organizing, taking initiative, and leading by example.
My Coworkers are some of my friends now, I spend time getting to know people I work with on a personal level. They would say I am easy to get along with, organized, and a team player
My boss would say I am the most hard working person on his team. Proof in this is I won employee of the month twice last year.
18. Do you like Working Independently or in a team environment?
When interviewers ask this question they’re just trying to imagine how you would fit in if offered the job.
There’s no right or wrong answer here, so the best approach is to be honest about your work preferences and explain to the interviewer why that’s your preference.
Example:
I definitely prefer working on a team, I believe in collaboration and the best way to tackle problems is together! There are times when I work best alone, but in general I prefer a team
19. Have you ever experienced any conflict in the workplace?
Hiring managers are not wanting the next kim kardashian scandal in their workplace, so make sure you are strategic in answering this. It is understandable to have conflict in the workplace, not everyone gets along. But if you were one who had massive investigation on your behavior that is not a good quality to bring forward to a new career.
Easy answer is to say no, if you are unable to say that as you have had some disagreements with other employees, Hiring Managers want to see if you know the S.T.A.R method.
Situation – explain the context leading up to the problem
Task – what your role or responsibility was in the situation
Action – the actions you took to tackle the issue
Result – what you achieved as a result of your action
By structuring your answer this way, you give the interviewer a quick overview of how you handled a conflict and what the outcome was.
Example:
I had a run in with my co-worker on the night shift saying I was leaving my debt messy and adding more work to my night shift team starting when I end. It was brought to management's attention to come talk to me. I apologized for my behavior and explained that it's the hustle of the day shift that puts me behind a tiny bit. I then spoke to the night shift manager and she accepted my apology and we all worked together for a solution.
20. Do you have any questions for us?
This one is so important!! Never ever ever ever leave this question unanswered. Never say you have no questions. It shows the hiring manager you are 1) not invested and 2) not listening to this past hour of conversation.
Questions here are so important, its your chance to interview the company to see if you even want to work there. As an example, in question # 13 When their website states that they foster an environment of growth and development, ask them how? What are your strategies? If you were to be hired what growth opportunities are in it for you and this position?
Examples:
If I were hired for this role, what would you want me to achieve in my first two months?
Can you share more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this role? How would you describe the pace of a typical day?
In your opinion, what is the single most important indicator of success in this role?
Can you talk about company culture?
What is the greatest challenge facing the company?
What's something that makes you happy about coming to work each day?
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