Common Interview Questions You Should Prepare For

 Preparation is key when it comes to attending a job interview, as your interviewer will have a list of interview questions to ask you. Their goal is to find out as much as possible about you within the short space of time you are together, so it’s important that you know what to say when their questions are fired your way.

 We’ve prepared some of the most common questions that an interviewer is likely to ask you on your job interview, so that you can prepare correctly and give yourself the best chance to landing your dream role!  

What are the most common questions for an interview? 

An interview usually lasts around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the interviewer, so the company you are applying for are going to want to ask you as many questions as possible within that time.

They want to find out about you as an individual and what your like in work, why you want to work for their company and find out examples of your performance in current or previous employment.

| Common individual-based interview questions

You are likely to have talked about yourself a lot in your CV when you first applied for the role, however an interviewer is going to want to delve into what you are like as an individual on a day-to-day basis.  

These types of questions are important for an interviewer as they let the interviewer know more about you as a person, which is arguably just as important as your academic skills and job experience.

·      What are your strengths?

·      What are your weaknesses?

·      Why are you applying for a new role?

·      Why do you think that you are right for this role?

| Common company-based interview questions 

If you are applying for a company, the interviewer is going to want to find out why you chose to apply for their company and what makes you want to work for them.

This is a good opportunity to show your knowledge on the company, including how they are performing in the market, personal experiences with the company, and put your stamp on what you would do differently.

Don’t be afraid to tell them what you truly think, and have an opinion without fear of judgement. This can be an impressive trait to have and admirable for most roles by an employer.

·      Why do you want to work for this company?

·      What are your experiences with the company?

·      What would you do differently in this department?

·      What would you advise we do to improve performance?

|Common competency interview questions 

Your CV will have given your interviewer a good understanding of your job experience and what they entailed, however they will want a deeper understanding of some of your experiences in these roles.

These types of questions will be asked by your interviewer to find examples where you show important skills in a workplace and demonstrated them in a real life situation. This includes examples of how you communicated well with a client, made important decisions during a tough period, worked well with other in a team and much, much more.  

·      Tell me a time you showed leadership in a role?

·      Tell us a time you worked well in a team?

·      Tell us a time you had issues with a client and how you resolved them?

·      Provide an example where you were stuck on what to do next and how you resolved the issue?

·      Tell me a time that you tried to make internal changes in your company?

·      Tell me a time that you had to convince a colleague about making a decision and what was the outcome?

·      Provide an example of a time that you have disagreed with management and how did you approach the situation?

Tips for answering common interview questions:  

The answers that you give in your interview questions will be unique to you and can’t be copied from other people’s answers on the internet. However, the way that you approach your job interviews can be important to answering them effectively and making a standing impression to your potential future employer.

| Plan your answers out clearly 

When you are answering questions from the interviewer, they will be looking for clear, confident communication that shows you can speak to colleagues clearly and handle yourself in a positive demeanour.

To achieve this, you will need to plan your answers out by reading example questions and rehearsing them prior to the interview. Luckily, we have provided you with a range of common interview questions that you can apply to your job experiences.

| Always appear genuine and honest 

Interviewers are often experienced in speaking to job candidates, which means that they can read whether you are genuine and honest when answering their interview questions.  

Waffling or faking your answers is a clear sign to an interviewer that you are disingenuous and can cause doubts whether your intentions are right for the role.

For example, if an interviewer asks if you can use a software that you do not have experience in and asks to give examples, then be honest and speak about how you are willing to learn the software and develop your skillset.  

We advise that you be honest and speak your truths, and an interviewer will appreciate that as an important quality for an employee.

| Be confident in yourself and your abilities

We understand that applying for a new job can be nerve wracking, as it is important and can often cause doubt whether you will achieve the role. Despite this, it’s important that you remain confident in yourself and handle the situation.

It’s important to realise that you have achieved the job interview, so the employer has chosen to speak to you. Use this confidence to speak about your abilities and how you could help their company if you got the job.

| Ask your interviewer questions at the end

The interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. This is a test, and as it is in the latter stages of the interview it is likely to provide a lasting impression on the interviewer. This means that asking the right question provides you the perfect opportunity to separate you from the competition.  

Ask questions that show you have an interest in the company and in the role you are applying for. A lot of topics will have already been covered throughout the duration, so try and choose some questions that are less likely to have been covered to impress the interviewer.

We advise to take an interest in the interviewer’s role in the company, asking questions about what their day-to-day activities involve, how long they have been at the company or what is their favourite part about working there.