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Job interviews make us nervous. Only a few people enjoy job interviews. Even the few are aware that no matter how well you prepare, there’s always a chance that there will be a few awkward questions that can catch them out and leave them wondering how well they really did. To help you prepare for an impending job interview, we have located and published a list of 22 popular job interview questions and answers. They will guide you through some of the questions you might face.

JobInterviewingQandA

 

Here is the list of 22 popular job interview questions and answers about you:

  1. What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers
  2. What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers
  3. Describe a typical work week. – Best Answers
  4. How would you describe the pace at which you work? – Best Answers
  5. How do you handle stress and pressure? – Best Answers
  6. What motivates you? – Best Answers
  7. What are your salary expectations? – Best Answers
  8. Tell me about yourself. – Best Answers
  9. What do people most often criticize about you? : The interview question “What Do People Most Often Criticize About You?” is asked to find out how sensitive to you are. Best Answers: There’s no on-going criticism. I’m open to personal and professional growth and welcome the opportunity to improve. If humour is appropriate, this is a good time to use it. Example: I have a teenage daughter – only a few things I do are okay on her radar screen.
  10. If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say? When the interviewer asks “If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say?” he or she wants to know what your perception is of what others think about your qualifications and abilities. Best Answer: I’m sure if you asked my friends that question they would say you should hire me because I have the skills outlined in the job description and I bring 10+ years of expertise to this position. Words they’ve used to describe me are: hard-working, professional, trusted and a team player.
  11. Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? – Best Answers
  12. Give some examples of teamwork. – Best Answers
  13. What type of work environment do you prefer? – Best Answers
  14. If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it? – Best Answers
  15. Describe a difficult work situation/project and how you overcame it. – Best Answers
  16. Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it. – Best Answers

Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company

     17. What interests you about this job? – Best Answers

18. Why do you want this job? – Best Answers

19. What applicable attributes/experience do you have? – When you are asked questions related to the experience that qualifies you for the job, it’s important to be very specific about your skills and experience.

Best Answer: The best way to respond is to describe your responsibilities in detail and to connect them to the job you are interviewing for. Tie your responsibilities in with those listed in the job description for the new position. That way, the employer will see that you have the qualifications necessary to do the job. Focus most on your responsibilities that are directly related to the new job’s requirements. It’s also important, to be honest, and accurate. Don’t embellish your job, because you don’t know who the hiring manager will be checking with when they check your references.

20. What can you do for this company? – A typical interview question to discover what assets you have that are specific to the company’s goals is “What can you do for this company?” First of all, be sure to have researched the company prior to the interview, so you are familiar with the company’s mission.

Best Answer: Respond by giving examples of why your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience will make you an asset for the employer. Take a few moments to compare your goals with objectives of the company and the position, as well as mentioning what you have accomplished in your other jobs. Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company, as well as the job.

21. Why should we hire you/Why are you the best person for the job? – A typical interview question, asked to get your opinion, or to validate the interviewer’s opinion, on why you would be the best candidate for the position, is “Why should we hire you?”

Best Answer: The best way to respond is to give concrete examples of why your skills and accomplishments make you the best candidate for the job. Take a few moments to compare the job description with your abilities, as well as mentioning what you have accomplished in your other positions. Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company and the position.

22. What do you know about this company? – A typical job interview question, asked to find out how much company research you have conducted, is “What do you know about this company?” Prepare in advance, and in a word, research, so, you can provide relevant and current information about your prospective employer to the interviewer.

Best Answer: Start by researching the company online. Review the “About Us” section of the company web site. Google the company, read blogs that mention it, and check Discussion Boards and social networking sites. Use the information you have gathered to create a bulleted list of relevant information that you can easily remember during the interview. Taking the time to research will help you make a good impression of how much you know about the company.

For more career or job search articles, go to About.com

 

Catherine Adenle
Founder, Catherine's Career Corner. The career site empowering and inspiring ambitious candidates of all ages and professions to thrive and work smarter on their careers. Gladly helping all career-minded people worldwide to explore their career, manage change and understand how new technologies are changing and enhancing the future of work.
Catherine Adenle
Catherine Adenle

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4 thoughts on “..22 Popular Job Interview Questions and Answers

  1. Thanks for publishing these questions and answers. They were just what I needed to prepare me for an interview next week. What a simple but informative blog.
    Robert

  2. Catherine, thank you for all the information on your blog. I got all what I needed to put my CV together and prepare for an interview from here. I promised to drop by your blog and write you a comment if and when I secure an appointment. So, guess what? Here I am. You’d be glad to know that I got a job today. Thank you for running this joint!!!!!
    William Cole, Richmond, VA

  3. It’s a nice article. Additionally, the factor you must to remember is interviewing as a method for selecting an ideal candidate is an inherently flawed process. This is because it is almost impossible to judge a candidate’s true aptitude and experience in a job interview. However, job interviews allow the employer to decide with which candidate he or she is most comfortable.

  4. I disagree with John, the previous person to comment. Interviews are the most statistically reliable form of selecting someone for a job, and should definitely form a part of every recruitment methodology. If you are basing your selection of a candidate on who you are ‘comfortable’ with, then yes, your method is flawed!

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