Become A Professional Interviewee
We have polled local Human Resource Managers to identify the top 5, toughest interview questions and to find out what they want to know when they ask them. These questions may be tough for you, but with proper preparation and practice, you will be able to form the right answers to showcase how you are a perfect fit for the position and the organization.
“Tell me about yourself.”
Perhaps the most common way for an HR Manager to open an interview, this is not the time to talk about your entire life history. Instead, use this introduction to give a quick, but thorough, summary of your education, training, employment history, accomplishments, and goals in relation to the job opening. Use this time to show how you are a perfect fit for the job.
“What part of your career are you most proud of?”
Our poll revealed that this question, although a great opportunity to showcase your accomplishments, is often unanswered by the candidate. It can be difficult to talk about your accomplishments without sounding like you are bragging, but when asking this question, the interviewer is looking for you to highlight one of your accomplishments in your career. More specifically, he is looking to see how you are proud of your ability to affect your employer in a positive manner. Give a brief overview of the situation and how you were successful, in addition to how your overall actions improved the company performance or value.
“What is your biggest weakness or what skills do you lack?”
Part of being a successful professional, is being able to provide constructive criticism, even to yourself. The interviewer is not looking for you to be negative about your abilities, rather that you are fully aware of yourself and abilities and what areas you can improve upon. Answer this question with an honest weakness, following it with the actions you are taking to improve this weakness.
“What did you dislike about one of your previous employer the most, and how would he describe you?”
Despite any negative experience you may have had, never talk badly about a previous employer, manager, colleague, or really anyone in an interview. Confront this question with a positive attitude. Highlight what you may have learned about yourself from working with others in addition to anything you have learned from your own shortcomings. The goal is to show the interviewer that you, once again, are able to honestly evaluate your own performance, developing a method of improvements and not placing the blame on anyone else.
“What makes you better than the other candidates for this job?”
This question is a bit of a trick, as you will never know what qualifications the other candidates have. Therefore, you should politely communicate this to the interviewer, following it with, “But what I am able to bring to the table is…” This is certain to impress the interviewer and assure him that you are confident that you will be the best fit for the job.
Contact us today for more information on our interview preparation services!
