Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them : Here are some of the most common interview questions, along with the best way to answer them. In this article, you will learn the most common interview questions that are asked at a job interview, examples of the best answers for each question, and tips for responding.
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So, the entire team of Mediangr.com.ng have been triggered to pull some of the most common questions asked during job interviews for you.
Read to learn and learn to share once you have read. 😉 🙂 Also, drop a comment below if you have any more question whatsoever.
Table of Contents
Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them.
1. MAY WE MEET YOU?
You are not expected to tell them your life history of how you are the last born and related to your village head. All they want to know are your name, educational background and career background. e.g My name is James Kase, a graduate of Public Administration from National Open University of Nigeria and also (add any other qualification you have).
2. WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
This gives you an opportunity to sell yourself. Tell them about your qualification, experience (if you have) and skills.
I should be hired because I’m academically qualified for the job. I also have the needed experience and skills needed to carry out the task I’m being interview for.
3. ARE YOU MOBILE?
If you like tell them ‘Yes, I have a car’ or ‘Of course! who doesn’t have a phone?’. You are on your own.
What they are simply asking is are you free to relocate from your present location if we employ you?’. If it’s possible, simply say ‘yes’.
4. CAN YOU TELL A LIE TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THIS FIRM IF EMPLOYED?
This question is meant to cage you to ‘one corner’. I know you all know the song.
If you say ‘yes’, it means you can’t be trusted. If you say ‘no’, it means you don’t have the interest of the firm at heart. So what do you say?
Simply Tell them, ‘As a professional, I will do anything within my powers to protect the interest of my company’. ‘within my powers’ is an open statement. That means if you can lie, you will. If you can’t lie, you w
5. HOW MANY BOYFRIENDS/GIRLFRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?
This is a tricky one. Don’t go self destructive by telling them,’ I have one girlfriends sir, Faith is her name.
They are not interested in your affairs. This is a ‘perfunctory’ question meant to probe your disposition. They want to know how sociable you are. So answer this way, Sir; I have many friends and if given the opportunity to work here, I will make sure they do business with this firm.
TOUGH JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR GRADUATES.
1. Can you Tell us about yourself?
The interviewer is not interested in hearing stories; they simply expect to know your academic and professional achievements, your name and the institution you currently work for. Take a minutes to introduce yourself, and state your recent academic qualification and your relevant experience (if any).
2. Why do you think you are the best candidate?
The recruiter expects you to tell them about your professional achievements and the unique skills you possess that will add value to the organization. If you are a Customer Care graduate then you should tell them that you are a good listener and patient; these are the qualities the employer is looking for.
3. What are your weaknesses?
The question is not simple as it looks; most candidates go blank when they face this kind of question. Take your time in explaining why you can’t leave the office before you complete a task. You can also inform them how you are quick to trust a person, which in most cases makes you a victim.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The employer wants to know whether you are ambitious or you’re the kind of a person who secures a job and then you forget about yourself. Answer the question by stating how you intend to further your studies and grow professionally as you strive to meet your employer’s goals. (It is important to tie your goals to your employer’s goals because no employer would be willing to hire and invest in a rookie who will leave their organization in a year or less after they have invested in training the individual)
5. How do friends describe you?
The question is testing your personal attributes, when answering it ensure that you don’t over exaggerate. Take the shortest time possible to state the best attribute you possess that you believe will add value to the institution.
6. What do you know about this company, organization, department, etc?
Before you enter the interview room, ensure that you go through the company website to read latest news, company profile, goals, management team, objectives, vision and mission; they will help you answer this question.(where the company is unknown, do your research and be familiar with the business/industry you desire to build your career) The question expects you to briefly describe what you read on their website and not what you imagine of the company.
7. Do you have any question to ask the panel?
This is usually the last question that the interview panel asks interviewees; if you fail to ask them questions, you will lose some marks, always have a question to ask no matter what. Ask them whether they have plans to expand their business, whether they support employees to further their studies and how they motivate employees. You can pull a surprise by asking when you can start, it shows confidence.
8. What is your salary expectation?
The question is tricky because as a fresh graduate you don’t have a clue what to be paid; simply ask them what they pay others of your level, if they fail to give a satisfactory answer then give them a reasonable range. Ensure you do your research before you go for interview room because you must be asked this question.
Job Interview Questions for Students
Why are you the right person for this job?
Students typically lack work experience so focus on relevant transferable competencies that are key to job performance such as:
- a strong work ethic
- willingness and ability to learn and assimilate quickly
- problem analysis and solving
- decision-making
- organizing and planning
- communication skills
What has been your biggest achievement at College/School?
Focus on an achievement that sets you apart from the other candidates and highlights your potential value to the employer. Answers such as getting your academic qualification are to be avoided as they do not distinguish you from other students, unless you had to overcome exceptional challenges.
However the employer is also not looking for super-hero stuff but rather evidence that you have the skills they want in an employee in this job.
Look at successes where you used competencies such as your:
- communication skills
- initiative
- creativity
- persuasiveness
- organizational skills
- resilience and perseverance
to achieve a demanding objective.
What goals have you set yourself for the next 5 years?
This is hard to answer with absolute specifics, so focus on general career objectives rather than job titles and narrowly-defined goals.
Good examples include:
- supervisory responsibility
- increased skills set
- training and learning objectives
Use the company website or LinkedIn profiles to get an idea of the sort of career paths employees have followed. This will help you determine realistic career routes within the organization.
How would your professors or teachers describe you?
Focus on the characteristics that match the job opportunity. What made you a good student and team member?
Competencies that are valued in any employee/employer relationship include hard-work, responsible, conscientious, dependable, adaptable, honest, enthusiastic, organized, disciplined. You can refer to your references and recommendations to support your interview answer.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is all about displaying sufficient insight into yourself to acknowledge your areas of strength and where you can improve.
Focus on those strengths that are relevant to the job opportunity. This list of strengths and weaknesses will really help you with this question.
Why do you want this job?
Use your research to highlight the match between this job and your skills and interests. Focus on areas that are critical to the job such as:
- the opportunity to apply your knowledge
- to work through complex problems
- to improve systems
- to be part of a dynamic team
- to meet demanding challenges
Relate specific job responsibilities to your education and whatever work experience you may have. Focus on how your personal motivations align with the company’s mission and goals.
Tell me about a tough challenge you had to overcome.
Possible challenges a student has to deal with include:
- balancing multiple demands
- meeting deadlines
- managing finances
- working with other students to achieve group objectives
- obtaining the right resources to complete a project
Describe a time when you had to contribute to a team to attain an objective
Most jobs involve teamwork so be ready for this type of question. What was your role in the group and what did you specifically do to ensure team goals were met?
Possible examples include a group project, an extracurricular event or volunteer work.
Prepare behavioral answers for these frequently asked student job interview questions:
Tell me about a time you had to carefully manage your priorities to meet a tight deadline.
Have you ever disagreed with your professors/teachers in evaluating your performance? How did you handle the situation?
Please describe a situation where you had to come up with an innovative solution to a problem.
Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision, how did you go about this?
Wrapping up.
I know this will be very much interesting so I have to share with you. Also, this interview checklist titled (Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them) will make you feel confident that you have everything covered for your interview. Thanks…
