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It is necessary to prepare yourself with answers to the top ten interview questions before you attend any job interview. Needless to say, these top ten interview questions revolve around your personal facts, your expectations, your past job profiles, your analysis on why you want this job etc and assess your clarity of thought, confidence, ambition, professionalism, beliefs and values. Since the secret to leaving a positive, confident impression with the interviewers is nothing but sheer preparedness, get organized, prepare well and yes, rehearse. Believe me, you will surprise yourself with the results when you leave little to chance.
Before we actually get down to the top ten interview questions let us familiarize ourselves with the information we have. Most of your personal information is available with you so organize your personal folder - the advertisement for the job, your resume, reference letters, recommendation letters, awards and achievements and other supporting material that you may need. Read them carefully. Next let us search for some information on the company. Look up websites or even better, the Annual Report. Do a Google search on stock prices, company news and industry trends. When you have enough information, read it carefully, analyse it, make notes, take the top ten questions given below and practice your answers to these top ten interview questions in front of a mirror or with a friend.
Here is a list of the top ten interview questions.
1. Tell us about yourself and what you have done so far in your career?
Briefly describe your education, career path, jobs and position held and any relevant highlights and achievements. Substantiate the content in your resume (instead of repeating what it says) such as giving examples of leadership situations, being part of winning teams or doing some original work.
2. What do you know about our organization and the industry?
This should be easy if you have done your homework. You must be familiar by now about the company’s main business areas, products, research activities, geographical presence, turnover, profit etc. Reel off the information you have gathered about the industry from the internet, industry journals, reports etc to validate your statements. If you are aware of the latest developments state it to substantiate the fact that you are indeed abreast of industry trends and that you are a valuable asset to the company.
3. Why have you applied for this job?
Be clear about the value the job adds to your career and the value that you bring to the job as well. It obviously has mutual benefits, economically, personally and socially, that affect both you and the company in the short and long term.
4. Why should we select you?
Be prepared for this question because this answer will sell your story. Know lucidly, what you bring to the organization such as personal qualities, knowledge and skills that will add value to the company. If you can qualify these with quantifiable records you have achieved in previous jobs or assignments, it adds credibility.
Spare some thought for this because your prospective employer is interested in knowing how clear you are at this moment about what you want to achieve.
Focus on the positives such as your career path and how you needed to further your career and long term interests. Do not get stuck in how bad the organization was etc.
7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
A good question, answers to which you must certainly know – job interview or otherwise. A candid conversation with a friend helps in listing the same because an outsider can be more objective. Focus on your strengths. Acknowledge weaknesses and restrict them to professional traits. State how how you counter them. Better still, convert it into a strength. For eg. The positive side of “taking time to work on a proposal” could be that you are “meticulous and produce quality results”.
8. What is your salary expectation?
Research is important so you don’t quote too high or too less. Be in the range or even better, quote a range and leave it tactfully open for negotiations. There is no one way, but prepare for all circumstances with tactful answers, leaving this answer out – open for negotiation later.
9. How do you handle a situation such as a conflict or management situation?
Your real life experiences are your greatest teachers and it helps to draw lessons from similar experiences. Apply your real life situation to the one cited in the example and address the problem using your experience, creativity, instinct and sensitivity and in all circumstances keeping the organizations long term goals in view.
10. Do you have any questions?
Yes. Any question that you would like an answer for about the organization, the job and related areas may be asked now.
Prepare your answers to these top ten interview questions and rehearse them because it will help you to polish the answers well. Good luck!
Top Ten Interview Questions^