Some Common Interview Questions Exposed Lynn DAngeloBello The Center for Career amp Professional Development Tell me about yourself Why Interviewers Ask This To see how you handle yourself in an unstructured situation ID: 764469
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Some Common Interview Questions Exposed Lynn D’Angelo-Bello The Center for Career & Professional Development
“Tell me about yourself” Why Interviewers Ask This… To see how you handle yourself in an unstructured situation. Are you articulate? Are you confident? What impression would you make on others, on the job? What is important to you?
“Tell me about yourself” Weak Responses “What do you want to know?” Tells interviewer you have not properly prepared. “I was born in New Jersey and when I was 8 my family moved to….” Don’t delve into your personal past. Strong Response Focus your answer on what most interests the interviewer (your strengths and skills relative to the position) Education Projects/experiences directly related to their needs and how the skills (technical and personal) you developed make you well qualified
“What made you decide to come to Lehigh?” Why Interviewers Ask This… Evaluation of your decision-making skills Do you make educated decisions or do you make decisions haphazardly?
“What made you decide to come to Lehigh?” Weak Response “My mother went to school here so I figured I would go here too.” Strong Response One in which you focus on the process you engaged in to make your decision. How did you first learn about Lehigh?What was your criteria for making your decision ? Did you compare Lehigh to other schools ? If so, on what basis?
“What interests you most about this opportunity?” Why Interviewers Ask This… To see if you’ve researched the company, the position, and the opportunity in general. To see how well you understand the job description. To see whether you are truly interested in the role.
“What interests you most about this opportunity?” Weak Response Re-stating your education and making a broad statement that you have participated in some related projects. One in which interest and excitement are not reflected in how you answer the question. Strong Response One in which you express excitement and provide evidence about why you feel excited about the position. Demonstrates that you thoroughly researched the company and position. Indicates that you actually know whether this job (in comparison to similar roles) is a strong match with your interests.
“Why do you think you are the best candidate for this position?” Why Interviewers Ask This… To understand what you believe your strengths are. To determine whether you are confident or overconfident. To see whether you have researched the position and have determined if you fall short of the requirements.
“Why do you think you are the best candidate for this position?” Weak Response One that is too general. (“I have a lot of experience managing teams, and that’s important, and I also really like your company. I really want to work for you.”) Strong Response Demonstrates that you are confident in your ability to succeed in this position despite any shortcomings. Indicates that you have thoroughly researched the position.
“Tell me something about yourself that is not obvious from your resume” Why Interviewers Ask This…” To see how you react under pressure. To determine how you think. To see whether you truly understand the job enough to choose something positive that is related to the job.
“Tell me something about yourself that is not obvious from your resume” Weak Response One that puts a focus on something not related to the position. (“I like to go to movies on the weekends and I like to ice skate.”) Strong Response Describes your greatest strength in relation to the position you are interviewing for. Describes a personality trait that an interviewer may not glean from your interview.
“If salary was not a factor, what would be the job of your choice?” Why Interviewers Ask This… To determine your true interest in their open position. To evaluate your long term potential in their company. To see whether you truly know your preferences.
“If salary was not a factor, what would be the job of your choice?” Weak Response One that is the answer you think the interviewer wants to hear (“I’d still like the job that you have open. I’m sure of that. Definitely.”) Strong Response Indicates your preference for the job you are interviewing for or for a job that is one or two steps beyond the current job but still on the same career path.
“Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you fixed it.” Why Interviewers Ask This… To evaluate your honesty and integrity. To discover what you believe your weaknesses are.
“Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you fixed it.” Weak Response Not answering the question “I don’t make mistakes .” Well, I’m very careful not to make mistakes. Very careful. I understand that mistakes can be costly for a company such as yours and so when I do my work, I check it again and again and again just to make sure that nothing is wrong because – I don’t want to make any mistakes. Strong Response Describes a mistake that you actually made but one that is not detrimental to the position you are interviewing for. Demonstrates that you had a strong relationship with your supervisor. Indicates your problem solving skills via story - (STAR method).
“Tell me about your greatest weakness.” Why Interviewers Ask This… To determine if you recognize opportunities for personal growth. To determine your level of maturity.
“Tell me about your greatest weakness.” Weak Response Not answering the question. I don’t have any weaknesses. Obviously “canned” answer (“When I get involved in a project I get so focused on the details I sometimes lose site of the bit picture…”)“I am a procrastinator.” – avoid this answer. Strong Response Three parts: 1. State the genuine weakness but choose something that is not detrimental to the position. 2. State your awareness of the weakness. 3. Talk about what steps you are taking toward improvement.
“Tell me about a time you took a project from start to finish.” Why Interviewers Ask This… To determine your organization skills. To determine your ability to take initiative.
“Tell me about a time you took a project from start to finish.” Weak Response One that focuses on describing the project itself. One that describes what the group did (heavy use of the pronoun “we”) Strong Response Includes a detailed description of the actions you took, how you organized the work, and how you collaborated with others. One that shows you are not afraid of challenges and that you have no trouble getting involved immediately.
“What are your salary requirements?” Why Interviewers Ask This… To eliminate candidates whose financial goals are unrealistic. If you mention a salary that is too low, you may seem uninformed. If you mention a salary that is too high, you may out price yourself.
“What are your salary requirements?” Weak Response One that answers the question immediately. One that is not backed by salary research. One that gives one number (“I would like an annual salary of $60,000). Strong Response One that attempts to defer conversation about salary for as long as possible. If pressed for a number, always give a range that is backed by research (Salary.com).
Final Tips Prepare stories about your greatest achievements. Prepare stories that demonstrate your “soft” skills. BE BRIEF – keep all answers under 2 minutes. If you are asked a technical question to which you do not know the answer, don’t just say “I don’t know.” Relate to a parallel skill or describe how you would go about finding the answer.