10 Answers to Prepare Before Your Next Interview

10 Answers to Prepare Before Your Next Interview You’ve applied to countless jobs, networked with connections in your field, and landed an interview.That’s great.But the work of job searching doesn’t stop once you have scheduled your interview.Preparing for your job interview is an essential part of the job search.While it is highly unlikely that you are going to know what questions will be asked during your interview, there are some common interview questions you can prepare for.Preparing your answers for common interview questions can help you nail your next interview and get you one step closer to your dream job.So, here's a list of 10 common interview questions that will likely come up.1.Tell Me About YourselfThis is often the first question asked in a job interview.The interviewer is giving you a chance to summarize your background and discuss notable professional accomplishments.Give a brief overview of your qualifications and experience. Summarizeyour work experience. Includerelevant achievements and future career goal s.Keep your answer focused on your professional history, not your personal background.2. Why Are You Interested in This Position?While your resume may tell if you can do the job, an interviewer hopes to find out if you want to do it.Asking what interests you in the position is an excellent way for hiring managers to judge your motivation for applying and your interest level in the job.To answer this question, you need to go beyond just the job requirements.Discuss how you can use your skillset in this position. Relate it to your professional goals. Focus on the work itselfrather than the benefits or salary. Tie in aspects of the position and explain your interest in the work.3. What Do You Know About Our Company?Your interviewer wants to know that your interest goes beyond a paycheck.Not only is this question used to judge your motivation, but it also used to judge your preparation.Spend some time before your interview researching the company you are applying to.Know their customers , their product, and their mission.Show your interviewer that you have done your research on the company and this will help convince them that you are excited to be a part of their work.4. Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job?Whether you are currently employed or not, this is an important question to prepare for.This is not the time to air your grievances with your current or previous job.Whatever the reason, try to structure why you are leaving your previous role in a favorable light.As you form an answer, focus on your career goals.Relate how this position can help you achieve those goals.Highlight the skills you learned in your previous role. Explain how you hope to use them in your next position.5. What Are Your Strengths?If you have ever been in an interview, you have most likely heard this question.And, believe it or not, it’s one of the best questions you can be asked in an interview.This is your opportunity to show off what your strengths are and what makes you unique.Focu s on 1-2 strengths that are relevant to the position.Give examples of how your strengths have helped you in your career thus far. Specify how you can use those strengths in this new position.6. What Are Your Weaknesses?For many job seekers, this question, while familiar, can seem hard to answer.Discussing your weaknesses can seem counterproductive to your job search.Everybody has weaknesses, and the hiring manager knows that.They want to know that you can be honest and admit to your faults.Chose a weakness that doesn’t conflict with the job description.Give examples of how you are improving on your weaknesses.Avoid answers that are generic or cliche. For example, avoid:“I care too much.”“I work too hard.”7. How Would Others Describe You?At some point in your life, you have heard how others describe you.Being able to call upon previous feedback from friends and colleagues and knowing how to relate it to your work ethic is essential for an interview.Focus on positive, approp riate examples. Don’t highlight negative or unprofessional comments about yourself. Keep your answers relevant to the skills needed for the job.If necessary, look at past performance reviews for examples of positive work feedback.8. What Are Your Salary Expectations?Discussing salary expectations can be a delicate question to handle.It is best to be prepared ahead of time.Research the company beforehand to establish a realistic salary range for the position.Try to turn the question around to the interviewer and avoid answering first.Use your research to provide a salary range you are comfortable with.9. Why Should We Hire You?There are likely other applicants out there with similar backgrounds and experience, but the interviewer wants to know why you are the one they should hire.This is the time to show what makes you the best fit for this position.Give specific examples of your skills and achievements as they relate to this position.Avoid being overly modest or overly cocky. Resp ond with a confident explanation of what you bring to the table. Define how you, with your unique background and skills,can help the company succeed.10. Do You Have Any Questions for Me?As a wrap-up, interviewers often ask if you have any questions for them.The answer should never be, “No, I don’t have any questions.”Interviews are conversations, and by asking questions, you are showing the interviewer that you are interested and curious about the position.Before the interview, have a list of questions in mind that you can ask.Pay attention to topics that arise during the interview that you can ask for more information on.Make your questions thoughtful, relevant to the role, and reflective of your interest.Closing ThoughtsTo see all of our basic interview questions and answers, check out the 50 Top Job Interview Questions Answers.If you still need some extra help refining your pitch, feel free to reach out to us at Find My Profession.Our career coaching program is sure to ass ist you as you are looking for a job.Our goal is to help you find vocational success.