Why Hiring Managers Really Ask These 12 Common Interview Questions
Ingenious interview questions like “What colour crayon would you be?” and “How would your arch nemesis characterize you” are popular among certain hiring supervisors. To observe a job candidate’s response under pressure. However, according to recent research, most interviewers prefer to ask direct questions that relate to relevant job experience and abilities rather than ones that are meant to confound unwary applicants.
In practically every interview, at least a few of the questions are among the most often asked behavioural or accomplishment-based questions overall, according to a 2019 research by LinkedIn.
It makes sense: Conventional questions provide a more thorough picture of the applicant’s eligibility for the post, while some of those offbeat interview questions help to demonstrate a prospective employee’s desire to be open and honest. These conventional interview questions were listed by LinkedIn:
- “Tell me about yourself.”
- “What is your greatest strength?”
- “What is your greatest weakness?”
- “Why should we hire you?”
- “Why do you want to work here?”
- “Tell me about a time you showed leadership.”
- “Tell me about a time you were successful on a team.”
- “What would your co-workers say about you?”
Although job applicants can’t anticipate every question they’ll be asked during an interview, Bill Driscoll, district president for staffing company Accountemps, advises that they are best served by rehearsing their responses to the most typical ones.
Knowing your audience is important, according to Driscoll. Research the firm and the job as much as you can, read up on pertinent news, and ask others in your network for their opinions.
Job seekers may utilize the data from LinkedIn and Accountemps to classify senior managers’ favourite and most frequent interview questions and to get insight into what they are attempting to learn by asking them in order to properly prepare for interviews.
Company or position
In addition to having the applicant’s CV and cover letter, the interviewer has probably already looked up their social media profiles. However, the purpose of the interview is to ascertain how well a candidate fits the role. Most applicants have relevant experience and have the potential to be good candidates. With the help of these hiring manager interview questions, you may explain any gaps in your resume’s information, such as the rationale behind your decision to attend a certain institution or leave a former job.
Questions:
- “Why do you want to work here?”
- “What do you know about this company?”
- “Why are you interested in this position?”
- “What makes you a good fit for this position?”
Example answers:
- The job your organization conducts resonates with my principles and interests, thus I want to work here. Give a brief description of these interests.
- I am aware that [founder’s name] established the business in 2023 and that you’re most popular [goods or services] are… You might offer your knowledge of how the company’s goods or services vary from those of rivals in order to provide a particularly compelling response to this frequent interview question.
- “I’m intrigued by this opportunity because…” Describe how the duties of the role align with your interests. Include any unique aspects of the business and how they relate to your interest in the role.
- This question’s response might be similar to the one above, but substitute your talents, history, or other credentials in favour of your interests.
Experience
Every single CV the interviewer gets should include the applicant’s relevant work history. These inquiries concerning your work history provide you the chance to go deeper and be more detailed because the interviewer already has a list of your prior employment and skill sets. Use this chance to discuss how your prior expertise would be immediately transferable to this new organization and how it may help the company, as opposed to restating facts the interviewer already knows.
Questions:
- “What did you like or dislike about your last job?”
- “Tell me about your work experience.”
- “Why did you leave your last job?”
Example answers:
- I enjoyed that I could. List your top a few favourite jobs. Keep it concise, but don’t be scared to elaborate. I did not like. You don’t want to come out as ungrateful, snobbish, or difficult to deal with, so just name one issue and keep it brief.
- “With [briefly explain your first work], I entered this industry. I then went to [briefly explain your next job].” You don’t need to include in-depth information about each employment if your resume is lengthy and contains many different positions. Concentrate on the most significant, relevant positions you have had.
- “I was prepared for a shift. Although I enjoyed what I was doing, I was aware that in order to improve, I would need to move on. Of course, if your motivation differs, explain why; otherwise, follow the example’s lead and keep your remarks neutral and broad.
Personal attributes or characteristics
Due to the fact that nobody is completely at ease talking about themselves in interviews, these are some of the most infamously challenging questions for job hopefuls to respond to. Although interviewers are aware of this, these questions may nonetheless provide insightful information. You have a great opportunity to show how you differ from the other applicants during this portion of the interview. Giving the interviewer instances of times you overcome challenges at work or developed a novel strategy or solution that the business adopted will leave a lasting impression.
Questions:
- “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”
- “How do you interact with a team?”
- “How do you handle stress at work?”
Example responses:
- “I’m [insert roughly three adjectives]. My biggest flaw is that I’m [list a small flaw], but I make up for it by [list how you deal with this problem and how you plan to continue to work on it]. Never list more than one flaw.
- “I’m a fantastic team player that understands how to interact with people, adhere to my supervisor’s instructions, and take the initiative when required.”
- “I deal with stress by…” Talk about how you priorities some jobs over others, let someone know if you feel overburdened, and maintain your composure throughout.
Personal goals
Candidates often reframe their responses to some of the questions on this list in terms of how they might assist the business and forward its objectives. Though a strong match between the prospective new recruit and the firm is just as vital – if not more so – than abilities, these questions are among the most useful an interviewer can ask. Job skills can be taught, after all. Pay close attention to how you describe your short-term objectives as well as how the job fits with your long-term objectives.
Questions:
- “Why did you choose this career?”
- “Where do you see yourself in the future?”
- “What are your hobbies outside of work?
- “Why should we hire you?”
Example answers:
Instead of giving sample responses to each of these questions, we advise you to simply be truthful. No, you shouldn’t declare, “I’m in this for the money,” but you should outline your career goals and how the employer could fit into them. You gently respond to the fourth question by doing the same for the previous three.
Whether you are looking for a new job right now or won’t be attending interviews for some time, it will help you to know why these questions are often asked and to be ready to respond to them fully and with confidence.
Keep in mind that a job interview is two-sided; you must determine if the organization and the role are a suitable match for you as well. As a result, don’t be hesitant to ask your own questions, seek explanations, or go back to a previous query if you weren’t given the necessary information right away. Since interviewers are also people, they are aware that nobody is flawless, particularly under pressure. Wishing you success in your endeavours.
