5 Common Interview Questions
By Kavisha Patel (Student Intern @ Uptree)
- Why do you want to work for this company?
The employer wants to see if you know what the company does and why you applied for the job. They want to see if you have researched the company and to see if you know your stuff. Show that you know the company with some facts and history. But when you are talking about why you want to work for this company, focus on what you can do for them.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Mention strengths that are related to the job role and give examples of when you have used the skills. Some skills you could mention are:
- Communication — the ability to get on with a wide range of people
- Team working — the ability to be an effective team leader or team member
- IT skills — most jobs these days need some IT skills
- Good attitude — hard worker, honest, polite, co-operative
- Problem solving — using your initiative to identify solutions
- Enthusiasm — employers like someone positive
- Quick learner — so you can take on new tasks
- Determination — shows you are focused on achieving goals
- Flexibility — doing a variety of tasks to achieve a common goal.
3. What makes a good team?
Employers value team work and want to know if you can work effectively in a team. A good team should have clear objectives and goals. Each person should know what is expected of them and should know what their role is within the team. There also needs to be openness and trust, and clear communication.
4. How would you describe yourself?
The employer wants to see how well you know yourself and know if you can look at yourself critically. They want to see if you know what you are good at and where you could improve. You could show that you have certain qualities like leadership qualities where you have to be organised and communicate with others.
5. If you were an animal, what type of animal would you be?
This an unusual question but it is to show that you can think quickly on the spot. You can think of an animal that reflects who you are but also has some qualities or skills that can be applied in a working environment.
By Kavisha Patel
