2. Know Common Questions
Truthfully, in each interview we don’t invent new questions or ways to throw applicants off their feet. As you begin to send out your attractive CV and Cover Letters and attend more and more interviews, you will see a common pattern beginning to form on questions and responses. The only times we will really throw you a curveball are when it’s obvious you know nothing about our organization, or if we think you are another time-waster. But if you follow the tips and preparation advice we have given you above, then you won’t fall into either of these categories. Below we have added some of the most commonly used questions in interviews, which we expect all applicants to be able to answer thoroughly and comprehensively:
“Tell me about yourself”
We normally use this question as an ice-breaker, to see how you think on your feet. Please don’t bore us – briefly tell us about your career, your skills and why you think you would fit into this position.
“Tell me about your ability to work under pressure”
Here you should be mentioning examples of your time management, for example in team projects or individual assignments.
Giving relevant examples works best, because we can see you have experience and will help us determine whether they fit with our organizations work ethic!
“Tell me about a time when…”
These are known as Behavioral Assessment questions, and are quite similar to the one mentioned above as they require you to provide real-life situations in your responses. In this way, the interviewer may see evidence of how you would respond to certain situations you may face in the position. So again, make it relevant, short and sweet.
“What is your greatest strength?”
This is your opportunity to talk yourself up, so make the most of it! Tell us What you do best, and How you do it best. Don’t beat around the bush, come out with it and let us know Why this would be helpful to us! The reason we called you for an interview is because WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU! So tell us!
