Interviews play one of the most important and necessary roles in landing your dream job. Whether you’re an interview pro, or still new to the process, there are always last-minute nerves before any interview so it's important to practice ahead of time with real interview questions.
Interview Questions From the Pros
To have you feeling as prepared as possible for your next interview and to put you in the best position in your job search, we’re breaking down some of the most common interview questions and how to answer them and sharing tips from our recruitment agency pros.
Interview question #1: What is driving you to make a move?
Hiring managers often want to know why you're leaving a role to get a better sense of what you're looking for in your next position. Whether salary, career development opportunities, benefits or something entirely different is driving your move, you'll want to prepare an answer for this interview question. A top interview tip from our recruiters is to never speak negatively about your former/current employer, so be sure to be honest without maligning your current employment situation.
Interview question #2: Why do you think you’d be a good fit for this role?
This interview question is your time to shine and tell your story so be sure to include it in your interview prep. How did you get to this point in your career? What drives you? How have past steps in your career set you up to succeed in this role? There's no need to walk through your entire resume during the interview, you want to speak only to what’s relevant to this position, so this is where research and practice come in. Tailor your response to this specific opportunity bringing in what you learned from your interview research. Be prepared to touch on key experiences and skillsets you possess that are relevant to this role and draw on what you learned about the company. Other interview questions to consider: Do you share core values with the company? Do you agree with their mission statement? Be prepared to speak in the interview on why you are the right fit for this specific role at this specific company.
Interview question #3: What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This interview question is a great opportunity to set yourself apart. Of course, there are the generic, go-to answers: organized, great at time management, excellent communication, leadership experience, but why not answer with something a bit more unique. Don’t get us wrong, these are all great skills, and if they apply to you, you should speak on them while giving specific examples from your experience. If you’re looking to change it up, try one of these less commonly used adjectives: bright, adaptable, resourceful, observant, sociable, and motivated. And then be sure to tie it back to the role you’re interviewing for! Speaking on your weaknesses in an interview can be a bit more difficult, but it is always important to be honest, and bring it back to your experience. For example, if one of your weaknesses is taking on too much at once, you can also share that you have learned from your previous roles to depend on your coworkers more, ask for help and delegate. An interview tip from our recruitment agency team is to be careful of the trap of using a strength for a weakness (ie: I’m too organized) as it may come off disingenuous to the interviewer.
For more interview tips and interview questions check out our Upskill Workshop on interviewing. Browse our current job openings here or contact your nearest 24 Seven office to get in contact with one of our expert recruiters today!