Preparing for an interview can be especially nerve-wracking, I always wonder what they are going to ask me and dread the moment when they ask if there are any questions I have. The best way to prepare for just this senario is to practice, practice and practice. If you can prepare your answers to the most common questions that interviewers ask, you can write down your answers and role play them with a friend or even just in the mirror. Being prepared can help keep you from those interview jitters.
I found a list of frequent interview questions from Forbes magazine, circa 1983. Surprisingly, not much has changed since then, and I still think that it is one of the best lists ever. Here are the top 5 questions and how best to answer them.
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is the best time for you to to review your career goals and experience. Be careful here, because you don't want to take up too much time. This is just a warm up question, so be brief. Cover the early years, education and job experience.
2. What do you know about our organization?
While researching the job opening, you should know something about the company and be able to talk about something that is relevant to the company and the service or products it supplies. When in doubt, Google is your friend.
You should keep your answers positive, and while not overwhelming the interviewer, let the know that you have done your research. If you are in a bind and blank out during this, you can always say that you have researched many companies in the course of your job search and you need to do more research on this one.
3. Why should we hire you?
4. Why do you want to work for us?
This is the question where you can show off your research skills. At this point, you should be able to talk about what the company needs and what skills and talents you have that can benefit the company and help you grow. This is a question you can almost be certain will be asked, and you need to have a good answer to it. If you don't have an answer for it, you shouldn't be interviewing for the position. You don't want to end up with a job that you don't like or want.
Avoid saying things like “Because I like working with people.” or “Because I enjoy accounting.”. Those things should be a given. Don't try to come up with an answer on the fly, because interviewers are pretty good at spotting a liar, and you don't want to give the interviewer the impression that you really don't want to work for them.
5. What are your long-range goals?
When you are asked this, make sure that you have something better than “my goal is to get this job.” You want to talk about your long term plans and how this job relates to it. This question can be a little sticky if you are interviewing for a job that you aren't planning to stay at, but perhaps it is a good question for you to ask yourself before you apply for a position. If a job isn't a step toward meeting your personal goals, then your may not want to apply for it.
In this difficult job market, it becomes even more important to give yourself every advantage at your interview. Take the time to prepare your answers to these questions, making sure that you cover all the main points you want to be sure to get across, take a deep breath and don't panic!
By: Melissa Kennedy
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