Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them - Nairaland

Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by remolisa: 7:26am On Nov 12Preparing for an interview is the most important thing to do when looking for a job. Unfortunately many job hunters are not always ready for an interview. Here are some interview questions and how to answer them.

Why Do You Want to Work for our company?

The interviewer wants to know your knowledge about their company and what they are into. They want to be that you have done your research about them. So always find out about the company before you go for their interview.

Why Should I Hire You?

?I can get the job done? is the simple answer. Then you can go further by explaining your skills, experience and education and how it would benefit the company. Confirm that you have all it takes to hold the position successfully.

What Are Your Weaknesses?

This isn?t an easy question to answer but there is a way to take advantage of it. For example you can say you are constantly working on improving your skills. You should answer these question with a positive conotation. Paint the weakness as a positive advantage. For instance you can say you are too anxious to get a job done which could be a weakness when working on a team.

Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
Well its best to be honest but you shouldn?t present it as your fault. Your answer would greatly depend on your reason. Whatever you choose to say, just make it sound logical and appropriate.

Why are you better than the rest of the candidates?
The interviewer wants to know your unique qualities. In answer this question, you can use your skills, experience and education as a point of reference. For instance, ?I speak 4 languages fluently? or ?I have a PhD in Physics? or ?I have worked on a very similar project, and I know exactly what to expect?.

What Are Your Career Goals?
Your goals might be different from what the job requires but if you need to get considered as a great candidate for the position, your answer must please the interviewer. Make sure you career goals are flexible and you should be able to relate it to the position. This might work: ?I would like to work for a reputable company, where I can continue to develop as a professional?.

What Salary Are You Seeking?
You will be safer if the employer gives you their figure but it is not always the case. So you may say what salary you expect and explain why you are worth that amount making reference to your skills and qualifications. Another trick is to answer the question with a question. For example ?What budget did you have in mind for this position??. Amother approach will be to say something like ?I?m sure that if you decide to hire me, we can work out a salary figure, which will work for both parties.?

Conclusion
The important thing is to be prepared for the interview. You can practice answering those questions for a smooth presentation to woo the interviewer.

http://www.knowledgecentreng.com/2012/06/7-common-interview-questions-and-how-to.html

17 Likes

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Hayjaycity(m): 8:23am On Nov 12

So these are the 7 common interview questions and how to answer them....nobody go click that link wey u post now now!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Teejayphillip(m): 8:53am On Nov 12
Hayjaycity: So these are the 7 common interview questions and how to answer them....nobody go click that link wey u post now now!

O boi U harsh oo... I waz expectin 7questions alzo,waz zo surprise wen I saw jus 2questions...Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by nikkyshyne(f): 11:15am On Nov 12

Some thread starters just like giving person wahala shaa

1 Like

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by nikkyshyne(f): 12:05pm On Nov 12

Better!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Nkonadi: 12:06pm On Nov 12

Ok na...

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by slimming: 12:09pm On Nov 12

Good ones

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by mascot87: 12:17pm On Nov 12Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by eyenCalabar: 12:18pm On Nov 12

Nice.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by vanstanzy(m): 12:19pm On Nov 12

Nice 411, keep it up!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by pendusky: 12:21pm On Nov 12

5 out of 7 i attemptd...no 1 is a sure question!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Onoru1(m): 12:24pm On Nov 12

That is a good one.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Dopefiend(m): 12:26pm On Nov 12

Thnks OP. God bless

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Ticklishmummy(f): 12:34pm On Nov 12[b]What Are Your Weaknesses?[/b]

Remember being asked this at the second stage of an interview and I jokingly said,I am not sure this will be of any relevance to you and the role in particular but if you must know its Coca-Cola. Just 2 people on the panel;the group fulfillment manager and HR Coordinator, they just looked at each other and burst into laughter. Didn't sound funny to me but it did to them,dunno why. grin

That was the last question I got asked before the interview ended but the group fulfillment manager(reporting to her now) said to me as I left, ''you are a smart woman and that was a really smart answer,threw us off guard.By the way,what did you study and I answered HR''. HR coordinator looked at me(funny look on her face)and said ''I see!!''

I had barely opened my door before I got a phone call back from them ''You are hired,please confirm your notice period with your current employer again...bla bla bla'' and the rest they say is history.

10 Likes

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by duality: 12:44pm On Nov 12

these are the questions they've been asking since our forefathers fell asleep. these hr people better start thinking abeg. besides answering these questions doesn't guarantee any one the job.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by crusufixo(m): 12:59pm On Nov 12

@ op , thanks for the tip. I actually have an interview tomorrow. A tread of this nature was opened in the past on this forum and being searching for it but was unable to find it. And now you've opened a new one. God Bless you !!!!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by john david(m): 1:04pm On Nov 12

9ice 1 bro

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by thepo(m): 1:26pm On Nov 12

May God forgive the poster and the readers all together.amen. Haba!

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Jarus(m): 1:36pm On Nov 12Nice one. A few more tips:

What are your salary expectations?

-If interviewing for an experienced poistion, ensure you do your research and have idea about what is the pay for similar position in the company, then top it up with few millions. E.g you're going for an interviewfor supervisory position and your research shows supervisors in that coy earn 5-7m pa. You can make a request for 8-10m depending on other factors like special quality you have, where you're coming from and observed desperation of the employer. At the end of the negotiation, you may get up to 6-8m.

-If entry level, you hardly have control over the pay, so you mmay have a response like this:

'As a responsible and well structured organization, I believe you have in place a remuneration structure and I know I will be fairly paid based on where I fit in".

But if pressed further to state a sum, you can give a range based on what you know entry level staff earn there and probably add 1 or 2 millions. E.g you know entry levels there earn 2.5m, you can say 'anything between 3-4m should be fair enough'

2 Likes

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Melancholy: 1:44pm On Nov 12

Nice one bro

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by harlos: 1:45pm On Nov 12This post has been hiddenRe: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by amobii: 2:15pm On Nov 12

Nice one. Still dont know why the HR keep their salary, most job abroad will have their pay, whch eliminate question about pay. Most employer in naija are not open in their dealing, that suppose to reduce no application cos once u know the pay is mot for you, u dont need to.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Teemah Fashion(f): 2:37pm On Nov 12[thepo]May God forgive the poster and the readers all together.amen. Haba!

But why?

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Teemah Fashion(f): 2:43pm On Nov 12
thepo: May God forgive the poster and the readers all together.amen. Haba!

but why?

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Hoodrat(m): 3:02pm On Nov 12

Thanks for the information.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by .NET(m): 3:13pm On Nov 12

Nice. Good to learn.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by thepo(m): 3:36pm On Nov 12What Are Your Weaknesses?

This isn?t an easy question to answer but there is a way to take advantage of it. For example you can say you are constantly working on improving your skills. You should answer these question with a positive conotation. Paint the weakness as a positive advantage. For instance you can say you are too anxious to get a job done which could be a weakness when working on a team.

Well this line of response has become a lie and the most used line for that mata, d last time I 'pruned' someone going for a job interview, I had to tell the person to say d truth and quickly also mention how she has worked on it. Dat way d ansa would be far from d conventional ones. Dats y I said may God forgive d poster and the readers.

But nice piece tho.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by OkwaIfugo(m): 3:38pm On Nov 12

this is mind blowing. good post @OP.

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by adewasco2k(m): 4:04pm On Nov 12

nice one @OP

Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Catch_fire: 4:32pm On Nov 12Re: Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them by Baby mama: 4:33pm On Nov 12I believe the most important thing an interviewer is looking at is your confidence and ability to think on your feet.
This starts with your appearance
Men should always be dressed in a dark suit or a good buttoned down shirt and tie with well polished shoes
Women preferably in a dark skirt suit with medium heeled shoes and neat hair and minimal jewelry.
Solid color shirts like light blue or green
Look people in the eye when you speak and be confident
Greet them when you walk in and wait for them to extend their hand for a handshake before you respond.

The questions the OP wrote there are so true,I just had an interview recently and was asked all those questions.It had been a long time since I attended an interview so even though I was not really prepared for them,I had an idea ahead of time what to answer

Watch out for that question about your weaknesses.You better not talk of yourself in a negative light.Since I am a college professor by profession I answered that question by pointing out the fact that I hate to give failing grades,which is a true weakness,I would rather have the student do the work over than give a failing grade when a retest will not earn them more than a C.

Another open ended question in some interviews is " tell us about yourself "
This is not a time to go and start telling folks about your baby mamas and daddys and unpaid back child support
It is a time to emphasize your strengths and skills and ability to adapt well In a new environment and learn new skills at a quick pace
Take advantage of it and blow your trumpets here not arrogantly though but you need to sell yourself.

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