“How do you see your life and career in the next five years?”, “What is your main weakness?”, “Can you describe yourself team player? - you probably had to answer at least one of these questions when you were interviewed for a job. But on the eve of the interview, it is important not only to know the questions that a potential employer may ask you, but to be able to answer them correctly. Of course, you can never know for sure what questions await you, but if you keep in mind rough plan answers to the most common ones, then the interview will take place much more productive. Your ability to communicate, be confident, serious, resourceful and creative when required will, of course, be appreciated by the employer and may make the difference in whether or not you are successfully hired.
Below we offer you some questions most often asked to participants in competitions to fill a particular vacancy. After each question we provide an approximate answer plan. Take our recommendations into account and you will be able to feel more confident at the interview.
personal information
1. Tell us about yourself.
When answering such questions, limit yourself to details that in one way or another relate to your future work. You should not dive too deeply into the details of your personal life.
2. Tell us what you see as your dream job.
You should not name specific positions and specific responsibilities, otherwise more detailed questions may follow so that the employer can make sure that you really deserve the position you named. It’s better to limit yourself to descriptive constructions like “friendly team”, etc.
3. What weaknesses do you see in yourself?
You don’t need to immediately start listing your weak character traits. Be extremely focused and give examples of several “weaknesses” that are actually yours strengths. Of course, here you will have to be creative to present your advantages under the guise of weaknesses. So, a good answer would be the phrase “I need some time to get ready for work, so I get up two hours before leaving the house.”
4. What are your strengths?
5. How do you feel about criticism addressed to you?
Criticism is the surest path to self-improvement. Talk about how you never take criticism too personally and always agree that a severe reprimand was necessary in a particular situation. Give some examples of how criticism has helped you rise to a higher level and achieve something.
6. What do you do in life outside of work?
Talk about your favorite activities and try to connect them with opportunities to improve your skills and abilities that are useful at work.
7. Do you consider yourself a successful person?
There are no options here: feel free to answer “yes”. Being successful does not necessarily mean having control over the whole world. Tell us about those achievements of yours that you consider the most significant, if the time allotted for the interview allows.
previous employment
1. Why did you leave your last job?
The answer must certainly be positive. A phrase like “I just decided to find greener pastures” would do. In any case, connect your answer with the search for new opportunities and expansion of horizons. And although this may in fact be true, under no circumstances should you say that the reason for leaving previous place work became an irritable boss.
2. Why were you unemployed for so long?
Describe any useful activities you have done while this period: from advanced training in relevant courses to working as a freelancer or other ways to earn money without official employment.
3. How do your colleagues from previous jobs speak of you?
Limit yourself to ordinary compliments that you may have heard from your colleagues, and watch whether you are exaggerating.
This company
1. What do you know about what our company does?
Before the interview, be sure to study the company’s website inside and out, because this is the most the right way obtain reliable information about its activities. It's good if you know someone who already works or previously worked in this organization. Then you can get more details first-hand.
2. Why should we hire you?
Here we are talking about mutually beneficial cooperation. Convince your interlocutor that you need this job just as much as the company needs you. And under no circumstances compare yourself with other participants in the competition for this vacancy.
3. How long do you plan to work in our company?
Specific dates and time periods should not be mentioned. A good option there will be a phrase like “as long as our cooperation is mutually beneficial.”
4. What do you expect from working in this company?
Say that you would like to get a little freedom, space for activity, that you do not welcome too narrow frameworks. However, clarity in setting goals is one of the important wishes for you.
Teamwork
1. Describe your style of management and interaction with the team.
Emphasize that you pay a lot of attention to communication with colleagues and subordinates, and will also try to do everything to ensure that there is always a comfortable atmosphere in the team.
2. Can you call yourself a team player?
And here the answer is definitely “yes”! If time permits, please provide some shining example how you, as part of a team, successfully implemented a particular project.
3. What role would you take on when working as a team on a project?
Present yourself as a flexible worker who is equally adept at following directions and being a leader.
4. What irritates you about your work colleagues?
No specific qualities or characteristics. Let your employer know that you can work well with any colleagues, building relationships with them based on tolerance and the constant search for compromises.
5. What traits would you like to see in your boss’s character?
And there are no specific characteristics here. Limit yourself in general phrases like “competent”, “honest”, “reliable”, etc.
Qualification
1. Why do you think you will be good at this job?
Emphasize your professional skills, work experience in your previous job, and your ability to resolve crisis situations. In short, you must convince the employer that you are exactly the person he needs.
2. Do you think that you are an overqualified employee for this position?
Try to convince your interlocutor that you are the best person for the job. The employer should not have any doubts due to the fact that you speak uncertainly. Your task is to create the impression that you are exactly the person this company needs.
3. How can you compensate for the lack of work experience?
Focus on your professional skills. If you just graduated from university, think about the projects and research that you successfully completed during your studies.
Principles
1. What is more important to you: the work itself or the salary (money)?
Balance is important here: both matter. You should not imagine yourself as too generous and selfless or, conversely, mercantile. Just point out that in addition to a good salary, you would like to receive moral satisfaction from your work.
2. Can you put the company's interests above your own?
Of course you can! This is a kind of test of how firmly you will “grow together” with the company and how responsible you will be.
3. What philosophy do you adhere to in your work?
No lengthy thoughts or praises. In a few words, outline the values and principles that are most significant to you, and also tell us about what you can bring to the team.
Instructions for the applicant
the site surveyed applicants and found out which questions they considered the most inconvenient. It turned out that the most difficult thing is to talk about your shortcomings and imagine your professional future - in about five years. Let's figure out how to answer tricky questions from recruiters.
The most inconvenient questions for applicants (according to a survey site)
1. Tell us about yourself...
It is believed that with the help of this question you can find out about the candidate’s priorities in life: people first of all talk about what worries them most. Olga Bezumova, recruitment manager at the personnel agency “Planet of Personnel,” says that the employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies. Elena Volkova, head of the recruiting company ABC Consulting, advises telling a little about everything: both about education and hobbies. According to Yulia Tartakovskaya, HR manager at the Vokrug Sveta group of companies, this question needs to be more specific: specify what exactly to talk about, your professional experience or something personal.
2. Tell us about your shortcomings...
The question is no longer original. You can show your sense of humor in response, but it is better to answer neutrally. “Of course, I have shortcomings, but they do not affect my work in any way,” advises Olga Bezumova. And don’t reveal real shortcomings under any pretext.
3. Tell us about your achievements...
Testing self-esteem and prudence. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your skills, and received a gold cup. The main thing is not to overdo it. Of course, not everyone can boast of super-achievement. If what is written above is not about you, say that in your previous place you mastered a new one computer program or upgraded the level foreign language- that's not bad either.
4. Why did you leave your previous job?
The employer wants to know what you weren't happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one. Tell the truth. But keep in mind that it is highly inadvisable to refer to bad relationship With former boss or colleagues. One more thing: before you refer to the lack of career growth and routine at the old place, make sure that everything is in order with career growth and interesting tasks in the new company. It’s better to talk about the desire to get more in the last place, as if by the way, they say, money is not the only reason for my employment. For some reason, many employers like to think that everything good employees They work rather for the idea.
5. What salary are you applying for? (Name your desired minimum and maximum salary)
In other words, can the company buy you and keep you for some time? Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary. “The maximum is 30%,” adds Elena Volkova.
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The question can be very inconvenient if you are currently applying for one position, but in the future you see yourself as someone completely different. Or you have no idea what you will be doing in at least a year. Just imagine and answer at least for yourself. Well, for personnel officers, the ideal answer would be that you want to continue working on the same path, grow as a professional and advance in career ladder(A little).
7. What do you know about our company?
The question is difficult only for the lazy. You need to know a minimum about the company, at least check out its website.
8. Why do you want to work with us?
Usually this is a continuation of the question “about our company” - an attempt to completely confuse the candidate and extract some kind of information from him. secret reason employment. It’s better to keep silent about money at first. Start from afar - flatter a little: the company has been on the market for many years, and this indicates stability (this is exactly what you need), the company is a revolutionary in the market (this is exactly what you need), it is interesting to work in such and such an area, you are satisfied with the position, responsibilities , the office location is convenient and the like.
9. How long do you plan to work with us?
That is, what are your goals and motives and how sincere you are. “To answer the question, I have to work a little and understand whether I like the team, whether the tasks I have to solve are interesting, whether the atmosphere in the team is close to me. If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial,” Yulia Tartakovskaya offers an answer.
10. How do you cope with heavy workloads?
Most likely you are being prepared for overtime. Ask a counter question: “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “heavy production loads.”
Possible interview questions:
“What can you tell us about yourself? »
Tell me To the HR manager, what education do you have, please provide your work experience. Unless you are asked to add anything else, there is no need to say anything else.
“Why should we take you?”
State that your qualifications meet the stated requirements. Your salary expectations do not exceed the level of the specified vacancy. You want to start productive work as soon as possible.
“Have you received any other job offers?”
Your authority will increase if you say that you have received other offers, but they are not interesting to you. Say that you want to work for this company.
“How will you behave if a conflict situation arises at work?”
Tell me you're not conflicted person and therefore you will defend your opinion only in matters on which the success of the whole business depends. And if the issue is not so important, then you are ready to make concessions.
“How do you spend your leisure time?”
“How do you see yourself in a year, three, five and ten years?”
A person who is not purposeful and lacking initiative will say that he did not think about it. And a person focused on success will readily talk about his planned professional growth.
For example, tell us that in a year you plan to take advanced training courses, in five years you will receive a second higher education, in ten years you plan to become a specialist yourself high level in your profession.
“What do you know about our company?”
This question tests how lazy you are. Are you interested in work or do you only need a high salary? Therefore, before going for an interview, be sure to check out the company website. Praise the company and in no case belittle its achievements and advantages.
For example, say that the company was founded in 1995. It is a supplier of telecommunications equipment. Over the years, the company has established itself in the market as a reliable and responsible supplier. This will be quite enough.
“Are you a punctual person?”
Before you give an answer, remember if you are late for the interview.
1. If you arrived on time, then say that you are punctual.
2. If you are late, it’s better to say that you are trying to be punctual, but today, unfortunately, you were late for the interview.
“Tell me about the worst manager you ever worked with”
Resist the urge to pour out all the accumulated negativity and talk about what a terrible manager you had at your previous job.
Tell me that you were lucky in this regard, and none of yours former leaders You can't really call it bad.
“Why are you looking for a job that is not based on your education (specialty)?”
Say that you are disappointed in your choice of profession. Everyone can make mistakes, and no one can be sure in advance that their actions are correct. Then add that now you are expanding your horizons and want to try yourself in a new field.
« How much do you want to earn?
Questions like this have several purposes:
1) find out whether the person is oriented in the situation on the labor market. This is an additional indicator of how well a person understands the business he is doing.
2) additional opportunity check what motivates a person to work (one will begin to list the expected expenses and increase the amount, the other will name what suits him average level and will add that he is more attracted not by the monetary advantages of this work, but, for example, by the schedule or growth prospects).
3) if the candidate is satisfied with the amount lower than the maximum the employer is willing to pay, this makes it possible to either save money or offer the person more if he really likes him, but is unsure whether to accept the offer.
Name the average salary level that suits you.
“If we hire you for this position, what will be your first steps?”
The question is often asked to candidates for management and administrative positions. It is necessary to show that such situations are familiar to you, and you know how to take the initiative. You should not immediately propose changes if you have not had the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the state of affairs in detail.
Say that you will first analyze how the processes in the company proceed on this moment. And only after that will you make decisions about changes, if they are needed.
“What should your boss be like?”
By asking this question, the HR manager aims to find out whether you are prone to conflicts with your superiors or not. Say that, in your opinion, the boss should be a strong leader and a highly qualified specialist from whom I could learn.
“Why did you even come here?”
React calmly, as if you were asked to talk about your skills that could be useful to the company you are applying for.” Talk about what you can do for the company if you become an employee.
“You had a break in your work experience, what were you doing all this time? Couldn't find a job?
Say that you temporarily worked as a freelancer, working on your own projects. Now, you want to get a permanent job.
"Sell me a pen"
“Why were you fired from last place work?
Tell me, have you grown up? maximum level At my previous place of work, moving up was impossible due to lack of vacancies. You abandoned the artificial position, created specifically for your retention, because it was not promising. Add that you want to develop and learn new things.
Always say only good things about your previous employer.
“Why are you still not married?”
Say that, unfortunately, you have not yet met the one with whom you would like to spend your whole life.
“What are your shortcomings? What are your weaknesses?
The question is complex and ambiguous. Answer to this question is given in a separate article: “Should I indicate my shortcomings in my resume? »
“How much do your parents earn?
Say that your parents have a small stable income which is enough for them.
“Are you happy in your marriage?”
Say that you are happily married and that your spouse is a wonderful person.
“How often do you lie?”
I try never to lie, which is what I demand from others.
“What actions did you take at your previous job that led to the collapse of the company?”
If you react negatively, the employer may assume that you are sensitive to criticism. You can joke that the company stopped working properly when you left. Or say that the company has strengthened its position in the market during your work.
“How many coins must be placed on top of each other to reach the moon?”
Say that you don’t know the exact number of coins, but you know how it can be calculated. You need to divide the distance from the earth to the moon by the thickness of the coin.
“Rate me as an interviewer on a scale of 1 to 10.”
Purpose: Questions like these test the applicant’s courage.
Most often, such a proposal causes confusion. Say that overall the interview went well, but you rate the interviewer a solid 8 because you didn’t like the personal questions or weren’t asked questions that you would like to hear.
“Have you ever stolen pens or pencils at work?”
Be honest. Say that sometimes you take pens from work and that you will most likely continue to do so. What else are they needed for?!
« How long do you plan to work with us?»
Say that in order to answer this question, you need to work a little at the company to understand whether this job is right for you. Are the problems you have to solve interesting, is there a good atmosphere in the team. If everything goes well, then our cooperation will last as long as the company needs me.
“How long are you going to work in our company?” - this is a question that almost all HR specialists ask during interviews. The most interesting thing is that the recruiters themselves do not agree on the significance of this issue. After all, they all know very well that during an interview a future employee says what they want to hear. Most often this question is asked with the aim of forcing someone to find the “correct” wording.
To find it, here are some tips:
There is no need to give exact dates
If you say without blinking an eye, “ 2 years 4 months and one week”, then the HR specialist will immediately ask: “Why exactly so much?” Answer " five years“You will also have to argue and tell the recruiter about your professional plans, if you have them. Otherwise he will think that you just read in a book that 5 years is the optimal period of work in the company. If, for example, you like the work schedule offered by this company because you will have time to pick up your child from kindergarten, and you would like to sit here until the children go to school, and then look for something more interesting and lucrative, then you should not mention this at the interview. It is also unlikely that you will have many chances to get a job if you honestly report that you will quit in May, because you are used to spending the summer on an archaeological expedition.
Allowed to get smart
It is believed that during the first three months a person adapts to new job, after another three months he begins his development in the company and only after six months does full return begin. Therefore, it is not profitable for a company to hire a person for six months. And a decent answer: “ It's difficult to make long-term plans. I believe that I need a year to establish myself in this position. And then we'll see what the company can offer me.».
You can refuse to answer this question
In this case, you need to explain that too many factors influence your desire and ability to work for the company. Name these factors, setting the right priorities: professional and career growth, financial compensation, corporate culture and its compliance with your personal aspirations, etc. As an option: “ I am interested in your company and would like to work for you for a long time. But not everything depends on my desire and diligence. Let's see what I can give to the company, what kind of career and professional development I will have».
So, you have been invited for an interview. Do you really want to work in this position and are very afraid of not passing the selection? Then you need to gather all your willpower and prepare for the conversation: think about your clothing style and rehearse your speech, taking into account likely questions.
11 basic interview questions and smart answers to them can be found here. How to answer complex and non-standard questions to please the employer? What questions the recruiter will ask depends on what position the employee is being hired for, however, as a rule, there is a standard set of questions that are asked to all applicants, which will be discussed below.
Before conducting an interview, the employer usually invites the applicant to fill out a special questionnaire, a sample of which can be viewed.
IN Lately situational questions are very popular, when the employer describes the situation and asks the applicant to choose the right manner behavior in this situation.
11 main interview questions with answers
1. How to answer the question - Tell us about yourself at the interview.
When answering this question and other questions from the interviewer, remain calm and speak in a confident tone. Tell us what will be important for the employer to hear: place of study and specialty, work experience, knowledge and skills, interest in this particular job and personal qualities– resistance to stress, learning ability, hard work. This point is discussed in more detail in, where an approximate story of the applicant about himself is given, as well as recommendations on how best to answer.
2. What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?
When answering the question why you left your previous job, do not talk about conflicts at your previous job and do not speak badly about your boss or colleagues. You may be suspected of conflict and inability to work in a team. It is better to remember the positive moments from past experience, and the reason for leaving is the desire to fully realize one’s abilities, the desire to improve professional level and wages.
3. How to answer the question - Why do you want to work for us?
Start with positive points in the work of the company - stability and a professional, well-coordinated team, interest in the field of activity, and then add what attracts the position and work schedule, proximity to home, decent wages.
4. Why do you think you are suitable for this position?
How to answer the question - why should we hire you? Here you must prove very clearly and convincingly that you the best specialist in this area. Tell us about the work of the company and the industry in which you are going to work, do not hesitate to praise yourself, tell us about your achievements.
5. How should you answer a question about shortcomings at an interview?
The question of shortcomings is quite a tricky one. It’s not worth posting your disadvantages as best you can. Name such “disadvantages” that look more like advantages. For example: I’m picky about my work, I don’t know how to distance myself from work. And it’s best to say neutrally: I, like everyone else, have shortcomings, but they do not in any way affect my professional qualities.
6 secrets successful interview
6. What strengths do you have?
- communication skills;
- learning ability;
- punctuality;
- diligence.
These are standard examples of advantages that are included in almost every application; they do not carry any special significance for the employer, and do not distinguish the applicant from others in any way.
It is better to talk at an interview about professional advantages that will be useful and interesting to the employer:
- I have experience in negotiations at various levels;
- easily conclude important agreements and contracts;
- I can organize my work day rationally, etc.
Such answers will attract attention and stand out among other answers.
7. What salary do you expect?
Services good specialist can't be cheap. There is an option - name an amount higher than the average salary, or focus on the salary you received at your previous job and inflate it by 10 -15%. Stick to the golden mean, otherwise they may think that you are either a bad specialist or too ambitious.
8. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Persistent and purposeful people set long-term goals for themselves, plan their personal and career growth. If you haven't thought about this question yet, do so before your interview. Focus on your desire to work in the same company, but during this time climb the career ladder.
Do not hide your previous place of work, be prepared to give phone numbers former colleagues and managers. If, when answering this question, you hesitate or completely avoid answering, then the employer may believe that you want to avoid negative feedback.
10. Are you ready for professional workload?
The employer can hint at overtime in this way. In this case, ask how often they are possible: how many times a month or for how many hours. If you are ready for such conditions, then confirm your readiness for stress.
11. Do you have any additional questions?
It's time to find out the details of your future work: starting from the schedule and social networks. package, to the requirements for company employees. A person who does not ask questions after an interview shows disinterest. So there must be questions, and it is best to think through them in advance.
Examples of excellent, good and bad answers to interview questions:
Video - awkward interview questions
