Although I may not have fully come to terms with the fact that I am graduating in a few months, I certainly intend to prepare for life after college. So far this is all I have come up with: Searching for work is a huge pain in the ass. As you might guess, my top priority for the last months of college pertains to happy hour specials. Nonetheless, getting a couple solid job interviews under your belt will certainly make your senior year that much better. Here are 5 of the most common interview questions and some approaches on how to answer them:
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
This is a simple start off question to break the ice. Employers ask this question to get you talking and learn about your personality. Answer the question honestly by incorporating both professional and personal qualities about yourself. You will come off as more prepared if you can reference characteristics of the position you are applying for. By this I mean explain some experiences from previous jobs or activities on your resume that would help you succeed in the position you are seeking. Come right out and tell the interviewer what accomplishments you are most proud of. If you feel yourself running out of steam, explain the type of work environments you thrive in. For example, you could tell the interviewer that you are a self-starter, but perform well in team projects. This is one of those questions that require a meaty response. If you can only explain who you are in a few sentences, then it may show a lack of enthusiasm.
WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?
Interviewers will ask this question to learn about your motivations and see how much you understand about what is going to be expected from you. Don’t try and be the smart ass that says, “I am interested in this job for the paychecks.” Explain in detail why this job would be a fun and interesting challenge for you. Let them know how you tackle a responsibility. Feel free to branch off with this question. Describe the kind of work environment you prefer, high or low stress level? If you think the job will require multi-task skills, let them know that you have that covered. Don’t be afraid to say the type of hours you like to work. It will be beneficial for you to expand on this topic because your response will more than likely answer some future questions the HR rep had lined up.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS?
This is a building block from the previous question. Employers want to know how the position will help you develop your career plans. On their end, will your plans help the needs of the company? Give an idea of what you want to be doing 5 or 10 years from now. A company might be reluctant to hire you if it sounds like you are a person that switches jobs often or is only motivated by money. Your answer will let all parties know if this company is the right match for your plans. Explain how the position you are interviewing for will help build the foundation to your career goals.
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
This is the chance for you to get away from your resume and give a personalized, thoughtful answer. For me this is a tough question because I am one of those people who aren’t always good at talking about personal characteristics. If you are very comfortable with coming right out and saying you are a hardworking, dedicated person with a high level of integrity then you will score some major points on this question. If you are more like me, the best way to prepare a response is to go to your close family, friends and co-workers for advice. Who else has been around you for years and knows what kind of person you are? They will give you that extra confident boost to let the interviewer know that you’re the man.
WHAT ARE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR ME?
This is that wrap up question that I never really considered to be of great importance. Those of my friends who have interviewed all have told me that this question is huge. Before the interview, put together a few questions pertaining to the company? After all, you don’t want to get a job for the sole sake of having a job. You need to get an idea if this place will be right for you. Ask about the working environment if you didn’t hit that earlier. Don’t hesitate to ask about the compensation or benefits package. Show that you are interested in the culture and mission of the company. Ask what the interviewer enjoys about the company.
Being prepared for these 5 questions in detail. Having good responses for these will certainly help your chances. If all else fails, consider it this way: the more time you take in answering these, the less time there will be for other questions.
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