HOW TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MOST
COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The Daily Muse Editor
HOW TO ANSWER THE DREADED TELL ME ABOUT
YOURSELF
Give a pitch that makes the hiring board
wanting more! Concise, compelling and
that shows why you’re the right fit for the
job. Start with 2-3 specific
accomplishments or experiences that you
most want the interviewer to know about,
then wrap up talking about why your
previous experience has positioned you
for this specific role.
Formula Present-Past-Future formula
Start with present- where you are now.
Then, segue into the past- a little bit
about the experiences you’ve had the
skills you gained at the previous position.
Finally, finish with the future-why you are
excited for this particular opportunity.
EXAMPLE:
IF SOMEONE ASKED, “TELL ME
ABOUT YOURSELF,” YOU COULD SAY:
Key:
Remember throughout your answer to
focus on the experiences and skills that
are going to be relevant for the hiring
manager when they are thinking about
this particular position and company.
Relax a little bit, tell stories and
anecdotes- the hiring manager already
has your resume, so they want to know
more about you.
CONNECTING WITH YOUR INTERVIEWER
Make a connection with the interviewer you
are given. Once you do that you no longer
have to work on “spitting” out rehearsed
answers and focus on the genuine
conversation!
1. Observe, Then Imitate take note of his or
her initial demeanor from the beginning and
begin mirroring it.
2. Don’t save Your Questions for the End,
make a more genuine connection with your
interviewer, it’s helpful to interject relevant
questions throughout the conversation, instead
of waiting until the end.
3. Pay Attention to the Interviewer’s Answers
When you start listening to your interviewer’s
responses, you can determine what kind of
answers he or she is looking for.
THE CONNECTION CONTINUES
Lastly when building that connection, make certain that you are
Paying Attention to the Interviewer’s Answers
Once you start asking questions, you’ll have another powerful tool in your hands-because when
you start listening to your interviewer’s responses, you can determine what kind of answers he
or she is looking for. Pay close attention: In response to your questions, does your interviewer
go into a lot of elaboration? Does he or she tell personal stories or use data sources (charts,
spreadsheets) as examples?
Then, model your responses the same way: If your interviewer consistently mentions
percentages and numbers, make sure to weave those into your answers as well, clearly
indicating that you decreased your department’s case backlog by 65%, or that you exceeded
your fundraising goal by $1,500 last quarter. Observe and adapt, you and your interviewer
will feel more comfortable, and you’ll have an easier time opening up.
“WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?”
Step 1: Express Enthusiasm for the Company. Show what you
know about the company. So, to prepare, spend some time
honing in on what you know about the company and select a
few key factors to incorporate into your pitch for why you’re
a good fit.
Say you are interviewing for a small quantitative asset
management company. The start of your answer might
sound like this:
“ The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the position
posted was definitely that it was at EFG Advisers. I know
that you build a lot of your tools in-house, the team is small,
and you run a variety of long-and short-term strategies in
the U.S. equities markets using a quantitative approach.
Especially with smaller companies, it’s always impressive
when a candidate knows a thing or two about what goes on
at the company. And the best thing about this is you rarely
have to go beyond reviewing the company website or
having a quick conversation with a current or past employee
to learn enough to sound like you’ve been following the
company for a while.
Step 2: Align Your Skills and Experiences With the Role
Next, you want to sell why, exactly, you’re right for the role.
There are two ways you can do this: You can either focus
more on your experiences (what you’ve done before that
brings you to this point) or your skills (especially helpful if
you’re pivoting positions or industries).
Keep it short-you’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk
about how you got your skills or relevant stories throughout
the interview-and just focus on highlighting a couple key
relevant abilities or experiences for the position.
WHY DO I WANT THIS JOB?
Step 3: Connect to Your Career Trajectory…. What?????
You want to show that the position makes sense for where you’re going in your career. Ideally, you
won’t give the impression that you’re just using the position as a stepping stone. Show that you’ll be
around for the long haul, and your interviewer will feel more comfortable investing in you:
“ I’ve been interested in switching to finance for a while now and have been actively managing my
own personal portfolio for a few years. Joining a quant shop makes sense to me because I think it’s
one of the few places where I’ll still be able to use my technical skills and spend my day thinking
about finance. I’m really excited to learn more and see how I’ll be able to contribute to the firm.”
You don’t have to state specifically that you see yourself in the position for a long time. Just show
that you’ve given some thought to how the job makes sense for you now and that it continues to
make sense for the foreseeable future. String these three components together, and you have a
response that will impress on three fonts: your knowledge and enthusiasm fort eh company, your
relevant skills, and your general fit with the position. Plus, this framework has the added benefit of
not stopping the flow of the conversation the way going through your entire life story would.
(Lily Zhang Career Development Specialist at MIT)
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A NEW JOB?
Prepare to respond by comparing your interests and goals to the requirements listed
in the job posting. That way, you can offer a personal response specifically tailored
to the job for which you're applying.
The employer wants to know if your goals match the needs of the company.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM
JOB?
When answering this question keep in mind that it
isn’t so much about the specific job you would like to
have but the duties you would like to perform within
a job.
“After a reasonable time working as a customer
service agent, I would like very much to become a
customer service manager.”
WHY DID YOU LEAVE OR WHY ARE YOU LEAVING
YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?
WHAT TYPE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT DO YOU PREFER?
Make certain that you are familiar with the company culture, so that you can answer this question
WHAT IS YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE?
Define “Good Management”
Add Your Spin
Give an Example
WHAT WOULD YOUR COWORKERS OR BOSS SAY
ABOUT YOU?
When future coworkers ask this they are
looking for:
When future managers ask this they are
looking for:
Are you Dependable?
Are you Dependable?
Are you Trustworthy?
Are you Efficient?
Are you Hard-working?
Are you Hard working?
Do you have a Sense of Humor?
Are you Dedicated?
Are you Considerate?
Are you Organized?
Are you a Positive person or Negative
person?
Are you Punctual?
Are you Reliable?
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PRESSURE & STRESSFUL
SITUATIONS?
I react to situations, rather than stress
I work better under pressure and thrive in a challenging work environment
I manage my stress by ____________________ (Working out, Reading) What is
applicable to you?
Prioritizing my responsibilities, so I have a better idea of what needs to be done the next
question maybe how do you do this? (lists, calendar) etc.
If people are contributing to my stress, I speak with them about options for better ways to
deal with the stress.
Bottom line make this a positive not a negative!
YOU WANT HOW MUCH?
Do your research to get your number—learn as
much as possible about the position and
comparable salaries from local and industry sources
and job sites such as glassdoor.com
Let the employer know that you are flexible or
willing to negotiate.
Don’t be afraid to be aggressive
Focus on your target price
Be flexible
Money, Money, Money……….Money
WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL WOULD YOU BE?
STAY AWAY FROM
stay away from animals that have
negative associations, like snakes,
hyenas, rats, or chickens. Or spiders.
STICK TO
Horse: Really strong and able to function
individually or in a team
Ants: Hard workers and ultimate team
players.
Monkeys: Quick learners
Elephant: Strong, loyal to group,
intelligent and unstoppable
Dolphin: Considered one of the smartest
animals
Dog: Good for support roles. Loyal,
Man’s best friend.
WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
Why are you the best candidate for the job?
Why are you the right fit for the position?
What would you bring to the position?
Either variation the interviewers reasoning for asking the question is to
gather information and hire the “best” person for the position.
This is your chance to wow them. Your answer should summarize the top
three or four best reasons to hire you.
Step 1: Brainstorm
Step 2: Structure Your Sales Pitch
Step 3: Practice
Example Answer: New College Grad
Example Answer 3: New College Grad
“I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant
position. I have almost two years of television production experience —
including two summers interning at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all
aspects of TV production and worked so hard the first summer that they
invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities.
During my senior year at UC San Diego, I have been working part-time for a
production company, where I have served in an assistant role but also recently
had the chance to help edit several episodes. I have a reputation for getting
things done — and with a smile on my face.
That’s because I love working in the television industry and am excited to learn
and get experience in every way possible.”
COMMON MISTAKES
Lack of preparation
Modesty
Being too general
Talking too much
CONFLICT YOU’VE FACED AT WORK, AND HOW
YOU DEALT WITH IT?
You never get a second first impression!
Pick the Right Story
Make a Statement
Finish Strong
WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST PROFESSIONAL
STRENGTHS? THE ONE QUESTION ALL SUCCESSFUL
PEOPLE CAN ANSWER IMMEDIATELY!
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Knowing your superpower means you now yourself well enough to have a focus, and
that’s the same competitive advantage that makes you so great at what you do!
If you have never considered what your superpower might be, do!
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS?
What do you know you need to work
on?
First, think about something that isn’t your
strong suit, whether it’s delegating to
others or attention to detail, but think
about it back in the past.
How have you taken steps to overcome
it, or worked hard on getting better, and
mention that you’re still working and
working at becoming even better at this
skill set.
I AM A SUPERSTAR!
Describe how indispensable you were in your previous position.
STAR method: Set up the situation and the task that you were required to complete to provide the
interviewer with background context describe what you did the action and what you achieved (the result).
You Will Be Awesome in This New Job
Interview the industry prior to the interview. Give a response that showcases your skills and how they
transfer.
You Are the Perfect Fit for This Job
You must make certain that you connect with the interviewer. Eye contact, active listening, smiling, and avoid
nervous laughter. “Relaxed formality”
You Really Want This Job
Show enthusiasm for the job. How can I add value in the role based on previous experience, what new
challenge it offers for growth and development.
WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US?
WHAT WILL A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, HOW WILL I BE TRAINED?
WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THIS PERSON IN THE NEXT 30, 60, 90 DAYS?
INTERVIEWER TAKE AN INTEREST AND ASK QUESTIONS
THE COMPANY I WANT TO KNOW MORE
THE TEAM
THE CULTURE
NEXT STEPS IN INTERVIEW PROCESS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
OF ME?
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-answer-the-31-most-common-interviewquestions