You’ve written your resume and followed all the best practices: it’s fewer than two pages, chronologically highlights your experience and accomplishments and substantiates them with real, concrete examples.
You’ve sent off your cover letter: it’s tailored for the job you want, illustrates your professional narrative and crafts a story explaining why this potential employer should consider you for their position.
Then, bam! You’ve landed the interview. Congrats!
Now what?
One of the best ways you can prepare for an interview is to anticipate the questions you may be asked. Here are some typical questions to expect, and how to answer them:
What is the greatest accomplishment in your life to date?
Let’s be honest: your greatest accomplishment probably isn’t a professional one—it’s probably marrying the love of your life or raising a child or something personal. So feel free to say that, but follow up with your greatest work accomplishment. You are applying for a job, after all.
What is your greatest disappointment?
This one can be tricky. Don’t just say your disappointment. Instead, make sure you add what you learned from that disappointment and, ideally, how you’ve used that knowledge since.
What are your strengths?
Organized, creative, strategic—whatever your strengths may be, be prepared to give detailed examples of how you’ve put those strengths into action in a way that has benefited your employers.
What do you need to do better?
Translation: What is your weakness?
Go ahead: state your weakness. We all have them—but, again, be sure you say how you’re addressing it. The key here is to show you’re proactive.
Why are you interested in this company?
Do your homework and have specific examples of what you’re interested in. Do a Google search for recent articles about the company. Check out their Facebook page, like them and see what people are saying. Browse their website, learn about their product line, read their mission and check out recent media releases. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be.
Why are you unhappy with your current company?
This is a bit of a trick question. It’s generally better to say your decision is not based on leaving your current employer, but instead is about pursuing a better opportunity with this company. Do not badmouth your current company—even if you hate the place. Business is a very, very small world.
Where do you see yourself in three to five years?
If you know the company well enough to have a specific job in mind, that is optimal. If not, it’s perfectly alright to say you want to continue to develop a functional expertise and assume positions of increasing responsibility.
Can you give some examples of successfully working with others?
This is a great time to articulate that you have been part of successful teams and, if applicable, the leader of successful teams. If you have minimal work experience, feel free to use examples from college, summer jobs or your extracurricular activities.
Why should I hire you for this position?
Give a concise summary of your key skills and how you will make a difference in this job. Your track record should prove it.
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