A Look at Common Interview Questions an Applicant Should Prepare For

by Darlene Zambruski | December 15, 2009

Being invited to interview is certainly a reason to celebrate. However, for a serious candidate who wants the job, it’s only the beginning of the road to an offer.

All interviews involve questions asked by a hiring manager so s/he can determine if you’ll be a good fit with the organization. Skills, knowledge, abilities aren’t enough, especially in this highly competitive job market. You need to prove that you have the right attitude and personality to deal with the ups & downs of any job and the other employees that come with it.

What are some of the questions you might be asked?  Here’s a brief list:

1. How would you describe yourself?
2. To be successful in this career, what do you think it takes?
3. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. What are your long-range goals and objectives?
6. What  major problem have you handled recently? Did you resolve it? How?
7. What characteristics do you think make a manager successful?
8. Why did you apply to our company?
9. What do you look for in a successful candidate?
10. How do you approach critical assignments?
11. If you had to think on your feet to solve a difficult situation, what would you do?
12.  Why were you fired?
13. What are the steps you take before making an important decision?
14. Name the most difficult assignment you had and how did you finish it?
15.  What kind of supervisor do you prefer?

As you can see, the questions are open-ended, not allowing for a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. The more you talk, the more the hiring authority learns about you. That’s why you need to be prepared before you utter one word. Each answer must be crafted carefully to maximize your chances in getting hired.

At JobInterviewEdge (JIE) our highly trained and certified staff of expert coaches provides you with insight into why a hiring manager asks certain questions and what answers are most effective.

To be successful is to be prepared. That’s JIE’s major purpose.

We invite your comments on how we can improve or add to our service.