Here’s what you had to say.
Recently we asked our Job Journey readers about their preferred method of interacting with a company during their job search.
The top choice was “scheduled in-person interview” with 23% of the votes. “Email” came in second, with 19% of the votes, followed by “telephone” with 17% of the votes and “in-person/walk-in” with 13% of the votes.
Do you have an answer ready?
This question is like the shark in Jaws. You never know when it’s going to attack. It could be at the beginning of the interview, or maybe in the middle. It’s even possible it catches you off guard at the end when you think you’re safe.
What’s so scary? It’s only five words. “Why should I hire you?” You might also get “Why do you want to work at this company,” or something else along similar lines.
The scary thing is that answering these questions requires plenty of preparation beforehand. This is probably not an answer you can come up with right away (especially if you first consider saying “because I need money, duh.”)
Here are a few essential things to include in your answer.
How honest is too honest?
This interview is going quite well. You’re pretty sure you’ve aced every question, and you can really see yourself working at this company. But then your interviewer turns to you, smiles, and asks the dreaded question: “One last question before you go: Why are you leaving your position at XYZ company?”
Your heart starts beating a mile a minute. Why are they asking this? Should you tell them your manager is terrible? Should you mention the toxic work culture? Maybe that’s not even the problem, and all you want is a change of pace—is that answer too boring?
If this situation sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In a recent Job Journey survey, 13% of respondents wanted help with this question. And it’s easy to see why—there are too many ways to answer it.
That makes it all the more important to come prepared with your answer well before you arrive for your interview. There is no one-answer-fits-all solution, but we’ve provided a few of our favorites below. Feel free to mix and match to find something that works for you.
Here’s a hint: Think outside the box.
This is a question that comes up A LOT. Interviewers use it not just to see where you fit into their company, but also to see how you react to the question. It’s not just your answer they’re considering; it’s how you answer.
So, you have to be confident and know what you’re saying. That means preparing beforehand.
There’s quite a bit of advice out there you’ve probably heard before: Start with your weaknesses. Finish up with your strengths so the interviewer remembers them instead of the weaknesses. (more…)
Here’s what you had to say.
Recently we asked our Movin’ On Up readers the interview questions they need help with.
The top choice was “What are your top five strengths and weaknesses,” with more than 32% of the vote. “Why are you leaving (or want to leave) your current job/company” came in second with just under 13% of the vote, followed by “Why should I Hire You,” “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years,” and “Other” with 9% each. The rest of the responses were as follows:
Interviews can be tough.
When you sit down with someone you’ve never met before, answering personal questions about your work history and experience can be awkward.
The key to acing an interview? Being prepared for those rough questions.
We want to write articles perfectly matched to your interview question concerns. So take our poll and let us know what questions you want help with! We’ll use your responses when creating content for 2019. (more…)
So, tell me a bit about your experience.
“Tell me about yourself.” “Could you speak about your previous work experience and how it’s shaped you as an employee?” “Oh, this job on your resume sounds interesting. Could you tell me more about it?”
These phrases are all essentially alternate ways of asking you about your experience, which eventually comes up in every interview.
However, interviewers aren’t looking for your life story. They want to know specifics on how your individual experience makes you the ideal candidate for the job. (more…)
