Many years ago job seekers were asking their fellow job hunters what kind of questions hiring authority usually ask candidates. Knowing what kind of questions you are going to be asked during a job interview is a great thing, especially if you really want sound well-prepared during the interview itself. Today that is possible due to the opportunities the world wide web offers. There are many many resources online that could help you prepare for the upcoming interviews. At Prime-resume we have been writing articles about it for quite a long time and our last two blog posts were devoted to answering tough interview questions. It is obvious that we can't know for sure what questions you will hear during a job interview but we can give you the list of the most popular ones. Not only we will provide you the questions you have to be prepared for but also offer some guidance on how to answer them.
What to Answer?
Where do you want to be (see yourself) in 3,5 and 10 years? This is the question the answer to which you should think through in advance. Otherwise, you will look lost trying to come up with a decent career plan within 2 minutes. All you need to know when preparing the answer is that hiring authorities want candidates to be honest and specific. It is important that you have realistic plans (expectations) for your career and you are ambitious enough for the company. You will significantly help yourself if the position you are applying for is one of the steps in your career plan. This way hiring authorities would know that you will take the job and will do everything you can to succeed.
Can you explain some of the employment gaps, please? If you haven't explained that on a cover letter then you will definitely be asked about it. Like we have said before it is way better to be honest when you answer this question. Don't make up phony excuses, it will make the matter worse. Besides, the hiring managers are also people and they understand that it is not so easy to find decent employment today. Don't give a long explanation with all of the details of your circumstances. Hiring managers prefer concise and relevant answers. Also, make sure you don't blame your former boss or last employer - this is considered a red flag for HRs.
What would you do in your first 30/60/90 days at work? This one you will not be able to answer well without preparation. In order to answer this question, you have to know the position requirements very well. The best answer would be to offer an initiative within your area of expertise that would make an immediate meaningful contribution to the company. Remember that when a hiring manager hires you he along with the rest of the managers expect you to have an impact. And if you know how you can add such an impact right away after your employment it is a big plus.
How many golf balls can you fit into a car? This kind of questions often irritates job seekers because they don't know what hiring authorities are after when asking them. The questions vary but the principle is the same as well as the target. Employers want to know 1) whether you understand what you are being asked of and 2) whether you have a logical way to respond. So it is absolutely normal to ask for a piece of paper and a pencil if you don't have one and start making a rough estimate.
Check our final blog post on tough interview questions and answers.
