Typical interview question

Here is a list of the repeated questions that relate to almost any type of job. Interviewer can also ask questions that are related to the specific position.

1. Tell something about yourself. It is the most often asked question during an interview. Candidates need to have a short statement prepared in their mind. But it should not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Tell about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover 5 topics including personal introduction, early years, education, work history, and recent career experience.
2. What is your strength? For this question numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples may be a) Your ability to prioritize, b) Your problem-solving skills, c) Your ability to work under pressure, d) Your ability to focus on projects, e) your professional expertise, f) your leadership skills, g) your positive attitude towards works etc., in addition to your strong academic background.
3. What is your weakness? The interviewer who asks this question is looking to see how honest you are with yourself, and how well you deal with your own shortcomings. Don’t pretend you don’t have weaknesses, and don’t avoid answering the question. This is your chance to show that you are honest and take responsibility for your actions.A good way to answer this question is to mention your weakness, then tell what you have done to overcome that weakness. The most comprehensive way of dealing with this question is to try and turn it into a “positive” from a “negative”.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?You should always answer yes and briefly clarify the reason. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do you know about this organization? This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. However don’t act as if you knew everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don’t try to overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more. Give your answer a positive tone.
6. Are you applying for other jobs? Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for this organization.
7. Why do you want to work for this organization? This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is really important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term professional objectives.
8. If your resume suggests that you are over-qualified for the specific position, what will be your opinion? Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term relationship with the company. You can say that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so well qualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment.
9. How do you handle stress and pressure? A typical interview question, asked to get a sense of how you handle on-the-job stress, is “How do you handle pressure?” Examples of good responses include:
• The appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive.
• I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn’t become stressful.
• I actually work better under pressure and I’ve found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment.
• Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.
• If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.
10. Why did you leave your last job? Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.
11. What experience do you have in this field? Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
12. What is your expected salary? It is a tough question. Rather you can ask the interviewer about the range for this position. In most cases he will tell you. If not, say the salary range will depend on the details of the job. You can also say that you feel you need to know more about the position’s responsibilities before you could give a meaningful answer to that question. When you reach the final stage of the interview process, you know that the company is genuinely interested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.
13. Are you a team player? Of course, you are a team player. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
14. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization. You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
15. Tell me about your dream job. Stay away from a specific job. The best is to stay generic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work.
16. Money or work – what is more important to you? Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better answer.
17. What has disappointed you about a job? Safe areas are few but can include: not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
18. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure. You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
19. What motivates you to do your best on the job? This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are: Challenge, Achievement, Recognition etc.
20. Would you be willing to relocate if required? Be honest at this point and save yourself future grief. Do not say “yes” just to get the job if the real answer is “no”. You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview.
21. What have you learned from mistakes on the job? Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned.
22. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most?The least?Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don’t cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now.
23. What do you think of your boss? Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.
24. Do you have any questions for me? Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? Are examples.
25. Where do you expect your career to be in 10 years? You need to answer this question carefully.  Don’t give the impression that you’re using this company as a stepping-stone to another career.  Think of a related managerial position within the company that would interest you.