How to answer those tough Interview Questions

It would almost be impossible to prepare for every question that may arise at an interview, but with a little planning you could cover the ones that can prove to be particularly tricky:

  1. "Tell us about yourself" – a classic opening question, plan it in advance and keep it work related
  2. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?" – a good opportunity to talk about how you would like to develop, what you want to learn and achieve in the future
  3. "Why do you want this job?" – relate your skills to the key points in the job advert and role specification
  4. "What kind of person are you?" – talk about what motivates you, how you view ‘work’, what you enjoy doing and what you are good at
  5. "Why did you leave…….?" – they will want to know reasons for job changes or why you are out of work; prepare short, simple, positive comments to cover these points and avoid anecdotal or negative comments about past employers
  6. "How will you cope in a crisis?" – identify at least two good examples of past experiences, outline the circumstances, what you did and what you learnt
  7. "How will you..." – describe what you would do as if you are there employed by the organisation.. and if you create the right image, they won't be able to imagine a future without you…!
  8. "Describe a situation you have been in where.. “ – interviewers will often ask competency based questions, so be prepared to think on your feet.  Outline the circumstances, what happened, what you did and what you learnt
  9. "How much do you want to earn?” - a difficult one and you should stress that money shouldn’t be the only factor, the role, opportunity and company are also important.  We all do however need to earn a salary and prior to the interview you should take the time to consider an ‘ideal figure’.  If the interview has been arranged by a recruitment company, remuneration packages will have already been discussed.
  10. "What are your weaknesses? – talk about ‘flaws’ that are also strengths e.g. being demanding of your team, being a perfectionist, pushing hard to get things done…

A common response to a tough question is to over answer it, ensure your responses are honest, work related, comprehensive and succinct.  Avoid too many anecdotes and know when to stop talking..