After you’ve been working so hard
applying for a job or an internship, let’s say you get a call back from an
employer. Awesome! Now what?
They’re most likely gonna’ wanna’ talk to you in person. For many people, this is the most frightening
part of getting a job. First, meeting
with someone you don’t know is scary, and second, having unexpected questions fired at you isn't fun. But don’t let this make your palms
get all sweaty. I’ve got the scoop on
the top questions employers are likely to ask you on a job interview so you can
be more prepared.
I doubt your interview will be anything like this, so relax a little.
And the number one question most
asked is….drum roll please…. “Tell me about yourself.” Technically it’s not really a question, but
employers will definitely want to get to know you a little better. This is a huge opportunity to tell the
employer things you may not have put down on your cover letter or resume. I would tell the employer what I like to do
in my spare time. For example, I love to
paint, read magazines, and travel. Tell
them your work habits or talk about something you are really dedicated to and
passionate about.
Another question an employer may
ask you is “What do you offer this company?”
AKA “Why should I hire YOU?” This
is a question that can make or break your interview. “Ummm….ughh….” is not really the response
they are looking for. Tell the employer
why you are the best candidate for the job.
Before you go on the interview, be sure you are familiar with the
position in which you are applying. What
kind of skills does a person in that position need? What assets do you have that other applicants
may not have? Most importantly, answer
the question directly. If you “beat
around the bush,” as people say, the employer may get lost in the response and
lose the main point of your answer. Not
that they aren’t listening, but you must have been in that position at some
point. Someone gives you a long answer
and eventually you start to hear the “blah blah blah,” like the teacher from
the Peanuts show.
“What do you want to know about
our company?” is another popular question employers ask in an interview. This is an important question because
depending on how you answer, it will determine if you researched the
company. If you ask something like “Where
is your main headquarters?” it shows you didn’t look into the company all that
well. Some things you should already
know about the company, even before you apply for the job are; company goals,
mission statement, locations, their competitors, research employees, company
revenues, and the list can go on forever!
Get your hands on as much information as possible. For more interview
questions follow the links here.
As I mentioned before, “where is your main headquarters?” is not a good question to ask during an interview. You may be thinking “But I thought there was no such thing as a stupid question!” Wrong. To be brutally honest, teachers, family, or whoever says this are trying to be nice. When you ask questions that are easy to find, you appear lazy to the employer.
Any questions that start with “why”
should be avoided. Sometimes this word
comes off too strong and is often offensive.
Try rewording the question into more open-ended ones by using words like
“how,” “did,” and “when,” before you open your mouth.
“How many warnings do you get
before you’re fired?” is one question I think is kind of funny, yet pathetic
why some people actually ask this question.
Guaranteed, if you ask this question during an interview, you will not
get a call back. This practically
screams to the employer you are irresponsible, lazy, and will make mistakes.
Before the interview, it's best to know who the employer is and how to pronounce his/her name.
Dress appropriate for the job, and of course, hold in your farts. Totally NOT cool, unless you are Will Ferrell or John Reilly.
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