How to Answer the Top 10 Interview Questions

How to Answer the Top 10 Interview Questions You can never be 100% prepared for a job interview, as theres no way know knowing exactly what your interviewer may ask you; however its highly likely that you will be asked some of the usual suspects. By giving some of the most common interview questions some thought and planning out answers, you can enter the interview feeling confident that you are can do your best and articulate some well thought out responses. Vet Tech have identified the 10 most frequently asked interview questions, which can often prove a bit of a challenge; so here are a few examples of the best way to answer them. 1) Why should I hire you? Use specific  examples to demonstrate what you can do for  them and real life examples of what you have done in previous roles that could  benefit you and your potential employer. 2) What salary do you think you deserve? Do your research before the interview to find out the average salary for someone in that sort of role. For the best chance of getting the salary that you want, aim higher than average and then negotiate. 3) Give an example of a time when you showed initiative? Think back to your time in your previous jobs and identify examples of when you took action and achieved a positive outcome from it. 4) Where do you expect to be in five years time? Try to answer this in relation to the company you are interviewing with. They dont want to hire someone who looks like theyre going to jump ship as soon as something else comes along. Be specific, rather than making generalities. 5) What other companies are you interviewing with? This is a tough one and can feel like a bit of a trick question. They probably already know that you will have been applying for other roles, so be honest and tell them that you are exploring other positions in the industry to find one that fits your skills. 6) What motivates you? Let them know how you keep yourself productive at work. This is your opportunity to stand out, as you can discuss any extra curricular activities, work experience or hobbies that you have undertaken to get where you are in your career. These will prove that you are passionate about the industry and are driven to achieve your goals. 7) How do you manage your time and prioritise tasks? Employers want staff who are organised and can manage their workload effectively, so prove that you are capable of this and explain how you have successfully achieved this in the past, for example to do lists, etc. 8) What is your biggest weakness? This is a difficult one, you dont want to highlight anything which may make your interviewer doubt your ability, however claiming you do not have any flaws can come across as arrogant. Try to choose something that was once a weakness and you have overcome or an area where there is room for improvement and you are working on. 9)  Have you ever had a bad experience with an employer? Its important not to bad mouth an ex-employer or colleagues as you never know who your interviewer might know and it doesnt reflect very positively on you. Instead, you should share how you resolve conflicts and approach issues at work. 10) Why do you think you will be successful in this job? Ahead of your interview, make a list of your skills and then match them up with those asked for in the job description. You should then elaborate on the skills that will benefit you and your employer in the role and how you will use them to excel in the job. Image Credit: Shutterstock How to Answer the Top 10 Interview Questions By: Jennifer Kumar This was the 3rd most popular blog post of 2013.  See the rest of the top 15 here. We all know that good  preparation is the key to success at interview. One aspect of this is thinking through the type of questions you are likely to be asked and having a killer answer up your sleeve. To get you started, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most common questions asked at interview and some pointers on the kind of approach you could take to answer them. 1)  Tell me about yourself Here, your ability to think on your feet is being tested with a deliberately vague and open ended question. Simply outline several of your strong points and accomplishments and don’t be disconcerted if the interviewer remains silent when you  pause.  If you get really stuck think how your best  friend would describe you! If you are relatively new to the job market, tell them about your  educational achievements. Excellent grades, academic prizes or winning a scholarship are all good qualifications. Extra-curricular  activities can also be selling points for some jobs. When you’ve run through your strong points, briefly sum them up then stop talking. If  the interviewer continues to pause,  stay silent and patiently wait for the next remark. He or she may be mulling over what you’ve said,  or be testing your reaction to stress. 2) What qualifies you for this job? Employers are looking for a fluent description of your background. To impress the interviewer with your quickness and intelligence memorise the key facts and dates on your CV, then prepare some success stories for each and drop them in casually as though they were spontaneous  thoughts. Always make your opening line your most major achievement it is often what makes the  biggest impression. 3) Why do you want to work for this organisation? Being unfamiliar with the organisation will spoil your chances with 75% of interviewers, according to one survey, so take this chance to show you have done your preparation and know the company inside and out.  You will now have the chance to demonstrate that you’ve done your research, so reply mentioning all the positive things you have found out about the organisation and its sector etc. This means you’ll have an enjoyable work environment and  stability of employment etc everything that brings out the best in you. 4) Why do you wish to leave your present job? By: Mathieu Bouchard Never say anything negative about your  present employer and don’t mention money as a motivator either. The interviewer will reason that  if you’re prepared to leave one organisation for money, you might leave his/her company if another  waved a bigger pay cheque in front of you. The safest track to take is to indicate a desire for greater  responsibility and challenge, or the opportunity to use talents you feel are under-used. Make sure  your abilities are relevant. 5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? Replying ‘in your chair’ is dangerous! A few managers might be intrigued or  amused but many will be annoyed by your arrogance or intimidated by the fact that you may  be right. Mentioning any specific goal can be risky as it may not fit into the career path in that particular organisation, or may cause concern that you’ll be discontent  until your goal is achieved. Instead, frame your reply along these lines: I would hope that by then  my hard work and enthusiasm would have led to increased recognition and responsibility within the  organisation. 6. What sort of salary are you looking for? When you’re talking about money, never describe your salary demands as what you actually need but rather as what the job is worth. Always give a range (e.g. £40,000 to £45,000). If you’re unsure of what the job should pay give your current salary and state but money isn’t my motivation for changing jobs. Since organisations use your current salary as a guide line as a basis of what to offer remember to include bonus, annual raises if you are about to receive one etc. 7. What are your weaknesses? The best weaknesses are disguised as strengths, such as I dislike not being challenged at work. Another good approach is to mention a weakness that is irrelevent for the job or one that can be overcome with training.  Try to keep these to one weakness, explaining why you think it is a weakness and what you are doing to overcome the problem a well thought out  strategy you have developed to deal with the issue will turn this potentially  tricky question into a positive. One common variation on this question is to  ask about any problems or failures you’ve encountered in previous positions. In describing problems, pick ones you’ve solved and  describe how you overcame it. Show yourself to be a good team player by crediting co-workers for  all their contributions. To distance yourself from failure, pick one that occurred earlier in your career  when you were still learning. Don’t blame others simply explain how you analysed your mistake  and learned from it. 8. What’s the worst problem you’ve ever faced? Here the interviewer is offering you the two ways to trip yourself up: First of all, the question doesn’t confine itself to the workplace, so there is temptation to reveal a personal problem. Don’t! Restrict yourself to employment matters only. Second, you are being asked to reveal a weakness or error again. You must have a good response ready for this question, one which shows how well you reacted when everything depended on it. Always show a problem you have solved and concentrate your answer on the solution not the problem. 9. What are your strengths? Your answer should highlight the qualities that will help you succeed in this particular job. (Back up each point with something specific). Give examples and quantify how your strengths benefited your previous employers. You should also demonstrate reliability, and the ability to stick with a difficult task yet change courses rapidly when required. 10. How would you describe a typical day in  your current job? You are eager to look good but don’t make  the common mistake of exaggerating your current position. Mentioning some of the routine tasks in your day adds realism to your description and show that you don’t neglect important details such as paperwork. Put yourself in the interviewer’s place as your answer. When you’ve been doing a job for years it becomes second  nature to you, and you must be aware of all the tasks you undertake. You should spend a few days  making notes of your activities at work to regain an outsider’s perspective. Try to show that you  make good use of your time, that you plan before you begin your work and that you review your  achievements at the end of it.