Best and Worst Answers to the Ten Most Commonly Asked Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.Best AnswerThis is often the first question in an interview. Assume they want a summary of your work related qualifications; prepare a one-minute summary-”a personal commercial” that includes:
- An overview of the work done during the past 10 years only (not your entire career)
- Your academic degrees, but only those related to the position
- A few of your specific skills that relate to the job requirements
- Sample one minute summaryI have fifteen years of progressively responsible management experience in the graphics art field, including both Internet and print media. Most recently, I was manager of a franchised operation in a major metropolitan market and grew the business from start-up to $40 million in sales. I have an MBA degree and continuing education in various desktop publishing software programs. My strengths include innovative marketing, building rapport with many kinds of customers, and building effective teams in a dead-line-driven environment.
Worst Answer
- “What would you like to know?”
- Talking about where you were born and raised, your marital status, how many children you have, personal non-job related information
2. What are your salary requirements?Best Answer
- Defer: “I don’t know enough about the position yet to respond; can you tell me about the expectations for the first six months?”
- Turn it around: “I’m sure you pay a competitive salary, and I’m flexible. What is the range you have budgeted for the position?”
- Give a broad range: If you have to give a number, state the range of the total compensation package including the value of the benefits, bonuses, etc. over the past five to ten years. (We’ll talk more about the details of negotiating compensation later.)
Worst Answer
- “I wouldn’t consider under $100,000. What do you pay?”
3. What are your greatest strengths?Best AnswerThis question is used in the behavioral style of interviewing, which is the most common today. The answer should include:
- Concrete tangible job skills (e.g., increasing sales, managing a turnaround or merger, written communications, team building, software programming)
- This is where you use your success stories with specific examples of how you used those skills to achieve a specific result (Each should be developed with the BAR in mind.)
Worst Answer
- “I’m a really great person and a team player, and I’m sure I’d fit right into your organization.” (The problem: these are subjective or intangible traits, not concrete job skills.)
4. What are your weaknesses?Best Answer
- Response should cite a trait that may have been a challenge in the past, but which you have worked on to overcome- e.g., “Early in my career I struggled with impatience due to my high personal standards. With time I have learned to vary my expectations with the situation.
Worst Answer
- “I really don’t have any.”
- “Well, I know you want someone who knows the computer, and I really don’t have any experience with that.” (This is a job search limitation, not a weakness, and you certainly don’t want to volunteer it.)
- “I tend to be a perfectionist.” (overused)
5. What are your career goals?Best Answer
- “I’d like to become increasing valuable to your firm by exceeding the performance standards and learning new skills.”
Worst Answer
- “I’d like to have your job.” (intimidating)
- “I don’t really have any.” (Has the candidate thought past the next paycheck?)
6. What did you like most about your last position?Best Answer
- Tie your answer to the company’s needs and/or show your initiative or your outstanding performance-e.g. if interviewing with a growth firm, you could say, “What I liked most was the opportunity to grow sales in our region by 50 percent in five years.”
Worst Answer
- Think about the interviewing company’s needs. If you say you liked the independence of your last job and the interviewing company wants people who fit into the established “company think” and stay within the boundaries of the job that could disqualify you.
7. What did you like least about you last position?Best Answer
- “Though I liked most aspects of the job and company, the one limitation was the lack of growth opportunities.” (Shows initiative)
Worst Answer
- “Well actually I’m suing my former employer for unethical practices.”
- “I disliked the bureaucracy.” (when interviewing with a large firm or agency)
8. How soon do you think you will be ready to contribute to our firm?Best answer
- “I believe I can contribute almost immediately. In past positions I’ve had to learn a lot of (e.g., terminology) in a short time, and did quite well. For example…” (Tell a story)
Worst Answer
- “Since I don’t have experience in your industry, it will probably take two or three months until I’m really valuable.” (And they are supposed to pay you for this?)
9. Why did you leave your last position?Best Answer
- “The company reorganized and my position along with a number of others was eliminated.”
- “I had achieved as much as I could within that company and felt the need to seek another job to continue to grow.”
Worst Answer
- “I was forced out because I didn’t get along with my co-workers.”
- “My boss was out to get me.”
10. Why do you want to work here? Or, why should we hire you?Best Answer
- Strut your stuff! Summarize the answers you’ve given to their questions as they relate to the job requirements in a concise one-to two-minute response. And later reiterate this when you write your thank-you letter within twenty-four hours of the interview.
Worst Answer
- “Well it seems like a pretty good place to work.”
- “I understand that you pay above market wages, and money is the most important thing to me.”
Adapted with permission from Career Coaching: An Insider’s Guide, Marcia Bench, Copyright, 2008.