Jobs 1
Tell me about yourself.
Tell the interviewer the skills and qualities that you have that match the job description, your work experience, any significant work achievements you have gained so far, and what you will do in the role if you are successful.
Why do you want to leave your job?
Say you want to leave because you have reached your full potential in your job and you are now ready for a fresh challenge with a new and exciting company.
Strengths and Weaknesses.
Give the interviewer four or five keys strengths that match the job you are applying for and one weakness that is not a requirement of the role. Then tell the interviewer what you are doing to improve on your weakness.
Why do you want to work here?
Say you want to work for their company because they have a track record of achievement, you will get to work on ambitious tasks and projects, and you feel this is a place you will be able to continually learn and develop.
Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
Say you will be working for their company either in the same position or having gained advancement to a more senior level.
When have you gone above and beyond for a customer?
This is your opportunity to show the interviewer what great customer service is! Remember, going above and beyond means literally going out of your way to do something of significance for the customer.
How would you deal with a customer complaint?
I would listen to the customer, allow them to speak, apologize for the complaint, come up with a solution and take steps to prevent the same complaint from happening again!
Describe a time when you got frustrated or angry at work.
The most effective way to answer this interview question is to talk about how you got passionate about a situation that impacted the organization you were working for. Do not say, I never get frustrated or angry, because we all do from time to time!
How do you respond to stress and pressure?
Stress and pressure are part of everyday working life. Show you are not fazed by stress or pressure and that you cope with it by remaining calm and focused on your job, and by being organized in your work.
Describe yourself in three words.
When answering this interview question don’t be afraid to sell yourself and remember to explain why you chose the 3 words. Make sure the words are positive and something they will remember you by!
Why should we hire you?
Say they should hire you because you have a history of achievement at work. Then, give an example of a significant accomplishment previously achieved at work and explain how the skills and qualities you have make you a match for the job description.
How do you handle stress and pressue?
Say you handle stress and pressure by remaining calm and focused on the task, by planning your work in advance, and by maintaining a healthy lifestyle outside of work.
What motivates you?
Tell the interviewer that you are motivated by doing a great job whilst you are at work because then this enables you to achieve your goals outside of work.
How would you deal with conflict with a co-worker?
Say you try to deal with the conflict yourself. Afterall, you are both mature adults and you have a responsibility to put the team goals first.
What are your hobbies and interests?
Say that your hobbies and interests include seeing family and friends, working out, reading and self-development.
Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
This question is assessing your ability to willingly and cooperatively work with anyone within a team. It takes all types of personality to make a strong team, so give a specific example where you worked with someone who had a very different personality to yours.
What’s your least favorite task?
Be careful not to say something that is part of the job description. It is important that you do give something you dislike doing at work, but don’t let it be an issue for you!
Tell me about a time when you were under pressure at work.
The best way to answer this difficult behavioral interview question is to give a situation you were in when you had to work to a strict timescale. If you add a time pressure to the answer, it will be appealing to the vast majority of employers and hiring managers.
What’s your greatest achievement?
Where possible, give an answer that explains something you achieved with a previous employer. Perhaps you helped a previous employer successfully launch a new product, or even break previous company sales figures for a particular year. If this is your first job, talk about either your educational qualifications, something you did for charity, or how you won a team sporting event.
What does S.T.A.R stand for?
SITUATION – Briefly outline the situation you were in.
TASK – Explain the task that needed to be done.
ACTION – Give details about the action you took, and the action others took.
RESULT – Tell the interviewer the results following your actions. (Make sure the results are positive!)
Tell me about a time when you provided excellent customer service.
This is a behavioral interview question and my advice is to use the S.T.A.R technique to structure your response. The S.T.A.R technique stands for:
Why do you want this job?
They will ask all the other candidates this same question too, so it is imperative you give the interviewer an answer that makes you stand out. Make sure you talk about how you want to work for their company because they are a bright, forward-thinking organization that will support you in your work!
Tell me about a challenge or conflict you’ve faced at work, and how you dealt with it.
You’re probably not eager to talk about conflicts you’ve had at work during a job interview. But if you’re asked directly, don’t pretend you’ve never had one. Be honest about a difficult situation you’ve faced (but without going into the kind of detail you’d share venting to a friend). Most people who ask are only looking for evidence that you’re willing to face these kinds of issues head-on and make a sincere attempt at coming to a resolution.
What type of work environment do you prefer?
Ideally one that's similar to the environment of the company you're applying to. Be specific.
What’s your work style?
How will you approach your work? What will it be like to work with you? Will you mesh well with the existing team? You can help them along by choosing to focus on something that’s important to you and aligns with everything you’ve learned about the role, team, and company so far. Just try to keep it positive. And remember, telling a story will almost always make your answer more memorable.