21 ‘QUICK ANSWERS’ to COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS!

Q1. Tell me about yourself.

Sample Answer:

“Thank you for this opportunity. I would describe myself as a passionate and trustworthy employee who loves their work. I have the skills and knowledge to make a positive difference to your team, and my qualifications are a great fit for this industry. If you hire me, I will be someone who gets their work completed quickly to a high standard, and brings new and fresh ideas to the company to help you grow.”

Q2. How did you hear about this position?

Sample Answer:

“I’ve admired your company for a long time, and I follow you on social media. I have been waiting for the right position to be advertised, and as soon as I saw this job was available, I was ready to submit my resume.”

Q3. Why do you want this job?

Sample Answer:

“I want this job because I enjoy this type of work. We spend a lot of time at work, and I want that time to be spent doing something I love for a team I am proud of. Finally, I want this job because it is with your company. You have good workplace values, and you support your employees so they can reach their full potential.”

Q4. What are your greatest strengths?

Sample Answer:

“My greatest strengths include loyalty, accountability, and taking ownership of difficult problems to achieve success. My greatest strengths match the job description and will ensure you see a positive difference in the company if you hire me.”

Q5. What is your biggest weakness?

Sample Answer:

“My biggest weakness is I find it difficult to say NO to people. When someone asks me for help, I say YES without assessing my capacity to do extra work. I am aware of this weakness and taking positive action to improve.”

Q6. Why do you want to work here?

Sample Answer:

“I want to work here because you have a great reputation in the industry, your customer reviews are positive, and people I have spoken to who have worked here previously have said great things about the management team and positive workplace culture.”

Q7. Why do you want to leave your job?

Sample Answer:

“I want to leave my job because I am ready for a fresh challenge in a new job where I will be pushed, and my skills will be put to good use while working alongside other driven, ambitious, and talented people who want to make a real difference in their work.”

Q8. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Sample Answer:

“My greatest accomplishment was in my last job when I helped my team achieve the best-ever sales for a new company product launch. We achieved the best sales by creating innovative ways to promote the product on social media and contacting previous customers to give them a special discount. It was a great team effort and something I am very proud of.”

Q9. Describe yourself in 3 words?

Sample Answer:

“I would describe myself as passionate, trustworthy and knowledgeable. I am passionate, meaning I will get more work completed than the average person. I am trustworthy, meaning you can always rely on me to do a great job. Finally, I am knowledgeable, meaning I can come into this role and have an immediate and long-lasting impact on the team.”

Q10. How do you prioritise your work?

Sample Answer:

“I prioritize my work based on the company’s objectives. I write a list of jobs I am responsible for. I colour-code the list so that each job is prioritized on urgency. Red jobs are urgent and come first. Orange jobs are second, and green jobs can be left for the end of the working day.”

Q11. What do you do in your free time?

Sample Answer:

“In my free time, I read, keep fit and active by attending the gym several times a week, and enjoy spending valuable time with my family. I am keen on self-development and enjoy studying online videos and training courses, which helps improve my knowledge and ensure I am progressing personally and professionally.”

Q12. How would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?

Sample Answer:

“I would deal with the conflict by checking my own words and actions to ensure I wasn’t impacting the situation negatively. I would speak with my co-worker privately to establish the cause of the conflict and work with them to reach a compromise for the team’s benefit.”

Q13. What motivates you?

Sample Answer:

“I am motivated by doing a great job for my team and employer because that empowers me to earn a good salary, meaning I can support my family. I am also motivated by keeping fit and healthy because that energizes me and gives me good concentration levels.”

Q14. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Sample Answer:

“In five years, I hope to be working for your company. I would either be in the same role but have lots more responsibility or have earned promotion to a higher level. In five years, I would have experience across different company departments, be seen as a trusted, knowledgeable, and experienced team player, and be someone the company could call upon to help train new team members.”

Q15. What do you think makes a good co-worker?

Sample Answer:

“A good co-worker should be pleasant to work with, good to be around, and positive whenever they encounter difficult challenges. Good co-workers are supportive, treat others with respect, and offer to help with tasks if someone in the team is struggling.”

 

Q16. How do you handle setbacks at work?

Sample Answer:

“I handle setbacks with a positive attitude, resilience, and focus on the end goal. Whenever I encounter a setback, I assess my options, quickly create a new plan, and set to work. Setbacks are normal in the workplace, but how you respond to them is important.”

Q17. What are you looking for in your next job?

Sample Answer:

“I am looking for a forward-thinking company to work for with a positive culture that encourages innovation and creative thinking. I am looking for a supportive manager and a positive team environment where everyone has a can-do attitude and where there is opportunity for everyone.”

Q18. Why should we hire you?

Sample Answer:

“You should hire me because I am progressive, embrace change with a positive attitude, support my co-workers to achieve the team’s goal, and take ownership of problems and challenges to achieve a successful outcome.”

Q19. How do you handle stress and pressure?

Sample Answer:

“I handle stress and pressure by focusing on my tasks, creating a plan of action of what I need to do and by when, blocking out distractions, and focusing intently on my responsibilities. Stress is a physical feeling I have control over, and I am confident it will never detract me from my goals.”

Q20. What are your salary expectations?

Sample Answer:

“My salary expectations are $X. I am worth $X because I have a track record of achievement, which I will replicate for your company. I will be flexible in my job description, giving you a great return on your investment and I will take responsibility for my ongoing professional development to ensure I am always a valuable asset to my team.”

Q21. Do you have any questions for us?

Sample Answer:

“Thank you. Yes, I have three questions, please. Question number one: What are the plans for the company and what could I do in this role to help you achieve them? Question number two: Can you tell me more about the team I would be a part of in this role? Question number three: What would my success in the position look like in twelve months from now?”