General interview questions

Tell me about yourself.

The goal- To see whether you make the connection between your skills and training and the job offer; and also to find out why they should hire you.

Tell me about your experience with this type of work.

The goal –To make sure you actually know what job you’re applying for; and to see whether you have the training and knowledge to carry out the work.

Why do you want to work for us?

The goal – To see what you know about the company and how interested you are in it.

What are your strengths?

The goal – To determine your strengths and personal characteristics; to see whether you believe in yourself and if you are confident that you are the right person for the job.

What are your weak points/greatest weaknesses?

The goal – To see whether you the job doesn’t suit you for various reasons – for example:, poor attitude, immaturity, refusal to follow orders, laziness

What are your goals in the short, medium, long term?

The goal – To see whether you plan to stay with the company; also to find out about your career plan and see whether it matches the company’s goals.

What do you expect to be paid?

The goal – To see whether you know the market value of your professional skills; to find out whether your expectations correspond to the company’s salary scale.

Why should we hire you and not somebody else?

The goal – To determine why in fact they should hire you; to judge your ability to talk about yourself and highlight your skills and abilities.

Behavioural Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a difficult challenge/problem you’ve faced and how you handled it.

2. Describe a time when you did something that went beyond what was expected in school or work.

3. Describe a time when you were frustrated or discouraged in reaching your objectives or goals.  How did it turn out?

4. Tell me about a time when your supervisor made an unreasonable request of you.  How did you react and what happened?

5. Describe a situation that required you to show initiative.

6. We all face disappointments in life.  Tell me about a time you had to handle disappointment or rejection.

7. Explain a role you filled as a group/team member.

8. Describe a time when you had to adjust to change.  How did you cope or adjust to this change.

9. Describe a time when you took a an idea or concept and turned it into a project.

10. Describe a time when you used your best oral communication skills.  What was the situation and what was the outcome?

11. Tell me about a time you had to collect, manipulate, and analyze data.