The Great Resignation is continuing and has caused a 22% rise in searches for interview questions over the past year. Whether your interview is online or in person, you need to prepare for any interview by thoroughly researching the company and knowing the job description inside out. Now let’s look at the most searched for interview questions and how to answer them.
- Tell me about yourself (301,000 searches/month)
This is a very broad question, so keep it relevant by focusing on your career in relation to the job you’re being interviewed for.
Tell them about your current role and any big accomplishments you have had and previous experience if it’s relevant.
Then talk about what you’re looking for next, this is your opportunity to tell them why you are a great fit for their role.
- Why should we hire you? (201,000 searches/month)
If you have the skill set that the job requires then go ahead and talk about it, this will also show that you understand the job role that you’re applying for. You should also research the organisation’s culture so you can talk about how you would make a great fit.
If you don’t have all the skills they require for the role, you can express your eagerness to learn and grow with training. You could then talk more about your soft skills and how they would benefit the company. Do you have any big achievements from your previous role that you could highlight which makes you a great employee?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? (74,000 searches/month)
This will take some thought beforehand, as with all of the interview questions. If you are unsure what your strengths or weaknesses are, ask a colleague or a close friend.
When answering this question, start off with your strengths. Rather than just list out your strengths you should provide examples of each strength within the context of your current job. For example, provide an example of when a particular strength helped you in your role.
When talking about your weaknesses, you want to provide a couple that you are currently working on to keep things positive and explain how you are working to improve yourself in these areas. It would be a mistake to not provide any weaknesses as you want to come across as self-aware, humble and willing to better yourself.
- Where do you see yourself in five years? (60,500 searches/month)
If you already have a career plan, which we recommend doing, then you’ll be able to answer this easily and succinctly. You don’t need to answer this question in terms of salary, but you should talk about the role you want to be in in five years.
You can relate the job you’re applying for to your future career goals. For example, is there a particular experience you would gain, in the role, that would allow you to move closer to your future dream role? Try and find specific examples from the job description that you can match to your goals.
- Why do you want this job? (33,100 searches/month)
This question is similar to “Why should we hire you?” but here you need to talk about what drew you to apply for the job, for example, what is it about the job that resonates with you?
You can talk about what excites you about the role. Now is the time to express your passion for this job position. You can also talk about what you admire in the company so do your research beforehand.
Answers to avoid for this question would include stating you need a job or talking about the salary, which is a no-no. Also, you shouldn’t say that this role is a steppingstone in your career as this will set off alarm bells for the interviewer.
Now that you know the most searched for interview questions and how to answer them, it’s time to do your research and get prepared! We’re here to help you in the next step in your career so get in touch with us with your dreams and aspirations.
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