“Tell me about yourself.”
A lot of jobs require someone who can think on their feet or adapt to new situations. This question provides employers with an early preview of your core skills, your personality, and your ability to respond to an unstructured question.
Tips:
- Be honest about what you’re going through.
- Share how your experiences and skills relate to the job description.
“What’s your greatest strength?”
This is a great opportunity to share what you can add to a role. Employers want to see if you can strike the right balance between confidence and humility. Hiring managers also want to get a sense for how self-aware and honest you are.
Tips:
- Tell a story about a work or personal experience that you’re proud of.
- Be sure the strengths you share are aligned to the role you want.
“What’s your greatest weakness?”
Employers are looking for humility, accountability and whether you’re committed to learning and growing.
Tips:
- It’s OK to be truthful about what you’re not great at.
- Share what you’re doing to actively improve on this weakness.
“Why do you want to work here?”
Interviewers want to understand what prompted you to apply for this job specifically.
Tips:
- Speak from the heart and tell a genuine story.
- Think about what the employer needs and what you can contribute to the team.
- Show them how you can help.
“Why should we hire you?”
This question tests how persuasive you are. Interviewers want to see if you can make a calm, confident case for yourself, even if they’re acting skeptical. They’re looking for factual and compelling answers.
Tips:
- Start with the three or four best reasons you have.
- Cite results, credentials, or compliments that you’ve received from other people.
- Aim to be concise, and invite follow-up questions at the end.
“Tell me a time you showed leadership.”
Employers want to understand how you can handle tough situations that undoubtedly arise in the workplace. They want to know when you’ve seen an opening to take initiative and lead with good judgment.
Tips:
- Describe a situation where there was a lack of leadership.
- Use the word “lead” to help describe the actions you took.
- Give credit to your leadership skills when explaining the positive results.
