Prepare for an interview by practicing answers for commonly asked questions
The trickiest aspect of preparing for an interview is anticipating the questions and formulating your answers. Although it's impossible to predict every question, you can pick up clues from the job description. When preparing responses to any interview question, bear in mind that the best answers are the ones that relate directly to the job and how you will perform in it.
Selling Yourself
"Tell me about yourself" is your opportunity to sell yourself for the job, so stick to your professional characteristics, qualifications and experience rather than going into personal details. This question is often used to open the interview and enables the employer to evaluate you in an unstructured situation before the more formal questions begin.
Interest in the Company
It may be tempting to respond to "Why have you applied for this job?" with the absolute truth, which might be: "Because I need to earn more money" or "It's much closer to home." However, remember this question is about how much research you have done on the company and whether you are a good fit for their team and are committed to their goals. Focus on the values and objectives of the company and explain how your values are in line with theirs.
Teamwork
Being able to work as part of a team is critical for most jobs, and it's likely you will be asked to describe a situation in which you worked as part of a team. If your previous roles were solitary rather than team based, try using an example from your personal life, such as playing a team sport. Alternatively, think about all the people who depended on your previous job being done well and focus your answer on how you helped to achieve specific organizational goals through your job.
Management Skills
When asked to describe your management style, try not to be too rigid in your response: Employers prefer their managers to be flexible. Being able to use a range of styles interchangeably according to the situation shows you are an experienced and skilled manager. Rather than describing one particular management style, give some examples of how you successfully managed various scenarios using different approaches.
Strengths and Weaknesses
"What is your greatest weakness?" is a direct question, but just because the interviewer has asked about them does not mean he'll make allowances for them. This question is about self-awareness and ability to grow. Ideally, you don't want to reveal any weakness unless you can turn it into a strength. For example: "My biggest weakness is being a perfectionist, but I know my attention to detail always ensures accuracy." Alternatively, suggest you are always improving yourself and are taking steps to develop in a particular area.
Your Questions
The last question is almost always: "Do you have any questions for us?" Have at least one question ready, ideally several in case your only one is answered during the interview. Keep questions relevant to the job and your role in the organization. For example: "What are the key challenges of this post?" or "Presuming I meet the requirements of the job, where can I go from here within the company?" Practical questions might include: "When can I expect to hear from you?" Avoid asking about salary or benefits at this stage. Think in terms of what you can do for them rather than what they can do for you.
Tags: rather than, asked describe, Being able, management style, part team
