TIPS: The top 5 interview questions & how to approach them

With this job market, job interviews are an even more important step to obtaining your dream job. You could avoid this process by taking a risk and hire yourself by becoming an entrepreneur. Regardless of whether it is a phone interview or in person you want to be as prepared as possible for the interview. Talented Generation cares about your success so here are the 5 most common interview questions (that I've both asked and been asked) and how to approach them: 

1. Tell me about yourself. This question is often the first the interviewer will ask so be prepared. This is not the time to discuss how you broke your finger skateboarding when you were 12 or how you hated erasing the chalkboard when you were in elementary school. Instead, the interviewer is oft looking for you to describe your professional skills and how they will be an asset to the company. Your answer should focus on the skills you think are essential for success i.e. Microsoft Office, multitasking, time management, working with groups, etc. Thus, your answer could be something like: 

My name is Raine, I have 4 years customer service experience working for various technology companies including 2 fortune 500 companies. For 2 of those years, I was responsible for training new employees as well as implementing more effective training programs in order to assist new hires with making a smooth transition into our company.

The answer encompasses my experience while also discussing subtle skills like supervising others, working with a volatile industry and a commitment to delivering satisfactory customer service.

 2. What is your greatest weakness? Focus on a genuine weakness but not one that will cost you the job. It will help if you have a weakness your interviewer is likely to relate to.You may choose to discuss your fear of public speaking. This will only work if your job does not involve public relations.  Public speaking is a genuine source of anxiety for many people so chances are the interviewer will be able to relate to your weakness. Regardless of what you choose, make it a genuine and solution-oriented answer. Do not EVER answer with things like "I'm lazy at times" or "I don't respond well to authority." Also, stay away from answers like "I work too hard", "I'm too kind", and "I'm too patient" because these are answers the interviewer has heard a thousand times.  Be sure to discuss how you are turning your weakness into a strength. Something like a fear of public speaking can be improved upon and you can discuss it without being too self deprecating. 

3. What do you know about our company? This is where you display your researching skills. Briefly discuss the company history and different projects the company is currently involved with. Before the interview peruse the company's website until you are comfortable conversing about what you've learned. Take special note of mission statements, press releases and any info you can gather on your interviewer. This question could be the easiest one to answer because a simple Google search of the company can give you all the info you will need. There is no reason to ever get tripped up on this question. 

4. What is your 5 year plan? or Where do you see yourself in 5 years? The interviewer asks this question to gauge your ability to be forward thinking. This is your time to show you have ambition. Discuss in detail what you see yourself doing and more importantly tie it back into your growth in that company. If you're applying for an associate position discuss your ambition to become partner and to join the management team. Make special note of the steps you plan to take to get there and how you plan to remain a dedicated asset to that company.

5. Tell me about the most high pressure situation you've dealt with in the last 6 months. As much as you may be tempted to discuss the time your S/O make you walk the dog at 2am, refrain from such discussions. Nobody wants to hear that anyway. Another thing, your interviewer doesn't care! This is not the time to ramble about BS, control what you share and be meticulous about everything you say. Use this question to demonstrate your resilience and your perseverance in a work environment. Speak about a tough deadline you had to meet and how you approached it. Although you are expected to discuss a hurdle, be sure to discuss it in positive terms. Thus, even though you had difficulty meeting the deadline you should emphasize your determination to complete the task with excellence and in a timely fashion.

Remember, an interview is a 2 way street: they are interviewing you, but you should also interview the company to ensure that you complements to each other. Asking questions shows that you have researched the company and your position and it will help illustrate your interest. 


Here are a few questions you should ask:

What do you think are the three key skills/strengths vital to this position?

Describe the work environment. What is a day in the office like? What are some of the challenges of working here? 

What would I be expected to accomplish in the first six months on the job? in the first year?
Why did you decide to join the company? What are the things that make you stay? 
What is the most difficult part of working for this company? What sort of challenges can I expect? 
What sort of training is offered for this position?

What is the next step in the hiring process for this position?

How soon can I expect to hear from you?