Interview Tips

If you have done the hard part of finding a job and being invited to an interview, the last thing you want to happen now is for it all to go wrong. This is the time to prepare carefully and be as ready for the interview as you can be.

Below are some tips for Graduates attending an interview.

#1 Dress professionally

This is very important. Even if the company is a bit more casual you must always turn up in professional dress and look the part. Employers expect people to be smart and it shows that you have made the effort and are interested in the position that they have open.

#2 Maintain eye contact

If you maintain eye contact then the interviewer is aware that you are concentrating and listening to what is being said. This is very important in an interview and shows your interest. If this is a job you really want then you need to act like you want it and listening and showing that you are listening through eye contact is the key.

#3 Do your research

Always do your research before going to any interview. No matter how good you feel you know something, it is always important to prepare well. Before going to any interview you should know everything you can about the company and the role walk into the interview feeling confident that you do know everything you can.

#4 Be interested

Make sure you are interested in the interview, the company and the person or people who is/are holding the interview. You can show your interest in a number of ways throughout the interview but if you are genuinely interested, as well as answering the questions you will be able to have a dialogue conversation which always feels better in an interview situation.

#5 Questions

Make sure before you go to your interview that you have prepared some questions to ask. This is essential in case you cannot think of any questions during your interview. By not asking questions at an interview you will appear disinterested and by asking poor questions you will seem like you have not been listening so scour the website through your research, look at the job role and have two or three questions in the back of your mind that you are prepared to ask.

#6 References

Have you got any written references that you could take along to your interview and leave with the interviewer at the end of the interview? Employers will always want to take up references anyway if they are to employ you, so have something that you can readily give to them from someone you have worked with before can but only quicken the decision process.

#7 CV

Make sure your CV is top notch. Get someone to look over it for you and ensure that not only is it grammatically right and the spellings are right but by getting someone else to read your CV allows them to be objective and to think of things that you have not included or things that could be written differently.

#8 Presentations

Usually for any graduate schemes you could be asked to do a presentation of some kind so it is important to get talking to yourself in front of the mirror to practice your skills and perfect them so that when you get asked to do a presentation you are not daunted by it.

#9 Portfolio

Depending on what you have studied at university will depend on what work you have done that you could show a potential new employer. If you have some work that you think would be of interest to an employer then it is advisable to take it with you to an interview to demonstrate what you can do. This is only going to work if it will be of interest to a company.

#10 Practice

Finally the best thing for any interview is to practice. Do a role play scenario with one of your friends or family and make sure you practice acting questions and being able to answer them. The more practice that you get the better as it will make you feel more confident when you get the interview of your dreams.

Job interviews are stressful and daunting for most of us. Some questions can make the interviews even worse.

We have put together a list of “if” questions for you to be prepared.

Try your best to answer these questions and remember them during your the interview.

What if…

•     If you couldn’t have this job, what job would you want to have?
•     If you could do any job in the world what would it be?
•     If Mars was a colonised planet, what job would you want to have there?
•     If you had to work as a sport mascot, who would you want to be?
•     If you were in a sitcom that took place in the ‘80s or ‘90s, which one would it be?
•     If you could, would you ban conference calls or check-in meetings?
•     If you could time travel to any period past or future, to what time would you go?
•     If you could go anywhere on business travel, where would you go?
•     If you could successfully drill to the core of the Earth, would you?
•     If gravity disappeared, what is the first thing you’d do?
•     If this job could have a “creative” job title, what would you want it to be?
•     If you had one superpower, what would it be, and why?
•     If there were no attire police, what would you wear to work?
•     If you noticed that a co-worker made a mistake, how would you address it?
•     If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
•     If someone on your team was slacking, what would you do?
•     If your supervisor asked you to do something that you disagreed with, but that was not immoral or illegal, what would you do?
•     If you were given an assignment outside your comfort zone, skill-wise, would you attempt it anyway or seek to pass it off to a colleague?
•     If you retired tomorrow and wanted to start a wildly different second career, what would you do?
•     If money were no object and you could go back to school to learn for fun, what would you study?
•     If you were stranded on a desert island with unlimited food and water, what three additional things would you want to have with you and why?
•     If you won the lottery today and had the time and resources to devote your life to one worthy cause, hobby or passion, what would it be?

It’s very important to be able to answer common behavioural interview questions on your big day. Many recruiters, today, are asking those questions in order to find out more about the candidate.

Check out following behavioural questions to be prepared for your interview. Try to find best answers to feel less nervous during your interview.

Top 45 Common Behavioural Interview Questions

1. What steps do you take to analyse a problem before making a decision? Why?

2. Tell me about a time when you had to adjust to a colleague’s working style in order to complete a project or achieve your objectives.

3. Tell me about a situation in which you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How did you handle it?

4. When have you had to deal with an annoyed customer? What did you do? What was the end result?

5. Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? What was the outcome? What would you have had done differently?

6. Tell me about a time when you had to analyse information and make a recommendation. What kind of thought process did you go through? Was the recommendation accepted? If not, why?

7. Give an example of a time you went well out of your way to ensure a customer received the best possible service. What was their reaction?

8. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).

9. Have you ever had to sell an idea to your co-workers? How did you do it?

10. What obstacles or difficulties have you ever faced in communicating your ideas to a manager?

11. Tell me about a problem that you’ve solved in a unique or unusual way. What was the outcome? Were you happy or satisfied with it?

12. When have you brought an innovative idea into your team? How was it received?

13. Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision. What obstacles did you face?

14. Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without all the information you needed. How did you handle it?

15. What is one the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make at work? How did you arrive at your decision? What was the result?

16. Give me an example of a decision you made at work that you later regretted. What happened?

17. Give me an example of an important career goal which you set yourself and tell me how you reached it. What obstacles did you encounter? How did you overcome the obstacles?

18. Tell me about a professional goal that you set that you did not reach. How did it make you feel?

19. How have you gone about setting short-term goals and long-term goals for yourself or your team? What steps did you take along the way to keep yourself accountable?

20. Describe a project or idea (not necessarily your own) that was implemented primarily because of your efforts. What was your role? What was the outcome?

21. Describe a situation in which you recognised a potential problem as an opportunity. What did you do? What was the result? What, if anything, do you wish you had done differently?

22. Tell me about a project you initiated. What did you do? Why? What was the outcome? Were you happy with the result?

23. Tell me about a time when your initiative caused a change to occur.

24. Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult to get along with. How/why was this person difficult? How did you handle it? How did the relationship progress?

25. Describe a situation where you found yourself dealing with someone who didn’t like you. How did you handle it?

26. Describe a recent unpopular decision you made. How was it received? How did you handle it?

27. What, in your opinion, are the key ingredients in guiding and maintaining successful professional relationships? Give me examples of how you have made these work for you.

28. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa). How did you handle the situation?

29. Tell me about a team project when you had to take charge of the project? What did you do? What was the result?

30. Describe a leadership role of yours outside of work. Why did you commit your time to it? How did you feel about it?

31. What is the toughest group that you have ever had to lead? What were the obstacles? How did you handle the situation?

32. What has been your greatest leadership achievement in a professional environment? Talk through the steps you took to reach it.

33. What have been the greatest obstacles you have faced in building/growing a team?

34. Describe a time when you have not only been responsible for leading a team of people but for also doing the same job as your team members? How did you juggle/balance your time?

35. Describe a situation that required you to do a number of things at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?

36. How do you prioritise projects and tasks when scheduling your time? Give me some examples.

37. Tell me about a project that you planned. How did your organise and schedule the tasks? Tell me about your action plan.

38. When has a project or event you organised not gone according to plan? What happened? Why? How did you feel?

39. Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas. What did you do?

40. Tell me about a time when you worked with a colleague who was not doing their share of the work. How did you handle it?

41. Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or help others to compromise. What was your role? What steps did you take? What was the result?

42. Tell me about a time when you had to work on a team that did not get along. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result?

43. What was the biggest mistake you have made when delegating work as part of a team project?

44. Tell me about a time when you had to settle a dispute between team members. How did you go about identifying the issues? What was the result?

45. What have you found to be the difficult part of being a member, not leader, of a team? How did you handle this?

Securing an interview was hard enough but then preparing for the interview is harder for most of us.

There are always difficult questions to answer during your interview but the list below have been recognised as the hardest interview questions to answer.

Check out our top 30 hardest interview questions and let us know if any of them are not really hard or add your question to the list.

Related: Top 30 Questions to Ask During an Interview

30 Hardest Interview Questions

•     What has been your greatest achievement?
•     Describe yourself in three words?
•     If you were a fruit or vegetable what would you be and why?
•     What do you think of your previous boss?
•     What are your weaknesses?
•     What do you think the chief executive thinks of the company?
•     What are your strengths?
•     Describe a situation where you have had others follow your lead?
•     Why should we choose you for this role?
•     Why did you apply for this job?
•     How will you contribute to the team?
•     Describe a time when you have failed?
•     Describe a situation where you have gone above and beyond?
•     Describe a project you have handled?
•     If you were a flavour of ice cream, what would you be and why?
•     What attracted you to this company?
•     How would your friends describe you?
•     Name a time where you have worked under pressure?
•     What attributes do you have that will support you in this role?
•     Are you a competitive person?
•     What are you hoping to get out of life?
•     Tell me about yourself
•     What did you like least about your last job?
•     What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
•     Why do you want this job?
•     What salary are you seeking?
•     How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
•     Who was your favourite manager and why?
•     Tell me about your proudest achievement.
•     List five words that describe your character.

Most people get nervous when thinking about interviews.  The best way to overcome your nerves is to be as prepared as possible for the big day.

We have prepared a list of the 100 most common interview questions for you to consider.  If you can respond professionally and swiftly to these top 100 interview questions then you can bat away those fears and attend your interview in confidence.

Related: Top 22 “What If” Interview Questions for Your Job Interview

The Top 100 Job Interview Questions

1. Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
2. Tell me about yourself.
3. Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn’t want me to know.
4. How would you describe your work style?
5. How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
6. Why should we hire you?
7. What attracted you to this company?
8. Who has impacted you most in your career and how?
9. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
10. Are you willing to relocate?
11. If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of and why?
12. What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
13. What do you look for in terms of culture — structured or entrepreneurial?
14. If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
15. How many times do a clock’s hands overlap in a day?
16. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
17. Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
18. What do you do in your spare time?
19. What is your personal mission statement?
20. What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
21. Who was your favourite manager and why?
22. There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
23. How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
24. What do you know about our company?
25. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
26. What are you looking for in terms of career development?
27. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve made in the last two years and how did you come to that decision?
28. Give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented.
29. What kind of car do you drive?
30. When were you most satisfied in your job?
31. Sell me this pencil.
32. What is your greatest fear?
33. What is your favourite memory from childhood?
34. What would be your ideal working environment?
35. Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
36. If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
37. Tell me about your proudest achievement.
38. If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
39. What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
40. With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
41. What’s the most important thing you learned in school?
42. Can you describe a time when your work was criticised?
43. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
44. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
45. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
46. What are your lifelong dreams?
47. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
48. How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
49. What’s the last book you read?
50. What do you ultimately want to become?
51. Do you have any questions for me?
52. What is your biggest regret and why?
53. What were the responsibilities of your last position?
54. How would you weigh a plane without scales?
55. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
56. What’s your ideal company?
57. If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
58. What would you do if you won the lottery?
59. Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
60. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
61. If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?
62. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
63. What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organised?
64. What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
65. Who are your heroes?
66. If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
67. What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
68. What are your salary expectations?
69. Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.
70. What do you like to do for fun?
71. What salary are you seeking?
72. Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
73. How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
74. How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
75. What magazines do you subscribe to?
76. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
77. What are three positive character traits you don’t have?
78. What are your strengths?
79. What do you like to do?
80. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
81. Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
82. Why did you choose your major?
83. Why are you leaving your present job?
84. What did you like least about your last job?
85. What are you most proud of?
86. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
87. What are your weaknesses?
88. If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
89. What will you miss about your present/last job?
90. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
91. What do you think of your previous boss?
92. If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
93. What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
94. What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
95. What do you know about this industry?
96. If you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
97. Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
98. What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
99. Why do you want this job?
100. List five words that describe your character.

Not all interview questions follow the traditional format with standard interview questions. Interviewers may rely on out of the blue questions to decide between candidates and unfortunately you can’t really prepare for those weird questions as you didn’t even know they existed.

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) has put together some very weird questions that you might be a little bit shocked about when you receive them during your interview.

You should still stay calm when you have been asked one of following strange questions that you weren’t prepared for.

30 Weirdest Interview Questions

1. Are you a Coronation Street or EastEnders fan?
2. Who would you invite to a dinner party?
3. Which three celebrities would you like to join for a night out?
4. How do you feel about blood sports?
5. What dinosaur would you like to be?
6. Please do an improvisation of a film (with potential co-worker)
7. Do you prefer to be right, or be liked?
8. Please bring a toy with you and explain how this reflects you as a person or a part of your personality
9. Do you like to sing in the bath?
10. Would you rather know a lot about a little or a little about a lot?
11. Tell me 20 unique selling points about this BIC pen
12. What would you do if the sun died out?
13. Do you wear jeans outside of work?
14. If a Hippo falls into a hole how would you get it out?
15. Who is your favourite Doctor Who?
16. Is a Jaffa cake a cake or biscuit?
17. What would you do if you caught a member of staff kissing the boss?
18. Who would win in a fight, superman or batman?
19. Would you drive through an amber traffic light?
20. Which video game character would I like to be and why?
21. Was the book Frankenstein really about state control?
22. Would you post about work on Facebook?
23. Build a tower of paper cups in 1 minute that would not fall down when you put water in the top cup
24. Just entertain me for five minutes, I’m not going to talk
25. What do you think of garden gnomes?
26. How would you cure world hunger?
27. Does life fascinate you?
28. What did you eat today?
29. How would you get an elephant into a refrigerator?
30. What is 37 times 37

photo by: fritenks

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