Lecture Notes: Top 10 Most Common Interview Questions

Introduction

• Presenter: Don Georgevich
• Focus: Best way to answer the top 10 most common interview questions.
• Purpose: Prepare for any job interview as these questions are frequently asked.

1. Tell Me About Yourself

• Common in every interview, comes in various forms: "Tell me about your background," "How did you get started in your career?"
• **Five Steps to Answer: **
  1. Describe how you got started in your profession.
  2. Discuss what nurtured and fueled your career passion.
  3. Mention educational background with relevant highlights.
  4. Cover key jobs or internships with accomplishments.
  5. Conclude with your career vision and relate it to the job applied for.
• Advice: Create both long and short versions of your answer.

2. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

• **Four Steps to Answer: **
  1. Identify a single reason you left.
  2. Ensure the reason isn't a concern for prospective employers.
  3. If fired, accept responsibility for the incident.
  4. If laid off, indicate economic reasons and company's efforts to retain you.
• Advice: Keep answers brief and focused.

3. Describe a Difficult Problem and What You Did to Overcome It

• Tests critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• **Four Steps to Answer: **
  1. Choose two or three past difficult situations.
  2. Detail each story using a structured framework.
  3. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  4. Practice your stories.
• Advice: Think of a time you dealt with difficult people or hurdles.

4. What Are Your Greatest Strengths?

• Relate strengths to job requirements.
• **Three Steps to Answer: **
  1. Review job description for key strengths.
  2. Assess how your strengths align with job needs.
  3. List and rank your strengths.
• Advice: Draw from past projects or challenges to illustrate strengths.

5. Why Do You Want to Work Here?

• Express interest in company, culture, and job role.
• **Three Steps to Answer: **
  1. Identify what attracted you to the job.
  2. Connect this to personal or emotional reasons.
  3. Relate your strengths to job requirements.
• Advice: Provide one strong reason rather than multiple weak ones.

6. Why Should We Hire You?

• Demonstrate you are the best candidate by addressing the employer's needs.
• **Three Steps to Answer: **
  1. Identify employer's problems via job description.
  2. Align your resume to address these needs.
  3. Acknowledge their problems and explain how you can solve them.
• Advice: Your experience should offer solutions to their problems.

7. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

• Align answer with the natural progression of the position.
• **Five Steps to Answer: **
  1. Consider natural career progression.
  2. Align with applied position.
  3. List short-term goals.
  4. List long-term goals.
  5. Combine into a cohesive career vision.

8. What is Your Biggest Accomplishment?

• Discuss achievements related to the job.
• **Four Steps to Answer: **
  1. List at least five accomplishments.
  2. Reflect on feelings and significance.
  3. Detail how you achieved these accomplishments.
  4. Tie it to past employer and results.
• Advice: Choose meaningful career accomplishments.

9. What is Your Biggest Weakness?

• Recognize weaknesses constructively.
• **Three Steps to Answer: **
  1. Identify five areas of weakness.
  2. Explain why and steps taken to improve.
  3. Describe your progress with a story.
• Advice: Avoid overly negative traits; focus on improvement.

10. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?

• Show interest by asking questions.
• **Three Steps to Create Questions: **
  1. Review job description for clarity.
  2. Determine reasons for accepting or declining the job.
  3. List important clarifying questions.
• Sample Questions: Company culture, role expectations, salary range.

Conclusion

• Importance of practicing answers and being flexible in delivery.
• Reminder to avoid memorizing answers; understand and adapt them instead.

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• Additional Resources:
  • Free eBook with more detailed answers: jobinterviewtools.com/top10
  • Encouragement to practice answers in multiple ways for better preparation.
• Call to Action: Subscribe to the channel for more interview tips.