Responding to Questions
Responding to Questions
It costs money to hire and train people, so employers are looking for employees who will fit with their work environment, get the work done, and interact well with co-workers. The only way the potential employer can see if you are a good fit for their workplace is to ask you a series of questions to see how you react with your body language, what you say, when you pause, and how you answer each question.
Preparation is crucial in knowing what questions the employer may ask you in an interview. Knowing how to respond to those questions is equally important. You should expect primary questions such as, “Tell me about your previous sales experience”; but you should also be prepared for more complicated inquiries into your qualifications and skills. In this section we will examine how to respond to the various questions asked during a typical job interview including scenario or situational and behavior questions.
Scenario, Situational, and Behavioral Questions
Scenario or situational interviews are conducted by giving you an issue or problem to solve and usually a few minutes to think about how you will proceed. These questions are often asked as hypothetical questions and can be intentionally ambiguous, such as “How would you handle X if you…?” or “What would you do if…?” (Jackson, 2021). Situational questions give you the opportunity to demonstrate an ability to think quickly and can be an indication of how you handle uncertain or difficult situations.
When faced with this type of question, it is important to take time to think about a plan, organize your thoughts, and determine how to resolve the situation before answering. Sharing a story about how you have fixed this issue in a previous workplace can also be effective. If you have never experienced this type of interview, it can be daunting; but a little prep work about the organization and their needs can help boost your confidence.
Behavioral Interview Questions
Another common question type you should be prepared for is the behavioral question. This question type is more skills focused and asks you to consider a real-life example of how you handled a certain situation in the past. Examples of behavioral questions include “Tell me about when…” or “Can you provide an example of…?” To prepare for these questions, think about a role you played in the completion of a specific task or project, and ways you have used your skills to add benefits to the organization.
A common technique to answer behavioral interview questions is to employ the PAR (Problem-Action-Results) or STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) method. These two methods are described below:
Problem: Offer a detailed account of an issue you faced.
Action: Describe the steps you took to address the problem.
Result: Share the outcomes achieved.
Situation: Offer a detailed account of a specific issue
Task: Detail your responsibility in that situation
Action: Describe the steps you took to address the problem.
Result: Share the outcomes achieved.
Using one of these methods to detail your response makes it easier for you to build a more focused answer and provide the interviewer with the necessary details without oversharing. A narrative account will be more interesting, and demonstrate the value you bring to the organization. The video below depicts a job candidate for a sales position using the PAR method to respond to behavioral questions.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Finally, you should expect questions that center on your strengths and weaknesses. When addressing weaknesses explain how you are actively working to overcome the weakness identified and how this relates to the workplace; but do not dwell on it. Focus on your strengths and how these will effectively help the organization. Thinking about examples and anecdotes ahead of time will help you offer honest and coherent answers.
Current events will continue to influence the interview environment. The pandemic, for example, has not only brought changes to the way we interview, it has also changed the questions interviewers may ask. You should expect questions related to your experiences with remote work, including how you interact with co-workers and others in a virtual environment.
Having another person role play a job interview with you is a good idea. Have them ask you the most common interview questions and then critique your performance. How well do you answer the questions? Are your responses long-winded? Do you include awkward pauses before formulating a response? Is your body language contradicting your verbal message? These are important elements to consider before going to any job interview.
College students should visit the campus career services department for guidance on answering common interview questions. A Google search will also offer valuable insight on the latest interviewing trends as well as tips and tricks to excelling at a job interview.
Resources
Below are the top 20 questions asked in an interview according to TheInterviewGuys.com (Gillis, 2021).
1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why should we hire you?
3. What’s your greatest weakness?
4. What are your career goals?
5. What’s your greatest strength?
6. What’s your greatest accomplishment?
7. How do you handle conflict?
8. How do you handle stress?
9. What are you most proud of?
10. What are you passionate about?
11. What makes you unique?
12. How would you describe yourself?
13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
14. Why do you want to work for us?
15. Why did you leave your last job?
16. What motivates you?
17. How do you work under pressure?
18 How do you handle conflict?
19. What is your salary range expectation?
20. Do you have any questions for us?
The Indeed Career Guide outlines 125 common interview questions and suggestions for answering them.
It is important to remember, every interview is different and questions will vary depending on the job type and industry. Online resources can be used to help prepare talking points and avoid feeling as if you are caught off guard by the interviewer’s questions. Focusing on your strengths, achievements, and staying positive during the interview will help you perform successfully. Employers want to welcome newcomers to the team; the interview is the opportunity to show them how effective and elemental you are to their organization.