Answering questions appropriately for a job interview is a must because it is a usual basis for hiring from employers. Communicating properly and relaying your strengths and abilities to the employers will make a positive impression on them, making your job hunting a success.
In order for your job interview to be successful, you must know yourself first including what you can do best to determine if you are really fit for the job or not. Making an initial list of your personal data, strengths, weaknesses, skills, abilities and job experiences will greatly help since the interviewer will likely asks questions on those areas.
To help you answer questions, here is a list of the known top five job interview questions and how to answer them:
1. “Tell me about yourself.” This question is so common among employers and would likely be asked as a number 1 question in order for you to relax and be confident enough to answer for the subsequent ones. The answer to this question need not be too long, too formal or too short to be effective. Just tell the interviewer some information about your family, your hobbies, your skills, talents and an introduction of your competency as a worker. You can also tell your prospective employer about your values and good character to impress him.
2. “What are your strengths?” This may be a difficult question if you don’t know yourself well enough. So to help you answer this question, list down your strengths as a worker ahead of time or as a family member and list some scenarios wherein you were able to use your strength in difficult decision making. Do not just say “I am hardworking” without citing an example on why you say so. For instance, say “I am hardworking to a point that I still work in the office even if I am not feeling well”.
3. “What are your weaknesses?” This question is kind of a trap to show your hidden negative attitude that can fail you for the job. So the way to answer this is to be honest with your weakness but tell the employer how you were able to overcome your weakness. For instance, say “I am forgetful, but to help me not to forget on the task that needs to be finished within the day, I put sticky notes on my computer to remind me of deliverables within the day”.
4. “What are your plans 5 years from now?” You also have to be careful to answer this question because employers ask you this question to determine if you have plans to stay in the company for a longer time. It is difficult for them to hire someone who will just resign right away in a given position. So the better way to answer this is to tell them that you are planning to stay in their company for good as long as they like.
5. “How much do you expect for a compensation?” Asking this matters because they already have an amount on how much to pay you and will determine if they can afford your services. To help you with this, survey ahead of time the usual salary offered in your area for the desired position because most likely, they are basing their offer on those. Unless you have a very excellent and unique skill, then you can demand for more. Or if confuse, just throw back the question to them “how much are you offering me” so you will know if you can accept the job offer or not.
You may also want to read this article.