The key to an interview is to tell a story. Relate it to your personal vision and to what you can do for them. Help them understand that as you learn, your vision will adjust, and you really want to work with them toward a common vision.
You are using the interviewer’s time. Don’t make this a boring meeting. Bring the energy and have a two way conversation with them. They don’t want to be sitting with a scared interviewer that is low energy and can’t hold a conversation without questions.
Prepare a final closing argument. However, the first and last impressions are what most interviewers remember. Start the first interaction with high energy and politeness. At the end, no matter how well the interview goes, conclude with something that touches all of these points:
- Don’t overuse the word “I”
- Talk about the interviewer
- Express to them how much better you are than everyone else but don’t brag
Here is an example:
Well thank you for your time. I am sure you have lots of candidates to see, but I wanted to say one last thing:
There are no shortages of developers for you to interview. However, there is a shortage of good, talented, egoless, developers with ambition to learn.
The best developers aren’t the ones that know the language inside and out at the expense of having blinders.
It is not the ones who are unable to admit they are wrong.
I may not be the most experienced developer that you will interview, but the one thing that you can guarantee is that there is nobody that you will interview
that will work as hard to develop his/her skills every day, play nicely with other developers, and isn’t so narrow minded in problem solving that he/she isn’t willing to try new novel ideas.
When you hire me you will rest assured that you won’t have to micromanage me, you don’t have to extinguish fires, and in one year, I will be one of your most valuable employees.
I am at a point in my career where I want to be surrounded by a team that I can grow with and I have chosen <Company Name> for this specific reason.
You have probably had similar experience in your career when one company allowed you to really have an impact.
I am at that stage now, and I look forward to be part of this team.
Thank you.Write an email afterwards to the people who have interviewed you. Thank them, and if there were any technical challenges that you couldn’t answer during the interview, reply and let them know that you have looked at the problem and this is the solution (hopefully you were able to figure it out by this point in the comfort of your home and google). Ask them in this letter when you should expect an answer.
What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know why you're an excellent fit for the job. Try to answer questions about yourself without giving too much, or too little, personal information. You can start by sharing some of your personal interests and experiences that don't relate directly to work, such as a favorite hobby or a brief account of where you grew up, your education and what motivates you. You can even share some fun facts and showcase your personality to make the interview a little more interesting.
A)if you hire me, it will be a great platform to showcase my skills.
whatever goals I set, I ensure to complete them within stipulated time.You should hire me because my experience is almost perfectly aligned with the requirements you asked for in your job listing.
I have <...years> of progressive experience in the <job field> industry, advancing from my initial role as a <job title> to my current position there as a <job title>.
I’m well-versed in providing world-class customer service to an <client/customer...>, and I pride myself on my ability to quickly resolve problems so that our guests enjoy their time with us.What They Want to Know: Are you the best candidate for the job? The hiring manager wants to know whether you have all the required qualifications. Be prepared to explain why you're the applicant who should be hired. Make your response a confident, concise, focused sales pitch that explains what you have to offer and why you should get the job.
Example:I believe that my experience with technology, specifically in the web design space, make me the best match for this position. In my previous job, I was responsible for maintaining and updating our company website. This required keeping employee profiles updated and continuously posting information regarding upcoming events. I truly enjoyed what I was doing, which is what drew me to this position with your company. I would love to bring the coding and content skills I learned there to this position.
Explanation: By highlighting your experience with a particular skill that the position requires, describe in detail what that experience looks like and how you have used it previously. This gives the hiring manager the chance to see some of your work and determine if it fits what they are looking for in a candidate. If this is your strongest skill, don't be afraid to say that in your interview.
For Example:This is a critical question in the process, thank you for asking. Based on what you've said today and from the research I've done, your company is looking for a skilled communicator and experienced marketer to grow your business and help your company stand out from the competition. At my previous company, I increased their activity by 24% by implementing targeted social media advertising. I will bring that innovative and entrepreneurial spirit to your company, and your success will be my top priority.
Explanation: This response uses a specific percentage to demonstrate the candidate's ability to perform the job responsibilities effectively. The more descriptive and accurate you can get, the better your chances of landing the job. If you can show your direct impact on an organization, the hiring manager will remember that and will be more likely to recommend you for the position.What They Want to Know: This question gives you an opportunity to show the interviewer what you know about the job and the company, so take time beforehand to thoroughly research the company, its products, services, culture, departments, management structure, competitors and mission. Be specific about what makes you a good fit for this role, and mention aspects of the company and position that appeal to you most.
What They Want to Know: Sometimes, an Interviewer is not looking for a fixed answer; but they are looking for sensible answer to just know how deep you can think.
<Smile>Sir, a person shouldn't decide his/her net worth. My worth for your Company doesn't exist at this moment, it's zero, give me the <job position> and I promise I will build my worth with dedication, commitment and hardwork and then an experienced professional like you can analyse my contributions to this esteemed company and worth in the annual performance review.Alternate:
Q. What are your interests in life?
Q. How do you spend your leisure time?
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Q. What are the activities you enjoy most in your personal life?
Q. What do you like to do outside of work?
Q. How do you spend your free time?
Q. What do you like to do for fun?
Q. What hobbies do you have?
Q. What do you like to do in your free time?
Q. What are you interested in outside of work?
Q. What interests you and what hobbies would you like to have more time for?What They Want to Know: employers ask To see if you are a well-rounded individual, To see what your skills can offer the role, To see if you would be a good culture fit for their company.
A hobby refers to an activity or something that is done for enjoyment, usually an extra-curricular, side-line activity practiced outside of work or studies.
An interest on the other hand is a topic or subject that you are interested in or curious about, but normally do not require the same level of dedication as a hobby.
Examples:
+ Involvement in a sports team - indicating to an employer that you will be a good team player
+ An interest in the arts and painting - suggesting that you are a creative person
+ Writing a blog - implying that you use your free time to develop your skills (particularly relevant to marketing graduate jobs!) Practicing writing also helps with vocabulary expansion
+ Volunteering or community work - read more about how volunteering can boost your employability.
+ Techy hobbies like learning to code - showing a willingness to upskill and you enjoy a challenge
+ Running your own online store - indicating to an employer that you have an entrepreneurial spirit
+ Music - if you play a musical instrument, or even produce or write your own music it shows that you are a keen learner and committed to practicing
+ Reading - shows intelligence, focus and concentration skills as well as better writing skills. Make sure you explain to the employer what you like to read.
+ DIY - this demonstrates that you are hands-on and likely to be efficient in getting jobs done
+ Doing puzzles and crosswords - shows you are a good problem-solver with an analytical mind-set
+ Learning a language - you are disciplined and have the ability to self-motive yourself
+ Social hobbies like teaching - you'll have good communication skills
+ Travelling and outdoor activities - likely to be an open and well-rounded individual with a holistic outlook
+ Caring for animals or children - demonstrating you're a thoughtful, kind and considerate individualA)In order to enhance my skill set, I am looking for better opportunities.What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know why you want to work for their company. When asked about why you are moving on from your current position, stick with the facts, be direct and focus your answer on the future, especially if your departure wasn't under the best circumstances.
A)I enrolled myself for some advanced personality development course along with some freelance work.A)I keep myself calm and focus on multi tasking while being patient.I’m not someone who is energized by or thrives in stressful environments. My first step in managing stress is to try to circumvent it by keeping my work processes very organized, and my attitude professional.
When customers or associates come to me with issues, I try to look at things from their perspective, and initiate a collaborative problem-solving approach to keep the situation from escalating.
I find that maintaining an efficient, congenial office with open lines of communication automatically reduces a lot of workplace stress. Of course, sometimes unanticipated stressors will arise.
When this happens, I just take a deep breath, remembering that the person I’m dealing with is frustrated with a situation, not with me.
I then actively listen to their concerns and make a plan to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.What They Want to Know: What do you do when things don’t go smoothly at work? How do you deal with difficult situations? The employer wants to know how you handle workplace stress. Avoid claiming that you never, or rarely, experience stress. Rather, formulate your answer in a way that acknowledges workplace stress and explains how you’ve overcome it, or even used it to your advantage.
What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know how you respond when faced with a difficult decision. As with the question about stress, be prepared to share an example of what you did in a tough situation. It’s important to share details to make the story believable and engaging.
A)Professionally advancement and good future.A)I will be constantly keeping tab of assigned work with my subordinates and seniors, finishing the assigned job before deadlines.A)yes, The team which I was a part of have successfully complemented the projects within deadline.A)I believe in team work. Even if I find anything irritating, I try to avoid it unless it personally affects me.A)As long as I feel challenged professionally. A)I’m someone who likes stability. My goal is to find a job that I can hold long term with a local company, becoming a valued employee as I gradually advance to positions of increasing authority and responsibility.
I’m extremely interested in the <job title> here at <organization> because of your <working environment, training program etc....>. My long-term goal is to eventually become a <job title> after I’ve proven my competencies in <customer service> and <team leadership>.What They Want to Know: This question is designed to find out if you’re going to stick around or move on as soon as you find a better opportunity. Keep your answer focused on the job and the company, and reiterate to the interviewer that the position aligns with your long-term goals.
A)I see myself in a senior position managing important portfolio of this company.A)Yes, Apart from appraisals I think I have earned a bunch of good colleagues in my life.A)I concentrate on one thing at a time.What They Want to Know: Another typical question interviewers will ask is about your weaknesses. Do your best to frame your answers around positive aspects of your skills and abilities as an employee, turning seeming “weaknesses” into strengths. You can also share examples of skills you have improved, providing specific instances of how you have recognized a weakness and taken steps to correct it.
A)I am a quick learner and a great team player.As a <current job title>, my greatest strength is my intellectual curiosity. I enjoy researching the latest <job field i.e.technology> trends so that our <job functionality> remain uncompromised.
Not only do I do this by reading the latest issues of <working field> journals, I also convinced my employer to fund my participation in quarterly <job field i.e.information technology> conferences.
This has allowed me to build a network of peer resources—many of whom are leaders in the field—that I can call upon for strategies when <some challenges or problem arrive>.What They Want to Know: This is one of the questions that employers almost always ask to determine how well you are qualified for the position. When you are asked about your greatest strengths, it's important to discuss the attributes that qualify you for that specific job, and that will set you apart from other candidates.
A)It doesn't matter till I learn something new in every Project.A)When can I join?So, ask them a few questions like -
1) How large is your team?
2) What does your development cycle look like?
3) Are rushes to deadlines common? Or is there flexibility?
4) How are decisions made in your team?
5) How many meetings do you have per week?
6) Do you feel your work environment helps you concentrate?
7) What are you working on?
8) What do you like about it?
9) What is the work life like?
10) How is work/life balance?
these questions, not only help to build a cordial relationship with the interviewer, but also help to get an idea about the organization where you look forward to work at.Like this.....
Dear <Name>,
I am writing in regard to your job opening of <Target Role>. As a candidate with extensive experience in <job title>, I am highly skilled in <Hard Skills to Job Description>.
The opportunity to join <Organization> greatly interests me because <Reasons>. As a holder of <Degrees, Certificates>I can competently execute <Job Description Responsibilities>.
I believe that I would make a valuable asset to your team and I offer my resume for your review.
As per my professional summary, my qualities and experience make me highly suitable for the role of <Target Role>.
I am highly regarded for <Transferable Skills>. I am proficient in <Systems>.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated the highest levels of service and commitment to the mission of any organization I have worked for. <List 3-4 achievements relevant to the Job Description>.
Thus, if you are looking for a well grounded <Job Title> please contact me to arrange an interview. I am eager to learn more about how your organization can benefit from my contribution.
I thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
<Name>
<info>Here’s how to ace audio-only interviews:
- Get dressed as if going to an in-person interview. Why? It creates professional attitude and mindset.
- Don’t slouch on the couch. Chair and table/desk, or stand and/or pace. Standing promotes voice projection.
- Quiet room; no interruptions.
- Wear earphones or pods for clarity.
- Silence all other notifications on phone and laptop (if open).
- Laptop, pen and paper, and a copy of your CV/Resume.
- Have written prompts ready especially for the questions that you wish to ask.
- Have a glass of water at hand.
- Don’t eat, smoke or chew gum.
- Answer the phone correctly.
eg. “Good morning/afternoon. This is <FULL NAME> speaking.” - If it’s a phone panel interview, you need to attach voice to name very quickly, and use them when you address each interviewer.
- Thank the interviewer(s) for their time at the end of the call.
Send a follow-up “Thank you” email within 6-8 hours.
Smiles can be seen but also “heard!”. All other usual interview protocols apply.
Remember that interviews are a 2-way conversation, so don’t YOU perceive them as interrogations!
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