If you've applied for a job, and the employer has just contacted you to come in for an interview, that's great. Congratulations! If the job connection was made through Liberty Staffing, even better! The interview process is the first step in securing employment. Now that your interview is lined up and scheduled, it's time to focus on performing well at the interview. You have to give it your all in order gain the job.
If you're returning the workforce, or simply just looking to make a career change, you've probably been around the job interview block a couple of times. You may have noticed that most interviewers ask the same questions. Liberty Staffing would like to provide you with some interview questions commonly asked by employers. Here are a few general questions that you can probably expect during your interview, and tips on how to answer them.
1. Tell Me About Yourself
The number one question most commonly asked in any interview is "tell me a little about yourself". Even though the statement is not technically a question, it prompts the candidate to talk about themselves in the most general sense, while still giving the employer a glimpse into who the candidate is.
If you are asked this question during your interview, how do you think you would respond? Write out how you think you would answer this question. Do you talk about your professional experience, or your personal life? Keep in mind that your interviewer most likely already knows about your professional experience, given that they have your resume on file, and have probably reviewed your professional social media accounts before the interview.
So what's the best answer to this question? The interviewer is looking for information on who you truly are, not solely just your professional experience. Talk about your education. You can discuss why you took on certain jobs, and why you left. Talk about your hobbies. What has led you to apply to this job opportunity. If you took off a year to travel, reflect on that and how it has impacted your life. Give your interviewer a glimpse into your life, and what you enjoy. They will appreciate it.
2. What are Your Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses?
Probably the trickiest interview question is explaining your biggest strengths and weaknesses. A lot of candidates try and turn their weakness into a positive. For example, if you say that you're weaknesses are that you're a perfectionist, or that you get too absorbed in your work, an employer might see through this. These are common weaknesses that candidates say primarily because they can also be viewed as strengths.
Try to be as honest as possible for this question. We are all human, and we all have weaknesses. Showing that you are self-aware and that you are seeking ways to improve your weakness is the best way to answer this question.
3. How Would Others Describe You?
Another great question commonly asked is how your coworkers or supervisors would describe you. Revert and reflect back on certain situations in your professional career. Do you think they would say that you are hardworking, loyal, outgoing, positive, detail oriented, responsible, or a team player? All of these qualities describe a good worker.
To best answer this question, you also have to think about who you believe you are. Do you see yourself having any of these traits? Perhaps you could add perfectionist to the list. An employer will appreciate your honesty. Keep in mind that if the interview goes well, the employer will most likely contact your references, so it's better to tell the truth from the get-go. Also remember that it's as much as finding the perfect fit for you as well as for the employer.
4. Why Should We Hire You?
This is probably the most blunt question, but it gets to the point. And like the question itself, the employer is probably looking for the most straight forward answer from you. So don't beat around the bush.
Discuss what you can bring to the table. To be more specific, you can talk about what they can expect from you in the first three months of employment. Talk about anything that you think will give you a leg-up on your competitors who are also campaigning for this position.
5. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
For this question, many candidates fall into the hazard of saying what they think the employer wants them to say. Candidates state that they want to work at the company that they are presently interviewing for, and that they desire to move up in the company. If this is true, that's great. If not, let the interviewer know your exact plans for the future.
Be honest with your answer. Do you see yourself starting your own business in five years? Are you planning to go back to school? Let your interviewer know.
Once you have prepared for these common interview questions, all that you have to do now is print off extra copies of your resume and references, get your wardrobe ready, and plan out how you're going to get to the interview.
We would love to hear how your interview went. Be sure to contact Liberty Staffing after your interview!
