A Closer Look At Two Interview Questions
This blog post will give you a closer look at two interview questions, "Do you work well in a team?" and "Tell me about your strengths." Answering these types of questions may seem straightforward and easy, but it is important to carefully consider the answer that you provide. Keep in mind the company that you are interviewing with, the position for which you are interviewing, and your own personal strengths as you develop answers to these questions.
Interviewing for jobs can be nerve-wracking for all involved parties. To ensure that your interview goes smoothly and successfully, it is helpful to have a strong understanding of what is expected from both an employer and an employee. One way to start developing this understanding is by reviewing some of the most common interview questions.
"Do you work well in a team?"
"Do you work well in a team?" is a question that an interviewer will typically ask to assess your interpersonal skills as they relate to teamwork. This is an important aspect of your character because it will serve as a good predictor of how you will do on the job with coworkers outside of your department or at other locations within the company. When asked about your ability to work well in a team, follow these guidelines for providing an appropriate response:
Be honest . Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company.
. Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company. Be specific . Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the team aspect of the job.
. Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the team aspect of the job. Be positive . Your positive attitude may not show initially, but it will highlight your level of professionalism and how great of a fit you will be for the position.
"Tell me about your strengths. What are your weaknesses?"
"Tell me about your strengths. What are your weaknesses?" is another question that an interviewer will typically ask during the interview process. This question will often appear in the behavioral interview format, which focuses on how you have acted and reacted to work-related experiences. When asked this question, follow these guidelines for providing an appropriate response:
Be specific . Be sure to provide examples of your strengths and then provide counter-examples of your weaknesses. Examples demonstrate that you have thought about the question and properly addressed it. Counter-examples show why you are able to be a great employee even with a weakness (i.e. you are able to overcome the weakness by improving yourself).
. Be sure to provide examples of your strengths and then provide counter-examples of your weaknesses. Examples demonstrate that you have thought about the question and properly addressed it. Counter-examples show why you are able to be a great employee even with a weakness (i.e. you are able to overcome the weakness by improving yourself). Be positive . Your positivity will highlight your desire to succeed and how great of a fit you will be for the position.
. Your positivity will highlight your desire to succeed and how great of a fit you will be for the position. Be specific . Your specificity will show that you have thought through the question and have considered all of your strengths as well as your weaknesses.
"Tell me about yourself."
"Tell me about yourself." is another question that an interviewer may ask during the interview process. This question will often appear in the behavioral interview format, which focuses on how you have acted and reacted to work-related experiences. When asked this question, follow these guidelines for providing an appropriate response:
Be honest . Clearly stating that this is not a trick question (i.e. that this is not a interview trick question) will help you seem more genuine.
. Clearly stating that this is not a trick question (i.e. that this is not a interview trick question) will help you seem more genuine. Be specific . Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the answer and how great of a fit for the company you are.
. Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the answer and how great of a fit for the company you are. Be positive . Your positivity will highlight your desire to succeed and how great of a fit you will be for the position.
. Your positivity will highlight your desire to succeed and how great of a fit you will be for the position. Be specific . Your specificity will show that you have thought through the question and have considered all of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. For example, if you are asked about a weakness in sales, take note of how well you did in those situations (i.e. how much money did you make?) in order to demonstrate that it does not hold any weight when judging on the job for sales positions at this company or any future employer (or sales functions at all).
"Tell me about yourself. What are your interests?"
"Tell me about yourself. What are your interests?" is another question that an interviewer may ask during the interview process. This question will often appear in the behavioral interview format, which focuses on how you have acted and reacted to work-related experiences. When asked this question, follow these guidelines for providing an appropriate response:
Be honest . Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company.
. Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company. Be specific . Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the answer and how great of a fit for the company you are.
. Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the answer and how great of a fit for the company you are. Be positive . Your positivity will highlight your desire to succeed and how great of a fit you will be for the position.
"Tell me about your interests."
"Tell me about your interests." is another question that an interviewer may ask during the interview process. This question will often appear in the behavioral interview format, which focuses on how you have acted and reacted to work-related experiences. When asked this question, follow these guidelines for providing an appropriate response:
Be honest . Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company.
. Honesty will set you apart from competition and help display your sincerity when it comes to being a good fit for the company. Be specific . Be sure to be as specific as you can because specifics are useful in demonstrating that you have thought through the answer and how great of a fit for the company you are.
Conclusion
By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you will be able to impress your interviewer and have a great interview. Your effort should not be in vain, as you will have a great interview and a potential employer who knows that he or she hired the right person for the position.
Additional Resources on Avoiding Interview Tricks and Traps
Resources on Interviewing, How To Land Your Dream Job: http://careercareerassistants.org/blog/how-to-land-your-dream-job/
Interview Tips: http://www.managementreviewsandtips.