By Ousman Seckan
Recruiters aim in job interview is to ascertain candidate’s suitability for the job. This allows them to scout out best from a pool of potentially qualified candidates. Thus, all questions in an interview are designed to get as much information as possible from the candidate to help the recruiters to arrive at good decision. As a candidate, you have two options during interview – you either make your chance of getting the job based on your ability to expressively communicate or break it because of your inability to communicate convincingly. In this article, I highlight some major, but critical questions that come most often in interviews irrespective of the position and how to answer them in decisive way.
- Tell me about yourself
Here the interviewer is not interested in your personal story but rather your educational background, qualification and experience. Please take time to dwell on these thoroughly in the form of narration. The clearer and fluid the narration, the better for you. You can start with you recent jobs, highlighting what were you tasks and achievements. Try to relate these achievements to the work you are being interviewed. Total clarity and unambiguity are needed in the introductory when recollecting your educational background and job experience. You are not in any way expected to be racking your brain in recalling your job experience and educational background. Doing that, will make the recruiters to have doubt t in your educational background and job experience. Thus, ruining your chances of being hired.
2. Why should you be given this job?
In answering such a question, you need to make reference to your suitability for the job – qualification, experience, and track record. Express clearly how your competence will usher in innovative ideas and also boost the growth of the organization. You must understand that you are not required to give vague response to this question. Instead give concrete and specific plans and skills that you possess and are quite relevant to the position being advertised. Do not respond to this question as you’re the best candidate because all other candidates say they are the best. Therefore, what will make your interview standout is convincing the recruiter or interviewer of what you have to offer to the company which will eventually add value to their work.
3. What did you dislike most about your last job?
This is a very sensitive question in the sense you may reveal your character or personality without knowing it. Choose what you think you maybe listing that wouldn’t reveal your bad behavior, but rather your professionalism. For instance, you can dislike it so much when you miss deadline. You understand at times is inevitable especially in a demanding work environment, but you try as much most possible, despite pressure to meet work expectation with specified timeline. Do not see a question as s an opportunity to lash out your previous employer or colleagues. This will give the impression that you are a difficult person to work with. Do not say the salary couldn’t sustain you, the job was demanding, your former boss complained too much, you were being sidelined in terms of promotion etc.
4. Why are you leaving your current job?
Whatever is the reason for leaving your current job, show the positive side of it before the interviewers. Key answers could be you want to grow your professional career, get new challenges, give back to society, etc. Do not say it is because the salary was low, there were no incentives and motivation or you were fired even whereas this might be the fact, you need not say it during interview, revealing this during interview, would give the notion that if you’re faced with the same issue you would quit the job. It’s obvious that economic factor contributes considerably in switching jobs in the Gambia, but you needn’t communicate it to hiring managers.
5. If you could start your career again what would you do differently?
This question is asked to see whether you really like your career. You need not to say a different career lest you ruin your chance of getting the job. So, your response should be you’ll do the same career again and again due to the love you have for it. Saying a different career will imply that you regretted choosing your career and you wouldn’t mind abandoning it if the opportunity prevails itself.
6. What do you find most attractive about this position?
When you’re asked the above question, you may be tempted to say salary because the position perhaps pays more than your previous job, but that’s not the right respond to this question. Also, avoid saying the proximity of the company or workplace to your house. It can be factual that the salary is more attractive than your previous job and the workplace is closer to your house, but you needn’t reveal these facts. The best answer for this is, your chance for career development in this new position, the team set up is good enough to promote creativity, you would learn a lot, and contribute to the company’s goals.
7. What do you think of your former boss?
This is a delicate question, so it’s where many job interviewees get it all wrong. It is meant to see your loyalty, temperament, communication skills and the ability to assess others. Remember in your terms of reference, it’s highlighted there that no party should speak ill of or denigrate another after parting. Therefore, speaking ill of your former boss will depict that you aren’t ethical and professional. Speaking against the person of your former boss is utterly unprofessional and a breach of the covenant made at the time of your appointment. Avoid it!
8. What is your greatest weakness?
This is double edge sword. In one hand, everyone has weakness thus, you cannot say you are without one and in other hand, mentioning your weakness in negative way may lead to devaluation of yourself. Please note, in recent times, this question appear most frequently interviews. Thus, rather than trying to evade the question, the best is learning how to answer it properly without hurting yourself. What you need to understand as an interviewee is that the weakness in question is in relation to the job. Therefore, your response should align with the question. Never say your greatest weakness is lateness and not meeting deadlines. These are not good answers and you may ruin your chance of being hired. You may say you are not good at spoken communication, but you are considerably improving on it or any other soft skill that you lack but tirelessly working on it.
About the author
Ousman Seckan is a freelance journalist and blogger. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Journalism and Communication.
You can follow him on https://www.facebook.com/ousman.seckan.9678 or https://www.linkedin.com/in/ousman-seckan-a0122319a/ or send an email to ousman.seckan@gamjobs.com