Personal Interview Questions

What are your strengths?

Purpose - The question is asked by the interviewer to understand your key selling point and get to know if it is relevant and helpful to handle the responsibilities that the person will handle if hired.

Note - All Most all Interviewers/Hiring people in management who assign tasks and responsibilities feel that a person is productive in work if his strength matches to the responsibilities of the role. So expect this question in most interviews. Also, be aware Strengths give clues on your interest.

Approach - Pick 2 or 3 strengths and give examples for each 1 to demonstrate how you used it in the previous job or in life. You can identify Some of your strengths from below list.
Continuous learning
Problem solving
Multi-tasking
Self learning
Flexible
Team Player
Hard working
Like Challenges
Quick Learner
Self Motivated
Communication, Oral and Written
Process Oriented
Analytical

Pre-work -Understand the job requirement in detail and get to know in advance what are the responsibilities the role you are applying and accordingly pick your strength that is relevant to the role. It would be advantageous to know the problems are issues the company is facing and what was the reason for the opening. You should be prepared for this question. It is one of the most commonly asked interview question.

E.g.: Communication and presentation - Communication and presentation is my strength.
In my previous job, I was given additional responsibilities to present and facilitate project status meetings with executive management and team building activities across departments.

Why Are You Looking For A New Job?

Purpose - This question is asked to get some insights into your personality and your relationship with your last job, colleagues and employer. So you should be careful while answering this question.

1. Never bad-mouth your former employers.
Why? It is very simple as the interviewer will envision that you will bad-mouth them when you decide to leave, and nobody wants bad rumors about themselves or their company.

2. Never bad-mouth your previous co-workers.
Why? This world is too small, your co-workers could be a friend, relative of the interviewer.

3. Never bad-mouth about the responsibilities and tasks you performed at your previous job.
Why? Thinking that the new employer would give you great responsibilities and tasks and if you give a hate speech on the previous job responsibilities and activities and to your surprise if your interviewer is thinking about similar tasks for this position, you have already given a reason to quit the new job which you have not yet got. So guess, the chances of you getting the job is Nil.

Keep the answer short and try not to disclose too much. A straight answer is best and as stated above avoid negative statements about yourself, your work, or your ability to get along with others.

E.g.
My organization was forced to downsize.

Our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.

I am looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career.

I am relocating to this area due to family ( Marriage, Kids Education etc...)

I received degree and want to utilize my new skills in this new position.

I am interested in a job with more responsibility and challenges.

I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for advancement.

If you're attempting to give an answer that is as unrevealing as possible, try something like this:

  " I have been a dedicated,loyal,hardworking employee throughout my career and nothing in my personal life-family obligations, hobbies, or volunteer work-has ever affected my performance. Nor would I ever expect it to." 

What are your weaknesses?

This is a very common interview question for many jobs across industries. Most people feel Answering strengths is easy but weaknesses is difficult. If approached the right way this question will give you chance to build trust. You have 3 options/approaches to answer this question. 

1. Deny having any weaknesses. This approach is least common and surely not the way to go.

2. Spin a Weakness into a strength. Like, "I'm a perfectionist" or "I care too much"

Note - This is very common approach and some interviewers think you are not being honest. 

3. Give an honest answer (Recommended). Answer the question honestly without shooting yourself in the foot. 

E.g. My weakness is public speaking, I am working on it. Ofcourse make sure this is not the primary requirement of the job. 

The most important thing to remember when answering this question is that it really is not about what you did wrong. It's about how you handled a difficult situation and what you learned from it. Describe your biggest failure and discuss what you've learned from it and ideally how you've been successful because of that lesson.The real reason why interviewers ask about your biggest failure is that it reveals a lot about your ability

- to take risks
- face challenges
- acknowledge your mistakes and
- learn from them.

A seemingly simple question that is often difficult to answer, it can result in a great interview going disastrously wrong.

Here "What interests you about the position offered?" is a problematic question for anyone, even the most prepared interview candidate. It is one of those questions that might decide between selected individuals who have the same qualifications and experience.

When asked "what about this job interests you", the interviewer wants to know why you decided to apply specifically for this job and why do you consider this position fitting you and your career plans.

The best bet is to take the most important element of the said job and talk about it.

For example if the job requires effective team work capabilities, you may construct your answer in this way:

Question: What is the 'thing' that interests you about this job?

Answer: One of the things that are of my best interests in this job is the opportunity to work in a team environment. I always wanted to work with hard-working, professional, experienced people. I love contributing the team effort, bringing out the best in myself and in my teammates for fulfilling our work goals and reaching top results.

I trust that I can perform great by applying sound principles of teamwork as I did in my previous jobs. I seek timely and consistent feedback designed to improve not only my performance as well but the team’s performance as well. I consult with people, try my best and treat everyone positively/equally.

Tips to follow while answering this question ::

1. Be Specific

2. Be Truthful

3. Be Real

I have always been able to perform and keep a competent work schedule that allows me to work with the same number of hours per week. Certainly, when I am working on a particularly important or difficult project, I am happy to hardly increase those hours to produce my best work.