This might seem like a less important interview question, but don’t be fooled. And never answer with ‘no’! This interview question is actually one of the most important ones to prepare for, because it allows you to demonstrate your interest in the role and the company – while also assessing if you really want to work there.
In an interview, there are a few questions we can almost guarantee you’ll be asked, and “Do you have any questions for us?” is one of them. That means you can take time to prepare a great response – one that helps you demonstrate your passion for your work, your interest in the company and your understanding of their challenges and goals.
The questions you ask in response could focus on a wide range of areas, such as:
The company and its future direction
The industry
Competitors
Recent news or events
The department’s direction and how it fits with company strategy
Why the incumbent is leaving (or where the work has come from for a newly created role)
The expectations of the role and how success is measured
Scope for future expansion
Company culture
The recruitment process timeline and/or next steps
Think about what matters most to you, as well as how you can effectively demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role. Below are some example questions to get you started.
What’s it like to work here? This is a fairly broad and open question; however, it can often be very revealing. If the interviewer gets a little defensive or guarded, it may suggest you need to explore further.
How would you describe your culture? Most interviewers should be prepared to answer this question. Cultural fit is becoming more and more important for recruiters because companies recognise it as being integral to job satisfaction and employee retention. By asking the question, you’re showing that it’s an important consideration for you too.
How did the role become vacant? Why did the incumbent leave? This question can uncover some interesting insights into the workplace, the challenges of the role and the workplace culture.
What is your leadership style like? This would obviously only be relevant if your reporting manager was the interviewer, but you could also ask an independent recruiter if they know much about the manager’s style. This question can provide insight into whether or not their style will work well for you.
What do you expect from your direct reports (or from me, if I’m successful)? This question (like the previous one) lets the interviewer know that relationships and performance expectations are important to you. It is also a fairly open question, which allows for varied responses – again providing a useful indicator for you to assess personality and cultural fit.
What are the critical challenges of this role? The way the interviewer answers this can provide some really important insight. You might think you know what the focus of the role is – but by asking about the challenges, you can sometimes learn far more about the most important aspects. The answer should give you a good indication of what’s valued most across the different areas of responsibility, which a role description can’t really provide.
What are the hours and remuneration? This should have been explained by the recruiter prior to your interview. However, don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions if you’re unclear on any aspects relating to remuneration, hours, travel and workplace policies. Don’t appear overzealous in your line of questioning, particularly around flexible hours and perks, but it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into.
Topical questions: demonstrating your knowledge of the company
In addition to the questions above, you should do some research about the company to learn as much as you can about recent announcements, news and other company happenings. This will enable you to ask some topical questions, which could focus on:
Strategic direction
Threats and opportunities
Competitive activity
Operational issues
Progress on specific projects
These types of questions are especially relevant if your potential new role is likely to be involved in any recently announced projects or initiatives.
You could also ask more technical questions about current projects where appropriate, but be careful not to pass critical comments about how the company is managing them. This could appear presumptuous or arrogant and might put the recruiter off.
Answering the question “Do you have any questions for us?” is a great opportunity to get a better feel for the role, and to show the interviewer that you’ve done your homework. Be honest and authentic, while staying positive and enthusiastic about the job, and be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare!
Do you struggle with nerves during interviews? For help building your confidence, making a great impression and increasing your interview success rate, see our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
Hypothetical interview questions put you in an imaginary situation and ask how you’d react. They are similar to role plays. Interviewers ask these types of questions to assess your problem-solving skills, how quickly you can think on your feet and how clearly you express yourself. Questions will often begin with “Imagine you are…” and are designed to assess your thought process rather than extract ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers.
These questions also help recruiters put candidates on an even playing field, since the same hypothetical situation can be proposed and candidates’ answers can be assessed against each other.
How to prepare for a hypothetical
You might think it would be difficult to prepare for hypothetical questions, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Questions usually revolve around solving a work-related problem, so it can help to think about possible issues that could arise in the role you’re applying for. Depending on the role, the question might focus on:
Resolving a customer complaint or issue.
Addressing a case of employee theft or misconduct.
Getting to the bottom of employee conflict.
Missing an important deadline.
Dealing with an aggressive customer.
Working with team members who aren’t pulling their weight.
Being passed over for promotion or additional responsibility.
Once you’ve come up with some potential situations, the next step is to think about how you’d resolve them and why you’d take that approach. Drawing on past experience to describe a similar situation you’ve faced and how you reacted is a good way to respond. This shows the interviewer that you’ve ‘been there, done that’ and worked successfully in a similar scenario. You also shouldn’t be afraid to mention things you wouldn’t do.
Tips for answering a hypothetical question
Don’t feel pressured to rush your answer: Take a few seconds to gather your thoughts and resist the temptation to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. The interviewer is testing your problem-solving skills and wants to see reasoned thinking.
Clarify if you’re not sure: Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you need further explanation. Asking a question or two can also buy you a little thinking time.
Stay on point: Try not to ramble or go off on tangents. Tell your story in a structured way, with a beginning, middle and end. Come to the conclusion naturally with a clear description of your desired outcome or result.
Don’t think there is a definitive right answer: Discussing your approach – where you’d start, what you’d think about, who you’d talk to, what steps you’d take, etc. – is sometimes better than trying to provide an answer or resolution. The interviewer isn’t necessarily asking you to solve the problem for them – they want to know how you would approach it.
Use your own history: Consider preparing some examples focused on common skills such as problem solving, communication, people skills and customer service, as well as general challenges you’ve faced. When a question is posed, you may be able to draw on one of your prepared examples and adapt it to suit the hypothetical situation. You can then say “I actually faced a similar situation and was able to do XYZ.” Again, this shows that you have relevant experience.
It might seem impossible to prepare for hypothetical questions, but by analysing the job description, you can get a sense of what an interviewer might ask. What are the focus areas for the role? If it’s heavy on customer service, you might be asked how to resolve a complaint; if deadlines are important, you may need to explain how you’d handle a missed deadline; if you’re leading people, you might have to discuss handling a conflict. Take time to prepare some thoughts and examples, and boost your chances of success.
The way organisations hire employees is constantly evolving. The job interview process is significantly different from what it was 10 years ago, and we’re betting it will be vastly different again 10 years from now. While many recruiters agree that the traditional face-to-face interview is still an essential part of recruitment, some say there are better ways.
Here are six types of job interviews you might experience, with an overview of what to expect and some tips on ensuring success.
Interview Type 1: Assessment centre: This is an extended period of interviews, tasks and assessment exercises, organised by recruiters for groups of candidates. This format is often used for graduate roles where an employer is looking for a larger cohort of candidates. It’s also often used for call centres or project-type roles where a group of people need to be hired for the same type of role starting on the same date. An assessment centre is usually run over several hours – sometimes up to a day – and includes several components such as a presentation from the employer, group exercises and problem-solving tasks, individual exercises, aptitude/psychometric tests, a one-on-one interview, role-plays and simulation exercises.
Assessment centres are a reliable way for employers to gain a well-rounded picture of you as a candidate. To stand out in this type of interview, it’s important to remember that you are constantly being assessed. Interact with others and get involved with the activities, but be yourself and be careful not to dominate situations. Prepare by reading any information the employer sends, practising any parts you can, and making sure you’re well rested – they can be mentally tiring!
Interview Type 2: The sequential interview: This consists of several interviews in succession but with a different interviewer each time. These can also be tiring, not to mention repetitive. Even though you will be interviewed by different people, you may be asked the same questions. Alternatively, each interviewer may ask questions to test different sets of competencies. No matter how many times you have to repeat yourself, be consistent and enthusiastic each time. Gather as many details about the overall process and your interviewers beforehand. If you know the names of your interviewers, prepare a couple of questions relevant to their area of expertise.
Interview Type 3: Problem-solving or case interview: Employers use this style to test candidates’ analytical ability and communication skills. In this type of interview, you will be presented with a problem to solve. You’re not necessarily expected to arrive at the ‘correct’ answer. The interviewer is more interested in your thought process and how you reach your conclusion. They will be assessing your ability to break a problem down and think logically under pressure to solve it. These types of scenarios can also be included in assessment centre format (see above) where you might be expected to solve the problem as part of a team.
Interview Type 4: Panel interview: A panel interview is where one candidate is interviewed by several individuals, and it’s used when an employer wants multiple opinions on who to hire. Panel interviews vary in style, but they’re generally quite formal and will probably include behavioural based questions. Try to remember each interviewer’s name and use it throughout the process. When answering a question, focus on the person who asked the question, but make eye contact with the others. If two or more interviewers ask a similar question, be patient and simply restate your answer using slightly different phrasing.
Interview Type 5: Soft-skills assessments: Personality profile tests have been used by recruiters for many years now. Other tests that measure attitudes, people skills, social skills, emotional/social intelligence and other desired qualities are also becoming more common. These comprehensive tests provide a more realistic view of a candidate’s personality than a recruiter can get from a traditional interview. Some employers will create an ideal employee profile based on high-performing current employees, then use that to assess and rank candidates. You will often be asked to complete these tests online before other evaluations, because this allows organisations to assess larger numbers of candidates faster. In other scenarios, your soft skills may be assessed in person. It’s difficult to ‘practise’ acing a soft skills assessment. Understanding what soft skills are required for the role and highlighting your capacity in these areas during the interview is key. Being able to cite examples demonstrating your competence is helpful. Think about projects or examples where you’ve demonstrated strong communication, critical thinking, decision making, time management, team work, problem-solving skills, and the like.
Interview Type 6: Informal interviews: These aren’t especially new but they’re rising in popularity. Casual settings put people at ease and many recruiters believe they provide a more realistic snapshot of a candidate’s personality than traditional interviews. For example, inviting a candidate out for coffee or lunch and then watching how they interact with waiters or assessing reactions to certain situations can present a truer picture of personality, tolerance, resilience and ability to handle problems. Prepare for this type of interview in the same way you would a traditional interview. Research the company and its products and services, challenges, achievements and competition. Be ready to discuss your background, accomplishments and long-term goals and have some examples or success stories prepared that relate to the role.
There is no doubt that the job-interview process is changing, thanks to new approaches that help organisations get to know candidates better, measure skills more objectively and make smarter hiring decisions. Understanding the different types of job interviews and what to expect is your first step to success.
Do you feel ready for the different types of job interviews conducted today? If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
Interview questions come in all formats. A recruiter will often see you as a stronger candidate if they believe you’re genuinely interested in the company. When you’re asked “What do you know about our company?” – it is the ideal opportunity to demonstrate your interest, and being well prepared will help you do it well. If you don’t answer well, the recruiter might assume you’re not really interested in the job.
To prepare your best possible answer, do as much research as you can about the employer, the role, the industry, employees and even the interviewer. Below are the things you should focus on.
The employer: Explore the company website to understand exactly what the company does. Research products or services, size (revenue and employee numbers), locations, customers and news. Do a general Google search to see what pops up -for example, news items, client stories, reviews and competitor information. Pay particular attention to names of products or services and think about your experience using/purchasing them (if relevant). Look for a LinkedIn company profile and other social media profiles. If it’s a public company, you could review their annual report, which you can usually download from their website. Some companies may also send a printed copy of their annual report if you request it. Annual reports for all government entities can be found on the Australian Government website.
When delivering your response, it can help to discuss an example that relates to what the organisation is going through. For example, you could say something like, “I noticed you’re going through a period of rapid growth but have several changes to deal with as a result of legislation. When I was working at ABC Company, we experienced similar change in a short time-frame. While it was an extremely challenging time, it was also exciting and I’m drawn to working in that environment again, helping the organisation to transition while maintaining its sharp growth trajectory.”
The role: Carefully read the job description sentence by sentence to ensure you understand exactly what they are looking for. Then think about how to relate your experience to the requirements and discuss aspects that interest you most (focusing on the company). If you can, prepare one or more examples that demonstrate your success in each of the role’s focus areas. You can then draw on that to demonstrate your knowledge of the company and how this role might impact the company’s overall success.
The industry: Understand what market the company is in. Who buys the products or services? Research competitors and determine how this company compares in terms of size, approach and where they all sit in the marketplace. Look for reviews or threads in forums. Find out whether the industry and/or organisation is growing or declining.
The employees: To gain further insight into the company, you could also talk to current or former employees. Look to your network to see whether you know anyone who could give you some additional facts about the company – for example, future plans or upcoming projects. Research profiles of employees in similar roles to the one you’re applying for to get a feel for their backgrounds. You can do this within the company you’re interviewing with as well as its competitors.
The interviewer: Review the interviewer’s LinkedIn profile to get a sense of their background. Having something in common or knowing a small fact about their professional experience to comment on can help you form a connection and make a lasting impression. This might just set you apart from other candidates.
Answering the question, “What do you know about our company” is a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the employer and how you can help the company achieve its goals. Try to deliver your response with a focus on the recruiter, to build a personal connection, and be positive and upbeat about the company. Put yourself in the recruiter’s or employer’s shoes and help them understand the benefits of hiring you.
Do you struggle with answering questions like this during interviews? If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
The latest instalment in our ‘How to answer’ series looks at the question “What interests you about this role?” This very general question can seem tricky to answer – exactly what should you focus on? Often it’s another way for the recruiter to ask “Why should we hire you?”. It’s not enough to simply say “I’m a great fit for the role”. Instead, your answer needs to touch on your relevant abilities, skills and experiences as well as demonstrate your interest in the company. It’s an opportunity to show why you’re ideal for the job and why you’re excited about it.
You should ideally frame your answer in a way that shows enthusiasm (for the role and the company) and understanding (of the role, the company and how you can add value). It’s essential to research the company and role beforehand and have a strong answer prepared. When considering your response, we recommend you focus on three key areas: the job, the company and how you fit. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about these areas and what your answer might sound like.
The job
Talk about your priorities and preferences – identify three key things you really like about the role.
Discuss areas of the role in which you excel and support those with examples using the STAR technique. These examples should demonstrate your accomplishments and success in the context of the role you’re applying for.
Mention the opportunities the role offers to further develop special knowledge or skills.
Example: This role really interests me because I’d be responsible for X, Y and Z. In my current role, I manage X and Y, and I’ve excelled at providing X to various internal and external stakeholders. I’m keen to continue building on that success while also developing specialist expertise in the area of Z.
The company
Mention the company’s reputation or history of success (if relevant) or discuss a recent innovation.
Demonstrate an understanding or appreciation of the work culture (based on what you’ve learnt through friends, colleagues, media etc.).
Talk about a problem or issue that you know needs to be addressed (and your interest in supporting or participating in that process).
Example: I also value the company’s long history of success in the market and recent innovations that are seeing significant market share gains. I heard about the issue with distribution of ABC – I faced a similar problem in my last role, which we solved by rethinking the customer experience. I’d love to be able to contribute to something similar again.
Your fit
Compare the job description with your experience, and explain how you’ll be able to contribute, again using examples from your past to demonstrate success.
Discuss your fit with company culture.
Mention your interest in career progression (if relevant).
Talk about any experience you have with the company (for example, that you use their products or services).
Example:My previous experience and success would help me to achieve some quick wins in certain areas, including XXX. I’m also excited at the prospect of learning more about XXX. The company’s mission aligns with my own professional values and I believe I’d be a great fit culturally. I loved what I read in the recent article by the CEO about the initiatives the company is undertaking to ensure ongoing enhancement to culture and employee engagement.
As with all interview questions, remember to answer the “What interests you about this role?” question strategically and with enthusiasm. Give the recruiter something to think about – a point of differentiation from the next candidate. Work out a response that includes something about the role you’re going for, the company and your suitability, and you’ll come off looking great.
The next instalment in our ‘How to answer’ series looks at the question “Why are you leaving your current job?”. Some people dread being asked this question, but you should prepare for it since it’s commonly asked. While it’s easy to list the things you don’t like about your current role, the most effective response focuses on the positives and uses the question as an opportunity to explain why you’re perfect for the job.
This is a commonly asked question – and one that many people are unsure how to answer. The top thing to keep in mind is to make it positive yet honest. Your response should focus on the fact that you are seeking new or greater opportunities, responsibilities and/or challenges. If you’re trying to secure a role in a different industry, you should mention that and the reasons why.
If you were involved in a redundancy, say so. It’s best to be honest and simply say something like, “Unfortunately the company undertook a complete restructure and as a result of that my position was made redundant.”
Try framing your answer around the following positive reasons for moving on:
Seeking new challenges.
Desire to learn – gain new or grow existing skills and expertise.
Desire to take on more responsibility.
Changing career and/or industry.
Looking for better career growth opportunities.
Using recently completed study in a different area.
Company restructure changed your job focus and now it doesn’t align with your interests.
A need or desire to relocate.
Desire for a shorter commute to work.
When responding, be enthusiastic, gloss over negatives and use the question as an opportunity to talk about the company you’re interviewing with. Show your knowledge and understanding about the role, the company, its customers and the market. For example, “I’ve learnt a lot about XYZ at [current/former organisation] and I’d like to now extend that at a company like [new organisation]. I know [new organisation] is moving into new markets, and that really interests me since I have spent a lot of time building expertise in that area. I’d like to leverage that while increasing my understanding of …”
You could also use the question as an opportunity to demonstrate specific interest in this role by saying something like: “I’ve enjoyed working on some really interesting projects with a great team in my current role, but this new opportunity aligns perfectly with the direction I’d like to take my career in.”
Remember: answer the “Why are you leaving your current job?” question in a positive way. Be honest but look to the future. Work out a response that includes something about the role you’re going for, the market it’s in, and/or possibly the company direction. Use it as an opportunity to talk about your previous accomplishments and how you hope to build on them in the future.
Do you struggle with answering questions like this during interviews? If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
Traditional job-interview approaches can be a poor predictor of actual performance, according to some studies – so is the process set to change? From virtual reality to job auditions to a bigger focus on soft skills, find out which interview techniques are rising in popularity and what the future of job interviews looks like.
The way organisations find and hire employees is constantly evolving – it looks very different today from how it looked 10 years ago. Most global companies regularly explore new approaches, with changes in recent years mostly thanks to technology. While most recruiters agree that the traditional face-to-face job-interview process is still an essential part of recruitment, some say there’s a general bias problem that can favour charismatic interviewees. After all, some people are naturally better at selling themselves – they’re more articulate, engaging and confident – but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best person for the role.
Here are five job-interview trends that are being seen more frequently and are helping to shape the future of the job interview:
Soft-skills assessments: Personality profile tests have been used by recruiters for years. What’s emerging now are other tests that measure attitudes, people skills, social skills, emotional and/or social intelligence and other desired qualities. Candidates can complete these tests online before other evaluations, which means companies can assess larger numbers of candidates faster. Employers can also create an ideal employee profile based on high-performing current employees, then use that to assess and rank new candidates. These comprehensive tests reduce bias while providing a more realistic view of a candidate’s personality than a recruiter can get from a traditional interview.
Job auditions: This involves throwing candidates into their potential future work environment to assess how they’ll actually perform in the job. Job auditions can be conducted in different ways – one full day of work, multi-week trial periods, talent identification events – but the goal is the same. They help companies better understand candidates’ skills and traits in real-world situations relevant to the job they’ll be performing. It’s also a great way for the candidate to assess the culture and potential fit of the organisation.
Casual meetings: These aren’t especially new but they’re rising in popularity. Casual settings put people at ease and many recruiters believe they provide a more realistic snapshot of a candidate’s personality than traditional interviews. For example, watching how candidates interact with waitstaff or assessing how they react to situations around them can paint a much truer picture of personality, tolerance, resilience and ability to handle problems.
Virtual reality (VR): While relatively new technology, VR is being used across many areas of business, including recruitment. Companies use VR to measure skills, showcase their culture and appeal to younger talent. For example, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) created a Virtual Reality Career Experience that allowed candidates to get a feel for the types of projects employees worked on. It also enabled CBA to assess candidate skills. Showcased at university careers expos, it presented candidates with various challenges that required them to make decisions, all with corresponding benefits and consequences. It proved so popular that CBA created a virtual reality app and released it to the world. The British Army has also used VR to allow candidates to experience four scenarios: tank driving, parachuting, mountaineering and combat training. After testing it at various events, they saw a 66% increase in recruitment applications.
Video interviews: These have been around for some time, but with video conferencing, ‘on-demand’ and ‘one-way’ video now more widespread, more recruiters are using them. The benefits are obvious: it’s more convenient and creates more familiarity than a phone call; it lets busy passive candidates record at their convenience; it allows anxious candidates to settle their nerves in a familiar environment; it’s more efficient for recruiters to review larger numbers of candidates; and it lets recruiters easily screen remote talent. Video interviews are particularly useful for roles where communication and presentation are crucial, such as sales or account management. For example, KPMG Australia now uses one-way video interviews to more effectively screen large numbers of graduates for client-facing roles.
The job-interview process is changing, thanks to new approaches that help organisations get to know candidates better, measure skills more objectively and make better hiring decisions. But these trends don’t just benefit employers. They also mean you’re more likely to be hired into a job you really want and that you’re highly suited to. It’s a win-win. Are you ready for the job interview of the future?
If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
Our new ‘How to answer’ series proved popular last month, when we looked at how to respond to the interview question, “Tell me about yourself”. This month’s question – “Why should we hire you?” – is just as important, and can be just as tricky to answer. You’ll need to prepare a compelling summary of why they should hire you, while remaining flexible enough to think and respond on the spot.
An interviewer’s main purpose is to collect information on candidates to help make the best decision about who to hire. They may ask this question in several ways, but your response will provide the same outcome. Examples include:
Why should we hire you?
Why are you the best candidate for the job?
Why are you the right fit for the position?
What would you bring to the position?
Even if you don’t get asked this question specifically, you should try to communicate the key reasons they should hire you throughout the interview. If you are asked this question, you’ll have a great opportunity to present a concise sales pitch describing what you offer. You’re usually being hired to solve a problem or address a requirement. The better you demonstrate how you’re going to do that, the more chance you’ll have of getting the job. Follow our step-by-step process to prepare.
Create a pitch. Identify the skills, qualifications and experience you need to succeed in the role, and relate them back to yourself. Do this by reviewing the job description and highlighting key requirements, including qualifications, specialist technical skills, experience, soft skills and personality traits. Then match them with the qualities you possess. Select three of your strongest areas and make these the core of your answer. When you’re developing your pitch, focus on the positives and keep linking your response back to the company and the position.
Research the organisation. Once you’ve identified the personal and professional capabilities you need to highlight, do some research on the company. Pay particular attention to social media accounts since this is where you’ll get a better understanding of company culture. This is important because employees who are a good cultural fit are more likely to feel satisfied in their jobs. This generally leads to higher retention rates, and since recruitment is a costly and time-consuming exercise, organisations tend to hire based on shared values and cultural beliefs.
Tell stories. Stories paint a picture and a picture paints a thousand words! Rather than simply stating you have a particular skill or personality trait, support it with a story that ‘shows’ rather than just ‘tells’. For each of the points you highlighted above, think of a time you used that skill or trait to achieve a positive result. Structure your story using the STAR formula to ensure you cover all the important areas, and make sure your examples end with a positive outcome or result. (Want more tips on using storytelling to engage and persuade in the workplace? Take a look at our previous blog post.)
Think beyond the obvious. You know you’re up against candidates who are likely to be just as qualified and experienced as you, so work out what you offer that others don’t. By thinking outside the job description, you can demonstrate how you’re a better candidate. Highlighting unique traits or experiences will set you apart. This is key in a competitive job market.
Solve a problem. If you’ve researched the company well, you may identify a specific need or problem that’s driven this round of recruitment. Try to demonstrate previous success in a similar situation, or simply articulate an approach or an idea about how you’d begin to solve the problem.
“Why should we hire you?” is an important question to answer well, but try not to overthink it. While it’s a good idea to practise your pitch so you can deliver it smoothly, you don’t need to memorise it word for word or it will sound forced. Have a general idea of what you’d like to say, but remain open to addressing additional issues or information that arises during the interview. Talk for no longer than two minutes and aim to cover three main points.
Do you struggle with answering questions like this during interviews? If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
This is the first article in our brand new series ‘How to answer’, which explores the best ways to answer specific interview questions. This month we look at the recruiter’s all-time favourite, “Tell me about yourself”. This seemingly simple question can stump candidates who aren’t sure which details to share about their personal and professional background, and how much information to provide.
Our best advice for answering this question is to be prepared for it and keep your response simple and relevant. This question is often asked early on and can set the tone for the entire interview. Read on for our key tips for success.
Preparation:
If you aren’t prepared, you run the risk of rambling on without actually saying much, and skipping important details, which could jeopardise your chances. So take some time to think through your response before the interview.
Instead of just summarising your resume, go through the job description in detail and identify the skills, experience and qualifications needed to succeed in the role. Think about how your expertise relates to this job and then pinpoint ways to demonstrate capacity in those areas.
Keep your response concise by preparing a summary that you can recite in around two minutes. If you include enough topics of interest, the recruiter can ask you to expand on certain areas if they wish.
Instead of listing multiple, vague strengths, use examples to demonstrate your relevant capabilities. Short, sharp stories about what you did, how you did it and what the outcome was work well. These examples should ideally come from recent work experience, but you can also include volunteer experience or student projects or activities if necessary.
Relevance:
A recruiter or employer probably isn’t interested in your life story, but they are interested in hearing how your professional experience and background makes you an ideal candidate for the role.
Avoid mentioning personal information such as marital status, children, and political and religious beliefs. These details aren’t necessary for an employer to determine whether you can perform a role, and they can be sensitive topics that may impact an employer’s personal opinion of you. You can talk a little about personal interests, but only if it has some relevance to the role or the personal skills required to succeed.
Don’t rush into talking about what you are seeking in a role or how the company might benefit you. Save that for if you’re asked, or mention it in the final stages of the interview.
Structuring your response:
An ideal way to construct your response to the question “Tell me about yourself” is to focus on present, past and future. This will help you organise your thoughts.
PRESENT – Start talking about what you’re doing (and achieving) in your current role. List your areas of responsibility that relate directly to the role you’re applying for, and highlight recent successes. Use statistics, numbers and other hard measures of success where you can, with specific details that demonstrate the value you’re adding. You might say something like: “In my current business development manager role for <Company> I’m responsible for leading a team of four people to support a portfolio of 400 national clients. I’m accountable for achieving sales targets and KPIs, and have consistently exceeded my sales targets since starting in the role five years ago. I’ve also initiated and developed several strategic partnerships to drive industry engagement, built the team from one to four, and managed revenue growth in the region from $3 million to $5 million.”
PAST – Next, talk about what you’ve done in previous roles, again not going into too much detail but focusing on relevant experience/achievements and how you’ve grown. You might say: “Previously, I worked as an account manager for <Company> with a focus on the media and entertainment sector. I developed a fantastic professional network within some of the largest media companies in Australia, which I’d be able to leverage in this role.”
FUTURE – Finish with a statement about why you’re looking for a new role and what it is about this role that appeals. You might say something like: “I’ve been working towards a role like this for several years now. I feel I’ve gained enough success in this market to progress into a more focused account management role. I’m excited about this role at <Company> and the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with fewer, larger clients.”
“Tell me about yourself” can be a surprisingly tricky question to answer well. Remember to focus on the experiences and skills that are most relevant to the role and company you’re interviewing for. Ask yourself what you’d most like the recruiter to remember about you and focus on that. A well-thought-out answer will create a good first impression and set you up for a positive interview experience.
Do you struggle with answering questions like this during interviews? If you’d like some help preparing for a job interview, so you can build your confidence and increase your success rate, take a look at our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
Asking your own great questions during a job interview will not only give you a feel for whether you actually want to work there, but the recruiter will also think more positively of you. Formulating some questions before the interview to ensure you’re well prepared is the best approach.
Whether you’re looking for your first job, or your tenth, asking insightful questions in an interview is a must. It shows confidence, preparedness and professionalism, and is something the recruiter will be keen to explore with you.
Having a pre-prepared list is a great idea, however usually the best questions will be driven by your conversation in the interview, so don’t be afraid to jot down notes as you go. These notes will help you formulate relevant and insightful questions that relate specifically to the interview and the role. Use your pre-prepared questions as the basis – while ensuring relevance to the conversation you’ve had. Here are some questions to get you started:
Show interest: Do your homework and find out about the company. Devise questions that relate to recent news or events. Start your question by saying “I read about XYZ and wanted to find out more about how that impacts this role”.
Training & development: Ask about the company’s policy on professional training and education, formal mentoring or coaching, and attendance at workshops and seminars. Great companies want to hire people dedicated to personal and professional growth so show it’s important to you. “What opportunities will I have to learn and grow?”
Strategic plans: Ask about the company’s strategic plan, or better yet, have some idea from your research, and ask how it fits with this role/department. “What are the company’s goals for the next five years?” “How does this role contribute to that?” “What are the biggest opportunities/threats facing the company right now?”
Structure: Ask why the person is leaving the role OR for a newly created role, where the work has come from. It is helpful to know if you will be stepping into someone else’s shoes or paving your own way in a new role. It also helps you understand any career path opportunities and/or blocks. “Why is the position vacant?” If the previous employee left, ask why they left. “Did they leave for another organisation, were they made redundant or promoted?”
Culture: Ask about the turnover rate on the team or the organisation to find out if it’s unusually high (a worry)? “What is the current staff turnover rate (in the team or in the company)?” Or ask straight out “What is the company culture like? What is your favourite thing about working for the company?”
Performance: Ask about the performance review processes, and whether there are any KPIs/targets upon which the role is evaluated. “How is success measured in this role?” Find out what the role expectations are for the first 6 or 12 months. “What would you want to see me accomplish in the first six months?” “What are some of the challenges that the predecessor faced in this role?”
Your suitability for the role: Ask the interviewer if there is anything else they’d like to know about you – or whether they have any hesitations about you being able to do the job. Don’t be frightened of this one – it’s great feedback for you personally and if there are uncertainties you might be able to dispel them. “Is there anything that makes you doubt I would be a great fit for this position?”
Next steps: Ask what will happen next, how long the decision is likely to take and whether you might be required for another interview. “What are the next steps in your recruitment process?” “What’s the timeline for making a decision?”
Focus your questions on the role, company, its strategic focus, general direction and/or competitive environment – and how that impacts the role you are applying for.
Remember, you should try to ask at least a few questions to show that you’ve come prepared and are interested in the role and company. If possible, listen carefully to the interviewer’s answers and devise further questions that expand on that conversation.
Would you like some assistance preparing for a job interview, to ensure the questions you ask are insightful, positive and professional? If so, please see our Interview Training and Coaching Services.
This might seem like a less important interview question, but don’t be fooled. And never answer with ‘no’! This interview question is actually one of the most important ones to prepare for, because it allows you to demonstrate your interest in the role and the company – while also assessing if you really want to work there.