In our current economic climate, a lot of people may find themselves sitting through job interviews. Some people interview well, others can't seem to make a good impression, no matter how hard they try. A lot of the questions asked at job interviews are quite standard and a person could actually prepare for them ahead of time and even practice their answers. I think this might be helpful, particularly for someone that gets nervous in this setting.
Commonly, interviewers will ask "what are your greatest strengths?" and "what are your greatest weaknesses?" How would you answer these questions in a job interview? How do you sell yourself?
Perhaps sharing thoughts, tips and advice can help some people that will be going through this now or in the coming weeks and months! happy
[question posted by thinkingoutloud]
responses and comments:
strengths.. hmm that would be patience and eagerness to learn is my greatest asset.. weaknesses... hmmm i cant find one.. but i guess that would be my family.. since i love them so much.. if your in a job interview its better if you wont expound your weaknesses.. how you sell yourself.. you make yourself sound interesting.. and don't wait for the interviewer to ask you to expound the details that your giving her.. its already your prerogative to do so.. just be yourself and have confidence with what your saying coz they're also checking on your communication skills..:) [trendyclothes]
I agree that you definitely want to focus on your strengths and not so much your weaknesses! It would seem fine to state a weakness or two... especially if you have strong skills for dealing with them :) [thinkingoutloud]
If the manager ask me these two questions,i don't know how to answer.Just like last interview which i didn't prepare well,i was confused when i heard these questions.In fact i have no strengths.how can i answer?Should i cheat them?Of course not.I will tell them i have no greatest strengths except my good mentality and hard work.I don't hope they will be disappointed after they employ me and find i was not the one who i said. [Tinna_He]
I agree with you, Tinna_He, that it is very important to be truthful. You wouldn't want to make up answers that could jeopardize you later on. However, I'm sure you have many strengths :) I think we are conditioned not to speak or think too highly of ourselves and this may be one reason we have difficulty with these questions in interviews. [thinkingoutloud]
Well, I never get interview by someone tho but let me try my best if it fits in your questions. What are your greatest strengths?. Answer: My greatest strengths are good communication, sale and service, doing anything to make customers happy... etc. What are your greatest weaknesses are I hate to loose, How do you sell yourself? - I am a great person, both personality and attitude and I am a great and hard worker, fast learn and easy going person. [smileonstar]
smileonstar, you sound like a very confident person! That's GREAT! Something tells me that you might not be too nervous in an interview either... which is a wonderful ability to possess :))) [thinkingoutloud]
..sure.. you're right.. the most difficult question would be, "Why would we hire you?".. the interviewee should be self-confident enough to tell her capabilities and skills to impress the interviewer.. It would be a lot helpful to be yourself during interviews.. i mean, try not to get nervous and adapt yourself to the atmosphere.. Nervousness can hinder the mind from thinking clearly.. If the mind is disturbed, there will be no great ideas that will come out of it.. [raynejasper]
How true raynejasper! Being nervous really makes it so much more difficult to succeed in the interview and yet so many people can't help that. Clear thinking is certainly the path to giving good answers! [thinkingoutloud]
The first and most common question in the interview is Tell me about yourself We should always be prepared for this question.We should study our resume well before we go because the interviewer sees the resume and asks questions.We should not panic in the interview.What we don't know we should say i don't know.happyhappy [vicky30]
Oh I agree... and how I hate that question! LOL I always want to say, "What would you like to know?" - which, of course, is NOT the right answer wink Good advice to be prepared for this question, and to basically practice some answers, because it always comes up. I believe when someone asks "Tell me about yourself," they want to know what's special about you. Maybe they are hoping the answer will be intriguing and engaging enough to want to hire you! [thinkingoutloud]
ya definetly ihave not come across any interview hope looking for it in the past to get a great and good job happy mylotting [prasanna1990]
Good interview must be adequate preparation and practice to make their own Games in the interviews.You can form the following aspects to honing your interview kills: 1.The beginning of the interview when he entered a state of relaxed focus. This state is an outstanding tennis player,basketball player or figure skater at the beginning of the game have.You can at the beginning of the interview prior to the adoption of contemplation and meditation to remove the hearts of the ideas and personal considerations,focus on the interview in the current,so that you do not to fail into tense,self-blame and self-doubt state. 2.To the performance of natural This naturally comes form your pre-interview fully prepared.To show true self,showing their professionalism,and interviews are honest dialogue.Interview with your family or friends to do several mock interviews just like the final exam before the idea of the same questions that may arise. 3.To set a target of the interview To achieve as much as possible before the end of the interview to interview those who introduce their own skills,abilities,experience and achievements.If there is any misunderstanding of the place,leaving the former must clarify.If you feel that the interview did not ask that you consider very important issue,directly or indirectly,ask these questions to guide its and gives satisfactory answer.In the interview must be your own question,and ,if possible,for a second interview. 4.Clearly the problem behind the problem In fact,all the issues eventually boil down to such a question ,namely:"Why we should be your employment?"Some of the problems is actually like to know your personal life and worry about whether your family can interfere with your future work.At the time you should have the awareness to the interview to avoid causing this kink of impression 5.Immediately after the interview to interview those who send a letter of thanks Thank you must be careful to write on,this is your opportunity to promote their own once again.In the letter,you can further play you in the interview discussed the theme,offering constructive suggestions to prove that your employer is a valuable talent.Carefully written on the letter of thanks will you stand heand head and shoulders above many of those candidates. 6.Stand in the interview to consider the issue of the position. The responsibility of the major interviews,she must have chosen is one of the many candidates the best."you really have the ability to do this work?""What is your unique place?""can you melt,such as our company culture it?" These problems often linger in the minds of the interview.As a candidate,you should not only show just qualified,but also the work should go beyond the minimum standards required. 7.To frequently asked questions and answers necessary to fully prepare "Please tell us about your own circumstances(tell me about yourself.)",This is who will be asked for each interview question.Your answer should be around such a problem to start,namely:"Why we should be your employment?"Ready for the interview in detail the answer to this question,we must include your past work experience in the examples,and as for as possible with your current applications coincide with the requirements of the work.Therefore,in advance as much as possible about your job the company is essential. 8.A good grasp of their own body language. According to expert analysis,verbal language is only an expression of our need to exchange the contents of 30%--35%,while the rest rely on facial expressions and body movements to communicate.In a posture of self-confidence into the interview and to his seat,to interview persons upper body tilted slightly to show their interest and enthusiasm and maintain eye contact when they speak naturally,somewhat excited tone to show how eager you are to have the work. 9.Carefully on the issue of pay. Do not prematurely put forward their demands in order to avoid falling into the trap of pay,too high of too low to pay demands could make you not get the job work.You can ask the pay range,as far as possible to defer discussion on the issue of pay,until you have the responsibilities of the job has been well understood. 10.Avoid superfluous words Do not intentionally expose their inner world,talking about has nothing to do with the interview of the problem and events.A positive attitude about their own past experience.Even if your boss has over the past holiday,it should be possible to express your passion for his work in the past. I think if you can have a good job with this 10 points,I make sure you could cross the interview. Wish you have a good day and good luck! [guchuang]
In my own point of view, self-confident and being a good listener is very necessary when attending a job interview. Have an eye-to-eye contact also to the interviewer and presence of mind so that you can answer correctly, direct to the point and with a lot of sense@ [checapricorn]
Excellent point on the eye contact, checapricorn! I doubt that interviewers are pleased with a candidate that looks at the floor, stammers or mumbles answers... self-confidence, good posture, appropriate wardrobe, attentiveness all signal an interest in the available position. [thinkingoutloud]
sadI agree those are the most irritating and hard ball questions that most employers or interviewers usually do in finishing their interview with the applicant. if they see that he/she is not confident with their answers then they are not very much qualified. but to be honest, i prefer not to answer as i have answered them before and will answerangry only in an Interview. [Greeneagle24]
Oh sure, Greeneagle, I agree... outside of a job interview, I would hate to have to answer those questions too! I think it's difficult for many people to assess themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and to actually want to talk about those things. [thinkingoutloud]
It's not always easy to answer these questions, but I have had a standard response to this that worked well in all interviews for the last 10 years. I said truthfully what I thought was my greatest weakness at the time, in reference to the job I was applying for, and stated that my greatest strength is that I'm conscious of my weaknesses and always try to improve in that aspect. When I applied for my very first job, I still had a hard time to always see the full picture and easily became lost in details. So I said that and it got me the job and I actually really improved in that aspect. So I stuck to that strategy ever since. Before applying for a new position, I always informed myself thoroughly over what the job was about and tried to envision myself in that new position. And then I'd think about where my problems would lie to prepare for this inevitable set of questions. I think one of the most important part of job interviews is to stay honest. Don't act, don't pretend to be someone you aren't. It might get you the job, but it won't make you happy in the long run. [juleself]
You are very smart... you know your answers and they are truthful and you stick to them. I think those are all very key points to succeeding in a job interview. You also raise a very important point -- you answer the questions in reference to the job you are applying for. That's really a critical skill and probably a good part of the reason that you interview successfully :) [thinkingoutloud]
it is not easy to go on an interview. but i think just being prepared will usually help a lot to make us more self confident and do it correctly. i have been in job interview twice only in my whole life. anyways, i really admire those people who has the guts to go through many job interviews considering how nerve wrecking it is to be in an interview. [hotsummer]
Well thank you for sharing a interview question for sure you had helped some of our members here especially those fresh graduates out there. I remember I also have this questions at home I even put an answers to it so I can read it and be remember during an interview. Warnind do that memorized it when you have one as the human resources much have a doubt if you are expressing yourself or making a school report. [grecychunny26]