Most Common Interview Questions - HR Questions

Here are few most commonly asked interview questions and answers in most of the job interviews:

I never recommend having a canned response for every interview question, please spend some time getting comfortable with what you might be asked, what the hiring managers are looking for in your responses and what it takes to show that you are the right man for the job.

Can you tell me something about yourself?

(tell me about yourself)

This is probably your first and best chance to pitch the hiring manager on why you’re the right one for the job. 

First start with the present—where you are right now. Then, segue into the past—a little bit about the experiences you’ve had and the skills you gained at the previous position. Finally, finish with the future—why you are really excited for this particular opportunity.

Remember throughout your answer to focus on the experiences and skills that are going to be most relevant for the hiring manager when they’re thinking about this particular position and this company.

How did you hear about the position?

This is actually a perfect opportunity to stand out and show your passion for and connection to the company. For example, if you found out about the job through a friend or professional contact, name drop that person, then share why you were so excited about it. If you discovered the company through an event or article, share that. Even if you found the listing through a random job board, share what, specifically, caught your eye about the role.

Here's a perfect example of an interview question that only requires a short answer. All you need to do is tell the hiring manager where you found the job. Example:  “I found it on [wherever you found the job] and since I’ve been hoping to work for the company for a long time, I was excited to see the opening had become available.”

What do you know about the company?

When interviewers ask this, they aren't necessarily trying to gauge whether you understand the mission -- they want to know whether you care about it. 

Start with one line that shows you understand the company's goals, using a couple key words and phrases from the website, but then go on to make it personal. Say, I’m personally drawn to this mission because…. or “I really believe in this approach because…” and share a personal example or two. 

Why should we hire you?

If you're asked this question, you're in luck: There's no better setup for you to sell yourself and your skills to the hiring manager. Your job here is to craft an answer that covers three things: that you can not only do the work, you can deliver great results; that you'll really fit in with the team and culture; and that you'd be a better hire than any of the other candidates.

What are your greatest professional strengths?

When answering this question, be accurate (share your true strengths, not those you think the interviewer wants to hear); relevant (choose your strengths that are most targeted to this particular position); and specific (for example, instead of “people skills,” choose “persuasive communication” or “relationship building”). Then, follow up with an example of how you've demonstrated these traits in a professional setting.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hiring someone is an investment and interviewers believe that someone genuinely interested in the organization’s work will be the better hire. So, what they really want to know is whether this particular job and company is part of your career path, or whether you’ll be jumping ship in a year once you land your “real” dream job.

So how should you answer? If the position you’re interviewing for is on the track to your goals, share that, plus give some specifics. For example, if you’re interviewing for an account executive position an advertising firm, and you know your goal is to become an account supervisor, say that. And then add specifics about the sort of clients you hope to work with, which will help your answer sound genuine, not canned—and again show why this particular company will be a good fit.

Why do you want this job?

To answer this question, talk about the job — not about yourself. This is an opportunity to make it clear that you've read the job ad, thought about it and understand (or at least have an idea) what the job is about.

Interviewer: Why do you want this job?

You: It sounds like this position has a lot to do with keeping projects on track, and that's something I love to do. I want to run bigger projects that involve more than one vendor and my impression is that this role will let me do that. Am I on track with that idea?

End of Script

Whenever you can end your answer with another question, do it! That will help move the interview out of Q & A mode to become a real, live, human conversation.