During this episode, I will show you a simple, 4-step approach to identifying questions you might be asked during your upcoming interview.
Transcript
Hi everyone, and welcome to today’s episode, during which I will show you a simple, 4-step approach to identifying questions you might be asked during your upcoming interview. Now, it is impossible to predict the exact questions you will be asked, since every company may choose a different approach to interviewing. However, hiring decisions are usually based on 4 factors: the value you can create for the company, your motivation, the cultural fit and the likability factor. So, let’s look at each category to help you identify what you need to prepare. I also recommend you check out our digital coaching app, which can help you identify relevant questions based on your background and the job you applied for.
Step 1: Questions to determine the value you can create
Employers hire people because they expect them to create value for the company. So, you can definitely expect questions to determine how you can use your skills and experiences to deliver concrete results. And often, interviewers use three different kinds of questions to do this: questions about your background and past experience, technical or domain-specific questions and behavioral interview questions. To identify what you might be asked during the interview, start by going through the job description and highlighting the role’s main responsibilities and the skills and experiences needed to deliver what is expected. Based on this analysis, you can identify the questions you might be asked for each item on your list. For example, suppose you applied for a front-end software developer role. Then, it might be a good idea to prepare an answer to the question, “Tell me about your technology background.” And if it says in the job description that they are looking for an innovative person with excellent problem-solving skills, it makes sense to add a question like “What is the most innovative idea you have had to solve a challenging problem?” to your list. And if the role requires in-depth knowledge of a certain programming language, make sure you can explain its main concepts and patterns.
Step 2: Questions to determine your motivation
Hiring managers want to ensure the person they employ has the right motivation for the job, because even if a candidate has all the desired skills and qualifications, they will not perform well and stay long-term if they are unmotivated. So, you should always expect questions like “Why are you interested in this role?” and “Why do you want to work at our company?” Now, if you have changed jobs often, you should also be prepared for questions such as “Why are you leaving your current position?” or “Where do you see yourself in five years?” And if you applied for a job in a new industry or a new role, your interviewer might ask “Why are you interested in this career change?”
Step 3: Questions to determine if you are a good cultural fit
The interviewer also wants to ensure that your values align with the company’s and that you share its vision and mission. So, do some research on their website to read about their culture. Then, ask yourself what their values mean to you and identify examples where you demonstrated them in the past. For instance, suppose one of the company values is integrity. Then, you should be ready to answer questions like “What does integrity mean to you?” and “Tell me about a time you had to show integrity.”
Step 4: Questions to determine your personality
Even if this is more subconscious than conscious, the likability factor often plays an important role in hiring decisions. The hiring manager simply wants to ensure they employ a person they anticipate to be easy to work with and manage. They might ask questions such as “Tell me about yourself” or “How would you describe yourself?” to get a first idea about who you are as a person. Other common questions are “What are your weaknesses?” or “Tell me about a time you failed.” But don’t be scared; these questions are usually not asked to find reasons for not hiring you but, rather, to determine if you are self-aware and willing to work on yourself. And one final recommendation regarding these questions is to give honest and genuine answers. I know, for example, that many online resources suggest using weaknesses that can be turned into strengths. But the problem is that these answers don’t help you build trust and connect with the interviewer, because they are overused and not genuine. Tune in to my other episodes to learn how to answer these questions best without creating any red flags for the interviewer.
These were the 4 steps to determine what questions you might be asked during an interview. It is more work than googling the most common interview questions, but it is worth it because you will be better prepared if you base your list on the specifics in the job description and the company’s culture. You can also click on the link in the episode description to start a free trial of our digital coaching app, which shows you some of the most relevant questions based on your background and the job you applied for.
That’s it for today. Thanks for listening, and I hope this was helpful to you.
