Don’t get caught without an answer. Come to the interview prepared with these suggestions.
It’s perfectly normal to be both excited and nervous about your big job interview, but sometimes your nerves can get the better of you when the interviewer throws a curveball your way. We’ve rounded up 10 common interview questions and suggested responses so you can feel confident about providing clear and succinct answers.
1. “Tell me about yourself.”
This is often the first question posed during an interview and it’s the perfect opportunity for you to tout your professional accomplishments — not to tell your life history. Your response should be a quick rundown of your qualifications and experience. Talk about your education, work history, recent career experience and future goals.
Suggested answer: “I graduated from University X and since then, I have been working in public relations with an agency where I have generated millions of PR hits for my clients. While I’ve enjoyed working on the agency side, I’m looking to expand my horizons with a corporate PR role.”
2. “Why did you leave your last job?”
This is your chance to talk about your career goals, not to badmouth a former boss or give a laundry list of reasons for your exit. Instead, focus on the skills you learned in your previous role and how you are ready to flex those muscles in a new position.
Suggested answer: “While [company X] provided me a tremendous amount of experience for which I am grateful, it isn’t an ideal fit for me creatively. My experiences have taught me what to look for in my next role so it would be a better fit.”