5 Interview Questions You Need to Ace

If you’ve read my book or taken my online course, you know I see interviewing as a game. Interviewing is a game of strategically placing the best stories you have as the answers to the interviewer’s questions. You need to know ahead of time the 5-7 reasons why you’ll get hired and make sure those reasons are crafted as stories or examples in how you answer the interview questions. I tell people I personally prep for interviews to have their resume in front of them and have 5-7 key words written on the corner of their resume to cue them to their best stories so they remember to use them during the interview.

With that approach in mind, there are several questions you need to know how to ace during your next interview. I give you 5 of them below as well as some tips to think about with your answer for each. 

1.    What interests you about this company and this position? 

·       Share how your professional goals align with what the company does or strives to do.

·       Explain how you see yourself as a cultural fit.

·       Be specific on how your skills and experience align with the responsibilities for the position. 

2.    What is your greatest professional weakness?

·       Name an actual weakness, but one you’ve worked to improve. Make sure it isn’t a competency that is important to the position.

·       Share what you’ve done to work on it.

3.    Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

·       Keep your answer relevant to how this position could play a part in your future goals but don’t talk about goals you have outside the company. 

·       Talk about seeing yourself at the company for the long-term in a more senior position.

4.    What are your salary expectations?

·       Respond by asking what the hiring range is for the position.

·       If the interviewer insists on an answer, make sure you have done your research on what the position should pay (payscale.com is a great site to use), and provide as high of a number in the range you researched as possible. For example, if your research shows the position should pay $50,000-$60,000 instead of giving that range, give a number that’s as high as you feel you can justify, such as $58,000. If you say $50,000-$60,000, you are telling them to offer you $50,000 max. 

5.    What questions do you have for me?

·       Use this opportunity to learn more about the company and/or the position.

·       Ask each person in the interview what’s the number one thing they’re looking for in who they hire for this position. 

I guarantee you there will be at least one person you’re interviewing against who will bring their A game. Spend the time properly preparing to set yourself up for success. There are several other questions you should be ready to answer. To learn more, check out my book or my online course.