How to Answer Commonly Asked Interview Questions

One of the most important ways to prepare for an interview is to practice what you are going to say. There are a few questions that are commonly asked in interviews and having an idea on how you are going to answer those questions can really help you to feel more confident. In this blog post, I will give some examples of commonly asked interview questions and some tips on how to answer them. 

1. How would you describe yourself?

When the interviewer asks this question they are looking for ways that you think you stand out and they are also looking to see how you view yourself. To answer this question, share two or three traits that you think make you stand out from other people who might be applying for the job. You should name traits that would help you in the role and following the examples that you give, you should also provide examples from your life that demonstrate these qualities. You don’t want to say you have qualities that you can not back up with examples.

2. Why do you want to work here?

Before you go into an interview you should always research the company you are applying for. During your research you should be able to find something about the company that resonates with your personal values, which you can include in your answer to this question. An employer asks this question because they are also looking to see if you have done any research on the company and what about the company interests you. 

3. What would you say is one of your greatest strengths and one of your greatest weaknesses?

This is a question that almost every interviewer will ask. When you are answering this question make sure to give examples of strengths that will help you in the role. To find out what characteristics they are looking for, check the job description and see if any of the characteristics they are looking for match up with your skills. Always make sure to provide examples of when you used one of your strengths in a way that helped you. For your weaknesses, choose an example of something that would not be detrimental to the job you are applying for. Also, when you give a weakness make sure that you also provide examples as to how you are working to improve this trait. 

4.  What kind of work have you done in the past?

This question is asked to get a sense of how your previous experience might relate to the position that you are interviewing for. When answering this question you can talk about any paid or unpaid work experience that you might have. It is ok if you don’t have any experience and you can be honest with the employer about that. You can say something along the lines of “I don’t currently have any job experience however I am eager to learn and gain valuable experience in this position.”

5. Tell me about a time you overcame a stressful situation

This is a good time to highlight your leadership skills and how well you work under pressure. Give a specific example of a time you  had to overcome an obstacle and how it worked out for you. If it didn't work out in your favor, explain what you might do differently next time. If it did work in your favor, explain what you did and why you think it worked. If you don’t have any experience, think about a time in your life where you had to deal with a stressful situation and give that as your example. Be careful not to get too personal.

There are many other frequently asked questions that could show up in an interview so make sure that you are doing your research before your interview. There are many different websites like LinkedIn and indeed that have a lot of different tips and tricks on how to answer interview questions and how to be better prepared. 

-Hannah Brown, Co-op Student