Normally one of the first questions that an interviewer will ask
Important - do your homework. Look on their website and pick out 5 or 6 points you think are relevant to the company.
- How long have they been established?
- How many staff do they have?
- What are their current/ past projects?
- Pipeline?
- Where are they based? How many sites? Do they have an international presence?
By answering this question well you show a keen interest in the company.
Remember companies want to recruit people who truly want to work for them.
Make sure you have a full understanding of the role; it’s you who will be doing the job after all.
If you don’t know you’ve lost it already!
Practice running through your CV at home with a friend or a partner; focus on the relevant skills that you feel can be transferred to this role.
What are your reasons for leaving? Never be detrimental about previous jobs, always be positive about everything you’ve done. No-one likes a moaner
Watch out! These questions can raise their heads in a number of ways… don’t get caught out!
4.1 Strengths
A few examples
- Why do you think you’d be good at this job?
- Why should we choose you?
- What makes you a good candidate?
- What can you bring to the role?
All these questions are simply asking ‘What are your strengths?’
(If these come up more than once in the interview, don’t be scared to recap your answer)!
Think! What skills do you need for the job? Strengths have got to be relevant!
Examples
- Planning and prioritisation skills
- Communication skills
- Stakeholder management
- Follow up
Don’t just say them… Expand! Where did you use them in your previous employment… why were they important? How did they affect the outcome of your work!
4.2 Weaknesses
Always have some weaknesses prepared, everyone has them and some interviewers will push for answers.
The best weaknesses are ones that can also be strengths
Examples
- I’m a perfectionist
- I can be too hard on myself
- I struggle with delegation, but I’m getting better
(Remember always sandwich a weakness between two strengths! Leave the interviewer feeling that it’s nothing to be concerned about).
It’s a good idea to have a few questions to ask, so prepare some beforehand. Maybe the interviewer has sparked some questions through the interview.
Example
I have a good all-round knowledge about the role and what it entails. However, how could I expect a normal day to pan out?
(By asking this sort of question, it shows the interviewer that you are already picturing yourself in that position).
There are a few options to close an interview:
If you’re feeling confident:
- Thank you for your time, before I go may I ask if you have any reservations about my application at present?
(This allows the interviewer to let you know any concerns about your skills / experience which, in turn, gives you the opportunity to put their mind at ease before you leave the interview)
- Thank you for your time, having this interview has confirmed that this is a position that I am really interested in pursuing. Can you let me know what the next stage is? When can I expect to hear whether or not my application has been successful?
(Confirms your interest in the position)
Or simply:
- Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.