Some job interviewers approach the interview very systematically, reading up on techniques, psychological profiling and so on. For the candidate, you must know how to answer job interview questions.
A job interview is the art of telling people what you think they want to hear. Having said that, there must be a degree of honesty here. We all exaggerate our experience and skills a bit from time to time, but remember that if you claim to have a four year track record of flying passenger airplanes, you will need to back it up later on.
To answer job interview questions is to walk a thin tightrope. The questions tend to be designed to find out lots of different information. For example, are you a good team player and do you also enjoy working alone? Do you like to lead and are you good at following instructions?
Sometimes, I have been so nervous at job interviews that I don't listen properly which make it difficult to answer job interview questions at all. In fact, the key is to swallow your nerves and listen carefully. Otherwise, you'll have to wing it. The questions are not there to trip you up, but to find out about you, and what's more fascinating than talking about yourself.
When I answer job interview questions, I try to be calm and collected. I have had some success with meditation exercises before going into the interview. Some people do the much optional technique of imagining the interviewer in his or her underwear. I tried this once and got a fit of the giggles. Unsurprisingly, I did not get the job. Try to think of it as a conversation between equals, rather than a job interview.
The bad situation in which to answer job interview questions is when you really don't want the job. In my younger days when getting a job was a case of needing cash quickly, I went for all manner of different positions.
When this is the situation, they always seem to want you to answer job interview questions like, why did you choose their particular company. You have to quickly come up with an answer. Out of all the companies manufacturing ball bearings in the world, why did I choose them. Tough one.
To answer job interview questions is an art. In the end, the only person you can be is yourself. Trying to be who they want you to be is hard to maintain, especially if it's a panel of interviewers peering at you. Each job interview gets easier. Well, it's slightly preferable to going to the dentist.
How To Answer Job Interview
The interview is very much a two-way dialog, it is an exploratory conversation where you and your interviewer are assessing each other. You will be trying to discover if job is right for you and in turn your interviewer is trying to gather as much information about you and what you bring which will allow them to make a correct decision.
As with all conversations, there are ways of communicating which work better than others and here are some key guidelines to help you give powerful interview answers. I am going to show you how to structure answers to two common interview question types so that they have maximum impact:
1. Competency Based and Behavioral Interview Questions
It is very likely that you will be asked Competency and Behavioral Interview Questions. These are relatively easy to spot as they usually start with phrases such as:
?Tell me about at time when....?
?Describe a situation....?
?Talk through a project/event...?
These questions can often seem deceptively simple however without careful preparation, it can be very difficult to give a truly effective interview answer. Many candidates tend to ramble and to overcome this, I recommend a technique called iPAR when structuring your answer.
I = means both the use of ?I? rather than ?We? and also relates to the situation where you initiated or identified a problem
P = stands for the Problem, the situation requiring attention
A = refers to the Actions you took to resolve the situation
R = refers to the Results, the successful outcome
Very importantly, when talking about the Result, quote figures to illustrate the magnitude of the success and the positive impact your actions had.
Keep this technique in mind when preparing answers and during the interview itself and it will help you to deliver a concise, focussed and interesting answer to any Competency or Behavioral Question.
2. Direct Questions
Direct questions are even easier to spot and they begin with Why, What, Where, Who etc. For example:
?What are your strengths??
Here is an easy to remember formula which is great for giving structure to your answer and which will help demonstrate your communication skills. It really is as easy as ABC:
A: ANSWER the question in your first sentence
('I have a number of strengths which I can offer in this position and three, which I believe will be of particular benefit are my ability to lead and motivate large teams, my negotiation skills and my experience in delivering complex change management programmes.')
B: Having set the scene, carry on and BUILD your answer methodically
(Give more detail which gives evidence of your ability and which re-enforces and lends credibility to your opening statement.)
C: Summary and Conclusion: CONCLUDE your answer by referring back to the role, discussing how you see yourself contributing in the job.
(Overall, I am a dedicated and experienced Manager and I believe these skills will be of real benefit in delivering excellent results, in motivating the team and in ensuring that your clients have a better customer experience here than anywhere else.)
Both Steven J. Acren & Annette Lewis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Annette Lewis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interview Questions. Annette Lewis is an accredited interviewer, job coach and career consultant. She provides free advice and help for job interview candidates at . Annette Lewis's top article generates over 3600 views. Bookmark Annette Lewis to your Favourites.
