10 Brilliant Answers To Tough Interview Questions

 

1. What are you like working in a team?

Your answer is of course that you are an excellent team player –

2. What is your greatest strength?

This is your time to shine. Just remember the interviewer is looking for work related strengths. Mention a number of them such as being a good motivator, problem solver, performing well under pressure, being loyal, having a positive attitude, eager to learn, taking initiative and attention to detail. Whichever you go for, be prepared to give examples that illustrate this particular skill. 

3. What is your biggest weakness?

This is a challenging question—as if you have no weaknesses you are obviously lying! Be realistic and mention a small work related flaw. Many people will suggest answering this using a positive trait disguised as a flaw such as "I'm a perfectionist" or "I expect others to be as committed as I am.

4. What has been your biggest professional disappointment/achievement so far?

If asked about disappointments, mention something that was beyond your control. Stay positive by showing how you accepted the situation and have no lingering negative feelings. For your greatest achievement, choose an example that was important to you as well as the company. Specify what you did, how you did it and what the results were

What kind of decisions do you find most difficult to take -  There is no right or wrong answer here. The logic behind this type of question is that your past behavior is likely to predict what you will do in the future.

5. Tell me about a suggestion that you have made that has been successfully implemented.
 

You may have had many brilliant ideas, but what the interviewer is looking for is something that has actually materialized. Be prepared to briefly describe how it went from an idea to implementation stage

6.  Have you ever had to bend the rules in order to achieve a goal?

Beware of this type of question! Under no circumstances is it necessary to break company policy to achieve something. Resist the temptation to answer and give examples, as what the interviewer is looking for is to determine how ethical you are and if you will remain true to company policy

7. Are you willing to travel or relocate if necessary?

This is something you need to have very clear in your mind prior to the meeting. There is no point in saying yes just to get the job if the real answer is actually no. Just be honest as this can save you problems arising in the future

8. Why should we hire you?

This is an important question that you will need to answer carefully. It is your chance to stand out and draw attention to your skills, especially those that haven't already been addressed. Saying "because I need a job" or "I'm really good" just won't cut it. Explain why you make a good employee, why you are a good fit for the job and the company and what you can offer. Keep it succinct and highlight your achievements

9. Regarding salary, what are your expectations?

Do your homework and make sure you have an idea of what this job is offering. You can try asking them about the salary range. If you want to avoid the question altogether, you could say that at the moment, you are looking to advance in your career and money isn't your main motivator. If you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident you can get it, then it may be worth going for.

10. Do you have any questions for us? Have some questions prepared. This will show you have done some research and are eager to know and learn as much as possible. You probably don't want to ask more than three or four questions. Try and use questions that focus on you becoming an asset to the company. A generic question might be, "how soon can I start if I were to get the job." Another idea is to ask what you would be working on and how quickly they expect you to be able to be productive. Remember to ask about next steps and when you can expect to hear back. 

Source: hcareers.com