Job interviews: questions and responses | Sunday Observer

Job interviews: questions and responses

28 August, 2022

In my two previous columns, we discussed the importance of telephone interviews for the recruiter and the candidate, particularly the cost benefits. We have also discussed how a candidate must be prepared for a telephone interview in advance. This week, I will discuss the most likely questions an interviewer in Sri Lanka will ask, on the telephone or in person, and the reasons for such questions.

However, let us recap how a candidate should prepare for a telephone interview. A job interview is serious, and the candidate must be conscious of the importance of such a conversation. Candidates apply for a new job because either they need a job for the first time or they need to change their existing one. Whichever the reason, they expect a positive result and to secure the job. Usually, there are multiple competitors for a job, and you have to beat them all by merit to succeed.

Hence, the more time you spend preparing for the interview, the better your chances of sailing through it successfully. When you know more about the employer’s organization, its products, and services, you feel more comfortable and confident speaking with the interviewer. Unlike in the old days, currently, candidates can gather ample information online through organisational websites and other platforms.

Usually, in Sri Lanka, after the preliminary pleasantries, the interviewer requests the candidate to describe himself by saying “tell us about yourself.” Usually, interviewers ask this to break the ice and make the candidate feel more comfortable. First and foremost, the candidate must realise that this is the best opportunity to impress him in the first instance, which can run through the entire conversation.

Positive points

The recruiter will instantly fathom how confident you are about yourself. Keep in mind that experienced interviewers will not only appreciate your confidence but also, in their mind, they will add immediate extra positive points to their appraisal. At least in your mind, as this is an inevitable question that pops up most frequently and because of the overall impact it may have on the interviewers, it is best to formulate an effective answer and practise it multiple times, at least in your mind. A small, inconspicuous note will definitely be immensely helpful. However, if you are on a telephone screening or interview, you can keep the notes in front of you and answer more effectively.

It is best to respond by using the present-past-future formula to share key job-related background information. You can begin with where you are now by giving the current status and a brief account of the duties and responsibilities. More importantly, when you speak of the past, you can emphasise experiences relevant to applied employment.

At this point, you can also talk about personal traits that may be use ful for performing the job. For example, if you are interviewed for a customer service-related job, you can discuss your natural cheerfulness, your likeness to a fast-paced environment, or your friendly disposition towards others. You can finish by stating your intention of learning the trade more and your ambition to move up in your career. It is also prudent to discuss your personal details, such as hobbies or voluntary work, to show your humane side.

Another likely important question that almost all interviewers invariably ask candidates is “What are your strengths”? How you respond to this question is as important as the first one where you describe yourself to the recruiter. A salient factor every candidate has to keep in mind is that your skills or subject knowledge can be effectively inculcated through proper training. Yet, your personal strengths are completely subjective. Hence, the primary aim of the interview is to establish your inner strengths and how effectively they will align with the needs of the employer.

Research

Your response to this question will help the employer decide whether you are the best match for the job. Therefore, it is important to show the interviewer that you have the qualities the job requires and that your response must be in line with the company. Good background research will tell you how to prepare for this important phase.

However, this is not a situation to be completely humble. Hence, whilst avoiding unnecessary exaggeration, you must confidently enunciate that you are the best among all the candidates the interviewer will consider for the job. A very important factor to remember in this is that the candidate must not be boastful, arrogant, or dishonest.

Followed by the question on your strengths, most likely, the interviewer will ask you, “What are your weaknesses?” As an interviewer in my long career in sales, in numerous interviews I have carried out, many candidates answer this question vaguely and weakly. Mostly, they are not prepared and either say that they have no weaknesses or they cite irrelevant points. Of course, it is a very tricky question in an interview and naturally puts candidates in a stressful situation. Nevertheless, this is a question that needs a compulsory response. By asking this, the interviewer intends to understand how genuine you are in your response and whether you are willing to learn new tasks.

Therefore, it is important that you respond very carefully. For example, if you say that you have no weaknesses, it means that you are overconfident and the management will have issues when you are recruited. On the other hand, if you provide a long list of personal weaknesses, you will be disqualified due to incompetency.

The candidate must answer with authentic answers tailored to his own circumstances whilst being honest without going overboard with his own weaknesses.

Weaknesses are negative factors most of the time, but they can be turned into positivity if a conscious effort is made. The candidate can nullify the negativity of the response by turning the negativity into a positive one.

Authentic answers

In most cases, job interview questions fall into three distinct categories: knowledge, skills, and abilities. Just as responses to subjective questions such as strengths and weaknesses must be well thought out and done cautiously, Therefore, it is good to practise your answers well ahead of the interview day.

The questions about your skills and abilities are quite simple compared to some other interview questions. These are the kinds of questions that interviewers ask to gauge your potential. Assume that if interviewers inquire about a certain skill, it is because the job at hand requires it. But do keep an eye on what’s going on beneath the surface.

Always consider the rationale behind the interviewer’s question before answering, although you have to grasp it within a few seconds. For instance, a question regarding how to explain a complicated topic to a layperson audience may test both your knowledge of the subject area and your communication skills.

However, an important factor to keep in mind is that you must never be dishonest during an interview. If an interviewer asks you a specific question about your skills and abilities, and if you do not have them, you must be completely truthful. Also, avoid jargon or unnecessary exaggerations of your abilities.

What we have discussed above are a few possible questions an employer will ask at a job interview. As you are looking for the best opportunity, the employer is also looking forward to recruiting the best available candidate. Therefore, it is up to you to beat your competitors and appear better than they are by successfully answering the interviewer’s questions.

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