What will you do in this position? The strong link: how to answer awkward interview questions

Find out what your plans are for career growth. How long the employee expects to remain in the position.

Answer. It is worth deciding what you expect from this company: stability or development. If you are a young specialist, it is clear that you are primarily interested in development, and not in reliably “sitting” in one place. If you are already an “adult specialist” who has reached certain heights and wants to maintain them, a company that offers long-term work in one area, without moving up the career ladder, is quite suitable for you. If you raise the issue of a promotion after 2 years, you may incur the displeasure of the employer. Almost all managers are ready to develop their employees and expect to get a specialist for at least 2 years.

Question 6. "Tell me about yourself?"

The employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies

Answer. This question needs to be more specific: clarify what exactly to talk about, about your professional experience or something personal.

Question 7. "Name your shortcomings?"

The employer is trying to find out what can be expected from you.

Answer. It’s better to remember a harmless flaw that will not affect your work in any way.

Question 8. “Why did you leave your previous job?”

The employer wants to know what you weren’t happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one.

Answer. You can refer to the same responsibilities and routine at the old place, to the fact that it is geographically inconvenient, the schedule did not suit you - and it is better if all this is true.

Question 9. “What is the desired minimum and maximum salary?”

Can a company buy you and keep you for some time?

Answer. Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary.

Question 10. "Tell me about your achievements?"

Testing self-esteem and prudence.

Answer. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your qualifications, received a gold cup, mastered a new computer program, improved your foreign language level, or maybe established peace and tranquility in a rowdy office

Question 11. “How do you cope with enormous workloads?”

Most likely you are being prepared for overtime.

Answer. “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “colossal production loads.”

Question 12. “Why do you consider yourself worthy to take this position? What are your advantages over other candidates?”

Find out your strengths over others.

Answer. Name your main advantages over other applicants. At the same time he must

demonstrate your ability to persuade by emphasizing your advantages..

Question 13. “How do you imagine your position in five (ten) years?”

Answer. Describe your professional growth, note your increased potential for the company.

Question 14. “Who can I contact for feedback on your work?”

Find out your plans in the field of career, professional and personal growth, views on the company.

Answer. Must readily provide telephone numbers and addresses of former colleagues and managers. Concealing such information will immediately reveal the lack of positive recommendations or the inexperience of the applicant.

Question 15. "What questions do you have?"

As a rule, it is asked when the employer is ready to hire you.

Answer. Perhaps you wanted to clarify something about access control, the presence of a coffee machine, the number of employees, etc.

Question 16. “Describe your character in five words?”

Answer. Describe yourself in advance

Question 17. “What irritates you in people and how do you deal with it?”

Perhaps there are a number of visible shortcomings in the team.

Answer. Tell the truth, emphasize tolerance and the fact that everything has its flaws.

Question 18. “What professional achievements are you most proud of?”

Get to know the applicant's strengths better.

Answer. Perhaps a unique developed project, awards, praise.

Question 19. “Can you give examples of ideas that came to your mind and were brought to life?”

Assess your creativity.

Answer. The most significant personal projects.

Question 20. “How do you look at life: what difficulties do you see in it and how do you cope with them?”

Answer. There is no life without problems, difficulties can be overcome, a person’s fate and career are in his hands, people are friendly and ready to cooperate, a person is the architect of his own happiness. This is said by a person who takes an active life position, is aimed at success, is ready to take responsibility, successfully interacts with people and knows how to enjoy life. .

Question 21. “What attracts you to work with us in this position?”

Answer. Must provide serious and specific arguments: the desire to apply your qualifications and experience where they can give the greatest return and will be appreciated, the attractiveness of working in a strong team of professionals.

Question 22. “Will your personal life interfere with this job, which is associated with additional stress (long working hours, long or long-distance business trips, constant travel)?”

Answer. This question is often asked to women. In some companies, trying to circumvent the law, they set strict conditions, such as not having children for a certain time, not issuing sick leave for child care, not taking leave without pay, etc.

Question 23. “Name your strengths/weaknesses?”

Answer. It is necessary to focus on those qualities that best meet the qualification requirements for this position. When naming weaknesses, you need to avoid those that could interfere with future work.

Question 24. "What did you do at your previous job?"

Answer. The answer to this question requires a clear and detailed job description. Whenever possible, it is advisable to name successful projects in which you had to take part, focusing on the main achievements in your work.

Question 25. "What are the 5 main criteria for you that are the most significant when choosing a job?"

Answer. The answer options depend on the goals of each individual applicant. Answer options: “opportunity for professional and career growth, company stability, decent work motivation, friendly team, convenient location, work schedule”, etc.

Exercise:

Prepare questions for an interview for the position of manager in the reservation department of a tour operator company

Name 3 weaknesses that can be viewed from a positive perspective

Prepare answers to typical questions that may be asked during an interview.

Instructions for applicants

the site surveyed applicants and found out which questions they considered the most inconvenient. It turned out that the most difficult thing is to talk about your shortcomings and imagine your professional future - in about five years. Let's figure out how to answer tricky questions from recruiters.

The most inconvenient questions for applicants (according to a survey site)

1. Tell us about yourself...

It is believed that with the help of this question you can find out about the candidate’s priorities in life: people first of all talk about what worries them most. Olga Bezumova, recruitment manager at the personnel agency “Planet of Personnel,” says that the employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies. Elena Volkova, head of the recruiting company ABC Consulting, advises telling about a little bit of everything: both about education and hobbies. According to Yulia Tartakovskaya, HR manager at the Vokrug Sveta group of companies, this question needs to be more specific: specify what exactly to talk about, about your professional experience or something personal.

2. Tell us about your shortcomings...

The question is no longer original. You can show your sense of humor in response, but it is better to answer neutrally. “Of course, I have shortcomings, but they do not affect my work in any way,” advises Olga Bezumova. And do not reveal real shortcomings under any pretext.

3. Tell us about your achievements...

Testing self-esteem and prudence. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your skills, and received a gold cup. The main thing is not to overdo it. Of course, not everyone can boast of super-achievement. If what is written above is not about you, say that in your previous place you mastered a new computer program or improved your level of a foreign language - this is also not bad.

4. Why did you leave your previous job?

The employer wants to know what you weren't happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one. Tell the truth. But keep in mind that it is highly inadvisable to refer to bad relationships with your former boss or colleagues. One more thing: before you refer to the lack of career growth and routine at the old place, make sure that everything is in order with career growth and interesting tasks in the new company. It’s better to talk about the desire to get more in the last place, as if by the way, they say, money is not the only reason for my employment. For some reason, many employers like to think that all good employees work more for the idea.

5. What salary are you applying for? (Name your desired minimum and maximum salary)

In other words, can the company buy you and keep you for some time? Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary. “The maximum is 30%,” adds Elena Volkova.

6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

The question can be very inconvenient if you are currently applying for one position, but in the future you see yourself as someone completely different. Or you have no idea what you will be doing in at least a year. Just imagine and answer at least for yourself. Well, for HR officers, the ideal answer would be that you want to continue working on the same path, grow as a professional and move up the career ladder (a little).

7. What do you know about our company?

The question is difficult only for the lazy. You need to know a minimum about the company, at least check out its website.

8. Why do you want to work with us?

Usually this is a continuation of the question “about our company” - an attempt to completely confuse the candidate and extract from him some secret reason for employment. It’s better to keep silent about money at first. Start from afar - flatter a little: the company has been on the market for many years, and this indicates stability (this is exactly what you need), the company is a revolutionary in the market (this is exactly what you need), it is interesting to work in such and such an area, you are satisfied with the position, responsibilities , the office location is convenient and the like.

9. How long do you plan to work with us?

That is, what are your goals and motives and how sincere you are. “To answer the question, I have to work a little and understand whether I like the team, whether the tasks I have to solve are interesting, whether the atmosphere in the team is close to me. If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial,” Yulia Tartakovskaya offers an answer.

10. How do you cope with heavy workloads?

Most likely you are being prepared for overtime. Ask a counter question: “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “heavy production loads.”

An interview is a very exciting and responsible event for every applicant. After all, how you present yourself during an interview with an employer determines its outcome and outcome, as well as your successful obtaining of the desired position. Interview questions can be completely different. Most candidates now usually prepare for interviews and actively collect information about the vacancy, research the company where the interview will be held and the questions asked during the interview.

We have special services for you that will help you successfully find a job.

Based on their many years of practical experience in the field of personnel selection and comprehensive work with applicants, our specialists have prepared questions to be asked during a job interview. We tried to highlight the most common interview questions. These questions have been used for many years by HR professionals in various fields.
You will learn about what questions applicants are asked during interviews and how best to answer them. Job interview questions are constantly updated. We invite you to get acquainted with the most basic ones so that you can successfully pass the interview.

The most common interview questions

Question 1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Every interview begins with this question. You need to pay attention to important points: what kind of education you received, where you started
development of your career. Spend no more than 2-3 minutes on this story, going into detail about your functionality. Use phrases such as “our company”, “our department under my leadership”, etc. more often.

Question 2. Tell us what you did at your previous job.
Tell us about the responsibilities and achievements you had while working in your previous company. Don't say too much, only the most important and to the point.

Question 3. Why were you interested in the vacancy in our company?
The purpose of this question is whether you have good information about the company you came to for an interview. You can say that you have heard a lot about the company, how it is dynamically developing at the moment, and your professional experience can help it implement plans for further development.

Question 4. Why did you leave your previous job?

Briefly state the main reason for looking for a job. For example, this is an inconvenient location, lack of professional growth, change of management. Never scold or criticize your former leader or team, no matter how bad he was.

Question 5. What do you expect from your new job?
All applicants expect stability from a new job; this is the most important thing to say. If you dream of career growth and professional development, mention this in your dialogue with the employer. You can also note that you are looking forward to interesting and diverse work that will allow you to develop.

Question 6. What do you know about our company?

Before going for an interview, study information about the company. How many years has it existed, what is its number, and does it have branches and representative offices in Russian cities? Tell us everything you managed to find out about this company, only the most important and relevant.

Question 7. How do you imagine your first day at a new job?

This question, in fact, is not as simple as it seems. According to experts, this question is needed to find out who you are: a “process worker” or a “result worker.” “Process workers” are those who easily work with papers and documents, these are secretaries , office managers, accountants.
“Resulters” are focused on getting results. These specialists include sales managers, sales department heads, and HR managers.

Question 8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This question needs to be answered in a vague way, for example, you would like to eventually take a more responsible and serious position and have expanded functionality. Never say that you have plans to start your own business or start your own company.

Question 9. What attracts you to this position?

The answer must be reasoned and serious; answers such as “a desire to apply one’s experience,” “working for a market leading company,” “an opportunity to realize one’s professional skills in a new field” are possible.

Question 10. What is important to you in your work?
Tell us what kind of job you would like to get, what working conditions are optimal for you. Is your workplace, team atmosphere, social guarantees, etc. important to you?

Question 11. Which team is optimal for you?
Actually, this is not such a question as it seems. Very often, the candidate asks the recruiter a clarifying question about what he means. You can answer this way: “For me, a team where there is mutual assistance, help and support is optimal. My manager’s opinion about my work and a favorable atmosphere within the department are important to me.”

Question 12. Tell us about three successes and three failures in your professional activities.
Of course, you are a living person and prone to making mistakes, tell us about the 3 most significant mistakes. Mention that with experience you realized that you could have done things differently or avoided these mistakes. Tell us also about the most striking achievements in your professional career. This question has other modifications. You may also be asked whether you have made mistakes at work. This question must be answered in the affirmative. Yes, you have made mistakes, and with experience you try not to make them again.

Question 13. Tell us about your main strengths/weaknesses.
First you need to name your qualities that will help you cope with this job effectively. Never speak directly about your weaknesses. Build your answer better so as to shift the emphasis a little: when mentioning your shortcomings, supplement your answer with positive qualities that compensate for it.

Question 14. Why do you think that we should choose your candidacy?
Describe your advantages, emphasize your relevant work experience and your desire to develop, professionalism, and ability to perform your work efficiently and in a short time.

Question 15. How long do you plan to work in this position without advancement?
This question must be answered honestly, depending on what you expect from this organization. Any company is ready to consider a working employee for another, higher position in 2 years.

Question 16. What do you do in your free time?
Tell us about your hobbies, how you spend your days off, how you relax. Tell us that you like to read professional literature and are interested in active sports. This option is a win-win for any interview.

Question 17. What was the last book you read?
You may be asked about the last book you read or about the book you are currently reading. Or about your musical preferences, for example.
It is better that you answer immediately. This question is aimed at clarifying the candidate’s general level of development and desire for self-development. If you name one professional book and the other fiction, this will only be a plus for you.

Question 19. When can you start work?

If you need time to think about the employer's offer, say so. Notify your employer if you need to work 2 weeks at your previous job. If you like the proposal, you can say that you are ready to start working at any time.

Question 20. What questions do you have?

You should definitely ask questions to the interviewer. Ask about your responsibilities, the job itself, and the number of employees in the department. The question about career growth should be asked carefully; perhaps the position does not imply this or there is no opportunity for career growth in the company. Find out about motivation, social package, normalized working hours. You must be sure that when you start working you will not be disappointed in this company.

There are a lot of sample interview questions. We really hope that our article about what questions are asked during a job interview will help you prepare for the upcoming interview. You will learn how to answer interview questions and what you should pay special attention to.
We recommend preparing for each interview and studying information about the vacancy and company,
to which you were invited.

Each of us may be confused by different questions during an interview. And before moving on to the most common ones, let's start with a general recommendation. If you feel uncomfortable and the question you were asked seems too personal or completely irrelevant to a specific position, clarify why you are being asked - find out the motives. Perhaps it is really important for a potential employer for some reason. As a rule, after explanations, it is easier for candidates to answer the question. And remember that you can always end the interview. If the interviewer's approach seems inappropriate to you, it may not be the company for you. Only you can decide where the boundaries of your personal space lie.

1. How long do you plan to work in our company?

It is best to answer that you are committed to long-term cooperation and changing your place of work every year is not part of your plans. In the context of this question, you can clarify what the career ladder looks like in a company; this will help you better understand the prospects for development and growth within a particular company.

So, for example, one of the applicants answered this question that at the previous stages of the interview he learned what the career ladder looks like in the company, and based on the information received, he told how he sees his future. This means that the candidate has collected information about the company, thereby taking a proactive approach, and is committed to long-term cooperation.

2. What is your current income level?

Many people find this question inconvenient. In general, you can choose not to respond by citing your company's privacy policy. But this may lead the interviewer to believe that you are overstating your expected income. You can answer it in a veiled way: focus on your expectations when moving to a new place, and note that this is, for example, 10-15-20% higher than your current level.

You can always find the correct wording, which, on the one hand, will not be a direct answer to the question, but on the other hand, will guide you according to your salary expectations. For example, you can refer to the fact that you analyzed the market and found out what the average salary is for specialists in your position. To summarize, say that you would be satisfied with this figure.

3. Tell us about your manager

Answer this question carefully, regardless of your relationship with your manager. Try to give constructive feedback based on professional rather than personal qualities. In general, I recommend avoiding excessive negativity in interviews regarding your manager, colleagues, and clients. This will definitely not benefit you.

So, once during an interview, a candidate told horror stories about his current manager in great detail and for a long time. He described what intrigues his boss was plotting for him, since he saw him as a competitor. According to the candidate, the envious boss deliberately did not let his subordinate's ideas and projects pass by and turned the team against him. But, firstly, he spent about 10 minutes talking about his leader: believe me, this is a lot in an interview format. Secondly, he was not aware that the interviewer knew his boss well and was also aware of this situation, which strongly did not coincide with the candidate’s version.

4. Do you want to take my place/position?

The question is provocative. On the one hand, if you answer that you don’t want to, you may seem unambitious. And this quality is important and critical for some positions. On the other hand, answering directly “yes” is also dangerous. After all, you don’t know for sure why the potential manager is asking you this question. I recommend answering carefully, for example, yes, your position is interesting, and I would like to take it in N years; I don’t think that we will have a conflict of interest, since by this time you will already occupy a clearly higher role.

Just recently I was looking for a senior lawyer for a large company. At one stage, the head of the legal department asked the candidate if he wanted to grow within this company to become a manager. The candidate wanted to, but was embarrassed to voice it, because he was afraid that the current manager might regard this as a desire to sit on him. The candidate was rejected: it turned out that the manager was planning to leave this company in the near future and was looking for a senior lawyer with a subsequent transition to his role, so candidates who were not ready to take such a position and did not have such ambitions were not suitable for him.

5. Tell us about your parents/family

During one of the interviews, the CEO of a client company asked the best candidate (a 30-year-old young man) a question about who he lives with. The candidate honestly answered that he lives with his parents. The general was surprised and asked why he, who positions himself as an adult and independent person, lives at the age of 30 with his parents.

The candidate reacted with humor, said that he often asks himself this question, and somehow laughed it off. The important thing is that he did not become irritated and succumb to provocation. By the way, in the end we chose him. Humor and healthy irony - this, as it turned out, was what the general expected from our candidates, and not individual apartments and mortgages, as it might seem at first glance.