Typical interview questions and approaches
During an interview, you will be asked a range of questions that relate to the selection criteria. The questions will elicit information about your potential to do the job by verifying and expanding on the information you have previously provided to the employer, either through a verbal interaction or in the form of an application. The questions may be based on your past performance, hypothetical problem solving scenarios or case studies, interest in the job, knowledge of the organisation, ethics and commitment to the industry area. Usually the interviewer will phrase questions in an open format to give you an opportunity to make a case for yourself. They will sometimes follow up with probing questions to delve further into your responses. Some examples of commonly asked interview questions are outlined below.
- Why did you decide to apply for a position in this field? What do you aim to achieve through a career in this field?
- What do you want to be doing in your career five years from now?
- What do you think is the single most important issue impacting on the … industry at the present time?
- Why should we hire you? What makes you a good applicant for this position?
- What have you learned from some of the jobs you have held? Which did you enjoy most and why?
- What is your major weakness?
- Tell me about a successful team project that you have been involved in. What made it a success?
top of page1. Why did you decide to apply for a position in this field? What do you aim to achieve through a career in this field?
The interviewer is trying to ascertain your reasons for pursuing a career in this area; what attracts you to the job and what your career needs are. Your responses will be analysed to see if your interests match the needs of the organisation, and if your short and long-term career goals and expectations will be met by the vocation in question.
Whether your answers match the employer’s requirements will depend on whether you have a good understanding of the vocation: research is paramount in being able to convey your knowledge and genuine interest to a potential employer. Uninformed applicants who have not gathered the relevant information will find it difficult to provide the interviewer with adequate answers.
2. What do you want to be doing in your career five years from now?
This question is aimed at the commitment of the individual to the vocation and seeks to ascertain if you intend to pursue other career options. Most organisations that recruit graduates invest a substantial amount of time, effort and money into their professional development, so evidence of a medium to long-term commitment to the organisation is sought. It is important for applicants to have an understanding of how they generally intend their career to develop.
The recruiter will try to cull those applicants who might be just looking for basic experience before moving into another field. Answers such as “I’m not sure” or those that reel off a list of other options may indicate that the person isn’t really committed to the profession. Impressive answers include “I definitely intend to get into this profession and will continue searching out opportunities until I am successful in obtaining a position in this field.
3. What do you think is the single most important issue impacting on the … industry at the present time?
These questions are designed to test your knowledge of the field and your ability to think logically to solve a problem. Take your time when formulating your answers to ensure that you have thought through all the relevant points and options. Your response should include an action plan, with prioritised steps for its implementation. For example, “How would you go about addressing this issue? How would you approach the problem of…? What things would you take into consideration?”. With most of these questions, there will be no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is more interested in your approach and thought processes when working through the hypothetical problem than your ultimate conclusions.
4. Why should we hire you? What makes you a good applicant for this position?
These direct questions will test your knowledge of the job requirements and the attributes expected of the person in the role. You need to highlight your main achievements and provide specific examples that demonstrate the skills and qualities you have acquired which are necessary for the work. Being concise in communicating this is a challenge - you don’t want to ramble on about every selection criterion that you know about. Try to think about how you stand out from your competition and the unique experiences that you’ve had that illustrate why you’re a good applicant.
5. What have you learned from some of the jobs you have held? Which did you enjoy most and why?
Most older graduates will have a portfolio of previous employment to refer to in answering these questions. Many younger graduates will have also gained some work experience perhaps in sales, gardening, hospitality, administration or the industry they aspire to. The recruiter is interested to know what you have learned from your previous experiences. They are also interested in whether you can identify your workplace preferences, and in how you work with and without supervision, as part of a team and within a high-pressure environment.
6. What is your major weakness?
This question often stuns the most prepared applicant. The recruiter is seeking an indication of the area in which the person feels they are in need of development. If the individual admits a significant weakness in an area where the employer requires strength, they will have little chance of success. For example, a person attending an interview for a marketing role who says he/she isn’t very good dealing with people will have little chance of success, because they are not displaying the qualities sought after.
Don’t openly admit in a single negative statement that you have any major weakness.
Explain that you are very keen to further develop your skills in a particular area - whatever you feel is appropriate. You might indicate that you have already begun to engage in the required training to enhance your skills. In this way the statement is a positive one, which acknowledges that you:
- recognise your own strengths and weaknesses; and
- are prepared and keen to work on those areas in need of development.
Someone who answers this question with "I don't have any weaknesses" or "I don't know" indicates a lack of self-awareness and knowledge about their own limitations.
7. Tell me about a successful team project that you have been involved in. What made it a success?
This is an example of a ‘behavioural interview’ question which is similar in purpose to the previous question regarding weaknesses. The employer is looking for evidence of your contribution to a team effort. They will be interested to see if you can demonstrate the attributes required for being a good team member or team leader. Desirable qualities include empathic communication, a shared purpose and desire to succeed, and the ability to contribute towards obtaining the best possible results from a team pursuit. Your interpersonal skills and approach to problem solving will generally be a part of team functioning and of interest to the employer. Your response should emphasise what you did to assist the group.Useful links
Websites with examples of commonly asked interview questions with some offering the option to practice responding.
| Example | Website |
|---|---|
| mycareer.com.au/advice-research/interview-common-questions.html | http://mycareer.com.au/advice-research/interview-common-questions.html |
| seek.com.au | www.seek.com.au/career-resources/ |
| Virtual Interview | tools.monster.com/archives/virtualinterviews/ |
| 109 Interview Questions | www.quintcareers.com/interview_question_database/interview_questions.html |
| Interview Questions & Responses | www.quintcareers.com/interview_question_database/interview_questions_database.html |
Resources
- Wise Up For Work publication (see Page 41)
- Resources in the blue Preparing for Work section of the Careers Resource Centre