Interview Questions – Zippia

12 Open-Ended Job Interview Questions (With Answers)

Chris Kolmar — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 21:50:12 +0000

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12 Sample Open-ended Interview Questions And Example Answers
Opened-Ended vs. Closed-Ended Questions
Most Common Topics Hiring Managers Will Ask About
Open-Ended Question Tips
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You just got a call about an interview for your dream job. Your resume is outstanding and caught the hiring manager’s eye right away. But do you really have the right stuff? How can you show recruiters that you are the perfect candidate for this role? Your future boss wants to know if your skills, experience, and personality are a fit for the role. Asking open-ended interview questions is the best way for them to see if you are a fit. Key Takeaways:

Interviewers ask open-ended questions to see how you think on your feet and how you sell your relevant skills and experiences.
Know the difference between open-ended questions and closed-ended questions, and make sure to answer each the correct way.
Make sure to use the STAR method when answering any open-ended questions.

12 Sample Open-ended Interview Questions And Example Answers

What was it about this job that interested you?

Example Answer
When I heard about this role I was really excited because it was the perfect match for my skills and experience. Your company is looking to gain more national media coverage. In my experience at my last job, I developed a PR campaign that gained national television coverage and led to many feature interviews in major print publications too. Plus, my experience within the alternative rock genre has helped me develop media contacts that could help me make your record label a household name.
Why do you feel you are a good fit for this role?

Example Answer
With ten years of experience in nonprofit, I understand the challenges your company faces. I have a proven track record of increasing donations and planning successful fundraisers.
Tell me about a situation where you had a disagreement with a co-worker and how you handled it.

Example Answer
There was a situation where I was cleaning and inspecting a customer’s jewelry. One of my coworkers showed them a watch that they ended up buying. After the customer left, I spoke to my co-worker. He didn’t realize I was working with the customer before. He offered to split the commission. It was handled fairly and discreetly after the customer left.
Tell me about a time when a co-worker was struggling. How did you handle it?

Example Answer
There was a new part-time employee. I saw he was struggling with how to sign up credit card applications with clients. The next time a client came in asking about store credit, I asked the new employee to walk through the application process with the customer so he could learn. He split the credit application with me. So it was a win/win.
What do you feel are some of your biggest strengths?

Example Answer
One of my biggest strengths is that I am a really prolific writer. Once I was given a long-form blog post to write that was 6000 words long. My boss was thrilled that I completed the assignment in one day. It brings his relief knowing he can rely on me for more difficult, longer writing assignments.
Tell me what you feel your biggest weakness is.

Example Answer
Recently I was working on a social media project that required posting on Instagram. Admittedly while I had lots of experience in other social channels, Instagram was new for me. While I was able to share daily posts, I wasn’t driving the results I was hoping for. So I used this as a learning opportunity and purchased an Instagram Success program on Udemy. This gave me some great tips that helped me generate better results. My boss was happy that I took the initiative to learn and improve.
What really motivated you about this position?

Example Answer
I love that your company is devoted to creating wow customer experiences. At my old job, I loved being able to really connect with customers and make them feel special. Every element of the buying process matters. I love asking about their customer story. Then really listen. I love that your company culture is based around that same sense of extreme customer satisfaction.
Tell me about a challenging situation at work and how you handled it.

Example Answer
There was a security situation at the store. A gentleman came in a few weeks ago and used a stolen credit card to make unlawful purchases. Then he came in a second time right before close and tried to do distraction theft. Before he left he said he was coming the next day. My boss wasn’t going to be in the store that day. It was just three female employees. So I took matters into my own hands. I wrote the security phone number down and posted on the phone. I talked with the head of mall security. He pointed additional security cameras at the store. Finally, I spoke with the head of the police at the mall. It felt good to know that the extra measures were in place to keep our employees safe and secure.
When is a time that you faced a problem? How did you solve that?

Example Answer
One time we were editing a client commercial that was due to air at the television station in just a few hours. We made the duplications of the spot as quickly as we could. Then I offered to drive the spot to the tv station myself to make sure it arrived on time. It was a little scary driving my boss’s brand new Lexus in downtown Chicago to get there. But I took a deep breath and did it! It felt amazing to know the commercial aired on time. The client was happy. My boss was thrilled that I went the extra mile to save the day.
What goals would you like to achieve in the future?

Example Answer
My short term goal is to use my sales skills in a job like this one. As I meet and exceed my sales goals, I would love to expand and manage a team of salespeople to drive sales for the region.
Tell me about your previous work experience.

Example Answer
I have 7 years of experience in accounting. During that time, I saved time and money for clients with more accurate books. Then when I became a senior staff accountant, I supervised all areas of the company’s financial operations. I supervised a team of 4 junior accountants and a bookkeeper. Together, we were able to cut expenses by 15%. As your senior staff accountant, I would provide a superior competitive advantage and keep your finances and on track.
What are your salary requirements?

Example Answer
My salary requirement is in the $55,000 — $60,000 range.

Opened-Ended vs. Closed-Ended Questions

recruiter

how you handle stress and pressure

Open-ended interview question: When an interviewer asks an open-ended question, it’s your chance to tell a story! Now’s your time to tell stories that share why you are the perfect match for their position. Examples of these unclude:
- How did you hear about the job position?
- Why are you interested in this position?
- Why did you leave your previous position>
- Where do you see yourself in the future?
Close-ended interview question: These are usually answered with a “yes” or “no” answer. They don’t require much explanation and are typically short. Examples of these include:
- Did you find out about this job on Indeed?
- Did you have trouble finding where our office is located?
- Do you have a degree in (field applying to)
- Do you work well under pressure??

Most Common Topics Hiring Managers Will Ask About

manager

Open-Ended Question Tips

Be aware of non-verbal cues. During a job interview, human resources will assess other cues. They will check your body language, eye-contact, and other nonverbal cues. They are determining if your personality is a fit for the team. They are gauging your soft skills like motivation, determination, communication, or other skills. So sit up tall and smile. Employers like to see confidence.
Tell a story. Open-ended questions allow you to tell stories that show potential employers why you are the perfect match for their position. Use the STAR method when telling a story. Star stand for situation, task, action, result.
Do research. Look at what’s really needed in the role. Anticipate the questions they might ask. Then craft compelling stories that show how you can make a real difference in their organization. Acing the interview will land you the job offer of your dreams.
Be concise. When giving details about a story, keep it short and concise. You don’t want to spend a long time describing colors and what a room looked like. Keep the interviewer engaged but keep it to the point.

How To Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?” (With Examples)

Ryan Morris — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:09:29 +0000

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How to Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”
Example Answers to “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”
Tips for Answering “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job”
Why Interviewers Ask “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”
Common Reasons For Leaving a Job
Final Thoughts
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When you are in an interview, the interviewer is going to want to know why you left your last job. It’s not a trick question, but it may seem like it at times. We’ll cover why interviewers ask this question, give tips on how to answer it, and provide a few good and bad sample answers to help see all our advice in action. Key Takeaways:

Interviewers ask about why you left your last job to find out if you quit voluntarily or were terminated by your previous employer.
It’s important to be honest about why you left your last job, because the interviewer will find out if you lie.
Be positive about why you left your last job and don’t talk negatively about your last boss or the position.

How to Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”

The best way to answer this common interview question is with (tactful) honesty, believable positivity, and a forward-thinking attitude. Here’s a four-step process for answering questions about why you left your last job:

Start with a main point that connects to the new job. Whether it had to do with personal or professional reasons, you want to have a clear and coherent answer.

Just as important is giving an answer that can easily segue into why this job you’re applying for is perfect in contrast to the less-than-perfect fit with your former employer.
Limit the details. You don’t need to overshare, and you certainly don’t need to volunteer information that makes you look bad. Of course, if you were fired, that automatically looks kind of bad, but the goal is still to minimize the negativity. Be accountable for your mistakes and talk about what you learned from the experience.

If your reasoning was personal and you left voluntarily, consider how you’ll phrase your answer and do your best to limit it to facts that would interest the interviewer. If you were laid off, think about an intelligent way to describe what was going on with the company at a macro-level that led to lay-offs.

Whatever your answer, fix the important details in your mind and stick to them. Going off-script might result in you accidentally bad-mouthing someone, which we want to avoid at all costs.
Be positive. Hiring managers and recruiters will see negative talk about your former workplace as a red flag — whether that’s fair or not. Instead, frame the experience positively, regardless of the reasons for your departure.

Companies aren’t hiring for hard skills and qualifications alone; soft skills matter, and your capacity for diplomacy, tact, and careful communication may be just as important for your job as your technical abilities.
Be forward-thinking. Always bring your answer back around to your enthusiasm for the job and company you’re currently interviewing with. Some answers are easier to segue into this sort of thing than others, but the opportunity is always there.

If you were fired, you can talk about how you want to put the lessons you learned into practice. If you were laid off, you can discuss how you’re excited to move into an industry that’s growing so rapidly.

If you quit because of collaborative issues, highlight how great it is that teamwork is one of the company’s core values. If you quit for a better work-life balance, mention how the flexible schedules are really attractive for you.

Whatever the reason, an answer that emphasizes your excitement for the future rather than dwells on the past will impress interviewrs.

Example Answers to “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”

Below are some overly honest answers, what your hiring manager may be hearing when you give that answer, and some, shall we say, creative ways you can reword these answers into something that would sound better/less overtly alarming.

Example Answer 1: The Last Job Wasn’t Challenging
“I quit because I was bored,”
Or alternatively;
“I just wasn’t being challenged enough.”
What the interviewer hears: “I’m a fickle person subject to naught but my own whims, and I could quit at literally any time. I might quit on day one if the office coffee is cold. In my mind, I’m already quitting the job that you haven’t even offered me yet.” What to say instead: The problem here is that telling a hiring manager that you weren’t being challenged enough might make him or her concerned about your attention span. They’re looking for someone who’s more than just capable of doing the work, but who’s also interested enough in the work that they won’t be back on the job hunt as soon they get hired. Emphasize that what you’re looking for is a new experience, but that you’re still capable of making a commitment to a new organization. Talk about why you’ve chosen to apply to this company in particular. What interests you about them specifically? At the end of the day, it’s fine if you were bored and wanted to shake up your life a bit. You just want to be a little diplomatic about how you frame this to a hiring manager. Try something like,
“I worked for [X] company for [X] number of years, and it was time for me to make a change.”
Example Answer 2: You Want to Work With Better People
“I quit because my boss was a (and/or coworkers were) moron(s).”
What the interviewer hears: “My boss was a jerk and I’m not intelligent or articulate enough to be nice about it. Also, I may or may not be a rude, boorish fool myself. I probably am.
You have no way to know for sure, as you and I are strangers. My inability to think of anything nice to say about my previous employer is, in any case, a serious red flag that you should definitely hold against me as an interviewee and potential co-worker.” What to say instead: Again, there’s no way for any hiring manager to be sure you aren’t the one who’s the jerk. First impressions can be deceiving, after all. In fact, if you didn’t like them, try not to mention your boss or coworkers at all. Instead, focus on the company at large; you can disagree with the general direction of the company without sounding mean. It can be a really great jumping-off point for talking about reasons you’re excited to join this new company specifically. If it’s specifically a newer boss that you disliked at a company you’d already been working for a while, a good option here is to talk about your old boss. Discuss how it didn’t make sense for you to continue working at the company after she or he left, or how their leaving helped you realize that it was time for you to move on as well. This is a reasonable answer to a common enough situation, and perfectly sidesteps the issue of talking about your newer (idiot) boss.
“I had a great relationship with my former boss, and when she left to work for XYZ Inc., she motivated me to also seek a role that better suits my skill set and values.”
Example Answer 3: Your Last Company Downsized

“I was laid off suddenly,”
or,
“I was laid off for no good reason.”
What the interviewer hears: “I didn’t think I would get laid off and wasn’t really prepared for it to happen, financially or otherwise, which is actually fine and doesn’t make me a bad person or anything, but it’s probably not something I should be telling you as a potential employer.” What to say instead: Not an example where lying is required, but specificity is. You want to talk about precisely what happened. Was your company relocating, or merging with another? Were you overstaffed, or was your company cutting costs? Be as specific as you can be about this. It’ll show any potential hirers that you understand the complex reasons why a company may conduct layoffs. Showing that you have no hard feelings about this will demonstrate your ability to remain civil when this kind of unavoidable evils of the business world ends up affecting your livelihood.
“My last company was facing stiff competition from newer and more agile companies in the area, and they were forced to downsize certain departments. Marketing was especially hard hit, and the company laid off around 50% of the staff working there, myself included.”
Example Answer 4: You Were Fired
“I was fired.”
What the interviewer hears: Actually, probably just what it sounds like. Sorry. What to say instead: It’s tough to get around this one. Obviously, it’s not ideal to tell a hiring manager that you were fired, as this is perhaps the reddest of all red flags. However, lying about this is a terrible idea; it will almost certainly come up at one point or another. Any hiring manager can discover this about you with a minimal amount of digging. All that they have to do is call your previous employer, and suddenly your secret is out. So, you have one shot here to convince your interviewer that despite being fired, you still deserve a shot. Your instinct here may be to trash talk your previous employer, which may make sense — if the reason you were fired because your last boss was terrible, this will clear up the issue right away. But if you do this, no matter how justified you are, you’ll end up running into the same problem of the hiring manager not knowing who to believe in this scenario. Even if you’re right, it’s tough to look good to a stranger while trashing your old boss (even if they were bad); you’ll come off looking righteously angry at best, but cynical and mean-spirited at worst. Part of this depends on how you left things with your last place of employment. If you can cite your last boss as a reference, that’s the best of all possible worlds. She or he can go to bat for you at your new place and tell them all about how wonderful you are, and any fears a hiring manager might still have can be squashed right away. Of course, there are some of us who live in our own darkest timelines, and we don’t all have the luxury of being on perfect terms with our previous employers. Sometimes in life, we’re forced to leave quickly instead of giving a more traditional two weeks’ notice. In cases like these where the only person in your corner is yourself, it’s all on you to think of some method of framing the experience in such a way that a hiring manager would be willing to give you a shot. First of all, tell them that you were “let go”; then follow this up by talking about what you learned as a result of the experience, rather than spending your time focused on the firing itself.
“I had trouble keeping up with deadlines at my last editing job, and I was let go as a result. Since then, I’ve been freelancing a bit, and it’s really helped me stay organized and on top of everything. I now keep a spreadsheet of all my tasks with urgency and importance levels assigned to each, and it’s made a big difference in my time management and planning.”

Tips for Answering “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job”

There are two main tips to keep in mind when you’re talking about why you left your last job:

Don’t hate on your old boss. The trick is to be honest without being a huge downer about your last boss.
- After all, what the person interviewing is looking for is just a good reason why you’re no longer working for your previous employer, not a Russian novel detailing your every grievance.
- Even if your boss was a grade-A jerk, it’s difficult for the interviewer to take you at your word. They don’t know you, and it’s just as likely that you were the difficult one to work with, not your boss.
- Additionally, they’ll be thinking about the kind of things you might say about the company you’re applying to, should you manage to get the position.
- Will you still be tactful about your new position if things don’t pan out? Or will you just be saying the same sort of unpleasant things in your next interview, somewhere down the line?
Be creative when discussing negative experiences. There are a lot of very good reasons for you to have left your previous position, and almost all are good to share with your new boss and work friends. Just, perhaps not immediately.
- You want to keep in mind that this person who’s interviewing you is meeting you for the first time as well. Even if they seem polite and understanding in person, once it comes time for them to make hiring decisions they may not feel able to take a risk on someone whose background sends up too many red flags for them.
- If they know that someone they’re looking to hire had a terrible relationship with their last employer, then the immediate concern for them is not a potential hire’s boss, but their potential new employee (aka you).
- Think about how you can frame your more honest answers about why you left your previous position into something that employers are looking for.
  
  This is one situation where, because of the stigma associated with bad-mouthing any previous employer (no matter how bad), you may want to lie if your answer is anything less than flattering to your last boss.
- However, you also don’t want to inadvertently bad-mouth yourself, either. If your last employer was perfect (or if you at least make them sound like they were), then the fact that you are no longer working there could be a red flag if you don’t have a good reason prepared for why you left.
- The point here is to show your ability to be tactful about your previous work relationships without sending up any red flags to a potential employer. You want to show that you’re aware of what a good, healthy employment experience consists of without giving hiring managers any reason to be concerned about your ability to play nice with others.
- Depending on your reasons for leaving, this may require you to be a teensy, tiny bit dishonest. Or, at the very least, not perfectly frank.

Why Interviewers Ask “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”

Interviewers ask about why you left your last job to find out if you quit voluntarily or were terminated by your previous employer. When hiring managers and recruiters hear that you left voluntarily, they also want to know what prompted you to do so.

They’re looking for the truth, but you always want to give a story that makes you look like a solid and reliable employee who is seeking greater challenges and a better outlet for your skill set.
Interviewers also hope for a bit of insight into your loyalty and professionalism. Ideally, you gave plenty of notice and helped with the transition. This will put the hiring manager’s mind at ease about how considerate and dependable you are.
If you were fired or laid off, interviewers want to hear the truth of the matter (to a certain degree). They want to see that you understand the circumstances that led to your termination and that you don’t hold a grudge.
If you were fired for something that was your fault, they also want to hear what you learned and how you’ve grown from the experience.
Ultimately, they want to hire an employee who can remain diplomatic and has stayed on good terms with their former employer, regardless of the circumstances.

Common Reasons For Leaving a Job

Here are some of the most common reasons for leaving a job:

The company you worked for went out of business
You feel undervalued in your current position
You are overworked and underpaid
The scheduled hours don’t fit your current needs
You don’t fit in with the company culture
You have a better job offer
You wanted to work in a different industry
You went back to school to get a degree in a different field

Final Thoughts

Let’s start this section with a short recap. When asked why you left your last job, you should keep the following points in mind: Be nice about your previous employer, even if they were a jerk and a half. Keep the focus on what you learned as a result of your previous employment. Be honest about why you left, but try not to linger too long on the leaving. When in doubt, keep to the age-old mantra; if you can’t say anything nice, yadda yadda yadda. You get it. Be nice. Get the job. Have fun.

How To Answer Behavioral Interview Questions (With Examples)

Ryan Morris — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 21:42:11 +0000

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How to Answer Behavioral Job Interview Questions
Example Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers
What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?
Why Interviewers Ask Behavioral Interview Questions
Tips for Answering Behavioral Interview Questions
Final Thoughts
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A large part of what makes job interviews nerve-wracking is that you don’t know what you’re going to be asked. While you can’t know the exact question list before an interview, there are some common types of questions that interviewers often ask that you can prepare to answer, and one of these is behavioral interview questions. We’ll cover how to answer behavioral interview questions and give you some example questions and answers as well as explain what behavioral interview questions are and why interviewers ask them. Key Takeaways

One of the best ways to answer behavioral interview questions is to tell a story using the STAR method.
Behavioral interview questions ask for examples on how you dealt with situations at work in the past so that hiring managers can get a better idea of how you might respond to similar situations in the future.
Behavioral interview questions often cover topics such as problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making, among others.

How to Answer Behavioral Job Interview Questions

Like with all interview questions, there is a right and a wrong answer — the issue with behavioral questions is that this answer can be much more difficult to figure out than with traditional interviews.

While it is, as we said before, more difficult to game behavioral interview questions than traditional ones, there is still a chance that you can figure out how to answer a question correctly based on the way it’s asked.

The interviewer isn’t trying to trick good people into giving “bad answers” — but they are trying to trick people with poor judgment into revealing themselves early on.

In this vein, here are some big things to keep in mind if you find yourself in a behavioral job interview:

Highlight your skills. Think about the sort of skills you need to demonstrate in order to be successful at the job you hope to do. These skills are typically more general than they are specific — things like leadership skills, the ability to work with a team, brilliant decision-making, the advanced use of an industry technique etc.

When you’re constructing your answer, think about how to portray your actions in such a way that shows off those skills.
Tell a story. Remember that you’re telling a story and that ultimately, how you tell that story matters most of all. Try to make your story flow as naturally as possible — don’t overload the interviewer with unnecessary details, or alternately, forget too many details for the story to make sense.

They need to understand your answer in order to parse out your behavior. They can’t do that if they can’t understand the story you just told them — in addition to which, they might just find that a person who can’t tell a simple story is just too annoying to work with.
Use the STAR method. If you’re really having trouble telling your story, remember that good old STAR method:
- Situation. Start by giving context. Briefly explain the time, place, and relevant characters in your story.
- Task. Next, tell the interviewer your role in the story, whether it was a task assigned to you or some initiative you took on your own.
- Action. Now comes the juicy stuff; let the hiring manager know what actions you took in response to the situation and your task. Interviewers are interested in how and why you did something just as much as what you did, so spell out your thought process when possible.
  
  This is where you showcase your skills, so try to think of actions that align well with the job you’re applying for.
- Result. Finally, explain the end result of your actions. Your focus should always be on what value you contributed to the company, not bragging about your personal accomplishments.
  
  Note that while the result should always be positive, some behavioral interview questions specifically ask about negative situations. In these cases, finish by discussing what you learned from the experience or how the project could have been improved.

Example Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

Essentially, a behavioral interview means being asked a bunch of open-ended questions which all have the built-in expectation that your answer will be in the form of a story.

These questions are difficult to answer correctly specifically because the so-called “correct” answers are much more likely to vary compared to traditional interview questions, whose correct answers are typically more obvious and are often implied.

Behavioral interviewers are likely to ask more follow-up questions than normal, while giving less of themselves away. They want to hear you talk and react to every opportunity they give you, because the more you talk, the more you reveal about yourself and your work habits.

And that’s okay. The takeaway here shouldn’t be that “the hiring manager wants to trick me into talking, so I should say as little as possible.”

The real trick with this kind of question is to use the opportunities you’re given to speak very carefully — don’t waste time on details that make you look bad, for example, unless those details are necessary to show how you later improved.

In addition to these general techniques interviewers might use on you, here are some common questions you might be asked during a behavioral interview:

Q: Tell me about a time when you had to take a leadership role on a team project.
A: As a consultant at XYZ Inc., I worked with both the product and marketing teams. When the head of the marketing team suddenly quit, I was asked to step up and manage that deparment while they looked for her replacement. We were in the midst of a big social media campaign, so I quickly called toghether the marketing team and was updated on the specifics of the project. By delegating appropriately and taking over the high-level communications with affiliates, we were able to get the project out on time and under budget. After that, my boss stopped looking for a replacement and asked if I’d like to head the marketing team full time.
Q: Can you share an example of a time when you disagreed with a superior?
A: In my last role at ABC Corp., my manager wanted to cut costs by outsourcing some of our projects to remote contractors. I understood that it saved money, but some of those projects were client-facing, and we hadn’t developed a robust vetting process to make sure that the contractors’ work was consistent and high-quality. I brought my concerns to him, and he understood why I was worried. He explained that cost-cutting was still important, but was willing to compromise by keeping some important projects in-house. Additionally, he accepted my suggestion of using a system of checks to ensure quality and rapidly remove contractors who weren’t performing as well. Ultimately, costs were cut by over 15% and the quality of those projects didn’t suffer as a result.
Q: Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure.
A: My job as lead editor for The Daily Scratch was always fast-paced, but when we upgraded our software and printing hardware nearly simultaneously, the pressure got turned up to 11. I was assigned with training staff on the new software in addition to my normal responsibilities. When we were unable to print over a long weekend while the new printing hardware was being set up, I wrote and recorded a full tutorial that answered the most frequently asked questions I’d been receiving over the previous week. With a staff of 20 writers, this really cut down on the need for one-on-one conversations and tutorials. While management was worried we wouldn’t be able to have the writers working at full capacity the following week, the tutorial was so effective that everyone got right on track without skipping a beat.
Q: Can you describe a time when you had to motivate an employee?
A: When I was the sales manager at Nice Company, we had a big hiring push that added six sales reps to my team in a matter of weeks. One worker in that bunch was working a sales job for the first time ever, and she had an aversion to cold calls. While her email correspondence had fantastic results, her overall numbers were suffering because she was neglecting her call targets. I sat down with her and explained that she should try to incorporate her winning writing skills into her cold calls. I suggested following her normal process for writing an email to cold calls; research the company and target and craft a message that suits them perfectly. She jumped at the idea and starting writing scripts that day. Within a couple of weeks, she was confidently making cold calls and had above-average numbers across the board.
Q: Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work.
A: When I landed my first internship, I was eager to stand out by going the extra mile. I was a little too ambitious, though — I took on too many assignments and offered help to too many coworkers to possibly juggle everything. When I was late with at least one task every week, my coworkers were understandably upset with me. After that experience, I created a tracking system that took into account how long each task would realistically take. This method really helped me never make promises I couldn’t keep. After that first month, I never handed in an assignment late again.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Behavioral interview questions are questions about how you’ve dealt with work situations in the past and seek to understand your character, motivations, and skills. The idea behind behavioral interview questions is that you’ll reveal how you’ll behave in the future based on your actions in the past. Unlike traditional interview questions, a hiring manager or recruiter is looking for concrete examples of various situations you’ve been in at work. As such, the best way to prepare for any and all behavioral interview questions is to have an expansive set of stories ready for your interview.

A hiring manager is never going to come right out and tell you — before, during, or after the fact — whether or not your interview with them is traditional or behavioral.

That’s because the difference between the two is more related to philosophy than it is necessarily technique.

Often, an employer won’t even know themselves that the interview they’re conducting is behavioral rather than traditional — the deciding factors are the questions that they decide to ask, and where the interview’s focus settles on.

In a nutshell, traditional interviews are focused on the future, while behavioral interviews are focused on the past.

In a traditional interview, you’re asked a series of questions where you’re expected to talk about yourself and your personal qualities.

Interviews in this vein tend to ask questions that are sort of psychological traps — oftentimes the facts of your answer matter less than the way you refer to and frame those facts.

Moreover, if you find that you’re able to understand the underlying thing an interviewer is trying to learn about you by asking you a certain question, you might even find you’re able to game the system of the traditional interview a little bit by framing your answer in a particular way.

Behavioral interviews are harder to game, because instead of asking about how you might deal with a particular situation, they focus on situations you’ve already encountered.

In a behavioral interview, you probably won’t find yourself being asked about your strengths. Instead, you’ll be asked about specific problems you encountered, and you’ll have to give detailed answers about how you dealt with that problem, your thought process for coming up with your solution, and the results of implementing that solution.

Why Interviewers Ask Behavioral Interview Questions

Hiring managers and recruiters like to ask behavioral interview questions to determine whether a candidate is a good cultural fit. They also help assess whether the behaviors you’ve exhibited in the past are what the company requires from the role you’re applying for. That’s why you can expect more behavioral interview questions if your interviewer has a clear idea of what sort of person they want to hire for the job. For example, if they believe that time management and rapid communication are vital for success in the position you’re applying for, they’ll be on the lookout for answers that highlight these traits.

Tips for Answering Behavioral Interview Questions

Follow these tips before and during the interview to help ace every behavioral question thrown at you:

Prepare for common questions. It’s impossible to prepare for all of the most common interview questions. But behavioral questions are easier to prepare in one sense; they all fall into a handful of basic categories. For example:
- Stress
- Problem-solving
- Dealing with clients
- Conflict resolution
- Decision-making
- Goal-setting
- Challenges
- Leadership
- Time managment
- Teamwork
- Motivation
- Mistakes
Prepare stories. Now that you have a set of general types of questions, think of an impressive work-related story to go with each. These answers shouldn’t sound memorized, but it’s good to jot down bullet points for each story to make sure you’re stressing the most important elements.
Read the job description carefully. Before you go into the interview, and perhaps before you even start preparing stories beforehand, read the job description closely. Highlight action verbs in one color and adjectives in another. Then, think of ways to naturally incorporate those qualities and behaviors into your answers.

For example, if a job description emphasizes strong time management, you might change the emphasis of one of your stories to how well you planned and executed time frames, rather than the results of that project.
Be positive. Some behavioral interview questions (many, actually) will have you discuss negative situations, like conflicts or mistakes. Take accountability when appropriate (without making yourself look too bad) and never blame a former coworker or superior for a bad result.

The hiring manager might have to work with you, and even recruiters don’t want to add a team member who’s constantly throwing other people under the bus. Instead, focus on the lessons you’ve learned and improvements you’ve made.
Tell the truth. Yes, you want to put your best foot forward in the interview, but you shouldn’t embellish or lie about your capabilities. Most hiring managers will be able to pick up on whether you’re lying or not, and even if they don’t, it will quickly become apparent once you start the job.
Lying about your qualifications can and will likely cost you the job, so be truthful about your abilities. If you’re weak in an area, say so, and then explain what you’re doing to get stronger. Hiring managers know you aren’t perfect and want to see how you respond to your mistakes and weaknesses, so show them.
Quantify your stories. When you’re answering behavioral interview questions, include numbers whenever you can. For example, saying you took 85 calls a day rather than “a bunch” makes a bigger impact and gives hiring managers a better idea of what you actually did.

Final Thoughts

Behavioral interview questions aren’t usually isolated. That is to say, you won’t usually find yourself in “The Behavioral Interview.”

They could be sprinkled into your very first interview, or you might not hear any of them until you’ve almost got your job in the bag.

You might have an entire interview made up of just these sorts of questions. Maybe you’ll hear only one.

Either way, behavioral interview questions are less of an overwhelming strategy than they are a specific tool that a hiring manager has at their disposal.

It’s true that some hiring managers prefer them while others avoid them, but as we said, a lot of that ultimately comes down to personal philosophy. There are a lot of weaknesses to asking only behavioral questions, though, so the best hiring managers out there know to mix them in with the more straightforward, future-focused traditional interview questions.

How To Answer: Why Are You The Best Person For The Job? (With Examples)

Chris Kolmar — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 16:33:16 +0000

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How to Answer “Why Are You the Best Person for the Job?”
Examples Answers to “Why Are You The Best Person for the Job?”
Why Interviewers Ask This Interview Question
Tips to Keep in Mind When Answering This Question
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering
Possible Follow-up Questions
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During your interview is the time to show your interviewer that you are the best candidate for the position. One way to do it is answering “why are you the best person for the job?” the right way. Prepare yourself to answer this question in a concise and compelling manner, and you’ve automatically set yourself apart from the competition. To do so, it’s essential to understand what interviewers really want to know when they ask this question. In this article, we’ll provide insight into the minds of interviewers, give you the best ways to answer, and explain tips to guide you along. Plus we’ll provide plenty of example answers, so you can see all our advice in action. Key Takeaways:

When answering this question, you want to tailor your answer to the job description, highlight what makes you unique, and convey your personality in your answer.
Interviewers ask this question to see how you describe yourself and what you will bring to the table if hired.
Make sure to provide examples and keep your answer concise.
When answering this question make sure you are not comparing yourself to other candidates, and you are highlighting your own skills.

How to Answer “Why Are You the Best Person for the Job?”

There are many strategies to answer this question. A few key ones are:

Tailor your qualifications. The objective here is to pinpoint the key abilities required for the position. Before the job interview, take note of the top skills and duties listed in the job posting. For each of them, prepare a short example of a time you’ve demonstrated those abilities in the past.

Make sure your example is action-oriented and communicates how you provided value for a company. Don’t just quickly state, “I have performed X in the past.”
Highlight what makes you unique. Interviewers want to confirm you can perform the job’s essential duties, but they also want to know how you can innovate. Maybe you’ve mastered a unique skill or methodology that wasn’t mentioned in the job listing but could still provide value.

Impress the interviewer by emphasizing your knowledge and explaining how you’re uniquely positioned to provide improved solutions to their problems. This strategy is especially effective for engineering and software related positions.
Convey your personality. Send the message that you would be a valuable addition to the team. Highlight your positive personality aspects such as your strong work ethic, leadership skills, and ability to resolve disagreements among team members.

Provide examples of how you’ve helped a team further its goals by fostering compromise and effective collaboration. You still want to communicate how you’re qualified for the position, but focusing on your personality can be an effective strategy.

Examples Answers to “Why Are You The Best Person for the Job?”

Let’s take a look at an example answer for each of the strategies.

Tailor your qualifications. Consider the following job listing for a software developer position.
The key skills and duties listed are:
- Proficiency in Java
- Troubleshoot software bugs
- Improve software performance
- Document code
Example answer:

“My previous position as a mid-level software developer for five years provided me with the ideal experience for this position. I developed new programs from the ground-up with Java and used my analytical skills to locate and fix bugs along the way. I also researched and implemented new algorithms to enhance the efficiency and performance of our existing systems. In one case, load times were improved by 44%. I also created concise documentation to cover all changes I made. As a result, new team members were able to quickly and effectively learn to operate the software without additional oversight.”

Why it works: Take note of how each of the job listing’s fundamental needs was incorporated into the answer.

The tone is action-oriented, and the candidate describes how they created actual value, rather than simply stating they possessed a particular skill. Using real numbers such as in “load times were improved by 44%” is recommended.
Highlight what makes you unique. Consider the following job listing for a marketing manager position.
The key skills and duties listed are:
- Coordinate the operations of marketing and advertising
- Increase social media presence
- Able to meet tight deadlines
- Strong team leader
Example answer:

“I’ve worked as a marketing manager for eight years and believe my accomplishments demonstrate that I’m prepared for the position. I’ve successfully led teams of all sizes, effectively communicating project requirements and delegating talent to achieve company goals in record times. The social media campaigns I’ve developed improved target audience reach rates by an average of 22%. The reason for my success has been my unique method of analyzing the needs of consumers. I’ve developed, tested, and fine-tuned this method to be applicable to any industry.“

Why it works: Notice how just as in the first example, this one covers all the key skills included in the job posting.

The difference is that this example is much more concise, including multiple items in a single statement. The extra time is then used to focus on the final point – how the candidate innovates to separate themself from the competition.
Convey your personality. Consider the following job listing for a sales representative position.
The key skills and duties listed are:
- Understands core sales methodologies
- Meet sales performance expectations
- Strong interpersonal skills
Example answer:

“Over my four years in various sales positions, I have applied core sales principles to create strong business relationships with clients. I listen closely to and effectively communicate with clients in order to meet their needs, which has allowed me to exceed performance metrics and become a top performer at every job. I also attribute my success to my strong work ethic. I never rest until I’ve reached a goal and always analyze how I can further improve. My priority is the success of the team rather than myself. I often offer training to fellow team members in order to improve our total sales, even if it increases competition. In most cases, this has resulted in total team sales increasing by an average of 17%. I would love to use my abilities and drive to provide similar value to your firm.”

Why it works: This candidate quickly sums up their qualifications at the beginning of their answer and uses the rest of the time to focus on their personality.
The candidate then emphasizes how their positive personality traits, such as work ethic and leadership, have contributed measurable value to the company. They cite a real number, “an average of 17%”, to drive the point home.

Why Interviewers Ask This Interview Question

Interviewers ask “why are you the best person for the job” because they want to hear what aspects of your skill set you feel are the most valuable for performing the job. To this end, they’ve been provided a list of qualifications and skills required for the role. It’s your job to convince them that you match those qualities better than anyone else who’s applied for the job. However you answer the question, make sure you’re addressing those two concerns. Assure them that you possess those desired abilities while also highlighting how you surpass the competition and provide something unique. Note that the exact phrasing this question varies. Other iterations of the “best person” question include:

What makes you a good candidate for this position?
Why are you the best fit for this role?
What qualities do you share with our ideal candidate?
What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Tips to Keep in Mind When Answering This Question

When preparing your own answer, make sure it follows these guidelines:

Keep it concise. The more you speak beyond what’s needed, the more any important information becomes diluted. Pick a strategy for answering the question and then draft your response ahead of time. Remove any unnecessary parts that don’t explicitly demonstrate how you possess the key qualifications and how you can provide value for the employer.
Give examples and numbers. With any skill you mention, provide an accompanying example that shows how you applied it to create value. Do this in an active-voice and a tone that conveys initiative.

Citing numbers to demonstrate how you’ve improved a process or increased sales also makes a stronger impression in the interviewer’s mind.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Demonstrate value by emphasizing your strengths rather than critiquing the competition.

Denigrating others is never a good idea during an interview. Even if you’re qualified, hiring managers don’t want candidates that come off as arrogant or rude.
Recognize similar questions. The question often comes in similar forms, such as “what makes you a good candidate for this position.” The interviewer’s objective and what they want to know about you remains the same. The strategies we’ve discussed thus far apply to these questions as well.
Utilize general interviewing tips. Remember to follow the key interviewing guidelines that hold true no matter what question you’re asked.

These include ones such as:
- Learn about your interviewer ahead of time. Try to figure out if they’re your direct supervisor, an HR representative, or even the CEO.
  
  Your strategy will differ slightly depending on their role. For example, suppose they work in the same software department you’re applying to. Including more technical details in your answer will be more effective than if they were simply HR personnel, who likely would only be listening for key buzzwords.
- Show off your personality. Strike a balance between keeping it professional and conveying your personality. It’ll help the interviewer remember you. Maintain eye contact and use body language to help you communicate.
- Recruit a friend to practice answering the question. Practicing your answer in front of another person is an effective way to prepare. You’ll improve your confidence in the actual interview.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering

This question might seem hard to mess up too badly, but some routes you can take with your answer might be a red flag for the recruiter. Make sure to avoid these common mistakes when you’re discussing why you’re the best person for the job:

Selling yourself short. If you’re a little inexperienced for the role, don’t let your insecurity show by prefacing your answer with a phrase like, “well, I know the other candidates might have more experience.”
There are other moments in the interview where you can focus on your shortcomings and your goals for improvement, but your answer to this question should be 100% focused on your positive qualities.
Comparing yourself to other candidates. Questions like this, especially when phrased as “what sets your apart from other candidates,” can trick applicants into actually talking about those mysterious job-seekers vying for the same position as them.
Unless you’re in a group interview, the content of your answers should focus entirely on yourself and your ability to add value to the company. There’s really no way to bring the other candidates into your answer without seeming like an arrogant person who makes assumptions with no evidence.
Failing to provide evidence. Adjectives are not your friends in interviews — verbs are. Talk about what you’ve accomplished so far and how that translates into the results you’ll produce for this new company, if they’re smart enough to hire you.
Describing yourself too much without providing context leaves the interviewer with a two-dimensional view of you that doesn’t help them make a decision.
Talking too much. Depending on when this question pops up in your interview, you’ve either already covered a lot of the ground this answer will get into or you’ve got plenty of time to get into more detail.
In either case, your ability to summarize your key unique selling points speaks to your communication skills, so don’t make the mistake of thinking that more words equal a better answer.

Possible Follow-up Questions

Why are you interested in this position? – How to Answer
Why do you want this job? – How to Answer
What sets you apart from other candidates? – How to Answer
How did you hear about the position? – How to Answer
What are your greatest professional strengths? – How to Answer
Is there anything else I should know about you? – How to Answer

How To Answer Second Interview Questions (With Examples)

David Luther — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 13:30:57 +0000

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How to Prepare for a Second Interview
Example Answers to Second Interview Questions
Common Second Interview Mistakes to Avoid
Final Thoughts
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Getting a second interview can be an exciting thing to celebrate. It’s one step closer to getting your dream job. A second interview will look a little different than it did during your first. It’s important to prepare just as much as you did the first time. In this article, we will go over how to prepare for this interview, provide some example answers to some questions, and go over some common mistakes to avoid. Key Takeaways:

A second interview typically have more in-depth questions and are focused on whether or not you are the ideal candidate.
When preparing for a second interview, make sure you go over all your research you did from your first interview.
Be prepared for more behavioral questions and answer using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method.
It’s important to ask more in-depth questions to the interviewer than you did in the first interview.

How to Prepare for a Second Interview

Preparing for your second interview shouldn’t be a passive process — now that you know the responsibilities and the company’s needs, use that information to prepare examples and stories that describe your abilities.

Some of the interview questions may be the same as the questions you were asked at the first interview, but others will be very different — you’ll have new interviewers, they’ll have forgotten your answers, and they may even want to see if you answer the same way.

You can think of the first interview as an opportunity for interviewers to learn about who you are as a person and to figure out off the bat if you’d ever be able to perform the job’s duties. The second one will be to discern whether your skillset would be a good fit.

Review your research. Learn as much as you can about the job and the company, so you can more accurately tailor your answers to describe what you can offer your potential new employer.

The research you presumably did for your first interview is crucial here — what is the company proud of? How do they present themselves on social media? What community outreach and press relations efforts are they pushing?

And don’t stop trying to learn more — when you’re notified that you’ll be going through a second interview, ask who will be conducting it and learn about them. Google their names, find them on LinkedIn, see if they’ve published any articles or papers.
Practice your presentation. You’ve worked on your elevator pitch and you’ve brought your materials — don’t forget to practice presenting both, as this is often the time when you’ll meet the people you’ll be working with and not just hiring manager types.
- Remember to be consistent. Your second interviewer is most likely going to read over the first one’s notes, and if you have multiple interviewers in the second round you can bet they’re going to talk about you and compare notes.
- Be consistent on your work history, skills, and experience — don’t try to appeal to any particular interviewer that you misrepresent yourself. That means no lying, which is always good interview etiquette.
- As always, review your resume and take notes on what you discussed and the questions you were asked.
Ask more specific questions. Just as the interviewers are going to be asking you more detailed questions that help them figure out who you are, you should be doing the same. Even if you have your heart set on this position already, you should take these questions as opportunities to impress them with your interest and showcase how your mind works.
- How would you describe the culture here?
- How do you measure performance?
- What opportunities would I have in this position to best impact the company?
- Are there any challenges I could expect to face in my first few months here?
Learn about the company culture. If your predecessor was promoted, it indicates room for growth and you can divine how long you’ll need to be in the position before you move up.

And it’s a bit more sensitive, but you can also figure out a bit about the company and your supervisor by learning about why the previous person was fired. If they didn’t perform, you can figure out on the fly how success is measured — and if they were fired quickly, you can learn a bit about how the company values its employees.

And while it’s not an opportunity to begin talking about salary requirements, you can ask questions that are a bit more presumptuous.
- What would the next step be in the hiring process, and when should I expect to hear about it?
- If hired, when would you like for me to start?
Be prepared for behavioral interview questions. While you probably got the what-would-you-do, straightforward questions like “What motivates you?” and “Tell me about yourself” in the first interview, this is often the time when you’ll get the what-did-you-do questions — so not “how would you handle yourself if you disagreed with a coworker”, but “how have you coped with unruly clients in the past”.

Rehearse a few stories from your past or work history that tell a lot about who you are as a person. Things that characterize you as a team player through your actions make for a lot stronger answers than just saying, “I’m a team player,” for example.

The best approach to behavioral interview questions is to use the STAR method:
- Situation. Briefly describe the context of your story.
- Task. Talk about your task (whether you were assigned to something or took it up yourself) in the given context. The “situation” and “task” section of your answer can be blended into the first couple of introductory sentences.
- Action. This is the real meat of your answer — talk about how you handled the situation. The richer detail you can give on the “how” and “why” of your job, the more substantive your answer will be.
- Result. Finally, detail the conclusion of your story. The result should always be positive, even if the question is about a negative situation like conflicts or mistakes. Focus on what you learned and improvements you’ve made, and never place blame on a third party.
Answer questions directly. Resist the temptation to ignore the question. That sounds like a given, but people have a tendency to just talk about themselves instead of talking about themselves in a way that answers the question.<
- Ask for clarification if you need it.
- Describe a scenario you were in that echoes the one they describe.
- Discuss what it was that you did to address it.
- Detail the outcomes.
Remember to do all of the above in a way that casts you in a positive light, even when you’re asked about a negative experience or hypothetical.

Remember, the interviewer is trying to gauge if your previous behavior makes you a good fit — but if your current behavior is bombastically ignoring their questions so you can talk about yourself, it’s answering that question in another way.

Example Answers to Second Interview Questions

The key thing to do here is frame the situation or story you want to tell in terms of the question they ask, then describe the situation while finally returning to a succinct answer.

How do you handle being given multiple tasks that share the same deadline?
I feel that the most important thing to do with concurrent deadlines is to rank them by priority and then determine how long each of those tasks should take — because even if my goal is as always to finish them all, my overarching goal is to allocate my time in a way that best benefits the company.
As a web content creator, I would rather put out a product that stands on its own merits — so in the past, I’ve had to decide which stories could actually be written to our high standard in the given period of time and complete them first, knowing that it’s not an option to sacrifice quality of work just to meet deadlines.

If it became clear that I couldn’t meet my deadlines, I would reach out to my supervisor to make sure that my priorities were aligned with theirs, and then see if we could collaborate with others on my team to meet our deadlines.
What do you know about our competition and how we’re different from them? Why do you want to work here and not there?
What stood out to me in my research was how happy your employees are. In my conversations with people who work here, I’ve learned that there’s a genuine spirit of collaboration and camaraderie that extends across departments. In my past positions, there’s always been a sense of disconnect between teams and it often makes working on projects frustrating. For example, the biweekly “all hands” meeting you hold sounds interesting and particularly beneficial to me. Having a high-level coordination event like that so frequently ensures consistency across the company. As a hyper-organized individual who likes to keep the big picture in mind, this sort of company culture brings me much-needed structure and cohesion that makes setting my priorities much more straightforward.
Tell me about a time when a project’s priorities changed suddenly and you had to adapt.
In my last position, we had a goal of revamping a client’s website for monetization. The client wasn’t precisely sure how they wanted to incorporate ads and other paid service offers on their page without harming the overall user experience. Our team drew up several options and started A/B testing to see which performed best, both from a monetary and engagement perspective. However, as we started rolling this out, our client’s priorities shifted entirely to affiliate marketing. While they expected a long turn-around time for what they felt was a radically different request, our team was able to deliver new options in a quarter of the time. Using the templates we had developed and the same A/B testing process, we had a polished website ready under time and under budget. The affiliate marketing campaign went on to be a success.
Tell me about a time you’ve disagreed with a coworker or supervisor. How did you handle the situation?
I tend to be a go-with-the-flow type, but when I see a needlessly inefficient or expensive process, my OCD kicks in. My last supervisor religiously kept to a manual describing the protocol for all projects. It was devised over the course of his career, and it had a lot of useful and beneficial guidelines. However, one of those guidelines was proving to be a major bottleneck — requesting funding for each element of the project as it came up. I brought my concerns to him after multiple projects started falling behind, and he explained that it was a cost-saving measure he’d learned from wasted cash in the past. I told him I understood the motivation behind the protocol, but suggested requests come in bigger chunks, less frequently. We were able to reach a compromise where we had rolling monthly financial requests on a schedule for each department, so that funding was processed more quickly and finance could focus on one thing at a time. Projects moved along a lot more quickly after that, and my supervisor thanked me for the suggestion after he saw the results.

Common Second Interview Mistakes to Avoid

If you make it to a second interview, you have the potential — interviewers are at this point looking for you to confirm that and also not screw up.

These are some of the attitudes that they don’t want to see — this is important to remember because even if you are the most eager, excited, and prepared candidate, perception is everything. Answer interview questions for the interviewer’s ears, not yours. Seeming disinterested or passive is a big no-no.

As we said before, if you’ve passed the first interview then you’re more or less qualified — this is to see if you and the company are a good match for each other.

Being unprepared. You really should be prepared for second interview question by the time of your first interview, but your interviewers this time are going to expect for you to know a thing or two about the company and the role you’ll be filling.

If you don’t demonstrate knowledge of services and products, a bit of company history, and what the industry is like then you’ll look like you aren’t genuinely interested in the position. In other words, don’t ask questions like “I’m sorry, what do you sell again?”
Not asking questions. If you fail to ask questions about the role, you’ll come across as disinterested. People don’t want to hire someone who’s not excited, and they definitely don’t want to hire someone who may leave in the near future.
Bringing up salary requirements. You shouldn’t bring up salary requirements, but when it comes to discussing things like benefits, salary, work schedule, and the like, employers are going to be looking for someone whose demands aren’t mismatched.

If your interviewer asks what your salary requirements are, this is the time to tell them, but don’t mention it unless they ask.
Being unwilling to adapt. Make sure that you present yourself as a person who can adapt to change. If the company is going to grow or demands an indication of some flexibility, you need to indicate that you are game for it and it won’t hurt your performance down the road.
Assuming you have the position. Just because you were called back for a second interview doesn’t always mean you have the job. It means the interviewer wants to know more about you. Sometimes a large company may have two or three interviews during the interview process because of how many people need to interview before a decision is made.

Final Thoughts

The process might not be over. There may be further rounds of interviews, and if the competition for the position is particularly close you might get an email or phone call to follow up on one of your answers.

This isn’t an opportunity to embellish or present yourself in a better light — remember how you presented yourself and represented your answer, and clarify it.

How To Answer The Interview Question “Why Should We Hire You?” (With Examples)

Ryan Morris — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:53:56 +0000

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How to Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”
Example Answers to This Question
Why Interviewers Ask “Why Should We Hire You?”
Tips for Answering This Interview Question
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering
Final Thoughts
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Job interviews are all about convincing an employer that they should hire you. So in a way, it’s refreshingly direct when a hiring manager comes right out and asks “why should we hire you?” Coming up with a concise and compelling answer can put you ahead of the competition. We’ll cover how to answer this question, provide example answers, and give tips and mistakes to avoid. Key Takeaways:

Before answering this question, make sure you review the job description and research the company to know exactly what the hiring manager is looking for.
Make sure to stand out from the crowd and show the hiring manager what makes you different than the other candidates they are interviewing as well.
Keep your answers short and to the point to avoid rambling and stumbling over your words.

How to Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”

To answer “why should we hire you,” show a thorough understanding of the job before describing how your background and skill set match (and even exceed) the job requirements. Here’s a step-by-step process for preparing a response and answering “why should we hire you?”

Review the job description. Before the interview, read the job description carefully. Note the words that are repeated or emphasized throughout and identify which elements of your background will work to your advantage.
Research the company. Make sure you look up the company and department you hope to join. Read about recent news, check out the company website, review their social media pages, etc. The more knowledgeable you are, the stronger your answer will be. The interviewer wants to know that you want this position and be apart of the company and not just any job.
Emphasize your most relevant experiences. Now that you have an idea of what’s most valued in a candidate, you know exactly which parts of your experience and skill set to bring up. The trick here is to laser in on the most relevant stuff because you need to leave yourself time for the next step.
Stand out from the crowd. Finish off your answer by showing how you’re a step ahead of the competition.To give a truly impactful answer, you need to come up with your X factor.

Consider what elements of your professional background are somewhat odd for your field or career, which certifications you have that aren’t required (but great to have) for the role, and what other skills or life experiences give you a unique perspective on the role.

Don’t try to force it if you don’t have any super-unique experiences. Instead, surpass the competition by briefly touching on a phenomenal, stand-out project from a recent job.

Example Answers to This Question

Example answer based on the job description:
I’ve been part of projects that process databases with millions of rows of data and I’ve been able to glean valuable insights where others have missed it. For example, we saw that people who give us their email instead of Facebook connect are 30% more likely to come back to the site. I presented this data to the management team in a clear visualization of users returning over time and suggested we make the email sign up more visible which increased the lifetime value of users. I believe I can deliver this same kind of insight to drive value here.
Example Answer: Recent College Graduate
Being fresh out of college gives me a fresh perspective and plenty of training on the most up-to-date marketing practices. During my internship at a media software startup, I was able to gain experience in using data to drive app engagement. I believe I have a unique blend of creative problem-solving and first-hand knowledge of new technical skills that can be an asset to your company. The marketing campaign I worked on drove up the number of daily users by 26%, which I was very proud to be a part of. I hope to bring the same results to XYZ Corp.
Example Answer: Career Changer
Coming from a technical background gives me a unique insight into the customer experience and common pain points. There’s a common frustration with customer support staff that they don’t fully grasp the client’s problem, and it’s incredibly inefficient to involve multiple experts on a fairly basic problem. With a successful background in team management and SOP development, I have full confidence that I could excel in the Customer Success Manager role here by unburdening other departments. If hired, I would be not just a great manager and member of the customer support team, but a valuable resource for solving customer IT problems independently.

Why Interviewers Ask “Why Should We Hire You?”

Interviewers ask why they should hire you to learn what aspects of your background and skill set you view as most important for the role. Hiring managers are also curious about your ability to handle a direct question and articulate your understanding of the job. This question has the same spirit as “what sets you apart from other candidates,” because there’s an inherent emphasis on why hiring you is a better decision than hiring them. With that in mind, it makes sense to think about what differentiates you as a candidate. It could be a unique background that most people in your field don’t have or a certification that gives you an extra level of expertise and authority. Interviewers are also concerned with cultural fit and general ease of onboarding, so a response that shows them that you’ve researched the company/role and are ready to step in and contribute on day one can go a long way.

Tips for Answering This Interview Question

Show how you will add value to the team. Bringing up numbers and concrete achievements from your past is always a good interview strategy. Being vague and talking about your skills in a vacuum doesn’t prove anything to the hiring manager. The more real (positive) experience you’re able to bring to the conversation, the better.
Keep your answer short. You’ve probably covered most of your major accomplishments by this point, so we recommend reiterating a maximum of one during your answer.

Remember that part of the reason interviewers ask this question is to see how well you understand the role. Stay focused on only your most relevant and impressive qualifications, and you’ll show off impeccable communication skills while you’re at it.
Focus on the employer. Don’t make the mistake of focusing too much on yourself that you forget about the “we” in the question. Remember to employ that company research and job description review you did pre-interview. You want to show that, if hired, you’ll be able to start making valuable contributions from day one.
Tell a story. The interview just doesn’t want numbers and figures thrown at them to prove you are a good employee. They want to know how you did the things that you did. Share a story of a project or assignment that got you to where you were at your previous position. Show how you work with a team and how your qualifications fit their needs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering

The most common interview questions also have common mistakes. If you can avoid these mistakes during the interview process, you’ll be one step closer to proving you’re ready for the job:

Salary or benefits talk. Job interviews are for you to sell yourself – you can ask about these details later on, after you receive a job offer.
Too much memorization. Look, you know the most common interview questions are going to come up. Have bullet points for what you want to say, not a script. That way, the interview will feel like a natural conversation.
Arrogance. It’s good to be confident, but don’t take it too far. The best employees show results, not wild braggadocio.
Rambling answer. Like most interview answers, keep things short. We’re talking about a minute here, maybe a bit more. Time your answer out beforehand if you’re worried it’s too long-winded.
Personal reasons. Don’t make things awkward by talking about how much you need a job or else you’ll go bankrupt. It’s not a good look on anyone.
Repeating what’s on your resume. They have your resume in front of them and have gone over it. They don’t want you to just say everything again. A resume is just basic points, make sure to go into detail about what’s not on there.

Final Thoughts

What you’re striving for with your answer in this one is uniqueness. You need to stand out, so the urge to do or say something memorable can be extremely strong. But you want to be careful about exactly how it is you go about being memorable â€” don’t make a fool of yourself trying to be too silly or cute with your answer, or you might find yourself over-correcting.

How To Answer “When Can You Start?” (With Examples)

Sky Ariella — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:18:42 +0000

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How To Answer “When You Can Start?”
Example Answers to “When Can You Start?”
Why Interviewers Ask This
Tips for Answering This Interview Question
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The objective of any job interview is to eventually find a candidate who can start working in the open position. An applicant who seems to check every box that a hiring manager is looking for also needs to be available to start within the company’s deadlines. This leads to most interviewees eventually hearing the question “when can you start?” We will go over how to answer this question, provide example answers, and give tips to help come up with the best answer. Key Takeaways:

When answering this question its important to consider your current employment status, ask questions about when works best for the company, and be honest about your situation.
It’s important not to sound too eager when answering this questions and you should provide a general timeline for when you can start.
Avoid giving too many details about your life and what things are coming up.

How To Answer “When You Can Start?”

It’s understandable to be a little wary of the question “when can you start?” in an interview. A lot of an interview is about trying to put your best foot forward and make the right impression.

Consider your current unemployment status. Being unemployed puts you in a difficult position mentally and financially. The endeavor of finding a new position can feel like a race to the finish line.
- In this situation, a candidate might feel pressured to give a hasty answer in an effort to demonstrate an eagerness to start.
- While it’s attractive to a potential employer that you’re passionate about the position and want to start soon, avoid giving the impression that you’re standing on your last leg and absolutely need the job.
- Simply state that you’re available to start immediately, without begging to start right away. Remain easygoing while communicating this clearly.
Consider your current employment status. There are numerous reasons why a person who is currently employed goes looking for a new role.
- Whether you want a position with more responsibility, are moving to a new city, or are just unsatisfied with your job right now, there’s a process for handling departure from your post. This involves giving proper notice, performing any closing responsibilities, and assisting in the transition.
- A candidate who is currently employed but interviewing for another position should be honest about their availability to start. Most companies are familiar with the professional courtesies of voluntary employee termination and willing to work around these timelines for the right candidate.
- Needing a couple of weeks to finish your responsibilities at your previous job won’t count you out of the running for a new position. However, leaving a negative impression on your former employer after hastily quitting could squander an opportunity.
Consider what the company needs. Candidates who aren’t constrained by notice or unemployment pressures might not be as sure about when they want to start working at their new job.
- When you don’t have a specific date in mind, or secretly want some extra time without having to go to work, it can be helpful to throw the question back to the interviewer. As the employer’s representative, they have a clear deadline in mind that the position needs to be filled by.
- Asking the interviewer when they want you to begin working implores them to share more information with you. Based on these additional details, you can decide if that date sounds doable or if you need a little more (or less) time before starting a new position.
You need to move for the position. Relocation is a reality for a lot of job situations. Moving to a new city for a job opportunity involves a lot more change than the average professional transition. This requires special attention in a job interview when you’re asked “when can you start?”
- Some relocations are only a few towns over, but others may mean uprooting to an entirely different continent. This takes time.
- Be honest about your abilities to start by a certain date and explain the reasoning behind this decision. A little extra time to accommodate a smooth transition won’t get in the way of you’re the best person for the position.

Example Answers to “When Can You Start?”

Getting a clear picture of how to adequately answer “when can you start?” can only be done through a thorough examination of an interviewee’s circumstances. However, taking a look at some good examples never hurts. Read through the following impressive example answers for various situations, and use them as a blueprint for forming your own response.

Example Answer 1: Response From an Unemployed Candidate

“I can make myself available to start as soon as next week if offered the position. I’m open to working with you to figure out the best time for me to start.”
Why it works: This answer is short and sweet. It demonstrates that the candidate is up for starting soon without painting them as desperate.
Example Answer 2: Response From an Employed Candidate

“I would be absolutely thrilled if I received a job offer with your company. However, I’m still working with my current employer and would need to extend them the courtesy of a two-week notice. After finishing up my responsibilities there, I would be able to start working with your company around the 1st March. Does this line up with what you’re looking for?”
Why it works: An employer wants to hire someone who is going to act professionally in the role. This answer demonstrates a person who does just that.

It accounts for the candidate’s previous job and explains the reason for needing a couple of extra weeks before starting. It also gives the interviewer direct information to use for recruiting purposes.
Example Answer 3: Response From a Candidate Who Doesn’t Know Exactly When They Want to Start

“When would you need me to start by? I have flexibility in my schedule and would be willing to work within the organization’s requirements.”
Why it works: An interviewee who isn’t sure when they want to start working at their new job is best served by returning the question to the hiring manager.

It gives them more information about the needs of the potential employer and allows them to make the best choice for how to respond. This answer works because it demonstrates the candidate’s willingness to work with the company to figure out the best start date if hired.
Example Answer 4: Response From a Candidate Who Needs to Relocate

“I am currently living in Houston and would need to relocate to Dallas to begin working in this position. While I’m willing to move for this position, it’s going to take some time. I would need about two months to prepare before I actually begin working. That would put my start date around the beginning of May. Does that work for you?”
Why it works: This answer works well because it gives enough background information for the interviewer to understand the circumstances. They’re explaining why they need a decent amount of time to facilitate the relocation and give a defined timeline for when they’ll be available.

What to avoid saying:

Every interview question receives answers that fall on a spectrum from incredible to awful. Below are a few ways not to answer an interviewer when they ask about your potential start date:

“I can start right now!”

Why this doesn’t work: Many candidates mistakenly think that giving a cutesy answer along the lines of being able to start right away or tomorrow leaves a positive impression on the interviewer.

In reality, this response comes off as overrated and lazy. It shows that the candidate didn’t take any real time to look over their availability and doesn’t give the interviewer any useful information.
“I’ll start whenever I can, I really need this job.”

Why this doesn’t work: This answer is another no-go because it portrays the candidate as desperate for the position. Desperation is never a good look for a job candidate to have. It makes you look like a professional that absolutely nobody else wanted to hire, to the point that you’re getting antsy.
Instead of practically begging to be offered the position, give a response that makes you appear cool and confident.
“I don’t know when I can start. I have to look at my schedule.”

Why this doesn’t work: It’s a big problem if a candidate tells an interviewer that they don’t know when they can start and have to check their schedule. Gathering this knowledge should have been done before ever walking into an interview.

The lack of planning shows that the candidate isn’t very prepared. This won’t help your chances of landing the job you’re interviewing for.

Why Interviewers Ask This

There are a few reasons why an interviewer asks about a candidate’s availability and potential start date, beyond being completely positive that they’re going to hire them.

In addition to gathering an accurate applicant profile, start dates are brought up to further assess their preparedness on the subject. A candidate who stumbles over their answer shows that they haven’t thought much about it.
An interviewer also asks for information about availability to see how they’ll handle the transition away from a former employer. While many job-seekers are unemployed, some are currently working but seeking a new opportunity.
In this case, the way a candidate intends to act during their departure tells the hiring manager a lot about how they’ll behave if hired.

Tips for Answering This Interview Question

Don’t lie. While this tip might sound obvious, it’s a crucial one. Many candidates get into an interview and succumb to lying about certain details because they feel insecure about the truth or think it’ll get them eliminated from the running of the position.

Be honest about when you’re available to start. Most employers are willing to work with a candidate, as long as they’re truthful about their circumstances.
Provide a broad timeline. Remember that when an interviewer asks “when can you start?” it’s not a formal job offer. This means that it’s okay to not be exact with your start date.

Give a general timeline that you’d be able to get work within, but don’t get caught up in the details. That comes later when you’re officially offered the job.
Avoid giving too many details. The interviewer doesn’t want to know every detail of your life. If you have some things coming up in the near future, instead of going into detail about all of it, try saying something along the lines of “I have to double check the specifics of my current engagements, but I am eager to start as soon as possible.”
Don’t assume you have the job. Just because they are asking when you can start doesn’t always mean you are hired. This is usually a step or two before the hiring process.
Be prepared for possible follow-up questions. An interviewer usually asks a candidate when they’d be available to start towards the end of an interview, but there are still a few questions that might follow.

Be prepared for other common questions that come towards the end of an interview, such as:

“What Are Your Learning Goals?” (Interviewer Question Guide)

Sky Ariella — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 21:06:56 +0000

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10 Examples of Career Goals Interview Questions
Why Ask About a Candidate’s Career Goals in Interviews
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When you’re preparing the important questions to ask a potential employee in an interview, consider asking them, “what are your career goals?” Somewhere between questioning why they left their last job and when they can start, you will want to know more about how the candidate sees their professional future going. While it’s essential to use an interview to find out someone’s experience and skills, learning about their professional goals is key to understanding if they’re compatible with the company in the long-term.

Key Takeaways:

Asking a job applicant “what are your learning goals?” is a great way to judge their character because it will reveal their values and outlook.
You don’t just have to ask “what are your learning goals?” There are other ways to word the question that can add diversity to the applicant’s answer.
Motivation, education, and improvement are all great topics to look for in a candidate’s answer about career goals.
Many candidates will be so focused on their past work experience, they might not expect a question about their future.

10 Examples of Career Goals Interview Questions

Interviewers don’t simply have to ask the question, “what are your career goals,” to arrive at an answer that will give similar useful information. Consider the following ten examples of career goals interview questions to gain insight into an applicant.

Where do you see your career going? This is a broad question about a candidate’s intention for their career. It’s a little more casual and conversational than asking flat out what their career goals are. It can be a useful question in any industry and for a candidate at any level because it leads them to describe what they’d like to accomplish professionally in the future.
If their mindset for where they see their career going lines up with your company trajectory, they might be the right candidate to hire. How to assess their answer: You should assess the interviewee’s response to this question for aspiration and authenticity. You should be looking for a person who is confident in their abilities and has a clear trajectory for where they’d like their career to go. You also want an applicant who answers honestly and realistically based on their experience. Example Answer

“I see my career going in a upward direction of growth. Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, I want to grow. I want my skills to improve, I want my network to build, and most importantly I want to feel like the work I do results in a net benefit to myself, my workplace, and my community.”
What motivates you? Asking an applicant what motivates them is an excellent way to evaluate what they value in their life and career. People have different motivations. For some, it’s wealth or power. For others, it’s making a positive difference in the world or creating a great product. Finding out what motivates an interviewee will show you want is driving their effort and where their career is probably headed.
How to assess their answer: Look for an applicant who has positive motivations. You want to avoid someone whose answer is sarcastic or shallow. Ideally, someone is motivated by things like being the best employee they can be or producing brilliant work. While many people may very well be motivated by authority or wealth, there’s a way a candidate can answer that demonstrates their professional abilities. Pay attention to a candidate who can articulate their motivations, even less altruistic ones, positively. Example Answer

“I am motivated by the feeling that my efforts mean something. I look for work, projects, and challenges that give me purpose. At the end of every day I want to feel like I did my best to achieve this goal.”
Where do you see yourself In five years? This is a good question for gathering insight into what an applicant’s plans are for the near future. You can also extend the time-line to ten or twenty years to see how organized and clear they are in their planning.
It’s a good question to learn what an applicant’s goals are and what growth they hope to achieve within your company. How to assess their answer: When listening to an applicant’s response about where they see themselves in five years, consider where you want them to be in the company in that timeline. Do you expect this to be an employee who stays with the team for longer than five years? Does their answer for how they envision their professional future match what your company needs to fill in this role? Consider these questions when assessing a candidate’s answer. Example Answer

“In five years I see myself more educated and experience at my profession. I’d like to develop my skills further and go from the intermediate level I am at today, to an advanced level. I see myself as someone who could be a mentor to my younger self.”
Do you plan to pursue more education? Questioning whether an applicant intends to pursue more schooling can help an interviewer looking to fill an adaptable role. Student-learning is an excellent way to sharpen soft-skills associated with a strong employee and become proficient in additional hard skills. An applicant who is considering further study in a discipline related to your company can also make for an employee whose abilities will continue to grow with time.
How to assess their answer: As the employer, you know what qualities you’re looking for in a potential employee. Suppose the position you’re hiring for will require full-time plus possible overtime to fulfill initial responsibilities. In that case, an applicant whose going to school soon may not have enough time for it. On the other hand, if the role is flexible and you’re looking for a candidate who’s always learning, this could be a benefit. Example Answer

“I’d like to go back to school, but most likely on a part-time basis. I do not want to sacrifice my career. Instead I want my education to further my career. I think I may seek out educational opportunities that will provide me new tools and skills to better my professional life.”
Do you think this position fits your professional goals and objectives? When interviewing a potential employee, you should gear the questions towards receiving informative and illuminating answers. One way to do that is by asking them how they think the position is right for them in their career journey. Their explanation of why they believe this position aligns with their professional objectives for the future may resonate with the company’s ideal candidate profile.
How to assess their answer: Pay attention to how familiar the applicant is with the position and company they’re interviewing for when asking this question. It can be a good preview of their preparedness. Listen to the goals that they choose to focus on during this question. Are these objectives that make sense in the position you’re hiring for? Example Answer

“Yes, I do believe this position fits with my professional goals. It is my goal to become a more effective and agile software developer. This position is at the forefront of a lot of new technological developments, so I believe I will learn a lot and become the person I want to be from the experience.”
Tell me about your greatest accomplishment and how you got there. Asking about an applicant’s most remarkable achievements can help you get to know them in a couple of ways. First of all, it lets you see what they define as their greatest success in their career thus far. This can let you know what their experience level is like and how they define success.
Additionally, the kind of accomplishment they choose to talk about can speak volumes about how they accomplish goals. How to assess their answer: Consider their response for tone. When talking about their accomplishments, do they come across as humble, conceited, or confident? These qualities make for very different kinds of employees who tackle their goals in varying ways. Think about if this personality will fit well in your work environment. You should also be taking note of their explanation of how they achieved their most significant accomplishment. The way they handled this former success is probably how they’ll approach working for your organization. Example Answer

“My greatest accomplishment would have to be the time at my previous job when I was tasked to lead a team in organizing our annual marketing campaign. Due to several factors, we were short staffed, however my team and I were able to equally distribute responsibilities. We met frequently to monitored our progress, and my team was very responsive to my initiatives. I was, in turn, very grateful for their input and efforts. We had a successful campaign that resulted in 20% growth of our userbase. I was acknowledged by upper management, however I was just as proud of my team, in part for how happy they were with the end result. Together we made a significant impact and I learned a lot in the process.”
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? This question is a revealing one. It’s key to listen to how a candidate describes their accomplishments, but it’s also very telling to see how they handle talking about their shortcomings.
Just like goals for positive advancement in their career, asking about some of their negative traits can show you how they plan to work on themselves in the future. How to assess their answer: This question may catch many interviewees off guard, which will probably make their response a little more genuine. People are naturally uncomfortable when talking about their flaws or insecurities. How they present their less than desirable qualities can show you how well they can handle dealing with negatives in the workplace. Assess their answer for both honesty and how they work on this flaw. Example Answer

“I am not good at public speaking. Anytime I’m in a meeting or presentation, I seem to fumble with my words and lose my train of thought. I want to make it my goal to get better at this and I am considering signing up for workshops related to public speaking.”
Why do you want to work for us? The question of why an interviewee wants the position can clue you into aspects of their motivations and goals. It can also show how prepared they came for the interview, based on how relevant their answer is to the specific position and company.
Beyond the nuances that this question can put you on to, it’s a straightforward question that results in an honest answer about the candidate’s interest in the role. That’s vital information to know before hiring someone. How to assess their answer: Since this is a straightforward question, you should be listening for a direct response. Strong answers will involve knowing the company and sincerely explaining why they feel it would be a good fit for their career. Bonus points if they can also incorporate why they’re an ideal candidate for the role in their answer. Example Answer

“I want to work for you because I believe in this company’s mission. You clearly value having a positive social impact that goes beyond making a profit. You want to see your efforts result in a better future for everyone and I feel the same way about myself. I want to be a part of something that leads our community into a healthier world.”
Why are you looking for a new position? In addition to asking questions about the applicant’s plans for their future, you should also gain insight into why they’re looking for a new job. How an interviewee speaks about their former or current positions says a lot about who they are as an employee and how they might behave.
A candidate who can articulate why they’re seeking a new position professionally and how it lines up with their goals shows strong employee potential. How to assess their answer: When answering this question, many candidates will be forced to talk about their former position and why they’re moving on from it. Take this opportunity to see how they speak about their current or former job and if they can communicate the need for the change in a productive way. The chances are that if an applicant talks about their former employer rudely, they could do the same to your company one day. Example Answer

“Truthfully, I’m bored at my current job. I have been in the same position for six years and although I have done a lot of great work, I feel it has become repetitive. I also don’t see any potential for growth at my current job, whereas here I am excited by the opportunities available.”
What do you do to achieve your professional goals? If all else fails, simply asking an applicant bluntly how they go about achieving their goals can help get a good answer. After all, nobody has more insight into their work habits than the candidate themselves. Their response may be able to give you a lot of clarification into their work ethic and goal-setting.
How to assess their answer: This is a difficult question to answer on the spot in an interview, and if an applicant can do it well, it’s a safe bet that they have potential. You should be looking for an answer that concisely states how they’ve achieved their goals in the past and what they intend to do in the future to continue meeting their goals. Example Answer

“To achieve my goals I do two things. First, I share them with someone, preferably a supervisor, to help hold me accountable. Second, I track my progress in my journal. At least once a week I reflect on the status of my goals, what I have done, where they are, and what I could be doing better.”

Why Ask About a Candidate’s Career Goals in Interviews

Employers interview applicants before offering them a position to get a better read on their skills and make a more educated hiring decision. Of course, there’s some basic ground you need to cover about where they’ve been and who they are, but learning more about their career objectives is equally as important. It’s pivotal to ask questions about an interviewee’s goals and prospects for a few reasons. Observing how a candidate answers questions involving their career goals will tell you a lot about themselves. It can give you insight into where they plan to be five, ten, and twenty years from now and what they’d like to accomplish in that time. Additionally, this is a question that may shock a lot of unprepared candidates. Many applicants may come to an interview prepared with answers to questions about their previous work experience. However, fewer have considered questions involving their hopes and goals for the future. This can result in a more honest answer that gives a good idea about the interviewee’s values. It’s better to know exactly what an applicant’s aspirations are in the interview stage. Once you learn the candidate’s goals early, you can decide if this is the kind of employee that would be compatible with your organization’s future prospects, instead of being surprised later if it seems like you don’t see eye-to-eye, goal-wise.

Chipotle Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

Amanda Covaleski — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:58:04 +0000

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Interview Questions at Chipotle Mexican Grill
Example Answers to Chipotle Questions
Interview Tips for Chipotle Mexican Grill
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Are you passionate about food? Do you find yourself constantly ordering burritos from Chipotle? Do you want to get your foot in the door in the restaurant industry? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might want to consider applying for a job at Chipotle. The famous Mexican fast-casual restaurant has locations across the US (and even international outposts) that are always looking to add to their team. Working with Chipotle means great opportunities for advancement, gaining training and knowledge about their products, working with great team members, and helping them fulfill their mission to make high-quality, all-natural fast food. Landing a job at Chipotle isn’t difficult with a little bit of preparation and practice. We’ll walk you through the process of applying, interviewing, and getting a job with Chipotle with this guide.

Key Takeaways:

Expect both Chipotle specific and general customer service interview questions.
Be prepared for your interview by reading the job description, updating your resume, and dressing relatively professional.
Your answers you be direct to the point and highlight why you would be a good fit for Chipotle.
If this is your first job, empathize your willingness to learn.

Interview Questions at Chipotle Mexican Grill

Many of the interview questions you’ll get at Chipotle are common interview questions that you’d get at any other entry-level job interview. Since the hiring process is geared toward entry-level job seekers or people trying to land their first job, the interviews aren’t meant to trick you. Your interviewer just wants to see if you’re a good skill and personality fit for the position. Still, it’s a good idea to go over the basic interview questions as well as Chipotle-specific ones, so you’re prepared for whatever the interviewer asks you. Here are some of the questions you might have to answer during one of your interviews with Chipotle:

Can you see yourself building a career with Chipotle?
What does great customer service mean to you?
Why do you want to work for Chipotle?
Do you have any previous restaurant or food service experience?
How do you handle stressful situations?
How do you work in a team environment?
What are your best skills that you can bring to the team at Chipotle?
Tell me what you know about Chipotle.
Can you work in a fast-paced environment?
Have you worked with point-of-sale or cash registers before?
How familiar are you with the Chipotle menu? [Note: you might get this question phrased in another way, like “What’s your favorite dish on the menu?” to test your knowledge.]
Do you have any experience with customer service?
Can you tell me about a time you had to teach someone how to do something?
How would you handle an unhappy or rude customer?
Imagine your shift is coming to an end, but your coworker who’s supposed to replace you hasn’t arrived yet. What would you do?
When are you available to work?
What is your biggest weakness?
Can you tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you fixed it?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Are you comfortable with multitasking?

Example Answers to Chipotle Questions

Now that you have seen some potential Chipotle interview questions, you might be wondering how to answer them. Lets take a few examples to show you how it is possible to answer an interview question that gets to the point, highlights your professionalism, and shows that you are the right fit for the job.

Why do you want to work for Chipotle?

“I want to work at Chipotle because I think it would be a perfect fit with my interests and skills. I’m great with people and I love interacting with new faces everyday. I have a lot of experience helping my school run bake sales. Usually I am the one sitting at the table handing out treats and talking with everyone who passes by.

I would love to take these skills further and I think Chipotle would be a great place to do to grow. Plus, I love the food.”
Tell me what you know about Chipotle.

“I know that Chipotle prides itself on its quality service. Chipotle is more than just a fast food restaurant. Chipotle caters to people who want good food and good atmosphere. Chipotle wants to strike a balance between convenience, comfort, and quality.”
How would you handle an unhappy or rude customer?

“First, I would validate their emotions. I would say something like, ‘I understand you are upset right now.’ Then, I would see if there was anything reasonable I could do to help them. I might try to offer them different solutions to their problems. If that all didn’t work, I would then go get my supervisor.”

Interview Tips for Chipotle Mexican Grill

Knowing the questions you’ll be asked isn’t the only thing you can do to prepare for an interview with Chipotle. Here are a few more tips to help get you hired:

Update your resume. Ensure you have a copy of your resume that’s recent and highlights specific skills that the job description asks for. Taking the extra time to do this will almost guarantee that you get an interview and an opportunity to explain why you’re perfect for the job.
Research the company. Knowing the core values and goals of Chipotle is key to nailing the interview questions. Find ways to relate your answers to the company’s values, like inclusivity, diversity, authenticity, and standing up for what’s right.
The more you can show that you understand the company’s goals and motivations, the better you’ll look in the interview.
Practice your interview answers. While you go over the most common Chipotle interview questions, you should think of how you would answer them. Practicing ahead of time will help you think of answers ahead of the interview, so you don’t have to scramble for a response during the interview.
It will also ease some of the pressure, so you don’t panic while interviewing since you have thorough answers ready to go.
Dress professionally. Chipotle interviews their candidates in-person, so make sure you have a professional outfit ready to go. Business casual should be appropriate, and you can keep your style relaxed; just don’t show up in sweatpants.
Bring a resume. When you’re in the interview, make sure you bring a resume. It could be a useful reference for your interviewer just if they didn’t have a chance to review your qualifications. You can also use it to stay on track and remind yourself of what relevant experience you should highlight as you answer questions.
Emphasize your willingness to learn. Chipotle is an excellent place for first-time job seekers to work, and they know a lot of employees don’t have extensive customer service or restaurant experience. The company is willing to train employees, but you need to show that you have the skills and desire to learn. Try to emphasize skills you’ve picked up or things that you’ve taught yourself, so they know you’re a quick learner.
Ask questions. You should always ask the interviewer questions at the end of an interview. It shows that you’re engaged and invested in the job opportunity. Think of a few questions you can ask, either about the job itself or the company culture, and you’ll stand out to your interviewer.
Build rapport. Try to engage your interviewer and create a friendly relationship with them. You’ll have the opportunity to start a little small talk before and after the interview, so use it to learn more about the interviewer as a person and let them get to know you.
Practice some more. If you get invited for a second interview, you should repeat your prep process to ensure you have good answers prepared. Typically the second interview is with a higher-up manager or hiring manager, so you want to make sure that you impress them. Going through another round of prep is the perfect way to wow your next interviewer.

Accounting Interview Questions (With Examples)

Kristin Kizer — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 12:18:41 +0000

In This Article

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Top 10 Accounting Interview Questions
General Interview Questions for Accountants
How to Prepare for an Accountant Interview
How to Answer Accounting Interview Questions
Final Thoughts
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Accountants are key players in your company and even your personal life. They have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, and you’re placing a lot of trust in their loyalty and honesty. Unless you’re part of an accounting firm that is always in the business of hiring accountants, this can be a tricky job interview. The business is full of jargon and acronyms, and it’s difficult for a traditional hiring manager or layperson to understand accounting basics. Let alone everything you need to know to hire an accountant. The following questions should be included in your interview and help you gauge your candidate’s professional and accounting knowledge level. As a bonus, if you’re interviewing for an accounting position yourself, you can expect to be asked these questions or ones similar to them. That means that you are getting a little sneak preview of your interview here. This gives you ample time to think about your answers and prepare in advance.

Key Takeaways:

Be prepared for both accounting specific and general employee interview questions.
During the interview, reflect on past experiences and have some anecdotes ready.
Make sure to remember your accounting terms because you will likely be quizzed on their nuances.
Keep yourself both humble and confident in the interview.

General Interview Questions for Accountants

You didn’t think it was all going to be accounting questions, did you? Nope, even during a very math-heavy and industry-specific interview, there will be questions about you and your personality. These are some common interview questions you’ll run across in an accountant interview or any job interview. Most of them will be open-ended questions or behavioral interview questions. This means they’re designed to let you speak at length, so you reveal more about your character than the answer itself.

Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest here; it can impress upon them your innate integrity. Try to avoid flipping a strength into a backward weakness or vice versa.
For strengths, focus on reiterating the key requirements from the job description. You don’t want your greatest asset to be something that the interviewer doesn’t value very much. And for weaknesses, always end on a high note of steps you’ve taken to improve your less-than-stellar areas.
Tell me about a time you failed. It can feel like they’re picking out your low points but from adversity comes the greatest knowledge. Like all behavioral interview questions, you can answer this by using the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
By quickly setting up a story where you lay out what was happening and describe what steps you took, you’re giving the hiring manager or recruiter plenty of context. Just like the weakness question, make sure your answer finishes on a positive note by describing what you learned from the failure or what changes you’ve made to ensure it never happens again.
How do you handle stress and pressure? One thing people outside of the industry don’t seem to understand; accounting can be a very high-pressure job. There are a lot of deadlines and your accuracy is crucial. It’s obvious why this question matters.
Again, telling a story is your best tactic here. Of course, you can also mention techniques to cope with stress, but if you can contextualize those methods with a successful story about overcoming a stressful professional situation, it’ll make your answer that much richer.
What sets you apart from other candidates? Interviewees are often stuck wondering how to answer this question when they don’t even know who the other candidates are. But the point of this question is to consider your competition in general terms.
Which qualifications do they likely share with you (a CPA, advanced knowledge of Quickbooks, etc.) and which make you unique? When considering what makes you stand out, think about things that aren’t required but are nevertheless valuable for the job. Or you can think about the additional experience you have with some required software that proves your expertise outstrips the competition.
What’s your dream job? Tread carefully with this question. Is the job you’re applying for it, or can you prepare for an even better future at this job by being clever and forward-thinking?
It’s fine if the job you’re applying for isn’t your dream job. A hiring manager probably wouldn’t believe you even if you said so. The important thing is that the position you’re applying for makes sense given your long-term career goals. For example, responding that work in hospitality and travel is your dream job would raise a red flag that you wouldn’t be happy working as an accountant. But if you say that working as a director of finance is your dream job, then you’re probably on the right track.
Tell me about work conflicts you’ve had and how you managed them. This interview question is trending now, and you should already have an anecdote in mind. Remember, good accountants need tact and honesty. The interviewer will never want to hear that you learned to live with the problem or ignored it.
Accountants are counted upon to bring up discrepancies and issues long before something becomes a major problem. With that in mind, it’s essential that the example you give shows that you’re not afraid to communicate uncomfortable information.
Do you have any questions for me? Our best advice –- have a question or several. Even if you’re more than ready to walk out that door, hang up the phone, or disconnect your virtual interview.
This gives you a chance to show you listened and you’ve researched the company. Best of all, you can mentally put yourself in the job role and ask specific questions that have them picturing you doing the job.

How to Prepare for an Accountant Interview

There are two sides to this, just as there are two sides to the interview – the interviewer and the interviewee. Let’s look at both – not just to be thorough, but to see all sides of this interview process.

Accountant interviewer. If this is new territory for you, brushing up on basic accounting terms is a great way to prepare. It gets you in the right mindset, and it helps you understand what you’re asking and what’s being answered. But there is more you can do.
- Learn accounting terms
- Know what software your company prefers
- Understand the company’s financial position
- Know the company’s future financial goals
- Be up to date on industry trends and current economic realities
- Get specifics regarding the interviewee’s past accounting experience (look for companies that align with yours in the interviewee’s employment background)
- Familiarize yourself with the candidate’s resume and cover letter – do any questions come to you immediately?
- Create an outline for yourself, so you don’t miss anything
Accountant interviewee. It’s time to get that accounting job offer. You’re at the last hurdle, the interview. Now you need to make that great first impression in person and wow them with your skills, honesty, integrity, and willingness to learn.
- Reread the job description
- Research the company and learn all you can about their financial situation
- Be confident in your abilities and even more reassuring about ones you don’t yet have but are willing to learn
- Reflect on past experiences and have some anecdotes ready
- You know they’re going to ask about your strengths and weaknesses, so don’t be surprised by this – be prepared
- Come with a list of your accreditations and the software you’ve worked with
- Prepare a 30-60-90 day plan for your onboarding and share it with the hiring manager
- Stay up to date on accounting trends in the industry you’re applying to work in

How to Answer Accounting Interview Questions

Confidence is the one trait that will serve you well in an interview for an accounting role. The interviewee is the one answering the questions and they need to know their industry. Not only that, they need to be able to communicate their knowledge, skill, and experience in a confident manner that would make someone okay with letting them handle money. When you think about it, there’s a huge amount of trust in your role, and you need to earn it. In addition to sounding and being confident in an accountant interview, you need to be prepared. It’s important that you listen carefully to each question – don’t anticipate the answer, and then answer directly. If you don’t know something, it’s best not to fudge but admit that that’s an area you’re not familiar with. Or maybe it’s a piece of accounting software you haven’t used. Honesty means a lot in this position. One thing to remember when you’re being interviewed to work in finance, or any industry, is that you’re trainable. If you haven’t had experience in one area but you’ve done similar things or you understand the concept, let them know. It never hurts to tell people that, while you haven’t done that specific thing, you’re certain you can learn how. Again, honesty is important.

Final Thoughts

An interview for an accounting position will involve a lot of technical questions to verify your qualifications. But to really stand out, you’ll need to display enthusiasm for the role and company and answer questions in a way that shows your comfort with the subject. Do your homework before the interview, be ready to answer some of the most common interview questions, and give recruiters a good answer to the question “why should we hire you?” Finish up by delivering those questions to ask the interviewer you prepared and you’ll show that you have what it takes to do the job from day one.

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