All interview questions fall under one of three types

All interview questions fall under one of three types. Knowing what they are, and trying to do is just a matter of understanding the process. In essence, the employer needs to replace a person or fill a new role. They need to be as productive as fast as possible. Cost as little as possible and fit in with ‘The way we do things here’.

We need to understand what it is that the interviewer is trying to do.

The Killer question

You know what it is like. You go for the interview, then at some point they ask THAT question.

You know the one, the question that is seemingly irrelevant.

There are lots of difficult or tough interview questions:

• Tell me about yourself
• Tell me about a time when you failed at something
• Why should I hire you?
• Why did you apply for this job?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What management style do you find works best for you?
• When did you last get angry at work? Why? What was the outcome?
• What is your biggest weakness?
• Who is your biggest hero?
• … indeed 100s more…

And there are as many websites with the “killer” replies. But no matter how much you practice, rehearse and revise such questions, the person interviewing you will ask one that you are not prepared for. So rather than prepare to answer specific questions, lets get under the skin of these tough questions.

All interview questions fall under one of three categories

• Can you do this job,
• Why do you want to do this job, and
• Would you fit in to our company?

When preparing to interview you should prepare to answer variations on these questions. Then you can adjust and tailor it to the situation you face.

Are all interview questions tough?

In many ways all interview questions are tough…if you are not well prepared. Read about the company. Check out the company website. Check out any customer website if different. Look at their social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Instagram etc.

Use social media – do your homework

Look on social media for hashtags that talk about the company. be skeptical of sites like Glassdoor. Companies spend money to be there, and most people will only leave negative employer feedback. Take anything you read as ‘interesting’ but no more.

Look up the people that are interviewing you on LinkedIn. What is their background. Who are they connected to. What groups do they belong to. What companies do they follow.

Prepare. Know about the company. their style, there approach. the language they use and remember that all interview questions fall under one of three areas of discovery:

• Can you do this job,
• Why you want to do this job, and
• Would you fit in