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9 qualities of being a good employee/ 9 rhinwedd bod yn weithiwr da

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9 qualities of being a good employee/ 9 rhinwedd bod yn weithiwr da

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9 qualities of a good employee (with definition and examples)

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Explore the definitions and examples of nine qualities of a good employee, which can help you foster trust with your employer and build your work reputation.

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16 reactions · 5 comments | Keen to know how to write an effective CV? 🤔

We know that getting this right can often feel a little tricky, so we've shared a new blog on our careers website which includes advice on how to write an effective CV, from how to format it, to what exactly to include, and everything in between!

Max Deans, senior recruiter at Kier, has also shared some of his own top pieces of advice! 

Make sure to check out our blog, here, https://careers.kier.co.uk/jobs/employee-stories/employee/447 once you've heard Max's top tips! 

#JoinKier #ConstructionRevolution #CV #CVtips | Careers at Kier

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Keen to know how to write an effective CV? 🤔

We know that getting this right can often feel a little tricky, so we've shared a new blog on our careers website which includes advice on how to write...

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Lee Harding on Instagram: "How to write a CV and what not to include #jobinterview #careeradvice #recruitment

Free CV Template in my bio and loads of resources to help in your job search and interviews."

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420 likes, 28 comments - theintrovertedrecruiter_ on November 28, 2025: "How to write a CV and what not to include #jobinterview #careeradvice #recruitment

Free CV Template in my bio and loads of resources to help in your job search and interviews.". 

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Build your Teamwork skills/ Meithrin eich Sgiliau Gwaith Tîm

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Build your Teamwork skills/ Meithrin eich Sgiliau Gwaith Tîm

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Teamwork Skills At Work

Most types of work involve you working as a team. Good teamwork means everyone working well together.

Your teamwork skills can help you at work in all sorts of ways. Perhaps you're working in construction and thinking about the health and safety of yourself and your team mates. Maybe your team has work together to create a report for a client to a tight deadline. Teamwork also helps gets things done when you're planning a birthday party for someone you work with!

Having teamwork skills will make it a much better experience for everyone, whether you are working long hours or trying to choose which cake to buy.

Building teamwork skills at work will help you:

Achieve a team goal in a quick and positive way

Improve your communication skills, e.g. listening, taking instruction and offering support and ideas

Good teamwork skills will give you more chances to move forward in your career, too. People can see you as someone with a positive attitude who thinks the company's goals are important. This can help you get more opportunities, responsibility, training and promotions over time.

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What Are Teamwork Skills? Build Skills For Life And Work - Youth Employment UK

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Most types of work involve you working as a team. Good teamwork means everyone working well together. Your teamwork skills can help you at work in all sorts of ways. Perhaps you're working in construction and thinking about the health and safety of yourself and your team mates.

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We can run group workshops for young people or foster carers on any of the topic areas covered in our resources.

For more information contact Bethan Wilson, Development Officer, Children in Wales. bethan.wilson@childreninwales.org.uk

Gallwn ni gynnal gweithdai grŵp i bobl ifanc neu ofalwyr maeth ar unrhyw rai o’r meysydd pwnc sy’n cael sylw yn ein hadnoddau.

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â Bethan Wilson, Swyddog Datblygu, Plant yng Nghymru. bethan.wilson@childreninwales.org.uk

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Benefits and Entitlements/ Budd-daliadau a hawl i fudd-daliadau

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Benefits and Entitlements/ Budd-daliadau a hawl i fudd-daliadau

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Benefits and Entitlements- Young Parents/ Budd-daliadau a Phethau i’w Hawlio-  Rhieni Ifanc

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Benefits and Entitlements- Young Parents/ Budd-daliadau a Phethau i’w Hawlio-  Rhieni Ifanc

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Employment- What I need to know/ Cyflogaeth- Beth rydw i angen gwybod:

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Employment- What I need to know/ Cyflogaeth- Beth rydw i angen gwybod:

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What are problem solving skills?/ Beth yw sgiliau datrys problemau?

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What are problem solving skills?/ Beth yw sgiliau datrys problemau?

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Problem-Solving Skills: Definitions and Examples

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Problem-solving skills are skills that enable people to handle unexpected situations or difficult challenges at work. Organisations need people who can accurately assess problems and come up with effective solutions. In this article, we explain what problem-solving skills are, provide some examples of these skills and outline how to improve them.

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Build your Communication Skills/ Meithrin eich Sgiliau Cyfathrebu

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Build your Communication Skills/ Meithrin eich Sgiliau Cyfathrebu

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It also covers skills in:

Communication is one of 5 top Young Professional skills

Why are communication skills important?

You have been communicating since you were born. Babies cry to get their parents' attention, and as we grow we develop more sophisticated ways of letting people know what we want, as well as listening to others.

Most of us know how to communicate, but not everyone is good at communication. However, you can grow your communication skills over time.

To be a good communicator you need to get across your ideas and opinions well, but also listen to others and take their ideas into consideration. Effective communication means that everyone is on the same page.

Grow your communication skills

Communication skills in school and education

Reading, writing, expressing yourself well and listening carefully are four of the most important communication skills you can learn while you're in school.

Building communication skills in school will help you:

Understand and take in what's been said and taught

Present your work in a clear way to teachers, from homework to reports

Make presentations and speeches with more confidence

Ask questions that help you boost your understanding

Share your ideas or thoughts in a way that makes people want to listen to them.

Communication skills in work

In work, communication skills are important for getting the best results at meetings.

Good communication skills help everyone at the meeting feel informed, because they know what needs to be done and why. Communication skills can also make people in the meeting feel good about taking on responsibility to help a project.

Building communication skills at work will help you:

Give presentations and do reports with increased confidence

Have a great phone manner if you are talking to customers or clients on the phone

Send typo-free emails that match the professional tone of where you work

Get on with your manager and people in your team (see team working)

Listen carefully to what you need to do, so you understand what's needed

Share your ideas in a way that will be appreciated by co-workers

Network to find new opportunities.

Good communication is important in the world of work. To perform successfully alongside your colleagues, understand your role, and promote the organisation in a positive manner you will need to communicate in many ways.

Effective communication will give you more chances to move forward in your career, too. Networking is one of the best ways to find new opportunities. Good networkers are good communicators!

How to build and improve communication skills

Communication is one of those life skills that will help you in all kinds of ways. Here are just a few examples of ways you can build up the communication skills you've already got:
Volunteer to give a presentation
Public speaking might seem daunting but it is a great way to develop confidence. Look at TED talks for good examples.
Write a blog
Writing articles or blogs is a great way to develop written communication skills.
Watch and learn from the body language of others
You can often tell if people get on or not by watching their body language.
Contribute ideas to a team project
It might seem hard to speak up but if you have a good idea to share then speaking up can help the project and help you build confidence, too.
Do practice job interviews at home
If you have a job interview coming up, practice with someone you know first so you can think about questions being asked and how you come across.

Demonstrating communication skills

Creating a good CV
Your CV is a communication tool, so it's important to show your written communication skills at their best.
Writing emails
When writing emails or talking to people ensure you use appropriate language and tone.
Job interviews
During job interviews use positive body language such as a firm handshake, eye contact and show that you are friendly and confident by smiling. Communication skills also cover the signals you give people without even realising it. Body language says a lot about you. To be a great communicator you need to be aware of how your body language comes across, not just in job interviews but in day-to-day life and work situations.

When you're at a job interview or writing a covering letter you have already shown a prospective employer your communication skills. Make sure you are prepared and take some time to think about what exactly you want to communicate about yourself. If you've practised answering potential interview questions and checked out your body language, then you should be well on your way to showing off great communication skills!

In a job interview you may also be asked about specific types of communication. For example, if you're going for a role where you will deal with customers you will probably be asked if you've dealt with customers in the past, or dealt with difficult people in general, and how you handled it. It's good to have a think before the interview about some examples where you've communicated well in different settings and with different types of people.

As always remember the STARRS method - it's an expansion on the popular STARR method by one of our own Youth Ambassadors. It helps you think about what went well in a past situation and what you would do better next time.
Communication is a life skill. You can grow it over time.
There are so many different methods of communicating, and also many ways you can strengthen your communication skills.

Next steps

From writing great emails to delivering fantastic presentations, take the time to practise, especially in the areas you're less confident in.

Try asking a friend, teacher, or family member how well they think you communicate in different ways like writing, speaking, body language, etc. and if they have any pointers to help you improve.

Remember, some of the best communicators weren't naturally great at communicating but they took the time to learn and build their skills. You can do that too.

SEE MORE on communication skills

Activity - test yourself!

See if you can think about the questions below. It's useful to you to come up with actual examples. It's especially useful to come up with examples from your own life and work experience.

1. What are the main types of communication? Name three.

2. How could you develop your communication skills? Give an example.

3. How can you demonstrate good communication skills? Give an example.

4. Apply the STARRS method to a past situation where communication was important. What did you do well? How could you do better next time?

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

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Build your skills - see all challenges

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What Are Communication Skills | Build Skills For Life And Work | Young Professional - Youth Employment UK

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It also covers skills in: Communication is one of 5 top Young Professional skills You have been communicating since you were born. Babies cry to get their parents' attention, and as we grow we develop more sophisticated ways of letting people know what we want, as well as listening to others.

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Not sure what job you should do? Take our career quiz to find out your strengths, and what jobs you might enjoy. Take the Career Quiz here.

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Interview tips/ Cynghorion ar gyfer cyfweliadau

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Interview tips/ Cynghorion ar gyfer cyfweliadau

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Top Interview Tips: Common Questions, Nonverbal Communication & More | Indeed

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Video Interview Tips: What to Wear, How to Prepare, and Example Questions

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Interview Techniques/ Technegau ar gyfer cyfweliadau

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Interview Techniques/ Technegau ar gyfer cyfweliadau

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You will be asked different types of questions including direct questions and competency questions. Sometimes employers will ask you unusual questions as well. So be prepared.

Some common interview questions

Apply your strengths, experience and training to these questions:

Tell me about yourself

Why do you want this job?

What are your strengths?

What relevant experience have you got?

Why should we employ you?

What motivates you?

What is your major achievement?

(Employers would expect some repetition. In fact, they might remember your skills better when you repeat them.)

Competency questions

Competency Questions are questions that ask you to give examples from your work or life. They are your chance to prove you have the right skills and experience.

Find help to answer competency questions: How to answer interview questions with real life examples

Other questions

What are your weaknesses?

Think of a weakness that could also be a strength. Employers expect a serious answer to this question. Prepare what you will answer before the interview.

What do you know about our company?

Always research the company before the interview. Look online at the company's website and read the information available. Try putting the company's name into a search engine or news site. If it's positive news you could mention this in interview.

Do you have any questions for us?

Always answeryes. Questions you might ask depend on the job but here are a few suggestions:

How many people would I be working with?

Who would I be reporting to?

Can you tell me about a typical day on this job?

Don'task about wages, annual leave, sickness or pension schemes. These are questions you would ask if they offer you the job.

Practise answering questions out loud. If you can, practise with someone that can give you honest feedback. The more you practise, the more confident you will be in the interview.

With Covid-19 affecting how employers are recruiting, some employers may still offer face to face interviews but others may now offer an interview online or over the phone. Check out our guide to Video and telephone interviews.

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You will be asked different types of questions including direct questions and competency questions. Sometimes employers will ask you unusual questions as well. So be prepared. Apply your strengths, experience and training to these questions: Tell me about yourself Why do you want this job? What are your strengths?

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I want to choose my next step

Deciding on your 'what next?' doesn't have to be overwhelming. From unearthing your talents to figuring out what jobs suit you best, we've got the tips and practical advice to get you going.

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I want to choose my next step Deciding on your 'what next?' doesn't have to be overwhelming. From unearthing your talents to figuring out what jobs suit you best, we've got the tips and practical advice to get you going.

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Support from Careers Wales/ Cefnogaeth gan Gyrfa Cymru

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Support from Careers Wales/ Cefnogaeth gan Gyrfa Cymru

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Help with CVs, application forms, personal statements, interviews, finding jobs, approaching employers and more.

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Get help to plan your career. Explore your options and career ideas.

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Looking for inspiration on which future job roles might be a good match for your current skills? Interested in different jobs but unsure what skills are required or how you could develop these skills?

Use our Wheel of Strengths tool to find out how your skills, interests and personality traits match up with a range of job roles. You may discover job roles you hadn't thought of and be surprised at where your skills could take you. You could use the worksheet to record and reflect on what you find out and even create an action plan to help you to reach your ambitions.

Examples of what you can discover with the Wheel of Strengths:

Examples of job roles that match your current skills

How your personality traits and interests complement your skills

What other potential jobs are available if you improve your skills further

How you can develop your existing skills and learn new ones

When should I use the Wheel of Strengths?
Try the Wheel of Strengths when you are thinking about possible job roles and deciding how suitable they may be for you. This could be when you're thinking about choosing a work experience placement, courses you might want to study, or it could simply be when you're looking for a bit of inspiration on the world of careers.

You can revisit the tool as many times as you like - why not bookmark it as a favourite page so it's always easy to find?
How can I get the most out of the Wheel of Strengths?
Option 1 - complete the tool and explore the job role results that might suit you based on your current skills, interests and personality traits. Research these roles further if any of them sound appealing.

Option 2 - complete the tool twice, the second time adding in the skills you would want to develop to reveal examples of other jobs that might also be a great match. The LifeSkills website is full of information on how you can improve these skills starting today.
What should I do next?
Check out the Advice Map to find advice on your future employment or education options. Read this article on how to decide what to do after leaving school for an overview of different options.

And explore a variety of different jobs and sectors by visiting BBC BiteSize https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmdc382

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Wheel of Strengths | What job suits me | Barclays

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Looking for inspiration on which future job roles might be a good match for your current skills? Interested in different jobs but unsure what skills are required or how you could develop these skills? Use our Wheel of Strengths tool to find out how your skills, interests and personality traits match up with a range of job roles.

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Get involved with social action/ Ymwneud â gweithredu cymdeithasol

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Get involved with social action/ Ymwneud â gweithredu cymdeithasol

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It's not always easy to fill your CV with relevant experience or answer job interview questions with confidence. But what if you could take part in something that both helps your community and gives you valuable experience to help you get where you want to go? Here's where social action comes in.

From community fundraising to volunteering or campaigning, social action is a great way of getting involved in meaningful and enriching opportunities. To see more detail about social action, listen to Ciara's description in the video below.

As well as being something that stands out on your CV and experience you can talk about in job interviews, social action can help you build a broad range of transferable skills like communication, confidence and problem solving, which are hugely important in any job. You will also have the chance to build relationships with a varied group of individuals.

"Social action demonstrates a lot of skills that exam results or academic achievements can't. Work is often a community, so being part of your community and helping others goes hand-in-hand with employment. It reveals a bit about what you are interested in and where your passions lie. Demonstrating that you have no explicit reason to engage with a project, other than your own willingness, shows genuine commitment." Ciara

If you are unsure on the career path you want to take, social action can also help you decide what industry or sector you may (or may not!) enjoy working in, and some can even give you experience of working in a real workplace.

To hear some real-world examples and get some ideas of how you can get involved, watch the video below to learn about Matthew and Ciara's social action stories.

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Get involved with social action | LifeSkills

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It's not always easy to fill your CV with relevant experience or answer job interview questions with confidence. But what if you could take part in something that both helps your community and gives you valuable experience to help you get where you want to go? Here's where social action comes in.

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7 ways to build experience/ 7 ffordd o feithrin profiad

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7 ways to build experience/ 7 ffordd o feithrin profiad

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Free dry cleaning for unemployed. by Timpson

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If you're unemployed and going for an interview we will dry clean an outfit for you free of charge.

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Things to take to an interview/ Pethau sydd eu hangen mewn cyfweliad 

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Things to take to an interview/ Pethau sydd eu hangen mewn cyfweliad 

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ID- driving licence/passport

National Insurance number

Proof of address- for example bank statement

Pen and paper

Some questions to ask at the interview

I'th helpu i deimlo'n barod, gofala bod y canlynol gen ti:

Prawf adnabod - trwydded yrru/pasbort

Rhif yswiriant gwladol

Prawf o'th gyfeiriad - er enghraifft, adroddiad banc

Pin ysgrifennu a phapur

Rhai cwestiynau i'w gofyn yn y cyfweliad

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You may be able to claim the money back for travel to an interview. Ask your job centre advisor or personal advisor/

Mae'n bosib cei di hawlio arian yn ôl am gost dy daith i gyfweliad. Hola dy gynghorydd canolfan waith neu dy gynghorydd personol

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Research the organisation

Most interviews will include a few questions about the organisation so make sure you've done your homework. Most candidates will have read the 'about us' section on the homepage so go a little deeper and find out about what the organisation has planned for the future. Understanding the company will also help you explain why you want to work there.

Read the news

It's quite common for interviewers to ask you whether you've read anything in the news recently that would impact on the work the organisation does. Be prepared by reading a few relevant articles and picking out stories relevant to the sector you're applying for.

Find out about the interview

Find out as much as you can about the style of interview before it happens. How many people will be interviewing you? Who are they? Knowing these things will help you prepare and feel more relaxed on the day.

Dress appropriately

It's always better to be overdressed than underdressed for an interview. Be smart and pay attention to detail by making sure you iron your shirt, wear smart shoes, wear subtle accessories etc.

Ask good questions

At the end of the interview, you'll most likely be asked whether you have any questions. Make sure you are prepared for this by asking questions that also offer up some new information about yourself at the same time. For example, saying 'I'm a keen runner, do you have any sports facilities on site?' is far more effective than simply asking if there's a staff gym.

Be self aware

Think about your body language and the way you're coming across on the day. Greet each interviewer individually, be positive, smile and make eye contact. This will make everyone feel more relaxed!

DON'T

Fill the silence

Interviewers will often pause once they think you have finished giving your answer to see whether you will keep talking to avoid a silence. Answer the question fully and to the best of your ability and then stop. Don't be drawn in to carrying on as you will dilute your original answer.

Lie

The thing with telling a few white lies is that they always get found out in the end. Be honest and build a strong reputation for yourself as someone who always tells the truth and can be relied on.

Go empty handed

Take your letter of application and CV with you so you look prepared. If you're worried about forgetting things or not getting your point across, take a few bullet points on reminder cards to help jog your memory if you get a bit stuck.

Talk too much

Answer all the questions fully but make sure you are not talking so much that you forget to listen. Listening carefully and understanding the questions properly will improve your answers.

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Research the organisation Most interviews will include a few questions about the organisation so make sure you've done your homework. Most candidates will have read the 'about us' section on the homepage so go a little deeper and find out about what the organisation has planned for the future.

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Benefits of volunteering/ Manteision gwirfoddoli 

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Benefits of volunteering/ Manteision gwirfoddoli 

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Volunteering can be one of the best ways for young people to get out and about, learn transferable skills and meet new friends. Volunteering gives young people an opportunity to give something back to their community or to support a cause that is important to them, e.g. animal welfare or environmental issues.
With such busy lives, young people might think they don't have time for volunteering, but the great thing is that even one hour of their time each week can make a real difference to a small charity or organisation. If school commitments prevent a regular agreement, there are always one-off opportunities to volunteer, e.g. litter picks or bring-and-buy sales.

Children and young people who struggle to make friends with others their own age or spend a lot of time on their own, can often flourish and grow in confidence when they are spending time with people who share similar interests, e.g. animal lovers, recycling enthusiasts.
Gain new skills and life experience
While volunteering is enjoyable and rewarding in its own right, it can also help a young person develop valuable skills like:

working as part of a team

leadership

communication

time management.

These skills will help their Personal Statement or CV stand out when they are applying for training or university, or looking for a job.

Some volunteering opportunities require young people to take a short course or introduction session, while others provide training which lasts a lifetime, e.g. St John Ambulance teaches first aid to its cadets (aged 10-17).
Awards and qualifications
Volunteering is an important element of both the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) and the Welsh Baccalaureate

The DoE describes volunteering as giving 'time to do something useful without getting paid (apart from expenses)' and expects Bronze Award participants to be involved in practical volunteering for at least one hour a week for a minimum of three months

The Welsh Baccalaureate requires young people to spend fifteen hours on active community participation (Foundation Level).
Voluntary opportunities for disabled young people
Disabled young people have a lot to give and will reap the same benefits from volunteering as their peers.

Volunteering Matters in Wales believes children and young people can make all the difference to their communities and has projects run by and for young people, including young disabled people. There are part-time and full-time opportunities.

Remember, not all volunteering opportunities involve leaving the home - charities also need help with social media, IT, graphic design, administration, etc.
What age does a volunteer need to be?
Most volunteering opportunities start from about 14; however, if your child shows an interest in volunteering at a young age, why not look for something to do together, e.g. parkrun 's free 5km runs are marshalled entirely by volunteers, many of whom are children volunteering alongside their parents.

More than 50 schools in South Wales are also participating in First Give so it's worth asking if your child's school is involved.

Younger children can also volunteer at school events, e.g. selling programmes for the school play, or perhaps make craft items to raise money for their favourite charity.
Safeguarding young volunteers
Organisations owe all their volunteers a 'duty of care' and young volunteers need to be kept safe while volunteering. Similarly, there are safeguarding issues when the young person themselves are volunteering with vulnerable groups including other children.

The Wales Council for Voluntary Action has published a leaflet, Involving Young People as Volunteers.

If you have any concerns about your child's voluntary placement it is important to raise them with the organisation.

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Volunteering - opportunities for children and young people

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Volunteering can be one of the best ways for young people to get out and about, learn transferable skills and meet new friends. Volunteering gives young people an opportunity to give something back to their community or to support a cause that is important to them, e.g. animal welfare or environmental issues.

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Common Interview Questions / cwestiynau cyfweliad cyffredin

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Common Interview Questions / cwestiynau cyfweliad cyffredin

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We can't read minds, unfortunately, but we'll give you the next best thing: a list of 50 of the most commonly asked interview questions, along with advice for answering them all.

While we don't recommend having a canned response for every interview question (in fact, please don't), we do recommend spending some time getting comfortable with what you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for in your responses, and what it takes to show that you're the right person for the job.
Land more interviews by looking or more open jobs on The Muse "
Consider this list your interview question and answer study guide. (And don't miss our bonus list at the end, with links out to resources on specific types of interview questions-about emotional intelligence or diversity and inclusion, for example-and interview questions by role, from accountant to project manager to teacher.)

50+ most common job interview questions

Like "Tell me about yourself," this question is a common interview opener. But instead of framing your answer around what qualities and skills make you best for the position, your answer should group your qualifications by your past jobs and tell your career story. You might choose to tell this story chronologically, especially if there's a great anecdote about what set you on this path. Or, as with "Tell me about yourself," you can begin with your present job then talk about what brought you here and where you're going next. But regardless, when you speak about your "past" and "present," highlight your most relevant experiences and accomplishments for this job and wrap up by talking about the future, i.e. connect your past and present together to show why this job should be the next one you add to your resume.

Possible answer to "Walk me through your resume."
"Well, as you can see from my resume, I took a bit of a winding road to get to where I am today. In college, I double majored in chemistry and communications. I found early on that working in a lab all day wasn't for me and at some point I realized I looked forward to the lab class I TA'ed the most. "So when I graduated, I found a job in sales for a consumer healthcare products company, where I drew on my teaching experience and learned even more about tailoring your message and explaining complex health concepts to people without a science background. Then, I moved into a sales training role at a massive company where I was responsible for teaching recent graduates the basics of selling. My trainees on average had more deals closed in their first quarter than any of the other trainers' cohorts. Plus, I got so much satisfaction from finding the right way to train each new hire and watching them progress and succeed. It reminded me of my time as a TA in college. That's when I started taking night classes to earn my chemistry teaching certificate. "I left my full-time job last year to complete my student teaching at P.S. 118 in Manhattan, and over the summer, I worked for a science camp, teaching kids from the ages of 10 to 12 about basic chemistry concepts and best practices for safe experiments. Now, I'm excited to find my first full-time teaching job, and your district is my top choice. The low student-to-teacher ratio will let me take the time to teach each student in the best way for them-which is my favorite part of the job."
Another seemingly innocuous interview question, this is actually a perfect opportunity to stand out and show your passion for and connection to the company. For example, if you found out about the gig through a friend or professional contact, name-drop that person, then share why you were so excited about the job. If you discovered the company through an event or article, share that. Even if you found the listing through a random job board, share what, specifically, caught your eye about the role.

Possible answer to "How did you hear about this position?"

"I heard about an opening on the product team through a friend of a friend, Akiko, and since I'm a big fan of your work and have been following you for a while I decided it would be a great role for me to apply for."

3 Ways People Mess Up the (Simple) Answer to "How Did You Come Across This Job Opportunity?"

Beware of generic answers! If what you say can apply to a whole slew of other companies, or if your response makes you sound like every other candidate, you're missing an opportunity to stand out. Zhang recommends one of four strategies: Do your research and point to something that makes the company unique that really appeals to you; talk about how you've watched the company grow and change since you first heard of it; focus on the organization's opportunities for future growth and how you can contribute to it; or share what's gotten you excited from your interactions with employees so far. Whichever route you choose, make sure to be specific. And if you can't figure out why you'd want to work at the company you're interviewing with by the time you're well into the hiring process? It might be a red flag telling you that this position is not the right fit.

Possible answer to "Why do you want to work at this company?"

"I saw on The Muse that you were also hiring for new positions on the West Coast to support your new operations there. I did some more reading about the new data center you're building there and that excites me as I know this means there'll be opportunities to train new teammates. I also learned through a Wall Street Journal article that you're expanding in Mexico as well. I speak Spanish fluently and would be eager to step up and help liaise whenever necessary."

When interviewers ask this question, they don't just want to hear about your background. They want to see that you understand what problems and challenges they're facing as a company or department as well as how you'll fit into the existing organization. Read the job description closely, do your research on the company, and make sure you pay attention in your early round interviews to understand any issues you're being hired to solve. Then, the key is to connect your skills and experiences to what the company needs and share an example that shows how you've done similar or transferable work in the past.

Possible answer to "What can you bring to the company?"
"As Jocelyn talked about in our interview earlier, PopCo is looking to expand its market to small business owners with less than 25 employees, so I'd bring my expertise in this area and my experience in guiding a sales team that's selling to these customers for the first time. In most of my past roles, this segment has been my focus and in my current role, I also played a big part in creating our sales strategies when the business began selling to these customers. I worked with my managers to develop the sales script. I also listened in on a number of sales calls with other account execs who were selling to these customers for the first time and gave them pointers and other feedback. In the first quarter, our 10-person sales team closed 50 new bookings in this segment, and I personally closed 10 of those deals. I helped guide my last company through the expansion into small businesses, and I'm eager to do that again at PopCo. Plus, I noticed you have a monthly karaoke night-so I'm eager to bring my rendition of 'Call Me Maybe' to the team as well." : What Interviewers Really Want to Hear When They Ask "What Can You Bring to the Company?"
What your interviewer is really trying to do with this question-beyond identifying any major red flags-is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, "I can't meet a deadline to save my life" is not an option-but neither is "Nothing! I'm perfect!" Strike a balance by thinking of something that you struggle with but that you're working to improve. For example, maybe you've never been strong at public speaking, but you've recently volunteered to run meetings to help you get more comfortable when addressing a crowd.
"It can be difficult for me to gauge when the people I'm working with are overwhelmed or dissatisfied with their workloads. To ensure that I'm not asking too much or too little from my team, we have weekly check-ins. I like to ask if they feel like they're on top of their workload, how I could better support them, whether there's anything they'd like to take on or get rid of, and if they're engaged by what they're doing. Even if the answer is 'all good,' these meetings really lay the groundwork for a good and trusting relationship."
Possible answer to "What do you consider to be your weaknesses?"

Nothing says "hire me" better than a track record of achieving amazing results in past jobs, so don't be shy when answering this interview question! A great way to do so is by using the STAR method: situation, task, action, results. Set up the situation and the task that you were required to complete to provide the interviewer with background context (e.g., "In my last job as a junior analyst, it was my role to manage the invoicing process"), then describe what you did (the action) and what you achieved (the result): "In one month, I streamlined the process, which saved my group 10 person-hours each month and reduced errors on invoices by 25%."
"My greatest accomplishment was when I helped the street lighting company I worked for convince the small town of Bend, Oregon to convert antiquated street lighting to energy-efficient LED bulbs. My role was created to promote and sell the energy-efficient bulbs, while touting the long-term advantage of reduced energy costs. I had to develop a way to educate city light officials on the value of our energy-efficient bulbs-which was a challenge since our products had an expensive up-front cost compared to less efficient lighting options. I created an information packet and held local community events aimed at city officials and the tax-paying public. There, I was able to demo the company product, answer questions, and evangelize the value of LED bulbs for the long term. It was crucial to have the public on board and I was able to reach a wide variety of community members with these events. I not only reached my first-year sales goal of $100,000, but I was also able to help us land another contract in a neighboring city. Plus, the community-focused strategy garnered attention from the national media. And I'm proud to say I got a promotion within one year to senior sales representative."
Possible answer to "What is your greatest professional achievement?"

The ideal anecdote here is one where you handled a disagreement professionally and learned something from the experience. Zhang recommends paying particular attention to how you start and end your response. To open, make a short statement to frame the rest of your answer, one that nods at the ultimate takeaway or the reason you're telling this story. For example: "I learned early on in my professional career that it's fine to disagree if you can back up your hunches with data." And to close strong, you can either give a one-sentence summary of your answer ("In short...") or talk briefly about how what you learned or gained from this experience would help you in the role you're interviewing for.
"In my job as a finance assistant, I was in charge of putting together reports for potential company investments. It was important to get the details and numbers right so that leaders had the best information to make a decision. One time, my boss asked me to generate a new report on a Wednesday morning and wanted it done by Thursday at 5 PM. Because I'm committed to high-quality work and I wasn't sure my boss fully understood what goes into each report, I knew I needed to speak up. At her next available opening, I sat down with my boss and explained my concerns. She was firm that the report would be completed by Thursday at 5 PM. So I decided to ask if there was anyone who could help out. After thinking about it, my boss found another assistant who could put in a few hours. While it was a tight timeline, we got the report done, and the committee was really pleased to review it at the meeting. My boss appreciated my extra efforts to make it happen and I felt good that I hadn't let the quality of the report slip. It was a good experience of being a team player but also knowing when and how to ask for help. And once I explained how much time and work goes into each report, my boss was careful to assign them further in advance."
Possible answer to "What's a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?"

Don't be thrown off by this question-just take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager why you've made the career decisions you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesn't have to be a direct connection; in fact, it's often more impressive when a candidate can show how seemingly irrelevant experience is very relevant to the role.
"Ever since my brother was diagnosed with a heart condition, I've been training and running with him in your annual Heart Run to raise money for your organization and help support patients with expenses not covered by insurance. Each time, I've been struck by how truly dedicated and happy to be there your employees have been. So when I saw this posting for a fundraising role, it felt like it was meant to be. For the last 10 years of my career I've been an account executive for various SaaS companies, and I've really honed my skills when it comes to convincing organizations to make regular payments for something over the long-term. But I've been looking for a position in fundraising where I can use these skills to really help people and I'm highly motivated to do that with your organization."
Possible answer to "Can you explain why you changed career paths?"

Tread carefully here! The last thing you want to do is let your answer devolve into a rant about how terrible your current company is or how much you hate your boss or that one coworker. The easiest way to handle this question with poise is to focus on an opportunity the role you're interviewing for offers that your current job doesn't. You can keep the conversation positive and emphasize why you're so excited about the job.
"In my current role, I'm responsible for drafting media lists to pitch. While I've developed a knack for this and can do it when it is necessary, I'm looking forward to a job that allows me to have a more hands-on role in working with media partners. That's one of the things that most excited me about your account supervisor position."
Possible answer to "What do you like least about your job?"

Questions about your family status, gender ("How would you handle managing a team of all men?"), nationality ("Where were you born?"), religion, or age are illegal-but they still get asked (and frequently). Of course, not always with ill intent-the interviewer might just be trying to make conversation and might not realize these are off-limits-but you should definitely tie any questions about your personal life (or anything else you think might be inappropriate) back to the job at hand.
"You know, I'm not quite there yet. But I am very interested in the career paths at your company. Can you tell me more about that?"
Possible answer to "Are you planning on having children?"

Would you want to work with a hot mess? Yeah, we didn't think so. Neither does anyone else. A disorganized worker doesn't just struggle in their own role, they can also create chaos for peers, managers, direct reports, clients, customers, and anyone else they interact with. So interviewers will often ask about how you keep yourself organized to make sure you'd be able to handle the workload and gauge what you'd be like to work with. In your answer, you'll want to reassure them you'd have things under control (both in what you say and how you say it), describe a specific system or method you've used (bonus points if you can tie it to the role you're interviewing for), and explain how it benefited you and your team. Just make sure your answer is succinct and, well, organized.
"I take pride in my ability to stay organized, and it's really come in handy in my past roles and especially the social media assistant job I'm in now. First, I keep a really meticulous calendar for each of the platforms I'm responsible for using Hootsuite-which I noticed you use here as well-and I try to block off time twice a week to get ahead on creating and slotting in posts. ""Finally, I created a shared folder on Google Drive with subfolders by campaign that I update with one-pagers on goals and strategies, assets, a record of the actual posts deployed, performance analyses, and retros. That way, there's a go-to place for anyone on the team to refer back to past projects, which I've found really helps us learn from every campaign and incorporate those learnings into what we're working on next." Second, I'm a big fan of Trello, where I have one personal board I use as a to-do list color-coded by type of task and marked with priority level and one shared marketing team board that we use to coordinate campaigns launching across social, email, and other channels. We pay very close attention to the news in case we need to pause a campaign. If needed, I'd tag all the relevant stakeholders on Trello, immediately suspend all scheduled content in Hootsuite, and start a discussion on Slack or suggest a meeting to reassess strategy.
Possible answer to "How do you stay organized?"

You're not a robot programmed to do your work and then power down. You're a human, and if someone asks you this question in an interview, it's probably because they want to get to know you better. The answer can align directly with the type of work you'd be doing in that role-like if, for example, you're applying to be a graphic designer and spend all of your free time creating illustrations and data visualizations to post on Instagram.
"One of my favorite pastimes is knitting-I love being able to create something beautiful from nothing. Of course, knitting also requires a keen attention to detail and a lot of patience. Luckily, as an accountant I have cultivated both of those qualities!"
But don't be afraid to talk about a hobby that's different from your day-to-day work. Bonus points if you can "take it one step further and connect how your passion would make you an excellent candidate for the role you are applying for," says Muse career coach Al Dea. Like if you're a software developer who loves to bake, you might talk about how the ability to be both creative and precise informs your approach to code.

Possible answer to "What are you passionate about?"
"I'm driven primarily by my desire to learn new things-big or small-and take on new responsibilities so that I'm constantly growing as an employee and contributing more to my team and organization. I spent several summers working as a camp counselor and felt most fulfilled when I volunteered to lead planning for a talent show, jumped in to help with scheduling logistics, and learned how to run pickups efficiently. All of that experience helped immensely when I took a step up to become the lead counselor last year focused on operations, and that's what excites me so much about the opportunity to take on this managerial role for the after-school program."
Before you panic about answering what feels like a probing existential question, consider that the interviewer wants to make sure you're excited about this role at this company, and that you'll be motivated to succeed if they pick you. So think back to what has energized you in previous roles and pinpoint what made your eyes light up when you read this job description. Pick one thing, make sure it's relevant to the role and company you're interviewing for, and try to weave in a story to help illustrate your point. If you're honest, which you should be, your enthusiasm will be palpable.

Possible answer to "What motivates you?"
"After growing up in a food desert, my biggest professional aspiration is to help make healthy food more widely available and accessible regardless of where you live. I also love solving complex problems. Currently, as a project manager, I specialize in strategic planning and combine it with a natural ability to engage critical stakeholders-resulting in on-time and under-budget delivery. This role would help me use those skills to work on a mission I'm passionate about. I am determined to use these skills to help your organization guarantee our community has access to affordable, nutritious food and information to make healthy decisions. In the next five or so years, I would love to take on additional responsibility and be in a decision-making role to drive the mission beyond our community and support even more families in gaining access to nutritious food options."
Career aspirations are bigger and loftier than career goals. With this question, interviewers are asking: What kind of career would make you happiest (while also being realistic)? Your aspirations might revolve around what kind of company you'd like to work for, what tasks you'd like to do, who you'd like to help, or how you'd like to be seen by your colleagues. So to answer this question, talk about what would energize and fulfill you and connect it to the position you're interviewing for. Be specific about how this job will help you achieve your career aspirations.

Possible answer to "What are your career aspirations?"

Along similar lines, the interviewer wants to uncover whether this position is really in line with your ultimate career goals. While "an NBA star" might get you a few laughs, a better bet is to talk about your goals and ambitions-and why this job will get you closer to them.

The number one rule of answering this question is: Figure out your salary requirements ahead of time. Do your research on what similar roles pay by using sites like PayScale and reaching out to your network. Be sure to take your experience, education, skills, and personal needs into account, too! From there, Muse career coach Jennifer Fink suggests choosing from one of three strategies:

Give a salary range: But keep the bottom of your stated range toward the mid-to-high point of what you're actually hoping for, Fink says.

Flip the question: Try something like "That's a great question-it would be helpful if you could share what the range is for this role," Fink says.

Delay answering: Tell your interviewer that you'd like to learn more about the role or the rest of the compensation package before discussing pay.

"Taking into account my experience and Excel certifications, which you mentioned earlier would be very helpful to the team, I'm looking for somewhere between $42,000 and $46,000 annually for this role. But for me, benefits definitely matter as well. Your free on-site gym, the commuter benefits, and other perks could definitely allow me to be a bit flexible with salary."
(And here's some more info on responding to a question about your salary requirements on an application form.)

Possible answer to "What are your salary expectations?"

This question can really do a number on you. How do you give a meaty answer without insulting the company or, worse, the person you're speaking with? Well first, take a deep breath. Then start your response with something positive about the company or specific product you've been asked to discuss. When you're ready to give your constructive feedback, give some background on the perspective you're bringing to the table and explain why you'd make the change you're suggesting (ideally based on some past experience or other evidence). And if you end with a question, you can show them you're curious about the company or product and open to other points of view. Try: "Did you consider that approach here? I'd love to know more about your process."
"I do love living in Raleigh and would prefer to stay here. However, for the right opportunity I'd be willing to consider relocating if necessary."
While this may sound like a simple yes-or-no question, it's often a little bit more complicated than that. The simplest scenario is one where you're totally open to moving and would be willing to do so for this opportunity. But if the answer is no, or at least not right now, you can reiterate your enthusiasm for the role, briefly explain why you can't move at this time, and offer an alternative, like working remotely or out of a local office. Sometimes it's not as clear-cut, and that's OK. You can say you prefer to stay put for xyz reasons, but would be willing to consider relocating for the right opportunity.

Possible answer to "Are you willing to relocate?"

1,000? 10,000? 100,000? Seriously? Well, seriously, you might get asked brain-teaser questions like these, especially in quantitative jobs. But remember that the interviewer doesn't necessarily want an exact number-they want to make sure that you understand what's being asked of you, and that you can set into motion a systematic and logical way to respond. So take a deep breath and start thinking through the math. (Yes, it's OK to ask for a pen and paper!)

Seemingly random personality-test type questions like these come up in interviews because hiring managers want to see how you can think on your feet. There's no wrong answer here, but you'll immediately gain bonus points if your answer helps you share your strengths or personality or connect with the hiring manager. Pro tip: Come up with a stalling tactic to buy yourself some thinking time, such as saying, "Now, that is a great question. I think I would have to say..."

If you're interviewing for a sales job, your interviewer might put you on the spot to sell them a pen sitting on the table, or a legal pad, or a water bottle, or just something. The main thing they're testing you for? How you handle a high-pressure situation. So try to stay calm and confident and use your body language-making eye contact, sitting up straight, and more-to convey that you can handle this. Make sure you listen, understand your "customer's" needs, get specific about the item's features and benefits, and end strong-as though you were truly closing a deal.

Just when you thought you were done, your interviewer asks you this open-ended doozy. Don't panic-it's not a trick question! You can use this as an opportunity to close out the meeting on a high note in one of two ways, Zhang says. First, if there really is something relevant that you haven't had a chance to mention, do it now. Otherwise, you can briefly summarize your qualifications. For example, Zhang says, you could say: "I think we've covered most of it, but just to summarize, it sounds like you're looking for someone who can really hit the ground running. And with my previous experience [enumerate experience here], I think I'd be a great fit."

You probably already know that an interview isn't just a chance for a hiring manager to grill you-it's an opportunity to sniff out whether a job is the right fit from your perspective. What do you want to know about the position? The company? The department? The team? You'll cover a lot of this in the actual interview, so have a few less-common questions ready to go. We especially like questions targeted to the interviewer ("What's your favorite part about working here?") or the company's growth ("What can you tell me about your new products or plans for growth?") If you're interviewing for a remote role, there are some specific questions you might want to ask related to that.

Looking for more interview questions? Check out these lists of questions (and example answers!) for different types of interviews.

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Your Ultimate Guide to Answering the Most Common Interview Questions

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We've compiled a list of 50+ common interview questions you might be asked-plus advice on how to answer each and every one of them.