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Unique interview questions to ask an employer

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Unique interview questions to ask an employer

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Smart answers to job interview questions with STAR technique

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Smart answers to job interview questions with STAR technique

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TOP 5 HARDEST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & Top-Scoring ANSWERS!

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Tell me about yourself job interview question and bad example answer #interviewskills #interviewfail #interviewquestions #interviewtips #careervidz #richardmcmunn

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Tell me about yourself job interview question and bad example answer #interviewskills #interviewfail #interviewquestions #interviewtips #careervidz #richardmcmunn
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Behavioural Interview Questions and Sample Answers

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Behavioural Interview Questions and Sample Answers

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During a job interview, it is likely that you will be asked behavioral interview questions. What are behavioral job interview questions, and what's the best way to answer them?

Behavioral interview questions are designed to give hiring managers insight into your behavior and personality, and to learn how you would handle work-related situations.

Find out more about this type of interview question and review the most common behavioral interview questions employers ask. Plus, get tips on how to prepare and respond smoothly when you're asked to give examples of how you handle workplace situations.

Key Takeaways

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Behavioral job interview techniques are used by all types of companies. Unlike traditional job interview questions that ask you to describe what you did in a role or to share qualifications, these questions seek concrete examples of skills and experiences that relate directly to the position.

Why Employers Ask Behavioral Questions

Behavioral questions are designed to learn how you would respond to a specific workplace situation, and how you solve problems to achieve a successful outcome.

The interviewer will ask how you handled a situation, and you will need to respond with an explanation of what you did. The logic is that your success in the past is a positive indicator of your success in the future.

Behavioral Interview Questions and Sample Answers

Here are some common behavioral interview questions you may be asked during a job interview. Review the sample responses and consider how you would answer the questions, so you'll be prepared to give a strong answer.

As you can see from the sample responses, it's important to be ready with specific examples and anecdotes.

While you don't need to memorize answers, have a sense of what experiences you would share and how to describe them to the interviewer. You'll want your examples to be both clear and succinct.

1. Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

What They Want to Know: If you're being considered for a high-stress job, the interviewer will want to know how well you can work under pressure. Give a real example of how you've dealt with pressure when you respond.

2. How do you handle a challenge? Give an example.

What They Want to Know: Regardless of your job, things may go wrong, and it won't always be business as usual. With this type of question, the hiring manager wants to know how you will react in a difficult situation. Focus on how you resolved a challenging situation when you respond. Consider sharing a step-by-step outline of what you did and why it worked.

3. Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?

What They Want to Know: Nobody is perfect, and we all make mistakes. The interviewer is more interested in how you handled it when you made an error, rather than in the fact that it happened.

Note

4. Give an example of how you set goals.

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer wants to know how well you plan and set goals for what you want to accomplish. The easiest way to respond is to share examples of successful goal setting.

5. Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

What They Want to Know: The hiring manager is interested in learning what you do to achieve your goals, and the steps you take to accomplish them.

6. Describe a decision you made that wasn't popular, and explain how you handled implementing it.

What They Want to Know: Sometimes, management must make difficult decisions, and not all employees are happy when a new policy is put in place. If you're interviewing for a decision-making role, the interviewer will want to know your process for implementing change.

7. Give an example of how you worked on a team.

What They Want to Know: Many jobs require working as part of a team. In interviews for those roles, the hiring manager will want to know how well you work with others and cooperate with other team members.

Note

8. What do you do if you disagree with someone at work?

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is seeking insight into how you handle issues at work. Focus on how you've solved a problem or compromised when there was a workplace disagreement.

Note

9. Share an example of how you were able to motivate employees or co-workers.

What They Want to Know: Do you have strong motivational skills? What strategies do you use to motivate your team? The hiring manager is looking for a concrete example of your ability to motivate others.

10. Have you handled a difficult situation? How?

What They Want to Know: Can you handle difficult situations at work, or do you not deal with them well? The employer will want to know what you do when there's a problem.

More Behavioral Interview Questions

Have you worked on multiple projects? How did you prioritize?

How do you handle meeting tight deadlines?

How do you handle it when your schedule is interrupted?

What do you do if you disagree with a co-worker?

Give me an example of when you did or when you didn't listen.

What do you do if you disagree with your boss?

How do you handle it when there's a conflict among team members?

What is your most important career accomplishment? Why?

How To Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

Learn as much as you can about the company and the role. The more you know about the job and the company, the easier it will be to respond to interview questions. Take the time to research the company prior to your interview, and review the job posting, so you're as familiar as possible with the role.

Match your qualifications to the job. To help you prepare for a behavioral interview, review the job requirements, and make a list of the behavioral skills that you have that closely match them. Here's how to match your qualifications to the job.

Make a list of examples. Interviewers develop questions to determine how successful a candidate will be, given the specific tasks of the job. Obviously, you want to present your experiences as clearly as you can, using real examples, and highlighting situations where you were successful.

Be ready to share a story. You may be asked variations of the questions listed above, but if you prepare some stories to share with the interviewer, you'll be able to readily respond.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What type of question is asked during a behavioral interview?

What are employers looking for in a behavioral interview?

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Behavioral Interview Questions and Sample Answers

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During a job interview, it is likely that you will be asked behavioral interview questions. What are behavioral job interview questions, and what's the best way to answer them? Behavioral interview questions are designed to give hiring managers insight into your behavior and personality, and to learn how you would handle work-related situations.

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How to use the STAR Interview Response Method

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How to use the STAR Interview Response Method

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How to Use the STAR Interview Response Method

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What is the STAR interview response method, how to use it to prepare for job interviews, and examples of questions and answers using the STAR technique.

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Top 20 job interview questions and answers

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Top 20 job interview questions and answers

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Preparing for a job interview? If so, you should practice answering typical interview questions.

If you interview frequently, these common job interview questions will grow quite familiar. During your interview preparation, think about possible answers that will pertain to the job you're applying for, while highlighting your skills and experience. Also brush up on your interview skills, so you're prepared to make the best impression.

Take the Time to Prepare for an Interview

The goal of anticipating interview questions isn't to memorize responses, but rather to get comfortable talking about these topics. This advance preparation will help you feel more confident and less on the spot during the interview.

20 Most Common Interview Questions and Best Answers

Start with these questions you'll most likely be asked at a job interview, plus the best answers. Then review other questions specifically related to the position, so you're prepared to ace the interview.

1. Tell me about yourself.

What They Want to Know: Asking about you is a way to break the ice at an interview and make you feel more comfortable. It's also a way for the interviewer to determine if you're a good fit for the job.

Before you go on an interview, consider what you want to say when you're describing yourself to potential employers. Creating an elevator speech, which is a quick synopsis of your background, is a good way to prepare a response.

More Answers: Interview Question: "Tell Me About Yourself"

2. What were your responsibilities?

What They Want to Know: Know what's on your resume, so you can discuss what you did at the other jobs you've held. When you're describing your responsibilities, try to mention those that match the new job's requirements.

Showing that you have done similar work will be an asset during the interview. Focus on the responsibilities that most closely align with the job for which you're interviewing when you respond to the recruiter.

More Answers: Job Interview Questions About Your Responsibilities

3. What did you like or dislike about your previous job?

What They Want to Know: What you liked - and what you didn't like - about your last job or the company you worked for is an indicator of how you might feel about this position if you were to be hired.

Be careful what you say when you're interviewing for a similar job. If the roles are alike, you may want to keep what you didn't like to yourself. It's important to be positive and enthusiastic about the job for which you're being considered.

More Answers: How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Previous Job

4. What were your starting and final levels of compensation?

What They Want to Know: Hiring managers will want to learn how much you earned to see if you're a competitive candidate for the company from a salary perspective. Be honest when discussing how much you were paid because employers may be able to ask about salary when checking your background.

However, also be aware that in some locations employers are prohibited from asking about your prior wages. Some employers have also implemented policies that restrict questions about salary from being asked.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Salary History

5. What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is trying to understand how you handle issues and problems. Can you figure out solutions and workarounds when there is a problem? How adept are you at problem-solving? Do you enjoy a challenge, or do you get nervous when there's a glitch?

More Answers: Interview Question: How Did You Handle a Challenge?

6. What is your greatest strength?

What They Want to Know: When answering questions about your strengths, focus on the abilities you have that are key to success in the job for which you're interviewing. Don't be too humble. It's important to make the hiring manager aware of your qualifications.

More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Strength?

7. What is your greatest weakness?

What They Want to Know: There are different ways to tackle questions about weaknesses. One is to turn a negative into a positive by sharing an example of how something you considered to be a weakness actually helped you on the job. The other is to speak about additional skills you now have because you worked on those that needed an upgrade.

More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Weakness?

8. How do you handle stress and pressure?

What They Want to Know: What you do when work gets stressful? Do you stay calm under pressure? Or do you have a difficult time in stressful situations? If you're interviewing for a high-pressure position, the interviewer will want to know that you can deal with the stress.

More Answers: Interview Question: How Do You Handle Stress?

9. Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it.

What They Want to Know: When you're responding to questions about what you did on the job, be prepared to share an actual example of a challenging situation at work, what the issue was, and how you helped resolve it.

More Answers: What Are the Most Difficult Decisions to Make?

10. What was your biggest accomplishment (or failure) in this position?

What They Want to Know: What are you proudest of? Was there a time something didn't work out, but you were able to learn from it? Let the hiring manager know what you achieved, again sharing examples from your most recent job.

More Answers: Interview Questions: What Were Your Biggest Successes and Failures?

11. How do you evaluate success?

What They Want to Know: Your answer to this question will give the interviewer a sense of your work ethic, your career goals, and your life goals. Tailor your response to fit what you expect to achieve if you were to be hired by this employer.

More Answers: Job Interview Question: How Do You Define Success?

12. Why are you leaving or have left your job?

What They Want to Know: There are many different reasons for leaving a job. You could be moving on because you want more opportunities for growth, you may be looking for a salary increase, perhaps you're relocating, or you have another reason you're leaving your job. Be consistent in your answer when meeting with representatives of a prospective employer, because they may compare notes.

More Answers: Interview Question: Why Are You Looking For a New Job?

13. Why do you want this job?

What They Want to Know: Why did you apply for this position? What do you find most interesting about the job and the organization? With this question, the employer wants to know why you think this job is a match for your career objectives. Take the time to describe how your qualifications are a match for the job. The more you can show you're qualified, the easier it will be to get hired.

More Answers: Answer the Interview Question About Your Interest in a Job

14. Why should we hire you?

What They Want to Know: The best way to answer this question is to discuss what you can do for the company. What do you bring to the table? What skills and attributes do you have that will benefit the organization? What will you achieve if you were to be hired? This is an opportunity to sell yourself to the hiring manager.

More Answers: Interview Question: Why Should We Hire You?

15. What are your goals for the future?

What They Want to Know: When you respond to questions about your future goals, it's a good idea to mesh your objectives with what the company might offer as a career path. At the least, make sure your goals involve staying with this company for more than a short-term basis.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Goals for the Future

16. What are your salary requirements?

What They Want to Know: Questions about salary can be tricky, especially if you don't know what the job pays. One approach to answering this question is to say you're flexible, based upon the entire compensation package including benefits.

More Answers: Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer)

17. Who was your best boss and who was the worst?

What They Want to Know: This question is designed to discover what type of leadership and management style works best for you. Be careful answering, and don't be too negative. Even if you had a terrible boss, how you speak about them can leave the interviewer wondering how you will speak about other supervisors if you didn't get along with them.

More Answers: Job Interview Questions About Your Best and Worst Bosses

18. What are you passionate about?

What They Want to Know: What's most important to you? What do you love doing? The answers to this question don't have to be all about work. The company is looking to determine if you're a well-rounded person, and what you enjoy doing outside of work can give them insight into the type of employee you'd be if you were hired.

More Answers: Interview Question: "What Are You Passionate About?"

19. Questions about your supervisors and co-workers.

What They Want to Know: Did you get along with your manager? Have you worked with difficult colleagues? How you interact with supervisors and co-workers will provide the interviewer with insight into your interpersonal and communication skills.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Co-Workers and Supervisors

20. Do you have any questions for me?

What They Want to Know: The last question at a job interview is usually one about what you want to know about the job and the company. Be ready with a list of questions to ask. You may seem disinterested if there isn't anything you want to learn more about.

More Answers: Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

More Interview Questions and Answers

Review the most frequently asked interview questions, tips for responding, and examples of the best answers.

Tips to Answer Common Interview Questions

Here are a few more tips to help you build your confidence before your interview.

Practice Answering Interview Questions Aloud

Ask a friend to role-play the part of your interviewer so that you can practice maintaining eye contact as you "think aloud."

Prepare for a Few Curveball Questions

Some interviewers like to ask their prospective hires challenging questions-or even questions where there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, in order to see if they can keep their cool under pressure. Review these curveball questions so you won't be taken by surprise.

Know What Employers Shouldn't Ask

Not all potential interview questions are fair game for hiring managers. Before your next job interview, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with illegal job interview questions, such as, "How old are you?" or "Is English your first language?" Should you encounter one of these, you can later decide if you'd prefer not to work for an organization that asks these questions, or whether you'll chalk their misstep up to carelessness.

How to Make the Best Impression

Remember that, in your job interview, you will be evaluated not only upon your response to questions, but also upon how well you listen to your interviewers. Pay careful attention to them as they speak, without interrupting, especially when they describe the culture of their organization and their expectations for whomever they hire.

It's also a good idea to take brief notes during your meeting. Use these immediately afterwards to craft athank you note for the interview to express your gratitude, reaffirm your interest in the position, and touch upon any points you forgot to make during the interview.

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Best Answers for the Top 20 Job Interview Questions

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The top 20 most common interview questions employers ask, examples of the best answers, and how to respond to these typical interview questions.

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Many jobs are stressful, and it's important to be prepared to answer questions about on-the-job stress during interviews. One common interview question you may be asked is, "How do you handle stress?"

You'll need to be prepared to respond appropriately because the interviewer doesn't want to hear that you never get stressed. After all, everyone feels stressed at one time or another at work.

Key Takeaways

What the Interviewer Wants To Know

The interviewer really wants to know whether you can handle job-related stress, and what you do in particularly stressful situations at work. This is especially important if you're interviewing for a position where stress is an integral part of the job. That's because job stress can have a negative impact on workplace performance.

The hiring manager may also be wondering whether stressful issues outside of work can impact your job performance. Employers look for candidates who can deal with a range of stressful situations, whether these are personal or work-related.

How To Answer "How Do You Handle Stress?"

To answer this question successfully, you'll want to provide specific examples of how you've handled stress well in the past. You might also provide examples of times when pressure made you work more productively.

Warning

Consider mentioning how a little stress can be a helpful motivator for you. Try to provide an example of a time when the stress of a difficult project helped you be a more creative and productive worker.

Examples of the Best Answers

Review these sample answers of how candidates cope with stress, along with information on why these are strong responses.

Example Answer #1

Why It Works:This answer shows that the candidate enjoys working under pressure and thrives in stressful situations.

Example Answer #2

Why It Works:With this response, the candidate shows how they turn stress into action-and into a positive instead of a negative-in order to accomplish their tasks.

Example Answer #3

Why It Works:This response works well because the candidate shows that they enjoy working under pressure and that they can meet deadlines.

Example Answer #4

Why It Works: For someone interviewing for a management role, this answer shows that the candidate is concerned about the stress levels of the team and how they work to provide a solution.

Tips for Giving the Best Response

Show the employer how you manage stress.That way, the interviewer can build up a clear picture of how well you adapt to stressful situations. For example, describe a time when you were given a difficult task or multiple assignments and how you rose to the occasion.

Focus on success. When you respond, share examples of how you succeeded despite being in a stressful situation, or of how you problem-solved to resolve the issue that caused stress.

When it's a stressful job. Some jobs are stressful by nature. If you're applying for a high-stress job, be sure to let the interviewer know that you're used to working under stress and that it's part of your normal routine.

What Not To Say

Don't mention an issue you created. Avoid mentioning a time when you put yourself in a needlessly stressful situation. You don't want to come across as someone who causes workplace stress.

Don't say that you were really stressed. You shouldn't focus too much on how stressed you felt. While you should certainly admit that stress happens, try to emphasize how you dealt with the stress rather than how much it bothered you.

Possible Follow-Up Questions

What type of work environment do you prefer?

Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.

What challenges are you looking for in a position?

Describe your work style.

Managing Stress During the Interview

Job interviews are stressful for most people. Even if you've interviewed a lot, it can still be challenging to stay calm and collected. You're meeting new people in a new environment, and you're trying to sell your credentials to someone who might be your next boss.

There are strategies you can use to handle interview stress and to sell yourself to the hiring manager:

Prepare. Be sure to research the company in advance and practice answering common interview questions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll feel in the interview.

Avoid negative thinking ("I won't get this job"). Instead, visualize having a successful interview (for example, envision having positive interactions with the interviewer). Do this visualization in the hours right before the interview.

Use these relaxation techniques. If you start to feel stressed just before the interview, try taking a deep breath or two to relax. During the interview, feel free to take a breath or a sip of water before answering a question. This will give you some time to compose yourself and prepare your answer.

Watch your body language. Your body language during the interview can also help convey that you're relaxed. Try to avoid fidgeting too much. Stand up straight and look the interviewer in the eye (but don't stare). By appearing calm and confident, you are more likely to feel calm and confident.

Being able to handle a stressful job interview effectively will indicate to employers that you'll also be able to handle workplace stress.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How should I answer job interview questions about weaknesses?

What are the toughest interview questions?

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How To Answer "How Do You Handle Stress?"

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Examples of the best job interview answers to the question "How do you handle stress?" With advice on how to respond effectively, and tips for answering.

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25 things you should never say during a job interview

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25 things you should never say during a job interview

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25 Things You Should Never Say During a Job Interview

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There are some things that you shouldn’t say during a job interview, even if you’re thinking them. Here are 25 things never to say at a job interview.

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How to prepare for a behavioural job interview 

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How to prepare for a behavioural job interview 

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What is a behavioral interview? Candidates for employment often ask what the difference is between a regular job interview and a behavioral interview. What should you do to get ready if the employer is going to ask you behavioral-based interview questions?

In many ways, a behavioral interview resembles other types of job interviews. There isn't a difference in the actual format of the job interview. You will still meet with an interviewer and respond to interview questions.

The difference is in the type of interview questions that they will ask you. The interviewer will want to learn how you have handled work-related situations.

Review information on the difference between behavioral and traditional job interviews, examples of questions, and how to handle a behavioral interview.

What Is a Behavioral Job Interview?

Behavioral-based interviewing is interviewing based on discovering how the interviewee acted in specific employment-related situations. The logic is that how you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future, i.e., past behavior predicts future performance.

Behavioral vs. Traditional Interviews

In a traditional interview, you will be asked a series of questions that typically have straightforward answers like " What are your strengths and weaknesses? or " How do you handle a challenge?"

In a behavioral interview, an employer has decided what skills are needed in the person they hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills. Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask how you did behave.

Note

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions will be more pointed, more probing, and more specific than traditional interview questions:

Give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem.

Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.

Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, how?

What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Give an example of how you handle it.

Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren't thrilled about? How did you do it?

Have you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker? How?

Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

Follow-up questions will also be detailed. You may be asked what you did, what you said, how you reacted, or how you felt during the situation you shared with the hiring manager.

The Best Way To Prepare

What's the best way to prepare? It's important to remember that you will not know what type of interview will take place until you are sitting in the interview room. So, prepare answers to traditional interview questions.

Then, since you don't know exactly what situations you will be asked about if it's a behavioral interview, refresh your memory and consider some special situations you have dealt with or projects you have worked on. You may be able to use them to help frame responses.

Note

The stories will be useful to help you respond meaningfully in a behavioral interview. You can research the STAR interview response technique, which offers a way of answering behavioral interview questions. (More on this in a moment.)

Finally, review the job description, if you have it, or the job posting or ad. You may be able to get a sense of what skills and behavioral characteristics the employer is seeking from reading the job description and position requirements.

Tips for During the Interview

During the interview, if you are not sure how to answer the question, ask for clarification. Then use the STAR technique, being sure to include these points in your answer:

It's important to keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is simply trying to understand how you behaved in a given situation.

Note

So, listen carefully, be clear and detailed when you respond and, most importantly, be honest. If your answers are not what the interviewer is looking for, this position may not be the best job for you.

Key Takeaways

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How To Prepare for a Behavioral Job Interview

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What is a behavioral interview and how do you prepare for one? This behavioral interview guide includes questions and tips for answering them.

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The best techniques for a successful job interview

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The best techniques for a successful job interview

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When you're interviewing for a job, the little things can make a big difference. Even a small mistake can cost you a job offer. Take the time to prepare so you can make the best possible impression at every job interview you go on.

These interview techniques cover all the basics you need to know polish up your interview technique and ace a job interview. From checking out the company to sending an interview thank you note, make your meeting with the hiring manager a success from beginning to end.

Take the Time to Say Thank You After the Interview

Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette. It also reinforces your interest in the position and shows the interviewer that you have excellent follow-up skills. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview.

Practice Interviewing

Taking the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview will help give you a framework for your responses. It will also calm your frazzled nerves ​because you won't be scrambling for an answer while you're in the interview hot seat.

Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time, and it will be much easier when you're actually in a job interview.

Who you know at the company you are interviewing with really does matter. Your connections can refer you for a job, provide inside information on the company, and tell you what to expect during the interview.

Here's how to use your contacts and connections to get an insider advantage so you can ace the interview and impress the interviewer.

Check Out the Company

How much do you know about the company that just contacted you to schedule an interview? It should be plenty, and all the information you need is available online.

Here are tips on how to research a company, get the inside scoop on the company culture, and use your connections to get an interview advantage.

Be Prepared for a Phone Interview

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on short notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have time to talk about a job opportunity.

Review these tips for advice on how to pull off your phone interview without a hitch.

Interview While Dining

Taking you to breakfast, lunch or dinner provides the interviewer with a chance to check out your communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your table manners, in a more casual environment than an office setting.

Here's advice on how to handle an interview while dining including what to order, dining interview etiquette, who pays, and more tips for interviewing over coffee or a meal.

Avoid These Interview Mistakes

What shouldn't you do when interviewing? Check out the most common job interview mistakes, blunders, and errors a candidate for employment can make. Some of them are minor; others can make or break your chances of getting hired. Then take the time to ​ prepare before your interview, so you don't have to stress about how it went after it's over.

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Best Techniques for a Successful Job Interview

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These top job interview techniques will help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace a job interview, and get the job offer.

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Types of Job Interview Questions (from balance) 

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Types of Job Interview Questions (from balance) 

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Types of Job Interview Questions You May Be Asked

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On a job interview there are a variety of types of interview questions you’ll be asked. Review each type of interview question, with tips for answering.

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Great list of interview questions for various jobs. Also includes model answers. by Nik Peachy. 

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Great list of interview questions for various jobs. Also includes model answers. by Nik Peachy. 

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Digital Marketing Specialist Interview Questions

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Prepare for your Digital Marketing Specialist interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.

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Interview Question: What Is Your Greatest Weakness? I Tips + Example Answer

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How To Use the STAR Interview Response Technique

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How To Use the STAR Interview Response Technique

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Hi, everyone. Welcome, glad that you're here today. Today, we're going to be talking about the STAR method and how it can be used to answer really tough questions. I've got some specific examples for you as well, which I think are going to be really helpful.

Now, hang on to the end of this video. I'm going to share some additional pearls of wisdom that will help you make some small adjustments to answer your questions that I really do believe will have a big impact. So let's get rolling.

What is a behavioral interview? A behavioral interview is a very popular interview technique that is simply meant to assess your candidacy based on past behavior. So instead of asking a hypothetical question, like how would you react under pressure at work? It would sound something more like, tell me about a time that you were under pressure at work and how did you handle it?

The best way to identify one of these questions is how it starts. Tell me about a time when. Or give me an example of a time when. The idea behind this is simply for you to map out the reaction that you had in that situation based on the result of a particular situation.

Now, some additional example questions that you could anticipate in this type of environment would be, give me an example of how you set your goals. Tell me about a time when you had to be creative to overcome a problem. Give me an example of a time that you had to prioritize certain tasks or projects over another.

Tell me about a time that you disagreed with a decision that was made. Tell me about a project that you've worked on that you're really proud of. Tell me about a time that you made a mistake and how did you handle it.

Listen, I know that some of these questions can feel tricky to answer but the STAR method is going to be the best way for you to organize your answer. So STAR stands for a Situation, Task, Action, and Results. What's great about this is it's going to allow you to organize your story in a relevant and succinct way. But it's going to also allow you to identify your contributions and your results. And these are two elements that are really easy to forget in a high pressure environment. I've done it myself. We're only human. But this is going to allow you to be really organized in a way that you construct your answer.

Now, the main goal here is to emphasize your strengths and just in detail. An interview is not the time to be modest about your accomplishments. Now, even if you feel like that's the natural way that you're being pulled, the best way to offset any sense of bragging is to simply back up your reaction with numbers and results. Those awards, endorsements, and accomplishments, they don't lie.

So let's take a look at the STAR method. And I want to kind of go through it in detail with you so that you feel armed and ready to craft a detailed and compelling story. Situation, in explaining the situation, you're simply telling the interviewer when or where this event took place. Example, we were working on a 12 month contract for a high value client when our agency was merged with another firm.

Task, what was your role? Example, it was my role to lead the transition for my group while also communicating with our client to the project on track. Action, what were your specific contributions?

Here I would focus on what you personally contributed. An example would be, I set up weekly check-ins with the client to update them on the progress of the merger. This created an important level of trust between us. I also had a regular one-on-ones with each person on the team both to assess how they were handling the change and to make sure we would meet their deadlines.

Results, finally, what did you produce? An example would be, we ended up completing the project on time and met all the clients' expectations. It was challenging at times. But it was an incredible learning experience for navigating change and succeeding under pressure.

All right, so I know that was a lot to cover. If it feels like too much, remember, just simplify it down to this, provide context, what you did, how you did it, and what was the end result. Here's another example, tell me about a time when you faced a difficult problem at work.

Situation, I was working as a sales associate at a bridal boutique and a customer purchased a dress online and had it delivered to the store. On the morning she was due to come in for her fitting, I realized that one of the other associates accidentally put the dress out on the floor and another customer purchased it.

Task, I knew I needed to make this right for the customer to meet my own service level standards and uphold the reputation of the company. Action, before calling the customer to let her know about the mistake, I located the same dress at another store nearby. I called the customer to let her know that there would be a delay and I had to reschedule her fitting.

I let her know that the dress was being transferred to my location and that I would be waiving the alteration fees due to the delay. And when she arrived, I provided a gift card to thank her for understanding. Result, the customer was so thankful. She even wrote us a five star review on several bridal sites and sent us a picture of her in the dress from the wedding that we probably displayed in the store.

Now, if you are newer to the workforce, and you can't necessarily think of a specific example that you can share. What I invite you to do is to maybe draw upon past internships, volunteer work that you've been a part of, or maybe even group projects in school. Absolutely acceptable to use these examples. And they work really well.

The STAR method will work well for anyone, whether you are in a professional setting or you are drafting upon your collegiate or internship experience. So here's a hypothetical example, if you worked in let's say, a high school newspaper and you wanted to use the STAR method to answer this question. Tell me about a time you found a creative solution to a problem. Situation, readership was down for my high school newspaper, The Daily Tribune. Task, as a senior and a new member of the social media team, my goal was to generate social content that would result in a 30% increase in traffic.

Action, I partnered with student organizations at my school with a large social media followings on Facebook and on Twitter to share links out to articles that would be relevant to their members. Result, as a result, I increased monthly traffic site visits by 35% and created a directory for the point of contact for all sponsored student organizations on campus that the social media team was then able to use to promote future stories.

This answer is absolutely effective because it provides context to the problem, describes the individual actions taken, and it defines the impact of those actions. You can't go wrong with it. When it comes to using the STAR method, research and practice are going to be your keys to success. So here are some best practices that I want you to keep in mind.

Review the job description in great detail. So pay attention to what's required but also pay attention to what obstacles you may need to overcome. A great trick here is to come to the table with a story about an entire situation versus preparing for a singular question. It's nearly impossible to predict which interviewer is going to ask which question. But oftentimes they're very similar.

So a great example of this would be, if one interviewer asked you, tell me about a time that you were under pressure. And then another one asked you, well, tell me about a time that you handled stress. Technically, they're trying to get at the same thing. So if you just prepare a story that discusses how you've dealt with a tense situation, it's going to cover your ground beautifully.

Now, if you are interested in anecdotes on where to draft some inspiration to create these stories, consider these. Think about a time you showcased leadership or ownership. Think about a time you've overcome a technical problem, maybe a time that you would have done something differently, sometime that you've overcome a personal conflict, when you've learned something new. Or maybe you've owned a project outside of work. And I want you to practice these answers out loud. So this is going to help you prepare so that when you are sitting in that interview, you're going to feel more confident and composed when you're delivering your answers. And two to three minutes per story is great.

And I want you to use I statements. So I know that this can sometimes feel a little bit uncomfortable. But in this situation, it's completely appropriate, I promise. Detail your impact. Speak positively and confidently. Filler words like um, uh, like, they plague all of us. But there's a way for you to mitigate that. So slow down. And if you're talking about a project that you're proud of, convey your pride with joy. Tone of voice and non-verbal communication is always really powerful.

And be specific, if you can't think of a specific example that you want to use or that you want to elaborate on, it's OK to talk about how you would potentially handle a situation. So if you're at a complete loss for words, and hey, I've been there. It totally happens.

The best thing that you can do is just practice saying, that's a great question. Let me give that some thought for a minute. It's a therapeutic pause. It's a powerful way to stay in control and let yourself construct a very composed answer. All right, there you have it.

So to quickly recap, my top tips for using the STAR method to answer these behavioral interview questions include, stick to the format, so situation, task, action, and results. I want you to prepare to address situations through stories not just preparing for specific questions. I want you to speak positively and confidently using those I statements. I want you to practice answering those questions in about two or three minutes, and then practice makes perfect. So dedicate at least a half hour to performing those mock interview questions, and you should be golden.

Thank you so much for watching. I really hope that you found this information helpful and that you're able to apply it to your interview preparation. If you're interested in seeing more examples of how to use the STAR method or how to answer these behavioral-based questions, click on this link up here. It will bring you back to our career guide which is our main repository for all of this information.

And if you'd like to see more videos like this, please like and subscribe to this channel and make sure you hit that notification though to stay updated. And then, of course, if you want to connect with us on social media, we would love to be able to be available to answer questions for you or just simply connect. But outside of that, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey today. I'm wishing you the best of luck in your interviews. And I'll see you next time.

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Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers: Use the STAR Technique | Indeed Career Tips

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Why should we hire you? Your answer to this question should address what unique skills and experience you offer and why you would be a good culture fit. Consider following these steps when crafting a response.

One, study of the job posting to find commonalities between what the employer is looking for and what skills and experience you can offer. Two, research the company's mission and goals. Use this information to share how your values align and how you can help them accomplish their goals. Three, tie your background to the job posting by explaining how your skills, experience, and attributes make you the best fit for their company in the position.

Four, quantify your accomplishments with numerical results whenever possible. Five, go above and beyond by calling out any relevant qualities or experience that you have that sets you apart from other candidates.

Here's how a social worker can answer this question. You should hire me because of my proven ability to maintain strong interpersonal relationships with several clients. I'm passionate about providing care to those in need in my community, and that motivates me and makes me excited to do my best work.

I understand that you need a candidate who could be consistently available to be there for the events in a client's life. I have a 100% attendance rate for weekly case proceedings and meetings with my clients. In addition, I can bring leadership experience to your team, having trained over 20 new hires to become familiar with day-to-day operations, and become comfortable in their role.

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Why Should We Hire You? Tips + Example Answer I Indeed Career Quick Tips

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Hello, job seekers and friends. It's lovely to have you here today. Thank you for tuning in. If you've got a big interview coming up, first and foremost, congratulations, because that's the first step. But if you are preparing for an interview, a very common question that you can expect to be asked is, why are you interested in this position?

So what I'm going to do for you today in this video is help you craft a two- to three-minute answer to that question that is compelling and detailed and memorable. At the end the video, I've got a bonus question for you. And this is going to be one that you can ask your recruiter that will really help you stand out. So stick around for that because I don't want you to miss it.

Now, before we jump in on the actual structuring of your answer, let's chat about why recruiters even care to ask this question in the first place. You might also hear this question before as this something simple like, why do you want this job? Or why do you want to work here? But what are recruiters really looking for in an answer?

Well, recruiters are simply asking these questions because they're trying to learn a couple of key things about you namely-- are you fully aware of the scope of the role, do your goals and experience line up with the role itself, are you excited about it, and will you make a positive contribution to this company? At the end of the day, recruiters are simply wanting to learn more about you as a person and as a professional. The end goal of the interviewer is simply to make a symbiotic match between your goals and the goals of the company.

Prepare by researching the role and the company. One thing that I want to make sure that you do is spend equal time researching the role and the company. A chief error that I tend to see people make is that they simply focus too much on one or the other. Researching both is going to be imperative because it's going to allow you to see if your unique skills and experiences are going to be able to elevate the goals of the company.

Something that I'd like to recommend for you is to spend the majority of your time inside of the job description itself, and you might even read it a second or third time. The main goal here may seem obvious, but simply what you're trying to do is best interpret the responsibilities of the role and match them to your skills and experience to make sure that you're the best fit for the role itself.

In particular, I want you to make note of a part of the role that really speaks to you the most. This could be creating an exceptional customer experience. It could be working on large-scale creative projects. Or maybe it's working on an initiative that benefits the local community. Elements like this can be used as inspiration in the stories that you'd like to tell in your interview that you can share succinctly and powerfully as to why you're the best fit for the role.

As you researched the company, be mindful that there are a couple of different places that you can go to find research about them. What I want you to do is to first visit their corporate career site. In here, I would spend time on their About Us section or their product and services offerings section. The main goal here is that you are able to educate yourself on who they are, what they're about, and what they believe in.

You'll know that you have conducted good research when you're able to align your own goals and values with that of the organization. And once you're able to do this, you can speak to them in an interview, and that is gold to a recruiter. Now, bear in mind that when you're visiting a corporate career site, obviously, it's the organization putting their best foot forward. So you're going to want to diversify your research a little bit.

A great place is Indeed where you can go to look at ratings and reviews of the organization. You can actually go in and filter by job title and location to really get a good idea of what other people's experiences have been. You can also click on this link right up here to see what their interview process is like and check out additional photos and videos of the companies that you can get a really good idea of whether or not you see yourself working there.

So if you found these tips helpful so far, what I'd love for you to do is like and subscribe to this video so that you can share it with others, and you can find other videos and tips from us all things career and job search advice. To craft the best answer as to why you're interested in this role, tell a memorable story. People love stories. It's going to really help you stand out.

So to do this, create an outline, and use these three components. One, share how and why this role is going to contribute to your overall career growth. Highlight something unique about the role that stood out to you. And tie back to why you personally can deliver for this role. If we focus on the first point as to why this role is going to contribute to your overall career growth, sharing your own career goals just shows the amount of time that you've put into this and why it's important to your own career trajectory.

Now, it's important to be mindful of how you describe the reason why you have an interest in this new role. What I want you to do is avoid speaking negatively about your current position. It's OK that you want to move on, but what I want you to do is focus on why this role is simply a better fit. It could sound something like I've really enjoyed the last five years in this position, but I'm just really ready to take on a role now that offers more of a leadership component.

So the second point about identifying something unique about the role. What is it about the role or the company that really stands out to you. And this is where you can lean into your research. Maybe you're already the manager of a small team, but this new role is going to allow you to manage a larger team and really expand your skills by working cross-functionally with other departments.

Refer back to the list that you made about your favorite parts of the role. An example statement might be, what really speaks to me about your company is just how invested you are in serving underrepresented communities, and that's something that's always been important to me.

And finally, bring it home by emphasizing why you are the right choice for this role. This can include your experience, the unique perspective that you bring, and how hard you can work to move the company forward. If you can refer back to specifics in the job description and speak with conviction about why this role is a good match for you not just now but in the future, you will have honestly communicated your intentions authentically, and that's all a recruiter can ask for.

If we put this all together and fit it into somewhat of an elevator pitch, it could sound something like this. I've really enjoyed the last five years of my employer, but I'm just now ready to take on a role that offers more of a leadership component. I'm also looking for a company that contributes to the local community, which is very important to me. And I feel very ready to leverage my experience by working on larger projects that will bring scalability and reach to this new role. I'm eager to be a part of an industry leader.

That bonus question that I promised you earlier. A great interview should really feel like a natural conversation. So a good segue from when a recruiter asks you, why are you interested in this position, is to turn it back around in them and simply ask them, well, what's your favorite part about working here? This is going to create a two-way dialogue that feels inviting, balanced, and honest.

This is one of my favorite tricks because it allows the recruiter to expand upon a positive experience that they've had with their organization, it's going to teach you something new about the company, and it can act as a touch point that you referenced in your thank you note that you sent to them after your interview. This is going to really help you stand out, especially if they are interviewing multiple candidates.

If you're interested in additional examples of questions that you can ask during your interview, simply click on this link up here, it'll brought you to our career guide where we've got a plethora of additional resources for you.

So there you have it. As a recap of my top tips as to how to answer the question, why are you interested in this position? One, research the job description and the company to identify what sets them apart from everyone else. Two, in two to three minutes, I want you to speak directly to how the opportunity is going to help you and your career, identify something about the role that really stood out to you, and then tie it all back as to why you are the right fit for the role. And then three, leave your interviewer with a great first impression by asking them what they like about the company, and then reference that in your thank you note to them afterwards.

I want to personally thank each of you for tuning in and educating yourself on how to elevate your own candidacy. I've just got so much respect for people who invest in themselves, and you've done that today. So thank you so much. If you like this video, share it with others, connect with us on social media.

All of our information is listed below, and we'd be happy to answer any questions for you. Be sure to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to make sure that you're updated. But other than that, best of luck to you in your job search and your interview. We are always here to help.

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Why Do You Want This Job? 3 Steps to the Best Answer | Indeed Career Tips

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Why do you want to work here? Now, interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you're going to be a good fit for the role and the company. Your answer will demonstrate whether or not you did your homework. If you can speak well to why you would be a good match for the team, it shows that you took the time to do your research and that you really review the job description.

The best way to prepare for this question is to learn about the products, services, mission, and workplace culture of the company. Try to mention the aspects of the company that align with your values and how this role really fits in with your career goals. Here's a simple answer.

As I've thought about my next career move, it's really important to me to work for a company with strong values. This company's mission to help recent graduates pay off student loan debt really speaks to me. I've been in that situation myself. And I know how impactful this work can be. Finding a company that has a positive work environment and is mission-driven is one of my main priorities, and this company is at the top of my list.

Let's break down that answer piece by piece. We started by saying that as we thought about our next move, working for a company with strong values is important to us. This lets the interviewer know that we've developed a criteria for the type of company we work for and that their company was carefully selected. Next, we made a personal connection to their company mission and let them know that their company values align with our own. As a bonus, we also let them know that they're currently our top choice.

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Why Do You Want to Work Here? Tips + Example Answer I Indeed Career Quick Tips

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In many cases, it's likely that your interviewer hasn't had a chance to fully review your resume, so your answer to "tell me about yourself" is effectively your first professional introduction and sales pitch. If you answer it successfully, you form a compelling first impression that makes a potential employer want to learn more. But if you make any 1 of the 5 mistakes listed in this video, you could put off the recruiter and end up overlooked. Make sure to stick around till the end for the best way to structure your answer to this question! Let's dive into the top 5 mistakes.

Mistake #1: Failing to adapt your response to the employer and role at hand. This is easily the most impactful mistake that people make when answering the question, and for good reason. The question is, after all, "tell me about yourself." So intuitively, most people end up with some sort of canned response about their career path that they use for every interview.

But this neglects the most fundamental principle of marketing. Know your audience. Although your experience doesn't change from interview to interview, the wants and needs of the employers you're interviewing with do, even if it's just slightly. To avoid this mistake and make a successful pitch, think critically about what skills or experiences would be most appealing to the employer, and plan to emphasize those.

If you're not sure what information would be the most appealing, you're in luck. It's all on the job posting. Look at the requirements and skill sections to find your angle, and then stick to it in order to maintain a focused, professional offering.

And Pro Tip: Always end with an explanation on what brings you here today. For example, were you looking for something more than in your past role? Position this employer as a unique solution. Before I move on, if you've watched this far, give us a like and subscribe below for our latest career advice!

Mistake #2: Repeating your resume. Now, while this topic prompts you to share your career highlights, it's not wise to essentially regurgitate your resume job by job. Doing so not only fails to tailor your introduction to the job at hand, it's also not engaging. It doesn't allow the employer to connect with you on a human level.

Remember, you aren't just trying to get the employer to buy into your experience. You're also trying to make them like you and invest in you as a person. So instead of just repeating your resume, tell a condensed version of your professional story, aiming to focus on what you accomplished and the tangible results, not just a list of your job titles.

And don't be afraid to speak about your professional motivations and career aspirations. Now, this can be tricky for folks who've either had long careers or just starting out, so in each of those cases, here's what I'd recommend. If you've had a long career, it's reasonable to explain any big career transitions and how they've gotten you closer to where you want to be before returning to what you achieved in your most recent relevant job and what you're looking for out of this role.

If you're at the beginning of your career, focus on your education and your motivation to join the company and the specific role. WARNING: If you find yourself saying, "well, if you have a copy of my resume..." you're in a danger zone! Regroup and laser in on the relevant accomplishments to the job you are interviewing for.

Mistake #3: giving a chronological life history. While you do want to tell a story in order to capture your interviewer's interest, it's critical to keep your response professional and relevant. So instead of telling a chronological life history, force yourself to identify whether you have a relevant reason for sharing details about your early life. Recounting your entire life story does not consider the employer's goal of linking your previous experiences to the company's priorities.

It's fine to refer to a feature of your upbringing if it's relevant. For example, if you became a dental hygienist because your mom was a dentist. But in general, don't refer to your earliest years. WARNING: If your answer begins with "I was born in..." it's a danger zone!

Mistake #4: talking about controversial topics or personal information. This is in a similar vein as the last tip. While building rapport with a potential employer is useful, certain topics that are overly controversial or personal pose more risk than reward. You do want to connect on a personal level, so if asked, be prepared to sprinkle in some personal color, such as hobbies you're particularly passionate about.

However, if this isn't asked by an interviewer, it's not worth mentioning hobbies in your initial response to this question, especially when it comes at the cost of sharing other relevant professional experience or making your response too long. Religion, relationships, politics, health, and even recent news stories should remain off the table. If you do slip up and find yourself mentioning some of these private details or controversial subjects, aim to connect them to the topic of your career, and then quickly move on. WARNING: Any answer that begins with "my home life..." is is a danger zone.

Mistake #5: Rambling. The goal in answering this question is to share your best pitch while seeming professional, confident, and at ease. And rambling can undermine the value of your response by making you seem more nervous than you are and potentially overwhelming the interviewer with information so that they lose the key thread of why you're a match for the position. Instead, take no more than 2-3 minutes to answer.

It's better to err on the side providing too little information rather than too much. If the recruiter wants to know more, they'll ask you to expand. To achieve this, prepare a concise answer ahead of time. This question is almost always asked in an interview in one form or another, and even when it's not, it benefits you to prepare for it because it requires you to think critically about the best way to talk about yourself in relation to the particular role.

The goal here is not to create a word-for-word response that you can memorize because that can sound scripted, and if you miss a word, it can really throw you off track. Instead, consider bullet points or just thinking through the overall arc of your response in a way that you can easily retain. Consider recording yourself, listening for areas where you can tighten your pitch. Sometimes we come across differently than we think, and a recording can help to reveal that.

Pro Tip: Everyone is nervous in an interview. If a lot of time has passed since the hiring manager has spoken, take a breath. Recover by saying, "wow, that was a lot. I hope you can tell I'm really excited for this opportunity!" It's better to show self-awareness if you've caught yourself speaking quickly. For more information on how to create confident body language in an interview, I highly recommend you check out this video right here. The best way to avoid rambling is to know how you want to structure your response.

So for my final tip, I'll leap into the winning response format that I mentioned at the beginning of the video. Use the present, past, and future format to structure your response. Start out with the present. It's best to start here because this is the most pertinent information to whether you're qualified for the job.

Think about, where are you in your career right now or most recently as it relates to the role that you're interviewing for. Share what you've been doing most recently by giving a high-level view of your role that includes your title, responsibilities, and projects that you've worked on recently. You want to try to show a relationship with this work and the role that you're applying for. If you're transitioning into a new role or industry, this is a great time to mention certifications you've completed, classes you've taken, or personal projects that you've worked on. So in that case, start with your most relevant experience before shifting to your most recent role, and be sure to highlight the transferable skills you acquired that apply to the new role.

Then move on to the past. Basically, this is where employers like to hear a story of how and why you got to where you are right now. Begin with your motivation for entering the field.

You don't want to just provide a timeline for how you got here. You want to focus on your first professional ambitions for pursuing this career path, and this section can change depending on how relevant your current role is to the job that you're interviewing for. If you're changing industries, it's helpful to highlight the transferable skills you bring, even when your previous role may not seem relevant at first glance.

Wrap up by talking about the future. This part of your response is a great opportunity to get strategic with your answer and align your personal goals with those of the company. Aim to show that you've researched the company, that you know what their values are and have read their mission statement, and that you're specifically well-positioned to fill this role. By addressing how you support the employer's goals and how their values align with yours, you're showing them that it's a good match and that you're invested in them.

The future statement is all about the why. Why do you want this role? Why are you passionate about this opportunity? Speaking about what excites you about the role or the industry could remind your interviewer why they got into this business, which makes you much more relatable and helps to build that human connection.

And this strategy also creates a natural close to your answer. You're inviting the interviewer to deepen the conversation and shifting the focus to the topic at hand, the job. For more in-depth examples of present, past, and future statements, check out this video on "Tell Me About Yourself."

All right - Let's quickly recap what we've covered here today. Don't use the same response for every employer. Instead, adapt your story for each opportunity.

Don't repeat your resume by listing each job title. Instead, tell a professional story that highlights your key accomplishments. Don't provide a chronological life history. Instead, start with the beginnings of your career, and question whether you have a valid reason for mentioning details about your early life.

Don't discuss controversial or personal topics. Instead, stick to innocuous topics when building rapport, like what you do for fun. Don't ramble. Instead, keep your answers to two to three minutes by preparing ahead of time. And finally, our bonus tip was to structure your response using the present, past, future format.

If you found this helpful, please hit the like button down below. You can subscribe to our channel right here for more career advice. And for more tips, I recommend checking out this playlist here.

Finally, for a video on how to answer the most common interview questions, be sure to check this out. I hope you found this information on knowing how to avoid these common mistakes helpful. Thank you for watching.

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WARNING! Tell Me About Yourself Interview: Bad Answers to AVOID | Indeed Career Tips

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Tell me about yourself. It can feel daunting to give a succinct, thoughtful answer to such a big interview question in just a couple of minutes. Today, I'll show you how to prepare a first-rate response using a simple illustrative technique.

Now, everyone's career trajectory and experiences are unique. So there's not one universal answer to this interview question. However, good answers have one thing in common, they tell a good story, your story. In this video, I'll use six hypothetical job applicants in various industries to demonstrate powerful tell me about yourself answers. Be sure to stick around until the end of the video, where I'll share an example response for a tricky situation-- returning to work after a gap in your work history.

Before I move on, give us a like and subscribe below to get more of Indeed's expert career advice. Let's begin with this excellent response from applicant number one, a mid-career nurse, shifting from bedside care to patient care coordination. Growing up, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. After getting my nursing degree, I joined a large hospital group as an RN, But it was nothing like I imagined.

I realized there were many nursing roles other than direct bedside treatment and that I had a knack for collaborating across care teams to make sure that there was a real comprehensive plan for each patient. This included collaborating with social workers, specialists, home care aides, and others. The patient advocate role is a natural fit, combining my medical knowledge and my personal strengths.

This response utilizes an effective storytelling strategy-- time past, present, and future motivations together. Did you notice how the applicant wove in their background, current situation, and future goals, all in a few short sentences? Using phrases like natural fit are a great way to underscore the connections you're making between your past experiences and the job that you're applying for. To learn how to form your answer to tell me about yourself, check out this video here.

Applicant two, a new graduate with little work experience interviewing for an entry-level job in digital advertising. To answer, tell me about yourself, this candidate might say, as a kid, I was immersed in the fictional, fantastical worlds I read about. I pursued a degree in English because of my lifelong love of stories. Your position in advertising and consumer insights is right up my alley.

As I understand it, my job would be to help craft a narrative based on what audiences are drawn to and what your clients are trying to sell. Crafting a narrative is what I've always been passionate about, and I'm eager to learn everything I need to succeed in the digital advertising space.

Notice how this applicant connected a lifelong passion to this specific job at hand? Now, it's a bad idea to only talk about your personal life when answering, tell me about yourself. But quickly connecting a personal experience to the job you're applying for is a great way to show who you are in the context of work. For other mistakes to avoid when answering, tell me about yourself, be sure to check out this video right here.

Moving on to applicant three. Consider someone changing careers from bartending to corporate human resources. They might say. I paid my way through college as a bartender, and it was such a fun experience. Not only was I able to earn enough working just one to two nights a week and still commit fully to a rigorous full schedule, customers shared real vulnerabilities with me, and I reciprocated by being compassionate and trustworthy.

I continued to bartend after college but recently went back to school for human resources certification and management. Ultimately, the job of human resources is to advocate for employees. Listening compassionately when they feel vulnerable and cultivating a positive workplace culture. I never expected bartending to prepare me for my future career, but it has, and I look forward to putting those skills to use.

This applicant linked their personal qualities and passions with past career decisions. Then, they connected that decision to the job that they're applying to now. Past, present, and future motivations tell a story. And when done effectively, the conclusion of that story can be a job offer.

Applicant four, a restaurant manager interviewing for a big internal promotion. I've always loved restaurants. In my family, going out to eat was rare. So whenever my brothers or I had a birthday, we begged to go to the local steakhouse. I still remember how special the ambiance and the experience made me feel.

Five years ago, I joined this restaurant chain as a server and worked my way up. I've had supportive bosses who always advocated for me and promoted me based on my success in each role. The area director position is a continuation of my growth and a natural way for me to deepen my commitment to our company's mission.

Pro-tip, notice in this example how the applicant mentioned the support of previous bosses? This is a great way to even some evidence of your success without simply tooting your own horn. It also shows that you speak highly of your past managers, so you'd likely speak highly of your new manager as well.

Now, let's see what applicant five says in response to tell me about yourself. Imagine this individual is a retail manager pivoting to a customer service position within a call center. As an outgoing, friendly person, I've engaged with customers on the retail floor for years. I've worked for a few different companies, consistently getting feedback that I'm good with customers despite some stressful situations. I'm drawn to your position in this call center because I believe my interpersonal skills would make me an asset. I'm confident I can succeed and contribute to the team's targets quickly.

Are you seeing a pattern in how good responses to tell me about yourself make a connection between past experiences and the job at hand? Even if your experiences don't seem related, remember, you got to where you are because you learn valuable skills along the way. Making connections for your interviewer will help underscore why you're suited for the role.

As promised in the beginning of the video, let's look at an example response for a more specific situation. A long gap in someone's work history. Applicant six, a middle school teacher returning to work after five years. At heart, I'm a teacher. Throughout college and grad school, the only real question was what grade level I would devote myself to.

For over 10 years, I taught sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. And though there were tough days, there's a lot of moodiness at that age-- I absolutely loved it. About four years ago, family obligations required that I take a break. Fortunately, those personal responsibilities have lessened, and I can't wait to lead a classroom once again.

Pro tip, when you're returning to work after a mid-career interruption, it's perfectly OK to offer personal reason without going into details. When you do, it's important to also remove any fears that those personal reasons remain, and state how your work won't be further affected.

So to quickly recap, all six example answers have the following in common. They tell a professional story by describing past, present and future motivations. They make connections between past experiences and the job at hand, using helpful phrases like natural fit, in continuation of. They feel genuine, while avoiding intimate details. And overly scripted response doesn't invite a personal connection with your interviewer. But oversharing about your private life doesn't either. Try to aim for somewhere in the middle.

Now, if you'd like to see more videos like this, please like and subscribe and hit the notification bell down below to stay updated. For more career advice, check out this playlist right here. And for more interview tips, be sure to check this video out. Thank you so much for watching. I hope that you found this information helpful and that you're able to apply it to your next interview prep. We'll see you next time.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Top 6 Example Answers for a Job Interview | Indeed Career Tips

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What to do when you cannot answer an interview question with examples. 

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What to do when you cannot answer an interview question with examples. 

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You're in the interview, you're prepared, you're crushing it so far. And then the interviewer asks you a completely unexpected question, and just like that, you're stuck. If you fear this exact situation happening in your next interview, one, you're not alone, and two, it's OK. You're not expected to know everything. So the key to success is handling yourself wisely when you get a tricky question thrown your way.

How's it going, everybody? I'm Sinéad. And coming up in this video, I've got four strategies for how to respond when you just can't answer an interview question. We've got you covered with examples too and you definitely want to stick around for the last strategy because we'll reveal a secret that may seem trivial, but could make a lasting impression. Sounds great, right? All right, let's dive in.

Strategy number one, taking a pause. Do not underestimate the power of the pause. It's easy to assume that in order to seem on top of it, we have to respond immediately to every question that we're asked, even the ones that require a bit more thought. And that might be because answering right away makes us feel like we're super prepared. But honestly, taking a beat can seriously benefit you.

Intentionally taking a pause actually shows that you're deliberate and thoughtful. Now, you may be thinking, OK sure, but what about the deafening silence while you're taking a pause? I can't just not say anything, right? And yes, you are totally right, which is why we have three tactics you can use to create a natural pause that still gives you more time to think.

Tactic number one, ask clarifying questions. If the question doesn't make sense to you or if you're just not sure what the interview is looking for in your response, ask for clarification. This allows for better understanding and some more time to think so that you can provide a more appropriate answer. For example, if the interviewer asks, what was the most impactful thing you learned in your last position? And suddenly your mind goes blank, you could respond with, there's a lot I can say since I learned a great deal during my time there. Would you like to know which technical skills I gained or more so something that impacted me as a professional? You see, asking questions showcases your interest and intent to your interviewer while ensuring that yes, you are both on the same page. It's always better to ask questions rather than to misinterpret what's being asked and get lost in conversation.

Tactic number two, ask your interviewer to repeat the question. Don't hesitate to ask for a question to be repeated, especially one that you find difficult to answer. Buy yourself some time and then take the extra beat to collect your thoughts which leads us to our final tactic.

Tactic number three, ask for some more time. Be direct about wanting a moment to think. Again, it's just better to respond only once you've determined what you really want to say. So you don't find yourself speaking off topic and yes, silence can seem like an uncomfortable addition to the interview, but it's typically only uncomfortable to us as the interviewee so just be honest and say something like, wow, that's a great question. Let me think about this for a minute.

Interviewers appreciate honesty, so if you need a second or two to breathe, collect your thoughts, and answer questions accordingly, do it. Relax. You've totally got this. If you're still with us, go ahead and give this video a big thumbs up, subscribe to our channel, and of course, hit that notification bell because trust me, you don't want to miss out on our weekly career tips.

All right, so the second strategy for how to respond when you don't know how to answer an interview question is-- strategy number two, provide the knowledge that you do have. If you don't know or can't recall one component of an answer, that's OK. Don't let that hold you back from sharing what you do know. It's better to provide what you can versus nothing at all. An interview is your opportunity to show that you're the right fit for the job, so take every opportunity you can to prove just that even when you don't feel as confident.

Here's a good example for this strategy. So the interviewer asks, how many clients did your team serve last year with the software that you developed? A very detailed question calls for a detailed response. But listen to this example. The specific number of clients we served escapes me, but I can confidently share that this software allowed us to double our profits within a year and to lower our operation costs by about 20%. Rather than seeking to expand our client list, I developed the program with a goal of capturing more value from our current relationships.

Yes, this example demonstrates that we positively impacted other metrics, just not the one mentioned in the question. Interviewers asked questions to see how you respond. Sometimes they're not even looking for a specific answer, just how you're answering it. So breathe, act natural, and give them the best unique answers that you have.

Strategy number three, sharing a hypothetical answer. Hypothetical answers work for two types of interview questions-- behavioral and trick questions. Let's start with behavioral. There's a lot to know about how to respond to these kinds of interview questions which you can learn about in this video right up here. But the short version is this. Interviewers ask questions about your past in order to understand how you would respond to similar situations in the future.

Behavioral questions often begin with, tell me about a time when or give me an example of. So if an interviewer asks you about a situation that you've never been in, don't worry. The test isn't whether you've been in that position before. It's if you can provide enough information so that they can anticipate how you would act in the future. So walk them through how you would approach that scenario and why.

For example, an interviewer may ask, tell me about a time when you had to confront a direct report about a lack of motivation. An example answer would be, I've been fortunate enough in my two years as manager to have led a highly ambitious team where motivation was not an issue. Now that being said, if one of my team members seem to be suffering from a lack of motivation, I would set aside time with that person to discuss it one on one. In my experience, motivation often comes from feeling like your work is valued and that your goals are achievable. Excellent.

Hypothetical answers could also work when answering trick interview questions. Now, trick interview questions are asked to get a sense of your perspective and understand how you communicate. In this case, provide a hypothetical response, being sure to walk them through each step of your thinking. For example, an interviewer might say, how many elevators are in the US? And a good response could be, I don't know exactly, but to solve this, I would start with an online search to find out how many buildings are in the US and how many buildings have elevators and what percentage of those buildings have multiple elevators. From there, I would create an initial estimate of how many elevators are in the US. I would then reach out to friends or colleagues who know more on the topic to review my estimate and provide feedback. Finally, I would consolidate everything I've learned to make a final estimate. Now, for more tricky interview questions and strategies for how to respond to them, you've got to check out this video right here.

Now, this next strategy for what to say when you're stumped during a job interview is very important. Strategy number four, answer the question but be sure to follow up. Have you ever walked away from an interview thinking, oh maybe I should have mentioned that, or why did I say that? Sometimes when we're caught up in our nerves, we miss out on sharing important details and we don't fully answer the question as best as we could have.

So let's say an interviewer asks, why should we hire you? And you answer, you should hire me because I have a passion for organization. I've been able to leverage this passion into a successful career and project management for the past three years. Now, don't get me wrong. This is a great response, but we could have been a little bit more detailed in our response.

Now, we know it's difficult to talk about yourself and you feel like you're almost bragging in the interview room. But if you want that role, you got to learn how to show off your skills. So here's the most important part of this tip, follow up. After your interview, reach out in email highlighting some points about your accomplishments and your relevant experience that maybe you forgot to mention. You don't have to rewrite your resume, instead just pick out a couple key points that you want to emphasize.

A follow up might sound like, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure meeting you and learning more about the opportunity on your team. In addition to my strong organizational skills, I wanted to highlight a few accomplishments that would make me a strong candidate for your role. Prior experience managing multiple projects simultaneously from conceptualization to completion in a Fortune 500 company. Created, implemented, and managed processes that improved team efficiency by 15%. And after finishing your follow up, hit that Send button and hope that your persistence shines. Following up can show that you really do care about being accurate and that you're also invested in the hiring process.

All right. Now, let's review the four strategies for when you just can't answer that question in a job interview. Strategy number one, taking a pause. Consider asking a clarifying question, asking the question to be repeated, or directly asking for a moment to collect your thoughts. Because sometimes a little bit of time and patience is all we need.

Strategy number two, provide the knowledge that you do have. Share what you can to show that, yes, you have done your research for the role and be sure to point out areas that you are looking to grow in.

Strategy number three, share a hypothetical answer. If you were asked a behavioral question or even a trick question, go ahead and explain how you would approach a situation and why.

Strategy number four, answer the question and then follow up. Sometimes we miss out on sharing important details about our background, so just be sure to follow up about all of your capabilities in your thank you email.

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What to Do When You Can’t Answer an Interview Question (with Examples!) | Indeed Career Tips

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12 Tough Interview questions and answers

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12 Tough Interview questions and answers

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Being asked a tricky interview question that catches you off guard, makes you stutter and try and collect your thoughts as you scramble to give a good answer, is probably one of the worst feelings that you can have in an interview.

So to try and help you guys out and avoid this, I went to the career coaches here at Indeed and we've compiled a list of 10 interview questions that are typically a notoriously tricky, along with answers that you can confidently provide to try and mitigate some of those nerve wracking feelings.

These questions are either questions about your past performance, your self awareness in the workplace, or your run of the mill Gotcha question. If you're not sure what I mean by that stick around the end I'll explain and give some examples of what those typically are and how to look out for them.

So let's kick things off first by discussing some questions that are really tricky that employers like to ask about your past experience. Now, for context, employers ask about your past experience because they want to understand about your professional offering, how well you know how to sell yourself, and how your history applies to the skills and requirements for the role at hand.

Trick question number one is, why did you leave your last job? This is a pretty obvious professionalism test at the surface level. I think a lot of people know if you say some really negative things about your former employer in an interview with a new potential employer, that might make some red flags go up on their end.

However, there's a secondary motivation that employers may have for asking this question, which is to determine how committed you might be to this new opportunity. Hiring is expensive and they want to make sure that you're a long term investment. If you left on good terms, great. Speak concisely and authentically about the professional reasons that brought you to looking for a new opportunity, but definitely speak well about that positive working relationship that you had.

However, if the complete story isn't something that you can sincerely speak positively about, do your best to say what positive things you can, though they may be few, but really to emphasize that it just wasn't a professional fit.

So one way you could describe that particular situation would be, it just wasn't a professional fit but I'm so excited to be interviewing for something that I already know is. An answer like that achieves two things. One, you pass that professionalism test with flying colors. And then two, you're really able to demonstrate that you're interested in being a committed long term employee.

Tricky question number two, why have you changed jobs so often? Like I said, companies invest a lot of time and money into training and hiring, so they want employees that they think will stick around. So the trick to answering this question is, we can sometimes feel like we need to provide a reason for each and every move that we made professionally, but that is not the case.

You may have perfectly great reasons as to why you left each job, but the more you talk about it, the more space and time this question of changing jobs a lot takes up. Try and come up with a one or two sentence response that generally explains why you moved around a bit, but bring the conversation back to the opportunity at hand and why you see it as a long term fit.

For example, you can say right now I'm in the process of looking for a long term professional home. For a while in my career I took some gigs that I knew would be shorter term at the outset, and there was one other opportunity I had, which unfortunately I lost due to layoffs that the company underwent. However, I absolutely see this role as a long term investment on my end.

Tricky question number three, tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work? Yikes, obviously this is a not so fun question to be asked because we don't want to provide a mistake that scares the employer away, so what level of mistake is acceptable to disclose? The trick to responding to this question is that managers just want to see that you have made a mistake, you can own it and that you've learned and implemented tactics to prevent that mistake from happening again.

So to answer this question, concisely tell a story of when you made some kind of error or blunder, what you learned from it and how you can now approach similar situations differently. This can be a big mistake, it can be a small one, but the important thing is that you take it on your own shoulders, really show that accountability.

For example, you could say in my first job, I made the mistake of not proofreading a piece of social copy that went out and actually appeared on my boss's phone. I, of course, quickly fixed the mistake and from that point on, I learned the importance of creating a system for myself of reading every single piece of social copy out loud, so I didn't make that error again.

Pro tip here, whenever you hear a question that starts with tell me about a time when, or can you give me an example of. These are behavioral based interview questions. So if you want some advice on how to answer those particular types of questions, there's actually a whole strategy on it, which we explain in this video right here.

So this brings us to our next type of tricky interview questions, I'll sort of term these self awareness questions. But before I hop into those, please if you've watched this far, give us a like, subscribe down below and turn on notification bell.

So the next category, like I said, is self awareness questions. And as a general note before we get into the specific ones, it's important to understand that employers care about your answers to these because if you're self-aware, you're able to be coach-able, adaptable, and mitigate your emotional responses. All of these are really key things when it comes to operating smoothly in a professional workplace.

So tricky question number four, is what is your greatest weakness? This question, like the one about your greatest mistake, can often make our stomachs sink because we want to put our best foot forward in an interview and here we are being asked to disclose something negative about ourselves. However, the real trick here, the real false answer would be to sort of provide a humble brag.

We've all heard the, I'm a perfectionist response. While that might be true, generally, if you answer something a little bit more vulnerably, candidly, and honestly and show some mitigation strategies, that will resonate more with employers. The best tactic here is to share a story about a time when a personal trait led you to make a mistake that you won't repeat. The best formula here is weakness, plus example, plus improvement measures. Really focus on that improvement measure.

An example would be if you tend to procrastinate, share how you came to realize that. And add, and now I set a deadline of my own before the actual deadline, so that I have enough time and I'm not ending up scrambling at the end. Don't revert to sugar-coated weaknesses like, I'm a perfectionist, or I'm a workaholic. These don't really demonstrate your self-awareness and openness to improvement.

Tricky question number five is, what might your current boss say about you? Woo, this is another tough one. It's easy to leap into over-inflating what your boss might say. Actually this is really all about understanding oneself and understanding your ability to empathize with other people in the workplace.

They want to see that you can put yourself in your boss's shoes, sort of think like that manager. Just be honest about your best qualities at work, even if your boss hasn't specifically commented on them. You can say something like, my boss would talk about my accountability and how seriously I take not passing the buck to other team members and creating more work for others.

So tricky question number six, is tell me about yourself? Some people may say that this is sort of an icebreaker and it definitely does take that role when beginning an interview people often start here. However, this definitely feels like a tricky question to most people because it's so open ended and broad. What is relevant to share, how do I stand out and make a good impression on an interviewer?

The mistake here would be to come across as rambling and unprepared. It's really important to give a clear and concise elevator pitch. My suggestion is not to just summarize your resume or daily responsibilities. Instead, really connect with that interviewer on an emotional level and then describe your big impacts.

One strategy to make that emotional connection is to describe your origin story, and make that quick connection to career goals. Let's say you started out in print journalism, but you've broadened your career search, you're trying to make a transition.

You can say something along the lines of, I have been devoted to storytelling ever since I was a child, I loved reading fairy tales. And in college I was obsessed with romance novels and I've loved my time in print publishing.

I've reviewed x number of books and made a lot of impact there. But I'm really interested in broadening my reach, so that I can bring my passion to storytelling on many different platforms. If you'd like to learn more about how to answer, tell me about yourself and create that perfect elevator pitch, I highly recommend checking out our guide, it's right here.

Tricky question number seven, why should we hire you? When you're asked this question, the pressure is on. We know we're supposed to sell ourselves. And I think the mistake a lot of people make here, is focusing only on their big achievements without really thinking about what's relevant to the employer. The important thing isn't just to say, I have so much success and a great track record of being successful. It's really to hone in on, here's how I can help you solve your business needs.

So the trick really is to get into that job description. Figure out what issue is the employer solving by hiring someone for this role, and look at where your past experience and qualifications can overlap and solve that problem for them. You could say something like, from what I understand, this job really demands someone who has strong business acumen and great attention to detail. I have a track record of success and the natural traits do both of those tasks very well.

Tricky question number eight, is what salary are you looking for? This is a nerve wracking question because we don't want to ask for too little too late, but we also don't want to ask for too much too soon and scare away a potential opportunity.

The important thing here is to honor that question. We always want to be polite, professional, and obliging in an interview, but pivot it back to the employer. At the end of the day, they're at the advantage when they're asking this question, because though they're trained to put the pressure on candidates to respond and disclose the number first.

Ultimately, they know the salary, historical data that they've offered to people in the past and they know probably what their exact budget is for your role. You could say something like, total compensation encompasses more than just salary for me. I'm still learning about the roles and responsibilities, so it's hard to say exactly what my expectations are at the moment. But I'd love to know, what have you budgeted for this role?

It's pretty much guaranteed that this question will come up at some point during the hiring process. So I'd highly recommend checking out this video right here, where we explain how to answer all of your questions about salary.

Now we're out the last set of questions, which I term Gotcha questions. These are sort of out of left field or really challenging questions that you can't anticipate, and the point here is to see how you perform under pressure and whether you can handle difficult or challenging situations with grace and professionalism.

So let's hop into the first one. So tricky question number nine, is to describe how you'd react in a specific scenario in this role? So employers ask this question because they can't see you in action. So forcing you into these mental scenarios where they're testing how you would behave, is the closest they can get.

It's kind of an unfair scenario because obviously you gain a lot more experience and knowledge, the more you become ingrained into the role. But the important thing here, is to really become ingrained and understanding the real priorities of the job.

The night before your interview, what's recommended is to really visualize the day to day that you anticipate this job would be, and thinking about what those key metrics are. What is the overall priority? When you kind of create this mind frame of being clearly guided by what the ultimate goal is, you can handle this kind of question with poise by keeping that in mind.

For example, if you're asked how you would drive sales at a new company, and you know that giving presentations is a big part of the role and you have familiarity with that from your previous job, go ahead and say something along those lines of, at my current company I give business development pitches at least once a month, and I'm really confident that once they understand these product features, I can craft and deliver compelling presentations very quickly in order to maximize our overall revenue.

The final tricky question is, just that. A trick question, could be challenging trivia or a hypothetical scenario that throws you off guard. Something that more than likely no one on Earth has a confident answer to on the spot.

For example, how many elevators are there in the USA? Or, what would you bring to a desert island if you could only pick three things. All these questions are definitely going out of fashion. They still do occur typically with recent graduates or people with not much experience.

If you're asked this question or any tricky question, don't panic. It's not expected that you'll be able to accurately estimate the number of elevators in the United States, or you have some perfect survival kit for surviving on a desert island.

It's really all about explaining your thinking, and showing that you can solve problems well and communicating that. For example, I don't know exactly how many elevators there are in the US off the top of my head, but in order to solve that problem, I would start with an online search.

Reach out with friends or colleagues who might know more about the topic than I do, and then synthesize that research. And what I've learned and depending on how important it is to get really accurate information, I could go beyond that and conduct firsthand research myself. I'd then bring my ideas to my boss to get the best solution.

And just a quick note here. This piece of advice can be applied, not just to trick questions, but to any question that is difficult or challenging for you. Everything from a behavioral interview question that is really specific and you don't have a specific scenario to share that matches up. Or it could be a question about a certification that they wanted you to have that you have never even heard of.

All of these things are perfectly fine. We often feel confined to talking about experience that we've had firsthand ourselves, but if you can explain how you would go about solving things, that's great and extremely useful for an employer.

If you found this video helpful, please let us know by hitting the like button down below and subscribing to our channel right here. If you want more interviewing advice with a whole playlist on interviewing that you can click right here. And if you want some advice on what to avoid in an interview, I highly recommend checking out this video right here. Thank you so much and best of luck.

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Top 10 Tricky Interview Questions & Best Response Strategies | Indeed Career Tips

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What is your greatest weakness? It can feel awkward to talk about weaknesses in an environment where you're supposed to be highlighting your accomplishments. However, being able to speak about weaknesses can show a certain level of self-awareness and a desire for self-improvement, two traits that are very attractive to many employers.

Here's another formula to help you craft a strong answer-- weakness plus context and improvement measures. Here's an example answer. Early on in my career, I had a lot of curiosity and energy that let me just say yes to taking on projects without understanding what my bandwidth was. At one point, I had taken on so many projects that I found myself working nights and weekends to get the work done.

It became really stressful, and the stress actually started to impact the quality of my work. Eventually, I became aware of how saying yes to every project was actually counterproductive. So I started to implement some workload management tools that allowed me to set better expectations for myself and for my teammates.

In our answer, we started by stating what our weakness was, saying yes to additional projects without setting good expectations. We then described how this impacted our work. We ended by demonstrating the awareness that saying yes to every project without setting expectations was actually counterproductive.

So we implemented some workload management tools that allowed us to set better expectations for ourselves and for our teammates. As a best practice, always end your answer by discussing what measures you've taken for improvement. That way, you're ending on a positive note.

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What is your greatest weakness? Tips + Example Answer I Indeed Career Quick Tips