Here with the some more common interview questions as promised. By the time you are done with this article, you will have enough preparation material for an interview. I will say this again; you need to rehearse over and over again. Find peers who can help you in doing mock interviews. You see, one of the mistakes people make is to think they have mastered something just by reading about it. I know too well that after reading my articles you will be pumped that you got it. That is not enough, you need to practise answering them, for real. Here we go:

Where Do You See Yourself In 10 (Or 5) Years?

You are bound to come across this question. As much as almost everyone knows they will be asked this question, many miss its crux. I can say this is a trick question so let me give you a tip. This question, first and foremost, seeks to see how ambitious you are (or whether or not you do have a vision). Second, and even more importantly, the question seeks to see whether or not your vision or ambitions fit in, align with, or add value to the company’s vision or goals. Always bear that in mind when answering this question otherwise you might blow your chances of getting employed if there is no alignment.

How Do You Handle Stress?

We are living in demanding times where there is so much pressure. This kind of pressure is common on almost any level, personal, at home, at work, socially, and so on. We all get to grapple with stressful situations from time to time. Even if you are employed you will no doubt encounter stress. Thus you should never respond by saying you never get stressed, that will be a red flag. In responding, give 2 coping mechanisms or strategies you use to manage or alleviate stress. You can also go a step farther to highlight a time when stress propelled you to deliver more or better.

What Is Your Leadership Style?

Most job roles will entail some form of leadership responsibility. Even if it is not immediate, with time you might be placed in a leadership role. After all, leadership is not always about titles. For example, you can be assigned to lead a task, an initiative, or an event. All in all, having to exercise leadership is inevitable no matter the job. That is why employers would want to know how you lead. This is a good time to use storytelling in enunciating what your leadership style is. You can give an account of a time you led something e.g. a project. Describe what it entailed, and how you mobilized and motivated your team. You also must highlight what worked and what did not i.e. from the leadership strategies or decisions you took. Demonstrate that you know your leadership style and have an awareness of leadership dynamics.

What Motivates You?

This can come as a surprise question for most and might catch many off-guard. It is the kind of question that can be asked to see how agile you are impromptu. An obvious response to that question would be money but do not respond that way. Yes, it is a core motivation in getting employed but you should not mention it here. Here you must respond broadly or you can respond with the actual job role in mind. For example, if you choose to respond broadly you can mention how providing for or supporting your family is a motivation. If responding from the angle of the job role you can mention something along the lines of seeking to be a person of value as motivation. The general rule of thumb here is to mention a motivation that is bigger than or not about you in isolation.

What Would You Do In Your First 100 Days?

This is yet another question that can make you stand out if answered well. The question wants you to demonstrate that you have researched the role and the company. It also wants to test the extent of your preparation which ascertains your readiness once employed. This is also meant for you to prove that you have initiative and are visionary. Do you have a solid plan of how you would navigate your early days on the job? That is what the question wants you to show. A good response to this question does require you to do some thorough research.

How Do You Manage Conflict At Work?

Conflict, like stress, can be inevitable at work. The question is asked to see if you are someone who is honest and accepts responsibility for your actions. As always, give personal 2 examples from your past work experiences. Explain what caused the conflict and what you did to try to resolve it. Go on to what the outcome was and the lessons you learnt from the whole experience.

What Questions Do You Have For Me Or Us?

This can be a somewhat difficult question to answer. This is because you will be wondering whether or not the questions you ask are appropriate. This question often comes at the tail end of the interview so you can become uneasy feeling you might derail the interview. If you are unsure, just mention that you do not have any questions. The idea here is to only ask relevant questions that are unique and can get them excitedly talking. For example, you can ask them about the most exciting project they have ever worked on or are working on.

That is it; this brings it to 15 common interview questions and how to handle them. This is what you need to know and focus on as you prepare for any job interview. Do take some time to share this invaluable information with others. All the best in your job interviews!