Common Interview Questions and Their Context for Your Answers

Landing a job would be one of the most life-changing things that could happen to you. Aside from the fact that it would allow you to bring food to the table, it would also enable you to develop your skills within your chosen field of expertise!

Indeed, many people would go through the arduous process of looking for a new job just so they would be able to make a living and earn their monthly wage. However, the application process itself is no walk in the park.

Waiting in line amongst hundreds of applicants is bad enough, but to be asked some of the most thought-provoking questions during the interview is another story overall. Many applicants would often fail at this particular stage since they do not know how to respond to these questions!

To help you out, we have compiled a few of the most common ones—and we’ve also given some of the most appropriate answers for them to help you out in your next job interview.

1. “Why Are You Applying for the Position?”

Understandably, getting asked this question is quite weird. Most people would answer this with the obvious reason of making a living and providing for their family.

While it seems like the most reasonable answer, the truth is, this is actually gauging more on your willingness and motivation for applying to that particular company. Being motivated to apply for a certain position is different from being motivated to apply because you like working for the company offering that position. You should express both!

2. “How Ambitious Are You?”

What would you like to achieve? What are your future plans aside from being able to save up with the job that you’re currently applying for?

Having a goal and ambition in life would indicate your purpose in applying for the job. Some employers would find it valid since you’ll be utilising their workspace as the starting point of your dreams. On the other hand, some may see it as a risk since ambition often clouds proper judgment—which is a must-have for work.

3. “Tell Us About Your Capabilities.”

This question is all about telling your potential employers what you’re all about; your skills, your talents, and your basic knowledge of the tasks. This may already be answered through your resume, but you will be asked this vital question again for the sake of clarity so they can have a better understanding of your strengths and expertise.

Of course, they only want to make sure that they’re hiring the right person for the job.

4. “What Would Be Your Greatest Strength?”

While the pointer above would measure your capabilities, this question aims to determine the extent of those skillsets. For example, if you’re applying for an accounting position, then chances are that you’re quite good with numbers. However, your level of mastery would still be analysed to find out how effective you would be in the position that’s up for grabs!

5. “What Would Be Your Biggest Weakness?”

Your potential employers would also like to know what your greatest weakness is. For some, it is all about finishing one task after the other, sacrificing quality in the process. For others, it would all be about the quality of the end results, often taking a long time to complete.

Regardless of your weaknesses, discuss it during the interview since it is a perfect way to measure all your limitations, a significant factor that may come into play during hectic workdays.

Conclusion

While it is never an easy task to answer all of the tough interview questions during your work applications, knowing about their context and the answers expected from you would help you prepare for them in the long run. Pay attention to the interviewer, understand the context of the questions, and respectfully answer all of them without missing a beat. Be truthful, be confident, and be very convincing with your answers to land that well-needed job that you’ve been hoping to get for a very long time.

If you are on the lookout for upcoming job fairs near you, look no further than The UK Careers Fair. We are the leading provider of recruitment events, job fairs, and career fairs in the United Kingdom. Contact us for more information about our future job fairs and events!