Best Interview Tips By, Er. Swapnil V. Kaware

Best Interview Tips
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Best Interview Tips by Er. Swapnil V. Kaware (svkaware@yahoo.co.in)

1. Tell Me About Yourself
The interviewers will likely start out with a question about you
and your background.
Start by giving them an overview about your current position
or activities then provide the most important and relevant
highlights from your background that make you the most
qualified for the role.
You can start by sharing some of your personal interests and
experiences that don't relate directly to work, such as a favorite
hobby or a brief account of where you grew up, your education
and what motivates you

2. Why was there a gap in your
employment?
If you were unemployed for a period of time, be positive
about what you’ve been up to.
You can tell impressive volunteer and other mind-enriching
activities, like blogging or taking classes.
You should generally avoid any negative characterization of
your former employer since many prospective employers
would take the employer's side.

3. What do you know about this
organization?
Start by searching the company website and take particular
note of any recent news articles, events or contributions
they have made to the community. Identify their mission
and values.
Essentially, the interviewer wants to know whether you
care enough about this position and the business to take
the time to do your homework.
So do your homework! While this isn't a test, you should be
aware of the business's major initiatives, mission, and
qualities.

4. How has your education prepared
you for your career?
You need to focus on the behavioral examples in your
educational background which specifically align to the
required competencies for the career.
A sample answer: "My education has focused on not only
learning the fundamentals, but also on the practical
application of the information learned within those classes”.
Focus on specific behavioral examples supporting the key
competencies for the job. Then ask if they would like to hear
more examples.

5. How would you describe yourself?
The best way job candidates can answer 'describe yourself'
in an interview is by mentioning a few positive adjectives or
phrases that describe their personal characteristics or
attitude, focusing on the qualities that make them an ideal
match for the job and the company.
When interviewers ask you to talk about yourself, they’re
looking for information about how your qualities and
characteristics align with the skills they believe is required to
succeed in the role.
If possible, include quantifiable results to demonstrate how
you use your best attributes to drive success.

6. How do you deal with pressure?
An interview is always a combination of questions.
Sometimes the interviewer asks the behavioral questions
as well.
By asking this question, they propose to know how the
candidate will handle the tasks in the pressure situations.
One can answer this question as I give myself a 15-minute
break, do self-meditation, take some tea, arrange the task
in outline, and start working.

• It's actually a great opportunity for you to demonstrate your
interest in the company.
• Usually you can tell the truth. If you found the position any of
these ways just say so: You were looking actively for jobs and
found it on a job board, careers website, while searching jobs
on LinkedIn, etc.
• You have a colleague or friend in the company who
suggested you apply or mentioned they were hiring.
7. How did you hear about this
position?

8. What is your greatest strength?
This is one of the questions that employers almost always
ask to determine how well you are qualified for the
position.
When you are asked about your greatest strengths, it's
important to discuss the attributes that qualify you for that
specific job, and that will set you apart from other
candidates.
When you are asked questions about your strengths,
discuss attributes that will best qualify you for the specific
job and set you apart from the other candidates.

9. What is your ideal work
environment?
With this query, they’re really trying to assess your personality .
A great way to answer a question about an ideal work
environment would go something like this: My ideal work
environment is one that is centered around working as a team
and that allows everyone's talents to flourish.
Talk about your work-style and try to word your answer so that
it blends in well with the company’s vision.

10. What makes you unique?
When interviewers ask you to tell them what makes you
unique, they are trying to delve a little deeper into your
character and personality.
They want to find out what skills and qualities you value in
yourself and what you think is important in relation to the
job you are applying for.
By Explaining why your background makes you a good fit
will let employers know why your traits and qualifications
make you well prepared.

11. Can you explain why you changed
career paths?
Don't be thrown off by this question.
just take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager
why you've made the career decisions you have.
More importantly, give a few examples of how your past
experience is transferrable to the new role.
This doesn't have to be a direct connection; in fact, it's
often more impressive when a candidate can make
seemingly irrelevant experience seem very relevant to the
role.

12. What do you know about our
company?
• The interviewer wants to know if you:
a) have done your research about their company;
b) can describe the company well as an informed outsider;
c) can translate what you know about the company into
expressing interest.
• Researching the company or organization you are applying to is
an integral part of the application process, and this question is an
evaluation of whether or not you have already done such an
essential task.
• Prepare to answer questions regarding the origins of the
company/organization, their current activities, and their
objectives for the future.

13. Are you a team player?
• Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just
a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioral
examples to back up your answer.
• A sample answer: "Yes, I'm very much a team player. In fact,
I've had opportunities in my work, school and athletics to
develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent
project“.
• Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on
your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the
strength of the team above the individual.

14. Why are you leaving your current
job?
• Some of the most common, and easiest to explain, reasons
for leaving a job include:
• Desire to learn.
• Desire to take on more responsibility.
• Desire to take on less responsibility.
• Desire to relocate.
• Desire for a career change.
• Desire to gain a new skill or grow a current skill.
• Company reorganization has led to change in job content.

15. How would your boss and co-
workers describe you?
• First of all, be honest (remember, if you get this job, the
hiring manager will be calling your former bosses and co-
workers!).
• Then, try to pull out strengths and traits you haven't
discussed in other aspects of the interview, such as your
strong work ethic or your willingness to pitch in on other
projects when needed.
• Highlight traits that are most applicable: People have lots
of great personality traits. Narrow your list to the traits
that are your best and most applicable to the job. Be
honest:

16. Why are you interested in this
role?
• The interviewer is looking for similar things whether
asking about company or position.
• The hiring manager wants to: Learn about your career
goals and how this position fits into your plan.
• Stating a clear and concise answer here is crucial.
• Be specific about your goals and expectations, discuss how
you believe your qualifications are in-line with those
required of the position, and be ready to explain why

17. Describe your dream job.
• Your answer about your dream job should be comprised of
accomplishment of your skills, experiences and much
more. Tell the interviewer that you want to achieve certain
goals.
• And the position that will allow you to achieve your goals
will be your dream job.
• “I want a job where they allowed me to take a week off
each month. Where I have do not have to work for a
continuous 8 hours and so on” giving such a reply to
an interview question? This is totally a wrong impression.

18. What other positions are you
looking at?
• We believe it’s best not to name names. Nobody really
wants to hear that you’re interested in or applying to their
competitors and saying that may turn some hiring
managers off.
• On the other hand, if you say you are not looking at any
other position, it might seem far-fetched or make you look
like you’re not aware of your market worth and ability to
get a job elsewhere.
• The best answer here is something along the lines of
“Similar roles at companies in this industry where I think I
can make a real difference.”

19. Why do you want to work here?
• The best way to prepare for this question is to do your
homework and learn about the products, services, mission,
history and culture of this workplace.
• In your answer, mention the aspects of the company that
appeal to you and align with your career goals. Explain why
you’re looking for these things in an employer.
• The hiring manager wants to: Learn about your career
goals and how this position fits into your plan. Make sure
that you are sincerely interested in the job and will be
motivated to perform if hired.

20. How do you deal with pressure or
stressful situations?
• A great approach is to talk through your go-to stress-
reduction tactics (making the world's greatest to-do list,
stopping to take 10 deep breaths), and then share an
example of a stressful situation you navigated with ease.
• Examples of good responses include:
• Stress is very important to me.
• I react to situations, rather than to stress.
• I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I
enjoy working in a challenging environment.

21. How would you assess your
writing and communication skills?
• This is not a question that mid or senior-level applicants
ever get asked.
• Writing and communication in school is very different
from that in the professional world and the employer is
checking to make sure you know the difference.
• If you’ve had experience communicating with full-time
employees in your internship, let them know. Otherwise,
hammer home the point that you know how to write
clearly, concisely, and respectfully.

22. Why should we hire you?
Interviewers generally bring this up to offer you another
opportunity to explain why you’re the best candidate.
Your answer should address the skills and experience you
offer and why you’re a good culture fit.
Best answer can be,
a) You can do the work and deliver exceptional results.
b) You will fit in beautifully and be a great addition to the
team.
c) You possess a combination of skills and experience that
make you stand out from the crowd.
15.

23. What are your salary expectations?
• What They Want to Know: The hiring manager wants to
know what you expect to earn.
• It seems like a simple question, but your answer can knock
you out of competition for the job if you overprice yourself.
If you under price yourself, you may get shortchanged with
a lower offer.
• You can try to skirt the question with a broad answer, such
as, “My salary expectations are in line with my experience
and qualifications.” Or, “If this is the right job for me, I am
sure we can come to an agreement on salary.

24. Why are you currently unemployed?
• What they really want to ask is: “Were you fired and if so,
why?” People are reorganized and fired all the time for
reasons that have nothing to do with their individual
performance.
• On the other hand, some people are fired for cause as well.
• Whichever category you fall into, be sure to spin the best
story possible without being defensive.
• The more casual and confident you can be in your answer,
the easier it will be for your interviewer to conclude what
you want them to: “Ok, no big deal.”

25. What qualities do you feel a
successful manager should have?
• Focus on two words: leadership and vision.
• Here is a sample of how to respond: "The key quality in a
successful manager should be leadership the ability to be the
visionary for the people who are working under them.
• The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to
reach the highest of their abilities
• Then give an example of someone who has touched your life
and how their impact has helped in your personal
development and results delivered

26. What kind of work environment do
you like best?
• No matter what the work environment at the company, be
honest in your answer.
• If the company uses a team approach, for example, and you
prefer to work alone, you would not be happy working in
that particular work environment.
• Research the company's work environment. Find ways to
highlight how the company's environment will work well
for you and if you can't find ways, don't take the job,
because you'll be miserable.

27. What motivates you the most?
• Success is what motivates me to do a good job. Knowing the fact
that my hard work and perseverance will help me achieve
greater professional success is what keeps me going.
• I feel that aligning the company's vision and values with my own
is one way to achieve that Arrange your answer carefully and
goes like the environment as if you people here motivates me a
lot.
• Working and completing the task with co-workers gives me a
feeling of contentment.
• A working environment drives me to dedicate more time
towards the task.

28. How would you improve this
company/specific operation
• Your vision for improving the company is the reason why
you or someone else will get hired.
• Come prepared with ideas for how you'd make one aspect
of the company something that is, of course, related to the
job function of the position in question better.
• You don't need to disparage the way the company is
currently doing things to make your point; instead, just
demonstrate that you've thought about this question and
have innovative ideas.

29. Tell me about a mistake you make
• Not all interviewer ask this question to the candidates.
• By asking to tell me about a mistake you make, an interviewer
wanted to notice that if you admit your weaknesses. Moreover,
how to handle the situation and overcome the weakness.
• You should focus on how you dealt with the mistake and what
you were able to learn from it.
• When the hiring manager asks this question, it’s not because
they’re trying to trip you up; rather, it’s a chance for the
interviewer to see that you are able to acknowledge your
mistakes and learn from them, two very important qualities.

30. What are your salary expectations?
• One can try to skirt the question with a broad answer, such as, “My
salary expectations are in line with my experience and
qualifications.” Or, “If this is the right job for me, I am sure we can
come to an agreement on salary.
• Never ask for either a too less or too high salary package as this
might cost you the job at both the ends.
• In case you still do not have any idea about a reasonable salary for
the job role, you can simply answer to accept the package as per
industry standards.
• This leaves much scope for the negotiation at the time of final offer
letter.

31. How did you learn about the
opening?
• The interviewer wants to hear that you are relatively happy
in your current job, get along well with your manager, and
are well-respected at work.
• Usually you can tell the truth. If you found the position any
of these ways just say so: You were looking actively for jobs
and found it on a job board, careers website, while
searching jobs on LinkedIn, etc.
• You have a colleague or friend in the company who
suggested you apply or mentioned they were hiring.

32. What's a time you disagreed with a
decision that was made at work?
• Everyone disagrees with the boss from time to time, but in
asking this interview question, hiring managers want to
know that you can do so in a productive, professional way.
• You don’t want to tell the story about the time when you
disagreed but your boss was being a jerk and you just gave
in to keep the peace.
• Tell the one where your actions made a positive difference
on the outcome of the situation, whether it was a work-
related outcome or a more effective and productive
working relationship.

33. You seem to change jobs frequently
• Average job tenure is growing shorter and shorter but that
doesn’t mean hiring managers don’t get worried when they
see someone that can’t hold a job down without changing
every year or two.
• It’s a big investment of time and money to hire someone
new and they want to make sure that you are not fickle or
immature about your choices.
• If you can provide context about inevitable job changes that
weren’t your fault (e.g. you had to move across the country
to be with your spouse, the company closed down), that will
put the interviewer at ease.

34. Do you have any questions?
• Interviewers expect you to ask questions—it signals that
you’re invested and serious about the job.
• This might be one of the most important questions asked
during the interview process because it allows you to
explore any subject that hasn’t been addressed and shows
the interviewer you’re excited about the role.
• By this point, you’ll likely have already covered most of the
basics about the position and the company so take time to
ask the interviewer questions about their own experiences
with the company and gain tips on how you can succeed if
hired.

35. Where do you see yourself in five
years?
• You may be wondering why hiring managers ask this very
common question. Yes, they’re interested in you, but they’re
really more interested in their company.
• Recruiting and training new employees is a considerable
investment of time and money. The interviewer wants to
ensure you’re serious about them and in it for the long haul.
• They also want to know that you’re realistic in your
promotional expectations.

36. Tell me about the toughest decision you
had to make in the last six months
• The goal of this question is to evaluate the candidate's
reasoning ability, problem-solving skills, judgment, and
possibly even willingness to take intelligent risks.
• Having no answer is a definite warning
sign. Everyone makes tough decisions, regardless of their
position.
• A great answer proves you can make a difficult
interpersonal decision, or better yet a difficult data-driven
decision that includes interpersonal considerations.

37. Give me an example of a time when you
worked in a team. What was your role?
• Prepare for this by having some specific examples ready
from when you worked on a group project. You don’t have to
choose a group project where you were the team lead.
• What’s more important is that you knew your role on a team
and that you performed well in your role.
• If that was a leadership role, great. If not, no worries.
• If you have examples of how you established or tweaked
processes or mediated conflict within the team, use them.

38. What are your hobbies?
• Interviewers will want to know if you are passionate about
certain things. Interviewers may ask you about your
hobbies, interests, and extra-curricular activities outside of
work if they are truly interested in you as a candidate for
the job.
• The interviewer tries to gauge about your personality, your
energy level and how fit you can be for the company’s
culture.
• Therefore, share something that adds value to your skills
such as travelling and meeting people if you are appearing
for a client-meeting role.

39. What do you consider to be your
biggest professional achievement?
• It’s the perfect opportunity to talk about your most
impressive experience. Unfortunately, most candidates
waste this wonderful opportunity because they aren’t
prepared and/or don’t feel comfortable “bragging.”
• Find out how you overcame infighting between
departments, or how so many of your direct reports have
been promoted.
• The goal is to share achievements that let the interviewer
imagine you in the position and see you succeeding.

40. Why do you want to leave your
current job?
• Don't talk about how your boss is difficult. Don't talk about
how you can't get along with other employees. Don't bad-
mouth your company.
• Instead, focus on the positives a move will bring. Talk about
what you want to achieve. Talk about what you want to
learn.
• Talk about ways you want to grow, about things you want
to accomplish; explain how a move will be great for
you and for your new company.

41. Are you comfortable traveling for
work?
• Here, you should be honest. If the job requires you to be on
a plane once a week (or even a month) and that’s just not
going to work for you, it’s better to figure that out sooner
rather than later.
• When answering questions about traveling, explain how
and where you traveled for previous jobs. Answers like this
show that you have experience with this kind of travel.
• When answering questions about travel, avoid answers
that explain how you benefit from travel.

42. How do you deal with pressure or
stress?
• The short answer you want to give is: “Well.” While you
probably don't want to literally say that, the idea is to convey
competence to deal with difficulty and hopefully pressure is
not a problem for you.
• Frankly, this question tends to come with high-pressure,
stressful jobs or companies and they want to know whether
you’ll be able to handle tough situations.
• Hopefully, you have self-selected into this kind of job and
applied to the company and role with your eyes open about
those realities and believe you can thrive in an environment
that demands a lot of you.

43. Do you have any other questions for
us?
• You should take the chance to show that you're thoughtful, and
ask a question that illustrates your insight and curiosity.
• You can ask following questions to interviewer,
• Can you share more about the day-to-day responsibilities of
this position? What's a typical day like?
• If I were hired for this role, what would you want me to achieve
in my first months in the position?
• What mechanisms are in place for performance reviews and
when would I receive my first formal evaluation?

44. Tell me how you think other people
would describe you
• To help you decide how to describe yourself in an
interview, consider these examples:
• I am passionate about my work.
• I am ambitious and driven.
• I am highly organized.
• I’m a people-person.
• I’m a natural leader.
• I am results-oriented.
• I am an excellent communicator.

45. What can we expect from you in
your first three months at a job?
• No doubt, that employer already set your task list about what
you should do after getting the position, however, at the same
time, he will also interested to know about your plans.
• Your answer will be, “I will put my all efforts to give the value
to the company. I will work hard and meet the deadlines in
completing the assigned tasks.
• Moreover, I will create balance and healthy relationships with
the head of the company, with co-workers, clients, customers
and so on.

46. Do you have a work style?
• Most likely, so focus on the elements that
demonstrate your best qualities and fit with the job at
hand.
• Consider including a brief example that emphasizes your
work style First, consider what your work style really is.
And then consider whether that style is suited for the job
and company culture you’re interested in.
• This question is really getting at whether your personality
is a fit for the role and the company so try to answer
accordingly.

47. What's your management style?
• The interviewer wants to know if you'll fit in with their work
environment.
• That's why the best answer will show that you're flexible and
adaptable.
• For example I adjust my management style to meet the needs
of the people I'm managing.
• The best managers are strong but flexible, and that's exactly
what you want to show off in your answer.

48. Tell me about the last time a co-worker or
customer got angry with you?
• Your answer to any question about anger should contain
two components. First, describe the particular situation that
frustrated you, and then explain how you handled that
situation.
• The situation should be work-related, and not something
that happened in your personal life. Keep your explanation
brief and to the point.
• This will emphasize that you are not one to lose control in a
difficult scenario. As you answer, keep your tone even or
light that is, you don't want to seem fired up just recounting
the situation.

49. Can you tell me about a difficult work
situation and how you overcame it?
• This question is often used to assess how well you perform
under pressure as well as your problem-solving abilities.
• This is also an excellent opportunity to show your human side
and how you’re willing to go the extra mile without being
asked.
• Questions like this lets you show off your personality, and
allow you to be a real human being.
• You show a vulnerable, human side of yourself.

50. What's a time you exercised
leadership?
• If you can’t think of a relevant example from a previous job or
internship, use a personal experience such as a time when
you displayed leadership while volunteering, pursuing
hobbies, participating in clubs or sports or tackling an
academic project.
• Depending on what's more important for the role, you'll want
to choose an example that showcases your project
management skills (spearheading a project from end to end,
juggling multiple moving parts) or one that shows your
ability to confidently and effectively rally a team.

51. What are your goals for the future?
• This question is designed to find out if you’re going to stick
around or move on as soon as you find a better opportunity.
• Keep your answer focused on the job and the company, and
reiterate to the interviewer that the position aligns with your
long-term goals.
• You can answer like, “My future goals involve learning as much
as I can until I eventually take on a leadership role.
• I prefer to work with others, and I believe that I could thrive as a
leader if given the chance. I would love the opportunity to
manage a team and shape them into successful workers.”

52. Do you prefer working
independently or on a team?
• This is a common question when a hiring manager wants
to assess whether you will be a good fit, culturally.
• Companies want to hire people who are fun and easy to
work with but also those who can manage whatever they
need to on their own.
• You can say something like, “I enjoy both. I can work both
on a team, and work alone. Depending on the project that
needs to be done, I can work independently to complete
my tasks on time, but I also enjoy brainstorming and
collaborating with my colleagues.

53. What was your salary in your
last job?
• When the interviewer asks for what was your salary at a
previous job he is deciding two things on your answer. The
things will be your demand and to start the negotiation about
the salary?
• Do not hesitate to mention your salary at a previous job. If
they are okay with that, they will offer you the same, or in
another case, they might provide more than before.
• However, exceptions are always there, so maybe they offer you
less and throw the ball in your court to make a final decision
whether you will continue to the job or not.

54. What is your greatest weakness?
Do your best to frame your answers around positive
aspects of your skills and abilities as an employee, turning
seeming “weaknesses” into strengths.
You can also share examples of skills you have improved,
providing specific instances of how you have recognized a
weakness and taken steps to correct it.
A better approach is to choose an actual weakness, but one
you're working to improve. Share what you're doing to
overcome that weakness. No one is perfect, but
showing you're willing to honestly self-assess and then
seek ways to improve comes pretty darned close.

55. What do you like to do outside of
work?
• Interviewers ask personal questions in an interview to “see if
candidates will fit in with the culture [and] give them the
opportunity to open up and display their personality, too,.
• In other words, if someone asks about your hobbies outside of
work, it’s totally OK to open up and share what really makes
you tick.
• Or you can say that, Spending time with family and spending
time with friends. Going out to walk, shop or a movie. Playing a
game, reading, listening music. These are the extremely
generic things I do outside of work.

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to my channel on you tube as,
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