Thinking about making a career move, but get freaked out with job interviews? (Who doesn’t!?) Here’s a handy guide to tackling some of the curlier questions you might get asked and out top 5 job interview tips for your next time in the boardroom, from the experts at Seek:
What they mean when they ask the ‘problem-solving’ questions (e.g. ‘How many credit cards do you think there are in New Zealand?)
This type of question is best known as a ’guesstimate’ question and is used in industries where problem solving and analytical skills are desirable. Guesstimate questions ask you to estimate a number based on very limited information and can be tricky to answer if you don’t know how to go about responding. Coming up with a successful response requires a combination of logical thinking, problem solving, mathematical skills and some background knowledge such as market size in the above example. Remember to always ask questions if you don’t understand what is being asked
What they mean when they ask ‘What is your biggest weakness?’
More than 70% of Kiwis get nervous before a job interview. Nerves are very common in an interview and they are even more likely to occur if you haven’t prepared adequately for two key reasons. Firstly, we generally don’t like being put on the spot and having to think of an example or response under pressure, and secondly, most find it unnatural to talk about themselves. For this reason, the question “What is your biggest weakness?” is a question that many find difficult to answer. You need to remember that hiring managers ask this question for one key reason – they want to manage someone who is self-aware, open to feedback and/or criticism and willing to learn. If you say you have no weaknesses this could signal that you’re could be difficult to train or manage.
What they mean when they ask the ‘behavioural’ questions (e.g. ‘Tell us about the time when you…)
SEEK says that only 44% of Kiwis feel confident answering questions that they didn’t prepare for prior to the interview. Preparation makes a huge difference to a successful outcome, especially when it comes to preparing for behavioural questions. A behavioural question asks you to provide a specific example or story of when you’ve overcome a challenge using a particular skill. They are designed to find evidence-based responses and will be linked to key capabilities such as time management, customer service, teamwork/collaboration, conflict resolution or even core values of the organisation. From the response, the hiring manager then has a good understanding of how you behave when overcoming a challenge and if they clearly demonstrate the skills required for the role.
What they mean when they ask the scenario questions (e.g. What would you do if…?)
Scenario questions are less common these days as they have largely been replaced by behavioural style interviewing. However, some hiring managers and recruiters will still use these questions to assess how you might behave when dealing with a specific situation. These questions are asked by the hiring manager to confirm whether you will behave in a way that aligns with the role and common values such as collaboration, integrity etc.
What they mean when they ask the future goals (e.g. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?)
When a hiring manager asks you about your future goals or where you see yourself in 5 or 10 years, they are trying to understand your motivation for applying and whether this particular role fits into that overall plan. In addition, the hiring manager might be trying to ascertain whether you have a realistic view of where you might be in that timeframe and whether the employer can satisfy these expectations.
You should also be aware that every interview is a two-way street. You should be using the interview process to assess the organisation to confirm whether the role and the organisation is the right fit. Nearly one-third of candidates are uncomfortable asking the interview panel questions about the role and the organisation which is quite alarming. This means asking these questions to ascertain whether it really is the right role for you. Without asking these questions, there is a huge risk that the role won’t work out and that you’ll find yourself back job searching again in the not so distant future – which is not an ideal result!
