What are the most common interview questions and how best to answer them?

A resume and the ability to behave with dignity are not all. You need to know what interview questions are usually asked and how best to answer them. This knowledge will greatly enhance the prospects of candidates.

It is easiest to describe the basic questions that are usually asked to the applicant, regardless of professional background. When asked to "tell about yourself", you do not need to describe all your conceivable and imagined merits. On the contrary, it requires dryly and concisely state your professional qualities and achievements, show the key stages of your working biography. It is advisable, completing the answer, to briefly summarize the previous stage of life and indicate the prospects for which you strive.

But sometimes the question is asked - what are your strengths. To pass the test successfully, it is not enough just to write them down clearly. You will also have to indicate how these parties have previously helped in professional activities. Remember: any recruiter, any employer is primarily interested in this aspect - what the candidate can bring to the company. Weaknesses are best shown as growing points by demonstrating a willingness to iron out defects of character.

But it should not be too active to talk about why the previous place of work was left... At the same time, it is necessary to avoid both self-deprecation and criticism of the previous management or colleagues. Brawlers and quarrelsome, uncompromising people are not needed by anyone.

Question "Who do you see yourself in 5 years" is not asked to find out if the applicant has a clear plan. It is necessary to answer in such a way that it is clear - the candidate knows how to think and quickly find an answer in the most difficult situations. At the same time, both the way of thinking that stands behind certain statements and the consistency of the proposed goal are assessed.

If they ask what are the plans for the initial period after taking the position, it is worth showing clear motivation to quickly adapt and master all the nuances of the new job. It is not worth highlighting purely professional subtleties.

It is important to take into account possible non-standard issues even for those who get a job in a long-established specialty. The most tricky formulations can be thought up, say:

• how many gates are blue in Saratov;
• how many light bulbs (taps, doors) are there in the building where we are located;
• what would you say in a message to the whole world if you were limited to 50 words;
• if you were asked to move Baikal, how would you do it;
• if the price of a taxi ride and a metro ride were the same, what would you choose and why;
• what you would never do even for a billion dollars.

The number of formulations is simply limitless.... Such questions are usually thought up in advance before each interview separately. Therefore, it makes no sense to look for ready-made examples of answers on the network - and you won't be able to think them through in advance. The way out will be maximum emancipation and the manifestation of individual imagination. The fresher and more interesting the answer is, the more chances you have of getting a job.

The question about the ideal working day, for all its simplicity, also has pitfalls. Better to answer that the ideal work day is:

• when the result is better than the previous day;
• when a problem is solved that previously seemed unsolvable;
• when the goals set in advance are fully achieved;
• when we managed to cope with a very serious problem and improve financial performance.

Sometimes they ask: what book the applicant read recently. The answer “I don’t remember” or “I find it difficult to answer” will immediately disappoint the recruiter. It is also bad to say that there is no time and energy to read. No one needs employees who are poorly developed professionally and personally. It is best to name a book that has actually been read from a professional field, but an art publication will do as well.

Separately, it is worth pointing out the projective questions. Formally, they are not insidious, but nevertheless, inattention to them ends very badly for applicants. The assessments of other people and their actions express, first of all, the internal values ​​and priorities of those who give such assessments. A quick answer reveals those motives that would stand behind the actions of the person himself in a particular situation. A common option is to describe what a manager (or an employee in any other position) should be like.

In this case, the utmost care should be exercised. Better to focus on unlocking optimal professional competencies. This approach, among other things, will allow you to additionally confirm your own level as a specialist. When asked what conflicts usually arise with clients or other employees, it is helpful to start from the least stressful of these conflicts experienced.

The system administrator is often asked a question about the components of a computer that can provoke systematic freezes. It would be more correct to name 2-3 of the most important devices (processor, system card, hard drive) and add “and anything else”. Sometimes they are also interested in:

• distribution of phases in the mains wire;
• the ability to quickly calculate the speed of information transfer using specific examples;
• the ability to understand the terminology of ordinary users and programmers;
• understanding of what various low-level programs and commands are used for Windows, DOS, Linux, MacOS, Android;
• understanding the logic of building IP addresses (identifying erroneous options in the list);
• knowledge of the capabilities of the main network protocols and the most common equipment.

What questions a lawyer will be asked during an interview depends on the area of ​​specialization of the lawyer. But, as with hiring sysadmins, recruiters are primarily interested in overall competence. So, legal advice, especially in the commercial sphere, is now almost unthinkable without knowledge of foreign languages. They are also often asked (regardless of specialization) about:

• limitation period;
• grounds for declaring the transaction null and void;
• differences in types of ownership and specific types of organizations;
• the prospects of defending one's position on such and such a claim in court (a specific model situation);
• correctness from the point of view of the law in such and such a case;
• jurisdiction of a certain category of cases;
• differences between different organizational and legal acts.

But specific professional issues will certainly ask potential nanny. It is unlikely that anyone will hire people for this position who are not capable of:

• name the differences between the Waldorf and Montessori techniques;
• name the names of outstanding teachers of the past and present;
• quickly remember and tell a fairy tale (sing a children's song);
• indicate which books on psychology or pedagogy have been read in the last six months, a year;
• describe ways to “take your child away from the TV or toy display”;
• clearly express the attitude towards the question “is it possible to beat children, and when”;
• tell about your actions in a particular difficult situation.

The future marketerIf you get a job in a small company, you need to clearly understand that most likely there will be no other employees in the department. Therefore, already at the interview, you need to show maximum competence. May be asked about:

• data that is needed to form a quarterly plan;
• priority channels for promoting products or services;
• the desired number of press releases during the month;
• factors affecting the number of guests who must be invited to participate in the meeting (conference, exhibition);
• the main difficulties in introducing a fundamentally new product or service to the market;
• understanding the essence of the term "unique selling proposition".

The sales rep may be asked questions in many different ways, but they all boil down to the fact that it is necessary to “sell yourself”. Whoever fails to do this is unlikely to cope with the sale of goods and services.

A stereotyped but still common trick is “sell me a pen” (it can be anything). Here you will have to show maximum energy and ingenuity, but at the same time avoid any obsession with the "client". Sometimes it is asked to formulate the disadvantages of a real or fictional product in such a way that they seem to be advantages. Or, at least, they have lost their sharpness in the perception of a potential buyer. Here everything depends on the level of professionalism and perfection of thinking.

The recruiter will pay attention not only on the wording, but also on the literacy of speech, on the grace of the interlocutor's manners. After all, it is not just one transaction that depends on this, but the perception of the company as a whole.

Analytics upon employment, they will definitely ask questions about how he represents business processes and what tools he uses to model them. Those who:

• poorly understands what a role model is and how to use it;
• unable to describe the application of the project glossary;
• has difficulty listing user stories for a specific case;
• has problems with logical thinking;
• sloppy;
• ignores details and subtle nuances;
• Little versed in mathematics, psychology and management.

Naturally, it follows here avoid shifting the blame to the previous management, to other employees and even to "compelling circumstances"... At the same time, the slightest lack of agreement, ambiguity and vague wording will have to be eliminated. The expression "of their own free will" and others like it are usually perceived as insincerity and a desire to avoid a specific answer. One can talk about an unhealthy moral atmosphere in the organization, but only if the candidate himself was not one of its founders, the main provocateurs.

Recruiters have many ways to find out about this unfortunate fact. In any case, it is necessary to show tact and correctness of formulations and assessments. If the interest in the circumstances of the dismissal is too strong, the candidate should point out that he considers further description of the details contrary to professional ethics.

It is possible to talk about underpaid pay as a motivation for dismissal. But at the same time, it should be emphasized in every possible way that the scale of tasks and the level of requirements were constantly increasing, and there was no doubt about the competence and accuracy of the work. We can also talk about the fact that the level of workload clearly exceeded the capabilities of a single employee. However, then you will have to concretize scrupulously all the nuances of your work.

An interview should not and cannot be a "one-sided game". Those who only answer questions at the interview, but do not dare to ask when applying for a job, will receive (excuse the tautology) a cold welcome. It is imperative to ask at least in general terms: what will be the professional responsibilities. Important: if, in response, they are introduced to specific instructions and internal rules, this is a very good sign. Most likely, in such a situation, the decision in your favor is already 95% made, and only formalities remain - which the recruiter performs.

It is also helpful to ask if this is a new job or if someone has occupied it before. The emergence of a new position usually indicates the quantitative and qualitative growth of the company. But you still need to figure out what exactly is expected of a newbie at the appropriate post... And if this position was already there, it is worth finding out where the employee who occupied it went, why and how long ago he left.

Asking directly and clearly about whether they are going to hire or not is quite useful. If the management has already made a definite decision in this regard, then it will be possible to immediately act according to the circumstances, and not worry in ignorance. It is also another way to show your interest. Among the typical questions from the applicant, which are expected (and are often disappointed by the absence of), will be the question of the work schedule. And about other nuances of the regime.

Recruiters will treat with understanding, even if “everything is described in the ad”. It is their direct responsibility: to tell about what awaits new employees. It is advisable to be interested in processing, possible work on holidays and weekends. It is also worthwhile to initially understand for yourself the attitude of the management to smoke breaks and other breaks, lunch mode and the like. It is also important to ask:

• how long the probationary period will be;
• whether there will be additional training courses and consultations;
• to whom you can turn for help in case of certain difficulties;
• when and under what conditions you can count on promotion.

Questions about the benefits package are normal and predictable. If he is in the organization, of course. If not, you shouldn't ask about it. It is also necessary to clarify:

• what is the order of providing the package;
• how it will change over time;
• what are the immediate plans to change the social package;
• how performance (and, conversely, failures) will affect its scale.

Traditionally, this question is answered like this: the interview is not the place to talk about politics, religion and the nuances of the personal life of the employer and his employees. Of course, except when it is directly related to the performance of work. But in any case, each question should have a clear and transparent purpose. When asked for something incomprehensible and not understandable why, this, at best, confuses the other side. At worst, suspicions begin: why all this had to be asked, was it a bore in front of us, or an agent of competitors.

It is very useful to think about the wording of the questions. Sometimes, in essence, they are correct and even very important, but they are presented in such a way that complications can arise. Silly question - what does the firm do; he immediately betrays a completely disinterested person. Another surefire way to fail an interview is to act like you're not interested in anything other than pay and benefits.

This point is critical for any job seeker. And it is at the end of the conversation that it is appropriate to ask about the main range of issues that are significant to him. At this point, the recruiter is internally ready for such questions. Moreover, if they are not followed, he will be extremely puzzled. It is not recommended to ask questions that involve a monosyllabic answer (or, conversely, those, the answer to which is clearly outside the scope of the interview).

Very helpful be interested in corporate culture, as well as take the contact details of a recruiter. By the way, he will only welcome the applicant's expression of respect for the organization and praise for the work done. In any case, you should leave with confidence and demonstrating your moderately positive attitude. Saying goodbye should be as polite as arriving.

It is possible and even necessary to ask about the results of the interview, but it is required to do this without any intrusiveness. Any experience is worth remembering during the conversation. It is very important to have copies of all documents with you that you may need, at least potentially. When going to an interview, you should:

• think over the route in advance;
• free up more time (since the meeting can be delayed);
• dress in an emphasized business style (unless the future job suggests otherwise);
• practice answering in front of a mirror, in front of a camera, or another person;
• have a good rest and sleep well;
• leave well in advance to anticipate traffic jams and other problems;
• tune in to any possible outcome;
• think over what questions and tests you yourself would suggest at the place of the employer.

In the course of the conversation itself, it is desirable:

• clarify everything that is not clear;
• show sincerity and benevolence;
• avoid excessive frankness in everything that does not concern professional aspects;
• carefully study all documents that need to be signed;
• fill out the proposed questionnaires to the end (if possible);
• avoid denying the real and irrefutable facts that show you from the bad side.