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You’ve been working so hard on your resume and cover letter to get into the industry. And the day finally came. You received a call from the recruiter for an interview with the hiring managers.
You are excited, yet super nervous, as you don’t know what types of questions they are going to ask you during the interview.
I can’t give you the exact interview questions. However, here are the next best thing – a list of the 10 most common and yet most difficult questions you are likely going to be asked, along with advice from the hiring managers for how to answer them to ace your job interview and get that job you’ve always wanted.
It is important you don’t rote learn every answer, and to “personalize” them so that it comes from you.
1. Tell Me About Yourself
This question may appear simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s the most important question to show off who you are as a candidate to your prospective employer.
Here’s the deal: Don’t give your complete employment (or personal) history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. I recommend using a present, past, future formula. Talk a little bit about your current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment), then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant. Finally, segue into why you want—and would be perfect for—this role.
2. Why Do You Want to Work at This Company?
Another seemingly benign question. But beware, if you don’t know anything about the company you are applying to, they may not want to work with you. So, you need to do some investigative research.
Beware of generic answers! If what you say can apply to a whole slew of other companies, or if your response makes you sound like every other candidate, you’re missing an opportunity to stand out.
I recommend 1 of 4 strategies:
- Do your research on the company and point to something that makes the company unique that really appeals to you;
- Talk about how you’ve watched the company grow and change since you first heard of it;
- Focus on the organization’s opportunities for future growth and how you can contribute to it; or
- Share what’s gotten you excited from your interactions with employees so far.
Whichever route you choose, make sure to be specific. And if you can’t figure out why you’d want to work at the company you’re interviewing with by the time you’re well into the hiring process? It might be a red flag telling you that this position is not the right fit.
3. Why Do You Want This Job?
Companies want to hire people who are passionate about the job, so you should have a great answer about why you want the position. (And if you don’t? You probably should apply elsewhere.)
My recommendation is firstly to identify a couple of key factors that make the role a great fit for you (e.g., “I love science and traveling because I get to meet new people and the satisfaction that comes from helping someone solve a problem”). Then share why you love the company (e.g., “I’ve always been passionate about innovation, and I think your company is doing great things, so I want to be a part of it”).
Tip: Other similar questions: “Why should we hire you? Why do you want to work with us?”
4. What have you done to prepare yourself for this job?
The interviewer wants to know if you are serious about a career in this industry and what effort you have put in to obtain your goals.
I recommend you explain what you’ve done in a concise and enthusiastic manner exactly what you’ve done to get this far.
e.g., You enrolled in a comprehensive job-specific training program at Clueo Clinical. Also explain briefly what you’ve learnt in the program (the curriculum should ideally aligns with the job description you are applying for).
5. Why Should We Hire You?
This interview question seems forward (not to mention intimidating!), but if they ask it, you’re in luck: There’s no better setup for you to sell yourself and your skills to the hiring manager.
Your job here is to craft an answer that covers three things:
- that you can not only do the work, but also deliver great results;
- that you’ll really fit in with the team and culture;
- and that you’d be a better hire than any of the other candidates.
6. What Are You Looking for in a New Position?
This interview question allows the hiring manager to understand whether or not you understand what the job/company is asking/demanding from you.
The best way to prepare for this question is to learn the job description and all the key job requirements. The key is to “read between the lines”, and understand the “soft skills and attributes” that make you unique / the ideal candidate for the job. If you are new to the job landscape and don’t know what being on the job is like. It’s best you speak to someone who is currently doing that job, or you could enrol into a job-specific training program like one of our Industry-Bridging Programs, where you’ll learn everything about the job and get hands-on experience and career support.
Tip: Ideally the same things that this position has to offer (e.g., travel, meeting new people, challenging, dynamic team etc.). Be specific.
7. How Do You Deal with Pressure or Stressful Situations?
Here’s another question you may feel the urge to sidestep to prove you’re the perfect candidate who can handle anything. But it’s important not to dismiss this one (i.e., don’t say, “I just put my head down and push through it,” or, “I don’t get stressed out”).
I recommend you utilise the STAR (Situation, Task, Action and Results) method to walk your hiring manager through an actual example of a stressful situation you navigated successfully.
8. What is your greatest weakness?
This question is a common one but hiring managers don’t ask this to exploit your current flaws. They are more interested in your “process of improvements” as this will likely apply to how you handle difficult situations in your job. Below is an example of how you can go about addressing this question:
“In the past, I was unable to meet set deadlines (weakness). However, several years ago, I developed a technique where I write down what I plan to accomplish every hour of every day during the workweek and how I spend my time (solution). Over the years, I have noticed that my productivity has improved dramatically utilizing this method. In fact, my work supervisor recently complimented me in a staff meeting with a dozen of my peers for consistently exceeding team and individual expectations as well as managing my time well (outcome).”
You’ve probably identified a weakness in anticipation of this question. A good answer that shows you’ve solved it can illustrate your problem-solving capabilities.
Tip: This question is similar to “Tell me about the time when you failed.”
9. Why do you want to leave your current position?
The interviewer wants to make sure you won’t walk out after six months and that you’ll be satisfied in your new position. You have greater market value when you are looking on your own terms. Prepare a positive response you are comfortable with. Refer to fit, personality issues or new directions. Your goals and readiness for a new kind of role are generally safe. Just be careful to emphasize benefits to the employer, not your personal aspirations.
Tread carefully. You don’t want to bad-mouth your current employer or put yourself in a weaker negotiating position. You could say, “Actually, I’m happy doing what I am doing now. But recently, I have been keeping my eyes open for other opportunities. I don’t need to leave, but for the right opportunity, I would consider it. This opportunity seems to fit the criteria I set out for my career.”
Tip: This question is similar to “What didn’t you like about your last job?”
10. What sort of salary are you looking for?
This is a tough one because you don’t want to undercut yourself, but you don’t want to price yourself out of range. Ideally, you’ve done some research into the position and know what’s reasonable, but you can also ask for more information:
“That’s a fair question. To answer it properly, I’d need to know more about the position responsibilities and benefits package. I am quite confident that knowing the reputation of the company, when the time comes, any offer you make will be competitive.”
Dr. Thu (Sue) Nguyen, PhD
Sue is the founder and managing director of Clueo Clinical Pty Ltd. She has over 15 years of combined experience in clinical and pre-clinical research and development, training and management. She is passionate about patient-centric science, clinical research, education, and helping others find their career passion and succeed in life.
She is an avid learner, an authentic networker and wants to empower the next generation to reach their fullest potential in Australia and around the world.