Whether you are being interviewed by
an agency recruiter or the hiring manager directly, there are some key
questions that you will likely be asked when you go into an interview.
It’s a great idea for you to
anticipate what your interviewer is going to ask; not to be contrived or make
up an answer, but so you can be mentally prepared and no curve balls put you
off.
1. Interests and hobbies.
You will be asked about something
not to do with work. The reason why you will be asked about something that
isn’t directly to do with the job first is because employers want to get a feel
for the way you present yourself ‘off script’.
Prospective employers have your CV,
so they want to know information about you that they can’t find on a piece of
paper. These are things such as what you get up to outside of work, what your
passion and hobbies are.
What you say and how you say it then
explains lot about the kind of person you are. So think about how you want to
position yourself in the mind of employers, but also retain an element of
truth.
It’s not going to pay off in the
long run if you say that you love to run marathons, then later have them find
out you can’t even bring yourself to walk up a flight of stairs.
2. Describe your style.
When you go into a job, you are
going to be asked about how you work. This is a good way of determining how
self-aware, you are and whether you are the kind of person who plans and
coordinates. It is also a good way for an interviewer to determine what kind of
role you are best suited for. Do you really have an aggressive drive and know
what you want, or are you happy taking the backseat and allowing other to take
direction?
It’s a smart idea to assess what you
want from your career, and how your work style allows you to achieve this.
3. Are you a hunter or a farmer?
This question is asked a lot,
particularly in sales and marketing circles, as it is widely accepted that
there are two categories of sales job seekers: Hunters and Farmers.
Farmers like to plant seeds among
prospects, they water them, nurture them and watch them grow. Hunters, on the other hand are people you
actively scout for prospects and who pursue people. They are known for being
aggressive and making big footprints.
In essence all job seekers are in
sales. You are marketing yourself to employers.
To get a foot in the door, job seekers need to appeal to employers’
interests. So assess the business, assess your style, are you a hunter or
gatherer, and more importantly, why?
4. What are you looking for in this
role?
This is a good way of making you
feel trapped. To be safe, be honest. Discuss how the position will develop your
skills and how your current skills will add to the positon.
Then connect the position with your
long-term goals and most importantly, finish by bringing the focus back to the
company. What value are you going to add by working for their organization?
What problem are you going to solve? How will you make life better for the
person who is hiring you, ultimately this will justify them hiring you?