Interview Questions and Answers
It's not a good idea to learn answers to interview questions parrot fashion. If you do this the tendency for many people is to scratch around their brains for the right answer during interview. This not only shows, but can also come across as artificial when it does.
Similarly you can get thrown if you get into the mindset that you need to prepare certain questions. If the interviewer asks you something different it can throw a spanner in the works and cause confusion - or worse still - panic.
There is nothing wrong with preparing answers for an interview, but it's best to just consider them and think about the kinds of things you would say in response, rather than learning something verbatim and hoping the interviewer asks you just the things on your list.
Please see below for more advice on interview questions and answers
Interview questions and answers
Another good tip would be to go through interview questions and answers together with a friend, or a professional with plenty of interview experience. The latter is preferable because he/she will be able to advise you more and give you more in-depth tips and advice.
When you answer the interviewer’s questions you should do so honestly, and it also helps if you do so confidently and eloquently. They shouldn't be long pauses and you shouldn't fill in the gaps with pauses, hesitations and 'erm's'. If you know what you are talking about, then you should be able to answer most of the questions fairly instantaneously, and in particular the most straightforward questions. There may be other questions that require more thought, for example if you are targeting a technical job and the interviewer is asking you a technical question. However, for the most part, you should aim to answer questions politely, calmly and in a timely manner.
How shouldn't you answer questions at interview?
There are actually lots of different ways that you shouldn't answer questions at interview; among these include arrogantly, dismissively and patronisingly. At the end of the day when the interviewer asks you questions he/she is not only trying to discover if you know the answers, but also he/she is trying to find out something about you - how quickly you can think on your feet, how you respond to pressure, how could a communication are you, what are your people skills etc.
Some people think they need to be very relaxed at interview, and it does help if you're not too nervous. However, just be aware that you can be seen by some prospective employers as to relaxed. Remember, in many jobs you need to keep a professional front, and especially if you are in customer facing roles, so a lot of employers like to see a professional front by candidates at interview. This doesn't mean to say you can't show your personality and even a sense of humour if it seems appropriate, but you shouldn't try to force it on the interviewer. It should only come naturally in the course of the interview.
Click to read more about how not to answer at interview
Questions to ask yourself before interview
Getting Help
There are established techniques to help you prepare for interview, to help you prepare and also to help you cope better when the interviewer throws in questions you are not expecting or are unsure of. Your interview technique can be the difference between landing or missing a good job. If you need help in this respect the we can help you.
About this article's author
This interview questions and answers article is based on extracts from a book by our senior consultant, Paul Hichens.
Reproduction is prohibited without prior consent.
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