“Tell me about yourself.” This question is a popular opener for interviews and it is often used as an icebreaker to ease candidates into the interview before moving on to more in-depth or technical questions. The interviewer will have already read your CV and now they want to know if you are the right fit for the role. Uhen answering this question, don't be tempted to simply recite your CV — on the other hand, they aren’t looking for your life story either! Talk a bit about your current role, the scope of it, and perhaps a recent accomplishment. Next, cover some work history so that the interviewer can understand how you got there. Mention previous experience that is relevant to the job you're applying for. “Why do you want to work at this company?” Your employer to-be will want to understand why you applied for this position at this company. This is where you can show the interviewers that you have taken the time to research the company and that your values and ways of working are aligned with theirs. Explain to them what attracted you to the company, which aspects of the workplace cultureappeal to you and the elements of the job role you are most excited about. Showing them that you've done your homework doesn'’t just demonstrate your professionalism, it conveys that you have really thought about how you would fitin at the company and that you can see a long-term future there.
“What do you think are your biggest weaknesses?” You'll find lots of information online about what to do when you're asked about your biggest weakness in an interview. You've probably read a lot about how to showcase a strength as weakness - “l work too hard” or “I'm a perfectionist” are always popular answers, and the chances are that your prospective employer will have heard them many times before. Try to be honest — talk about a real weakness and how you are overcoming it. For example: “l used to find it difficult to speak up in social situations. As computer programmer, | rarely had to give presentations. However, this changed -when | moved into a managerial position. | signed up for an online public speaking course and am now comfortable speaking to small audiences”. An answer like this shows potential employers that you aware of your weaknesses and that you're working to overcome them. “What do you think are your greatest strengths?” On the flip side of the ‘biggest weaknesses’ question, this question gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what makes you stand out from other candidates. Instead of simply listing lots of adjectives, pick one or two specific qualities that you can relate back to the position, and back them up with examples. The great thing about this question is that it's pretty versatile, so you can use your answer to talk about something you haven’t had the chance to share in the interview yet. With the job role in mind, think about the skills you really want to emphasise or any attributes you have which you know would be a great fit within the company culture, such as teamwork, creative problem-solving or open communication.