There is no doubt that the first job interview makes you very nervous. What if you answered a question wrong? What if this answer causes you to miss out on the job?
In this article, we share with you some common questions that a human resources officer may ask you in a job interview, in addition to the appropriate and acceptable answers to succeed in the next interview, and get the job you want!
- Tell me about yourself
Wrong answer: What do you want to know exactly? I am unemployed and searching for a job; which is why I applied to this position.
Recommended answer: I am a graduate in (mention your field of study). I have a previous internship experience, where I learned how to deal with the matters required of me in this field, and I am now ready to start my career in this field that I love.
- What do you know about this company?
Wrong answer: I don’t know anything and I am expecting you to tell me details about it.
Recommended answer: I did a research about the company, and I looked at the website; I can say that you are a leading company in the field of (mention the company’s field of work), in the Middle East, and you deal with hundreds of customers in the commercial sector.
- What is your biggest achievement until now?
Wrong answer: I don’t have any achievement. I am still young and just graduated, so I haven’t done anything major yet.
Recommended answer: I have participated in many volunteer projects and activities that serve specific causes, such as human rights, poverty, and medical aid. All of these things have left a positive impact on my community, and I think my involvement in humanitarian activities is a great achievement for me.
- Where did you find this job vacancy’s announcement?
Wrong answer: I don’t remember how I applied to this position. To be honest I am applying to many positions and I can’t remember this detail.
Recommended answer: I found the announcement on your website and read the job description carefully before applying.
- What are your salary expectations?
Wrong answer: I will accept anything you propose to me, but please give me the job, because I need it.
Recommended answer: I’ve done some research and consulted with some professionals in the field, and I’m expecting to get paid between $… and… $, which I think is fair to me.
- What are the goals and objectives that you want to achieve in your career?
Wrong answer: I don’t have any objectives or plans for the future and I am not excited about it.
Recommended answer: I plan to gain a few years of experience in a reputable company like yours, where I will learn and improve my technical and personal skills so that I am ready to join my family’s company later on and grow.
- Tell us about a difficult situation you faced and how did you deal with it?
Wrong answer: I have never been in a difficult situation at work, and I used to do all the work and study tasks perfectly before.
Recommended answer: I was working once in a restaurant, and a customer started screaming because his order was late. I calmed him down and offered to give him a free dessert, after discussing it with my manager and getting his approval.
- Why should we hire you?
Wrong answer: Because your company is hiring and you have to fill this vacancy.
Recommended answer: I am willing to go the extra mile and appreciate your company through hard work. I am as well someone who prioritizes my career and the tasks required from me. I have also been well recommended by my former professors and colleagues, and you can refer to them to learn more about me.
- Can you work in a team?
Wrong answer: I hate working in a team because most of the time I don’t get along with people and things always go wrong between us.
Recommended answer: I believe that working in a team always helps in achieving great success in the company. No one can do everything alone. I feel productive when I work in a team, although sometimes there are misunderstandings, this is very normal, and we always find a way to work things out and get a good result.
- Do you have any questions for us?
Wrong answer: No, nothing at all, everything is clear!
Recommended answer: Yes, I do have a few questions, for this position interests me a lot. For example: Who will I report to in this position? What difficulties may I face?
In the end, you don’t have to memorize these questions and answers, but rather understand the most appropriate way to answer the first job interview questions; this helps you succeed in it, and provide acceptable answers to the HR officer, thus increasing your chances of getting the job.
