Tips and hints for answering any kind of interview question

INTRODUCTION

Whether you're an experienced professional or a recent graduate, job interviews can be intimidating experiences.  But with the right preparation and mindset, you can confidently tackle any question that comes your way, improving your interview performance and increasing your chance of securing your ideal role.

In this article, we'll explore the different types of interview questions and how to answer them.

The predictability of interviews

Job interviews are dynamic conversations that often follow a predictable pattern. Although it varies from company to company, essentially every interviewer is trying to establish the same things from you: to understand if you can fulfil the job requirements, fit into the team and company and have the potential to grow within their business.

To do this, interviewers ask lots of questions. But how they ask them and which type of question they use will differ from recruiter to recruiter.

Let’s look at this in more detail.

Different types of questions

Known by various names, typically there are three types of interview questions:

• Questions about you
• Job-specific questions
• Competency-based questions

We’ll look at each in turn.

Questions about you

As well as trying to establish if you’re right for the job, recruiters also want to know who you are as a person. What motivates and excites you? What drives your behaviour? How ambitious or not you may be.  To assess this they could ask any number of questions – here’s a small sample:

• Tell me about your long-term goals
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Where do you see yourself in the next 3 years?
• What are you passionate about?
• What’s been your greatest achievement?
• Tell me something about you that’s not on your CV

Questions that are asked about you as a person are trying to uncover your character, values, individuality, ambition etc and help the recruiter determine if you will be a good fit for the company, its people and culture.

It’s important to answer these questions thoughtfully and in a way that reflects your personality and beliefs. A bit of introspection helps. Not something we often do perhaps, but worth it if you don’t want to get caught out at the interview.  So consider the questions on the list above and try to answer them before the interview.  Pay particular attention to the ubiquitous ‘what are your weaknesses’ question as many people struggle with this.  We all have weaknesses, so be honest in answering this question but also relate your answer to what you have done to overcome any shortcomings you may have. In this way, the recruiter will get a sense of your level of self-awareness and how you’ve used a weakness as an opportunity for personal growth and development.

 Look over your CV and pull out some examples that you can use at the interview. Avoid generic answers. Instead speak honestly about yourself, giving as much relevant information as you can that allows the recruiter to gain insights about you as a person.

 Interviewers also want to assess how much effort you’ve made before an interview to understand their organisation, so often ask questions like: ‘Why do you want to work for our organisation’? Or, ‘Why do you want this job’? The interviewer is trying to understand your interest, knowledge and enthusiasm about the role and organisation. So find out as much as you can about the organisation before the interview. Are they expanding their operation? Moving into new territories or countries? Or conversely, are they shrinking or consolidating their business? Doing this sort of research will ensure that you can speak confidently about it at the interview.

Job-specific questions

Job-specific questions aim to reveal how a candidate has applied their relevant skills, work experience and knowledge in past roles.

So if, let’s say you manage staff, the sorts of questions you may be asked could include:

• How do you motivate your team?
• What have you done to improve communication within your team?
• How do you manage an underperforming team member?
• What special management qualities would you bring to the role? 

These questions are trying to uncover your management style and experience and how you’ve applied this expertise in past roles. What you’ve accomplished so far in your career and how you might be able to utilise these skills in the role for which you’re being interviewed.

So when preparing for an interview, take another look at the job details, especially the essential skills and experience outlined in a person specification. Consider the sorts of job-specific questions you may be asked and jot down some notes about how you could answer these.  Be specific. Prepare examples of your accomplishments emphasising transferrable skills and tailoring your answer to the job vacancy. Whenever possible, quantify your achievements with facts and figures (e.g., I increased turnover by 10% in the first year) as this adds credibility to your responses. 

Competency-based questions (CBQ)

Research has shown that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour (and job performance), which is why competency-based questions are so popular. Previously known as behavioural questions, this sort of question is more structured than any other type of question. Often the interviewer will have anticipated responses against which your answer will be scored.

A competency-based question will often start with:

• Tell me about a time when you had to … handle a major issue at work
• What improvements have you made to … staff development, income generation, etc. in your current role
• Or describe your approach to … managing difficult staff situations in the workplace

Phrasing questions in this way means there is no opportunity for a yes/no or short answer from a candidate.  The interviewer is looking for a full and descriptive answer. And if one isn’t given, a probing follow-up question will be asked.

The secret to answering a CBQ is to do thorough preparation in advance of the interview.  Just like with job-specific questions, look at the job details and particularly the essential competencies required for the role. Then against each one, consider how you could demonstrate your ability making sure you provide tangible evidence and examples. Have more than one example ready for each competence as the recruiter may ask for this.

A tool for answering competency-based questions

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is an invaluable tool for crafting articulate and comprehensive responses to any type of interview question. For instance, if asked about a challenging project, outline the Situation, specify the Task at hand, describe the Actions you took, and conclude with the positive Results achieved.

This method not only structures your answers but also ensures you convey the depth of your experience effectively.  We say more about how to answer competency-based questions in our article 'How to answer competency-based questions'.

CONCLUSION

There are lots of different ways in which interviewers can ask questions. But with the right kind of preparation you’ll be able to handle anything an interviewer throws at you.

Sadly none of us has a crystal ball and so we won’t know until we’re in front of the recruiter what questions we’ll be asked. That’s why preparation is so important. Reading the job details again is a must. So too is researching the organisation. Also, think about the questions you may be asked about you as a person, as opposed to your work achievements, and how you’ll answer these. 

Doing these things will not only remind you about the job and what’s required but will also focus your attention on the sorts of questions you may be asked and how you can answer them that will best demonstrate your fit for the job and hiring organisation. Having prepared answers or prompts that showcase your achievements, abilities and personality will also help you to remain calm and confident during the interview. 

Practice answering interview questions with a friend, or family member, or in front of a mirror. Use this opportunity to refine your responses, paying attention to your tone, pace and body language.

Finally and once in the interview, make sure you understand a question before answering and aim for clarity and conciseness in your response.

By implementing these tips, you'll enhance your ability to respond confidently and effectively to a variety of interview questions. Remember, the goal is not only to convey your qualifications, skills and experience, but also to demonstrate how you can contribute to the success of the organisation. Tailoring your answers and showcasing your unique strengths will set you apart and increase your chances of leaving a lasting positive impression on the interviewer.