I am going to define an interview as “the bridge which, upon crossing, changes your current situation from jobless to employee or from being in your current job to a better one.”

So one hour or few minutes can change your current situation forever. As a result, preparing for such a day is very important and critical. Here are some tips and the most common questions to help you pass the interview and win the job.

Tips:-

  1. Be confident and calm
  2. Dress well (pay attention if there is a dress code)
  3. Your answers should be brief and to the point
  4. Don’t give generic answers, personalize your responses as much as possible
  5. Make sure you are making good eye contact
  6. Research the company and the position well before going: What this company does, The company history, The job description for the position you are being interviewed for
  7. Prepare answers for the most common interview questions
  8. Prepare your past success stories and achievements

Top Common questions and how to answer them:-

  1. Could you tell us about yourself?

Don’t talk about your personal life, focus your introduction on work experience, beginning with your highest qualifications or follow the same structure of your CV.

  1. Why should we hire you?

You should be specific about what the company is looking for by knowing their requirements and reading the job description. Stress on the similarities between your experience and their requirements.

  1. What is your greatest strength?

Be specific stating attributes that you think are important for the job and you can give an example for your strength in your past work.

  1. What is your greatest weakness?

Be honest and make sure to tell them that you are working on improving them by taking courses. Don’t mention a weakness with a skill or an ability required for the position you are applying for.

  1. Why do you want to work here?

The interviewer is waiting for an answer that indicates you have prepared for the interview properly. Tell them you admire the company and you know its values and that your skills and abilities make you a perfect fit.

  1. Why did you leave your job?

Be honest, and explain the situation. The interviewers know that we all make mistakes but tell them that you learned a lot from your past work experience.

  1. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Pick one from your past showing how valuable you will be in the company.

  1. Describe a difficult work situation and what you did to overcome it?

The key is to be specific and to try to think of a situation you handled well, showing that you are a responsible person.

  1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Be realistic and show that you are a person with direction who has goals and it is better to talk about short-term and long-term goals, but don’t forget relating all this in some way to the position you are applying for.

  1. Do you have any questions?

Ask whatever you want to know about the job.

At the end you won’t lose anything by going through an interview as it is an experience in itself and again prepare well. It is worth the effort.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin.

By: Ola Youssry

Photography: Mohamed Sherif El Dib

Instagram: @mohamedeldib

EDITOR: Sarah Shalaby