Land the Dream Job You've Been Aspiring For. Your Guide to the Top 10 Job Interview Questions and How to Ace Them (2020)

Having a successful interview is a combination of how your present yourself and how you project your skills. There are several parts to it, first of which is how you come across. Next comes preparing for the questions that showcase your capabilities and your suitability for the job.

Whenever you appear for an interview, the etiquette you show never goes unnoticed by the employers. Interview etiquette may be nothing more than just basic nature for some of you, while others might find it pretty difficult. You'd be surprised to know how often you're judged on your body language and other personality traits. Once you become aware of basic mannerisms, it can help you create a better impression and make it easier for you to reflect your personality. So, it's important for you to go through a quick self-assessment to make sure that you don't miss the opportunity. A firm handshake, good eye contact, a friendly smile, nice posture, and being punctual are some of the etiquettes that always help you present yourself better.

Interviews can be stressful, but looking good for an interview is an integral part of the preparation. The first thing that the interviewer would notice is how you appear. The way you dress says a lot about your professionalism and work ethics. It shows that you're serious about the job and genuinely interested in the position. So, dress professionally, wear formal, neat, clean and ironed clothes and make sure that you don't overdo. Most importantly, be comfortable with what you wear.

The type of questions asked in an interview varies depending on the job and the type of interview, but you can always prepare some of the most common questions. Here are a few most often asked questions and answers that you must prepare before appearing for an interview:

The first question that comes your way is "tell me about yourself," and only you can answer this particular question. Prepare how you're going to introduce yourself. Firstly, mention your name and talk about your education. Then, talk about the experiences that you've had, you can say something about the projects you've managed and the achievements that you're proud of. If you lack experience, you can talk about your strengths, skills and areas of interest, or you could just mention your goals and expectations. Prepare the right answer to this question; the duration of the introduction must be of around 90-120 seconds.

This question requires you to showcase your skills that make you the best choice for the job. You're required to sell yourself without looking needy or arrogant. Mention these three main points:

Be specific with your answer, speak of the qualities and achievements that set you apart from other candidates.

Your strengths are your qualities as a person. When you apply for a particular position, it is crucial for you to know what your strengths are that make you the best choice for a job. Think of at least 3 strengths and how your strengths have helped you in your work. When asked about strengths, you can talk about being hardworking or passionate or determined. It's best when you explain your quality with an example from your past experiences. If you're a great problem solver or an intelligent leader, do provide some examples to prove your worth as an employee.

When you speak of your strengths, the very next question that is normally asked to you is your weaknesses. We all have weaknesses, but when answering the question, make sure you explain your weakness in such a way that it seems like an advantage to the other person. Example: You can say that being a workaholic is your weakness, i.e. you give too much to your work that you lose all track of time, and it affects your personal life. Though, it is a weakness to you, the employer would be glad to know that you love your work, and this weakness of yours could be a benefit to the company.

Being passionate about a job is the most important part of your growth. You should know what it is that you're most passionate about. Your passion for your work is the first step towards success. Talk about your passion, goals, dreams, and how you plan on achieving them.

With this particular question, the interviewer wants to check if you're an ambitious person or not. We all expect our job to provide career growth and when you apply for a certain post, you must know the more prominent posts and positions that the company might offer. While preparing an answer to this question, consider what you actually expect from your job and how you plan on achieving your goal. Example: “Within the next 5 years, I'd like to reach the position of a manager by learning as much as I can about the business and creating a network of specialised professionals.” Avoid using cliches like "in your seat" or "as a big boss".

One thing that you should always be prepared about is your achievements as an employee or as a student. Think of your biggest achievements and speak about how you achieved a certain milestone and how much hard work you put in. You can talk about being awarded national level certificates or certain competitions or the times when you worked as an organiser for some prominent event. Talk about the achievements that make you a better choice for the position you desire.

There are certain instances when a person is required to work under pressure. How you tackle pressure says a lot about your personality and professionalism. Instead of talking about how to deal with pressure, talk about one such instance that you faced in your past work experience and how you dealt with the circumstances.

This is always a tricky question. Make sure that you neither ask too much nor any less than your worth. Before answering this question, consider the following factors:

Mention the range in which you expect your salary to be, and they'll pick a number from somewhere in between.

When you prepare your answers to other questions, do not forget to make a list of certain questions that you can ask the interviewer, this shows that you're genuinely interested in the position and the company. Here are a few questions that can be asked:

The best you can do before an interview is preparation and practice. Practice various mock interviews with your friends or family or practice with yourself. Speak out your answers to various questions and make sure that you sound polite and confident. Don't forget to have a friendly smile on your face when you enter the room. Be real, be confident, practice well and you're sure to nail your next interview!