Prepare yourself for those tricky interview questions

Going to a job interview? Most people are a bit nervous when facing an interview for a new job. Will the interviewer be tough? Will they like you? If you're going for a promotion, you may secretly wonder if you're qualified. You may fuss endlessly over what you'll wear. However, it's amazing that so few people prepare themselves for the interview questions. A nice appearance does start things off right, but the secret to interview success is to be prepared. Let's take a look at how to prepare yourself and land that job.

You first need to put yourself in the shoes of the person who's hiring. If you were hiring someone for this job, you'd naturally want to find the person who's best qualified, will fit in to the organization well and is willing to work for a salary commensurate with the market rate. During an interview, people are not going to bring up shortcomings or ideas which will cast them in an unfavorable light. This is why an experienced interviewer throws a few tricky questions into the mix, whereby they might assess weaknesses which may affect job performance.

One such common interview question goes something like this: What would you say is your greatest strength? The candidate is typically eager to jump on this one. It's an invitation to brag. The answer you provide should have some relevance to the particular job for which you're applying. If you're applying for an executive secretary's position, the employer takes it for granted, or already knows via your resume, that you're a fast typist and a whiz at dictation. Rather than describe tasks you're good at, a better answer might emphasize your organizational and multi-tasking skills.

You should expect the flip side of this interview question: What's your greatest weakness? Many people are thrown for a loop on this one. Don't fall for it. Unprepared interviewees may blurt out something that's guaranteed to lose points and perhaps the job. I do have a temper. Wrong answer, duh. The well-prepared candidate will respond with a strength, modestly postured as a weakness. For example, let's say you qualify as a workaholic. A good response might be something like, Well, friends often make fun of my determination at work. I don't stop until the job's done, even if it's past quitting time. Of course, this only works for a salaried position!

Besides the trick interview questions, there are all the other normal competency queries pertinent to the position. Make a list of the toughest questions of this sort that you may be asked. Prepare a written response to each. Review, memorize, elaborate and rephrase until you feel ready. Give your list to a friend and have them interview you. Let your friend improvise with a few interview questions of their own. After a few such grillings, you'll be ready. Good luck to you!