Your interview is going well, you’ve told your interviewer who you are and what your strengths are – but now comes the dreaded:
3) What are your weaknesses:
This is an opportunity for you to turn a negative into a positive, keep your answer brief and don’t dwell too much on the weakness. As hard as this one is, make sure that you are honest with your response. As much as we like to think that we have no faults, don’t be afraid to let yourself be a little vulnerable—acknowledging your flaws shows that you value self-reflection and personal growth. Give this answer some thought and then importantly, also add what you are doing to overcome the weakness.
For example:
You always run late, but now you have set all your clocks ten minutes fast and constant alarms on your cellphone.
4) Why do you want to work with us:
Now is your chance to really impress. You’ve done your reach, you know a bit about the company so tie your answer in with what you’ve learnt. But again, be honest.
Perhaps the company is involved in charity work and this resonates with you. Or, they have posted very successful financials for the past few years and you’d like to be part of a successful enterprise with room for advancement.
5) What makes you the ideal candidate for this position:
Interviewers ask this kind of question to understand what specific skills or qualities make you stand out from the other candidates, especially if you are one of many candidates with the same qualifications. Review the company job description, paying specific attention to the required qualifications and skills of an ideal candidate. Highlight where you have demonstrated success in meeting these skills and qualifications in your prior positions.
For example:
If the company is looking for someone to increase sales by ten percent, provide concrete examples where you’ve landed major accounts or increased company revenue.
Try to avoid generic and generalised answers, such as I am great at sales and enjoy inter-acting with customers.
More potential Q&A’s will continue in our next article.
Stay safe!