The Most Common Interview Questions and Answers

The Most Common Interview Questions and Answers - Tell me something about yourself? This is the most common starting question used by interviewers across the world. Before we decide on how to answer this question it is better to understand why this question is asked.

Here are few reasons why interviewers ask this question:

It is perceived as most common icebreaker and interviewers think this puts candidate at ease.
Inexperienced interviewers (unstructured) use this, as they do not know what questions to ask. So they just ask this questions and remaining will be leading questions from the answer given to this.
Interviewers think that this gives candidate opportunity to highlight his strengths early in the interview.
It gives interviewers chance to judge candidates preparedness, communication skills and thought process.

How to answer - Tell me something about yourself?

Take advantage

If interviewer has given you opportunity to speak about you, so just speak and sell yourself shamelessly. Do not hesitate in doing self promotion and saying that – I am and expert in xyz OR I have achieved XYZ OR I have been given president’s award three times (a feat achieved never before in the history of my company).

Go prepared

Considering that this is the most common question asked – one should go prepared with an answer. To prepare read the Job description provided by company and prepare your answer highlighting your those strengths which match the opening on hand.

An example

Not like this, "I am a very hard working employee. I was doing financial research using technical analysis after my school. Now I have just completed my MBA and now I am looking for a new job."

Say something like this, "I have developed skills in equity research while working with world’s sixth largest equity research firm, where I worked as a technical analyst for over two years."

As a technical analyst I have advised some the multimillionaire investors in our Portfolio Management Services and helped them in outperforming the market returns by 60%. I was one of the star players and have been given “Top 5%” ratings in the two appraisals I have taken there.

After a successful sting in technical analysis I planned to broaden my horizon and have taken up a Business Management Course from a top five Business Schools. I have recently complete my MBA with all A+ grades and now looking for a challenging role in (say what role company is offering)."

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