Frequently Asked In Interviews: 10 Critical Questions That Seem Innocent and Their Answers

I wanted to make a small compilation for you who will go to a job interview for the first time or who will go to new job interviews with a little more experience. As you know, the schools are over, we have come to the end of the summer vacation, and we have entered a period of intense recruitment.

After introducing yourself in job interviews, you are exposed to some questions from the Human Resources employee. We often call these interview questions . While some of them are really boring and cliché, some questions can make you speechless and the last thing you want in such a situation is a deep silence in the environment.

Here are the 10 questions and answers that you may encounter most frequently in job interviews, which are a bit cliché but also very challenging;

1) Let’s say your employer has prepared an anniversary party for you. What would be five words to describe you on the cake?

Although it may seem meaningless at first glance, the main purpose of the question is to measure how your manager sees you from your point of view. Before answering this question, ask yourself: how would your colleagues describe you?

Don’t be afraid to give creative answers, but stay away from bullshit. You don’t want to see a whole paragraph of text on your anniversary cake.

2) Who from the past would you like to have dinner with and why?

Before answering this question, think about who you admire in the past and present. It could be a writer, an actor, a scientist, or even someone from your industry. Then ask yourself, “Which of the things he does do I appreciate? What are his qualities that inspire me? Why do you think you can be friends? What would you talk about at dinner?”

3) Name a brand that defines you.

Yes, you heard the question right. A brand that embodies you, not that you love. Although it is a question that will make you think for a long time when you first hear it, it will be enough to think about your personal values when answering the question. For example, if you care about family and ethical values, consider companies that identify with these values and have these values at their core. Count the companies with which you share these common values, and don’t forget to highlight why these values are important to you.

4) Describe a decision you had to make at a time when you did not have all the necessary information.

Let’s assume that you go to the interview prepared, which means that you are ready to tell about all your achievements so far and turn them into opportunities. Using one of these achievements, you can describe a situation similar to the one in the question. What information was missing, what needed to be done, and what did you overcome? The main purpose of this question is to observe how you endure in such difficult situations and what precautions you take in the face of difficulties.

5) Convince me of an idea you support, and then the opposite of that idea.

First of all, you need to think of an idea before answering. This may not necessarily be your own opinion. Ask the manager if he has an idea. If he asks you to think about it, you can give your opinion on a topic that you discussed with your teammates at your previous job or another topic that you discuss in your daily life. When defending your opinion, think about answers to questions such as “what position were you in, what was the opposite of that position”.

The main purpose of asking this question is to see if you can convey your own ideas to the other party, even if your ideas don’t match with other people on the team.

6) Your colleague has an annoying habit and this behavior reduces the quality of your work. How do you solve this problem?

While it’s a rather confusing question, it’s a good one to observe how you solve problems with your co-workers. If you have experienced such a situation before, you are at an advantage. If not, think about the questions: “What might have angered you, what measures would you have taken to prevent a similar situation and not to get in trouble with your colleague?”

7) Which page of the newspaper do you read first? What does this behavior tell us about you?

The main purpose of this question is to get to know you in more detail as an individual. When answering, consider what type of headlines in the newspaper interest you; such as technology, fashion, current news. Then think about the connection of the field that interests you with your professional life. For example, if you are more interested in technology news, you can mention that you love technology and that you like to learn new information in this field every day. This shows that you are open to change and follow trends closely.

8) Put aside your resume and say what makes you you.

You became more and more tense in the interview and the person in front of you said such a sentence. There is no need to tense up even more, this is one of the sentences used to soften the atmosphere and reduce tension. In such a case, be careful not to repeat what is written on your resume. Because the person in front of you has already researched you and read your career goals and future plans. Instead, why did you choose this sector, what is the story behind your choice? What makes you different in this industry? What are three qualities that make you valuable and important to you? You can answer these questions within yourself and transfer them to the other person.

9) What were the problems you had with your former employer?

Regardless, you should not belittle or criticize your only manager or colleague at a company you left or worked for before. The purpose of the question is to understand why you are looking for a new job. Instead of looking for the answer in companies or people, look for yourself. Do you have a higher career goal or want a more challenging position than was offered to you?

10) Tell me about the worst manager you’ve ever worked for.

Beware of. Trap question. Before blaming your former manager, remember that the recruiter has read your resume, knows where you’ve worked, and may even know your managers there. Instead, you can talk about what type of management is not suitable for you. If you’ve never had a bad manager, don’t create a new one. Let the other person find out what you honestly think of former managers. This behavior will be a good reference for how you work in different positions and with different managers.