Interpersonal questions, job experiences, skills, life at work

About you

Questions about ourself can be direct, tricky and difficult to answer. We don't know what the interviewer want to hear from us but we can be prepared as much as possible.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Use the Present-Past-Future formula: talk about the experiences you've had and the skills you gained at the previous position. Talk about your actual position and your objectives for the future. Show that you are excited about the new opportunity. Try to get a sense of whether or not you truly understand which experiences, skills and abilities are relevant for the position you are interviewing for is very important!
Notes: this is maybe the most generic and tricky question. Don't talk too much (around 90 seconds for this answer can be enough) and have a good idea about answering this question. Try to talk and answer any quesiton talking alone or simulating an interview with another person. This would be a great exercise to have an interaction with other people and repeating the right answer with different people.

How did you hear about the position?

Tell if you have found the job position on the company website, Linkedin, job search website or headhunters. Be sure to remember it. A position can be published on multiple websites so it must be easy to remember where you have found it.

What do you know about the company?

Gather informations about the company and the interviewers: visit their website, linkedin profile, the interviewers profiles and the people working the company. Read other job description, see the tools, skills, architectures and technologies they use. Being prepared about soft skills (especially communication skills) can be very important!

Why do you want this job?

Gather informations about the company and try to know about what kind of people with technical skills, experiences and communication skills they are searching for. Be specific about what makes you a good fit for this role.
Example of answer from thebalance.com:
"I understand that this is a company on the rise. As I have read on your website and in various press releases, you are planning to launch several new products in the coming months. I want to be a part of this business as it grows, and I know my experience in product development would help your company as you roll out these products."

Why should we hire you?

Your answer reflects that you know what the position requires, the work culture of the company and make the hiring manager's life easier from day one. Example of answers from the balance.com:

"Based on what you've said and from the research I've done, [company name] is looking for a [job title that you are applying to] who [is/has] [list top two qualifications/skills here]. I believe my experience aligns well with that, and makes me a great fit. I am [list your top two matching qualifications/skills] and bring to the table [mention how you stand out from other candidates]. I have exemplified this in the past when I [provide a brief real-life anecdote/example]. Accordingly, I believe I can add great value as [job title here], and I would really love to continue to build upon my skills and grow with [company name]."
"I think that my experience in the [your field] industry and my ability to [mention a unique, work-related skill/ability you have] make me a good match for this position. In my recent position, I [explain how you used this skill/ability to achieve a positive outcome]."
"Your company provides many services that I have had experience with, in a variety of capacities. [Offer a few specific examples.] I believe that my familiarity with the industry would make me a good fit for this position."
"You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees. In my 15 years of experience as a sales manager, I have developed strong motivational and team-building skills. I was twice awarded manager-of-the-year for my innovative strategies for motivating employees to meet and surpass quarterly deadlines. If hired, I will bring my leadership abilities and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position."
"I have the savvy, experience, and superior communication ability to be an asset to your company. [Offer a few specific examples]."
"I have top-notch administrative skills and I believe I'd be an asset for the office. My skill set seems to be a perfect match for what you're looking for. In addition, I enjoy working with people, and would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your team."
"You describe in the job listing that you are looking for a special education assistant teacher with an abundance of patience and compassion. Having served as a tutor at a summer school for dyslexic children for the past two years, I have developed my ability to be extremely patient while still achieving academic gains with my students. My experience teaching phonics to children ages 6 to 18 has taught me strategies for working with children of all ages and abilities, always with a smile. My previous employer often placed me with the students with the most severe learning disabilities because of my history of success. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position."

What are your greatest professional strengths?

Prepare the answer making a brainstorming and a list of your strenghts about Experience, Technical skills, Soft skills, education and training. Focus on the most imoportant strengths and prepare a few examples to demonstrate your abilities.

What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

Focus on weaknesses you are working on and what are you sure you can improve. There can be technical or soft skills. Do not choose something very difficult to improve for you or it can be difficult even to speak about it.