How is your work is going

How Is Your Work Going?

You Choose

How is your work going?

It was the question an associate of mine asked me. I must also admit that it was not a pleasant question. I am sure we encounter this question so many times that we dare not avoid thinking a little about our work. Personally I have hated this question so much that I have often become defensive or angry when people asked about my work.

The other day I was so much into thinking about my work and how I can better it, that I decided that I needed to calm myself down to get some insights if not solutions to my quest. So off I went and I found myself sitting in the prayer hall of our institution, thinking about how to improve my working habit. I must admit that I asked divine guidance. And it was then that some thoughts seem to have floated into my mind.

Right before we go further, shall we remind ourselves that there is always some work for everybody; many a time we look at our work as a dull, jaded chore that we have to chug on with. We think of work as something that we have to bear, as if a punishment. We look at it the way a prisoner looks at the grills in the prison window.

When we wake up in the morning, we are not enthused by the thought of going to office. We dread the mails, deadlines are dread-lines for many and that results in a decreased performance. Our graph tilts downwards and then we somehow try to make ourselves invisible so we don’t need to answer any uncomfortable questions.

We start avoiding the lift. We stop going to the coffee corner when most of our colleagues are going. We try to take the back entrance. Oh, the pain of not liking one’s job!

This spills over into our mental attitudes, capabilities and performance. We are afraid to pose out our ideas. We are afraid to ask for a pay raise. We can’t look into the eyes of our boss and speak. We think we will doomed if we lose this job. We don’t want to believe that there is a whole world out there ready to welcome us if required.

And how do I know? I have gone through all of this.

What are the major obstacles?

No energy.
No ideas.
No drive.
No goals.

These are some of the questions that I had to painfully consider.

I asked myself: Who sought the job you are in now? Did the employer come to your door step and beg you to join or it was you who dropped an application, pushed an email, made a phone call or uploaded your resume?

Obviously the answer is ‘YOU». You are the one who applied for the job. You are the one who in the first place said directly or indirectly ‘Give me the job and I will perform’. Didn’t you imply that when you mailed your filled-in application?

So my friend, don’t have the thought that your Job is not giving you satisfaction. Face it: that is blame game. Accept that it is your choice. your job. your chance. your life.

No, it was you who wanted to start your business in the first place. It was you who went after the banks to apply for that loan? Why blame your work now? Don’t let the stock market make you dislike your job. Stock market was there before you and probably will be there after you. You have to brave the fact that you are the choice maker.

Suppose you are one of those who say, ‘I never wanted to be in this place. It was my mother who pushed me towards this career in law.’ But don’t you think you could have easily outdone your parent’s coercion? You thought you offered yourself as a sacrifice for your family’s pride and honour.

Maybe you had a family history of physicians and now you are trying to tell that you never could become anything else because your family would not have allowed you. You could still have firmly said a no, but you chose to go their way.

Someone might try to convince and do so emphatically by saying, ‘My financial situation pushed me into this hell-hole. I would have never taken up this job if my finances were better.’ Well it is true that your purse had a big influence in your decision, but you must also be true to yourself that no matter what the circumventing reasons were, the decision to take up this job was yours.

Or if you are one who says, ‘See I landed up in this job just as a stop-gap arrangement before I get a better paying job or start my business.’ Then face the fact: If you are not looking at the present work for the long-term, then why do you complain that your work is hard? Keep your options open, but don’t blame your present job.

Now some might say, ‘OK, I chose this job, so what?’ My friend when you have realized this blatant yet mostly missed truth, you are very close to accepting your job and its requirements with a mind that is better adjusted. Your temperance will decide how you handle the daily tasks. This attitude will give you a clearer understanding on how to meet you deadlines better. This attitude will get your mind out of the miry muck that you are a slave to your job.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I have whined if not lamented for a very long time that I am not in the career that I wanted to be in. I wanted to become someone else and I have ended up in this job for so many reasons that I thought were insurmountable. I have been so filled with apathy and lack of zeal that many a time I have forfeited my own successes. But then as life has it, and every man comes to the realization, I too slowly came to the realization that it was I who in the first place is responsible for being in this career or field of work.

And my job was not unbearable after all.

I came to this conclusion pragmatically and with an honest attitude. That has of course eliminated a lot my unwanted tension.

Someone might ask ‘How about work pressure and goals?’ Well I do have work pressure. No work is without pressure for that matter. And the truth was that I was able to accept my job not as a thorn in my flesh but as a tool to make my life better.

It is not that I do not get frustrated during my work. It is also not that I am reaching whatever goal I set for myself. I do get in the slumps. I do feel tensed. But nevertheless I do not forget that I chose this job. And no job by itself is bad or unworthy. The job that is dull for one might be the most enjoyable job for someone else. Or the job that you think is the best one you can get might not be likeable for someone who is already there.

So there it is: Human mind at play. The only way to like our job is to ruthlessly accept the fact that ultimately it was our choice that we are doing what we are doing today. Even if you don’t end up loving your job more than anything else, you will still be reasonably even-tempered to accept responsibilities and perform in a constructive way until you find another job. Yeah, it is not easy to accept that.It is painful. But it is something like the kind of pain that comes with a vaccine injection. The pain serves you in the long run instead of leaving you hurting.

So the first step to job satisfaction: Accept that it was you who first wanted this job. Don’t blame your job. Live up to your own promise that you will perform well if given a chance. When you accept that fact, you are already in the process of bettering your working ability and style. And by any means there is a big world out there with opportunities innumerable. So remember you made the choice. And you can make more choices in the future. Your job is not the master of your attitude, you are!

Copyright © 2013 Sam Vijay Kumar

About the Author: I am a biotechnologist from India, working in the field of bio-medical research, with interest in theology, positive thinking, philosophy, creative writing and in living a purposeful life, thereby contributing to fellow humans. My personal desire and struggle is to be keen to (and) learn anything that will uplift human life and place us in a better position at handling the challenges that life throws at us. To discuss and write about issues of life, thoughts and mind are some of my passions.

I have received a lot from this world through many thinkers and their writings. and hence I want to contribute something to this world by presenting my thoughts to the world as well in these areas. ‘Positive people’ are the ones that I am most comfortable interacting with. I am sure you who are reading this are a positive person and am glad to have connected with you.

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Словосочетания

Автоматический перевод

Перевод по словам

Примеры

Stop going on at me!

Хватит меня пилить! / Прекрати на меня наезжать! (брит.)

What’s going on up there?

Что там происходит?

What on earth’s going on?

Что, в конце концов, происходит?

How is your work going on?

Как идет работа?

Hip me to what’s going on!

Скажи же мне, что происходит!

What’s going on down there?

Что там у вас происходит?

What the deuce is going on?

Что, черт возьми, происходит?

I don’t know what’s going on.

Я не знаю, что происходит.

When are you going on holiday?

Когда вы собираетесь в отпуск?

All is going on as it was wont.

Всё идёт так, как это было всегда.

Something peculiar is going on.

Происходит что-то странное.

I’m going on vacation tomorrow.

Завтра я ухожу в отпуск.

How long has this been going on?

Сколько это уже продолжается?

I demand to know what’s going on.

Я требую, чтобы мне объяснили, что происходит.

Heavy fighting has been going on.

Тяжёлый бой всё ещё продолжается.

What the blazes is going on here?

Какого чёрта здесь происходит?

My parents are going on a cruise.

Мои родители собираются в круиз.

He’s always going on about money.

Он постоянно говорит о деньгах.

Grandmother is going on (for) 80.

Бабушке уже скоро восемьдесят.

It was going on for eight o’clock.

Время шло к восьми часам.

We’re going on holiday today week.

Мы на этой неделе собираемся в отпуск.

“What’s going on here?” he boomed.

— Что здесь творится? — прогремел он.

He was oblivious to what was going on.

Он не обращал внимание на то, что происходило вокруг.

There’s something mysterious going on.

Там происходит что-то загадочное.

I demand to know what is going on here!

Я требую объяснить, что здесь происходит!

What in the world is going on in there?

Что, в конце концов, здесь происходит?

If there’s shooting going on, keep down.

Если стрельба будет продолжаться, не вставай.

There’s a real rumpus going on upstairs.

Наверху сейчас какой-то жуткий тарарам.

There’s a wedding going on at the church.

В церкви сейчас идёт венчание.

Clearly there is some chicanery going on.

Здесь явно происходит какая-то махинация.

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Конструкция to be going to в английском языке: правила, перевод, примеры, схемы

Все мы строим планы как и на далекое будущее, так и на ближайшие выходные. Сегодня вы узнаете, как на английском языке рассказать о своих планах, спросить о чужих и сказать, что вы делать совсем не собираетесь.

Специально для этого в английском существует конструкция to be going to do something, которая переводится как «собраться что-либо сделать».

Когда употребляется конструкция to be going to?

Эту конструкцию мы используем в следующих случаях:

1. Когда заранее планируем что-либо сделать.
(она собирается испечь торт; он собирается помыть машину)

2. Когда говорим о том, что что-то произойдет с большой вероятностью и для этого есть все признаки.
(собирается дождь, посмотри на эти облака)

Схема образования утвердительного предложения

Оборот to be going to состоит из двух частей: изменяемой и неизменяемой.

Первая часть — глагол to be, меняется в зависимости от того, кто совершает действия. В настоящем времени глагол to be имеет 3 формы:

1. Am — используется со словом I.
2. Is — используется со словами единственного числа he, she, it.
3. Are — используется со словами множественного числа: you, we, they.

Вторая часть — going to, всегда остается неизменной.

They are going to swim in the pool.
Они собираются поплавать в бассейне.

She is going to find a job.
Она собирается найти работу.

We are going to buy a car.
Мы собираемся купить машину.

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Также Вы можете ознакомиться со всеми онлайн-курсами английского языка.

Как можно сократить to be going to?

В неформальном общении, например, в разговоре или переписке с друзьями, to be going to можно сократить, как to be gonna. Также очень часто такое сокращение можно услышать в текстах песен, фильмах и сериалах.

I am gonna go home.
Я собираюсь пойти домой.

We are gonna dance all night.
Мы собираемся танцевать всю ночь.

Схема построения отрицательного предложения

Если вы хотите сказать, что вы не собираетесь делать что-либо, то к глаголу to be добавляем отрицательную частицу not.

Примеры отрицательных предложений.

She is not going to call him.
Она не собирается звонить ему.

We are not going to study Spanish.
Мы не собираемся изучать испанский язык.

I am not going to write this text.
Я не собираюсь записывать этот текст.

Как задать вопрос с to be going to?

Чтобы спросить, собирается ли кто-то что-либо делать, глагол to be ставится на первое место.

Are you going to get up early?
Ты собираешься рано вставать?

Is she going to play volleyball?
Она собирается играть в волейбол?

Are they going to buy a cake?
Они собираются купить торт?

Специальные вопросы c to be going to

С этой конструкцией также можно задать вопросы со словами:

Эти слова ставятся на первое место. Остальной порядок слов остается таким же, как в обычном вопросе.

Давайте рассмотрим примеры.

How long are you going to do your homework?
Как долго ты собираешься делать твою домашнюю работу?

When is she going to cook dinner?
Когда она собирается готовить ужин?

What are they going to sell?
Что они собираются продать?

Использование конструкции to be going to в прошедшем времени

Как ни удивительно, эта конструкция может использоваться в прошедшем времени. Её можно использовать, когда мы говорим, что собирались что-то сделать, но так и не сделали. Чтобы построить такое предложение, глагол to be ставится в прошедшую форму.

1. Для единственного числа (I, she, he, it) — was.

2. Для множественного числа (you, we, they) — were.

Например: «Он собирался отправиться в путешествие, но не смог из-за проблем с деньгами».

She was going to go to the party, but her father did not let her go.
Она собиралась идти на вечеринку, но ее отец не пустил ее.

They were going to work at the weekend, but then decided to meet friends.
Они собирались работать на выходных, но потом решили встретиться с друзьями.

Итак, теперь вы все знаете о конструкции to be going to. Если у вас остались вопросы, задавайте их в комментариях. А теперь перейдем к практике.

Задание to be going to на закрепление

Переведите следующие предложения на английский язык:

1. Она собирается купить то платье?
2. Мы собираемся пойти на день рождения друга.
3. Он не собирается обедать.
4. Ты собираешься помогать мне?
5. Они собирались поехать на природу, но не смогли.
6. Вы собираетесь жить вместе?
7. Она не собирается выходить замуж.
8. Он собирался встретиться с ней, но ему надо было работать.

Свои ответы, как всегда, пишите в комментариях под статьей.

Interview Question: What Are Your Career Goals? [+ Example Answers]

By Mike Simpson

UPDATED 5/26/2022

What are your career goals? Do you have them? Do you need them? And what happens if you’re asked about your career aspirations in an interview?

While career aspirations are often personal, having some is incredibly important, and not just for reasons you expect. Additionally, being able to talk about your short- and long-term goals is essential, particularly if you’re preparing for an interview.

So, if you want to ensure you can achieve professional success, here’s not just an answer to the classic question, “What are career goals?” but a look at why they’re important and how to discuss work goals during an interview.

What Is a Career Goal?

In a nutshell, career goals are the milestones you hope to hit as you advance in your chosen profession.

While a primary driving motivator for any job is a steady paycheck for many people, you need something deeper if you’re going to stay focused and engaged in your career. After all, there’s more to life than just feeding your bank account.

Think about your employment situation right now. Where do you see yourself in five years? How about ten? What about when you retire? Do you have an image in your head of where you want to be and who you want to be during those points in your life? Congratulations, you just came up with three career goals!

Why Is It Important to Have Career Goals?

For many people, a job is just that…a job. It’s something they do for 8 hours (or so) a day in the hopes of getting that paycheck at the end of the week. In many cases, every day is exactly like the day before it…and exactly like the day after it. Sure, there might be some variety and a raise thrown in every now and again, but overall, it’s the same thing over and over again.

But by having career goals, you can break that cycle. You’ll get something to focus on and drive you forward, keeping you motivated to improve your situation and grow.

Career aspirations help you get ahead, leading you from just another day at the office to another day closer to achieving what you ultimately want. Plus, studies show that goals lead to higher success rates, which is a boon.

Now that you know what career goals are and why they matter, let’s talk about what your work goals should be.

The first thing we need to do is make sure our goals are realistic and professional. We’re not saying you can’t dream big; just don’t fall into the trap of overstretching, as unachievable goals can be demotivating.

Plus, you’ll have to share your long- and short-term goals with a hiring manager. If they’re unrealistic, you won’t impress.

Hiring managers ask about your goals for work for two reasons. First, they want to find out if you plan on making a long-term commitment to the company. Most employers would prefer to avoid hiring anyone who sees the position as a short-term stop, especially if it involves extensive training.

Second, are you someone who is interested in both personal and professional growth? Candidates who are motivated to improve are often driven to succeed at the jobs they’re hired to do.

Hiring managers are going to be interested in both your long-term and short-term career goals, which is why, when you’re prepping your answers to this question, you need to take both into consideration.

Long-Term Versus Short-Term Career Goals

Long-term and short-term career goals are exactly what they sound like; long-term goals apply to achievements you’d like to make in your future, and short-term goals are supportive, actionable items you can focus on right now that will help move you closer to your long-term goal.

4 Common Types of Career Goals:

While goals are broken down into the two primary categories, long-term and short-term, there are generally four common types of career goals:

Within these four types of common career goal categories are the hundreds…no, thousands of different kinds of career goals.

Overall Career Goal Examples Could Include:

We could seriously spend the rest of this article just listing possible career goals, both long-term and short-term, and still not come close to exhausting them all. So, let’s move on and focus on what matters the most…you!

How to Set Career Goals

When it comes to setting your own career aspirations, it’s important to look first at the big picture. Then, focus on the smaller steps you’ll need to accomplish to achieve that end result. That means looking at the long-term and then the short-term.

First, identify exactly what you ultimately want to achieve with your career. Is it a management position? Leadership role? CEO? Now is the time to think BIG!

Next, start outlining what you’ll need to do to achieve this ultimate goal. These are your short-term supporting goals and should include:

Of course, career goals don’t have to be limited to just one final end result. It’s perfectly acceptable to have multiple long-term goals for work. The important thing is to have a reasonable, actionable plan of attack that will help you achieve those goals.

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Are Your Career Goals”

As with any interview question, it’s possible to make missteps when sharing examples of career goals with a hiring manager. Here are some pitfalls you will want to avoid:

1. Relaying goals that have nothing to do with the job you’re applying to

The last thing you want to do is tell a hiring manager in an interview that your goal is to do something totally unrelated to the job you’re applying for right now. Remember, hiring managers would much rather bring someone on board they feel will have a future with the company, not someone who views the position as a temporary landing spot on their journey in life.

2. Relaying goals that aren’t professional

While it’s tempting to throw personal goals into your answer, you need to make sure you stay focused on the ultimate immediate goal, which is to get the job you’re interviewing for. Yes, the interview is about you, but it’s also about the company and finding the right employee to fill the spot. Make sure your answer focuses on your professional goals.

3. Relaying goals that aren’t realistic

World domination isn’t an acceptable answer. Neither is becoming the CEO or insisting that you’ll be running the show in five years if you’re just now getting an entry-level job.

While we’re not saying these things can’t happen, try to maintain a level of realism when doing your interview. Confidence is a good thing. But overconfidence can make you come off as arrogant and cocky, two personality traits that are more likely to get you shown the door than the corner office.

How to Answer the Interview Question “What Are Your Career Goals?”

We’ll give you some example answers here in a minute, but before we do, here are a few quick tips:

Start with your short-term goals, and then roll into your long-term goals.

What Are Your Career Goals Example Answers

And now, here are four example answers to this question, each representing a different point in a person’s career:

Entry-Level No College

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Right now, I’m taking my first steps into the workforce. One thing that really drives me is the ability to help others, which is why I was drawn to this role. Customer service gives me a chance to make a difference in someone’s daily life. Plus, your company offers training to enthusiastic candidates, which I feel I am. As a result, I think this job could be the basis of an exciting career, opening up new doors that could help me grow and advance.”

Entry-Level Recent Graduate

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“As a recent graduate, my main goal is to get real-world experience in the field. The ability to keep learning and growing is a priority, which is why I found this job opening so enticing. Along with being able to put my existing technical skills to work, I’ll be a part of a collaborative team at a company that values professional development. In time, I think the culture would make moving up in the company a real possibility, allowing me to move into a higher position and, potentially, gain leadership skills that would put me on a management track down the line.”

Mid-Level Individual Contributor

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Ultimately, I’d like to move into management with a focus on strategy and development, working my way into a long-term position where I can build a solid career. Right now, I’m focusing on improving my coaching and communication skills through continuing education programs outside of work. I’m very interested in leadership positions and know effective coaching and communication are critical.

“Additionally, I’m looking forward to being able to take on small leadership roles, eventually working my way into a position as a manager and team leader. That’s why I found this role particularly appealing. Along with putting my technical skills to work, it’ll let me oversee project teams, getting me closer to my long-term career goal of entering management.”

Management-Level Professional

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Three years ago, I achieved one of my major long-term goals by securing a management position. Now, as I set myself on the horizon, my primary goal is to become a stronger leader. I’ve really had an opportunity to hone my leadership and mentoring skills, and I’m excited to face new challenges that can put those capabilities to the test. In the coming years, I’m hoping to be strong enough to transition into a higher-level role, such as becoming a department head at an innovative company like this one.”

Putting It All Together

So, there you have it. We’ve covered what are career goals, why they’re important to have, how to set your own career aspirations, why a hiring manager is going to ask you about what your goals for work are, and how to answer the question “What are your career goals?” Use that information to your advantage, ensuring you can excel during your next interview.

FREE : Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet!

Download our «Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet» that gives you word-for-word sample answers to some of the most common interview questions including:

Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.

35+ Interview Questions and Answers [Full List]

The time has come!

After creating a killer resume and cover letter and passing the first round, it is time to face the final challenge:

Your job interview.

Being judged and evaluated by people who have your future in their hands is more anxiety-inducing than meeting the in-laws.

You’ve heard the interviewers and hiring managers say there are no right or wrong answers to calm you down before an interview.

But here’s the thing:

They are almost always looking for a specific way of answering.

Which brings us to this guide. We’re going to cover the most common interview questions and answers, turning you into a bona fide interview expert by the time you’re done reading.

So, let’s get started!

To make this guide as practical as possible, we covered just about every interview question out there.

Don’t let that put you off, though. You don’t have to read the whole thing end-to-end. To get the most out of the guide, we’d recommend:

How to Answer 14 Most Common Interview Questions [+ Sample Answers]

All of these questions are used to learn more about you, both as a person and a professional.

You might have heard the popular idea that there’s no right or wrong answers for job interview questions.

Well, while that might be true, there ARE a set of rules you need to follow when answering these questions.

If you understand what, exactly, the interviewer is looking for with each question, you’ll be able to give the right answer (and rock that interview!)

In this section, we’re going to go through 14 of the most common job interview questions and answers. We’re going to explain what the HR manager wants to see in you, as well as give you sample answers you could use.

So, let’s get started!

1) Tell me something about yourself.

How hard can it be to talk about yourself? We do it on a daily basis without much thought to it.

However, recruitment managers are not looking for your whole life story, your third-grade achievements, or what you had for dinner last night. Instead, they are looking for a pitch.

This is usually the first question asked in an interview, so it acts as your introduction. Make sure your answer is relevant to the position you are applying for. What you should be aiming for here is to present yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.

A good rule of thumb is to structure your talking points as follows:

Now, let’s go through some examples:

Hey! So, my name is John Doe and I’ve worked as a business analyst for 5+ years in Company X and Company Y.

I have some background in data analysis, having studied Information Systems at [Made-Up] University.

Throughout my career, I’ve done some pretty impressive stuff (if I do say so myself, haha).

I am Jane Doe, a recent college graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I have just graduated with honors in Biochemistry. I know my way around a lab and have had multiple opportunities to put my knowledge into practice as a chemistry research assistant.

The lab felt like home, which is why I’d love to work as a lab assistant. I am passionate, hard-working, and extremely responsible. I am also looking forward to putting to practice all the things I learned during my time at university.

2) How did you hear about this position?

Although at first glance this might seem like a straightforward question, you should grab any opportunity you can to show your interest in the company.

Even if you haven’t been continuously refreshing the company’s website for job listings, make it seem like you have (in a professional way, of course). Show excitement and curiosity.

If someone inside the company told you about the position or recommended that you apply, definitely make sure to mention that.

You’ll have a much better chance at getting hired if someone credible can vouch for your skills.

So, mention his/her name and his/her position inside the company and give their reasoning for inviting or recommending you to apply for the position. Tell the hiring managers what excites you about the job opportunity or what exactly caught your eye.

I love the company’s passion for creating super intuitive, beautiful hardware, and I would love to be a part of it.

So, when I saw your job ad at [RandomJobBoardWebsite], even though I wasn’t actively looking for a job at the time, I couldn’t help but apply!”

“I heard from Jim Doe, my old colleague and college friend, that [Company X] was looking for a new sales director. He encouraged me to apply, saying that my experience managing a sales team at [Some Software Company] would be helpful for [Company X].

I’ve heard a lot about [Company X] from Jim, and I’m a big fan of the way you do things there. I’ve always wanted to work for a company with a flat organizational structure.”

3) Why did you decide to apply for this position?

Through this question, the interviewers want to assess how passionate you are for the position. And no, the answer isn’t:

“Well, I’m very passionate about not starving to death.”

“Well, I needed the money, and you guys tend to pay a lot.”

What the interviewer is looking for here is to see how passionate you are about the job or the company. After all, job performance is directly linked to job satisfaction. The happier you are about your position at the company, the more productive you’ll be.

When you’re talking to a person that’s passionate about something, you can pretty much feel them glow as they talk. And if you’re an HR manager who’s interviewed hundreds of people, this is a very good sign to hire the candidate.

So, use this knowledge to your advantage.

When asked this question, your answer should include 2 things:

I’m very passionate about sustainability and renewable energy. In fact, I minored in Environmental Science at [XYZ University].

I’ve been following your company for the past few years, and I love how you’re changing the renewable energy landscape in America.

I’ve always wanted to get into marketing. Having done promotional jobs here and there, I never had an opportunity to do something more serious.

I do believe, though, that I have just the right skills to get started: copywriting, basic photoshop, and of course, lots of creativity.

So, I thought that an internship at [Company X] would be an awesome start to my career in marketing.

Want to find more samples answers to this question? Check out our article on 10+ best answers to “Why do you want to work here?”

4) What are your biggest strengths?

There are two answers you could go for here: what your actual strengths are, and what you think the hiring manager or HR representative wants to hear. We would most certainly suggest you go with the first answer.

For this question, you would want to narrow your answer down to at most three strengths. Pick 1 or 2 skills that would help you really excel at the job, and 1 or 2 personal (more or less unrelated) skills.

Not sure which ones are your top strengths? Check out the table below to learn which one’s perfect for your field:

After picking your strengths, back it up with a situation or story that shows how you have used it to benefit you on the job.

As you probably already know, this is one of the most common interview questions out there, so make sure you’re prepared for it before facing the HR manager!

For most of those jobs, I ended up picking up all the needed skills within 1 or 2 weeks (with basically no previous experience).

So, I’m pretty sure while I don’t have any experience as a bartender, I have the right certification, and I believe I can get good at it within a week or two.

My biggest strength is that I’m very efficient at working under pressure. No matter the crisis or stress, I can make the right decisions on-the-spot.

At that point, things looked so bleak that we were considering canceling the event or postponing it. Instead, I took the initiative in my hands and sorted through the problems one by one.

5) What is your biggest weakness?

Ah, this is always a tricky one!

After all, you don’t want to mention your flaws during an interview, so it’s guaranteed to be a tough question.

The trick to answering this one is realizing that the interviewers don’t expect you to be perfect. Everyone has flaws, weaknesses, and things to improve on.

When asking this question, the HR manager is actually seeking to learn:

And NO: fake humble-brag weaknesses don’t count as weaknesses. You can’t just say that your biggest weakness is that you work too hard, or that you’re a perfectionist.

The key here is to mention a weakness that’s real, but not something that would get in the way of you doing your job. You wouldn’t want to say you’re bad at math if you’re applying for an accountant position, would you

It’s also good practice to mention how you are working towards overcoming this weakness and realizing how it affects you negatively. If you can, just balance it with a positive side effect: treat it like two sides of the same coin.

My biggest weakness has always been my communication skills. I’ve been pretty shy and anxious as a kid. Over the years, however, I’ve been really working on the issue.

At this stage, I’m much better than I’ve ever been, but I’m still far from perfect.

This, however, won’t have any impact on my job as a programmer. Despite lacking communication skills, I’m very good at working in a team.

Well, as a recent graduate, I’d say my biggest weakness is the lack of real-life work experience.

While I’ve worked on a dozen software projects in the university, I don’t have the experience of working in a fully agile environment with an experienced team.

I am, however, willing to do my best and catch up as fast as I can.

Looking for more samples answers about your strengths and weaknesses? Check out our full guide!

6) What do you know about this company/organization?

A quick search in the “About” page of the company/organization you are applying for should be enough, right? Well, yes and no.

Think of this as an open-ended question. There’s no real wrong answer here, other than:

I don’t know anything about this organization. In fact, how did I end up here? Can you guys call me a cab real quick?

However, the more you actually know about the company, the better your chances of getting hired.

Imagine 2 equally competent candidates:

Which one would you pick? Exactly, the second one!

So, with this job interview question, you want to convince the recruiter that you’re the candidate #2.

Now, how do you do that? Well, a rule of thumb here is to do some Googling before the interview and learn the following about the company:

I hadn’t heard about you until recently, actually. I found out about [Company X] through your job ad on RandomJobBoard.

After doing some brief research on you guys, I ended up falling in love with your software and your mission.

I got particularly interested by your recent investment in [Startup X], I found that interesting because of [Y Reason].

7) Why should we hire you?

Ah, the ultimate humble-brag question.

Now, the real question is, how do you sell yourself without trying to look arrogant, desperate, or needy?

A good rule of thumb here is to stay away from the extremes. Think you’re a good fit for the job? Say that “you have the right experience.”

Whatever you do, don’t oversell yourself:

“I’m the best salesman you’ve ever met!”

Instead, make a general statement (I’m a great fit for the position because…) and talk about your experiences and achievements.

Here are 3 general points you can mention:

Well, as a start, I have all the skills and work experience required for the job. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager for 5+ years, and over the past 2, I’ve closed several deals totalling in 6-figures.

Oh, and on top of that, I have experience working with tech companies, so I’ll be able to pick up all the product specifics much faster than the other candidates.

I have just the right skill-set to excel as an executive assistant. While I haven’t previously worked as a personal assistant, I pretty much fit the bill for the role.

I’m extremely organized, having managed several project teams in my university. I led the organization of Event #1 and Event #2. This involved continuous communication with 12+ companies, 30 speakers, and 15+ sponsors.

I’m very meticulous and organized, and I’m more than capable of helping the CEO get the most our of their free time.

Looking for more sample answers? Check out these 10+ answers to “Why should we hire you?”

8) What are your salary requirements?

This is always a tricky question. You don’t want to lowball yourself, but at the same time, you don’t want to be told “No” because you gave such an outrageous number.

When answering, keep these 3 things in mind:

The final number you tell them should incorporate all 3 of the points we just mentioned. Do you know for a fact that the company is doing well (and compensates employees accordingly)? You’d quote a higher salary.

Is your skill-level above average? This should be reflected in your salary.

As a rule of thumb, you can figure out 2 numbers: what’s the “good” scenario, and what’s the “best” scenario?

Answer the interviewer with your “best” pay, and worst case scenario, they’ll negotiate it down.

Or, you can also answer with a range, and chances are, they’ll pick the number somewhere in the middle.

9) Do you have any questions for us?

You’ll hear this question in every interview you will attend.

While there isn’t a right answer, there IS a wrong answer:

Nope, all good! Thanks, I’ll go show myself out.

Keep in mind, though, that the questions shouldn’t be too easy (So, what does your company do?).

Other than showing the recruiter that you’re really interested in working for them, this is your opportunity to really find out more about the ins and outs of the place.

The answers you get from the interviewer could also be an indicator of whether you really want to work there or not.

So, what kind of questions can you ask? Here are some of the most essential ones:

10) What are you looking for in a new position?

The easiest way to answer this question would be to simply say that you’re looking for whatever the company is offering.

Look at it from the point of view of the potential employer. Would they hire someone if they answered this question with:

A good salary. And uhh, well, that’s about it!

This answer pretty much says that the moment they get a higher paying offer, they’re going to jump ship!

Instead, explain to the interviewer that this job at this company is the perfect fit for you. Mention what your short-term and long-term career goals are, and how this position ties to them.

I’m looking to further apply my machine learning skills that I developed during my 2+ years of work at [Startup X]. There, I used to do programmatic ads model design.

Now, I’m looking for an opportunity to work on a larger scale project that involves setting up programmatic ads for audiences of more than 10 million people.

I believe that worked with such a large-scale project will allow me to progress significantly faster in my career.

11) Are you considering other positions in other companies?

Here’s a tricky one: How much does the HR manager need to know here?

If you admit to having interviews with other companies, it might look like you’re not 100% dedicated to this one.

On the other hand, if you say you are not considering other positions, it might make you seem like you don’t have other options (and the company has the upper hand in salary negotiations).

The right way to go about here is to find common ground between the two answers.

The interviewer is probably asking because they want to know whether they have competition in hiring you. They also want to know if you are serious about the industry and are legitimately looking to be employed in this field of work.

If you do have other interviews lined up for other companies, express that you are keeping your options open but that you favor this job in comparison to the others.

Don’t have many other options? Stick to the same approach.

Whatever you do, don’t make it seem like you’re desperate or that you don’t have any other options.

I have had two interviews during the past week with companies in X and Y industries.

However, as I’m very passionate about both your industry and the work you have done during the past several years, I am more inclined toward working for you, if everything works out.

12) What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?

This is another version of the “Why should we hire you” question, but with a focus on one very specific achievement.

This one’s pretty straightforward, just mention your #1 professional achievement and you’re good to go.

As a given, the achievement has to be related to the job you’re applying for. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of Sales Manager:

“I’m very good at underwater basket-weaving, having woven 20+ baskets in the past year.”

“In my previous sales position, I managed to hit and exceed department KPIs by 50%+ for 6 months in a row”

Keep in mind, though, that you want to be very specific with your answer. To get this right, try using the STAR method. It goes something like this:

So, find a work-related achievement that showcases your contribution through your skills and experience to something that matters to the company.

My biggest achievement is the fact that I went from being an intern to managing company X’s entire marketing over 2 years.

My greatest accomplishment so far is graduating from [University X] within 4 years, with a GPA of 3.9. My family was unable to support me financially, so I had to take care of all the university bills on my own.

Through hard work and dedication, I ended up graduating with almost no student loans. I managed this through a combination of:

13) What kind of work environment do you like best?

The aim of this question is to assess whether you’ll fit in the company’s working environment.

For example, some organizations are pretty structured and hierarchical, they require tight organization and have a well-planned day filled with rules and guidelines on how to do things.

If you’re the creative, think-out-of-the-box type who likes to break the rules and innovate, this is probably not going to cut it for you.

On the other hand, some companies are more laid back, with a lot less bureaucracy. “Go get us more sales” can actually be your main duty for the week if you’re working in an early stage startup.

If you’re the type who prefers to have strict to-dos and objectives, you probably won’t enjoy such a job.

So, the takeaway? Different people work best in different environments, and that’s okay.

Before you go to the interview, go through the company’s website and social media pages to get a sense of the general vibe and environment there.

Look at employee reviews on GlassDoor, or if you know someone already working there, ask them.

Depending on what you learn, answer accordingly.

Want someone to just blindly follow instructions and do what they’re told? Then we’d probably not be a good fit.

I love working in a youthful, energetic environment. You know, when you’re working on a common goal with a team of people who are as passionate as you are?

I like to think of my work as a second home, and my coworkers as family.

The last company I worked at had such an environment, and I excelled at the job.

I get that exact feeling about Company X, since the moment I walked in here for the interview. So, I’m pretty excited to get to know how you guys work!

14) Where do you see yourself in five years?

Sometimes the honest answer to this is “Hopefully not doing this.” especially with entry-level jobs.

Don’t think the hiring manager doesn’t know it, though. There are diplomatic ways to go around it.

In general, the motivation behind this question is for the interviewer to assess whether you are an ambitious person or not and whether you have realistic expectations for your career.

Make sure to avoid any of the cliche answers such as…

“As the big boss man”

Instead, think realistically about what the next step after this position is, and whether it is possible to reach it within the company you are applying at.

Within the next 5 years, I’d like to reach the position of a Senior Business Consultant. During the time period, I would like to accomplish the following:

Help 20+ organizations improve their business

Create a personal network of highly specialized professionals

Learn as much as I can about optimizing and improving clients’ businesses, as well as the essentials of operating a company

As a start, I want to learn if accounting is the right field for me. While I loved what I studied at the university, I want to see if working in the field feels the same.

If I do end up enjoying it, I’d like to specialize in either internal auditing or forensic accounting, as I really like to discover and solve problems. From what I’ve seen from your job ads, you guys are hiring for both, so I hope it’s going to be possible to move up from the position of an “intern” within the next few months!

Still not sure how to answer this one? We don’t blame you! Sometimes, you might not know what you’re doing next week, let alone next year! Check out our guide to answering the “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” job interview question to find more possible answers.

How to Answer 18 Situational Job Interview Questions

You’re past the hard part.

You already know the most common job interview questions, and can probably deflect whatever the interviewer throws at you.

Depending on your specific situation, though, you might also need to learn how to answer these situational job interview questions.

1) Why haven’t you gotten your Master’s Degree/Ph.D.?

As a start, keep in mind that the interviewer isn’t judging you for your decision.

After all, if they were looking for someone with a better degree, they wouldn’t have invited you to an interview. The degree is not the dealbreaker here, but your answer to the question might be.

When asking this question, the interviewer is trying to see your reasoning for pursuing a career instead of getting another degree.

Heck, there’s a chance that if you give them the right answer, they’re even going to like you more than someone with 3 Phds!

So, simply explain why you didn’t think that another degree was the right thing for you at the time.

Don’t say you were lazy or didn’t feel like it, or that it’s a waste of money (even if that might be the case).

Instead, give compelling arguments, such as…

At this stage of my life, I decided to pursue my career instead of further education. On the one hand, I want to make sure that Marketing is what I want to do with my life.

On the other hand, I believe that in my field, practical work experience is a lot more valuable than academic.

I might eventually decide to pursue a masters, but at this point, I really don’t see the point in that.

Because it’s not in sync with my future career path. I believe that for software engineering, practical experience matters a lot more than having a degree.

I’ve already done an internship as a Junior Javascript Back-end Developer, and I believe that it gave me a lot more knowledge than my B.A. in Computer Science.

While I am eventually planning on getting a Masters, it’s going to be in a more theoretical field, such as Artificial Intelligence.

2) Why have you switched jobs so many times?

If you’ve switched jobs in a very short period of time (2 or more full-time positions in 1 year), the interviewer is bound to ask about it.

After all, job-hopping is one of the biggest red flags for HR managers.

True, you might have had a reasonable cause. Maybe the second company you got hired in just wasn’t a good culture fit for you.

Well, you’ll have to communicate that.

Companies tend to be skeptical because of the following reasons…

So, your job here is to convince the interviewer that you don’t belong to any of those 3 categories.

You need to make them realize that you will not jump ship a few months after getting hired just because some recruiter PM’d you on LinkedIn with a better offer.

The best way to answer this question is to explain the reason you switched jobs. It could be one of the following:

The last company I got hired in just wasn’t what I expected. The hiring manager didn’t communicate the role well enough.

-And sales pages

Around a week after I started work at the company, I realized that they were actually looking for something completely different. They asked me to write generic blog and social media posts, which is pretty far off from what I do.

This was really not what I expected, and not something I find interesting.

Well, as a start, my first job was in a big corporation straight out of university. While I did learn a lot there about Software Engineering practices, I also learned that a huge company with lots of regulations, rules, and the like isn’t for me.

So, at the end of my internship there, I decided to try working at a startup. I enjoyed that job a LOT more, as it gave me a lot of freedom when it comes to problem-solving. I wasn’t told HOW to do it. Rather, I was given the option of coming up with my own solution.

Unfortunately, the company went belly-up after failing to raise money, putting me back on the job market.

3) Why did you change your career path?

If you recently changed your career path, the interviewer is sure to ask about it.

A lot of people go through a career change. Some even do it several times in their lifetime!

As long as you’re good at what you do, no one cares if you were a pediatrician in one year, and a professional chef in another.

When asked this question, all you have to do is answer truthfully. Explain how your old job just wasn’t for you, and how the job you’re applying for is so much more interesting.

I realized that being a doctor is not for me. While I did enjoy my 3 years in med school, the 6 year study period was too much.

I wanted to start making money and help out my family way before that, so I dropped out of university and started taking online courses in accounting.

At this point, I’m pretty good at it, having done 2 internships so far in [Company X] and [Company Y].

Simply because I enjoy doing sales much more than accounting. After 5 years of working as an accountant for Firm X, I decided I wanted to try something new.

I asked my boss at the time to let me transition to the sales team, and I ended up liking it AND being pretty good at it.

4) Why did you decide to leave your previous/current job?

When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn:

“Oh, well, the company started bleeding cash and was on its way to bankruptcy.”

“Things started to get really boring, and the boss man was kind of mean. I totally deserve better, so I just ghosted them and now I’m looking for a new company. Hi!”

“I didn’t feel like the company’s values coincide with mine. The management was too controlling and micromanaging. I prefer to have some control over my work, and being able to contribute by going above and beyond my requirements.”

Of course, I went through the off-boarding properly. Meaning, gave a timely resignation notice, and transferred all the essential company knowledge to my replacement.”

“I got fired for missing work for a week without an excuse.”

“I was fired, actually. The fault was in my communication skills at the time. I misunderstood my supervisor’s instructions and ended ended up setting a higher monthly spend on ad account for the client. The losses were not more than 3-figures, but apparently, the relationship with the client was already strained, so they ended up leaving.

Of course, I really took this to heart and worked very hard on improving my communication skills, to ensure that I don’t make any mistakes of this nature ever again.”

5) Why is there a gap in your work experience?

In most cases, a gap in your work experience doesn’t really mean anything. You probably have a very good reason for it.

The interviewer, however, will definitely ask about it, and you should answer adequately.

There’s no secret sauce to answering this question, just let the recruiter know about your situation, whatever that may be:

Whichever the case may be, just explain the situation in brief and move on.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if you were laid off at work, or you quit and had trouble getting a new job, you should be very subtle about it.

If the interviewer knows that you’re struggling to find a job, you’re going to give them the upper hand in salary negotiations.

“I had a baby and had to take maternity leave.”

“My father was sick, so I had to be the one to take care of him full-time over a few months.”

6) Why were you fired?

Now this is a tough one.

Getting fired is pretty much never good.

Keep in mind that we’re talking about getting fired, not getting laid off. There’s a huge difference between the two:

If you got fired and the interviewer asks you about it, you should be honest. After all, they can easily check-in with your previous employer.

Your best shot here is to be critical about your mistakes, and explain what you’ve done to improve.

“None of it was my fault. My boss is a total tool, and he hates me for no real reason. He yelled at me for no real reason!”

In the example above, the interviewee gets defensive. That’s a pretty huge red flag for the HR manager.

Instead, try saying something that shows that you’re aware of your mistakes.”

At the end of the day, though, it turned out that the company was looking to experiment with email marketing, and specifically for someone to set it up from scratch.

While I did my best to deliver, in the end it turned out that their niche doesn’t actually need email marketing. This was against the management’s vision, so that decided to let me go.”

7) How do you feel about working weekends or late hours?

You’re gonna get asked this question in one of the following 2 cases:

1) You’re applying for a job that requires working odd hours.

“Sure! I’m OK with working late hours or weekends, as long as you let me know about it at least a few days in advance.”

2) You’re applying for just about any other type of job.

Now, you should look at this as a red flag. Is the employer just checking your dedication, or are they looking for someone that’s going to work 24/7 with no overtime pay?

In this case, ask them to clarify what they mean.

“Given enough warning, sure. Is that something I’ll be required to do often? Do you offer overtime pay for this kind of situation?”

8) How would your boss or coworkers describe you?

This question is pretty much the same as “what are your greatest strengths,” the only difference is that it should be from the point of view from your boss or coworkers.

Here, you want to focus on your traits and achievements that you’ve previously been praised for (After all, the interviewer might ask for a reference!).

There are at least 2 ways to answer this question:

1) Describe a specific situation where you excelled at work (and received praise from your boss and coworkers)

“They’d say I’m super hard working. During my weekend-off, not one, but three of my coworkers got sick, and I had to spot for them.

The weekend was peak season in Nantucket, so the restaurant was getting seriously overwhelmed. All of a sudden, we went from being very prepared for the season, to complete panic.

Had to jump between serving, bussing, and line-cooking, but overall, managed to survive through the weekend successfully.”

2) Quote a performance review

If you’ve previously worked in an office job, you’re probably all too familiar with these.

Did your boss give you a glowing performance review? Make sure to mention it here!

“Well, in my last performance review in September, my boss described me as someone who takes initiative.

My position as a PR manager involves constantly keeping track of our clients brand reputation, and if something goes wrong, dealing with it as fast as possible.

There were 4-5 different situations where I had to take charge and react to problems literally the moment they arose, whether it was during my work hours, or not.”

9) Do you have any serious medical conditions?

When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn if you have any medical conditions that could impair your ability to do the job correctly.

In most cases, you’re not obliged to give an answer. If you do have a health condition, and it doesn’t have anything to do with your career, you can simply choose not to answer, or to say “No.”

However, you might want to disclose anything that could potentially have an impact on how you perform.

For example, if the job requires you to lift heavy boxes, for example, and you’re not able to do so because of a condition, you should let the HR manager know.

“I don’t have any serious medical conditions”

“I’m unable to lift heavy objects because of issues with my back, but it won’t have any impact on how I perform at an office job”

10) What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?

If you’re applying for a senior or leadership role, you’re probably going to get asked this question.

Chances are, at this stage of the interview, you already know a lot about your future position and the company.

Now, it’s time to show off your knowledge in your field, and explain how you’re going to start making things happen at the company.

So, here’s how to answer the question:

You’re probably going to need to get to know the company first. You’re going to be learning as much as possible, including information on:

You’ll start start making things happen. From all the info you gathered, suggest a handful (3 to 5) initiatives you could take on:

You’re already have started making an impact. Describe several things you think are going to be functioning better:

11) Are you a team player?

Wherever you’re applying, the answer to this question should be a “Yes!”

Even if you’re applying for a completely solo role, chances are, you’re still going to have to work in a team occasionally.

I’m good at both leading and following in terms of creativity and brainstorming. I’m also super receptive to others ideas, and do my best to help them execute it without nay-saying or criticism.”

“Yep, definitely. I excel at team-work.

This one time while working at [Company X], I was assigned to an existing team working on a web application for a business process management company.

They were working on a tight deadline, and needed help on the API side.

I optimised their development cycles and oversaw a team of three developers while collaborating with the other two dev teams.

Everything went pretty well, and we managed to finish the project on time.”

12) Are you a risk-taker?

This one’s pretty tricky, as the answer here depends on your profession and field.

If you’re a pilot, for example, the answer should be a strict “No!”

If, on the other hand, you’re a day trader, then risk is an essential part of your job.

So, depending on how valuable risk is for your job, answer accordingly.

You could also give a more strategic answer. Let’s say, for example, you work in investment banking. You need to be a risk taker to an extent, but being too risk-friendly might make the entire company go bankrupt.

The strategy in such a case would be to show that you’re all about calculated risk. You’re willing to take chances, but only when the odds are in your favor.

As with most interview questions, you should give examples of situations where you had to take risks, and what the end-results were.

“Yes, I’m a risk-taker. I believe that to achieve real results, you always need to be willing to take a certain level of risk.

Pretty much any marketing initiative you launch is tied to risk. You can plan everything from beginning till the end, but no matter how well you plan it out, things might just not work out.

“I’m not a risk-taker, I’m more of a risk-manager. As someone who’s been in finance for years, I can say with a lot of confidence that there’s risk in everything.

The most important things are to one, minimize your risks, and two, minimize potential damages if everything goes very, very wrong.

While working at Investment Bank X, we had a very interesting policy for investing in new fintech projects. We used to avoid moon-shots, high-tech projects, as well as anything that had an experimental business model.

13) How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?

If you’re applying for a high-stress job, you’re guaranteed to get asked this question.

The aim of this question is to see if you’re the type of person who’d survive working at the job, or fall through the cracks when the first signs of trouble show up.

Obviously, you wouldn’t answer with the following…

“Well, I end up having a panic attack, crying, and running away from work.”

Instead, answer as follows…

Now, let’s go through some real-life examples:

“Though I can’t particularly say I enjoy stressful situations, I AM very good at working under pressure.

During chaos and panic, I tend to take a step back, think, plan, and prioritize.

For example, there have been times I’ve had to juggle multiple university projects and assignments at the same time. I would break up large assignments into small, individual tasks, and prioritize based on:

This way, my work became a lot more manageable. The most times I had to experience such situations, the better I performed overall.”

As a cook, working under pressure is pretty much part of the job. I’ve been in several situations where the restaurant was understaffed for the occasion. Heck, it’s pretty much a constant thing during peak season.

When there’s a ton of orders coming in and we can barely keep up, I tend to get significantly more productive than usual.”

14) Do you prefer hard work, or smart work?

By definition, hard work is when you, well, work hard. It’s when you’re willing to put in a lot of work to get the job done.

Smart work on the other hand, means doing the work efficiently. If you manage to get the job done in 2 hours instead of 5, with the same end-result, you’re doing smart work.

Keep in mind, though, that by asking this question, the interviewer is looking to understand what your work ethic is like. Meaning, they’re looking for a healthy combination of both, not just one.

That is, they want you to be the candidate who not only thinks smartly but works hard as well.

So, your answer here shouldn’t be one-sided.

“Oh, I looove smart work. That’s when you come up with what to do, and make other people do it, right?”

Instead, explain how you excel at both:

Smart work, on one hand, lets you figure out the best and most efficient way to get things done.

Hard work, on the other hand, means that you’ll do the job right. Even if there’s no way to do it smart or efficiently, you’ll be willing to put in long hours of work to get it done.

I’m the type that does both.

For an example of smart for, during my time at [Made Up Corporation], I was in charge of the sales department. As a process improvement initiative, I migrated from an outdated, in-house CRM, to Pipedrive. This improved the department’s productivity by around 20%.

On the other hand, the whole migration process took around 3 months of hard work. As the software we were using was outdated, trying to learn how to map and migrate our data was a lot more complicated than we’d expected.”

15) How quickly do you adapt to new technology?

Today, whether you’re applying for a software engineering job, or as a cashier in a supermarket, you’re going to need to use technology at least on some level.

So, you should be able to pick up new tech ASAP. Any new change shouldn’t completely disrupt your work.

So, when answering this question, you should talk about how tech-savvy you are.

“I’m pretty tech-savvy. I’ve worked with a lot of different Point of Service systems so far, and have zero difficulties learning how to use new ones.”

As a given, I own a PC, have used Office 365, and all the usual stuff.”

“I’ve always been interested in tech. In fact, I’m the type of person to actively seek out new software to help solve business problems at work.

I’ve worked with 3 different Customer Management Software in the past, such as PipeDrive, SalesForce, and Zoho CRM.”

16) Do you have any interests outside of work?

If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!

It means that they liked your professional background, and now they’re just trying to get to know you and see if you’re a good fit for the company culture.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong here, unless you’re going to answer something like:

“I have literally no hobbies.”

“All I do is play video games all day.”

Just talk about your hobbies and interests, and you’re all set!

Bonus points if you can mention something that’s also relevant to your job (creative writing if you’re applying for a copywriting job, for example).

“I’m a big fan of creative writing. I have my own personal short-story blog, and contribute actively to several online writing communities (such as Writing Prompts on Reddit).

Oh, and I’m also a huge fan of the New York Giants.”

17) What do you think our company/organization could do better?

Well, this one’s interesting!

While not too common for most organizations, it’s a favorite amongst tech companies.

How come? Well, answering this question shows a couple of things…

Obviously, you should be very political about your feedback. You can’t just say that:

“Well, a lot of things really. I’m not enjoying this interview right here, for example.

And your product kinda sucks, no offense. But hey, there’s always room for improvement, am I right?”

Instead, you want to show off the research you’ve done. Talk about anything that might seem off about their product or business:

“I actually went through your resume builder before coming to the interview, and found several things that seemed kinda counter-intuitive.

Not to say that it’s too hard to understand, or something, but it took me a while to figure out some stuff.

If you want, I can open up my laptop and show you what I mean.”

How to Answer 3 Most Common Behavioral Questions in an Interview [w/ Possible Answers]

Finally, behavioral job interview questions are questions that focus on how you’ve performed in the past, or how you’d perform in a specific situation.

They’re used to understand your thinking patterns, and whether you can think on your feet.

Remember the STAR interview method we discussed all the way up? Well, it can be used to answer just about any behavioral interview questions.

To brush up your memory, the main idea behind the STAR method is that each answer should involve the following:

Here are 3 of the most common behavioral interview questions (with sample answers):

1) Give an example of how you have handled a challenge in the workplace before.

What the interviewers want to know in this case is how well you handle conflict and difficulties.

So, the answer here should be pretty straightforward. You should describe a challenge you faced at work, and explain how you solved it.

“During my last job as a Google Ads expert, one of the company clients had accidentally butchered their own ad account. I noticed this over the weekend and saw that they were basically wasting money on nothing.

I took the initiative and immediately got in touch with the client to let them know about the issue. Then, we set up an impromptu meeting on the same day, and fixed the account before any real damage could be done.”

“During my last job, I was managing the creative and web dev team in charge of creating an online store for a client. Two days before deploying, we found a major bug that messed up the whole front-end user experience.

Now, we could have pushed the deadline a bit, but that would have messed up the relationship with the client. The project was already postponed once because of unforeseen circumstances, so this one was a do or die.

I assembled a task force consisting of web developers from my team, as well as some software engineers from another department. We focused 100% of our time on fixing the issue, and actually managed to launch on time at the end.”

2) Give an example of when you performed well under pressure.

For any high-stress work environment, you’re guaranteed to get asked this question.

“I actually perform a lot better when under a lot of pressure. The sense of urgency and importance really motivates me to up my game and make sure everything works out right.

When I worked as a Financial Analyst at [MadeUpFinanceCompanyInc], most of the work was very high pressure. I had to go above and beyond the line of duty to make sure we met the tight deadlines set by our clients. This often meant working 12 hour work days, and sometimes, working over the weekend.”

“As a seasonal worker, my entire career is high-pressure, haha. My last position was as a line cook during the summer at the SomeRestaurant in JacksonHole, Wyoming.

3) Give an example of when you showed leadership qualities.

Applying for a leadership position? You’ll definitely get asked this behavioral interview question.

Keep in mind, though, that this question doesn’t necessarily mean that you should have held a managerial position.

What the interviewer is asking for is a situation when you took the initiative and led a project or an initiative.

“As an entry-level marketer, there was not much expected of me at SoftwareCompanyInc.. My main to-dos involved doing research, and completing whatever tasks were assigned to me.

During a content marketing brainstorming session, I came up with an awesome idea to market the company. The gist of it was, we’d interview company clients who were very successful at using the software, create case studies on what exactly they’re doing, and include it in our email marketing strategy.

The Chief Marketing Officer loved the idea and put me in charge of executing the project, which I did with flying colors.”

[BONUS] Job Interview Infographic

Now, it’s time for a quick recap! Check our our new infographic on some of the most common job interview questions (and how to answer them):

Additional Interview Preparation Tips

And we’re finally here!

If you managed to get to this point, you definitely deserve a high-five!

Now, before we wrap up the article, let’s go through a couple of essential tips on acing your interview…

And finally, good luck on the interview! You got this!