Five of the most-asked interview questions, and our tips on how to answer them.

1. TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF. The lowdown: This is often the first question that is thrown at the applicant, and it may sound like a no-brainer: This question gives an applicant the freedom on to start and end their response as they like. The lowdown: *hat the interviewer really wants is to be able to assess whether you#re right or wrong for the +ob, to see if you have the characteristics that will fit the position.

The boo-boos:
1. Reciting your resume. . Reciting your name, nickname, age, address, family background, educational background, religion, and other characteristics that they say nothing about how they will fare well at work. !. "iving an overly aggressive statement that is a virtual encyclopedia of all the positive qualities asked for in recruitment ads. How to answer: The recruiters have already seen your resume and don#t need you to parrot it. $nstead, have a short statement prepared that talks about your strengths as a worker% and the areas where you e&cel, that are tailored to both your resume#s key points and the needs of the position being filled. 'e sure to provide supporting details such as specific situation in which you achieved all these. (o empty boasts. )eep your answer to a minute or two. 2. DESCRIBE YOUR AND WEAKNESSES. STRENGTHS

The boo-boos:
1. ,verselling yourself. -o not drag by listing all the desirable traits enumerated in the want ad. . .nderselling yourself. The worst answer you can give is /$ don#t know. !. (aming too many strengths and weaknesses. How to answer: 0ike 1uestion 1 above, give specific e&amples of how your strengths have made you successful in your past tasks. Try to focus on one or two strengths you have, that are an asset for an organi2ation, i.e., your attention detail 3popularly know these days, if wrongly, as /,,4-ness56 and your patience with difficult people. 7s for weaknesses, be mindful of areas where you feel you need improvement and present these as a learning opportunity you can have with your potential employer% for e&ample, try /$ feel that $ tend to hesitate when $ lack knowledge in an area, and $ would like to learn the confidence to ask questions of the right people.5 3. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? The lowdown: 8R needs to know, especially in high-turnover +obs, if you can commit and stay% they don#t want to waste training on you if you leave quickly. They

want to see if your plans and what the company offers, +ive. How to answer: *e#ve seen five year plans in which the applicant works his way from writer from to editor in chief in five years. That#s called /shooting for the moon.5 $t means you have unrealialistic e&pectations. The opposite, being unable to answer or saying / $ don#t know5 will doom you to low-level +obs, if you are hired at all. 9ou should know your ndustry represent a slow but steady rise. 4. WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE? The lowdown: This question aims to determine what applicants know about the company and the positon they are applying for and how they see themselves working everyday in that organi2ation. This may take some considerable thought and certainly should be based on research about the organi2ation and the position, shares our e&pert. The boo-boo: Trying to wing it. 9ou should prepared for this question. How to answer: -on#t try to impress interviewers by mentioning that you admire the company#s mission, vision, and corporate values, and adding that these motivated yu to apply for a position. That#s called /sipsip.5 'ut you should still know these items and how they fit into your life ob+ectives:aside from +ust getting a +ob, that is. 'e sincere and talk about what attracted you: the corporate culture; 8ow he +ob description matches your skills; <ust avoid answers like / 9ou pay high daw,5 or /9our office is near my house.5 That#s being too honest to the point of being offensive. 5. WHY DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD HIRE YOU? The lowdown: .sually signals the interview will end soon. This is your last chance to /sell5 yourself.

How to answer: =trike a balance% be honest about what you can offer the company, and what you think the company can offer you. >mphasi2e your qualities which you feel qualify you for the +ob without bragging. 'ut do not say things like your sick mother will die if you don#t buy medicine soon, or that you think you did your best% for e&ample, $ may be a mother returning to workforce after ten-year absence but $ feel that my hunger to learn, coupled with my patience with people and my ability to organi2e and delegate without usurping my superior, will prove to be a great asset for the assistant to the e&ecutive position you are considering me for.5

The boo-boos:
1. . -ownplaying yourself. 'egging or crying.