Interviews are designed to test our knowledge, skill sets and attitude.

While your career is at stake in an interview, preparing for an interview can often save you from a heart-burn at the interview table. Here's a list of the 7 most asked interview questions and sample answers to help you create a smashing impression in the interview. 1. So, tell us about yourself? Undoubtedly the most frequently asked interview question. It's a question that most interviewees expect and the one they have the most difficulty answering. Your answer should be in alignment with your career objective which means that you shouldn't respond with comments about your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities 1. Start with a brief introduction. Talk about skills that are key to the position applied for. Sample - During my 2 years' of experience as sales executive, I have mastered the ability to prospect, generate business leads, and motivate my team members to reach targets. 2. Provide a summary of your recent work history. Keep your response limited to your current experience. Don't go back more than 2 years. Sample -Most recently, at The XYZ Corporation, I was challenged with turning around a stagnant territory that ranked last in sales. I developed an aggressive sales campaign that focused on winning new accounts and nurturing the existing client base. Within six months my sales team and I were able to increase sales by 40%. 3. Tie your response to the needs of the organization. Demonstrate how your experience and skills are transferable to the open position. Sample - I have learnt about the challenges your I.T department is facing and my background in developing software for leading companies will add value. 4. Ask an engaging question. By asking a question you gain control of the interview. Doing so will alleviate the stress you may feel to perform. Sample: What strategies are currently underway to reduce the employee turnover and improve morale? 2. What's your greatest strength & weakness? Highlighting strengths & accomplishments Use specific examples to highlight your accomplishments. Explicit numbers, results and outcomes. Generic words are meaningless unless backed by data. For example,

instead of using the word "significant," use a number or percentage. Strengths that you can highlight: Committed Action-oriented Inquisitive/Curious research? Long term approach The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" Do not give superficial answers like "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist." These are boring and predictable answers and interviewers are used to hearing. They can even comeback and say, "That doesn't sound like a weakness. Now why don't you tell me about a real weakness?" So state a true weakness that doesn't have a major impact on your ability to do the job Sample: If you are applying for a non -managerial role "In the past, I've had some trouble sharing responsibilities with others. I felt I could do things better and faster myself. This sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I plan to take courses in time management and effective delegation" "I am weak in accounts and had a tough time when I was asked to work on a project with the Finance team. I have enrolled in an online program on basic Finance to overcome this." 3. Question 3 - Why did you leave your last job? If you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances, you probably dread the "Why did you leave?" question that almost always comes up at job interviews. Here's how to handle it. Never lie. If you were fired, don't say you quit. A background check will reveal this lie easily. Don't say anything negative about your former boss, coworkers or company. Any negativity, frustration or anger will only reflect negatively on you. Sample - If you were fired for not adhering to a company policy. "I was asked to leave for violating a company policy that I feel wasn't communicated to me clearly. I should have taken the responsibility to read all of the company policies

and ask questions about those I didn't fully understand. That will be the first thing I do in my next job." Any employer would love to hear stories about how employees take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes. Make sure they understand that what happened to cause you to leave your last job was the exception, not the rule. Provide references or letters of recommendation to verify that your job performance is above par. 4. How would you? (Problem solving question) The interviewer isn't looking for a "right" or "wrong" answer. They are more interested in understanding your thought process. Show your ability to think logically and demonstrate problem-solving capabilities by: 1. Ask questions to confirm exactly what the interviewer is looking for. 2. Explain how you would collect the information and data required to develop a solution. 3. Tell how you'd use the information you gathered to develop and analyze alternative courses of action. 4. Share your solution or recommendation, explaining how you feel it's the best option based on the info you were given 5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? The aim of this question is to test your foresightedness and also gauge if you plan for the future. Stick to professional goals and aspirations while answering this question. The interviewer does not want to hear about your dream vacation that you plan to take in five years or the industry that would like to be in. Talk about company related objectives. This is an opportunity for you to show that you want to succeed in the company and are keen to create a career path there. Sample Answer: As your company has a strong performance based culture, in five years time, I see myself playing a key role in the company's marketing initiatives in the role of a Brand manager. 6. Why should we hire you? Being specific and highlighting your strengths versus the competition is the key here. Stay away from generalities like 'I am the best' or I am very hard working and

dedicated" etc. Talk in quantifiable terms that will make you stand out and pinpoint the qualities you have that are truly valuable to the company. Give real examples that show them you are best-suited for the job. Sample Answer: In the past, I have implemented projects on attrition management helping bring down the employee turnover rates by 4%. I believe this experience of mine and knowledge will add value as employee retention is amongst your company's top priorities. 7. Why do you want to make a career in ... (Sales, I.T, HR etc)? The interviewer wants to learn what you know about the chosen career. Knowledge about the domain and the job shows the interviewer you are interested and demonstrates initiative on your part. Sample Answer: I have always been a people's person and counseling is a skill that comes naturally to me. Being armed with a Master's degree in H.R, I believe a job as an H.R executive will give me an opportunity to put my natural skill sets and education to practice. onsider the questions below and choose one or two from them that you find the most useful to you. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What do you personally find the most enjoyable part of working for this company? May I ask why or how you joined this organization? / What brought you here? I would like to know about the work atmosphere here Would you be able to tell me about this companys vision/philosophy? How would you evaluate this organizations strengths and weaknesses? I would like to know a little about my day-to-day responsibilities. Is this an immediate requirement? How soon would you be taking people on board for this position? 8. I would like to know how my skills compare with the other people who have applied for this position. 9. I am really interested in this opportunity and I feel I have the required skills for this position. What would I have to do next? 10.Now that our interview is coming to close, is there anything you would like to know about my ability towards this job? 11.Would you be able to tell me a little about what the company expects from its employees? What are the most important assets and skills for this company? 12.Does the company follow a structured path in promoting the employees? How does it go?

13.If the company finds me good at the job, how would it advance me? What would be the next step in my career growth? 14.If I performed well in the current position, what are the additional likely opportunities for me within this company? 15.Are there any special areas in this company that the top leaders emerge from?/ Are there special areas like say sales or engineering that have more prospects for growth within this company, or do the leaders come from a cross section of different areas? 16.The company has decided to recruit for this position from outside. How does the company choose between recruiting from within or outside? 17.How far does this particular position contribute to the bottom line? 18.What advice would you give to someone selected for this position? 19.What are the current challenges of this position/department within the company? 20.Before I leave, can I have a formal/written description of the position? This would help me to review the activities and evaluate what is expected of me. 21.Is this job likely to lead to other positions in the company? What is the usual route? 22.Would you be able to tell me a little about the people I will be working with? 23.Before I take your leave, let me check my understanding of the position. The designation is ., the responsibilities are ., it is in the .. department, and I would be reporting to . Please correct me if I have got it wrong anywhere. 24.How does this company promote equal opportunity and diversity? 25.Would you be able to tell me who the company regards as its stars? What have been their most important contributions? 26.How do the subordinates address their seniors in this company? 27.Could you tell me about the management style of this company? 28.If you selected me for this position, what assignment would I be starting on? 29.Does this company have a formal mission statement? Am I allowed to see it? 30.What are the most important parameters along which this company evaluates an employees contribution?

Some More Usefull Questions with Answers

1. Tell me about yourself?

I am down-to-earth, sweet, smart, creative, industrious, and thorough.

2. How has your experience prepared you for your career? Coursework: Aside from the discipline and engineering foundation learning that I have gained from my courses, I think the design projects, reports, and presentations have prepared me most for my career.

Work Experience: Through internships, I have gained self-esteem, confidence, and problem-solving skills. I also refined my technical writing and learned to prepare professional documents for clients.

Student Organizations: By working on multiple projects for different student organizations while keeping up my grades, Ive built time management and efficiency skills. Additionally, Ive developed leadership, communication, and teamwork abilities.

Life Experience: In general, life has taught me determination and the importance of maintaining my ethical standards.

3. Describe the ideal job. Ideally, I would like to work in a fun, warm environment with individuals working independently towards team goals or individual goals. I am not concerned about minor elements, such as dress codes, cubicles, and the level of formality. Most important to me is an atmosphere that fosters attention to quality, honesty, and integrity.

4. What type of supervisor have you found to be the best? I have been fortunate enough to work under wonderful supervisors who have provided limited supervision, while answering thoughtful questions and guiding learning. In my experience, the best supervisors give positive feedback and tactful criticism.

5. What do you plan to be doing in five years time? Taking the PE exam and serving in supervisory/leadership roles both at work and in professional/community organization(s).

6. What contributions could you make in this organization that would help you to stand out from other applicants? In previous internships, my industriousness and ability to teach myself have been valuable assets to the company. My self-teaching abilities will minimize overhead costs, and my industriousness at targeting needs without prompting will set me apart from others. Additionally, one thing that has always set me apart from my scientific/engineering peers are my broad interests and strong writing abilities. I am not your typical left-brained engineer, and with my broad talents, I am likely to provide diverse viewpoints.

7. What sort of criteria are you using to decide the organization you will work for? Most importantly, I am looking for a company that values quality, ethics, and teamwork. I would like to work for a company that hires overachievers.

8. What made you choose your major? My academic interests are broad, so I sought civil engineering to achieve a great balance of mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and writing.

9. Have your university and major met your expectations? The College of Engineering at MSU has exceeded my expectations by providing group activities, career resources, individual attention, and professors with genuine interest in teaching. My major has met my expectations by about 90%. I would have enjoyed more choices in environmental courses, and would have preferred more calculus-based learning.

10. What made you choose this college? I chose this college for the following reasons: my budget limited me to in-state schools, I was seeking an area with dog-friendly apartments, the MSU web site impressed me, I saw active student groups, and the people were very friendly.

11. How do you handle stress or pressure? You could answer this question by saying that stress is an important issue to you. While high levels of stress can be negative, I use stress in a productive way that can allow me to work harder. It is important for me to make sure I have the correct balance of positive stress and negative stress. You could also answer this question by saying you perform better when you are under reasonable levels of stress.

12. What do you find motivates you the most? This is a question that does not require an answer that is right or wrong. The employer is trying to see how you are motivated. It is also a method they will use to determine if you are compatible for the job. It doesnt make much sense to put you in a position where you will not be motivated by the work you do. The best way to answer this question is to be honest. Let the interviewer know what motivates you the most. Dont tell them what they want to hear because you are trying to get the job. While this may help you in the short term, it can hurt you in the long run.

13. Do you prefer to work alone, or do you work better in groups?

This is a question that you will want to answer carefully. If the position you are applying for requires you to work alone, it doesnt make much sense to answer it by saying you enjoy working in groups. If the position requires you to work in groups, telling the interviewer you like working alone can keep you from being hired. However, the answer you give should be an honest one.

14. Give us an example of a challenging situation youve overcome. This is a request that will require you to know a lot about yourself. If youve prepared for the interview beforehand, you should be able to answer this question without any problems. You should reflect on your past work experience. You must quickly be able to think about any challenges youve overcome. It doesnt have to be something that is related to employment. If you were in the military, you could describe a challenge you overcame. If you are a college graduate, you can give an example of an academic challenge you successfully overcame.

15. What do you find interesting about this job? The answer that you give better be more than just the salary. You should be able to give detailed reasons for why you are interested in being hired for a certain position. Answering this question correctly may require you to do your research on the company. This is something that must be done before the interview starts.

16. Why should we hire you? This is one of the most difficult questions in the interview process. However, it is a good question, especially if you are competing for a position against people who are equally qualified. To answer this question, describe how your skills can be valuable to the company. Not only will you want to direct the towards your accomplishments, but you will also want to

demonstrate your personality and desire. Explain that you are impressed with the history of the company, and you want to play a role in the success of the organization.

17. In what ways can you contribute to our company? You will want to answer this question by selling yourself. Explain how your skills, personality, and experience can allow you to contribute to the company. This is a question that you may want to prepare for in advance. You will want to answer it with a powerful statement. You dont want to be uneasy of hesitant. If the employer suspects this, you may lose your chance to be employed with the company.