“Did I Say That Out Loud?”: Thoughts We All Have During Interviews

Interviews are a nerve-racking experience no matter how old you are, or how many of them you’ve had. Despite the fact that many interviewers ask the same questions, we still clam up when it comes time to answer the hard ones. This is because how we want to answer these questions is so far from the responses we should give. Here’s a list of five of the most thought-provoking interview questions, and how you should actually handle them.

“Did I Say That Out Loud?”: Thoughts We All Have During Interviews

Tell me about yourself.

• What you think: This is the most basic interview question known to man, so why is it so difficult. It’s difficult because my idea of telling you about myself probably wouldn’t get me this job. “I have blonde hair and blue eyes. I graduated from Such-n-Such University and I love binging Netflix on the weeknights.”
• How to Handle it: Only bring up relevant things. Talk about where you went to school, previous jobs, a little bit of what you like to do outside of work, and family. Talk for about 1-3 minutes. While they are trying to get to know you, this question is more of an assessment of how you deliver an answer, along with your poise, and the way you carry yourself.

What do you know about our company?

• What you think: “Uh… well, at this point, I know that you’re company is hiring. That’s about it, and that’s why I’m here.”
• How to Handle it: Always, I repeat, ALWAYS, research the company you are interviewing with prior to the interview. Make sure you know their mission statement, some of their clients, and anything else that you think might be important. Make sure you do your homework because the more you know about their company, the more impressed the interviewer will be.

What’s your greatest accomplishment?

• What you think: We’ve all had a lot of accomplishments, but telling them that you won a fantasy football league probably isn’t the best way to go.
• How to Handle it: Prior to arriving at your interview, plan for answering this specifically, because it’s ALWAYS asked. Pick two or three accomplishments that you’re comfortable explaining, and keep them professional. Do your best to relate it to the job you’re interviewing for. If you don’t have much experience in the professional world, you can always choose an accomplishment from while you were in school.

Do you have any questions for me (the interviewer)?

• What you think: Two things usually come to my mind. 1. “Did I get the job?” or 2. “How much money will I make?”
• How to Handle it: Try to have simple and professional questions lined up. Ending an interview with a company you supposedly want to work for without questions doesn’t really show passion or enthusiasm in the job or the company. These questions can be simple; “What do you like most about working for this company?” or “Can you tell me about the company’s past?” Just make sure you ask them something!

How do you prep for interviews? Leave advice and comments for others in the comments below!