Master These Tricky Interview Questions Today! ^Featured

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself

Seems easy, right? Straight forward, no nonsense, and no wrong answer--or is there?

When a potential employer asks you this question, they are looking for several things: what you consider the best attributes of yourself, how quickly you build relationships, and how personable you are. Think about a few things that make you shine, that make people stand up and pay attention. Are you a community volunteer? Did you just complete a marathon? Spend time with rescue animals? Show some personality without sharing anything too personal, and inspire your interviewer to want to know more about you. Avoid discussing things like age, religion, marital status, and health--a potential employer isn't legally allowed to inquire about those things, and it might make them uncomfortable if you bring them up. Stick to safe topics, including some aspects of your career that you're proud of.

2. What would you former boss/co-workers say about you?

This is a great place to show confidence, but also be realistic about what you're known for. It's a good idea to actually ask these people, just in case they are called as a reference. What your potential employer is looking for are the notable contributions you've made. Keep it real, but don't be shy about sharing what makes you a great person to work with. Something simple, like: "They would say that I'm hard-working, creative, and have a great sense of humor, even when things get tense. I like to bring levity into stressful situations and it's important for me to maintain scope of our work."

Demonstrate a sense of awareness about your contributions, both technically and personally. They want to hire an actual human being and not just a robot who gets tasks done.

3. What interests you in our company?

Do your research before you walk in the door. Is this a place you want to work? If so, come up with some authentic reasons why. For the interviewer, this is often a first sample of your work--how much did you look into the organization? How does it relate to your skill set? Do you want to work there specifically, ro are you just looking for any job? It's important for them to see what grabbed your attention and how you think you can support, advocate, and contribute. For example, "Your company has a reputation for giving back to the community, which is incredibly important to me, as I've done community volunteer work for the past six years. As well, I respect your high school internship program and would love to be a part of connecting with young adults interested in this field."

4. What kind of leadership do you like?

This speaks volumes about how you could potentially fit within the organization, so it's important to be honest--remember, it's not just about your background and talents, but about how you can work with the existing employees. Speak to experience, and spend some time thinking about what former supervisors have done that you responded well to. Don't worry about sounding needy, the more specific you are, the more it shows you pay attention to your professional relationships and can communicate your needs. "The best working relationships I've had were built on mutual respect, open and honest communication, and flexibility. My previous supervisor set clear expectations about deadlines, but allowed me to complete the work in my own way, which made me feel very invested in the assignments."

5. What are your areas of weakness?

Whatever you do, don't shoot back some veiled response designed to make you look good--interviewers can see right through it. Instead, be honest. If you're lacking technical skills or are unfamiliar with parts of the business, be upfront--and have a second part to your answer about how you see yourself improving! No one wants to hire a workaholic perfectionist; they want someone who can contribute, be a good teammate, and bring something fresh to the job. It's okay to have flaws, just be real about them and what you need to overcome them. Try something like, "I've always struggled with ambiguous deadlines, so it's easier for me to seek clarity in the moment and set a schedule that works for my business partners."

6. Why should we hire you?

And now the golden ticket: this is question that will leave the strongest impression. Like with every other question, be authentic and don't be afraid to sell yourself. By now, you should have a clear idea on what the interviewer is looking for, and you can use this opportunity to reinforce your strengths. Be sure to speak to your professional background as well as your personality, but don't overdo it. This answer should be short and sweet, demonstrating confidence. Consider something like, "From our conversation today, I feel like I understand the objectives and goals of the company--not only are the values something I connect to personally, but something I would feel challenged and motivated by professionally. My experience is a great fit for the role, and I would bring a diverse background and a fresh perspective to the team."

Thank me when you're hired!