If you’re a well-seasoned job interviewee, you’ll be able to anticipate many of your interviewer’s questions. You’ll know that preparation and research are essential to navigating your way successfully past even the most difficult questions. But even those equipped with vast experience of the interview room tend to stumble, mumble and panic when it comes to three particular questions.
So claims CNBC. It lists the top three most common tricky questions, and advice on how to answer them, in a recent article which we summarise for you below.
- ‘So, tell me about yourself…’
Interviewers may intend this opener as an icebreaker but it can often fluster job candidates. So be prepared to highlight your strengths and accomplishments. Point to what motivates you and how your passions and experience could bring value to your next role. Keep your response short (ideally under one minute).
- ‘What’s your biggest accomplishment?’
Job candidates tend to be either too humble in their answers, or somewhat inarticulate. The secret is being prepared and practising your response. Pick the biggest achievement of your career to date – whether it’s beating a sales target, giving a great presentation or organising a big event – and briefly explain the steps you took to get there. Be your own biggest cheerleader, quantifying where possible the value that your accomplishment brought to your business.
- ‘Can you explain this gap in your CV?’
There’s no need to be embarrassed by a gap in your CV. Many people take a year off to travel, care for loved ones, retrain or simply, in the context of the pandemic and burnout, for health and well-being reasons. So there’s no need to apologise. Just be honest and refer to new skills (including soft skills such as empathy and compassion), learnings, and improved balance that your break brought to you. Frame your explanation in positivity, ending with a comment about how you’re now ready to embrace work challenges and feel better equipped than ever.
ABL, your trusted recruitment partner, wishes you the best of luck nailing all your job interviews! If you’d like more advice on how to dazzle and impress your hiring manager or support finding your next job, please get in touch. The UK’s number one multilingual recruitment agency is, as ever, here to help!
