A job interview is your chance to make an impression as a candidate.
Do you often struggle with answering interview questions?
You’re not alone. From nerves to not knowing how to respond to a certain interview question, many job seekers face the same problem.
The good news is, nailing interview questions can be a lot easier if you have example answers to practice. Today’s article shares the best interview answers to help you ace your next job interview.
How Do You Give Good Interview Answers?
Through interviews, the hiring manager gets to know you beyond the resume. They can evaluate your suitability for the job and how well you fit into the team.
A job interview also allows you to share in-depth details about your skills/experience while learning more about the company.
Giving good interview answers is the key to unlocking these aspects. Here’s how to optimize your responses:
- Speak Clearly: Make sure your voice is stable and your pronunciation is clear and correct. Speak at a loud enough volume, taking care not to talk too fast or too slow.
- Take Your Time: Think about your answer for a few seconds before talking. This helps minimize stuttering and reduces the instances of “ah”s, “um”s, and “like”s.
- Provide Data to Your Statements: Whenever possible, back up your statements with proof. Did you raise your previous company’s revenue by 40 percent within three quarters? Provide a sheet with the numbers to support your claim.
- Listen Carefully: Active listening helps you provide the best responses and build rapport with the interviewer. It also prevents miscommunication between the interviewer and the job candidate.
- Do Your Preparation Beforehand: Take time to prepare for the interview beforehand. Researching the company, looking up common interview questions, and brushing up on relevant skills are a few interview prep examples.
Questions With Examples of the Best Interview Answers
A guideline to build your responses off will help you impress hiring managers and achieve a successful interview.
Here are the most common questions interviewers ask with a sample answer for each:
Basic Interview Questions and Answers
What Is Your Biggest Strength?
One of my biggest strengths is my adaptability to change. In my previous company, there was a management reconstruction mid-year. I managed to successfully adjust to the new workflow and ended the year with a 10-percent increase in sales numbers.
Why Should I Hire You?
It’s an exciting time for “company name” and I’d love to be a part of its growth. I’m qualified for fulfilling the position’s responsibilities and I’m capable of delivering actionable results. I’ve worked with many colleagues over my experience and I’m confident I’ll fit right in with the team and the culture here.
How Did You Hear About This Opening?
I found out about this position through LinkedIn as I’ve been actively following the company for a few months. It’s one of my career goals to contribute to the work you’re doing here.
What Is Your Biggest Weakness?
My biggest weakness is sensing when my teammates are overwhelmed with their workload. I’m trying to work on it by conducting bi-weekly check-ins.
What Is Your Greatest Achievement Work-Wise?
The professional achievement I’m most proud of is going from an intern to a team manager in under two years in my previous company.
What Sort of Work Environment Do You Thrive In?
My ideal work environment is a fast-paced one that revolves around teamwork. It allows me to constantly expand my knowledge and take on new challenges.
How Do You Motivate Yourself?
My biggest motivation is witnessing my and my team’s efforts turn into actionable results that make a difference in the lives of people. Remembering my effect makes me want to work harder.
How Do You Handle Work Stress?
While I don’t enjoy working under stress, I’m very good at it. I treat pressure as a challenge that drives me to up my game to conquer it.
Do You Prefer Working Alone or With a Team?
While I don’t mind working alone, I perform best when working as part of a team. Results are always better with everyone focusing on what they excel in.
Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
The time felt right as I reached a point where I wasn’t being challenged anymore. I learned a lot from my previous job, but I currently want to experience more growth.
How Do You Handle Conflict With Coworkers?
I do my best to remain calm and listen carefully to my colleague’s problems. I then share my opinion and work with them to reach a suitable compromise.
Where Do You Want to Be In Five Years?
I’d like to be in a senior management position to serve my long-term career goal of becoming a partner.
Unique Interview Questions and Answers
What Is a Pet Peeve of Yours?
It irks me when the workspace is excessively disorganized. I frequently found that disorganization disrupts the workflow, causes confusion, and leads to errors.
What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?
I’d start by paying off my student debt and then I’d buy my parents their dream house. I’d keep working since I love this field, but I’d buy a second car so my partner and I won’t have to share.
What Is Your Spirit Animal?
My spirit animal is also my favorite; a dolphin. It’s a quick learner, demonstrates high emotional intelligence, and has a knack for problem-solving. It also loves interacting with others, which are all traits that resonate with me.
Do You Work Smart or Work Hard?
I find that combining both approaches offers the most satisfactory results. I work smart to figure out the most efficient solution and then work hard to get the job done right.
What Would You Do to Get To Know Your Colleagues?
I make sure to introduce myself on the first day and follow my colleagues on LinkedIn. I also invite them to have lunch together during break and occasionally suggest going out for drinks after the workday.
What Superpower Would You Choose?
I’d choose the ability to fly. I love new experiences and challenges, which I’m sure flying would grant me loads of.
What Do You Admire Most About Yourself?
What I admire most about myself is my ability to adjust. I embrace change and treat it as an opportunity to learn.
Who Is Your Role Model?
My role model is my mother. She’s excellent at multitasking and possesses superb communication skills. She’s always involved in several projects at a time but never makes us feel like she’s not around.
What Do You Think Is the First Impression You Make on Others?
Several people have told me their first impression of me was that I’m punctual and dedicated. I do respect time and make sure to always be on time, whether professionally or personally. I also pour 100 percent of my focus into whatever task I’m currently doing.
What’s the Last Gift You Gave Someone?
I know that my brother is interested in space and astronomy. I got a friend of mine who’s an astronomer to figure out the exact locations of stars, planets, and the moon on the day my brother was born.
How to Answer Interview Questions Confidently
The way you deliver responses is as important as knowing what to say.
Answering interview questions confidently helps you come across as professional, proficient, and memorable. Here’s how to do it:
1. Make Eye Contact
Eye contact is a crucial nonverbal communication tool for conveying confidence.
Your demeanor during the job interview is no less significant than the words you vocalize.
Be sure to make regular eye contact with the hiring manager while listening to and answering a question.
2. Prepare Beforehand
Preparation plays a huge role in feeling confident when answering any question.
It helps you feel more in control because you’ve already familiarized yourself with various aspects of the interview process.
Interview preparation features multiple practices, including:
- Researching the company culture, history, and vision
- Familiarizing yourself with the company’s executives (names and positions)
- Looking up the current average salary for the position
- Brushing up on job-related skills
- Pinpointing your selling points
- Study the job description
3. Take Your Time Before Answering
Answering with confidence doesn’t mean answering fast.
Blurting out a response rarely makes you look knowledgeable; chances are you’ll make a mistake and look unprofessional.
This is why it’s important to take a few moments to think about what you’ll say before vocalizing the answer. Practicing how to effectively pause between thoughts can be of great help in this aspect.
Take care not to wait for too long before responding. You don’t want to frustrate the hiring manager or come across as slow.
4. Try to Enjoy the Process
You’ll appear more natural and act more confident when you’re not nervous or scared. Look at the job interview as an experience that you should try and enjoy.
Go in with a positive mindset and a friendly attitude. Arrive early, watch something funny before the interview, and remind yourself of your motivation for landing this job.
Wrapping Up
No hiring system is complete without an interview process.
Today’s guide offers examples of the best interview answers to help you deliver great responses to questions from hiring managers.
As always, leave a comment if you have any questions.
Once you tweak your answers to unique and common job interview questions, be sure to practice your delivery as well.
You want to come across as confident, professional, and eloquent, so prepare yourself beforehand and take your time before answering.
