Interview Questions

Tips For Interview Preparation

At Southern Cross personnel, we value every candidate and are committed to understanding what you like and what you want in your new role, so that we can help you find the right job and achieve your career goal. The following are some frequently asked interview questions to give you some ideas and help you prepare for your upcoming interviews. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on tel: +61 (0) 8 8155 6025.

Frequently Asked Interview Questions

Make your strengths relevant to the role you are interviewing for. Give specific examples that will lend well to the role. For instance, if interviewing for a sales role, speak about your KPIs, targets, and specific sales achievements. Avoid cheating and describing a personality trait, but focus on a professional one. Instead of “I am really funny and make people laugh”, talk about being a team player and leader. In regards to answering what is your greatest weakness, keep it positive, and focus on the challenges you have overcome.

No knee-jerk reaction/response such as “because I need a job” or “I’m broke and need to start making money!” What the interviewer is actually doing here is trying to figure out if you are taking the opportunity seriously. Focus less on what you can get out of the experience, and more on what you have to offer the company.

Simple enough – why should they hire you instead of the other suitable candidates? Sell yourself on why you’re the perfect cultural fit, show off why you have the best combination of skills & experience, and how you deliver tangible results. Prove how you will be their new superstar employee, contributing to the company’s future success.

This is a favoured tactic for interviewers – behavioural questioning. They are looking to see how you handle stressful situations and how you prioritize tasks accordingly. This question helps them assess your approach to problem situations and make decisions for the betterment of those involved in the conflict.

It is easy to confuse this question, but they aren’t looking to understand your personality or likes/dislikes here; instead, they want to know how you work (i.e. autonomously or in a team).

The same thought process applies here as to the above question. They will want to know if you like being micromanaged or left to your own devices. If your preferred management style does not link up with how they manage, then chances are they might decide you are not the right fit.

It is important here that the employer gets an idea of what motivates you, and how that’ll impact them. What is your plan? How will you go about bettering yourself as an employee? Always tie this back to this job and the future with the company. What is your greatest achievement?

Keep your answer relevant to the role that you are applying for. This is another opportunity to showcase how your previous successes will lend themselves to future business successes with their company. Don’t use examples from your personal life, because the interviewee does not care.

Think about the position requirements when answering this question. In other words, who are they looking to hire? Good buzzwords include hard-working, determined, good planner, and professional, flexible, respectful.

Always ask questions, as they will mistake your silence for apathy: ask about the interview, the job, and the company itself. Some great questions to ask are: Why is this position open? When do you want to have it filled? How does this role fit as part of the whole company? Why do you like working here?

Also, don’t feel like you need to wait until the end to ask questions. If they fit in with the normal rhythm of the interview, it will make for a much more relaxed interview and help you build rapport.