Interviews can be strange, but what if you were so prepared it didn’t matter?
Your future depends on your interview performance, so you’ll need to manage through the strangeness with loads of preparation. At times even that won’t help, but most of the time it gives you a baseline to power through those awkward interview moments.
There are two main components of preparing for any interview. The first is to research the company ad nauseam, and the research checklist covers that. The second is to research yourself with the same diligence.
These questions will help you with the second part.
“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”
— Albert Einstein
1. Describe Your Ideal Job
This question gauges your ambition, so give it some thought.
2. Tell Me About the Best Boss You’ve Ever Had
Why is this person admirable? If you disparage all your bosses, that’s a bad sign.
Think about how you like to be managed. What works for you and what doesn’t? Describe the style your best boss brought to the organization and why it worked for you.
3. If You Could Have Anyone Mentor You, Who Would It Be?
- Why did you pick them?
- What exactly do you think they’d help you with?
- What would they say to you?
- What would they remind you to do?
- What would they tell you to stop doing?
4. If Your Greatest Talent Was Taken from You, Would Anyone Notice?
If your greatest talent is closing big deals and you couldn’t do that anymore, I would hope it wouldn’t go unnoticed.
On the other hand, if your greatest talent is getting people to get along and you’re not the sales manager, it might not be enough to keep your quota-producing sales job.
5. How Resilient Are You?
This is an important one. If you can’t take feedback, get bogged down by critical clients, or deflate when you lose a “sure thing,” you’ll need to work on your resilience.
You should be able to provide at least one or two examples of times your resilience paid off.
- What results did you achieve that you wouldn’t have if you’d given up?
- What circumstances have challenged your ability to bounce back?
- What obstacles that were once insurmountable are now easy for you?
6. How Have You Struggled to Embrace Change?
It’s human nature to resist change until you decide you must adapt or face the consequences.
- How has change changed you?
- How has it impacted your career?
- What are you doing today that you weren’t doing two years ago?
- How have you adapted in the last 12 months?
- How has your attitude played a part in your ability to adapt?
7. What Five Habits Contribute to Your Success?
After all, we are our habits, both good and bad.
- What do you do that helps you be successful?
- What bad habits have you given up and replaced with better ones?
- How has this impacted your life?
- Are there habits you’re working on implementing this year?
Get the Wheels in Motion
These questions are by no means exhaustive, but they should get you thinking about your achievements, how you work with others, and your strengths. You can use your answers to respond to a wide variety of questions that surface in the interview process, including the greatest-weakness classic.
And keep in mind, it’s important to cite specific examples in interviews rather than talk about general circumstances. The self-knowledge pays off beyond interviews too, because knowing what you’re good at is how you pick the right job in the first place. Self-research done, company research next: the interview preparation guide covers both.
