Career Tips
Top Interviews Questions
The 14 Most Common
Questions Asked in
an Interview
When you receive a call or mail that you have been shortlisted for an interview, it’s a great opportunity
for you to pave your way to getting hired. The company you applied to has seen potential in you and
would like to meet you, to get to know you. While you’ve done your research on the company and what
they expect, you also need to prepare for the general interview questions.
Even though you’ve answered many of these questions before, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on solid
answers and think of new or recent ways to illustrate your point.
1. Tell us about yourself.
2. What is your greatest strength?
3. What is your greatest weakness?
4.Why do you want to work here?
5. Why are you the right fit for this role?
6.Why do you intend to leave your current role?
7. How do you handle pressure?
CV Tips
Have you fallen into the trap of sending the same CV and/or application letter for each job you see advertised?
Find out why should you NEVER send the same CV twice and boost your chances of application success.
1. Instant rejection
Employers can easily spot when a CV has been re-used and often instantly reject such applications. Employers spend time and effort producing job descriptions that provide information on the type of skills and experience they need. If you choose to ignore the job description and send an old CV you run the risk that your application will be instantly rejected.
For tips on how to properly plan a job search check our article: How to plan a job search
2. Suitability for the job
Many employers use a scoring system to grade applications. Applicants score points when they meet one of the requirements stipulated in the job advertisement. Applicants with the most points are then invited to interview. If you send the same CV and cover letter without showing how you meet the requirements listed in the job advertisement you will struggle to score sufficient points in order to be invited to interviews.
Learn how you can improve your application score at: Understanding job requirements
3. Updated skills, experiences and achievements
As the saying goes – you learn something new every day. By sending the same CV and cover letter you could be failing to include information on your latest skills and experience. You could also be repeating mistakes made in other applications. It is important to learn from and improve on every application you make.
For fast and effective tips on how to improve your CV read our article: 5 ways to refresh a CV
4. Lack of effort
Employers like to see that some effort has gone into an application. A person who puts effort into their application is more likely to be the type of person who puts effort into their work. Similarly, a person who cuts corners appears as the type of person who will cut corners at work. Always ensure that you do some research before applying and make it clear why you are suitable for each job and organisation.
Discover why you need to put lots of effort into each application at: 5 ways to stand out from the Crowd
5. Incorrect contact information
If you are sending out the same CV you may forget that some of your contact details have changed. So even if your CV gets shortlisted the employer would be unable to contact you. Make sure that you check your contact details are up to date before submitting each CV and cover letter.