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The Small Truths Behind Interview Questions

Published by Espresso-Jobs, December 8th, 2016




Where do you see yourself in five years, what do you know about the company and why should we hire you?  Read on to find answers geared to commonly asked interview questions.
Interviews always entail a certain amount of questioning and stress.  How do you reply effectively? How do make yourself stand out? And, for that matter, where do I really see myself in ten years? Is it better to tell the truth or to sugar-coat it? To better prepare you for your interview, Job-Hunt  offers you informed responses to standard recruiting questions.



Where do you see yourself in five years?

Rich? Alone on a desert island? It doesn’t matter. In an interview, the answer that pops into your head is rarely the one that the employer is looking for. 

What this question means: The recruiter wants to know how you envision yourself within the company. Will you have new responsibilities? What will you have learned? Will you have taken on new duties? This question is a way of seeing how you picture yourself growing in the company and what motivates you professionally.


Why should we hire you?

There are two possibilities here: the first is that you have a huge ego and are convinced that you are the perfect person tor the job; the second is that you are not the kind of person to see yourself as better than others. This question presents a real challenge. What answer can you give to an employer without seeming presumptuous?

What this question means: The recruiter wants to know what qualities you have that correspond to the job description and to the ideal candidate. But more than that, they want to know if you are likely to be an asset to the company over the long term. Are you a great team player? Are you proactive? Will you make suggestions? Try to present three qualifications that will distinguish you and that are not necessarily among those originally specified.


What do you know about us?

Did you do your research work last night?

What this question means: The employer wants to find out how well you know the business, not just what you learned from reading the "about us" section on their website. If you are really interested in the company, you should get up to speed not only on what they do, but also on current events: try LinkedIn, Facebook, news updates on their website, learn about their top executives or latest high-ranking lawyer and so on.


What is your greatest weakness?

It isn’t easy to answer this question. 

What this question means: The idea here is to get away from presenting phony weaknesses like “I am too much of a perfectionist.” You should mention one of your real weaknesses, such as shyness, which was touched upon already, and detail your daily efforts to overcome it. No one is perfect, but a flexible candidate with the potential for growth will interest an employer more than one who considers perfectionism to be his or her only fault. Let’s play the game!