Hello there, my name is Richard McMunn from the interview training website, PassMyInterview.com.
And in this tutorial, I'm going to give you 8 SMART ANSWERS to common interview questions.
If you have a job interview coming up, please make sure you watch this tutorial fully from
beginning to end, because I promise to help make you the STANDOUT CANDIDATE. To achieve
that goal, this is what I will cover. I am going to give you 8 common interview questions
that I recommend you prepare for. I will then give you BRILLIANT ANSWERS to all of the eight
interview questions to help you PASS your job interview. I will explain why the answers
to the questions are SMART, and why they will impress any hiring manager. And then I will
also tell you about FURTHER RESOURCES you can get access to, to help you succeed. FOUR
strong reasons why you should watch this tutorial fully from beginning to end. Now, just very
quickly, a very warm welcome to this job interview skills training tutorial. My name is Richard
McMunn. That is me there on the left-hand side of the screen. I am a former firefighter
and I've been helping people to pass their job interviews for over 20 years. I always
do that by giving you TOP SCORING ANSWERS you cannot find anywhere else. Please make
sure you come and join the community here on YouTube. Make sure you CLICK THE SUBSCRIBE
BUTTON so you don't miss out! And I would also very much appreciate your support if
you GAVE THE VIDEO A LIKE. That tells me you enjoy the content and I will, therefore, create
more for you. Let's get into those 8 SMART ANSWERS to common interview questions. And
the first one is: Tell me about yourself? Now, this will be the very first interview
question asked. Therefore, it's easy for us to prepare an answer for it. Now, this is
an icebreaker interview question, and it's also a way for the Hiring Manager to assess
the skills and qualities that you have. In your response, show how you can ADD VALUE
to their company. Do not talk about what you get up to outside of work. Talk about the
skills and qualities and the experience you have that will add value to their company.
Let's take a look at a smart answer to this interview question. Here we go. “I am hard-working,
self-motivated and conscientious and I can also work either on my own or as part of a
team. When I read the job description for this role, I was pleased to see I already
have lots of transferrable skills, qualities and experience that will enable me to make
a positive difference to your team. For example, in my last role I was specifically responsible
for providing great customer service and it was also my responsibility to work as part
of a team with the other people in the department to solve any customer issues and answers product-related
questions. I believe I can ADD VALUE to your company because not only do I understand the
importance of working to high standards, but I can also be relied upon to learn things
quickly so I can then start contributing to the team objectives in super-fast time.”
So, you'll see that I'm VERY POSITIVE in my delivery to that job interview question. And
that is also quite an in-depth answer. And it is smart because it talks about the skills
and qualities you have that are a match for the job role. Let's move on to the next interview
question, and that is: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Hiring Managers and
Recruiters ask this interview question because they are investing time, money and resources
into your training. If you plan to leave their company any time soon, you will not get hired!
Let's take a look at a smart answer to this common interview question: Where do you see
yourself in five years’ time? “When I applied for this job I knew it was somewhere
I wanted to stay for a long period of time. Therefore, in 5 years’ time I see myself
as an integral part of your team - fully competent, experienced and also someone who contributes
positively to the team goals and the company vision. I also see myself as someone who could
be called upon to train new members of team, as and when they join in similar positions
to the one I will hopefully occupy.” That's a SMART ANSWER because it shows you are committed
to their company for the long term, and you are also willing to help out when needed.
The next interview question we want to work through is: What are your strengths? This
job interview question is being asked simply because the hiring manager wants to know you
have the SKILLS AND QUALITIES needed to get up and running in the job quickly. So, again,
let's take a look at a smart answer to this job interview question. Here we go. “I have
SIX STRENGTHS that will help me perform strongly in this role. These include CUSTOMER SERVICE
and COMMUNICATION skills. I will always treat your customers with respect and I will go
out of my way to listen to their needs and respond quickly. Other strengths include TEAMWORKING
capabilities and also an ability to WORK HARD UNDER PRESSURE. I feel I am at my best working
with others to achieve the goals of a business and I always remain calm, composed and measured
when trying to solve difficult situations. Finally, I have very good ATTENTION TO DETAILS
SKILLS, which means the I won’t make any mistakes and I will always look to IMPROVE
AND DEVELOP in my work.” That's a smart answer, because you are listing a set number
of strengths. Six in this case, and you are also explaining WHY each one of them will
ADD VALUE to their company. The next question. What's your biggest weakness? Now, whatever
weakness you do give, do not give one that is a MATCH for the person specification. Give
the interviewer a weakness that is ‘safe’ and also one that will not harm your chances
of getting hired. So again, let's take a look at a smart answer to this interview question.
“My biggest weakness is that I find it really difficult to say no to people, both in my
personal life and also at work. If people ask me for help, I will always say
“yes”. This means I can sometimes get overloaded with work, and I have to put in
additional hours to get everything completed. Having said that, I am someone who is aware
of my weakness, and I am learning to say “no” when it is not physically possible for me
to help out.” That is a smart answer, because the weakness shows you are a caring person
who wants to help out and you are also someone who will WORK HARD until all of your responsibilities
and duties are completed. The next question: Why do you want to leave your job? DO NOT,
under any circumstances be disrespectful of any of your previous employers, your managers
or your work colleagues! Always try to leave on good terms, regardless of what has happened.
Let's now take a look at another smart answer to this common job interview question. Here
we go. “I want to leave because I am ready for a new challenge with a different company
that has exciting and ambitious plans for the future. I have really enjoyed working
for company X, and I am grateful for the opportunity they gave me when I first started there. However,
it is time to move on and I am genuinely excited about the opportunity this new job role presents.”
What you need to do is change ‘Company X’ for your current or previous employer and
use that as a template to create your own strong, positive answer. That's a smart answer
because you are being positive and respectful of your previous employer, which in the eyes
of the hiring manager, shows you are a mature individual. The next question: Why should
we hire you? This is your CHANCE TO SHINE and also show the interviewer you are the
best candidate for the job. In your answer, explain how you are going to ADD VALUE to
their business. That is very, very important. So, again, let's take a look at a smart answer
to this job interview question. Here we go. “I understand you are interviewing many
talented people for this job. However, I think I am the BEST CANDIDATE because, number one,
I already have the necessary skills, the qualities and the experience to hit the ground running.
Number two, I am a POSITIVE PERSON who will work hard to help your business grow and thrive
every single day I am at work. And number three, I am a VERY FAST LEARNER, which means
I will be able to start making an impact quickly in the role. This, in turn, will ensure you’ll
see a POSITIVE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT in no time at all.” This is a smart answer
because you are giving THREE ATTRACTIVE REASONS why you are the best candidate, and all of
the reasons given in the answer are appealing to all Hiring Managers and recruiters. The
next question: How do you handle stress and pressure? Stress and pressure are increasing
aspects of all job roles nowadays. You have to work harder than ever before. In your answer,
explain the STEPS YOU WILL FOLLOW to handle stress. And also explain how you actually
EXCEL whilst working on the pressure. Let's take a look at a smart answer to this job
interview question: How do you handle stress and pressure? “First and foremost, I fully
appreciate stress and pressure are inevitable aspects of this job role, and I actually think
I work at my best when I am up against it. Having said that, I always make sure I am
organized in my work and I try to plan for every eventuality. This means the stress that
does come my way is reduced. Whenever I am under pressure, I always remain calm, I remember
to follow company policies, and always focus on the fact I am representing your company,
and therefore, I need to work to high standards and to a fast pace.” That is a smart answer
because the answer itself demonstrates that stress is not a problem for you, and you already
have a PLAN IN PLACE for dealing with it. It's a very good answer! The next question:
What are your salary expectations? This is a very difficult interview question to answer,
because on the one hand, you don't want to ask for too much. And on the other, you do
not want to appear desperate. So let's take a look at a smart answer to this interview
question: What are your salary expectations? Here we go. “I have conducted some research,
and the average salary within the industry for this specific job role is $20,000 to $27,000.
Although I genuinely think I am worth the higher salary of $27,000, I understand you
do not know me, and I need to prove to you my worth. On that basis, I would feel comfortable
with a salary of $24,500.” I have used that salary range just for an example. You know,
what you need to do is to have a look online for the AVERAGE SALARY within your industry,
and a good website to use is called Glassdoor.com, or Glassdoor.co.uk if you are in the UK. Have
a look for the average salary for the job that you are applying for, and then use that
as a template for your own answer! That is a smart response to that interview question
because this is a win-win salary for both of you… for both you and the hiring manager.
You are also being respectful and showing that you understand the position they are
in. They don't know you and they don't know how well you can work! So that's a great answer
to that question. If you would like to download my full set of 21 Great Answers to Tough Interview
Questions, CLICK THAT LINK in the top right-hand corner of the video. It takes you to my website,
PassMyInterview.com, and you can get instant access to all of the questions and answers
to help you pass your interview. I hope you've enjoyed that? I love making these videos for
you. PLEASE DO SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out and also HIT THE LIKE BUTTON - that tells
me you enjoy the content and I know it's worth my while creating the content for you. Have
a brilliant day, everybody, and I wish you all the best for passing your job interviews!
Thank you very much.