A job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience, but if you go in knowing what to expect and how to handle the questions you will inevitably be asked, the process can be slightly less painful. Giving strong interview answers can be the difference between getting hired and continuing your job search, so the first step in giving the best interview answers is to know what the questions are likely to be. Your interviewer is very likely to ask you about your past as an employee, your strengths, your weaknesses, and your goals for the future, so be sure you know what they are before having to describe them to someone else.
Be honest in your interview answers. When an employer asks you what your weaknesses are, be sure to pick a true weakness. The trick is to make sure you describe how you have been working to overcome that weakness. It is always a good idea to give examples, but be brief. Give a quick summation of the weakness, how you are working to overcome it, and how the strides you have made are affecting your life. Employers want to know they are hiring someone who is capable of self-evaluation and receptive to constructive criticism, so show them you are capable.
Be sure to research as much as you can about the job you are applying for, and the company you want to work for. Understand what the company is looking for in an employee and be sure your interview answers address the company's needs. When an interviewer asks questions, even if they are broad questions like, "Tell me about yourself," make sure your answers are tailored to the needs of the company. When the interviewer asks you about yourself, tell him or her aspects of your life that prepared you for this job and how events in your life have motivated you to choose this particular field.
Whenever you are asked a question with yes or no answers, be sure your interview answers provide examples rather than a simple yes or no. Employers want to hear why they should hire you, and saying yes or no does not give them a compelling reason. Telling them about a specific time in your life in which you overcame adversity with hard work and perseverance, however, will give them a better understanding of you and your work ethic. Even a yes or no question is an opportunity to showcase your talents, so do not be shy. Give the interviewer a great reason why he or she should hire you on the spot.
