Common Questions

Suggested Response

1. Tell us about yourself.

• Don’t ramble and tell the story of your life.
• Sell what is unique about you.” This includes a short description of you, your strengths and the benefits you bring the company.
• Don’t give a shopping list of skills. Lead with your strongest skill and put a monetary value on it.
• Example: “I am a proven security industry professional, strong in identifying risks & managing crises. Over the last 10 years this has resulted in savings of $2M for my last employer.” 

2. Why did you apply for the job?

• Show your passion/interest in the type of work
• Summarize skills, qualifications & experience
• Talk in employers’ terms about how you can help them achieve their business goals

3. What do you think this job entails?

• Summarize KRA’s (key result areas)
• Give examples of challenges you might face and how you will overcome them.

4. Describe your last role.

• Summarize responsibilities.
• Emphasize achievements.
• Sell transferrable skills. Identify the skill used in your last role. Connect it to what’s needed in the new job.

5. Why did you leave your last role?

• Never “badmouth” your last employer
• Give a simple answer and focus on the future
• Example: “I am interested in a new challenge and the opportunity to use my skills.”

6. If you were made redundant.

• Example: “I outlasted several downsizings but the last one included me. It’s a sign of the competitive market these days.”

7. If you were fired.

• Example: “A new manager came in and re-organized by bringing in members of his old team.”
• Example. “I always get on well with my supervisors, but this was the exception.”

8. What challenges did you face in your last job?

• Give specific examples.
• Describe how you resolved the problem.
•  Think about the challenges you might face in the new job and be prepared to give examples.

9. What did you find least rewarding in your last job?

• Ensure your response is not a part of your new job.
• Be aware of the duties/responsibilities in the job you are applying for and emphasize the positive.
• Example: Nothing really stands. I enjoy being busy and challenged. What I really enjoyed was …”

10. Describe your management style

• Accurately describe the size of the teams you have managed and the type of work processes you managed.

11. How would you describe the pace at which you work?

• Most employers prefer staff that work at a steady pace. Faster is not necessarily better.
• Example: “I usually work at a steady pace and finish ahead of deadline.”

12. How do you handle stress & pressure?

• Give examples of how you have handled stressful situations in your last role.
• Example: “I prioritize my responsibilities and focus on the most important task. This is the best way to manage high pressure situations, rather than just reacting to stress.”

13. What motivates you?

• This question is designed to help the interviewer understand the key to your success.
• Consider in advance what actually does motivate you and give examples.

14. What are the more difficult decisions to make at work?

• This is a behavioural interview question designed to discover how you handle certain situations.
• Give examples of the problem you faced and how you dealt with it.

15. If you are overqualified for the job.

• This is just as problematic as not enough experience.
• Consider “dumbing- down” your resume.
• Example: “I can hit the ground running and need little training or supervision.”
• Example: Although I have worked at a higher level, this position is exactly what I am looking for. You offer the chance to achieve balance between family and a challenging job.”
• Example: “My family has grown up and I am no longer interested in titles and salaries. I like to keep busy in an area that I love.

16. If you do not have enough experience for the job

• Give an example of the skill needed and how you learned about it at university or how you used the skill in a different work context i.e. volunteer work or community service.
• Read about the skill/experience you are lacking in, prior to interview and then discuss at interview.
• Give examples from your last job to show how you overcame a lack of experience and were able to pick up new skills.

17. Money Questions

• Remuneration is generally disclosed in the advertisement, at interview or by reference to an Award. You should also have a feel for your market value and industry rates.
• It is generally considered a No-No to ask about money at interview. However if you must ask, do it politely and by reference to wider conditions. Ask for a “guide to the salary and conditions.”

18. Do you have any questions you want to ask us

• This can be the most important question of all. It’s your chance to show you understand the job.
• Example: “If I get this job, what do you see as my top priority on day one?”
• Example: “How is success measured and rewarded in this company?”
• Example: “What are the company’s growth plans in the future?”
• Example: “What are the next steps in the recruitment process?”

19. Closing the Interview

• If you want the position, ask for the job or the next interview if it’s required.

20. After the Interview

• Send a thank you email to the interviewer and reconfirm your interest in the job. They will want to talk to you before they go back to the employer.

21. References

• If references are requested in the job advertisement, you must give them.
• If you are supplying them at interview, make sure you write them up and put your name on the paper to identify who they belong to.
• The appropriate format is: name, job title, company, work phone number and a short description of your relationship to the referee.