By Melisa Marzett
Specialists in recruitment often ask applicants questions that are not directly related to professional activities. The reply to such a question can often depend on whether you are hired. But job seekers when answering these questions often confuse personnel recruiters. Here are ten such questions and recommendations on how to answer them.
1. Where are you able to see yourself in 3–10 years?
Standard reply:
You describe your future career development in detail, and show how much you strive for advancement.
In reality:
This is probably the most typical question, which, however, harbours several nuances. If you are a career person and you think that the above reply is a successful step on the way to a job offer, it is not. If you apply for a position where it is only possible to grow horizontally, you do not have to focus the attention of the interviewer on your professional ambitions. Far from it; everyone requires a leader, so look at yourself soberly from the outside: if you believe that moving up is a priority, then is it quite possible that you should forget this position and choose something else? Think, analyze, be honest with yourself and your employer, but do not forget to have a healthy amount of cunning.
2. Convince us why we should hire you.
Standard reply:
Because I am the best in this area!
In reality:
The question is clearly confusing if asked after you already have done a detailed self-presentation. There should be a few arguments left by your side that are not as much professional as psychological. At this moment, you can be smart and show in yourself those personality traits that are not displayed in the resume. For example, one of our candidates was successful when he answered: “Because I am dressed in the corporate colours of your company” or one more answer: “I am a master of sports in hockey and I can lead your corporate hockey team to the top.”
3. Tell us about your hobbies.
Standard reply:
Fishing, travelling, collecting.
In reality:
The question bewilders people who do not have any obvious hobbies. Are reading, travelling, or culinary exploits in the kitchen worthy hobbies that you are not ashamed to share with your employer? I believe that in order to speak confidently about your hobby, you need to study well the company, its values, philosophy, and views of the leaders. Otherwise, you can get into an awkward situation. For example, colourfully describing hunting, as your hobby, to a Greenpeace interviewer. If you do not know the company well enough, the answer about the hobby should be neutral.
4. Tell us about your parents.
Standard reply:
It has nothing to do with my professional skills.
In reality:
Many applicants overreact, perceiving the question as an invasion of privacy. However, since it is not uncommon, you need to be prepared for this turn of events. It is important to understand that in most cases the employer does not want to go wherever he is not asked – the question is aimed more at building your behaviour scenario. HR assesses which environment you are from, based on the theory that there is no future without the past. We advise as honestly and positively as possible, as far as your beliefs allow, telling your family tree.
5. Why do you want to work for us?
Standard reply:
I want something new.
In reality:
If you really dream about this work, then it will not be difficult to show your interest, prospects and loyalty. However, anything can happen in life: sometimes a candidate loses self-confidence because of a series of failures; or any work is urgently needed, so the main motivator is compensation, which is not supposed to be talked about. In this case, get ready for the interview and rehearse! It is a good idea to make inquiries about the company in advance and feel free to talk about its strengths that are of interest to you. It is important for the employer to see a confident and positive attitude, and to hear a clearly formulated answer.
6. Describe your biggest failure.
Standard reaction:
Confusion.
In reality:
Every person in his life has had difficulties; therefore, it is impossible to deny the possibility of failure. In addition, if such a question was asked, then it is necessary to honestly answer it, focusing on solving the problem and taking the situation out of the critical zone. We do not recommend hiding any facts from your biography, since 93% of recruiters, before making a final decision, collect recommendations from past managers and subordinates about candidates for the position.
7. How do you feel about social networks; how much time do you spend online?
Standard reaction:
Confusion and reflections on whether it will be possible to delete all your photos from social media before HR does an online search after the end of the meeting.
What to do:
Here it is necessary to emphasize that you clearly control the time spent on social networks and it has never affected the quality of your work. If you are a specialist whose work is built on the Internet (PR manager, journalist, recruiter, designer, and many others), then you need to focus on how you fulfill your obligations and what you have already achieved.
8. Do you have a good sense of humour? If yes, tell us a joke.
Standard reaction:
Confusion.
What to do:
If you have in mind a neutral joke, not tied to politics and vulgarity, you can share it; or show creativity and tell an interesting anecdote from working practice. The worthy response of a candidate who does that, despite the fact that it is not his profession to make people laugh, shows that he has a positive attitude and hopes to have the opportunity to prove himself already as an employee of the company.
9. What fruit do you associate our company with?
Standard reaction:
Confusion.
In reality:
It is difficult for a recruiter to evaluate a candidate if he is stressed and stays in obvious tension. Such questions sometimes help to shake up the interviewee and defuse the situation. It is impossible to prepare for them, but it will be easier for you to come up with an answer to the question if you understand why it is being asked.
10. Would you continue working for us if we stopped paying you?
Finally, an interesting story from colleagues. The client with reference to a lack of motivation rejected several successful and eligible candidates. After a brief investigation, we found out that all of them were asked: “Will you continue to work for us if we stop paying you money?” Our candidates answered “yes,” believing that this was the expected answer. However, the employer – a serious international vendor – wanted to find people who were focused and knew their worth.
Summing up, I hasten to note that the most important thing to be remembered during the job interview is benevolence, a positive attitude, and interest in the meeting that is being held – whether or not the conversation would seem to be connected with the future work.