Whether this is your first job interview or you’ve done several already, you will probably find yourself with a case of nerves as it begins. And when anxiety strikes, your mind can go into full retreat. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared with answers to these interview questions, if you’re going to give yourself the best chance for a job offer, or at least a second interview.

Going into an interview unprepared for some of the most common interview questions will put you at a disadvantage. You want to give clear, well-thought-out answers to any of the interview questions, and while the interviewer might throw you one or two curve-balls, there will be some that come up at practically every interview.

Prepare for the following interview questions, and you’ll have more confidence and set yourself apart from the other candidates:

Question 1: Tell Me About Yourself

Almost every interview will start with this question, and the way you answer this question will make your first impression. Be ready for this one by rehearsing a reply of 3 or 4 sentences about your career path and how it led you to this interview.

Don’t go into much detail, and don’t begin by listing all of your accomplishments and sounding pretentious. Talk about your education, training, and experience briefly and stay away from bringing up your personal life. Remember to save some details for the interview questions that come after this one.

Question 2: Why Do You Want to Work For Us?

Hiring managers sometimes ask this question in an interview to find out what you already know about the company. That’s one good reason to research the company and its industry. You will be able to answer this question by pointing out the things you know and like about the company. You also show an employer that you care when you can talk about them because you took the time to do your research.

Question 3: Why Are You Looking for a Job?

This question helps interviewers eliminate individual candidates:

• Who just want any job
• Who have had many jobs
• Who were fired from their last job

Answer this interview question by focusing on the specifics and remaining positive. Never speak negatively about your previous employers!

Question 4: Why Should We Hire You?

Once again, stick with specifics and 2-3 examples to answer this interview question. Explain how the skills and experiences you have accumulated will benefit the company. Talk about a few of your accomplishments and how they might solve some of your new employer’s problems. When you give the interviewer specific examples of how you will help the company, you make it easier for him or her to picture you working there.

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