#HustleEveryday: The 4 most common job interview questions

MANILA, Philippines – If you’re seeking to get employed, chances are that the thought of your first huddle – the job interview – is just daunting. If only you had the power to predict the questions you’d be asked!

Not to worry – there are questions employers commonly ask of their prospective hires. To take the pressure off you a bit, anticipate, think through, and prepare for these four most common job interview questions employers often ask job applicants. 

“What qualities do you consider to be your strengths?” Okay, breathe easy. You don’t need to enumerate every award you received since preschool. HR often asks this to find out if you have the skills and qualities suited for the job and for their company. Do your due diligence: find out ahead of time what the job position requires and what the company is all about. Get straight to the point. You don’t need to mention your qualities and abilities that are not relevant to the job.

“What are your weaknesses and limitations?”  Be forthright and honest. As an employer, I prefer to learn ahead what an applicant’s challenges might be so that I can work around these if he or she gets hired. But it is a definite plus point if the applicant is also positive, proactive, and willing to learn and grow in his development areas.

“Tell me a time when you faced your hardest challenge.” Employers want to find out how you handle difficult situations and deal with pressure at work. They want to find out if you have what it takes! That is why, at this juncture, it would be helpful for you to talk in detail about your challenging experiences and the life lessons you took away with you from these tough times.

“Why should we hire you?” Frankly, I consider this one of the toughest questions. This is most likely your last opportunity in the interview to let yourself shine! The best way to do it is to summarize your answers to all the questions you were asked, highlighting your strengths that are relevant to the job and the goals of the company. You could also mention what skills you are looking forward to learning on the job once hired. Don’t be overly confident, but don’t waste this opportunity to showcase your strengths as well.

A job interview is no threat to the well-prepared applicant. Don’t let your nerves get the better of you. Be candid and be yourself in that next job interview. We’re rooting for you! – Rappler.com

Boris Joaquin is a top ranked corporate trainer, executive coach and consultant. He is an Investors in People (UK) specialist and co-founder of Breakthrough Leadership Management Consultancy which carries Salt and Light Ventures and founder of Project Purpose Philippines. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter @borisjoaquin