Key questions to ask from the onset of receiving an interview invite are understanding what the interview process is that the company follows. This could be different depending on the job role, department, and company. Some companies may take up to even 4 interviews (or more) which may include assessments, using varied interview formats and types: an individual interview (one on one), group interview (involves multiple candidates that applied for the same role being interviewed at the same time in a group setting), panel interview (you are interviewed by multiple people in one session) or serial interviews (2 or more interviews on the same day, could be with different sets of people). The interview styles or combinations can present as any of the below:

• A telephonic interview with HR as a general overview.

• An interview to understand fit - your personality and skillset. May include HR or other individuals that are involved in interviews within the company.

• An extensive role based interview with the person you may be reporting to or the Head of the department.

• An assessment, case study or practical test, especially for technology-based roles or Myers Briggs or other personality assessments.

Research is going to be an imperative process leading up to an interview, take the 5W and H approach - Who, What, Why, When, Where, How, to cover the below research areas and even in the interview itself.

• Research about the job role - is this a new role to you or you are familiar with the responsibilities outlined? Are you up to date with tools and skills that are used within the role, especially those that were in the job role specification?

• Research about the industry - are you pivoting into a new industry sector, does it have regulations you need to be aware of? Are you up to date with the latest developments in the industry?

• Research about the company - what is the structure of the company, business divisions, service or product offering, vision and strategy? Who are its competitors? How well is the company currently performing and has been over the recent years?

The interview questions will cover part of or all of these areas, including specific questions about yourself. The starting point for getting this information is the beloved Google (news articles and publications), for company-specific details, the company website and other credible platforms such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor & Indeed as well as the company’s social media pages. The advantage of Glassdoor and Indeed is that you can see details regarding current or previous employees’ experience working at the company, questions asked in interviews, the interview process, salary ranges, and benefits.

Interview Types

In interviews, it is absolutely crucial to listen carefully to the question, and don’t be quick to answer without understanding what has been asked of you. Take a moment to think and reflect before answering. Often, interview questions are worded or phrased differently, but the underlying information they want to know is the same. Do remember, an answer to a question can lead to a follow-up question based on your response. Similarly, you may uncover questions you want to ask the interviewer (which you do not always have to wait until the end of the interview to ask).

BEHAVIORAL - How one acts and conducts themselves based on a scenario. This showcases your soft skills - communication, teamwork, problem-solving, etc. The STAR method is how one should approach answering these questions - Situation, Task, Action and Result: Typical questions include:

• Describe a time you successfully delegated tasks to your team?

• What is the biggest or most important decision you have made in your life so far?

• What is a challenge you have experienced in your work and how did you overcome it?

• Give an example of a time you had to manage multiple responsibilities at the same?

• What is your proudest accomplishment and why?

• Describe a time when you saw a problem or a difficult situation at work and how you addressed it?

• What is your ideal working environment and team structure / Do you prefer working independently or on a team?

• What type of people do you not like working with?

What is your thinking process? How do you act in different situations and with people? This is how the interviewer can pick up traits and characteristics to see your fit for the role.  Some of the valued skillsets presently sought after especially with remote working are adaptability/agility (quick to adjust to changing conditions) and autonomy (ability to work independently or self-sufficient).

COMPETENCY - One’s ability to complete a task successfully with measurable knowledge, skills etc, the hard skills. This will be tied to the job role, which may include case studies or assessments. Again, the STAR method can be used, but be sure to be specific and add measurable results e.g. I took initiative to support a colleague to ensure the 7 insights reports required were completed and provided to the Management Team a day in advance of the deadline.

• What new course/skill/training have you taken and how have you used it in your current role?

• Describe a project you worked on. What was your role and what did you achieve?

• Mention projects you have worked on that are relevant to this position?

• Why should we hire you for this role / what makes you the best candidate for this role?

• What will you do in the first week of the job?

• How will you add value in a week, a month, or 3 months?

• Have you gone out of your way to improve a system or process?

• Do you deal directly with clients and in what capacity?

• What technical skills do you have?

• What did you do to try and improve in your craft?

PERSONALITY - Qualities that form your character which may include values, interests and passions. If you want to find a way of framing this for an interview, take the 16 personalities test which may give you the language to articulate who you are. Be truthful whilst (if possible) showing how this can be a benefit for the role you applied for or the company.

• Tell me about yourself?

• How would your best friend describe you in one word?

• What are your strengths?

• What are your weaknesses and how do you work around them?

• What do you want to improve on?

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

• What are your values?

• What do you do in your spare time / what are your hobbies?

• What drives you?

• Why did you choose the degree/program you studied and at that institution?

• Do you intend on studying in the future?

• Paint a picture of your dream job, what would you be doing?

JOB ROLE & COMPANY BASED QUESTIONS

• What should we know that is not on your CV?

• Why did you apply for this position?

• Why would you like to work with our company?

• Which of our company values stand out to you?

• How does this position fit in with your long-term goals?

• Give a pitch of the company to us?

• Why do you want to leave your current role / current company? (regardless of the circumstances, do NOT smear or insult your current or previous employer, or manager).

• When can you start? (state your preferred date which includes whatever notice period you need to serve first).

• What is your current salary? (note you do NOT have to disclose this, you can rather answer by stating your salary expectations).

• What are your salary expectations? (be clear in your figure, is this Gross or Net salary? Inclusive of benefits i.e. Cost to Company?)

• Do you have any questions? (you need to have at least 1 question to ask the interviewer).

Think through the above questions and your answers to them. Practice with a mock interview with a friend or family and see how you can improve plus get your answers to be concise whilst ensuring you answer the question. Be sure to also have questions to ask the interviewer which can be regarding the role, team, department, company or company culture.

Giving the "right answer" does not necessarily mean you will get through to the next interview stage. How do you answer questions, is it too generic i.e. the typical answer that most candidates give? Have you lied or contradicted yourself along the way? Are you confident in what you are saying, sincere? What is your body language? You will need to learn to connect with the interviewer on a human level, then the interview will not end up feeling like an interview but rather a conversation, however, with yourself as the spotlight. In the end, may the right company give you the YES you deserve!

PS, here is a valuable resource for all types of interviews and preparing for them.