What are you proud to have accomplished¹ at your last job?

 

This question gives the interviewer the opportunity to learn your strengths. Simply saying: 'I increased social media engagement' isn't going to give your interviewer a sense of what you accomplished. Instead, tell them how you increased social media engagement for the company and why your help was valuable.

 

It's important to master the art of the humble² brag³ to make a good impression. Feeling proud of your accomplishments⁴ is fine. Endlessly discussing your value to the last company you worked for gives the impression you are arrogant⁵.

 

How would your previous manager describe you?

 

Why are you being asked? An interviewer will use this question to gauge⁶ how you see yourself in manager's eyes, and to determine how well you get along with management.

 

Remember, if you've given (or plan to give) your previous manager as a reference, the interviewer can confirm your answer to this question, so it's best to be as honest as possible. Talk about your attitude toward work, ability to work in a group and the positive aspects of your working relationship with your old manager. If you don't get along with your old manager, try not to let this influence your response, and instead talk about your role within your previous team.

 

Why are you looking to leave your current job?

 

The interviewer wants to know that you have clearly thought through your decision to leave your current job, and that you know what you want out of your next role.

 

Never use this question as an excuse to complain about your current or previous employer, as it will make you sound unprofessional! Instead, take the opportunity to explain areas in which you'd like to be more challenged, projects you haven't had the opportunity to work on, or simply elaborate on why this move is right for you at this time. Focus on the positive aspects of what else you have to offer professionally and how it fits within the role you're applying for.

 

Tell me about a time when you messed up at work. How did you fix your mistake?
 

Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone has the ability to quickly solve them on their own.

 

This question is not a trap. It's the employer's way of learning if you are able to fix your mistakes. Honestly talk about a mistake you made, but focus mainly on how you solved the problem.

 

Begin by saying: 'A time I messed up at work was when I gave a customer a quote that was considerably⁷ lower than it should have been. I realised my mistake and immediately told my boss about the situation. I knew the business was going to take a hit financially, so I offered to work longer hours until I had worked off the debt from my mistake.'

 

This answers the interviewer's question but focuses more on the positive parts of the mistake.

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