Question. Tell me about yourself? - Answer. With this you don’t want to expand too much, you should describe the type of person you are within a few minutes. Talk about your positive qualities; link them to the job you are applying for. For example: “I mix well with other people – I like being part of a team” If they ask you what you are like out of work, you still want an answer which makes you ideal for the job. You could say: “I have lots of friends and enjoy social events or playing team games with them”. The idea is to give the qualities that you think they may want within your answer.

Question. What do you like about your current job? - Answer. Here you need to give the impression that you enjoy everything about it. Pick a few favourite parts of the job especially if they may fall part of the job you are applying for. Do not get drawn into giving details of aspects of your current job that you hate or dislike as it’s unlikely to help you be successful. You could say “ I’m lucky really there is nothing much I don’t like about my job” this may give rise to them asking you why you wish to leave and if so you could then expand on the positive aspects again. For example “I’m ready for a new challenge and i am hoping to do more of the things I enjoy from my current job in this new post” etc.

Question. Why do you want to leave your current job? - Answer. Again don’t focus on any negatives; they don’t want to know if you hate the boss or other staff etc. You could say for example “I think that I can widen my experience further and gain further job satisfaction in a new company” or “there aren’t many opportunities for me to develop my skills further where I am now”. 

Question. What’s your current manager like? - Answer. What they are looking for here is establishing if you show any employee loyalty. Never criticize any of your current managers; you should always be positive even if you absolutely can’t stand them. You could say “it’s nice to work for a manager that is very good at their job” and say no more. You are trying to give the impression that you are loyal to them and would also be to the new employer if they offered you the position. 

Question. What do you know about our Company? - Answer. With this type of question you can show your interest in them and how keen you are. Always keep it brief, you could say things like, “I noticed in the newspaper that you had…..” or “I know you’re a growing company with a great reputation in the industry”.  

Question. What is your biggest weakness? - Answer. Watch this one, your being invited to say something negative about yourself. Try to turn it positive such as “ I find it hard to stop in the middle of something, I would rather finish it and be late home even though my partner complains i am often late” or you could turn the question to a personal issue “ I hate household jobs, things around the home that need fixing I always leave to the last possible minute” or you could make reference to something that you used to do but have now improved “ A few years ago I would have said time management, but now i am very good at managing my time”. 

Question. How would your friends or colleagues describe you? - Answer. It’s a good idea pick out your strong points, perhaps add in loyalty or how much you support them. The Employer obviously wants to see if you can fit in with the other staff you would be working with if successful. If you like working in groups you could say you are popular with other staff, if you prefer to work alone you could say you one of the quieter members but like working with others. 

Question. Where do you see yourself in five years time? - Answer. Here the interviewer is looking to see if you have any drive and will keep offering increasing value to them. You could say “I’m hard working and would hope to progress with you” and “I find it far more rewarding to let the job lead you forward” You can answer these types of questions well providing you don’t give them specific positions or long term objectives that they can't possibly fulfil.