The strong link: how to answer awkward interview questions. How long are you going to work in our company? What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?

15.09.2023

“How long are you going to work in our company?” - this is a question that almost all HR specialists ask during interviews. The most interesting thing is that the recruiters themselves do not agree on the significance of this issue. After all, they all know very well that during an interview a future employee says what they want to hear. Most often this question is asked with the aim of forcing someone to find the “correct” wording.

To find it, here are some tips:

There is no need to give exact dates

If you say without blinking an eye, “ 2 years 4 months and one week”, then the HR specialist will immediately ask: “Why exactly so much?” Answer " five years“You will also have to argue and tell the recruiter about your professional plans, if you have them. Otherwise he will think that you just read in a book that 5 years is the optimal period of work in the company. If, for example, you like the work schedule offered by this company because you will have time to pick up your child from kindergarten, and you would like to sit here until the children go to school, and then look for something more interesting and profitable, then you should not mention this at the interview. It is also unlikely that you will have many chances to get a job if you honestly report that you will quit in May, because you are used to spending the summer on an archaeological expedition.

Allowed to get smart

It is believed that in the first three months a person adapts to a new job, after another three months he begins his development in the company, and only after six months does full return begin. Therefore, it is not profitable for a company to hire a person for six months. And a decent answer: “ It's difficult to make long-term plans. I believe that I need a year to establish myself in this position. And then we'll see what the company can offer me.».

You can refuse to answer this question

In this case, you need to explain that too many factors influence your desire and ability to work for the company. Name these factors, setting the right priorities: professional and career growth, material compensation, corporate culture and its compliance with your personal aspirations, etc. Alternatively: “ I am interested in your company and would like to work for you for a long time. But not everything depends on my desire and diligence. Let's see what I can give to the company, what kind of career and professional development I will have».

Instructions for the applicant

the site surveyed applicants and found out which questions they considered the most inconvenient. It turned out that the most difficult thing is to talk about your shortcomings and imagine your professional future - in about five years. Let's figure out how to answer tricky questions from recruiters.

The most inconvenient questions for applicants (according to a survey site)

1. Tell us about yourself...

It is believed that with the help of this question you can find out about the candidate’s priorities in life: people first of all talk about what worries them most. Olga Bezumova, recruitment manager at the personnel agency “Planet of Personnel,” says that the employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies. Elena Volkova, head of the recruiting company ABC Consulting, advises telling about a little bit of everything: both about education and hobbies. According to Yulia Tartakovskaya, HR manager at the Vokrug Sveta group of companies, this question needs to be more specific: specify what exactly to talk about, your professional experience or something personal.

2. Tell us about your shortcomings...

The question is no longer original. You can show your sense of humor in response, but it is better to answer neutrally. “Of course, I have shortcomings, but they do not affect my work in any way,” advises Olga Bezumova. And don’t reveal real shortcomings under any pretext.

3. Tell us about your achievements...

Testing self-esteem and prudence. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your skills, and received a gold cup. The main thing is not to overdo it. Of course, not everyone can boast of super-achievement. If what is written above is not about you, say that in your previous place you mastered a new computer program or improved your level of a foreign language - this is also not bad.

4. Why did you leave your previous job?

The employer wants to know what you weren't happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one. Tell the truth. But keep in mind that it is highly inadvisable to refer to bad relationships with your former boss or colleagues. One more thing: before you refer to the lack of career growth and routine at the old place, make sure that everything is in order with career growth and interesting tasks in the new company. It’s better to talk about the desire to get more in the last place, as if by the way, they say, money is not the only reason for my employment. For some reason, many employers like to think that all good employees work more for the idea.

5. What salary are you applying for? (Name your desired minimum and maximum salary)

In other words, can the company buy you and keep you for some time? Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary. “The maximum is 30%,” adds Elena Volkova.

6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

The question can be very inconvenient if you are currently applying for one position, but in the future you see yourself as someone completely different. Or you have no idea what you will be doing in at least a year. Just imagine and answer at least for yourself. Well, for HR officers, the ideal answer would be that you want to continue working on the same path, grow as a professional and move up the career ladder (a little).

7. What do you know about our company?

The question is difficult only for the lazy. You need to know a minimum about the company, at least check out its website.

8. Why do you want to work with us?

Usually this is a continuation of the question “about our company” - an attempt to completely confuse the candidate and extract from him some secret reason for employment. It’s better to keep silent about money at first. Start from afar - flatter a little: the company has been on the market for many years, and this indicates stability (this is exactly what you need), the company is a revolutionary in the market (this is exactly what you need), it is interesting to work in such and such an area, you are satisfied with the position, responsibilities , the office location is convenient and the like.

9. How long do you plan to work with us?

That is, what are your goals and motives and how sincere you are. “To answer the question, I have to work a little and understand whether I like the team, whether the tasks I have to solve are interesting, whether the atmosphere in the team is close to me. If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial,” Yulia Tartakovskaya offers an answer.

10. How do you cope with heavy workloads?

Most likely you are being prepared for overtime. Ask a counter question: “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “heavy production loads.”

An interview is a very exciting and responsible event for every applicant. After all, how you present yourself during an interview with an employer determines its outcome and outcome, as well as your successful obtaining of the desired position. Interview questions can be completely different. Most candidates now usually prepare for interviews and actively collect information about the vacancy, research the company where the interview will be held and the questions asked during the interview.

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Based on their many years of practical experience in the field of personnel selection and comprehensive work with applicants, our specialists have prepared questions to be asked during a job interview. We tried to highlight the most common interview questions. These questions have been used for many years by HR professionals in various fields.
You will learn about what questions applicants are asked during interviews and how best to answer them. Job interview questions are constantly updated. We invite you to get acquainted with the most basic ones so that you can successfully pass the interview.

The most common interview questions

Question 1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Every interview begins with this question. You need to pay attention to important points: what kind of education you received, where you started
development of your career. Spend no more than 2-3 minutes on this story, going into detail about your functionality. Use phrases such as “our company”, “our department under my leadership”, etc. more often.

Question 2. Tell us what you did at your previous job.
Tell us about the responsibilities and achievements you had while working in your previous company. Don't say too much, only the most important and to the point.

Question 3. Why were you interested in the vacancy in our company?
The purpose of this question is whether you have good information about the company you came to for an interview. You can say that you have heard a lot about the company, how it is dynamically developing at the moment, and your professional experience can help it implement plans for further development.

Question 4. Why did you leave your previous job?

Briefly state the main reason for looking for a job. For example, this is an inconvenient location, lack of professional growth, change of management. Never scold or criticize your former leader or team, no matter how bad he was.

Question 5. What do you expect from your new job?
All applicants expect stability from a new job; this is the most important thing to say. If you dream of career growth and professional development, mention this in your dialogue with the employer. You can also note that you are looking forward to interesting and diverse work that will allow you to develop.

Question 6. What do you know about our company?

Before going for an interview, study information about the company. How many years has it existed, what is its number, and does it have branches and representative offices in Russian cities? Tell us everything you managed to find out about this company, only the most important and relevant.

Question 7. How do you imagine your first day at a new job?

This question, in fact, is not as simple as it seems. According to experts, this question is needed to find out who you are: a “process worker” or a “result worker.” “Process workers” are those who easily work with papers and documents, these are secretaries , office managers, accountants.
“Resulters” are focused on getting results. These specialists include sales managers, sales department heads, and HR managers.

Question 8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This question needs to be answered in a vague way, for example, you would like to eventually take a more responsible and serious position and have expanded functionality. Never say that you have plans to start your own business or start your own company.

Question 9. What attracts you to this position?

The answer must be reasoned and serious; answers such as “a desire to apply one’s experience,” “working for a market leading company,” “an opportunity to realize one’s professional skills in a new field” are possible.

Question 10. What is important to you in your work?
Tell us what kind of job you would like to get, what working conditions are optimal for you. Is your workplace, team atmosphere, social guarantees, etc. important to you?

Question 11. Which team is optimal for you?
Actually, this is not such a question as it seems. Very often, the candidate asks the recruiter a clarifying question about what he means. You can answer this way: “For me, a team where there is mutual assistance, help and support is optimal. My manager’s opinion about my work and a favorable atmosphere within the department are important to me.”

Question 12. Tell us about three successes and three failures in your professional activities.
Of course, you are a living person and prone to making mistakes, tell us about the 3 most significant mistakes. Mention that with experience you realized that you could have done things differently or avoided these mistakes. Tell us also about the most striking achievements in your professional career. This question has other modifications. You may also be asked whether you have made mistakes at work. This question must be answered in the affirmative. Yes, you have made mistakes, and with experience you try not to make them again.

Question 13. Tell us about your main strengths/weaknesses.
First you need to name your qualities that will help you cope with this job effectively. Never speak directly about your weaknesses. Build your answer better so as to shift the emphasis a little: when mentioning your shortcomings, supplement your answer with positive qualities that compensate for it.

Question 14. Why do you think that we should choose your candidacy?
Describe your advantages, emphasize your relevant work experience and your desire to develop, professionalism, and ability to perform your work efficiently and in a short time.

Question 15. How long do you plan to work in this position without advancement?
This question must be answered honestly, depending on what you expect from this organization. Any company is ready to consider a working employee for another, higher position in 2 years.

Question 16. What do you do in your free time?
Tell us about your hobbies, how you spend your days off, how you relax. Tell us that you like to read professional literature and are interested in active sports. This option is a win-win for any interview.

Question 17. What was the last book you read?
You may be asked about the last book you read or about the book you are currently reading. Or about your musical preferences, for example.
It is better that you answer immediately. This question is aimed at clarifying the candidate’s general level of development and desire for self-development. If you name one professional book and the other fiction, this will only be a plus for you.

Question 19. When can you start work?

If you need time to think about the employer's offer, say so. Notify your employer if you need to work 2 weeks at your previous job. If you like the proposal, you can say that you are ready to start working at any time.

Question 20. What questions do you have?

You should definitely ask questions to the interviewer. Ask about your responsibilities, the job itself, and the number of employees in the department. The question about career growth should be asked carefully; perhaps the position does not imply this or there is no opportunity for career growth in the company. Find out about motivation, social package, normalized working hours. You must be sure that when you start working you will not be disappointed in this company.

There are a lot of sample interview questions. We really hope that our article about what questions are asked during a job interview will help you prepare for the upcoming interview. You will learn how to answer interview questions and what you should pay special attention to.
We recommend preparing for each interview and studying information about the vacancy and company,
to which you were invited.

“How do you see your life and career in the next five years?”, “What is your main weakness?”, “Would you call yourself a team player?” - you probably had to answer at least one of these questions when you were interviewed for a job. But on the eve of the interview, it is important not only to know the questions that a potential employer may ask you, but to be able to answer them correctly. Of course, you can never know for sure what questions await you, but if you keep in mind a rough plan for answering the most common ones, the interview will be much more productive. Your ability to communicate, be confident, serious, resourceful and creative when required will, of course, be appreciated by the employer and may make the difference in whether or not you are successfully hired.

Below we offer you some questions most often asked to participants in competitions to fill a particular vacancy. After each question we provide an approximate answer plan. Take our recommendations into account and you will be able to feel more confident at the interview.

personal information

1. Tell us about yourself.

When answering such questions, limit yourself to details that in one way or another relate to your future work. You should not dive too deeply into the details of your personal life.

2. Tell us what you see as your dream job.

You should not name specific positions and specific responsibilities, otherwise more detailed questions may follow so that the employer can make sure that you really deserve the position you named. It’s better to limit yourself to descriptive constructions like “friendly team”, etc.

3. What weaknesses do you see in yourself?

You don’t need to immediately start listing your weak character traits. Be extremely focused and give examples of several “weaknesses” that are actually your strengths. Of course, here you will have to be creative to present your advantages under the guise of weaknesses. So, a good answer would be the phrase “I need some time to get ready for work, so I get up two hours before leaving the house.”

4. What are your strengths?

5. How do you feel about criticism addressed to you?

Criticism is the surest path to self-improvement. Talk about how you never take criticism too personally and always agree that a severe reprimand was necessary in a given situation. Give some examples of how criticism has helped you rise to a higher level and achieve something.

6. What do you do in life outside of work?

Talk about your favorite activities and try to connect them with opportunities to improve your skills and abilities that are useful at work.

7. Do you consider yourself a successful person?

There are no options here: feel free to answer “yes”. Being successful does not necessarily mean having control over the whole world. Tell us about those achievements of yours that you consider the most significant, if the time allotted for the interview allows.

previous employment

1. Why did you leave your last job?

The answer must certainly be positive. A phrase like “I just decided to find greener pastures” would do. In any case, connect your answer with the search for new opportunities and expansion of horizons. And although this may in fact be true, under no circumstances should you say that the reason you left your previous job was because of your irritable boss.

2. Why were you unemployed for so long?

Describe any useful activities that you carried out during this period: from advanced training in relevant courses to working as a freelancer or other ways to earn money without official employment.

3. How do your colleagues from previous jobs speak of you?

Limit yourself to ordinary compliments that you may have heard from your colleagues, and watch whether you are exaggerating.

This company

1. What do you know about what our company does?

Before the interview, be sure to study the company’s website inside and out, because this is the surest way to get reliable information about its activities. It's good if you know someone who already works or previously worked in this organization. Then you will be able to get more detailed information first-hand.

2. Why should we hire you?

Here we are talking about mutually beneficial cooperation. Convince your interlocutor that you need this job just as much as the company needs you. And under no circumstances compare yourself with other participants in the competition for this vacancy.

3. How long do you plan to work in our company?

Specific dates and time periods should not be mentioned. A good option would be a phrase like “as long as our cooperation is mutually beneficial.”

4. What do you expect from working in this company?

Say that you would like to get a little freedom, space for activity, that you do not welcome too narrow frameworks. However, clarity in setting goals is one of the important wishes for you.

Teamwork

1. Describe your style of management and interaction with the team.

Emphasize that you pay a lot of attention to communication with colleagues and subordinates, and will also try to do everything to ensure that there is always a comfortable atmosphere in the team.

2. Can you call yourself a team player?

And here the answer is definitely “yes”! If time permits, give a vivid example of how you, as part of a team, successfully implemented a particular project.

3. What role would you take on when working as a team on a project?

Present yourself as a flexible worker who is equally adept at following directions and being a leader.

4. What irritates you about your work colleagues?

No specific qualities or characteristics. Let your employer know that you can work well with any colleagues, building relationships with them based on tolerance and the constant search for compromises.

5. What traits would you like to see in your boss’s character?

And there are no specific characteristics here. Limit yourself to general phrases like “competent”, “honest”, “reliable”, etc.

Qualification

1. Why do you think you will be good at this job?

Emphasize your professional skills, work experience in your previous job, and your ability to resolve crisis situations. In short, you must convince the employer that you are exactly the person he needs.

2. Do you think that you are an overqualified employee for this position?

Try to convince your interlocutor that you are the best person for the job. The employer should not have any doubts due to the fact that you speak uncertainly. Your task is to create the impression that you are exactly the person this company needs.

3. How can you compensate for the lack of work experience?

Focus on your professional skills. If you just graduated from university, think about the projects and research that you successfully completed during your studies.

Principles

1. What is more important to you: the work itself or the salary (money)?

Balance is important here: both matter. You should not imagine yourself as too generous and selfless or, conversely, mercantile. Just point out that in addition to a good salary, you would like to receive moral satisfaction from your work.

2. Can you put the company's interests above your own?

Of course you can! This is a kind of test of how firmly you will “grow together” with the company and how responsible you will be.

3. What philosophy do you adhere to in your work?

No lengthy thoughts or praises. In a few words, outline the values and principles that are most significant to you, and also tell us about what you can bring to the team.

So, you have been invited for an interview. Do you really want to work in this position and are very afraid of not passing the selection? Then you need to gather all your willpower and prepare for the conversation: think about your clothing style and rehearse your speech, taking into account likely questions.

11 basic interview questions and smart answers to them can be found here. How to answer complex and non-standard questions to please the employer? What questions the recruiter will ask depends on what position the employee is being hired for, however, as a rule, there is a standard set of questions that are asked to all applicants, which will be discussed below.

Before conducting an interview, the employer usually invites the applicant to fill out a special questionnaire, a sample of which can be viewed.

Lately, situational questions have been very popular, when the employer describes the situation and asks the applicant to choose the correct behavior in this situation.

11 main interview questions with answers

1. How to answer the question - Tell us about yourself at the interview.

When answering this question and other questions from the interviewer, remain calm and speak in a confident tone. Tell us what will be important for the employer to hear: place of study and specialty, work experience, knowledge and skills, interest in this particular work and personal qualities - resistance to stress, learning ability, hard work. This point is discussed in more detail in, where an approximate story of the applicant about himself is given, as well as recommendations on how best to answer.

2. What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?

When answering the question why you left your previous job, do not talk about conflicts at your previous job and do not speak badly about your boss or colleagues. You may be suspected of conflict and inability to work in a team. It is better to remember the positive moments from past experience, and name the reason for leaving as the desire to fully realize your abilities, the desire to improve your professional level and pay.

3. How to answer the question - Why do you want to work for us?

Start with the positive aspects of the company's work - stability and a professional, well-coordinated team, interest in the field of activity, and then add what attracts you to the position and work schedule, proximity to home, decent wages.

4. Why do you think you are suitable for this position?

How to answer the question - why should we hire you? Here you must prove very clearly and convincingly that you are the best specialist in this field. Tell us about the work of the company and the industry in which you are going to work, do not hesitate to praise yourself, tell us about your achievements.

5. How should you answer a question about shortcomings at an interview?

The question of shortcomings is quite a tricky one. It’s not worth posting your disadvantages as best you can. Name such “disadvantages” that look more like advantages. For example: I’m picky about my work, I don’t know how to distance myself from work. And it’s best to say neutrally: I, like everyone else, have shortcomings, but they do not in any way affect my professional qualities.

6 secrets for a successful interview

6. What strengths do you have?

communication skills;
learning ability;
punctuality;
diligence.

These are standard examples of advantages that are included in almost every application; they do not carry any special significance for the employer, and do not distinguish the applicant from others in any way.

It is better to talk at an interview about professional advantages that will be useful and interesting to the employer:

I have experience in negotiations at various levels;
easily conclude important agreements and contracts;
I can organize my work day rationally, etc.

Such answers will attract attention and stand out among other answers.

7. What salary do you expect?

The services of a good specialist cannot be cheap. There is an option - name an amount higher than the average salary, or focus on the salary you received at your previous job and inflate it by 10 -15%. Stick to the golden mean, otherwise they may think that you are either a bad specialist or too ambitious.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

Persistent and purposeful people set long-term goals for themselves and plan their personal and career growth. If you haven't thought about this question yet, do so before your interview. Focus on your desire to work in the same company, but during this time climb the career ladder.

Do not hide your previous place of work; be prepared to give the phone numbers of former colleagues and managers. If, when answering this question, you hesitate or completely avoid answering, then the employer may believe that you want to avoid negative feedback.

10. Are you ready for professional workload?

The employer can hint at overtime in this way. In this case, ask how often they are possible: how many times a month or for how many hours. If you are ready for such conditions, then confirm your readiness for stress.

11. Do you have any additional questions?

It's time to find out the details of your future work: starting from the schedule and social networks. package, to the requirements for company employees. A person who does not ask questions after an interview shows disinterest. So there must be questions, and it is best to think through them in advance.