If you can know in advance some of the key questions your job interviewer will likely ask you in an upcoming job interview, you can prepare to answer those questions in a thorough and knowledgeable manner, thusly impressing the interviewer and helping you to be more confident, and possibly landing a good job offer.

Below are a list of questions that history shows are questions frequently brought up in an interview situation. Please consider the questions and the suggested strategies for answering those questions.

"Tell me about yourself."

This question can be answered best by researching the company prior to the interview, then offer your answer in a way that emphasizes your experience and accomplishments in terms of the position to be filled and the goals of the company. Don't be modest and please do take credit for your own successes, as they relate to the company's goals. You can use this same question to your own end by asking it of the interviewer to get the interviewer talking about his own needs; do that by answering him, "I'll be happy to tell you about my qualifications, but there's so much to cover that I'd like to know more about the position and your company so I can answer more specifically." Then, depending upon what the interviewer says, you can modify your planned response to put even greater emphasis on relating your experience and qualifications to his requirements.

"What are your goals?"

This is a very popular question. For the interviewer, if the answer exhibits well-thought-out goals, it shows maturity and a commitment to your profession or business. Your goals should be both long range goals and short range goals and they should be in general alignment with the firm with which you are interviewing. Be ambitious with your answer, but be realistic.

"What is your greatest strength?"

Again, answer the question in terms of the position to be filled. Present your skills and experiences so that you state your greatest related strengths, and support your claims with illustrations of past accomplishments.

"What is your greatest weakness?"

This is a loaded question because negatives usually won't score pluses for you on the interviewer's evaluation sheet. Still, understanding one's areas of weakness shows maturity. Offer a job related minor shortcoming or a "positive-negative" such as, "I've been accused of being a workaholic." Or, "I've been kidded about being a perfectionist." Or that you are sometimes accused of being over organized.

"Why do you want to leave your job?"

Be sure you have a good answer to this question before going on an interview. Your reason for leaving a current or past job has to make sense and it should not come off sounding like it full of the sort of conflict one experiences in an episode of a soap opera. There are many good reasons people leave jobs. It might be because of corporate changes, lack of opportunity or recognition, insufficient authority, or unsatisfactory earnings. If appropriate, you might say, "I wasn't thinking of changing jobs. I'm not unhappy where I am, but I was told this was an opportunity worth discussing." If you were terminated, or are leaving because of a personality conflict, be very careful not to make negative statements about former employers or colleagues. Explain the situation as factually, simply and briefly as possible. Then to turn what might be a negative into a positive you might add, "Despite that problem, I really feel I learned a great deal in that job and from that company, and I'm sure I could put that experience to work for you effectively."

"What salary are you asking for?"

You should avoid discussing compensation on the first interview unless you're actually offered the job and want to accept it. If the interviewer asks specifically what your salary requirements are, your answer should be, "What I'm really looking for is the right career opportunity. I'm sure you'll make me a fair offer if you want to hire me." If you are pressed for a specific figure, describe your current compensation and then add, "I believe on the basis of what I've accomplished I'd be entitled to some increase, but I'd rather hear what you think I'm worth to your company."

The questions above are certainly not the only questions you will be asked in a job interview. But they count among the most frequently asked questions in job interviews. Understanding the point of these questions and having a strategy for answering them in a manner that will further your job interview goals goes a long way to increasing your odds of landing a solid career position.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCH