Getting ready to answer the recruiter’s questions
Certain questions commonly come up in interviews. They are indicative of the recruiter’s main objectives. Learn to identify expectations and give the best answers.
What the recruiter seeks to evaluate
If you have what it takes for the job, of course! They will be asking various questions to learn more about what you would bring to the position.
Your motivation
- Are you truly interested in the company?
- Will you be able to be productive?
- Will you stay in the position for a while?
Your interpersonal skills
- Will you be able to be part of the team? Or will you be a difficult employee?
- Will you be able to represent the company? Handle clients appropriately?
Your know-how
- Do you have the knowledge and experience to meet the challenges involved in this position?
- Will you be able to meet and sometimes even exceed objectives?
- Will be able to do this immediately or will you need training?
Your ability to use good judgement
In various situations, some problematic, will you be able to properly assess the situation and make the right decisions?
How do recruiters evaluate you?
By asking you a wide range of questions. Each one helps them to obtain information on at least one, if not several, of the items listed above.
- Typical questions “Tell me about yourself. Tell me about your strengths.”
- Situational questions “Explain how you would act in this scenario.”
- Behaviour questions “Describe a time when...”
- Questions about your knowledge and opinions. Example: “What are the major issues that a Quebec SME faces?”
- Surprising questions used to measure your creativity and your ability to make connections or handle an unexpected situation. Examples: “If you were an animal...?” “In your opinion, how many ping-pong balls can fit into this room?” “How many cars are there in the United States?”
Your turn
You need to arrive at the interview with important messages for the employer. These arguments will help you reassure them and show that you are the best person for the job.
You must prepare in advance to meet this challenge.
- During the conversation, make sure to smile and maintain eye contact with each person asking you questions.
- Always keep in mind the position and the employer’s requirements when you’re answering. If you talk about your great customer service skills, make sure this is actually a requirement for the job. Otherwise you will miss an opportunity to emphasize what matters to the recruiter.
- Avoid being too general. You need to show that you are what you claim. Back up your words with solid examples. Don’t just tell them you’re a leader. Tell them, for example, about a time when you demonstrated leadership to meet a challenge. Use the CAR (context – action – result) technique to describe your experience more clearly.
- Answer questions within 2 to 3 minutes – unless you are asked to say more about a particular topic.
- You don’t have to tell them everything. Focus on talking about what likely matters to the employer, what they like.
- You can choose not to answer any questions you think are inappropriate. But be sure to think about the image you are projecting.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if you did not hear or understand a question. You can also ask them to repeat a question if you get lost in your answers.
- Don’t lie. However, you do not have to tell them the parts that could reflect poorly on you (e.g. a major conflict you had with a co-worker).
- An interview is not the place to talk about problems you’ve had in the past. This excludes questions that ask you to explain a time when you successfully solved a problem. Never depreciate your former employers or colleagues.
When a recruiter asks this question, they’re evaluating:
- if you are a strong candidate and a good match for the position
- your motivation
- your ability to structure your answers (logic and ability to summarize).
How to answer
- Avoid going into too much detail. Don’t take more than three minutes to answer a question.
- Only talk about what is related to the position you’re applying for.
- Concentrate on your relevant training, experience, skills and accomplishments.
- You can explain how you became interested in this career, this field.
- Use the past-present-future formula:
- What you've done
- Where you’re at now
- How you see yourself in the future
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Why do you want to work for our company?
The recruiter is primarily looking to determine if you are truly interested in the company. This is because your interest in the company will have a real impact on your productivity and how long you stay at your job.
How to answer
- Show what you know about the company and the challenges it faces. The information you have gathered from meeting with other professionals could be useful at this juncture.
- Make links between the company’s needs and your skills. Always talk about the company's needs first.
- Avoid giving vague answers. Give concrete answers! Example: “I can bring a wide range of skills to your SME. In a large company, I would likely be limited to one type of action.”
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What are your career objectives?
The recruiter wants to know where you see yourself in the future and if you have already thought about this. They are trying to see if you want to commit to the company in the long term.
How to answer
- Show that your goals are compatible with the company’s needs.
- You do not have to say that you would like to have managerial responsibilities, especially if it is not really what you want. Rather, you can talk about your interest in taking on various roles or greater responsibility.
- Read the LinkedIn profiles of professionals who work for the company and have held that position in the past. Their backgrounds might give you ideas and help you answer this question.
- Show that you are an ambitious yet stable employee.
- Do not tell your interviewer that you want their job.
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What are some of your weaknesses?
This question is aimed at evaluating your ability to demonstrate judgement, self-awareness and a desire to improve.
How to answer
- Choose a weakness that is not related to the requirements of the position. For example, if they are looking for someone who is diplomatic, it is best not to advertise your tendency to be impulsive!
- Talk about the past. “I was a bit too reserved” or “I was uncomfortable with public speaking.”
- Explain the concrete steps you have taken to correct this weakness. “I joined a Toastmasters club” or “I made sure to choose classes that would require me to give presentations...”
- Add nuance to your statements by using terms such as “sometimes,” “occasionally,” “from time to time” and “a bit.”
- Avoid words like “never,” “always,” “very” and “extremely.”
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What role do you usually play on a team?
The employer wants to asses:
- Your interpersonal skills
- Your ability to be part of a team
- Your compatibility with other people on the team
How to answer
- Show how important teamwork is to you.
- Emphasize your ability to maintain good working relations.
- Specify the role that you play on a team, for example, if you are the one who initiates, coordinates, analyzes, advances ideas, or supports other members.
- Give concrete examples! Try to remember how you effectively coordinated, analyzed, supported, etc.
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What are your salary expectations?
Employers ask this question to see if you will be interested in working for the company and stay in a position for a while.
How to answer
- Do your research before the interview. There are several resources.
- Based on your research, you can come up with a salary range (e.g. between $X and $X ). Limit your range to Can $10,000. (e.g. between Can $40,000 and $50,000).
- Otherwise, give a mid-range number (e.g. $45,000). Say that you will consider a salary starting at that amount.
Your interviewer is trying to find out if:
- you’re the most compatible candidate for the position and the existing team
- you’re motivated
- you understand the company’s needs.
How to answer
- Explain what you understand about the company’s needs and how you can meet them.
- Stick to your main arguments.
- Focus on what sets you apart from other candidates.
- Keep it short (no longer than 2 minutes).
Other questions to prepare
Always keep our general advice in mind when you prepare your answers to these questions.
- What are your strengths?
- What do you expect from your next boss?
- What would your former co-workers tell me about you?
- What are your most important achievements?
- Of what accomplishments are you the most proud?
- Describe your management style.
- Why did you leave company X?
- What will you do to improve our operations?
- What hurts your productivity in a work environment?
Questions about behaviour and scenarios
With these questions, the recruiter hopes to assess your behaviours and how you react to problems. Will you be a part of the solution or the problem?
Behaviour questions
You are asked to describe a time when you demonstrated skills that are key to this position. Examples:
Tell me about a situation in which one of your clients said they were dissatisfied. How did you handle it?
Tell me about a situation in which you encountered a major obstacle in your work. Did you manage to overcome it? If yes, how?
Simulation exercises
The recruiter describes a scenario and asks how you would react to it, what choice you would make and the actions you would take. Examples:
You are working on a team project and one of your co-workers does not want to cooperate. What would you do to resolve the problem?
If I let you manage the company for a day, what would you do?
How to answer
- For behavioural questions, use the CAR technique. Describe the context, the actions taken and the results obtained.
- In a simulation, there is no one right answer. It all depends on how you perceive the problem, analyze the information and recommend solutions.
- Ideally, your answer will show that you have the skills the employer said they are seeking in the job posting: analytical, tactful and diplomatic, creative, for example
- Be sure to avoid vague answers, such as:
- “I would meet the challenge and in the end we’d win the contract.” Instead, explain the concrete actions you would take to win it.
- “I would speak with my co-worker.” Your interviewer will expect you to tell them how the conversation would sound—what you would say to your co-worker, the questions you would ask him and the solutions you would propose.
Need help?
Career Management Services offers many individual services and workshops to help you prepare your job interviews.
