What Happens at the Job Interview

The job interview is the stage in which the interviewer asks the candidate questions to better understand their experience, professional profile, knowledge and interest in the company in question. It is also the time to ask questions about the professional’s résumé. Whether in a face-to-face format or by video call, this is the main objective.

What to wear at the job interview

A job interview is usually a formal conversation between the candidate and the interviewer. The basic rule of thumb is to choose the outfit you would wear on a meeting day if you worked at that company.

For conventional companies and banks, the tip is to opt for social clothing that makes you comfortable. Dress pants and shirt, for example, usually work.

For more modern and informal companies, you can change the dress pants for dark jeans, which are more neutral. That ripped denim look with a tank top might go down well for someone who already works at the company, but it’s not the best option for the interview. The best thing, in this case, is not to risk too much so as not to make a mistake.

How to behave during the job interview

Your attitude at the job interview is also important. Some simple tips that can make a difference are:

• Look the recruiter in the eyes. The idea, of course, is not to exaggerate, much less to “stare” at the person throughout the conversation. You need to convey credibility, so it’s important to maintain that eye contact especially when performing.
• Don’t cringe. In tense situations, it is natural for people to shrug or cross their arms. Prevent this from happening and try to sit up straight.

To learn more about how to behave at the interview, check out our post Beware of your posture at the job interview .

What are the Top Job Interview Questions

To better prepare you for this conversation, we’ve listed 25 questions that are very common in job interviews below – and, of course, how best to answer each one.

Understand that the idea is not to arrive with the answer ready and memorized, which can even harm your performance. The recommendation is to read the questions, understand what the interviewer wants to know with them, and how you can structure your speech to show that you are the ideal candidate for the position. Come on?

1. Can you talk a little bit about yourself?

It sounds simple, but talking about yourself at the job interview takes preparation. The recruiter doesn’t want you to report your entire resume at this time. It is best to choose two or three accomplishments or experiences that demonstrate how well suited you are for the job at hand. Before the interview, keep these examples fresh in your mind. It’s worth ending up by explaining how these experiences prepare you to take the job you’re vying for.

2. How did you find out about the vacancy?

This is an opportunity for you to stand out. If you heard about the job from a friend who works at the company, say his name and let him know how excited you were. If you discovered the opportunity on a site like VAGAS.com.br, tell what caught your attention in the ad and why you were so interested.

3. What do you know about the company?

It would be easy to just repeat what you read on the company’s “about us” page. If you try a little harder, however, you can score points with the interviewer. In this question, he wants to know how aligned you are with the company . A good way to respond is to show that you understand the company’s goals. It is even possible to use some keywords and phrases from the site, but you should add something personal. For example “I feel attracted to this mission because…” or “I really believe in this approach because…”. That makes all the difference.

4. Why do you want this job?

Companies want someone passionate about their work. To best answer this question, identify a few key factors that make the position a great fit for you (for example, “I love customer service because I enjoy interacting with other people and helping someone with a problem” ). You can also talk about the company. For example: “ I’ve always been passionate about education and I think you guys are doing amazing things, I want to be a part of that”. 

5. Why should we hire you?

Now is the time to show why you are the right person for the job. When answering, it’s important to show that you not only can get the job done, but that you are also capable of producing good results and that you are in line with the company’s culture.

6. What are your strengths?

The tip here is to talk about your true strengths – not the ones you think the recruiter wants to hear. Choose your strengths most relevant to the job and be very specific. For example, instead of saying you have “people skills“, say you have “persuasive communication” or are good at “building relationships”. Then give a real-life example of how you apply this feature in the professional environment.

7. What are your weaknesses?

The interviewer wants to assess your self-knowledge as well as your honesty, but that doesn’t mean you need to ruin your chances of getting the job. It is not the case, for example, to assume that you never meet deadlines. Much less is it time for you to sell yourself as the perfect professional. The interviewer knows very well that this does not exist. It is best to name points where you know you can improve and are working hard. Example? “ I’m not good at public speaking, I’m terrified of it, but I’m trying hard, I even volunteered to lead meetings and get used to speaking to a wider audience.” 

8. What is your greatest professional achievement?

A great way to answer this question is to use the STAR technique , which helps you organize your speech by providing concrete examples that show you have experience and skills for the job in question. STAR comes from:

• Situation ;
• Task ;
• Action ;
• Result .

In practice, you need to contextualize the situation (example: “ In my last job as a junior analyst, my role was to manage the billing process ”), describe what you actually did (the action) and what you achieved (the result) . For example, “ In one month, I simplified the process, which saved 10 hours of work per person per month and reduced invoice errors by 25%.”

9. Talk about a challenge or conflict you faced at work and how you handled it.

This is a very common question in competency interviews , in which the interviewer asks the candidate to tell real situations that he/she has already been through, that can show how he/she did to reach a challenging goal or solve a communication problem, for example. Again, you can use the Star method and focus the answer on how you handled the work situation. Ideally, of course, the story should have a happy ending.

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

In this question, it is important that you are honest and specific about your goals . However, it is necessary to consider that the interviewer wants to know:

• If you have set realistic expectations for your career;
• If you have ambition;
• Whether the position aligns with your growth goals.

An interesting way to structure the answer is to think about where the position might lead and build the answer by betting on that path. What if the position is not very aligned with your professional objective? You may say that you are not sure about the future, but you believe this experience can help you make the next decisions.

11. What is your dream job?

The interviewer wants to know if the position is really in line with their values and career goals. The best bet is to talk about your goals and ambitions, indicating why the job really matters to you.

12. Are you applying for positions from other companies?

The interviewer wants to know if you are sincere about your interest in the industry in which the company in question operates. The best thing here is to say that you are exploring some similar options in the same segment. It might also be interesting to say that a common feature of all the vacancies you are running for is the possibility of using some critical skills and abilities you have. For example, you might say “ I’m applying for a number of positions at IT consulting firms where I can analyze customer needs and translate that for development teams to look for solutions to technology issues ”.

13. Why are you leaving your current job?

This is actually one of the most difficult job interview questions to answer, but you can be prepared because it is very likely to come up at any given time. The main tip is not to say anything negative about your current or former employer. This is not the time to let off steam. It is best to show how excited you are to take advantage of new opportunities and how the position you are applying for is better suited to you than your current or previous position. For example, “I would really love to be a part of product development from beginning to end, and I know I would have that opportunity here” . If you were laid off from your job, just tell the truth: “ Unfortunately, I got laid off ”. It’s a totally OK answer.

14. Why were you fired?

The recruiting area is very small. So be honest in this answer. You don’t need to give details. If it’s possible to present the learning experience you had at the old job as an advantage for the next job, point to you.

15. What are you looking for in a new position?

This one is easier. Try to respond by citing exactly the points the job has to offer. Be very specific.

16. What kind of work environment do you prefer?

Again, the answer is in the vacancy announcement. The interviewer wants to know if you identify with the work environment of the company you are applying to

17. What is your management style?

Typically, companies look for managers who are leaders and, at the same time, flexible. It is interesting to provide some examples of your managerial performance – when you increased your team from 5 to 15 people or trained an underperforming employee to become the best salesperson in the company. He knows?

18. In what situation did you exercise leadership?

The best answer depends on the position you want to win. You might want to choose an example that demonstrates your project management skills, leading a project end-to-end, juggling multiple parts, for example. Or it may be better to cite a situation that shows your ability to confidently and effectively lead a team. And remember that details make a story real and memorable.

19. Did you ever disagree with a work decision? How was that?

The interviewer wants to see if you can productively and professionally disagree with the boss. The idea is not to speak ill of your boss or former boss, but to show that you can disagree with an idea to propose a better result or a more efficient relationship.

20. What would your boss and colleagues say you are?

Be honest and try to extract strengths and characteristics that you haven’t discussed in the interview. Work ethics or willingness to participate in other projects when necessary are good options.

21. Why is there a gap in your resume?

A gap in the resume can be bad, so it is important that it is explained well to the recruiter. If you’ve been unemployed for a while, it’s important to show that you’re not unemployed. Do you volunteer, take courses, blogs, teach? This is all important. If you’ve taken a break to study, travel, or care for a relative, focus on what you’re willing to do now. “I decided to take a break at the time, but today I am ready to contribute to this company in the following ways…”

22. Can you explain why you changed careers?

Explain why you made your decisions and show how past experience can be helpful in your new role. You might even surprise the interviewer if you show an unusual relationship between one career and another – something he hadn’t imagined before.

23. How do you handle pressures or stressful situations?

It’s best to choose an example that shows you can handle this while still meeting your goals. Explain how you organize yourself to stay productive and focused even in extreme situations. It’s worth sharing an example of a stressful situation that you’ve handled well.

24. How many tennis balls can you fit in a limo?

1,000? 10,000? 100,000? Really? “Nonsense” or “strange” questions sometimes pop up in conversation to investigate whether you understand what is being asked and how you organize your reasoning and logic in the answer. Take a deep breath and, if necessary, ask for a pen and paper.

25. Do you have any questions?

This is your chance to show your real interest in the company and also answer your questions. Keep in mind a few questions to ask at the interview . The ideal is to escape the obvious. A good idea is to focus on the company’s growth (“What can you tell me about the company’s growth plans? Are you preparing any product launches? ”).