“Tell Me About Yourself:” The 25 Toughest Interview Questions (and tips on how to answer them!)

Posted by Administrator

April 6, 2006

This list of interview questions is a handy reference for job search interview advice, whether you’re an interviewer or a job candidate.

Personally, I don’t like these interview questions much. But, as a job candidate you should be prepared to answer them effectively.

Among the 25 most difficult interview questions are the following:

“Tell me about yourself.”

Keep your answer very brief, as this is usually a warm-up question. Answer carefully, though, because it can set the tone for the rest of the interview. Quickly recap your early years, education, work history, and emphasize recent career experience.

“Why do you want to work for us?”

Be honest and specific. You need to have done your homework. Emphasize what you like about the organization, and how your goals are similar, or how the company will allow you to utilize your best talents. If you need to concoct a reason why you’d want to work for them, then you probably shouldn’t bother interviewing.

“How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?”

Be realistic in your answer. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

“What important trends do you see in our industry?”

Be prepared with two or three trends — technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands — to illustrate how well you understand your industry and the direction in which your business is heading.