The process of hiring begins with Screening. This is conducted to promote those candidates onto the second round that match the expectations of the business organization, possess requisite personality, and most importantly would fit in the culture of the company. Screening can also be considered the first round of selection, wherein the level of questions is not that deep. But, given the level of competition and shortage of places, it is necessary that you prepare hard for this round by reading lots of frequently asked interview questions.
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. Tell Me Something About Yourself.
This question marks the beginning of an interview session. Prepare your introductory speech, and make sure to cover your education, work experience, and extra-curricular activities.
Sample Answer
Sir, I am XYZ, from ABC City. I did my schooling at TYU School of Modern Education and pursued my graduation from IUOP Commerce College. Being a hard-working student, I got an opportunity during my college days to get interned with ABC Consultancy for a period of six months. Further, I am a vivid reader, and long side reading books, I love to explore the street markets with my friends and family members.
2. What Were The Various Roles That You Performed In Your Previous Organization?
Through this question, an interviewer wants to know what were the various tasks and duties that you performed in your previous employment or internship.
Sample Answer
Sir, I am a commerce graduate and was working at the position of Senior Accountant with my erstwhile employer. I used to perform several accounting-related tasks such as:
- Punching all the monetary transactions of the company into the accounting system maintained by the company
- Preparation of balance sheet, income statement, trial balance, and other ledger accounts
- Ensuring that the company has followed all the accounting practices while preparing its books and is compliant to the various applicable laws
3. How Satisfied Are You With The Team Culture Adopted By Different Business Organization?
It is common for business organizations nowadays to adopt and work in a team setup, wherein employees are divided into different teams on the basis of their education level, skillset, and nature of tasks to be performed. Answer this question positively, as most companies now follow the team mode of working.
Sample Answer
Sir, Team setup has not only increased the productivity of the employees but has also enhanced their overall satisfaction while working on the floor. In a team, employees are able to get instant guidance, support, and encouragement from the employees which act as a boon. I am a big fan of teamwork and am really up for it.
4. How Comfortable Are You With Technology, Especially Related To Software? Rate Yourself On A Scale Of One To Five.
It is common for companies in this digital age, to automate most of their processes or at least manage them using the software. Thus, you ought to have an active interest in technology and must be willing to learn it.
Sample Answer
Sir, the rapid development in technology, in the past couple of decades has not only amazed us but also made us believe in the impossible. It is unimaginable now to run a company without managing its different processes using various software. I am pretty much comfortable with computers and related technologies. Besides, I have even undertaken a 6-months advanced course in computer systems. Considering all these facts, I would like to rate myself with a 4.8
5. How Do You Manage Several Tasks, Which Need To Be Executed In A Single Day?
This question tests your prioritization technique using which you are able to arrange and order your tasks on a meaningful basis.
Sample Answer
Sir, in order to achieve my deadlines and complete my work in a time-bound manner, I arrange my tasks on the basis of time consumption. The tasks, which are tricky in nature and would require a higher time to complete, are ranked by me at the top, only to be followed by the tasks that require a lower completion time. This way, I am able to gain a psychological advantage and a decent comfort level that helps me in attaining my targets.
6. How Open Are You To Negative Feedback and Criticisms?
It is common to receive criticism at the workplace. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know your perception and approach to handling it.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is common for employees to feel offended and hurt when they receive criticisms and negative feedback from their seniors and bosses. However, that is not the case with me. I am very open to these criticisms and always aim to use them as a tool to improve my personal performance. I take all the feedbacks pretty seriously and never take them for granted.
7. Why Do You Want Work With Us?
Through this question, an interviewer wants to check your level of seriousness and commitment towards the business organization.
Sample Answer
Sir, being a decade-old business organization that has its clients spread across more than 14 countries and turnover ranging in billions of dollars, it would be an honor to be a part of the workforce of such a prestigious business organization. In addition to this, the company recently launched a green initiative that really impressed me. Moreover, I am a huge fan of the customer-centric policies adopted by the company that increases my inclination even more.
8. How Will You Handle A Disgruntled Customer Of Our Company?
Customers are the reason for the existence of every business. It is the priority of every enterprise to enhance their customer base and satisfy their customers using appropriate strategies and techniques. Answer this question as a representative of the company, and share a strategy using which you will handle such discontent customers.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is a common belief that happy and satisfied customers can only enable an organization to reach up its potential. If I ever face such a situation, I will, first of all, relax the customer, and would try to understand his problem using my active listening skills. Post this, I would use my critical approach to think analytically and devise customized solutions for them. There are high chances that the customer would agree to it.
9. Assume A Situation In Which You Were Insulted In Front Of Your Peers. How Will You React?
This is a situation reaction test in which you are presented with a negative situation. Maintain your body language, be positive and give a perfect reply.
Sample Answer
Sir, insult, embarrassment, or disparagement, are all mental issues, which can only disturb and hurt you from inside. There will absolutely be nothing on the outside, not even a single mark of injury. Thus, if we can strengthen our inner minds and enhance our emotional intelligence, we can overcome all such issues. Assuming myself in the middle of such a situation, I would calmly listen to the insult that I am receiving. I will not argue or revenge, rather, would try to hold my composure and rebuild my concentration level so that I am able to execute the pending tasks.
10. Where Do You See Yourself In the Next Five Years?
This is a common interview question, which checks on your level of aspirations and future planning.
Sample Answer
Sir, I believe in consistent growth and would like to see myself progress, over the course of the next five years. It won’t be rapid or overnight growth, but if I am able to work hard and achieve a level of consistency, I certainly have the ability to at least reach the middle-level management of the organization.
11. What Is the Importance of Planning From The Context of Business?
This question checks your views and perception of planning as a business tool. This is an important question and you must state all the advantages of planning in response to this question. Some common benefits include:
- Better preparation for the future
- Better decision making
- Readiness to meet unexpected circumstances, etc.
12. Describe Yourself In One Word.
This is a personality evaluating question, wherein you are required to summarize yourself into a single word. It is recommended that you choose a corporate-friendly word, such as hardworking, dedicated, innovative, detail-oriented, or loyal, etc., and justify your selection by narrating a real-time story that you experienced at your workplace.
13. Can You Work In Rotational Shifts?
This is a common interview question, and you can certainly expect it in the screening round. It is common for business organizations nowadays to work 24 hours a day, by enabling their employees to work in different shifts. By the term rotational shift, it means that your work timings won’t be fixed and can be changed as per the requirements of the company. This is a common expectation nowadays, and you are recommended to answer this question positively.
14. It Is The Policy Of The Company To Enter Into A Bond Of Three Years With Its Employees. If Selected, You Will Not Be Able To Make A Job Change Before Three Years. Are You Up For It?
In order to reduce their employee turnover rate and retain trained and honed employees, companies prefer to enter into a bond with their employees. It is expected that you will not change the company during the period of the bond, or else you will be required to compensate the company with a pre-decided sum of money. If you are really interested in working for the company, give a positive reply.
15. What Can You Offer Us That Someone Else Cannot?
This is a tricky interview question, which requires you to state your unique qualities and propositions that make you different from your peers and other candidates. Be specific, and never exaggerate. Moreover, always read the job description issued to you by your employer, and base your answer on the requisite qualities mentioned in it.
16. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
This is a common interview question, which is asked in almost all the interviews sessions held across the world. The best way to answer this question is by conducting deep scrutiny of your own personality and thereafter, noting a few prominent strengths and dominant weaknesses. Make sure that your strengths align with the qualities required for the job and your weaknesses do not conflict with them.
17. Failures and Mistakes Are A Part Of Life. How Do You Cope With Them?
Through this question, an interviewer wants to know what are the various techniques and strategies using which you are able to manage your failures. Positive pep talk, motivational classes, and meditation are the best ways to manage work-related failures.
18. How Much Relevance Do You Give To Achieving Deadlines?
It is common for business organizations to assign you several tasks that must be accomplished before the deadline. There is a huge relevance of completing your duties and tasks in time. Hence, always answer this question positively.
19. A Corporate Job Has Its Own Set of Challenges. How Do You Manage Your Stress Levels?
Stress management is a common expectation of the business organization. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know the various strategies and measures that you adopt to manage your stress levels. Meditation, Yoga, Deep breathing, and External counseling are some common stress management techniques.
20. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
There is nothing technical in this interview question, yet it can impact your selection chances. It is recommended that you always share a salary bracket, which is based upon the average salary that is offered in your industry. A deviation of 10-15% from the mean salary is largely acceptable.
21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
Be it the first round of an interview session, or be it the second one, you will certainly find this question towards the fag end. It is a common habit of the interviewers to end a session using this question, which requires you to share a few of your major doubts and apprehensions that you might be having in regards to the company. It is recommended that you always attempt this question, and a few relevant counter-questions, such as:
- What are the promotional aspects and development opportunities that are available in this company?
- Please share a list of all the incentives and allowances that are offered by the company to its employees.
- Is it the policy of the company to offer paid leaves to its employees, especially related to medical emergencies?
- How many rounds of selection are there, after this one?
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (for Screening interviews):
References
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42001-021-00138-4
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876285920305593
Sandeep Bhandari is the founder of PrepMyCareer.com website.
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