Q: "So, tell me about yourself"

This question may be used to assess your personality, preparation, communication skills and ability to
think on your feet. Prepare a list of what you do (your current or last job), your strengths
(stick to job-focused skills), and a summary of your career trajectory,
linking your experience to the job at hand.

Q: "Why did you leave your last job?"

Respond positively — "...for better career advancement or promotion opportunities,
increased responsibility, more greater variety at work..."

Q: "Why do you want to do this job / work for this company?"

Demonstrate your knowledge of the company and re-emphasis your suitability for the position.

Q: "What do you think you have to offer this company?"

This is a chance to sing your own praises — concentrating on the skills you have
that are required for the position.

E.g. "I have strong sales skills, am a good team player and am very keen to be
involved in the new markets you are developing in the Asian region."

Q: "What do you think this position involves?"

This question is designed to reveal if you have thought about the position, done some research,
listened to the interviewer, and can summarize all of this information clearly.

Q: "What do you know about the company?"

Demonstrate your interest in the job, and your understanding of the organization and industry.
Talk about the research you did into the company's key areas of interest, its size,
its main customers or current status, making reference to your source of information.

Q: "Do you have any questions you would like to ask?"

Always prepare a question to ask the interviewer. Ask about the position, request clarification of general
information about the company, or summarise your understanding and request confirmation.
If they have already answered your questions tell them (be specific) so they know that you
 have thought about the position in preparing for the interview.

For example:

"What do you see as being the main focus of this role?"

"Am I correct in saying that the position involves mediating between A and B departments and
monitoring and developing new approaches to...?"

"I'd like to ask about the organisational structure... are the publications produced on a national
basis or individually by each regional office? How are budgets controlled and allocated?"

Q: "What do you believe are your key strengths?"

Prepare responses that give specific examples of your strengths at previous positions
that will support your job application.

Q: "What do you believe are your weaknesses?"

No-one readily admits real weaknesses in an interview situation. It is general knowledge that
this is an opportunity to turn the question into a positive. Think of something that relates to
your experience of work that is plausible as a weakness but is not really a negative point.
Eg; "I am very particular about detail", "I become very focussed on the projects I am involved in"

Q: "Why have you had so many jobs?"

If you have had jobs in different industries or several positions in a short period, describe the positives —
that you were learning new skills, following different career paths, and travelling overseas etc.
Refer to the experience you gained in past jobs that relates to the position under discussion.

Q: "What do you enjoy most about your current / last job?"

The trick with this question is to list what you have enjoyed about work that strongly relate to the key
competencies of the position in question, and mention that you are looking forward
to expanding your experience / scope in these areas.

Q: A question requesting confidential information about a previous employer

This may be a testing of your discretion and professionalism. It is best to reply that you would prefer
not to divulge any confidential information (sales figures, for instance), citing the fact that you are sure
 your interviewer would expect the same discretion from their employees.