By: Tine Santesson
It was her dream job, and, on paper, she was super qualified for it. But, during the interview when she was asked “what are your weaknesses?”, her mind went blank. She had no idea what to say. After a few ums, she managed to put an answer together, but she left the interview with a bad feeling. She didn’t get the job.
After the interview, Lone Rank, a chief advisor with Karriere og Erhverv, Djøf’s career-counselling office, sat down to talk with the woman. She was crestfallen, and she was kicking herself for not preparing herself to be able to answer a question she knew there was a good chance she would be asked.
In her work, Rank meets a lot of people for whom the thought of an impending job interview is unsettling.
“It happens to recent grads and people who have been working for most of their lives,” she says. “Even people who have a reputation for being big names in their field struggle. Being prepared pays off. A potential employer expects it, and it helps the interviewee relax.”
Practise your answers — out loud
It’s impossible to predict what an interviewer is going to ask. But there are a few questions that come up again and again that would do well to prepare for.
“Practise your answers,” she says “And don’t just repeat them to yourself in your head. You need to have practised saying them out loud. Use your mobile to record your answers, or have someone you know or us here at Djøf listen to you. Don’t stop until you’ve got your answers down pat.”
Rank gave us her list of the seven classic interview questions, as well as an explanation of why employers ask them and how you should answer.
Of course, not everyone will think they are all equally daunting, and, when it comes to answering, Rank underscores that there is no single correct answer.
And, in the event that you get a question that comes from way out of the blue, her advice is to take your time.
“If you need it, stall a little by saying something like ‘that’s a really good and important question.’ Use as much time as you need to think about how you should answer. In this case, taking some time to come up with a well thought-out answer is good. It shows you don’t just blurt out the first thing that comes into your head.”