Good Answers to Interview Questions

by darrell
(Philippines)

I'm looking for some good answers to interview questions. I have a job interview coming up, and I'd like some help answering a couple of interview questions. Can you give me some tips on answering these two questions:

What can you contribute to this company?
What is your weaknesess?

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Lisa's Answer to Good Answers to Interview Questions

Those are two very common job interview questions, and they both make people nervous. I won't give you a word-for-word, scripted answer to those interview questions to repeat to an employer. First of all, I don't know enough about your skills, and second, your answer will sound most sincere when you come up with your own words.

I will, however, give you some good guidelines regarding the kinds of things that are good to talk about when answering these questions, some things you should never say, and I'll give you a sample answer for each job interview question that will give you some of inspiration when you're thinking about your own best answers to those questions.

Also, it helps a lot to understand why the employer is asking a specific question, so I'll get into that a bit too.

What is Your Greatest Weakness?

Why do employers ask this question?

• They want to determine if there are any issues or concerns that might prevent you from doing a good job.
  
• They want to know if you have a good understanding of yourself and are able to deal with problems as they arise.

Two things you should never say when answering this question:

1. Never say, "I have no weaknesses."
Everyone has weaknesses, so that answer either sounds insincere (I have weaknesses, but I'm certainly not going to tell you about any of them), or it sounds arrogant (I don't have any weaknesses; I'm not about to take direction from you).

2. Never say, "I'm a perfectionist."
While some people are perfectionists, and that can be a weakness, this answer is a bad answer to this job interview question because it is completely over-used. Too many people have been given the bad advice that they should answer this question in this way.

If an employer interviews 10 people, it's very likely that 9 people will say, "I'm a perfectionist." when answering this question. The employer then thinks, "I've heard that one before." This answer just sounds completely insincere to an employer who has already heard it many times.

What you should say:

Tell the employer about something that is/was a weakness and you did something about it to improve and ensure it would no longer be a weakness. Be sure to choose something that is not a skill that would be central to the job you are seeking.

There's nothing wrong with admitting to an employer you had a weakness as long as you show that you did something to improve upon that weakness. That kind of answer shows an employer that when you recognize a weakness in yourself, you make an effort to do something about it.

Sample Answer:

"I used to be very nervous about public speaking. I was fine speaking in small groups, but I avoided getting up to speak in front of large groups. So I decided to join the Toastmasters club. I was able to practice my public speaking a lot in this group. Not long after joining Toastmasters, my supervisor at my last job asked me to work on a new project that involved a lot of public speaking. I practiced and I consulted with a co-worker of mine who was very good at public speaking, and I was able to give several presentations that were very well received at work. I still get a bit nervous before I speak in front of a group, but I'm far more effective and confident with public speaking than I once was."

This answer highlights a common fear that many people have, public speaking, and it indicates that the interviewee took effective steps to improve upon that weakness. I'm not implying that this answer should be used by everyone. It's just a sample to give you some inspiration for developing your own answer to this question. It is very important to come up with your own, sincere answer to any job interview question.

Remember to choose a weakness that is not central to the requirements of the job. So, if you were interviewing for a job that required a lot of public speaking, this would not be the best answer to give (choose a different weakness). If, on the other hand, you were interviewing for a job that involved working on your own or in small groups, and you had taken those steps to improve your public speaking skills, this answer would make a great impression.

What Can You Contribute to This Company?

Why do employers ask this question?

• They want to hear more about your skills and experience as they relate to the job.
  
• They want to know if you have a good understanding of the requirements of the job and the needs of the company.

The most common mistake people make when answering this question:

People are often far too general when answering this question. They will use clichés such as, "I'm a team player." or "I'm a people person." Those answers are over-used and don't give employers any specific reasons why they should hire you.

What you should say:

Make sure your answer is very specific and addresses specific needs or interests of the company. The best way to do this is to do a little bit of company research before you go to the interview. That way you'll know what specific skills and experiences will be important to that employer.

Avoid simply listing adjectives. Saying, "I'm hard working, reliable and loyal" doesn't prove anything; you won't stand out from the competition with an answer like that. Back up your skills with proof.

Sample Answer:

Imagine you are interviewing for a job at a community resource center. You researched the company before your interview and discovered they were launching a new program for new immigrants. You have extensive experience working with new immigrants. Your answer could be something like this:

"I see that you are launching an important new program for new immigrants. At my last job, twenty percent of the clients I worked with were new immigrants. It is a client group that I truly enjoyed working with. I have a very good understanding of how to support newcomers through the challenges that they often face starting out in a new country, and I have an excellent knowledge of the community resources that are available for new immigrants in this city."

This answer shows the employer that you know a bit about his or her organization, and it also demonstrates that you have very specific skills, knowledge and experience that will benefit his or her organization and clients.

Again, it will be important for you to come up with your own, sincere answer to this job interview question based on the needs of the company and your own skills and experience. Be specific and give proof that demonstrates the assets that you'll bring to the company.