There are questions that employers commonly ask at job interviews and it’s important to be prepared to respond to any interview questions.

You don’t need to memorize an answer, but do think about what you’re going to say, so you’re not put on the spot during the job interview. The Campus Times brings you some tips on how to answer these questions.

Tips on job interview questions and answers.

Describe yourself. 

When asked to describe yourself, the  interviewer is not looking for a 10-minute dissertation. Instead, offer a razor sharp sentence or two that set the stage for further discussion and sets you apart from your competitors.

Give them “your synopsis about you” answer, specifically your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Known as a personal branding or a value-added statement, the USP is a succinct, one-sentence description of who you are, your biggest strength and the major benefit that a company will derive from this strength.

Here is an example of a Unique Selling Proposition: “I’m a seasoned Retail Manager strong in developing training programs and loss prevention techniques that have resulted in revenue savings of over $2.3Million for (employer’s name) during the past 11 years.”

Are you the best person for this job? Why?

The best way to respond is to give concrete examples of why your skills and accomplishments make you the best candidate for the job.

Take a few moments to compare the job description with your abilities, as well as mentioning what you have accomplished in your other positions. Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company and the position.

How much do you expect to get paid?

Be patient and  do your best not to bring up compensation until the employer makes you an offer, tell them that the salary will depend on the position and the overall compensation package.

Or tell the employer you’d like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job before discussing salary package.

What did you like or dislike about your previous job?

When you’re asked what don’t like about your previous job, don’t be too negative. The reason is that you don’t want the interviewer to think that you’ll speak negatively about the new job or the company when you’re ready to move on, if you get this job. Rather, it makes sense to talk about yourself and what you’re looking for in a new role.

What can you contribute to this company?

A typical interview question to discover how hiring you would benefit the company is “What can you contribute to this company?”

The best way to answer questions about your contributions to the company is to give examples of what you have accomplished in the past, and to relate them to what you can achieve in the future.

Describe specific examples of how effective you have been in your other positions, change you have implemented, and goals you have achieved. Talk about the depth and breadth of related experience that you have.

What is your greatest weakness?

When you’re asked what your greatest weakness is there are several ways you can answer, including mentioning skills that aren’t critical for the job, skills you have improved on, and turning a negative into a positive.

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