Mastering the art of securing jobs: Common interview questions and how to answer them

Cracking job interviews is a crucial aspect of career development, and it can be a daunting experience for many. Oftentimes, landing a job has to do with a mix of your professional qualifications and soft skills. But there’s another integral thing that decides your success in interviews. Spoiler alert: it’s what you say.

Job interviews can be of different types based on the nature of your role and your specific field or industry. Behavioural interviews, case interviews, technical interviews, off-site interviews, and competency-based interviews are a few examples of the types of interviews you might encounter in your job search. Recently, in correlation with the trend of working from home, most interviews have been telephonic or done via video call. In fact, research claims that virtual interviews might be here to stay well after Covid-19. While initial phone interviews might not last more than 20 minutes, face-to-face interviews are longer and more pervasive – lasting anywhere between 40 to 90 minutes. Most hiring processes include multiple levels/phases of interviews that you will need to qualify for in order to get the job.

Sometimes, no matter how qualified you are, a lacklustre interview performance could mean that you miss out on a great career opportunity. Interview questions can often be unpredictable, and the fear of not being able to answer them can add to the stress. Not knowing the basic do’s and don’ts of attending job interviews can further this anxiety.

While interview questions may differ according to your field, role, and employer, we’ve compiled a list of questions that are common across the board and how to answer them in a way that conveys confidence, communication skills, and outside-the-box thinking! If you’re a young professional who has migrated to the UAE to look for a new job or are desperately looking to switch existing jobs, click on the common interview questions below to learn how to stand out in interviews:

• How to best answer the interview question ‘Tell me about yourself’

• How to best answer the interview question ‘What is your greatest strength?’