Ace Your Job Interview: How to Tackle the Questions That Matter Most

Interviewing for a new job can be an emotional rollercoaster. The excitement of new opportunities often goes hand-in-hand with the stress of meeting potential team members and the fear of rejection. The good news? If you’ve been invited to an interview, you’ve already made a strong impression on the hiring manager.

To help you feel confident walking into your next job interview, we asked our ALTRES leadership team to share their go-to interview questions, along with the reasons behind them. Knowing what questions hiring managers ask is important, but understanding why the question is being asked can give you the real advantage.

What excites you the most about the possibility of working with our team/company?

The answer usually reveals whether a candidate has done their research on our company and how accurate/realistic their information is. If the answer is very broad, it shows that they didn’t investigate anything, while strong answers demonstrate their ability to research and how they could be a valuable asset to our team.

If hired, what do you think the hardest part of this job may be?

A candidate’s response to this question can show whether they’ve considered challenging aspects about their new role and/or company. No job is perfect, and the answer to this question reveals if they’ve considered the pros and cons of their prospective role.

Tell me a little bit about your favorite job you’ve had? What are some of the things that helped make it so great?

This question typically unlocks some insight into the candidate’s past and what is most important to them at work (team culture, individual impact, collaboration, leadership and development opportunities, etc). Over time, this also helps hiring managers build a stronger understanding of what workplace characteristics help a company stand out as a great place to work.

Who is someone – personally or professionally – that stands out in your life and why?

A candidate’s response to this question often highlights the challenges they’ve faced, reveals aspects of their character, and helps hiring managers better understand them on a deeper level beyond their resume.

What did you dislike the most about your last job?

Asking people to talk about something negative, when they are expecting to talk about what they are good at throws them off. Understanding what someone strongly disliked about their last job can help hiring managers identify if they would be a good fit for the team. This question also prompts further discussion of the position to help set realistic expectations on their end as well.

How do you handle pressure or tight deadlines?

Many of our departments work under tight deadlines, so this question allows us to understand how candidates deal with them and what steps they take if a deadline is missed.

Tell me about a time where you have made a mistake and how you handled it?

By asking this question, hiring managers can see if a candidate demonstrates honesty, accountability, and ownership of their work. It shows if they can accept responsibility for their actions and if they are willing to grow and learn from every experience.

Take a deep breath, practice how you might answer questions, be aware of things not to say, and go rock your interview! Once it’s over, check out these tips to learn about the best way to follow up after an interview and make a strong impression.