11. ”What is your greatest weakness?”
In an evaluation of your weaknesses, don’t be tempted to provide “false weaknesses” such “I’m a perfectionist”. Demonstrate you are honest, self-aware, and willing to improve. The key lies in how you frame your weaknesses. For example: you could talk about how you are shy, but that in the past you decided to take theatre or public speaking classes to overcome it.
Feel free to read our article
« Talking about your strengths and weaknesses » to learn how to be more impactful.
12. ”How do you explain this long gap in your resume/CV?”
Gap years are more popular in some cultures than others, and more respected. Whatever the reason for the gap in your resume, explain how it was productive and added value to the professional that you are today: for example, you volunteered, took a training course, learnt key transferable skills etc.
13. ”How do you receive criticism?”
You could answer this question by saying that you always interpret criticism as advice on how to improve yourself, and that you never take it personally. Make sure to give examples to back this up.
14. ”What are your salary expectations?”
If you feel stressed or under pressure, you risk asking for lower than you deserve, or saying something which might harm your prospects in future negotiations around renumeration. To aid your research, look on websites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, and go in with an informed idea of the average salaries for your role in the industry in question.
15. ”Are you more of a leader or a follower?”
Despite this type of question being slightly outdated now (recruiters have finally understood that personality is not black and white!) try providing some nuance in your answer by emphasising your flexibility and adaptability. For example: in this circumstance, I worked in my group to make collective decisions (teamwork), but in other circumstances (e.g. an internship with a boss with a strong personality) I recognised it was more beneficial to be flexible and listen.
Right, now you know what the most common interview questions asked by recruiters are, go and ace that job interview! And don’t forget the essentials: once you’ve done the preparation, simply
be honest with the recruiter and have confidence in yourself. Good luck!