In a Forbes article, How To Ace The 50 Most Common Interview Questions, you can see for yourself how interview questions are almost set in a template. They are repeated to death and most probably with little variation.
In fact, I bet most of us can expect what type of questions we would probably receive before stepping into the interview room.
But that’s the problem.
Why so?
If you think and feel that the interviewer’s questions are so mundane and repetitive, stop right there.
What do you think about the answers they are have been receiving?
They would probably be thinking, why can’t interviewees be more creative with their answers?
How do you think they filter the potential hires from just another interview candidate?
The potential hires are the ones who stand out from the rest by replying the most boring interview questions with the most interesting answers!
So if you are bored by the questions, the chances are, unless you start getting creative with them, your answers are going to lose that edge and bore the interviewers as well.
Before we move on and talk about why do companies have to keep using a certain set of questions, unlike Google and other companies that love posing unusual and mind-boggling ones, it’s vital for you to understand where they are coming from.
The supposed most boring interview questions are meant to showcase the candidates’ reactions, personalities, thought processes, communication skills and how they communicate their beliefs, character, values, and most importantly, to show the prospective employer how they perform when faced with repetition, the mundane and when under pressure.
So, the key here is not to belittle these boring interview questions but for you to get creative.
How?
For instance, you must be used to the following 10 questions:
- Tell us about yourself.
- Tell us why we should employ you instead of someone else?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Tell us about a time you made a mistake.
- How do you handle stress?
- What can you contribute to our organization?
- Why are you looking for a new job?
- When can you start work?
- What questions do you have for us?
Now, ask yourself, how have you answered these questions?
One most valuable advice you may have heard would be, Facts Tell, Stories Sell.
So if you have been stuttering and stumbling over your answers, or regurgitating monotonously because you are so sick of answering the same questions, it’s time you rethink your strategy.
If you are not at least conveying excitement or conviction in what you are telling the interviewers, why should they be interested to listen to what you have to say?
So go ahead and prepare your interview questions, share your story because you believe in yourself and believe in it.
Add the facts into your story, be real, sincere and share your story with confidence and belief. This way, even the most boring questions can now be answered with your personal touch. Enough you to set you apart from the regular run of the mill answers.
Your job now at the interview is to become an engaging storyteller, selling your story to the employer who knows how to appreciate you best.
Facts tell, stories sell.
