Don’t be, just be prepared.
In general, you’re already aware of the questions you’ll be asked at the interview, though some companies may opt to be a bit more creative with their questions. Those are the exception rather than the rule, however. Instead, most Human Resource Departments will opt for a standard set of five questions to gather vital information about you and how you’ll fit with the company.
Remember, their job is to find the right person for the company. Most important for you, however, is to do your research on the company you are interviewing for. This shows that you have done your due diligence and have taken the extra step to learn about the organization you wish to work for. Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer questions about the company, it conveys a heightened level of interest in your potential role.
1.Tell us about yourself.
This is less a question and more about adapting your resume to a succinct speech. You’re going to need to prioritize your background, skills and accomplishments and relate them to the position you’re applying for. Your resume should also be up to snuff for this, since it will essentially be your script. While there’s a good chance that your resume was good enough to get you this far, if you’re reading this and you have not been able to get that big interview, your resume may be the problem. We utilize a resume writer that is quite familiar with the travel industry.
2.What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
This is the question that always seems to come as a one-two punch. Remember the previous question? Use that as a framework for your strengths; adapt them to how they would make you the best candidate for the job instead of listing a generic series of traits or a bragging speech.
The weakness part can get tricky though, so here’s a helpful tip; don’t hamstring yourself by revealing a fatal flaw and avoid the general fluff responses like “I just work too hard”. These are things that the interviewer will immediately see through. Instead strike a happy medium in revealing a weakness with a decided plan of action how you plan to or already have taken steps to improve.
3. How have you handled a difficult situation at work?
This question can come in many forms, but the gist of it remains the same; tell us a story about how you were challenged and how you rose to meet it and benefited. It’s thus important to prioritize which stories cast you in a good light but still present a degree of difficulty you overcame. Imagine the difficult customer who no one wanted to deal with, the one you managed to build that relationship and won over all their business.
4. Why are you the best person for the job?
Your interviewer wants three key things here. First and second are that you’re both familiar with the role and that you’ve done the proper research on the company. The last part is how you can best articulate your skill set into something they’d want. You want to convey that you have a positive attitude and are a team player, both vital attributes.
5. Why did you leave/are looking to leave your last job?
Honesty is the key thing in this answer, but positivity is required too. This is not the time to sound off about bad bosses or employment horror stories. Simply state that it was a valuable step on your career path, but it was time to begin the next part of the journey.
Next steps
Always make sure you are aware of the next steps involved after your interview.
Will they be making the decision soon or three months from now? Furthermore, a follow up thank you letter is also recommended to maintain engagement.
