The world’s top 10 employers and why you won’t work for them, making these interview mistakes.

Forbes have created their fourth-annual list of the World’s Best Employers and not surprisingly, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple make the top 10, but the number one spot is taken by South Korea’s, Samsung Electronics.

You may have your eyes set on working for one of these companies or ones just like them in your industry, but here are the interview mistakes stopping you from reaching that dream and how to avoid making them, how to respond to awkward questions and increase your chances of landing that job offer.

#1 “I’m a perfectionist” – What’s your biggest weakness?

One of the most feared questions of your interview, you’re almost guaranteed to be asked. No one is perfect and you’re not expected to be. What you’re really being asked is; what areas of support may this person need and can we provide it? Does this person demonstrate true self-awareness?

Here’s what to think about when preparing your answer…

-??????Asking for some honest feedback from trusted (ex) employers and colleagues. Provide them with a list of skills required for the job you’re interviewing for and get them to rank them in order from your strongest to weakest. You can also perform this yourself, but be honest.

-??????Come up with a solution of how you plan to improve on these ‘weaknesses’. Sharing this solution with the hiring manager will demonstrate that you are aware and proactive about developing yourself.

-??????Rephrase the word ‘weakness’ to ‘areas of improvement’. It may only be a small change and simple to do, but it transforms a negatively perceived word to a more positive action.

-??????Lastly, do not say you have no weaknesses. At best, this will come across as arrogant (not confident).

#2 Even if you were fired, be honest – “Why are you looking, leaving or left?”

There are three times you may need to answer this question;

-??????During an interview

-??????When initially applying for a job

-??????During an exit interview with your current employer

I’m sharing the solution, for the scenario that you’re asked this during an interview, however you’ll see that the same logic can be used when applying for a job or telling your current boss why you’ve resigned.

Did you leave for the right reasons? Was it your choice to leave? Did you leave in a professional manner? This is what the hiring manager is trying to find out.

You’re sitting in front of your potential future manager (maybe via Zoom) and they hit you with the big question, Why? This is a time to be clear, concise and positive. There are lots of reason why people leave jobs, here are two rules you should follow, even if you were fired.

Number one; Be honest. Honesty is a valuable trait.

If the reason you’re looking is because you were let go and it was performance related, own up to your mistakes, discuss how you’ve learnt from it and what you’ve changed. The truth will come out eventually and trying to disguise it with an elaborate story will only go against you in the end.

Number two; Don’t shoot yourself or your former employer in the foot.

Now isn’t the time to get angry or share all the details of how bad your boss and co-workers are, you’ll only create negative thoughts and doubt in the hiring managers mind. Talking badly about your former employer will also do you no favours, your potential future manager will only wondered, “what will they say about me, in the future”.

#3 I don’t understand the question. I don’t know the answer - It’s okay.

Relax, breath and don’t panic! Think about what you are being asked. More often than not, the questions will be about your related experience and skillset to the vacancy you’ve applied for. Whatever you do, do not say “I don’t know”. Questions aren’t always about the correct answer, often it’s a test to see how your thought process works.

Ask your interviewer questions to try to understand what they mean, it’s also okay to ask them to clarify what they said. Now if you understand, provide them with the knowledge, experiences and your thoughts about the matter. If you’re still struggling to find an answer, explain how you might go about finding the it.

Some of the most challenging questions you may face are competency based questions, questions that require candidates to provide real-life examples as the basis of their answers. It’s worth preparing some answers for these types of questions, usually asked during the HR stage of an interview.

#4 Where do you want to be in 5 years-time? – “In your position”

Your interviewer wants to know about your ambitions and career plans, your commitment to the role and company. Focus your answer on the areas and skills that can be learnt and developed from the position you’re interviewing for, how you can build upon them, highlighting potential ways you see yourself growing within the company. This will link your ambitions and development directly to their company, showing longer term commitment and drive.

?#5 Tell me about you – “I’m self-motivated, a team player, but I can also work independently…”(zzz)

?Motivated, team player and an ability to work independently are all good attributes, but these are generic and overused words which tell your interviewer, very little. They simply want to know if you’ll fit into their team and company culture, if you demonstrate key attributes for the position.

No need to reinvent the wheel, just elaborate and change your phrasing. Think about what the job requires, what motivated you when you worked well as part of a team, what you achieve from working on your own? For example, a position that requires a lot of project work, you might say,

?“I’m not afraid to take the lead on projects”, followed by an example, with concise detail.

?Now give your interviewer an insight to your personality. Without downloading your life story, tell them what you like doing outside of work. These types of questions aren’t designed to take up much of the interview, although they are an important part and a key assessment of your cultural fit, keep it brief and comprehensive.

?#6 “Do you have any questions?” – You should!

How do you know that the company culture, career progression, team’s personality and management style is right for you? Have you also thought about the impression and lack of interest you’re showing by not having any questions of your own?

?An interview is essentially an exchange of information and an assessment of suitability, but it goes both ways. Before your interview, think about the information you want and need in order to make a decision if the role and company is right for you.

You don’t have to wait to be asked if you have any questions, neither do you have to wait until the end. In fact, the more conversational an interview is, the more likely you’ll make a good impression. Ask your questions at relevant times, ones that are in context to the conversation. It’s highly likely that you’ll be asked if you have any questions at the end of your interview, so don’t feel forced to ask everything all at once.