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Everyone knows its important to research the company and people you will be interviewing with.  Did you know you should practice your answers to common interview questions?  In the infographic below there are good and bad answers to common interview questions.  Practice your answers and shine on your next interview.

1.  Good and Bad Answers to Common Interview Questions

2. Sure, the interviewer might throw you a curveball with some quirky interview questions.  But realistically, these four questions are the ones you need to have on lock.  good answers could get you the job offer.  Bad answers can send you home.

3. Why are you leaving your current job?

4. Bad Answer:  Anything about money.  Don’t bring up compensation or promotions you didn’t get.
5. Bad Answer:  Anything about not getting along with your associates, boss, or clients.  You’ll always sound like part of the problem.
6. Good Answer:  Your desire to take your current job to the next level.  discuss how your experience specifically relates to their company, product, or service.

7. Tell me about yourself?

8. Bad Answer:  Talking about passions outside of work.  Save it for your friends.  It’s not appropriate for the interview.
9. Bad Answer:  Rambling on for the bulk of the interview.
10. Good Answer:  Highlight the parts of your resume and your background that fit this job.  Keep your answer brief and interesting.

11. What are your weaknesses?

12. Bad Answer:  I work too hard or anything else self-serving and disingenuous.
13. Bad Answer:  I lose interest in mundane tasks.  Every job has mundane tasks.  this makes you sound potentially incompetent.
14. Good Answer:  Come up with a weakness you have mastered and describe how you were able to overcome it.

15. What is your desired salary:

16. Bad Answer:  Dodging the question.  They’re asking because they want to know.  Being cagey is annoying and unprofessional.
17. Bad Answer:  Inquiring about every benefit, grade level, and profit-sharing in order to give an answer.  You can revise your base salary expectations once they are revealed in the offer.
18. Good Answer:  You know how much money you want.  Do your research so you know what is reasonable to expect.  If you are working with a recruiter, get their advice.  Then commit.

19. Interested in more interview advice or starting a job search?  Contact the recruiters at Smith Hanley Associates.