5 Job Interview Questions That You Will Hear in 2022

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you were so well prepared for a job interview that you knew all of the questions that were coming your way?

While we aren’t psychics, our recruiting agency has decades of experience in studying job interviews, what answers employers are looking for, and best tips for candidates to take advantage of. We don’t recommend having planned answers, we do suggest that you have a strong idea of some popular questions that will be regularly asked in job interviews in 2022.

Here are 5 of the most frequently asked job interview questions and how you need to answer them.

1) “Tell me about yourself.”

This may seem like the biggest softball question of them all, but you would be surprised at how many people don’t quite know how to answer it, considering it’s quite open-ended. Instead of trying to think of a long-winded response with way too much information, use this question as an opportunity to showcase your “elevator pitch,” or just a quick summary of your current job role and why you’re the best fit for the job. Make sure to make it clear, concise, and quick. Don’t do too much here.

2) “How did you hear about this position?”

Again, this is another question that seems like an easy one, but it could be completely butchered if you don’t understand WHY employers ask you this. They’re trying to gauge your passion and interest for the role they’re trying to fill. Tell them where you heard about it and how excited it got you to reach out to the company. For example, you could say something like, “I have seen advertisements and have looked up the company website several times and have become a big fan of your work. I think this line of work is not only something I have experience in, but it’s also work that I have a passion for.”

3) What can you bring to the company?

When asking this, the employer doesn’t want to know your entire work history. They want to know what are the tangible skills you have that best applies to the role you’re interviewing for. At every job, the company has challenges and problems, and they’re always looking for new team members who show not only their dedication to the role they’re applying for, but also the problem-solving skills and expertise to take these challenges head on. The key here is to connect your skills and experience to direct problems that the company is currently facing. Before the interview, spend a ton of time on the company’s website and their social media channels to find a way that you’d be able to help them improve as a company.

4) What are your weaknesses?

This is another question that many candidates oftentimes mess up on. When an interviewer asks you this, they’re looking to gauge your self-awareness and your honesty. It’s not a good idea to say something like, “Oh I’m absolutely dreadful at showing up to work on time” and it’s also not wise to say, “I have absolutely zero weaknesses. I am the best.” You need to be able to find a balance, and mention a skill that isn’t your strong suit and illustrate what you’re doing to improve it. For example, you could say something along the lines of “Well, I’m not the fastest at typing on the computer, but I have been taking online computer classes to improve my speed and I believe I’m getting better.”

5) What is a conflict or challenge that you had at your previous job, and how did you handle it?

This is a question that needs to be handled with great tact, because it can easily be answered poorly and could deter the company from hiring you. When asked this, it’s best to speak more on the resolution than the conflict itself, because the company is gauging your problem-solving skills with this question, and plus it’s not the best idea to harp on the conflict side of it for too long anyway. You also want to show the company that you are open to learning from tough experiences. You could say something along the lines of, “Last year we had a project with an extremely tight deadline and a member on my project team was out sick, so I had to take on an extra workload in order to ensure that the project would meet the deadline. I oftentimes stayed late at work, and had extra meetings with the staff, but I enjoyed the challenge and pushing my limits on what I’m able to do, and the project turned out great in the end.”

There are so many more questions that you should be prepared for, and our staffing agency would love to help you in further detail. If you’d like one-on-one coaching or have any questions about remote work job interviews, please contact our owner Cherie at cherie@crecruits.com.

Carter Recruiting and Associates is one of the largest independent recruiting and outplacement companies in Arkansas. Our headquarters, located in Little Rock and our satellite office in Conway, both service accounts nationwide. We have satisfied clients and references from some of the largest companies in the state. With over 50 collective years of experience in the recruiting business, we have a vast amount of resources and knowledge to ensure a job well done.