Basic Interview Questions

In this day and age job seekers are always asked a variety of different types of questions.  Some are behavioral, role specific and even experience related. Basic questions are always asked either within the initial contacts such as a phone interview or even the very first face to face interview.  Just because they are basic doesn’t necessarily mean they are not tough.

16 Basic Interview Questions

The following is a listing of the most basic interview questions one will face during their very first interview.  The purpose of these questions is to find out a little about you personally to see if you will be a good fit not only for the position but the team or members of the organization.

• How did you hear about our organization?
• What appeals to you, a large or a small organization?
• Do you prefer a structured or fluid environment?
• What interests you about this organization?
• What interests you about this position?
• What skills can you bring to the table if we were to decide to bring you onboard?
• Why have you decided to leave your current employer?
• What do you typically look for in an employer?
• Do you plan on commuting or moving to the city? (if not in local area)
• What do you look for in a manager?
• How do you manage your time?
• How do you work best, in a team or independently?
• What are the first things you would do if you were to start tomorrow?
• What are your salary expectations for this position?
• What would your co-workers say your strengths are?
• What are some areas of improvement your co-workers would say you should work on?

The Do’s When Answering Basic Interview Questions

• Pause to think of the answer.  There is no need to rush into answering as this will give you time to formulate a cohesive sentence as well as display a sense of maturity. (1-4 seconds should suffice)
• Be as confident as you can while answering clearly and slowly.  This will display maturity and confidence, exactly what any employer is looking for.
• Be short and to the point.  No one wants to assess someone who can’t get to the point.
• Be a chameleon.  Listen and response in a way which most fits in with how the conversation is going.  You do not want to be out of sync with your speed of speech or using improper humor.
• Be open to change.  The last thing an employer wants is someone answering with a strict guideline with no room for change or flexibility.

The Don’ts When Answering Basic Interview Questions

• Do not talk too much or repeat yourself when answering. If they want more they will ask.
• Do not interrupt the interviewer.
• Listen carefully and do not repeat the question when you’re answering.
• Do not give too many examples unless the interviewer asks specifically for them.
• Be as specific as the question is.  If the question is general then the answer expected should be short and general.
• Respect the question no matter how basic it may seem.
• Do not ask if you are right after you answer the question.  This displays that you are not confident in your own answer.

Questions Based Off Resume

A large amount of the time many employers will derive a set of basic interview questions solely based off of your resume when looking to hire someone.  They will utilize techniques for themselves to come up with these questions or they will have a typical general question sheet with them they always ask.  Before you are called your resume has already been scanned to look for suitable skills which matched the position at hand.  The terms or skills mentioned within your resume will be asked in more detail during the interview.

During this time the interviewer can be tough and ask you about some of the mentioned items within your resume, even the ones you may have less knowledge about but managed to fit in.