There is nothing that makes a job seeker in Singapore happier than getting a reply from a company to where you had sent an application. However, this is just the first step towards finding a job. If a company considers you fit for a certain position, they must interview you first.
Interviews can be overwhelming and are a source of anxiety amongst many people. During interviews, you need to be prepared to answer a bunch of questions. And it takes more than just honest answers for you to be considered the best candidate.
To help you ace your interview, we have compiled the top 5 most common interview questions in Singapore. We have also gone the extra mile of giving answers to these questions. From the below information, not only will you be familiar with the questions to expect at an interview, but you also be equipped with the knowledge on how to answer as a professional applicant.
Table of Contents
1. Tell us about yourself?
This may seem like an easy question but wait till it’s time to answer it. When asked about yourself, employers usually want to know whether you are fit for that job. In your answer, talk about your academic background, work history, and set of skills that you possess. Ensure that whatever you say is in line with the position that you have applied to. You mustn’t deviate from the question and share personal information. Also avoid saying irrelevant things about yourself. It’s also important to mention interests and hobbies, provided they are related to your line of work.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
As a committed job seeker in Singapore, by now you should have identified your strengths. You should be able to list them off-head. Whilst having many strengths can win you some bonus points from interviewers, it is crucial that you don’t lie about them. It will be very tragic for your employers to, later on, find that you lied about certain strengths during the interview. Regarding weaknesses, no one is perfect. List your weaknesses but don’t give off something that might disqualify you for the position. Let’s say you are being interviewed for a sales manager position, saying that poor communication skills is your weakness will disqualify you right away.
3. What made you apply for this position?
Your answer should never be – because I need the money. Of course, everyone applies for a job so that they can earn a living. However, such an answer portrays you as an employee who is only money-oriented and not focused on achieving the company’s objective. The best answer to such a question is by talking about the things that attracted you to the company such as their career advancement opportunities, training programs, and work culture. Do some research and find out what is popular about that company especially to employees.
4. What are your career goals?
In most cases, this is usually a trick question. Interviewers usually ask this to know whether you will commit to them for a long time. The ideal answer is to talk about your career objectives in line with their company. You could say that you hope to take on more responsibilities such as managerial. If you are a fresh graduate, you can talk about how you are planning to advance your education so that you can take the company to greater heights.
5. Do you have any questions for us?
Most interviewees say no and leave the room. However, if you want to beat the rest, show the interviewers how thoughtful you are by asking about the company’s culture, what they consider as success, how their employees balance life and work, and anything you may be interested in knowing about them. Being curious about a company shows that you are interested in working for them.
Nearly everything that is asked during an interview revolves around the above top 5 common interview questions. The questions might be framed differently. And that’s why you need to listen carefully so that you can give a correct answer. When answering questions, it pays to be friendly, engaging, and humble. Most importantly, you need to be yourself as this heavily determines your success in that position, should you be hired.