Common Interview Questions & Answers for Freshers

 

Q1. Tell us about yourself.

Here you are definitely not going to tell the interviewer about your favorite dish, movie or actor! The interviewer asks this question to analyze how confident you are and how you present yourself. The best way to answer this common interview question is to tell the hiring manager about your education and family background. However, this should not look like your life’s story and you should quickly concentrate on sharing a bit about your strengths that build the platform for further discussion about your suitability for the job opening.

Bonus Tips:
Don’t narrate what is already mentioned in your CV
Focus more on talking about your achievements and learning
Keep it short

Now, you can create a personalized answer to this common interview question ‘Tell me about yourself’ using PIQA – Your first ever virtual personal trainer for job interviews. Personalizing the answers make it easier for you to sell your skills and support them with relevant examples. It also shows that you have not crammed the stuff just to crack the interview.

Q2. What are your strengths?

This is one of the most important fresher interview questions as the employer analysis your strengths for the job role and tries to understand the challenges you might face in the new job role. Therefore, be cautious about stating any of your strengths or weaknesses. The good idea is to share strengths that are related to the job. One such interview answer sample for an electrical engineer job interview would be to talk about your expertise in evaluating electrical products, systems and, components if you are confident to answer any question related to it. In the end, also saying that you are a quick learner adds value to your strengths.

Q3. What are your weaknesses?

It becomes critical when you have to share your weaknesses, that too, with your hiring manager. However, it is never recommended to say that you do not have any weakness as it makes you look arrogant. Therefore, choose a weakness that doesn’t impact your current job role. For example, you are afraid to sleep alone can be your weakness! PIQA can help you create a smart as well as personalized answer for this interview question. Do give it a try.

Bonus Tips:
Never brag about the strengths and skills that you cannot justify.
Always elaborate your strengths and weaknesses with some quick examples.

Q4. What are your hobbies?

In your fresher interview questions, you can even expect some basic interview questions like what are your hobbies. Now if you think why the employer is interested in knowing about your hobbies, it is an important interview question. The interviewer tries to gauge about your personality, your energy level and how fit you can be for the company’s culture. Therefore, share something that adds value to your skills such as travelling and meeting people if you are appearing for a client-meeting role. Even sharing some generic hobbies such as some sports or reading reflect well on your activeness.

Bonus Tips:

 Avoid sharing hobbies that can give a bad impression such as gambling
Sharing a mix of personal and professional interests shows you a balanced person in life.

Q5. What do you know about our company?

It is one of the most important interview questions that is usually asked by a hiring manager in the beginning of the conversation to understand how much you are aware about the organization where you wish to work. Therefore, the best way to ace this interview question is to do a proper research about the company, read online about company’s latest updates, understand its business, and above all, read thoroughly the job description.

Q6. Why we should hire you?

With this tricky interview question and answer, the employer wants to see your ability to pitch your skills and convincing power. Moreover, this interview question is an opportunity to show the interviewer your willingness for the job. The best way to answer this fresher interview question is to talk about your skills and strengths that match the job role. You can even share some more examples of how you managed a few projects or important assignments in your college that reflect your strengths.

Bonus Tips:
Share strengths and skills that are relevant for the job description, but keep it short.
Wait and elaborate if the interviewer wants to know more about particular instances to validate your points.

Q7. Why do you want to work with this company?

Companies mostly ask this common interview question to freshers to see what they want and how much they know about the company they are appearing for. Therefore, it is always recommended to know about the company’s background, values, operations, services, and other important details.

Bonus Tip:
Correlate your career goals with the company’s values and state how working with the company can help you enhance your skills and knowledge.

Q8. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

As a first job interview, answering this interview question becomes difficult at times. Of course, at this stage, we are more concerned about our first year of the job and planning about 5 years seems daunting to many freshers. Don’t worry, here’s how you can ace this fresher interview question.  The idea of asking this question is to check two things mainly. Firstly, your willingness to stay longer with the company, and secondly, how well planned you are about your career goals.

Bonus Tips:
Never give an impression that you want this job just to gain experience and then you wish for something bigger in near future.
Keep your answer aligned with the current job role to show your interest in the company.

Q9. What are your salary expectations?

As a fresh graduate, talking about your first salary is exciting, but a difficult job. The best way common interview question is to do some research in advance so that you can confidently take a reasonable range.

Bonus Tips:
Never ask for either a too less or too high salary package as this might cost you the job at both the ends.
 In case you still do not have any idea about a reasonable salary for the job role, you can simply answer to accept the package as per industry standards. This leaves much scope for the negotiation at the time of final offer letter.

Q10. Do you have any questions for us?

Most of the job interviews close at this basic interview question where the interviewer leaves scope for you to clear your doubts. Moreover, asking questions show that you are a confident and focused person who wants clarity for his/her job. Many fresh graduates hesitate to ask questions from the interviewer, but it is always recommended to ask some relevant questions.

Bonus Tips:
Prepare a list of questions in advance that can help you get familiarize with the job role.
Ask intelligent questions that show your curiosity to know more about the company, its policies, people, any specific skill you need to acquire for the given role, etc.
Avoid asking irrelevant questions such as the duration of lunch hours, how often the company organizes parties, or how soon you will be promoted to the next level!