AIBU To ask what they will ask?

[SqueakyDogToy]

Hi all,

I have been shortlisted for a 2nd interview next week,

Its been years since I've had an interview, and then it was more a chat.

What's the most difficult, common, things you've been asked in an interview?

I really want to be prepared to answer any and every question they may ask me.

Help please...

Have they told you what the aim of the second interview is? That’s pretty crucial, because they serve different purposes!

I’ve had applications before where first interview was competency/experience, then 2nd was a sort of casual chat with the team, to try to see if you had good banter, fit with the culture, gelled with colleagues and seems comfortable holding your own.

Or it could be an interview where they discuss the actual job tasks in detail, and ask you questions to see if you know what you’re doing?

Tell me about yourself.

what do you know about the organisation (when I was an external applicant) or what do you know about the team (internal applicant).

How would you go about organising an emergency meeting at short notice.

Tell me about a time you had to work to tight deadlines.

Where do you want to be in 5 years.

What knowledge do you have of excel and word etc.

Biggest strength and weaknesses.

The team is across 3 offices how would you ensure work is done accurately and efficiently without being there in person (this was before WFH)

I have loads of notes on my computer of previous interview questions I've been asked or ones I've found online and relevant answers I have used, obviously I change them to relate to the organisation I am applying for.

@12309845653ghydrvj They just said more in-depth information/questions.

@SqueakyDogToy

Its for an Administration role.

I hate those kinds of questions, My mind always goes blank. What answers have you all given in the past?

Then look at the essential requirements, formulate them into a question, think of an example and rehearse the answer!

Also, What questions are good questions to ask at the end of an interview? I mean If everything has been covered in the interview, what can I ask? I understand it's better to ask something than nothing? Would I be right going down the "work benefits" route (such as pension)
How many people have asked them why they would want you to work for them? I had that advice elsewhere, Surely you have got to have balls of steel to ask such a brazen question?

definitelybthink of some examples that will fit in with the competencies, as others have mentioned. The examples don't need to be work based - maybe you help run the school bazaar or something which would show organisational skills - planning, working with a team, dealing with problems that arise etc.

The one that always floors me is the "tell us about a situation denonstrating (working as a team or whatever) when things went badly".

Years ago created a template with all the possible questions that may get asked at an interview and recorded my responses from personal experiences. I update and add to it every time I'm job hunting with new scenarios etc. I keep a copy of it with my CV portfolio and take it into the interview with me. Always turn up for interview 10 minutes early and use that time to recap the job spec and my response template - It's proved to be a bit of a Bible as like yourself I used to just go blank at these questions. It's quite interesting looking back at it now (40+ years) as I probably would have forgotten half of the incidents on there if I hadn't noted them at the time.

They may also ask what you think the biggest challenges are for their company/industry (& possible how you'd tackle them) - mainly to gauge how interested you are in what they do.

Good luck!

Re: questions to ask, frame the 5 years one back at them, so something like "with the existing covid situation, Brexit and the move to electric vehicles all happening within the next 5 years, how do you see your industry / company changing, and what opportunities do you see for

I work in admin they usually ask things like, what makes you stand out?
give us an example when you worked in a team?
Give us an example when you helped a customer? (never get why they ask this for admin)
Give an example of when you came across a problem and how you resolved it?

Good luck hope you get it