Of course, every interview is different, but there are a few questions that are consistently present that you should have a clear answer for.
1. Tell me about yourself
This question gives a lot of leg room to mention key points that make you outstanding. Briefly talk about your academic and professional experience and then jump to what makes you unique. Talk about volunteer work, or mention a story where you faced adversity and came out successfully. Practice giving your entire answer in less than 3 minutes.
2. Greatest strengths
Your strengths should match what the job position is looking for. List at least 3 strengths and make sure at least one of them is a soft skill (good team player). Be ready to explain why those are your strengths (a recognition you have received or a story you can tell) and practice talking about them in a timely manner.
3. Biggest weaknesses
Only give one. If the interviewer asks for another example, act like you are thinking about another one and say that you do not have another weakness on the top of your mind. If you say, for example, that it is procrastination, make sure to mention what you have been doing to start working on things with anticipation.
4. Why are you leaving your current job?
Never talk poorly about a previous job or employer. This only makes the interviewer aware of how you may talk about your new potential job in the future. Mention that you are looking for more challenging opportunities where you can grow and have a more hands-on role.
5. What would your colleagues say about you?
If you have a performance review that speaks positively about you, mention this. No matter how honest you want to be, don´t mention something negative they may say about you, even if you have been working on improving this. Use this as an opportunity to talk about your biggest strengths and use as much evidence as possible.
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This is a tricky question. Do not say “I want to be the manager of XYZ”. Give a more general answer and focus it on the fact that you want to become a better professional, take on more challenges and be able to take on larger responsibilities.
7. Why should we hire you?
Take another look at the job posting and write down the points that make an ideal candidate. Turn yourself into that ideal candidate. If the position requires someone with negotiation skills, mention a story about how you lead an important deal and how much you enjoyed it.
The most important thing is to practice. It is wrong to think that employers do not like when interviewees have prepared their answers. They expect preparation and usually dislike improvisation.
Practice these questions on the Speecher app (https://speecherapp.com/app) until you feel fully confident. Post your practice questions and answers on the Speecher Community or use the Speech Recognition or Human Coach tools.