1. Tell me about yourself.
Why this question is being asked: The interviewer would like to know about the professional you and understand your qualifications for the job.
Strategy: Focus on the professional you. The interviewer does not want to know about where you took your last vacation or what your favorite pastime is. Provide an introduction to your relevant experience, education, skills and knowledge that will be discussed more in-depth over the course of the interview.
Sample answer: l am a Public Accountant with ten years of experience in the field. I recently received my CPA. For the last 6 years, I've worked for Smithson Auditors in a senior capacity. Prior to that, I worked for Jacoby Accounting. Supervisors have described me as a quick learner and a great team player.
2. What major challenges and problems did you face in your last job?
Why this question is being asked: Jobs are full of challenges. The interviewer would like to know how you have handled problems or challenges in the past as you are likely to face obstacles in this job as well.
Strategy: Demonstrate how you can overcome a challenge. Provide an example of a problem or challenge that would have relevance for the interviewer and show how you overcame that challenge. In structuring your answer, provide the problem followed by the action and then the result.
Sample answer: Two years ago, my employer acquired a niche firm. This created natural friction between long-time employees and those who came aboard during the acquisition. Each team had their own way of doing things. At the beginning, having more employees slowed down our ability to finish projects successfully due to miscommunication and conflict. After this happened, I asked members of our team to meet me for lunch. We went out in a relaxed atmosphere and began to discuss our working styles and why we work the way we do. It opened the line of communications and we began to understand each other better. This led to better teamwork in the future.
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