Occupations in which most work is done independently and alone are becoming increasingly rare nowadays. Groups of specialists are capable of achieving given goals much more quickly and quality-wise. This is why the current prevailing work model is dominated by team projects. Team members need to have complementary capabilities and experiences to create products and services in a professional technical environment. For that reason, in addition to hard skills, employers now place a huge emphasis on communication skills, teamwork fit and related soft skills. They test these by asking questions unrelated to your experience and knowledge, but it is often these answers that are critical for hiring.
Prepare well for the most popular questions that are designed to test your personality, your attitude towards life and people, and your fit for a particular project:
1. Tell me about yourself
This is probably the most common non-technical interview question and a great yardstick to gauge how well you have prepared for the meeting. Don't summarise your career in chronological terms. Present your career and personal life highlights that confirm that this role is perfect for you and you are perfect for the role.
2. What are you looking for in your next role?
Candidate who has a plan for their career will immediately differentiate themselves from the rest of the shortlisted pool. Be honest about where you want to be in a few years. In the worst case, if you don't fit a particular project, the recruiter may open another door for you.
3. Do you have any questions for me?
Even if it seems that you know everything already, prepare some open questions to confirm your interest in the position, company and team. These are obviously questions for you to see who you are dealing with and what the company culture is like, yet they are also a way to show your best side.
Examples of questions:
- What does success in this role look like over a month, a quarter, or a year?
- What development and training opportunities does this department and position provide?
- How are internal team processes optimised?
Sometimes quite original and out-of-the-box questions are asked at interviews to test your approach to dealing with unforeseen circumstances, your critical thinking skills or your preferred team position.
Think about how you would answer the questions:
- What is an unpopular opinion you hold?
- What advice would you give to your former boss?
- How many balloons could fit in this room?
- Which superpowers would you choose?
- Do you prefer to make plans or be spontaneous?
- How do you cope with stress/ how do you relax?
Believe it or not, people will always smell nonsense. Honesty and intentionality are key elements when it comes to interviewing. Consider these questions as a pretext to show your sparkle, positive attitude and creative thinking. It's not always about coming up with the only right answer, but rather about forming a bond and connection with the interviewer. Good luck!