5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself before a Job Interview

Job interviews require a lot of preparation but there’s one aspect that some people underestimate – self-reflection. Thinking about what you want and how you’re going to get there is one of the key aspects to being seen as a successful candidate and eventually landing your dream job.

Preparing for the questions you’re going to be asked is undoubtedly very important. The preparation, however, should also involve a number of questions you’ll have to ask yourself in advance. Here are a few of these questions.

Below you can also access 101 Interview Questions and techniques to Influence the Job Interview. Good luck with your next job interview.

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5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself before a Job Interview

Why am I Applying to This Particular Job?

Disappointed that you haven’t gotten your dream job right from the start, you may start sending resumes and applications automatically. You are not going to think about the reason why you’re applying to the respective job. As a result, you may end up seriously disappointed with the outcome.

Take some time to analyze the reasons for the application.

Are you desperate to start a job, any job? Do you fancy the company? Is this your dream position, the one that will help you build the career that you desire?

Any reason is acceptable when it comes to applying for a job. The reason, however, should be in line with your intrinsic motivation and desires. If you’re simply applying for a job without considering what’s important to you, chances are that you will not get fulfilment from the position for a very long time.

What do You Want to Change?

There are many reasons why people may want to leave a job. Before moving on to a new employment opportunity, you will need to do a bit of self-reflection in terms of your past occupation and what you’d like to change about it.

Some reasons for leaving a job are pretty obvious – no growth potential, poor relationships with a manager or coworkers, lack of professional challenges, lack of recognition and no opportunities to use one’s skillset are pretty obvious. In other situations, it may be a bit more difficult to pinpoint what has gone wrong.

For some people, the lack of meaningfulness in a job is a big problem. For others, the occupation does not follow their intrinsic values and beliefs. Think about the most important element that made you quit. This is the one thing you probably do not want in your new job.

Searching for a new career is all about changing something you’ve been dissatisfied with so far. People who can’t determine what they’ve been dissatisfied with will find it incredibly difficult to look for positive change in the future.

What Skills Make You Better than Other Professionals in the Field?

Some professional confidence will help you perform incredibly well during a job interview. To build that professional confidence, you need a unique selling point.

Sit down and think about the skills and personal qualities that differentiate you from your colleagues. You may even write an essay about it to organize your thoughts. Do some brainstorming and dig deep.

Don’t focus on something shallow and superficial.

Through the years, you’ve probably identified your biggest strengths. You have also developed a skillset to address the practical dimensions of being employed in a particular sector. These are the exact skills that will make it easier for you to get a job and that will need to be identified in advance.

Where do You Want to be Five Years from Now?

It’s funny that you’ll probably hear this question during at least one job interview. The question is a very important one because it reveals a lot of information about your long-term goals and ideas.

Even if you’re not asked about your future plans during a job interview, you may want to ask yourself this question.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10? Would career still be your primary focus or would you have the desire to start a family? Do you see yourself as an employee or a small business owner? If you manage to be honest with yourself when attempting to answer the question, you will get to apply to relevant jobs that will help for the fulfilment of that long-term dream.

Don’t be afraid to fantasize, even if your plans for the future seem outrageous at first. There’s nothing wrong with being bold and daring. You can always scale things down on the basis of your knowledge and current level of experience.

What can a Certain Company Give You in Terms of Career Development?

The final question is a bit more application-specific than the previous ones.

When applying for a job, most people explore the position and the reputation of the company that’s seeking workers. Once you have this information, ask yourself whether the respective company can give you exactly what you need.

The question goes the other way, as well. Can you give the company something valuable, something that turns you into a highly desirable candidate? If you can answer both questions, this is a match made in heaven.

Don’t hesitate to take a deep look at your professional and personal motivators before applying for a new job. Otherwise, you will suffer from some confusion that will potentially cloud your judgment. Changing your job is a major, very important step that you can’t make without the proper preparation. Unless you’re incredibly financially challenged, it’s certainly a good idea to take some time and think about your long-term goals, strengths and weaknesses before hitting the “apply” button.

Author Bio

Articles written by Laura Buckler are very easy to digest, and teach people a lot of interesting matters. Her childhood taught her that life is actually not that complicated as many people think, so she helps her peers understand that too. Follow Laura on twitter for more information.

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