Job interview: how to prepare and the main questions recruiters ask

In this content we reveal all the details of this stage of the selection process. How do I prepare for a job interview? What can I say? What not to do and how to answer the most frequently asked questions asked by recruiters?

Mastering these and other questions will make job candidates more comfortable and confident when facing a job interview. And the best: be successful in hiring.

How to prepare for a job interview?

What is a job interview for? It represents the opportunity to establish direct contact with the person responsible for identifying the most suitable profile for the vacancy.

During the conversation, the recruiter can get to know the candidate better as a professional and as a person, evaluating characteristics such as tone of voice, behavior and personality.

As a candidate for the position, your role is to charm the interlocutor, summarizing your trajectory clearly and showing him why you deserve to be part of the company.

Therefore, before being evaluated by the interviewer, prepare well. Check out the tips:

• Practice your presentation.
• Research the vacancy and the responsibilities of the position.
• Find out about the company's business, culture and values.
• Think and list your qualities and differences:
• Share experiences relevant to the position;
• During the interview, highlight your professional skills ;
• Also think about points to develop;
• Reasons that make your profile the most suitable for the position.

How to behave in a job interview?

Basic premise: being called for a job interview means that the company likes your profile and sees the potential to fill a specific vacancy.

After all, your resume has already been screened, your professional history has been evaluated and your test results have been satisfactory.

It was an important journey, don't waste the opportunity: stand out in the interview and know how to behave.

Don't worry about nervousness

It is understandable for candidates to feel tense and anxious when facing a job interview. Recruiters know this and will not eliminate a good candidate because of nervousness. The point is to stay calm to perform better, making the occasion a natural stage.

If the interview is in person, leave home early to avoid unforeseen events. If it is online, check that the online meeting link is correct and that equipment such as camera and microphone are working.

Prior preparation also includes a good night's sleep the night before. Essential for a healthy and rested appearance. Light eating, breathing exercises and prior preparation help to stay calm.

Maintain a positive attitude

During the actual interview, be yourself. Without trying to appear something you are not or expressing opinions that are contrary to what you think. Recruiters are prepared to identify any attempt to deceive.

Be consistent

Remember that your CV has already been analyzed and the information has certainly been checked. Therefore, remain consistent throughout the interview. Do not create fictitious situations to impress and do not contradict what is in your professional history.

Show interest

When participating in a job interview, be enthusiastic about the opportunity. He demonstrates interest in the company and the role, highlighting his intention to contribute. Passion for the company's purpose and pride in its trajectory are essential ingredients.

Think before responding

Anxiety can be a trap. So don't be in a hurry to respond. Even the simplest questions must have objective answers, but connected to your profile. Think about the final message you would like to convey to the recruiter.

What to say in a job interview?

A job interview is the opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate, with their answers, their ability to meet the company's needs. The recruiter needs to note that the vacant space on the team has found a professional profile aligned with the business values.

Therefore, it is essential to know the job description very well and direct the answers to the hard skills and soft skills sought by the recruitment team. Therefore, your skills must meet the necessary requirements for the role.

In practice, use opportunities such as the traditional “Tell about yourself” or “Tell how you reacted in a certain situation” to show your skills and how they were used.

When faced with questions related to complex situations like these, do not try to exemplify in detail what happened. Synthesize information and organize it logically to convey the essentials, providing short and assertive answers.

And how to act in relation to language? In these cases, it is recommended to focus on communication close to the interlocutor. Therefore, as necessary as knowing what to say in a job interview is knowing who you are going to speak to.

Once again, we highlight the importance of knowing the details of the vacancy and the company you aspire to work for. This makes it easier to adapt the language to the organization’s cultural fit.

What not to say in a job interview?

Being selected for a job interview is a significant achievement, therefore, we need to ensure we perform well at this stage of the selection process. This direct contact with the recruiter, whether in person or online, can be decisive when it comes to securing a position.

After knowing how to behave and what to say in an interview, we've put together tips on what to avoid to improve your performance, check it out.

Lies

Hiding the truth is one of the main mistakes during a job interview. Trying to deceive the interviewer may be successful at first, but the lie is not sustainable in practice.

Negative reviews about your previous job

Maintain respectful language when mentioning your former employer, your team, or the company you worked for. Criticism is understandable, but it must be reasoned and constructive. Otherwise, speaking badly about past experiences can create a negative image of you.

Informal language

Demonstrate verbal communication skills, conveying ideas clearly, articulately and concisely. Maintain a positive, confident and coherent tone, paying attention to tone of voice and vocabulary.

Even if the company's profile is jovial, avoid excessive use of slang and avoid swearing. Try to adapt your language to that of the interviewer to create a genuine connection between you both.

Don't ask for basic information

Researching references about the company and the type of business demonstrates prior preparation for the interview. Otherwise, when asking common questions, it gives the impression that the candidate has not made an effort to learn the slightest bit of information that can be found on the internet.

Don't disagree with company values

Studying the organization before the interview allows the candidate to learn about the values ​​it upholds. Therefore, if the company values ​​teamwork, for example, comment on situations you have experienced where you cooperated with your team to solve a problem. This experience will be valued by the interviewer.

Avoid vague answers

When narrating a project or skill developed, explain how you acted and what results you managed to achieve. Be specific in your answers, without going too long and without giving empty answers that do not satisfy the interviewer's curiosity.

Do not interrupt the interlocutor

Listen carefully and wait your turn to speak. It is not advisable to interrupt the person who is speaking because they are showing anxiety or even being rude. And what's worse: interrupting abruptly is a sign that you don't know how to listen to opinions and have difficulty working as a team.

5 most frequently asked questions in a job interview

Although companies have their own repertoire of questions, there are basic questions that are repeated in most job interviews. Therefore, we have developed practical tips to avoid those answers identified as clichés. However, before getting to know them, understand the three types of interviews most used by recruiters.

• Initial interview: usually conducted by an HR representative, this allows you to get to know the candidate better, analyze their profile and find out if they are a good fit for the company.
• Technical interview: carried out by a professional in the area for which the candidate presented himself, it makes it possible to test technical knowledge of the position.
• Cultural interview : checks whether the candidate's values ​​and behaviors are aligned with the organization's principles.

It is worth highlighting that there are other types of dialogue and not all companies follow a script. However, from the examples above we can establish questions normally used in job interviews.

1. Why do you want to work at our company?

Do you know the preparation suggested at the beginning of this content? The best time has come to use the results of your research. To answer this question, it is not necessary to mention benefits offered or generic information and get straight to the point.

Talk about your identification with the values ​​practiced by the organization, comment on your expectations for the future and your interest in developing work that generates satisfaction for your career planning and for the business.

2. What are your strengths?

It is not necessary to make a list of your qualities, many of which are already mentioned in your CV. Select skills that match your profile and the position. Try to contextualize your most striking skills with situations where you used them in practice.

3. What are your weaknesses?

No professional is ready or infallible. We all have areas to improve. Therefore, be honest about your professional shortcomings and show interest in qualifying .

What the recruiter wants to know with this question is whether the candidate practices self-knowledge, whether he knows how to identify his deficits and whether he is willing to change this.

4. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinion?

This question allows you to find out whether the candidate knows how to deal well with criticism and points of view that differ from yours. It is important to demonstrate that you have the emotional intelligence to resolve conflicts peacefully, practicing empathy and being flexible.

To illustrate, present professional situations where you had to deal with differences and stress. Companies look for people who know how to deal with their own emotions and respect the feelings of others.

5. Do you have any questions?

At this point we realize that the interview is approaching its end. Therefore, this is the time to really show that you have thoroughly researched the company and the position. Show interest and curiosity in the organization.

Ask about the company culture, work routine or even pay and benefits. After all, these are factors capable of confirming your interest in the opportunity. However, don't just question the money, as salary shouldn't be your only objective. Example of questions the candidate can ask:

• What does the company expect from professionals in this position?
• What will be my main challenges?
• What is the team structure like?
• Does the organization have a development plan?

Also invest in follow-up after the interview, sending an email thanking you for the opportunity and reinforcing your interest in the position. These are details that can make a difference in the recruiter’s decision.