Job interviews can be a very stressful event for most people.  One of the best ways to feel more relaxed in an interview is to feel prepared.  There are a variety of different interview questions that you could be asked from “If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?” to “If I talked to your previous employers, how would they describe you?”  The truth is, it is impossible to have an answer for every interview question that you are asked, however there are excellent ways to become prepared.

Believe it or not, one of the best ways to feel prepared for an interview takes place before you even get invited.  By making sure that your resume is properly formatted and full of the right information, you will have already created a list of bullet points that can be used in your interview.  However, your resume can’t do all of your talking for you.  Here are 3 interview questions that you must have an answer for.

1.    So, tell me about yourself.

While this isn’t technically a question, it definitely needs an answer.  There are a variety of ways that it can be answered, however not all of them are productive.  Think of this question as a way to add some bulk to your resume.  You don’t need to give everyone your life story.  This is an excellent way to make some “required” information much more useful.  You have to list your education history, but aside from knowing that you have a degree, this section doesn’t say much else.  This area is an excellent area to talk more about.

For example, you got a degree from XYZ.  Talk about extra-circular activities that you were involved with and explain how those activities helped you develop a skill-set that is particularly applicable to the position you are applying for.

2.    What is Your Biggest Weakness?

This question can seem like an intimidating one.  There are a lot of ways that you can this question can quickly become the bane of your interview.  If you say that you don’t have one, you are lying, excessively arrogant, or both.  If you are completely and brutally honest, you may leave your interviewer wondering why they invited you in the first place.

Over the last decade, the common practice has been to take a strength and make it sound like a weakness.  If you try this now, it will simply not work.  Answers like, “I am a workaholic” no longer cut it.  A much better option is to take an actual flaw and discuss what actions you are taking to fix it.  For example, “I can become extremely detail oriented, which can cause me to lose track of the big picture.  To create more balance in my perspective, I start and end each day evaluating my overall progress on a project”.  An answer like this creates a number of advantages for you.  First, it shows that you can accept that you have flaws and then create a proactive solution.  Second, it shows that you are always trying to improve yourself.

3.    Do you have any questions for me?

Almost every interviewer will end the job interview with this question.  Since most people do not prepare an answer, you can create a clear advantage for yourself.  Find two or three questions you have about the company in general and keep them in mind.  It shows the interviewer that you are taking the interview, the company, as well as the potential position seriously.  It is best if these questions can help you show the interviewer that your goals are aligned with the companies.

While your resume can often be the basis for your interview answers, these are 3 interview questions that you must have an answer for, before you show up.