“What can you bring to the company?” is one of the most commonly asked questions during a job interview – contrary to popular belief, it’s neither a trick question nor a generic one to fill time. It’s designed to test prospective employees’ knowledge of the company while showcasing their skills in a value proposition. This, and many other questions, are so commonly used during interviews because it’s been curated to prompt personalised answers.
But what are these questions, and how do you select the best answer? In this article, Real Business will provide examples of job interview questions and how best to answer them, laying out a formula that will help all prospective employees frame their answers, and interviewers judge said answers appropriately.
What Are The Most Common Job Interview Questions?
Most interviewers will ask a similar set of tricky interview questions, to get a better idea of who a candidate is, their skillset, goals and how well they fit the company. The questions are structured so that even those without sufficient preparation should be able to answer them, provided that they are sufficiently eligible for the role.
1. “What can you bring to the company?”
When an interviewer asks this specific interview question, they are attempting to gauge the individual’s personal qualities across the table from them. They want a unique answer, tailored specifically to them. The interviewer expects them to outline how their skills and strengths will complement the role within their company specifically, and not one that could fit any job description. The hiring manager will be looking for alignment of both the employee’s and the company’s needs, values and longevity.
The best way for a candidate to answer this question is to focus on their strengths, academic knowledge, and what makes them unique, but make that answer fit the relevant skill in question and the attributes that fit the position you are applying for.
There is no generic answer – unless the interview is attended by generic candidates with little interview experience. Alongside a candidate’s strengths should also be what that strength has allowed them to achieve – with proof. For example: “I have 5 years of experience in project management, where I led cross-functional teams and consistently delivered projects on time and within budget. This led to me being publicly celebrated on LinkedIn and at several industry events.”
2. “What do you know about our company?”
Research on the company that the interview is for is key if an interviewee wants to achieve success in their job search. Up-to-date knowledge of both recent events and big achievements that the company has achieved demonstrates a commitment to learning what the company is about, and where it’s going.
When an interviewer asks this question, they’re looking for a candidate who is sufficiently interested in investing long-term in the company. Furthermore, company culture is a huge facet of modern working life, and many interviews seek to check for compatibility with said culture.
Specificity is key for this question. An employer seeks candidates who already know what the company is looking for productivity-wise, as well as those who align with the company’s values. Reputation is a huge factor in modern work, with social media and the increased connectivity of people resulting in higher levels of accountability for companies.
A candidate who shows they know of the company’s previous achievements and current goals will have a huge advantage over other candidates, and can only result in the company’s benefit.
3. “Can you describe a time when you worked well in a team?”
The most productive workplaces are those that work together like a well-oiled machine, and this question is asked to get a feel of how well you work within one. Companies want a team player.
What the company is looking for is an example not of a single person outshining everyone else, but one who sacrifices his own time and energy to ensure targets are met, even if they’re doing things that are not inherent to their job role. For example, a good answer would be: “I was working on a project with a tight deadline and one of my team members wasn’t able to complete their work on time. I offered to stay late and help them finish so that we would be able to meet the deadline.”
Whilst this may come across as someone possibly trying too hard, the fact of the matter is that a company does not want to miss deadlines and targets. Letting down clients through poor results will inevitably lead to a loss in business.
If you have held a leadership position at work before, then you can talk about specific examples of when you have shown these qualities in your previous job. For instance, you could use the STAR format to describe a situation where you demonstrated leadership and how it benefited your team.
4. “What leadership qualities make you a valuable asset?”
Whether a candidate is being interviewed for a leadership role or not, the interviewer wants to know if the prospective candidate has the qualities that are necessary to lead a team and support career development. This is because the employer seeks candidates who will excel within a role, and move up as others come to take their place over time.
A candidate must demonstrate their ability to take control and accountability of their sector. So, if a person is working in SEO, for example, the company wants that person to have their finger on the pulse of all things SEO in the company. They want that person to, if not right away, eventually be able to take accountability and execute initiative to further the company’s ends.
The best answer to this question is one that demonstrates a time you were the best at your job, or at least you had enough information to be able to take over when a pressing issue arose. Management exists to deal with crises, but it’s inefficient for them to have to deal with even those that are avoidable or manageable.
5. “What are you looking for from this job?”
Money is the main reason most people come to work. But this question doesn’t even have that subject – this question is designed to illustrate a candidate’s intentions towards how they’ll commit to the company.
The best way for a candidate to handle this question is to focus on what they can bring to the company in the long term, and how working there aligns with their life goals. Passion is the number one factor in what ultimately drives an amateur to become a professional, and gather skills.
6. “Where do you see yourself in 5/10/20 years?”
Similar to the last question, this question is intended to test commitment to the company. When a company loses and rehires someone, the onboarding process not only takes time but also money. Companies do not want to hire, lose, and rehire candidates in a cycle – they want to stick with one that will go all the way.
When a candidate answers this question, they should talk about their career goals and how the company can accommodate those career goals. That being said, there is a small trap in this question that many interviewees fall into. Typically, an interviewer doesn’t want to hear that the candidate sees themselves in their specific company – as this comes across as pandering. Instead, they want to hear that the candidate will be higher up in the same role, for a company like theirs. This reinforces the idea that you’re there for the job role, and the development of that job role – not salary.
When you are talking about your future, be positive and ambitious. The interviewer wants to see that you have high aspirations and that you sound confident in your desire to chase them.
7. “Do you have any questions?”
People entering the workforce for the first time seem to believe that the company doesn’t want to hear your voice, they just want your labour. This attitude is detrimental, however. The best interview is one where both sides are present and haggling – and asking questions is the precise way to achieve this.
Ask questions about the company and role to see what the company can do for you, rather than the other way around. Examples:
- Salary
- Possible advancements/promotions
- Break/lunch
- Uniform
- Code of conduct
Digging into the inner workings and possible opportunities a company can provide is essential. It shows that you have confidence in your skills, that not just anyone can have them, and it also cements you in their minds.
Conclusion
What can you bring to the company you’re applying for? Productivity. At the end of the day – that’s what many interviewers are looking for – long-term, stable skills. The next job interview you are involved in, whether as an interviewer or a candidate – remember that questions all have a point. Whilst some may seem like traps, they are designed to get a specific format of answer.
In the end, the best answers to these questions follow a method and pattern, but they should never sound the same. They should be genuine, and come easily, with proof to back it up.
