Preparing for a job interview is like preparing for the hottest club in town (without so much glitter), where your skills, experiences, and fabulousness takes center stage.
Whether slaying a virtual meet-up or strutting into the interview room, knowing the types of questions and how to rock them is key to nailing your next gig. Get ready to dazzle with our fabulous guide to queer interview success!
Most employers want to see that you’ve covered nine critical areas, have the right skills and experience, and be a good cultural fit.
Adaptability:
Analytical Skills/Thinking:
Attention to Detail:
Communication:
Customer Orientation:
Decision Making:
Initiative:
Problem Solving:
9. Resilience:
By thoroughly preparing for these essential interview questions and crafting compelling responses that showcase your skills and experiences, you can make a lasting impression on your potential employer, whether the interview is conducted online or in person. Remember to practice your responses, maintain a professional demeanour, and demonstrate confidence in your abilities. Good luck!
Types of Questions:
1. Technical Talent: Show off your skills and expertise – it's your time to shine, honey!
2. Motivational Mojo: Let them know what fuels your fire and why you're the perfect fit.
3. Cultural Connection: Ensure your rainbow sparkles align with the company's values and vibe.
Slaying Common Interview Questions:
Expect questions that are as fierce as you are:
- Tell us about yourself: Give them a taste of your fabulous journey in 90 seconds or less.
- Strengths and Weaknesses: Flaunt your strengths and own your vulnerabilities like a boss.
- Why this role and company: Show them why you're ready to slay in their kingdom.
- Why hire you: Let them know you're not just a unicorn – you're the enchanted forest.
- 3-5 year career goals: Paint a picture of your fabulous future in technicolour.
- Motivation to interview: Share what got you strutting into this fabulous opportunity.
- Current role joys/frustrations: Dish out what you love and what's ready for an upgrade in your current gig.
Fabulous Behavioral-Based Questions:
When they ask about past experiences, give them the tea using the CAR or STAR method:
- Challenge: Spill the tea on a past challenge you faced.
- Action: Describe how you slayed that challenge like the fierce queen you are.
- Result: Serve up the fabulous outcome – because you always come out on top, darling!
Or STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
Preparation Tips for the nine critical areas an employer needs to know you have nailed:
1. Adaptability: Show off your chameleon skills – you can blend into any fabulous situation!
Question: Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react? What did you learn?
Preparation Tip: Reflect on past experiences where you had to adapt to new challenges or tasks quickly. Prepare specific examples and focus on your actions and lessons learned.
2. Analytical Glamour: Flaunt your problem-solving prowess – you're the solutions wizard.
Question: Describe a project that you worked on where you had to take steps to solve a problem. What was the problem, and what was the logic you applied to solve it?
Preparation Tip: Review your past projects or experiences that required analytical thinking and problem-solving. Highlight your approach, methodology, and the positive outcomes achieved.
3. Attention to Detail: Let them know you don't miss a beat – perfection is your middle name.
Question: Give me an example of a time you discovered an error a colleague had overlooked. What did you do? What was the outcome?
Preparation Tip: Consider instances where your attention to detail made a difference. Prepare to discuss how you identified the error, addressed it, and ensured quality outcomes.
4. Communication Charisma: Shine with your communication magic – you can charm anyone, anywhere.
Question: Explain when you had to be flexible with your communication style to understand your message. What was the situation, and what was the outcome?
Preparation Tip: Consider the communication challenges you've faced and how you adapted your style to convey your message effectively. Emphasise clarity, empathy, and positive outcomes.
5. Customer Love: Share how you turn challenging customers, internal or external or both, into your biggest fans.
Question: Describe a time when you successfully dealt with a challenging customer. How was the customer difficult? How did you respond to them?
Preparation Tip: Recall experiences where you provided exceptional customer service. Highlight your ability to understand customer needs, handle difficult situations, and maintain professionalism.
6. Decision-Making Diva: Prove you're the queen of tough decisions – you always know what's best.
Question: Describe the toughest business decision you have made. How did you arrive at your decision? What was the result?
Preparation Tip: Reflect on significant decisions you've made, considering the factors, risks, and outcomes. Discuss your thought process, analysis, and the impact of your decisions.
7. Initiative Queen: Talk about your brilliant ideas and how you make them a reality.
Question: Describe a project or idea implemented primarily because of your efforts. What was your role? What steps did you take? What was the outcome?
Preparation Tip: Showcase instances where you took initiative, demonstrated leadership, and contributed to successful projects or initiatives. Emphasise your proactive approach and the results achieved.
8. Problem-Solving Superstar: Show them how you turn problems into opportunities – you're the miracle worker.
Question: Tell me about a situation in which you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? What was the outcome? What do you wish you had done differently?
Preparation Tip: Prepare examples of complex problems you've solved, focusing on your problem-solving strategies, creativity, and lessons learned for continuous improvement.
9. Resilience Royalty: Tell your story of bouncing back stronger – you're made of stardust and resilience.
Question: What has been the biggest professional challenge you have had to overcome? How did you handle it, and how has your performance improved?
Preparation Tip: Reflect on challenges you've faced and discuss how you managed adversity, maintained focus, and grew from the experience. Highlight your resilience, adaptability, and positive outcomes.
Questions to Ask:
Ask the fabulous questions that make them see you as the superstar you are, and get all the deets on the next steps.
If in doubt, "Why do you love working here?" is a great conversation starter.
Dress to Impress & Create the Perfect Ambiance:
Whether you're dazzling in front of a camera or strutting into the interview room, make sure your look screams "hire me!" and your background is as polished as your fabulous self.
Make sure you are wearing simple and professional clothes. Like on TV, anything with spots, stripes and patterns needs to be concentrated on and is a distraction and will take the attention away from your words and energy.
If you’re online
If you are on a video call, think about your background (no one wants to see a half-drunk bottle of wine on the kitchen bench or an un-made bed).
A blank neutral wall or blurred background using the system settings is preferential if in doubt.
If you are on a video call, ensure the others can see more than just your face. A torso so that you can use your hands to gesture while talking will give you more presence and make you feel more comfortable for those talking to you. It will give you power.
Think about the lighting (you don’t need fancy equipment), make-up, etc. If in doubt, video call a friend or the HiR team to check if your setup works.
In-Person Interview Tips: Plan your route, arrive early to strike a pose, and remember – you're not just here to impress them, you're here to see if they can handle your fabulousness!
You're ready to slay, darling. Show them why you're the queen of the interview runway and let your fabulousness shine through. Break a heel – I mean, break a leg!
Need more support? Sign up for the Supercharge Your Career Program.
