Common Interview Questions & Answers for Freshers
Congratulations! You have successfully made your way through all the initial stages of shortlisting processes such as CV Screening and Group Discussion. Now comes the most crucial stage of your final selection process- Personal Interview. Here you cannot take any chance as everything completely depends on your individual performance, i.e., how you answer to the common interview questions. The situation becomes even more critical if you are a fresher and it is your first job interview. Therefore, here are some common fresher interview questions and answers to help you prepare in advance.
So, if you are looking for job interview questions and answers sample, here you go :
Q1. Tell us about yourself.
Here you are definitely not going to tell the interviewer about your favorite dish, movie or actor! The interviewer asks this question to analyze how you present yourself. The best way to answer this common interview question is to tell the hiring manager about your family background, education, and hobbies. However, this should not look like your life’s story and you should quickly concentrate on sharing a bit about your strengths that help you build the platform for further discussion about your suitability for the job opening.
Bonus Tips:
- Don’t narrate what is already mentioned in your CV
- Focus more on talking about your achievements and learnings
- Keep it short
Q2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is one of the most important fresher interview questions as the employer analysis your strengths for the job role and tries to understand the challenges you might face in the new job role. Therefore, be cautious about stating any of your strengths or weaknesses. The good idea is to share strengths that are related to the job. One such interview answer sample for an electrical engineer job interview would be to talk about your expertise in evaluating electrical products, systems and, components if you are confident to answer any question related to it. In the end, also saying that you are a quick learner adds value to your strengths.
It becomes critical when you have to share your weaknesses, that too, with your hiring manager. However, it is never recommended to say that you do not have any weakness as it makes you look arrogant. Therefore, choose a weakness that doesn’t impact your current job role. For example, you are afraid to sleep alone can be your weakness!
Bonus Tips:
- Never brag about the strengths and skills that you cannot justify.
- Always elaborate your strengths and weaknesses with some quick examples.
Q3. What are your hobbies?
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In your fresher interview questions, you can even expect some basic interview questions like what are your hobbies. Now if you think why the employer is interested in knowing about your hobbies, it is an important interview question. The interviewer tries to gauge about your personality, your energy level and how fit you can be for the company’s culture. Therefore, share something that adds value to your skills such as travelling and meeting people if you are appearing for a client-meeting role. Even sharing some generic hobbies such as some sports or reading reflect well on your activeness.
Bonus Tips:
- Avoid sharing hobbies that can give a bad impression such as gambling
- Sharing a mix of personal and professional interests shows you a balanced person in life.
Q4. Why we should hire you?
With this tricky interview question and answer, the employer wants to see your ability to pitch your skills and convincing power. Moreover, this interview question is an opportunity to show the interviewer your willingness for the job. The best way to answer this fresher interview question is to talk about your skills and strengths that match the job role. You can even share some more examples of how you managed a few projects or important assignments in your college that reflect your strengths.
Bonus Tips:
- Share strengths and skills that are relevant for the job description, but keep it short.
- Wait and elaborate if the interviewer wants to know more about particular instances to validate your points.
Q5. Why do you want to work with this company?
Companies mostly ask this common interview question to freshers to see what they want and how much they know about the company they are appearing for. Therefore, it is always recommended to know about the company’s background, values, operations, services, and other important details.
Bonus Tip:
- Correlate your career goals with the company’s values and state how working with the company can help you enhance your skills and knowledge.
Q6. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
As a first job interview, answering this interview question becomes difficult at times. Of course, at this stage, we are more concerned about our first year of the job and planning about 5 years seems daunting to many freshers. Don’t worry, here’s how you can ace this fresher interview question. The idea of asking this question is to check two things mainly. Firstly, your willingness to stay longer with the company, and secondly, how well planned you are about your career goals.
Bonus Tips:
- Never give an impression that you want this job just to gain experience and then you wish for something bigger in near future.
- Keep your answer aligned with the current job role to show your interest in the company.
Q7. What are your salary expectations?
As a fresh graduate, talking about your first salary is exciting, but a difficult job. The best way to answer this common interview question is to do some research in advance so that you can confidently take a reasonable range.
Bonus Tips:
- Never ask for either a too less or too high salary package as this might cost you the job at both the ends.
- In case you still do not have any idea about a reasonable salary for the job role, you can simply answer to accept the package as per industry standards. This leaves much scope for the negotiation at the time of final offer letter.
Q8. Do you have any questions for us?
Most of the job interviews close at this basic interview question where the interviewer leaves scope for you to clear your doubts. Moreover, asking questions show that you are a confident and focused person who wants clarity for his/her job. Many fresh graduates hesitate to ask questions from the interviewer, but it is always recommended to ask some relevant questions.
Bonus Tips:
- Prepare a list of questions in advance that can help you get familiarize with the job role.
- Ask intelligent questions that show your curiosity to know more about the company, its policies, people, any specific skill you need to acquire for the given role, etc.
- Avoid asking irrelevant questions such as the duration of lunch hours, how often the company organizes parties, or how soon you will be promoted to the next level!
- Preparation is the best way to succeed. Hope this list of some important fresher interview questions and answers will help you to stand out in your job interview.
How To Prepare For A Walk-In Interview?
Just as the name suggests, in a walk-in interview, a candidate can simply walk into the interview venue without taking any prior appointment. Walk-in interviews are generally conducted by companies on selected dates and time-slots for initial screening of candidates. The shortlisted candidates are then contacted for further rounds.
In this blog, we have discussed 11 important tips to help you prepare for your next walk-in interview.
- Learn about the company
Never head to an interview without reading about the company. Go through the website of the company to understand its nature of work. Also, read the ‘About us’ or ‘Who we are’ section to understand the background of the company.
Furthermore, have a look at its social media pages to learn about the posts it has recently made. You can also type the company name in the search engine and check if there is any recent news or update about it.
You may also read company information to learn more about a company.
- Common interview questions
Before going for a walk-in interview, make sure to prepare well. Go through the most common HR interview questions and answers to boost your confidence. Trust us, you will feel much more relaxed during the interview session.
- Resume
A resume is the most important document in a walk-in interview. It is the basis of the conversation between you and the interviewer. Update your resume, proof-read it to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors, and print it out. Always carry multiple hard copies of the resume.
- Important documents and identity proof
It is advisable to carry important documents such as educational and professional documents to a walk-in interview. Carry the important documents in a file or a folder and organize them neatly. Also keep a pen and a notepad with you.
Furthermore, carry an Id proof with you as you might be required to present it while entering the company office.
- Address and directions
Double-check the venue for the walk-in interview. If you plan to take public transport, learn about the best way to commute and check the timings in advance. On the other hand, if you choose to drive to the venue, make sure to check the route and directions beforehand using Google Maps.
- Look presentable
This is definitely one of the most important points to consider when it comes to a walk-in interview. Choose a formal piece of clothing and make sure the fit is comfortable. Dress according to the weather, for instance, avoid wearing very dark colors in summers instead, go for pastel or bright shades in light materials.
Keep your hair well-combed and neat. Wear comfortable footwear. Most importantly, do not forget to wear a smile ☺️.
- Be polite and patient
As walk-in interviews take place without any prior appointment, it is very likely that a number of candidates will appear for the interview at the same time. Therefore, be patient as chances are you might have to wait for your turn. Most importantly, be polite to the fellow candidates, smile, and have patience while waiting for your call. You can also read a book or just sit quietly while waiting for your turn.
- Be on time
Generally, it is best to head for the walk-in interviews during the first hour of the mentioned time-slot. During the initial hours, there might be fewer candidates at the venue and the interviewer might also be fresh.
- Communicate well
Go through your resume and practice explaining it. It is very likely that the interviewer might spend most of the time discussing your resume. Be sure to speak with confidence and sound convicing. If English is not your first language, take help from applications like English Speaking Practice, English Basic – Interview English or English Interview .
- Body language and posture
Your body language speaks volumes about you. Be confident in your own skin, sit comfortably, smile, and make eye contact with the interviewer. While in the waiting area, look active and aware. Do not hunch or laze around.
Have a look at these body languge do’s and don’ts to know more.
- Thank the interviewer
Before leaving the interview room, thank the interviewer for his time. Be polite and let him know it was a pleasure meeting him.
Walk-in interviews are great for practicing your interview and communication skills. Just be organized and well-prepared, and we are sure that you will land your desired job super soon!
All the best!
