Come prepared by knowing these ten interview questions.
While no two job interviews will be the same, there are some questions that employers frequently ask when screening potential candidates, even when it comes to the remodeling industry. You can give yourself an advantage over other potential candidates by preparing confident responses to some common interview questions. Here we will look at some of the more common interview questions, how to respond to them, and how to best prepare your responses. P.S. It will help if you have an interview with us!
Ace your interview!
Why do you want to work here?
When a hiring manager asks this question, they want to know not only why you want to work for them but also what you know about the company. This question assesses how well you understand what the company does and how enthusiastic you are about the work they do—so make sure you know the company well and can speak honestly about your desire to work there.
Do your research – this allows you to discuss everything you know about the job and the company, as well as why you are a good fit for them. Do your homework because the interviewer is looking for an answer that shows you’ve given this some thought. Be well-versed in the company’s values, mission statement, development plans and products. Describe how your goals and ambitions align with the company’s ethos and how you would be excited to work for them. The best place to find this information about Valor Home Services is to look under our About Us page.
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
Many candidates, even those with extensive experience, regard this question as difficult. However, if approached correctly, it is easy to avoid ‘bragging’ when discussing your strengths or appearing overly negative when discussing your perceived weaknesses.
Choose three examples of traits the employer is looking for and give examples of how you have used these strengths in a work situation based on the job description. Include a mix of tangible and intangible skills, such as technical or linguistic abilities, as well as management experience.
Picking a trait that you have already taken positive steps to address is the best approach for your weaknesses. Consider how you handled perceived weaknesses in the past and what you did to address them. If your carpentry ability isn’t as good as it could be, admit it as a weakness before telling the interviewer about training courses you’ve taken or time spent outside of work hours you’ve spent honing your skills.
How did you hear about this job?
When asked this during an interview, don’t just say you saw the job advertised on a website. This is your chance to elaborate on why you love this company and what drives you to want to work there. Furthermore, if you have a personal connection at the company, now is the time to mention their name!
Why should I hire you?
When asked this question, keep in mind, that the recruiter wants to know what skills you have to offer the team. Don’t just give a specific answer, such as “I’m friendly and hardworking.” Instead, be concise, sum up your work history and accomplishments and use numbers whenever possible.
For example, state your years of experience or list some of your accomplishments at your previous company. The more specific you can be about your skills and how valuable an employee you are, the easier it will be for the interviewer to picture you working there.
Tell me about yourself.
The majority of interviews begin with this question, and how you respond to it can help you make a positive first impression. If you stumble over the answer and are unsure what to say, it may indicate a lack of confidence. If you begin listing all of your greatest accomplishments and talk excessively, your ego may appear to be a little too large. Try to strike a balance between being confident and not being arrogant.
Preparing an elevator pitch about yourself is the best way to prepare for this question. Skip the personal history; and instead, talk about your career path and how you ended up in this interview. You don’t have to go into too much detail because there will be plenty more questions. You simply want to pique the interviewer’s interest enough for them to want to learn more about you throughout the interview.
How can you do this? Keep it brief – know your CV inside and out, and focus on delivering a one to a two-minute advertisement for yourself, highlighting the key achievements in your employment history. Prepare what you want to say and how you intend to say it. Begin your response with an overview of your highest qualification, followed by a rundown of the jobs you’ve held thus far in your career. You can use the same structure as your CV, providing examples of your accomplishments and skills gained along the way.
What are your salary expectations?
Some interviewers will ask this question, while others will not. It is always better to be prepared, especially if you want to ensure that you will be paid a fair wage for the value you will add. Be adaptable – show that you are willing to negotiate for the right opportunity and that you place a high value on the position. All too often, issues arise as a result of pricing yourself out of the position or stating a figure that is less than what the company is willing to pay. If a salary range is provided in the job description, you could mention it and say it’s close to what you’re looking for. While employers can ask about your salary expectations, it is illegal in some places to ask about your previous salary.
Why are you looking for a job? Or, why are you looking for a different job?
This question may appear innocuous, but it is how interviewers weed out people who are either a) looking for any job, b) were fired from their previous position or c) have a high turnover rate, implying you won’t be staying long. Concentrate on the positive aspects and be specific. Consider why you’re looking for work: did you just graduate and this is your first real job? Are you changing careers? Are you quitting your current job to take this one? If you are currently employed, you should be prepared to answer the question, “Why do you want to leave your current job for this one?”
What skills or experience do you offer that will help you succeed in this role?
You should use the interview to say something interesting about your skills and experiences that are relevant to the role. Remember that interviewers will be looking for you to demonstrate key skills, so prepare examples that you can use when needed.
Employers look for key characteristics such as:
- Project management skills
- Problem-solving
- Managing stakeholders
- Demonstrating sound technical knowledge, backed up by good business understanding
- Delivering on targets or goals
Where do you see yourself in five years?
This can be a difficult question to answer during an interview, especially if you haven’t prepared for it ahead of time. Remember that you’re in an interview, so you don’t need to go into great detail about your personal life goals for the next five years. Be realistic about your career goals.
If you intend to stay at this company for five years, make sure you understand who will be working above you and what opportunities for advancement exist. This question is asked by the hiring manager to determine whether you set realistic goals, are ambitious and whether the position you are interviewing for aligns with your goals and growth. If this isn’t exactly a job with a lot of future opportunities, you can simply respond that you don’t know what your future will look like, but that you believe this position will help you navigate yourself in the right direction.
Tell me about a conflict you faced at work and how you dealt with it.
This question is critical to nail because it reveals to an interviewer how you handle conflict. It also tests your ability to think on your feet, so if you prepare ahead of time with a specific example, you’ll avoid the awkward moment of silence while you try to think of one. Once you’ve chosen an example, explain what happened, and how you handled the situation professionally, and try to end the story on a happy note about how you reached a resolution or reached a compromise with your coworker.
Do you have any questions?
During an interview, the last question you will always be asked is whether you have any questions for the interviewer. This is your opportunity to shine, so don’t waste it by saying you don’t or that your questions have already been answered. Even if you don’t have any questions, there’s always one at the end of an interview. Keep a list of at least three to five questions in the back of your mind so that at the end of the interview, you have at least two questions to ask. Recruiters say they enjoy getting to ask questions at the end of an interview because they have just listened to you talk about yourself, so ask about them for a change. When this section is finished, you can relax and walk out of the interview knowing you aced it!
By following this guide, you will know and be prepared for the interview questions that will come your way. And if you have an interview with Valor Home Services coming up, then you are ahead of the game due to this article. If you are interested in applying for one of our many positions, check out our Join the Team page or Indeed.
