Congratulations on landing an interview! As the big day approaches, you likely feel excitement and anxiety, especially around what questions you may get asked. What if you could know these questions in advance? You could go into the interview ready with well-crafted career stories and engaging talking points. Instead of trying to predict every possible question, you could focus your energy on the ones you will most likely encounter. It turns out you can… to a degree.
This column explores the first three phases of an interview, focusing on the “Big Four” questions you are almost guaranteed to be asked. We will explain what interviewers are asking and how you can respond confidently and authentically. Let’s begin!
The Big Four refers to the most common and predictable interview questions. Research by the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology found that 60% of interviewers decide if a candidate is suitable within the first 15 minutes — before the interview is halfway over. The Big Four questions are typically asked during this critical window. They are: “Tell me about yourself,” “Why this job?,” “Why this company?,” and “Why this sector/industry?”
Phase 1: Navigating small talk. Nearly all interviews start with small talk — a casual conversation and a key opportunity to build rapport with your interviewers. While it may seem...
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