Saw a golden opportunity for a job/internship? Click on it right away! Resume all set? Apply; what are you waiting for? Just with one click of the submission, was there another click set in your mind for what was to be expected next? Well, in that case, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! One of the most crucial stages of the application process is the interview. Some ace it with confidence and poise, whilst some dread the anticipating experience. We will discuss Probing Interview Questions here.
This article would be addressed to those who face issues in this particle stage of the application. We’ve got you covered with 10 of the most probing questions asked by the interviewer and the definitive answers of them, which would definitely help you secure that life-changing or that desirable job you longed to land in for years!
Before we get into the gist of the article, let’s dwell for a moment on the tips one should remember before walking through that door of testation. A few must-follow tips would be:
- Dress Appropriately – With that being said. One should dress up in an appropriate dress code and in something they are comfortable walking around. It radiates a sense of confidence in them. Your dressing reflects your aura, so channel your inner fashion icon!
- Do Your Research – Whatever position you are applying in, do your extensive research about what the job entails and the organization’s background you want to associate yourself with.
- Be Confident – Trust your instincts, flaunt them within your skin and take pride in that. Preparing an answer in your mind and don’t feel pressure for taking your time in response; then speak your mind out with utter confidence.
- Self-Reflection – Be sure to reflect on your principles, motives, and perspectives before the interview. If so, try going through your own resume once and make sense or possess a rational approach towards the things mentioned there, reflecting you ultimately.
Probing Interview Questions
Now that you are aware of the essential tips to be ready for an interview, it’s time to share the top 10 probing questions asked in an interview with an intelligent way of tackling them. The list goes as follow:
- Why do you wish to join our company/organization when other competitive firms are out there?
Be ready to face one of such questions to be asked. First and foremost, to answer it diligently, try to fathom in reading between these lines of the question. The interviewer wants to test your knowledge about the company and the competitive market, in general, to observe how better informed you are about the field and the firm you wish to work in. So if you have done your research well (which was one of the tips, remember), it won’t be a tough nut to crack for you and answer the question smoothly.
- Where do you see yourself in the next nth year?
This is one of the typical yet tricky questions asked, which provokes the candidates’ inner conviction, and perspectives about their future resurface. The interviewer articulates from here the profound and broad future you might dream of and where this particular job stands. Hence, the self-reflection you did before the interview might come in handy. Just illustrate your aims and ambitions to the interviewer in the form of your well-thought stance and the worth of the position you are interviewing for, and you are good to go.
- What is your take on workplace harassment or discrimination?
Well, gear up for level 2 questions, the strenuous yet sensitive ones. Unfortunately, both harassment and discrimination done at any forum of any type are a prevailing factor in the world we live in. Therefore, such questions help employers understand your take on your moral perspectives and how one would try to eliminate or report any unfortunate incident like this. While this question varies from person to person, a more standardized and impressive answer would be to firmly stand against any such activities and be responsible for reporting or handling them timely and sensibly.
- How would you deal with a situation where your integrity and morals are compromised?
Here comes another series of challenging questions. A person is identified and acknowledged by the principles and the morals he/she stands for; under no circumstances should they be questioned or compromised, but at times they are, so how would one deal with it. Decisions made under such circumstances not just define the employee but also impact the company.
- What are the key learning you experienced from your last job, and what expectations do you have from this current job you are interviewing for?
For those who didn’t have a job before, bingo, you are saved from the first part of this question. But for those who had one before, try focusing on the prominent and promising aspects of your previous job, elaborate on the new changes you felt were added into your skillset or mindset, perhaps. Just explain the benefits your last job had, and maybe one of those benefits made you fitting for this current job.
- How competitive are you?
Well, it seems like an easy question, but wait, there is a catch! Employers want to guess from your answer about the level of competitiveness you have in yourself and how far you would go to be the leading and victorious one. Being competitive gives you the drive to work harder and motivate you, but to some extent. Being too competitive might set you in deep waters, as you might compromise the quality of work or your overall demeanor in this race. Therefore, try to frame your answer around the competition domain being healthy and not negatively impacting the work you produce or the company you work in.
- What is the meaning of success to you? How do you measure it?
The meaning of success varies for every individual; for example, for me, success is when I have reached my level of satisfaction for the task I was assigned to. Similarly, it would be different for some. Being in certain positions might be the success or achieving their dreams; hence, take a moment and formulate a certain yet coherent answer for this question. Try giving an example or scenario to elaborate better on what the definition of success and the method of measuring it means to you.
- Narrate one of your experiences where you feel like giving up and how you dealt with it?
Here’s a tip, don’t shy away from pointing out your mistakes or instances where you felt cornered or giving up. The employer wants to see how you embrace your weaknesses or mistakes. Follow this pattern while answering: Example – How you dealt with it – Lesson you learned. Trust me. The interviewer would be more than impressed witnessing a strong individual sitting next to them, who isn’t afraid to talk about their lowest point in life and the lesson they seek from it.
- If you are selected for this job, what benefit would we have?
We just talked about the weakness, now come the strengths, so flaunt all you want to; the floor is yours! It is an indirect way to get acquainted with the candidate’s strongest aspects that might benefit the company. So, imagine yourself as the most important person out there with various benefiting qualities and convince them that having you as one of the employees would benefit the company more than you.
- If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would that be?
This is an open-ended question where you are asked to relate anything personal or general. It could be something from your life that you wish to do differently, or it could be something you want to eliminate to bring some good to the world. Answers to such questions help the interviewer get either a bit of an intimate or global worldview. Hence, the best way to answer is to be as creative and open as your thoughts – let the person sitting right in front of you have a tour of your imaginations.
Along with these questions, there are many other probing questions you might face in an interview, the ones that allow the interviewer to have an in-depth understanding of the answers and the reasons behind them. Having faith and confidence in yourself would be the key to ace such interview questions smartly. So be sure to have to face them if you are preparing for an interview and give your best!
Also read Top Operations Interview Questions (10+ with samples answers)
