There are thousands of questions that you could be asked in an interview (whether it is local job search or international one), and there is no way you can memorize a "correct" response for each one especially not the night before the interview. Interviews just aren't like that because they are often conversational and informal. The unexpected often happens. For these reasons, developing an approach to answering an interview question is far more important than memorizing a canned response.
I have developed a technique called the Three-Step Process that you can use to fashion an effective answer to most interview questions:
1. Understand what is really being asked. Most questions relate to your adaptive skills and personality when the employment job search is conducted. These questions include "Can we depend on you?"; "Are you easy to get along with?"; and "Are you a good worker?" The question may also relate to whether you have the experience and training to do the job if you are hired.
2. Answer the question briefly in a non-damaging way. A good response to a question should acknowledge the facts of your situation and present them as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
3. Answer the real question by presenting your related skills. An effective response to any interview question should answer the question in a direct way that also presents your ability to do the job well, thus raising your chances in career job search. To show you how to use the Three-Step Process, let's use it to answer a specific question:
Question: "We were looking for someone with more experience in this field than you seem to have. Why should we consider you over others with better credentials?" The following sections show how one person might construct an answer to this question using the Three-Step Process.
Step 1: Understand What Is Really Being Asked
This question is often asked in a less direct way, but it is a frequent concern
of employers, especially if they're going to hire someone doing an executive job search. To answer it, you must remember that employers often
hire people who present themselves well in an interview over those with
better credentials. Your best shot is to emphasize whatever personal
strengths you have that could offer an advantage to an employer. The person
wants to know whether you have anything going for you that can help
you compete with a more experienced worker.
Well, do you? Are you a hard worker? Do you learn fast? Have you had intensive training or hands-on experience before you started browsing the job search web sites, for example? Do you have skills from other activities that can transfer to this job? Knowing in advance what skills you have to offer is essential to answering this question.
Step 2: Answer the Question Briefly in a Non-Damaging Way
For example, the following response answers the question without hurting
the person's chances of getting the job:
"I'm sure there are people who have more years of experience or better credentials. I do, however, have four years of combined training and hands-on experience using the latest methods and techniques. Because my training is recent, I am open to new ideas and am used to working hard and learning quickly."
Step 3: Answer the Real Question by Presenting Your Related Skills
Although the previous response answers the question in an appropriate and
brief way, you might continue with additional details that emphasize key
skills needed for the job:
"As you know, I held down a full-time job and family responsibilities while going to school. During those two years, I had an excellent attendance record both at work and school, missing only one day in two years. I also received two merit increases in salary, and my grades were in the top 25 percent of my class. In order to do all this, I had to learn to organize my time and set priorities. I worked hard to prepare myself in this new career area before starting my job search and am willing to keep working to establish myself. The position you have available is what I am prepared to do. I am willing to work harder than the next person because I have the desire to keep learning and to do an outstanding job. With my education complete, I can now turn my full attention to this job."