Top 15 Most Ingenious Ways to Answer Recruiter's Questions

1. How did you learn about the job that our company is recruiting for?

This is typically the opening question for interviews. Recruiters ask this to assess how well candidates research and also to indirectly evaluate their social connections and online interaction skills.

There are generally two sources of information: First source: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Zalo, Viber,... or specialized job posting websites like Vieclam24h.com, Tuyendung.com.vn, Timviecnhanh.com,... Second source: Through acquaintances or friends working at the company or organization.

2. Why should we hire you instead of someone else?

When interviewing, this question might puzzle some of you, while others may find it familiar. If you're experienced with interviews, handling this question will be more natural. To avoid mistakes or unnecessary confusion, prepare mentally and rehearse this question thoroughly; it's one of the decisive ones.

Seize this opportunity to impress them with your standout qualities. Your answer should succinctly summarize the three or four best reasons to hire you. It's better to have three or four solid reasons with memorable examples rather than rattling off a laundry list of twelve strengths without any context.

It's a chance to reiterate your most impressive strengths or describe your most memorable points, tailored to fit the top requirements in the job description. Three to four points might include a combination of the following:

• Relevant industry experience.
• Experience fulfilling specific tasks or duties.
• Technical skills.
• Soft skills.
• Key achievements.
• Awards.
• Degrees and certifications.

At first glance, this question seems easy to answer, but in reality, don't rush it. Provide a thoughtful and serious response about what you've researched or learned about the job you're applying for. Keep it concise yet comprehensive, covering all necessary information about the role.

For example, discuss which age group the job is suitable for, when the job starts, or simply explain the basic job title. Overall, present your understanding of the job to the employer. Answering this question well means you've scored some points with the employer.

Career objectives describe your future aspirations. It's one of the interview questions that helps employers understand you better and evaluate if you're suitable for the position you're applying for.

Aside from presenting a realistic view, candidates must show their future goals to employers. For instance, if your current job is in Telesales, your future goal (1 to 2 years ahead) might be to become a team leader or group manager overseeing 5 - 10 team members. Hiring someone with foresight is invaluable, isn't it?

This question is highly exploratory. After the brief introduction and initial understanding of the candidate through the previous question, this one serves as a follow-up, further developing the discussion. Each candidate must prepare a plan in advance, bringing fresh perspectives to the job.

The question directly assesses candidates' organization, creativity, and critical thinking. Train well to answer this question. However, it's also essential to gauge your abilities to avoid presenting strategies or plans beyond your capabilities or feasibility.

For the question 'Do you feel your abilities exceed the job requirements?': The employer is evaluating your self-awareness and competence. Answer this question cleverly when asked.

As for the question 'Do you feel your abilities fall short of the job requirements?': The employer may have noticed your lack of experience during the interview process in the previous questions. However, it's possible they want to test your ability to handle unexpected situations. Choose your response based on the interviewer's situation and attitude.

There's a question, 'Why should we hire you over someone else?' which is the flip side of this question. Employers also want to know why you chose them, fostering mutual understanding for future collaboration.

Most interview questions don't have specific answers. However, when asked why you chose the company, you can provide satisfying responses. You might base your answer on the following suggestions:

• The company's reputation
• Corporate culture
• The alignment of the job position with your career goals

A sample response could be: “This is an environment where I can develop my skills. Knowing that the company nurtures employees' business passion is impressive to me. I'm seeking opportunities to take ownership and voice my opinions. Therefore, a company that encourages innovation, free from constraints, is what I'm looking for.

Additionally, I spent a few minutes in the waiting area before the interview. I could distinctly sense the positive energy of everyone working here. People were genuinely cheerful. From my perspective, I believe this reflects the company's values of equality…”

This question aims to help the employer understand the candidate's desires, thereby considering their suitability for the job nature, benefits, and company budget.

Undoubtedly, everyone wishes to work in a dynamic, youthful environment with comfortable, stable salaries, and good benefits. They seek intelligent, caring leaders who are innovative and full of creativity. However, life is not always rosy like that. There are companies and organizations with members who are not easy to get along with, so it's important to strike a balance for everyone to enjoy.

Knowing one's capabilities accurately is crucial, understanding both strengths and weaknesses to moderate them appropriately. When asked about weaknesses, it's advisable to highlight weaknesses that have minimal impact on the job being applied for and demonstrate efforts to improve them. In general, emphasizing one's strengths is the best approach.

List of strengths:

• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• Focus
• Innovation
• Honesty
• Dedication
• Integrity
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Problem-solving

List of weaknesses:

• Overly risk-averse
• Extremely introverted
• Extremely extroverted
• Overly detail-oriented
• Public speaking
• Financial literacy
• Overly sensitive
• Presentation skills

Undoubtedly, before applying for the advertised position, you've already carefully considered this matter. When posed with this question by the employer, here are some suggestions for leaving a positive impression: 'When stating this salary expectation, I believe the company/organization has also thoroughly assessed the competencies required of candidates to meet the job demands and has proposed a salary level commensurate with that. Naturally, this salary also meets the majority of living expenses; otherwise, why would so many individuals apply for the position?' You could also add: 'As for future consideration based on direct performance in this role, I would propose adjustments at that time. Currently, I find the salary offered by the employer to be suitable for my capabilities.'

Prior to the interview, prepare some creative plans to answer this question most convincingly to the recruiter. You must demonstrate to the recruiter that before being hired, you have prepared for the job, showing your dedication to the position you are applying for.

You will score excellently if you prepare well for this question, revealing your ability to work, plan, and your intentions. You must make the recruiter see that your potential is sufficient to meet the job requirements.

12. What was the approximate income from the most recent job you held?

Income is perhaps one of the top concerns for candidates. Before the interview, you've likely already researched this topic thoroughly. Hence, the most reasonable answer at this point is to state a figure close to or higher than the salary you received for the job you're applying for, around 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND.

If you answer honestly or if your previous salary was significantly higher than your current one, the recruiter may need to consider your tenure at that company.

13. What led you to leave your previous job?

Everyone has their own reasons for leaving a job, whether it's not getting along with the boss, realizing the role wasn't a good fit, or, more bluntly, being terminated.

When answering this question, it's advisable not to cite such reasons directly. Instead, craft a more tactful response to avoid making a negative impression on the interviewer before even being hired. All answers are evaluated by recruiters, so pay special attention to this question.

14. If hired, do you have any comments, evaluations, or suggestions for us?

During job interviews, there's a question that almost always comes up, leaving candidates puzzled, usually towards the end of the interview: 'If hired, do you have any comments, evaluations, or suggestions for us?'

Receiving this question, most candidates find it a bit premature to answer. In my opinion, a smart and fitting response would be: 'I believe I'll provide an answer to this question after I've had the opportunity to work at the company, sir/ma'am.'

15. What's your expected duration of employment with us?

Employers ask you this question for various reasons. They want to know if you can start working for them immediately and if you're committed to staying with their company long-term. It's also a way for them to understand your short-term and long-term goals to determine whether they should hire you or not.

For this question, you shouldn't give a direct answer by providing a specific timeframe for how long you'll work for their company because it may reduce your chances of being hired. Instead, share with the employer your long-term plans you intend to carry out at their company. Moreover, employers always look for candidates willing to work for them in the long run. Therefore, you can say that you enjoy facing the challenges that the job brings and thus, you will be committed to the company. Additionally, you can mention that you don't like job-hopping or changing companies. Furthermore, if you've worked at a company for 5 to 7 years, you should also share this with the employer to enhance the credibility of your answer.