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4 Common Interview Questions & Answers

By Selipha Kihagi

Getting invited to an interview in Kenya is a dream come true for many, especially with the current job market where getting hired is becoming difficult by day. If you have a job interview coming up, then you need to do a thorough preparation to improve your chances of being hired. From familiarizing with the company’s background, recent news and rehearsing common interview questions, you must be well prepared for the interview ahead.

To help you out with the interview preparation, below is a list of common questions and answers to expect.

Common Interview Questions and Answers

  1. Tell me a little about yourself

For those who have been to an interview before, you already know that this is always the first interview question. Interviewers and recruiters use this common interview question to establish a baseline for how the interview will proceed. If you make a mistake in your response, then the interview may not proceed on a good note. So, when faced with this question, here is one way you can respond without ruining your chances.

My name is Sandra Mueni and I have four years of experience as a Human Resource professional. In my recent position at XYZ Company, I helped the Human Resource department implement a faster and more effective recruitment system that saved both time and resources. I find that I work best in a fast-paced environment and in so being, I am currently looking for a challenging opportunity where I can join a competitive team and this position matches exactly that.”

  1. Why Should We Hire You?

When it comes to questions, this one will always make it to the list. An alternative to this question would be, ‘What makes you the best candidate?’ These two questions seek to uncover your unique skill set and your response will determine if you really deserve to get hired or not. So how do you best answer this question? The trick is to convince the interviewer that you can do the work and fit in to the company by highlighting your skills and industry experience.

Here is a sample interview answer; “I can think of many reasons why. But in summary, I possess all the key skills you are looking for and I am confident that I would perform exceptionally in this Procurement role. Not only do I have a database of potential suppliers and clients with whom we have a great working relationship, founded on my great people skills, but I also believe that my passion and drive for this industry will guarantee your organization success.”

  1. What is one of your greatest achievements?

When this common question comes your way, remember to include figures as part of your interview answer. Organizations quantify achievements with numbers and mentioning this will portray you as a person who is well versed with the role in question. To give an impressive answer, think of a time you did something that helped reduce costs or increase sales.

An example answer to this interview question would be; “In my recent Accounts payable position, part of my roles included management of the invoicing process. I introduced and helped implement a data entry solution that helped reduce the time of input by 30% and reduce errors on invoices by 10%.” To be more credible, tell the exact story of how you achieved that.

  1. How would your former boss and co-workers describe you?

If there was a time to be more cautious during the job interview, it would be when answering this question. Regardless of your relationship with family, former colleagues and boss, this common interview question demands a positive response as it will be gauging your character, attitude and teamwork skills. In short; how well do you work with others? You answer can be varied, but link it to what keeps you going in the workplace and what makes you a team player.

An ideal answer would be; “I am a team player who is keen on offering a helping hand whenever there is a task to be completed. Whether in my job description or not, if I have the time to spare you can count on me to help get the job done.”

Learn more on how to answer common interview questions by visiting our YouTube page. Watch sample interviews.

22 Comments

  1. Corporates ur a wonderful partner to be with… with u I av a hope of securing a good job soon…u r a good team to me..God bless u so much

  2. It shed light on how i can also interview then person concern when need be… I appreciate this

  3. CSS am now enlightened in a big way in as far as this common questions are asked. Kudos n keep it up. Thanx a bunch.

  4. This is great altho i feel bad tht i dint av ths knowledge three weeks ago coz i did so poorly in an interview with ths question 1$2…i was nervous so i just dint do it ryt.thanx for this.

  5. I did bachelor of business management (finance and banking) and currently teaching at technical institute and I would like to secure job in banking or financial institution please advice

  6. I am a student at Takoradi polytechnic, Ghana reading purchasing and supply and a professional driver with the Driver Vehicle licence Authority, Ghana class of licence D with 5 years experience and I want work in Kenya.

  7. I’ll be having an interview next week. I believe this will be of great hel. Thnx.n

  8. Sharing given here are so encouraging to me that I did the right course.
    Please give a direction on how to answer such questions if you have just completed fourth year.

  9. I was totally in darkness on how to go about this questions but thanks to you cooperate staff now I can see a light a head..great job

  10. corporate staffing team this is very helpful especially nor war days where the job market is very demanding and also I can kindly recommend to you to introduce the tips on aptitude tests they have become popular. thanks for those tips

  11. I’ve always had problems tackling this questions but i do believe am good to go now. Thanks a lot for your enlightenment. Truly corporate Staffing has become a true partner in my career development and also job searching mission.

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