Every once in a while, Brunch realises it needs to be LinkedIn. After all, careers are as important to its readers as food, fashion, and fitness are. There are recruiters to impress, companies to join, careers to forge.
BetterPlace’s Frontline Index Report 2022 finds that 8 million frontline jobs were created in India last year. With more jobs comes more competition. A survey of 10,000 graduates, conducted by the CFA Institute and published in June, says that India’s young job seekers are, on the whole, optimistic. Close to half (48%) are confident they’ll land a job. More than half (55%) say they’ll pick the best-paying offer they get. More than a third (39%) are already hustling, leveraging social media to appear more employable.
How, then, to stand out and convince employers that they’ve found a gem? HT Brunch got experts to help with every applicant’s nightmare: The job interview. Here are ten questions that typically stump candidates, and expert assistance on how to answer them.
May the odds be ever in your favour.
{{/usCountry}}May the odds be ever in your favour.
{{/usCountry}}So, tell me about yourself.
The ice breaker that sets the tone for what’s to come. “Do not repeat what is on your resume,” says Susan Mathew, chief human resources officer at LinkedIn India. “The company wants to get to know you as a person, so being upfront and honest is key. Articulate your experiences with examples.” Aim to keep the interviewer engaged, advises Terence Raphael, Head - HR for Platform AWS at JM Financial. “Highlight your noteworthy achievements and extra-curriculars as well.” “Follow-up questions are likely to spring from the interesting details you share.” MBA student Riddhima Vidaya, from the 2025 batch at NMIMS Mumbai, has been prepping for interviews of her own. “Start off with very relevant details from your professional life and end it with events that led to this interview,” she says.
Why do you want this job?
Recruiters who ask this question aren’t stressing on “you” but “this”. They want to know how the candidate’s skills fit the position they want to fill. “Do thorough research about the company, and use that to answer this question,” says Thiru A Thirunavukkarasu, C-Suite HR professional and former president of Group HR at Vedanta Resources, Mumbai / JK Organisation, New Delhi. Raphael recommends highlighting one’s skills and linking them to one’s career goals. “Talk about how your skills are a good fit for the role,” says Raphael. This is how interviewers know that the candidate has a strong interest in the job.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake or experienced failure, and how you dealt with it.
Don’t claim you’ve never put a foot wrong; no one will believe it. “Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone fails in some way. Don’t be ashamed or try to hide it,” says Thirunavukkarasu. Just don’t bring in personal failures such as a breakup or botched travel plan. “The key is to talk about an actual situation, academic or professional,” Raphael says. “Pick one or two instances from the recent past. Talk about what went wrong, and more importantly, highlight what you learnt from it.” Stay calm when this question is posed, says Mathew. Looking embarrassed wins no points.
What are your short and long-term goals?
Sure, you want to be CEO or the next Elon Musk. But recruiters have heard enough ambitious stock answers. They want to know whether the person they might hire is interested in growing within the ranks and within the field. A good response is also one that conveys your loyalty – that you won’t quit immediately, says Vidaya. “Keep long-term goals abstract,” she advises. “Focus on values such as being financially independent.” Thirunavukkarasu adds that good short-term goals are ones that relate to learning more within the relevant field. A marketing intern might mention they want to eventually specialise in brand building, for instance. “Long-term goals can be linked to one’s aspirations,” Thirunavukkarasu says.
What are your greatest weaknesses?
Trick question. Don’t say you work too hard – everyone says that. Mathew says this question tests a candidate’s self-awareness. “They aren’t trying to belittle you, but find out how you face difficult situations,” she says. A crucial piece of advice comes from Raphael: “Do not disguise strengths as weaknesses. Identify a few weak points and discuss how you plan to improve,” he says. Prepare your response and rehearse it. “If one is unable to identify their weakness, they should talk to mentors or college faculty,” says Thirunavukkarasu. Use that feedback to identify which skills still need some polishing up.
What are your salary expectations?
Freshers have little bargaining power. But those with specialised knowledge and experience should know their worth. “Talk to college alumni or seniors who may have worked in the same position earlier,” says Mathew. “Set realistic expectations accordingly. ” Raphael recommends quoting a range. “Don’t just throw numbers,” he says. “Don’t say that the number you have quoted is the market or industry standard. Mention a number only if you are aware of what employees in similar positions are being paid.” Raphael adds that candidates who are hired directly from campus are typically informed by the institute about the pay involved.
What are your interests outside of work?
Be careful. Your excited responses about travel and food indicate that you’re just like everyone else. Companies prefer diversity in their hiring and with freshers, and this could be a differentiator” says Raphael. Bring up your interest in sports, arts, music, and the times you represented your institution in competitions or volunteered for campus fests or social work. “People with different interests and personalities bring different perspectives to the table,” Mathew says. The question also identifies if the candidate has a good work-life balance. Be interesting but honest, recommends Vidaya. “Don’t say something too dramatically different. The hirer may know about that domain, and might strike up a conversation about it.”
Why should we hire you?
“The ideal answer is that one can contribute to the growth of the company and align with its values,” says Thirunavukkarasu. But the stock answer won’t stand out. Raphael notes that is an opportunity to demonstrate how your skills can add value to the role and the company. “Be confident and answer with conviction,” he says. “Talk about a project where you successfully worked with a team, initiatives taken, extracurriculars such as positions of responsibilities held in college, awards bagged, and work done or initiatives taken beyond the regular scholastic syllabus. This will show you as a well-rounded person.” A good response also shows how well you’ve researched the firm and the position to highlight what you can contribute that other candidates cannot. “Know what the company wants and don’t overdo this question. Keep it simple and to the point,” says Mathew.
How would you explain this gap on your resume?
“Talk about what happened during the gap rather than why the gap occurred,” says Vidaya. And be honest, says Thirunavukkarasu. “If the gap year was for leisure, say that,” he says. “Don’t hide any information and more importantly, credit everyone who supported you during this period.” Mathew says it’s good to be upfront if the break was for a personal or medical reason: “There is no obligation to share all the details. But stay real.”
Do you have any questions for us?
Interviewers love being the one to give the answers, if the questions are interesting. Refrain from asking anything that could be answered by visiting the website – that shows poor prep. “This is the chance to show genuine interest in the job and also to see whether there is an opportunity to enhance one’s role within the company,” says Raphael. Make the best use of this question, urges Vidaya. “Ask about skill-upgrade programmes conducted by the company. See how one’s contribution can go beyond just work.” Ask about who you will be expected to report to and how your performance will be reviewed. Thirunavukkarasu has a tip for the slightly ambitious: “Try finding out about additional opportunities in which you can contribute and chances to switch roles within the company. It will benefit both ways.”
High jumps: 5 tips to help calm the worst nerves
- Be human. “If there are interests and hobbies that define you, talk about them. Don’t portray yourself as a very serious person,” Thirunavukkarasu says. “If you are interviewing at startups, dynamism is key. Demonstrate that you have speed and agility.”
- Be clear.One important detail candidates tend to overlook is that an interview is not just a verbal test but also an observational one, says Vidaya. Breathe before you start speaking. Be clear and audible. Don’t ramble when you can be specific. Display enthusiasm over your responses and the company’s questions.
- Be a STAR.Raphael breaks it down as Situation-Task-Action-Result. Use it as a guide to address questions. What was the situation posed in the question? What had to be done? What steps were implemented? What was the final outcome?
- Be sure.Request a recruiter to please rephrase their question if you have not understood it or rephrase it yourself and ask if that’s what they meant before proceeding, rather than going with guesswork,” says Vidaya.
- Be consistent.Especially if there are multiple rounds of interviews in the same organisation, says Mathew. “If your answers start to contradict themselves, your chances of getting hired dip.” And crucially, never lose hope. Some people get hired right after the first interview; others may face several rejections before they land a great gig. “Always stay optimistic and prepared.”