Interview Thought process-related questions

Process-related questions – When we go for an interview there are a lot of interview questions which are asked and we need to be prepared for all of them. We should just not know the answers, but we should answer them in a way that is different from others.

In this blog, let us just see the questions which are related to experience and what answers we should give if these questions are asked.

Some points to keep in mind while answering the question are/ Process-related questions

Be honest and give a true reply to all the questions which are asked.
Be the person who you are in the reality while answering the questions also.
Keep in mind the job profile and company while giving the answers.
Be careful about what you share as there is no need to share the things which put you in a bad light.
Demonstrate self-knowledge which is a sign of maturity and for this, you need to know yourself well.
Keep a track of your tone and attitude as what you say is important, but how you say is more important.
These questions relate to the process so, no answer is right or wrong here.

Many of the important questions which are asked regarding you are:
Are you comfortable working in night shifts?

This is a question in which the interviewer asks to know your ability to work in shifts. This question is asked if you have applied for a job where the job is in shifts. Everyone understands that people might have a problem in working in shifts, but if that is the case we should not go for interviews that are for the job having shifts.

Here, sometimes it is found that people start working in shifts, but later when they are not able to cope up with balancing both personal and professional. They start having a problem which affects their performance at work also.

So, before we decide to go to shift jobs we need to think about a few things:

Whether you will be able to manage with sleep pattern changes.
Will you be able to manage work with your personal life also.
Are you doing this job because of perk or salary or you really want to do this job.

When you are sure, then only apply for the shift jobs.

An example of an answer if you do not want to go for a night shift or shift job can be “I wouldn’t prefer to work at night and weekends, but during peak workloads, I am ready and available to work whenever you need me.”

An example of an answer if you want to go for a night shift or shift job can be “I’ll definitely work, whatever shift is needed because I feel a responsibility towards the company to complete the necessary work.”

Tell me how do you think other people will describe you?
/Process-related questions

This question is asked by the employers to know about your personality and how aware you are about yourself. This is also a way to know how correctly you know yourself. They want you to give a detailed answer showcasing how these traits can be beneficial for the company.

When answering this question following points need to be considered:/ Process-related questions

Just be aware of your strengths for which you need to brainstorm yourself. Choose adjectives that relate to your work ethics, your thought process, and your skills.
When you talk about some strengths match the description with the daily task you do so that action can speak for you and you have proper examples laid down.
Also, refer to the performance reviews where your performances talk about why you have been appreciated. This is one of the best ways to think of what others think about you and you have an incident and proof to explain that in the form of performances.
Refer to the conversations you would have had with people around you to know what they think about you.
You can talk to your coworkers to know what they think of you and treat them as your strengths.
Check the job description and match the skills and strengths. Try to keep your strengths in the sink with the description as that is what the employer is looking for.
Have a lot of practice done in order to have confidence when giving this answer as this is one of the questions which can really make or break things for you.Process-related questions

An example of an answer can be “As far as others are concerned, they would describe me as an organized, thoughtful, team-friendly person who can work well under pressure. I have been told many times by my colleagues about my organized and smooth working processes and how I can make any hard situation feel easy. I have also been told about my problem-solving skills for handling difficult clients and get business from them”

What is your salary expectation?

This is a question where most of the fresher are stuck. Now, this question can be ask at various times in the interview which means different. The points which are there in the mind of the recruiters when they ask this question are as follows:

They have a budget – When a company rolls out a vacancy they have defined their budget prior to it in comparison to the skills they are looking forward to.
And They also take care of the market situation.
They want to know about your knowledge of self-worth – A person who gives interviews is considered as good if he/she knows the skills.
Your approach towards your professionalism – When a person applies for the job if he asks for a higher salary than other candidates, then you are over-demanding and if you ask for less salary then you may not know your worth.

The best way to know what to ask is by doing proper research of the market as an appropriate salary is decided by the market based on a lot of factors like market demographics, current demand, etc.

The best way to deal with this question is:

Always be open to negotiations.
Provide the range.
If this question is ask at an early stage, then deflect it to answer later.

An example of the best answer can be “Though I am flexible. I am looking to get a salary from Rs25000 to Rs30000. Based on my skill set and experience I believe that this is the comfortable and appropriate range of my work.”

Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.
How do you handle a challenge? Give an example.
Describe a decision you made that wasn’t popular, and explain how you handled implementing it.
Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?

These above questions are ask to know your abilities. Your ability to cope up with pressure, challenges, and unfavorable situations. If this question is handl well then you are surely going to increase your chances of selection.

To answer these questions follow the following steps:

Use the STAR approach which means the situation, task, action, and result.
Be true and honest when you answer the interviewer.
Stay calm and composed while answering the question.
Always try to mention your ability to manage stress and mention some examples where you have shown your ability to handle pressure, manage stress, and unfavorable situations.

An example of the best answers can be “I am not a natural, efficient person under pressure, but it is something that I have learned from experience. I had quite a few exams in college where pressure got to me and I did not perform to the best of my abilities. After realizing that I needed to improve, I actively looked for stressful situations in my career, with the purpose of getting better in these circumstances. I’ve developed several personal strategies, and I now see pressure as a motivating factor and a challenge, so when these situations arise, I approach them with a positive mindset.” Process-related questions

These questions may be ask differently, but you need to understand the question properly and then you need to answer them considering the answers mentioned above. These answers if given correctly not only have a good impression of yours on the employer, but it will also increase the probability of your selection.

And, who does not want that?

All of us right. So, make sure you are prepare and you know the answers but also remember that you are just not giving an answer which is mugge up. It should be given in the presence of mind and taking due care of what is ask.

About the Author: Anju Jindal

Anju is a trainer, entrepreneur, and career growth specialist who helps students, working professionals, women, and Job seekers to reach out to their goals by implementing a Career Growth plan