Top Interview Questions & How to Answer Them: Expert Tips for Job Seekers

Being a highly competitive market, it is important to be prepared well in advance to ace an interview and position yourself at the top to leave a lasting impression with the interviewer.

Here are our top 10 interview questions usually asked in the UAE and our tip on how to prepare for the

• Can you tell me about yourself

  This is a standard opening question where the interviewer wants to know about your background, work experience, and relevant skills.
  Our Tip: Keep it concise. Spend only 1-2 mins on your answer. Focus on professional aspect

• Why would you like to work for our company? What interests you the most

  The interviewer wants to assesses your knowledge of the company, industry and your motivation for applying.
  Our Tip: Research the company beforehand and emphasize how your skills align with their values and goals. You can also try to reverse question on the company way of work, people, the team that you would work with. This shows your true interest in the role.

• How do you handle challenges at work

Organizations are looking for candidates that showcase flexibility, agility, resilience and problem-solving skills.
Our Tip: Provide specific and proven examples of challenges you’ve faced in previous roles and how you effectively dealt with them. Back your answer with data, revenue, achievements, awards etc...

• Describe your strengths and weaknesses

  This could be a tricky question to understand what an employer is truly looking for in a candidate. The crucial trust factor lies in this question.
  Our Tip: Highlight your key strengths that are relevant to the job. When discussing weaknesses, focus on areas where you are actively working to improve. Simply be transparent and crisp to the point

• How do you work in a team environment?

  UAE is a land of expats where majority of workforce are diverse and culturally different. Working with a team is crucial. Employers are seeking candidates that showcase teamwork and collaboration and effective work/ project management.
  Our Tip: Provide examples of successful team projects and how you contributed to achieving goal.

• What do you know about the market

Employers want to know if the candidate is aware about ongoing business landscape, customer demands, economic conditions etc. that are directly or indirectly related to business demographics.
Our Tip: Demonstrate your understanding of the local business landscape and how it relates to the position you are applying for.

• Where do you see yourself in five years

This question is related to the candidate’s goals, ambitions, career aspirations and how this job fits into your long-term plans
Our Tip: Emphasize your commitment to growth and how you believe the role aligns with your future goal

• How do you handle stress and tight deadlines

In this question the interviewer is looking for candidates that have experience working in a fast-paced corporate environment and if the candidate can handle pressure related to work or project delivery.
Our Tip: Share proven examples of how you manage stress and deliver results even under tight timelines

• Why did you leave your previous job (or why are you leaving your current job)

Honesty and integrity are the two factors that are crucial for this question.
Our Tip: Avoid speaking negatively about your current or previous employer and focus on positive reasons for seeking new opportunities, career growth, upskilling, explore new industry etc.

• What salary range are you expecting?

Salary negotiations are common during a interview. Each role has a budget and employers are willing to negotiate on a fair agreement based on candidate expertise and skills.
Our Tip: Research the average salary range for similar positions in the region and provide a reasonable figure based on your experience and the role’s responsibilities.

The best way to ace an interview is regular practice on your responses to these questions, research the company and the industry, and being confident in showcasing your skills and experiences. We wish you all the best