Preparing for a job interview requires more than just sprucing up your resume and breaking out your favorite professional attire. You need to prepare mentally as well and the best way to do that is to practice for what you will encounter.

Glassdoor is a great resource for learning about new jobs and to see what kind of reviews former employees have left. But it also has useful advice on preparing for an interview, including some of the most commonly asked interview questions.

Some of the questions you get might be so broad that you might flounder as you debate which direction to take your answer in.

Something as simple as “tell me about yourself” can mean a lot and you don’t want to go off on a tangent that is way off from what the employer was interested in. Simply stopping and looking back at some of your career milestones can help you figure out what to say here.

You may also be asked why you are looking for a job right now. While the company is certainly happy you are interested in them, they also want to feel out if you hop around between jobs a lot, are prone to badmouthing past employers, or are just looking for anything that has an okay salary.

Basically, this is your chance to express your sincere interest in this specific organization.

It is also likely you will be asked to describe an example of a conflict you have dealt with in the past. Regardless of what example you use, you want to highlight your ability to remain poised and professional.

Don’t get too casual here and start turning it into a gossip session. This question is a test of how you are likely to react to stress at this prospective position.

The core idea behind all the questions that may seem really general or vague is to lead them back to concrete examples that highlight your skills.

Make sure your answers are actually saying something about you and that you aren’t relying on cliches to fill the silence. This is your chance to sell yourself, so practice getting to know what qualities make you sellable.

To see more of the questions you can expect to encounter from employers, read Glassdoor’s post here.

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