Most Common Interview Questions in June 2021 - Motivation and Work From Home Inquiries Atop the List in Post-Pandemic Work World

 

Best to be Prepared!

What Are the 3 Most Common Interview Questions Job Applicants Must Answer in June 2021?

According to Huffington Post, the 3 most common interview questions being asked of applicants in June 2021 all relate to the applicant's views on working in the office versus remotely.  

Preferred Work Location and Environment?

Before we get to the questions, here is an interesting snippet from the article:

According to a January survey of 133 U.S. executives, only 5% believed that workers did not need to return to the office to maintain good company culture; instead, the most common response was that employees should work at least three days in person. But a significant number of workers want to keep working from home for part of the week, and some never want to go back to an office at all.

Now, let's examine the questions, with some commentary.

Here, Here!

Question 1:  ‘How do you complete a project with minimal supervision?’

The article suggests that this question presents the applicant with an opportunity to honestly explain what they discovered about themselves during the pandemic. 

Did you learn that you are a highly motivated person that works best from seven in the morning until about 4?  Or, perhaps you preferred to start work at 11 and end at 8 in the evening.  Maybe you learned that working for a few hours, followed by a workout, lunch, siesta and late afternoon cup of coffee, resulted in a highly productive all out blitz to until 10 p.m.

The bottom line, is simply saying that you enjoyed working from 9-5 everyday, and that is what you did with little more than a 20 minute lunch break from time to time, will come across as disingenuous. Moreover, you may just get a job with that schedule, which may in fact be antithetical to your true optimum work nature.  

We Are All More Adept at Streaming Now!

Question 2:  ‘Can you share an example of how you had to adapt in your role during COVID?’ 

This is a wonderful opportunity to discuss the new things you learned about your profession and occupation during the Covid shutdown. Perhaps you learned some new software applications, figured out some better strategies for communicating remotely or took some extra time to self-mentor your self by sharpening up on some critical element of your career.

The bottom line is that we all had to adapt during the shutdown (beyond learning to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime), and it is a good idea to think about how you adapted to improve yourself  occupationally so that you can demonstrate that you are a highly motivated person who does not require strict supervision to succeed.

Well, When You Put it Like That!

Question 3:  ‘Do you have any concerns about returning to work?’ or ‘Do you prefer to work in an office or at home?’

Simply stated, it is best to state your true preference.  The potential employer is entitled to know if you will be a good fit, and you deserve a job offer that is suitable for you.  In general, it seems as though flexible work schedules will be in vogue for years to come, so suggesting that you would prefer a mix of work from home and at office may not be the worst idea!

Thanks for checking in with us, and good luck in your job search!