{"id":14364,"date":"2026-06-05T15:40:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/?p=14364"},"modified":"2026-06-05T16:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T14:09:57","slug":"erzahlen-sie-etwas-uber-sich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/erzahlen-sie-etwas-uber-sich\/","title":{"rendered":"\"Tell me about yourself\" \u2014 and 9 other interview questions you underestimate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\nThe job interview is the most nerve-wracking stage of the job search. But: most questions have a very specific intention behind them\u2014and if you understand this, the interview will stop being a lottery.<\/i>\n\n

Why you can actually prepare for interviews<\/h2>\n\nIn almost all companies, hiring managers ask roughly the same questions. This seems random, but it isn't. Each question has a purpose. If you understand what's really being tested, you can not only answer appropriately but also avoid typical pitfalls.\n\nIn this guide, we'll go through ten questions that you will very likely encounter in any interview.\n\nFor each question:\n
    \n
  • What is actually being tested?<\/li>\n
  • Wie antworten Sie gut?<\/li>\n
  • What mistakes should you avoid?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    Could you tell me a little about yourself?<\/h2>\n\nThat's how almost every conversation starts.\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Could you tell me about yourself in a structured way? How is your experience relevant to this role?\n\nWhat no one wants to hear:<\/strong> Your biography from kindergarten. The detailed history of all jobs.\n\nA good structure in four steps:\n\n
      \n
    1. I am a product analyst with six years of experience in the fintech sector.<\/li>\n
    2. Key experience \u2014 where you have worked and in what roles.<\/li>\n
    3. One to two key achievements \u2013 with figures.<\/li>\n
    4. Optional: a short bridge to the point \u2014 \"That's exactly why I applied for this role.\"<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\nThe answer should take one to two minutes \u2013 maximum. Don't worry if you don't fit everything in. There will be many more questions ahead where you can complete your professional profile.\n\n
      The self-introduction is not an autobiography. It is a brief summary of why you are interesting for precisely this role.<\/div>\n\n

      Question 2: \u201cWhy are you leaving your current job?\u201d<\/h2>\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Your ambitions. Your career stability. Your ability to handle conflict. And above all: can you speak neutrally about a former employer?\n\nThe most important rule: never badmouth your previous company, boss, or colleagues. Even if everything was genuinely terrible there. Any criticism of your old job will be used against you.\n\nThe logic of the person interviewing you is simple: someone who speaks like this about their last role will speak the same way about their new one in a year's time.\n\nDon't emphasise what was bad in the past, but rather what you are looking forward to in the future:\n\n
        \n
      • I've outgrown my current responsibilities and would like to take on more.<\/li>\n
      • I am looking for a new challenge and a different scale.<\/li>\n
      • \u201cMy priorities have changed and I\u2019d like to develop my professional skills.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nIf you're changing jobs for salary, frame it around the value of your work rather than dissatisfaction.\n\n
        Speak about the future, not about the problems of the past.<\/div>\n\n

        Question 3: \"Tell us about your most significant professional achievement.\"<\/h2>\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Can you quantify your contribution? Do you have tangible results to show for it? Do you think in terms of numbers?\n\nA good answer is a specific example with a measurable outcome:\n\nThere was a situation. The task was this. I did the following. The result was that.\n\nWhat doesn\u2019t work: General statements such as \u201cI always did a good job\u201d or \u201cWe were often praised\u201d.\n\nIf you don\u2019t have exact figures, mention a measurable qualitative effect.\n\nFor example:\n\n\u201cAfter I joined the department, staff turnover fell significantly. In the following six months, no one left the team.\u201d\n\nFigures or clearly identifiable impacts make your performance tangible.\n\n
        Prepare two to three success stories. This way, you can select the appropriate example depending on the role.<\/div>\n\n

        Question 4: \"Tell me about your biggest professional failure.\"<\/h2>\n\nThis question may sound unpleasant, but it's simpler than many think.\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Honesty, self-reflection, and the ability to learn.\n\nThe worst answer is:\n\n\"I haven't had any failures.\"\n\nYou should talk about failures in the same structured way you talk about successes:\n\n
          \n
        • What happened?<\/li>\n
        • What was your role in that?<\/li>\n
        • Where was the mistake?<\/li>\n
        • What lessons have you learnt from this?<\/li>\n
        • What are you doing differently today?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nDo not choose a catastrophic mistake, but rather a medium-sized case with a clear learning curve.\n\nThe most important message is not that a mistake happened, but that you grew from it.\n\n

          Question 5: \"What are your strengths and weaknesses?\"<\/h2>\n\n

          As for the strengths<\/h3>\n\nWhat is being checked<\/strong> How well do your strengths match the requirements of the position?\n\nName two to three relevant strengths and support them with examples where possible.\n\nAvoid standard phrases such as:\n\n
            \n
          • I am responsible.<\/li>\n
          • I am communicative.<\/li>\n
          • I am determined.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nWithout examples, such statements appear interchangeable.\n\n

            At the weaknesses<\/h3>\n\nThe most common mistake is disguised strengths:\n\n
              \n
            • I am a perfectionist.<\/li>\n
            • I work too much.<\/li>\n
            • I'm too demanding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nA good answer consists of two parts:\n\n
                \n
              • A real weakness.<\/li>\n
              • What you are actively doing about it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nExamples:\n\n
                  \n
                • When faced with new tasks, I need a bit of time to bring structure to them. That's why I break them down into small steps.<\/li>\n
                • Public speaking doesn't come easily to me. That's why I prepare presentations particularly thoroughly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
                  Do not choose a weakness that is critical for the specific role.<\/div>\n\n

                  Question 6: \"Why our company in particular?\"<\/h2>\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Your motivation.\n\nThe weakest answer is:\n\n\u201cLarge company. Good conditions. Well-known name.\u201d\n\nGet specific:\n\n
                    \n
                  • What have you researched about the company?<\/li>\n
                  • What do you like about the product or business model?<\/li>\n
                  • Which tasks particularly appeal to you?<\/li>\n
                  • Why is this role a good fit for your career goals?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nShow that you have actually engaged with the company.\n\n

                    Question 7: \"Where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years?\"<\/h2>\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Goals, ambitions and stability.\n\nPoor answers:\n\n
                      \n
                    • I've never thought about that.<\/li>\n
                    • \"In your place.\"<\/li>\n
                    • I want to start my own business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nGood answers describe a direction of development:\n\n
                        \n
                      • I would like to deepen my expertise and take on leadership responsibility in the medium term.<\/li>\n
                      • I would like to expand my skills in related fields.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nNobody expects an exact five-year plan. A plausible development path is perfectly sufficient.\n\n
                        Demonstrate that the advertised position is a logical next step in your career.<\/div>\n\n

                        Question 8: \"What are your salary expectations?\"<\/h2>\n\nFor many applicants, this is the most difficult question.\n\nPrepare yourself:\n\nBefore the interview, look at 20 to 30 similar job advertisements and work out the standard market range.\n\nDuring the interview:\n\n
                          \n
                        • Always state a salary range rather than a fixed figure.<\/li>\n
                        • Don't sell yourself short.<\/li>\n
                        • If necessary, ask about the budget for the position.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nOne way of phrasing it:\n\n\u201cWhat salary range have you set aside for this role?\u201d\n\nThat\u2019s perfectly acceptable \u2014 especially in the first interview.\n\n

                          Question 9: \u201cAre you currently in talks with other companies?\u201d<\/h2>\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Your request on the market and the urgency of the decision.\n\nA good answer:\n\n\"Yes, I am exploring several options concurrently.\"\n\nYou don't need to name names or reveal details.\n\nIf asked further, you can politely reply:\n\n\"I would prefer not to disclose the names of the companies and hope for your understanding.\"\n\nIt is important to appear professional and in control.\n\n

                          Question 10: \"Do you have any questions for us?\"<\/h2>\n\nAlmost every conversation ends with this question.\n\nWhat is actually being tested:<\/strong> Your interest in the role and your professionalism.\n\nNever answer:\n\n\"No, I'm clear on everything.\"\n\nPrepare three to five questions.\n\nGood topic areas:\n\n
                            \n
                          • Regarding the role:<\/strong> What are the goals for the first few months?<\/li>\n
                          • About the Team<\/strong> How is the team structured?<\/li>\n
                          • About the processes:<\/strong> How are decisions made?<\/li>\n
                          • About the development:<\/strong> What are the growth opportunities?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nQuestions about holidays, working from home, or overtime are also legitimate \u2013 but only at the end of the conversation.\n\nThese questions not only help the company, but also you in your decision.\n\n

                            The one principle that simplifies everything<\/h2>\n\nGood interview preparation involves having three to four key stories from your experience ready and being flexible in their use.\n\nFor example:\n\n
                              \n
                            • A success story.<\/li>\n
                            • A story about a failure.<\/li>\n
                            • A story about teamwork.<\/li>\n
                            • A story about conflict resolution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nWith these few examples you can answer the majority of all standard questions.\n\nAnd most importantly:\n\nAn interview is not an interrogation or a test. It is a dialogue.\n\nIt is not only the company that decides about you.\n\nYou also decide about the company.\n\nWhoever goes into an interview with this attitude automatically appears calmer, more confident and more professional.\n\nEditorial note:<\/strong>\n\nThis article summarises best practices for interview preparation, drawing on typical interview processes in modern companies.\n\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                              The job interview is the most nerve-wracking phase of the job search. But: most questions have a very specific intention behind them \u2014 and if you understand this, the interview will stop being a lottery. Why you can actually prepare for interviews In almost all companies, hiring managers ask roughly the same questions. This seems random \u2014 it is [\u2026]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ohne-rubrik"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14364"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14370,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14364\/revisions\/14370"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manualjobsearch.com\/en_au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}