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When times are challenging, you need to give your career a boost. Reach your business goals with an MBA. Connect online with the world’s leading business schools on 14th April. 

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By Kibet Tobias

Are you a recent graduate looking for a job today?

You have probably not worked for long and therefore have limited work experience needed in the field. So what can you expect during your interview?

According to Ms. Esther Kamau, a professional interview coach at Corporate Staffing Services, interview questions employers ask entry level candidates will typically be focused on why you are interested in the job and why they should hire you.

That said, here are commonly asked entry level interview questions with sample answers.

1. Tell me about yourself

This question is usually used to break the ice and see how personable you can be. Be careful not to be too personal when tackling this question. Employers simply want to understand your professional background.

To effectively answer this, think about your professional self. Don’t talk about family issues, marital status or religion.

You can safely give a brief overview covering where you grew up, where you went to school, why you chose your field, any relevant internship experience you have, and why you’re applying for that particular job.

Sample Answer

“My name is Mercy Njeri. I am a Certified Public Accountant and a Bachelor of Commerce graduate with two years’ experience working as an Accountant in a manufacturing company where I was charged with all financial records of the company.’’

2. What are your weaknesses?

Employers normally ask this question to find out the qualities you have that will help you succeed in the job if you are hired. Are you going to be problematic or a team player in the organization if considered?

So how do you go about this question?

Remember to be honest when answering this question. Don’t be tempted to lie or exaggerate yourself. Employers already know that you are not perfect. They also have their own challenges.

Sell yourself well and don’t deny your real weaknesses. However, the weakness you discuss should not put you in a bad light.

You can appropriately recognize the weakness and just be honest about improving yourself. Talk about also how you have worked to improve in your previous job.

Sample answer

 “My greatest weakness is an inability to share responsibilities. I want to be in control because I don’t trust others with projects I know I can do better. However, I have discussed this with my supervisor on ways to improve. I’ve engaged myself in several team building activities and a volunteer group and I love the progress. I’ve learned to trust others.”

3. What are your strengths?

This question sounds easy to a lot of candidates but it is quite The employer wants to know if your strengths match with the requirements of the job you’re interviewing for

So how do you perfectly answer this question?

You can explain the skills, achievements, and experience that you have which directly corresponds to the job you are interviewing for.

However, as much as you want to be the best candidate, you should never discuss unrealistic strengths.

For example, if you’re interviewing for a communication job, here’s the best answer:

“I have excellent writing skills. Having worked as a content editor for two years, I have a strong attention to detail when it comes to writing. I have also written for a variety of websites and leading publications, so I know how to shape my writing style to fit the target audience. As a digital marketer, I will be able to effectively incorporate SEO, write and edit articles and update web content with accuracy and ease.”

4. What do you know about our company?

Employers will ask you this question to find out if you are really interested in the company. They want to hire someone who is interested in the job and has a passion for it and the employer.

They also want to know if you have good research skills.

How to answer

Preparation is important when answering this question. Do your research about the company earlier and know them in and out. You can use their websites and social media platforms to know about their services and products.

Sample answer

“I love your products and services (mention specific products and services). Your company won African Travel Awards 2017. The company mission you represent is closely aligned with my interests.”

Interviews are hard especially when you feel that your experience is no match for what the rest in the industry have. However, it is not hard. You can still pass that interview by ensuring that you prepare for the common interview questions you may encounter.

What other interview questions have you found tough to handle? Leave a comment below.

By Susan Gitonga

Life is a journey and your Career is also going to take a journey of ups, downs, achievements and failures all of which are part of a beautiful career journey.

When you get that first job, you might feel like the most talented and competent person in the whole office but as time goes by you will realize that there’s so much to learn.

As they say, no one has a monopoly of knowledge. There’s always something to learn every day.

Moving up the career ladder will come with so many lessons to learn. You will look back at the person you were when you joined the company as an intern and the person you have become and conclude that you have grown in many ways.

Below are 5 career Lessons You Will Definitely Pick Up As You Go Up The Ladder

1. More responsibility is not a punishment but a promotion

Most certainly. As a child, more work almost meant that you were being punished by not so in the job world.

When more opportunities for you to do more at work come, it’s a sign that you are being trusted to do more tasks.

As an intern or an entry level employee, always be open to opportunities, extra work etc

Your employer will trust you and give you a bigger role, which will eventually come with a bigger salary.

2. During your first days at work, don’t take things personally

In your career journey , you will obviously meet many types of people, some of whom you might cross paths with.

Whatever the case is, don’t take things to heart. Go easy on your colleagues, your employer and supervisors.

Have an open mind and grow with the job.

Endeavor to learn instead.

3. Management Roles Are Not About You

When you get a promotion to manage a team, it’s no longer about you but about the team.

People are the most important asset you have. Listening to their needs and working together as a team will bring more success than the title you hold.

Management is a big role and with the right approach, a lot of success can be achieved.

4. Senior Management is an opportunity for you to climb up higher

At this point of your Career Ladder, you have managed to get into a very senior position.

You can now make great decisions for yourself and the people below you. Don’t fear asking your boss to change a few things here and there. You are next to your Boss in terms of management and your opinions do matter greatly.

If you have new ideas, present them and follow through with them

Your opinions and ideas are needed if the Company should grow upwards!

5. Being a CEO is all about the Businesss and the team

You are the driver of your Bus, and the captain of your ship.

Making the right decisions for your Company will be the most important thing you do for your business.

Have the right team, right systems, management, structures and environment for your people.

All the decisions you make will have a great effect on your business. Consulting your managers and gathering opinions and feedback from your team will steer your team in the right direction.

There’s no end to learning. Embrace all the lessons that come with climbing the Career Ladder.

How many jobs have you applied for and not heard from the recruiter? Next question….What job search methods are you using? If you been job hunting without success it could be because of you are using one of these outdated job search techniques that are hindering you from getting invited for interviews .

Here is a list of some of the outdated job search techniques

1. Relying on just one job search technique

In this digital era it is very foolish to think you will find a job using one technique. By there are so many places you can find job adverts such as, Facebook , Twitter, Linked in, company websites, job websites, and Recruitment agencies.

This is because just because a company is hiring does not mean they have put it up on their website. Most organisations are using Recruitment Agencies to hire people anyway. Therefore vary your options you may be surprised.

2. Having only one standard CV and Cover Letter

We have heard this so many times but for some reason people still make this mistake

You cannot assume that the cover letter you wrote when applying for a job at company A one year ago, can still be used to apply for a similar position at company B.

This is because every position varies no matter how similar the titles. This is due to different company policies as well as expectations.

A generic Cover Letter or CV will be obvious to spot and the recruitment manager will most likely throw your application out.

Sit down and write a specific cover letter for every job you apply for and tailor your CV to highlight the requirements of the job as well. You could also have these professionally written and save yourself the hustle.

3. Applying for advertised jobs only

Most people assume that because an organisation has not advertised a position then there is no opening available.

Do not limit yourself by believing that the only jobs out there are the ones advertised. Sometimes companies may not know they need someone with your skills and your application may show them that you will be a great addition.

4. Applying for many (or just any) jobs to increase your chances

Why do you need to apply for over 20 positions? Most people believe this will increase their chances of getting an interview. Sadly this is a misconception.

While you are applying for all these jobs, you are probably sending the same CV and cover letter. This as discussed earlier will not add any value. Instead pick a few jobs you truly are interested in and fit your qualifications and spend all your energy and time on them.

Zeroing in on a specific target offers you a better chance as opposed to applying for every job you see. Not to mention this can even lead to demoralization especially if you do not get any interview.

5. Not applying for jobs during the holidays.

We all assume that during the holidays no one is hiring. Which is mostly true, however if you happen to apply for a job when a majority of people are not doing the same, you increase your chances of getting picked.

Think of it this way, if you apply during the holidays, then there is minimal competition and your application will definitely get looked at. But if you wait to apply in January, there will be hundreds of applications and yours could get swallowed by the rest.

Do not take a break just because it’s a holiday. That is the perfect time to apply.

Landing a job might be as simple as you changing your ways. All the best in your job search.

By Michelle Wanjiku

Writing a cover letter may seem simple enough but when it comes to getting a job it could be the difference between getting your CV looked at and having your application thrown out.

Most hiring managers don’t have time to go through all the CVs so instead, they look at your cover letter, if it is found wanting then your application is normally thrown out.

It is therefore, very important that the letter is free of mistakes and well written.

Here is a list of mistakes to avoid when drafting your cover letter

1. Failing To Customize Your Cover Letter

This is really important when it comes to writing a cover letter. Sadly most people use generic cover letters to apply for all the jobs they are interested in.

You may be applying for the same position say, HR Assistant, but the responsibilities and required qualifications for each job might be slightly different.

Therefore, for every job you apply for, you must draft a different Cover Letter. This is because, an application letter is supposed to show the employer that you are fit for that specific job. Not for any general HR assistant position.

2. Failing to address it to a particular person.

Now even if the person receiving the application may not have been mentioned in the job description, it is up to you to make a point of researching and finding out who will receive them.

This is a good way of showing the hiring managers that you truly are interested in the position and you took the time to do your research.

A recruitment manager is more likely to invite you for an interview if you addressed them by their name as opposed to the Dear Sir/Madam salutation.

3. Using ‘I’ or ‘me’ a hundred times.

According to Melody Mwendwa, a CV/Cover Letter writing professional at Corporate Staffing Services, the focus on your cover letter should be on how you meet the company’s needs not about you.

Instead, focus on showing how your qualifications are relevant to the position you are applying for.

4. Using statements like ‘I am a hard worker… etc

His are general statements that don’t really show what you bring to the table or what you have done.

You should provide real life examples of what you have done that relates to the job. Remember to keep it short and not to use too many examples.

If you are applying for a customer care job, you can say, you implemented new methods of delivering customer service at costs well below industry standards.

5. Grammatical Errors

There is no excuse for having grammatical errors in your Cover Letter because this shows that you are irresponsible and not very keen.

These are traits that will not land you a job. After writing your letter it is important that you go through it or give someone else to proof read it.

This will help ensure that the copy you send does not have any avoidable mistakes.