Actually building oneself up to perform well in job interviews is one critical skill that when mastered will greatly enhance one’s chances of securing employment in the competitive Nigeria market.
For example, because such aspiring professionals should understand the most frequently asked interview questions, they will be required to do heavy homework in preparation, so becoming familiar with these top 5 questions asked in Nigerian job interviews will go a long way in giving you that confidence in answering these questions during interviews.
In this post, we present to you, the techniques of answering the top 5 questions asked in Nigerian job interviews and their relevance.
Also See: Top 5 Reasons Why You Are Not Yet Employed
What Are The 5 Common Interview Questions And Answers
By preparing for these top 5 questions asked in Nigerian job interviews, you can increase your chances of making a positive impression and landing the job.
#1. So, can you tell us something about yourself?
Reason for why interviewers ask such questions:
This is a very popular opening question in most Nigerian Interviews as it allows the interviewer to start the interview gradually and uses the opportunity to gauge the communication ability, poise and the most valued professional traits of the interviewee
How to Answer:
- Brief Background: Begin with brief background information regarding one’s educational and professional details
- Relevant Skills and Experiences: Speak about the relevant skills and experiences that befit the hiring position
- Personal Touch: Add at the end some of your personal interests or characteristics associated with the position.
#2. Why Do You Want to Work Here?
Why Interviewers Ask This Question:
Such questions allow employers to know about the level of interest one has in working for the organization and how well one knows the company.
This question is also to gauge your commitment to the organization and expectations on its culture.
How to Answer:
- Company Research: Indicate some of the things that make you getting interested in the company such as its culture or mission or its products or its market position.
- Align Your Goals: Identify the relevance of your career goals to the goals of the organization.
- Enthusiasm: Positively comment out the possibilities of his/her input to the growth of the organization.
#3. Tell Me What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
Why Interviewers Ask This Question:
Interviewers ask this question to appreciate how well an individual understands his or her strengths and weaknesses and whether there are efforts towards bettering these circumstances.
It also entails the level of self-conceit and self-criticism an individual has.
How to Answer:
- Strengths: Identify strengths that directly relate to the job and provide supporting information.
- Weaknesses: Suggest a genuine weakness that is not so integral for the position to be performed. Explain about this weakness, and discuss what are the measures that you are currently undertaking to change this weakness.
#4. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
Why Interviewers Ask This Question:
Employers require this question as it helps them to assess your level of ambition, how you want your career to progress, and how well you may fit within the company in the long run.
They would also like to understand if there is any chance that you will remain at the organization and develop along with it.
How to Answer:
- Career Path: Sketch upon a reasonable slope of progression relative to the vacancy under application.
- Company Alignment: Explain how your professional goals will be beneficial to the growth of the company/growth provided by the company.
- Flexibility: In regard to specifics, include willingness and readiness to fill in various positions arising in the company.
Describe a Time When You Faced a Challenge at Work. How Did You Handle It?
Why Interviewers Ask This Question:
Behavioral interview questions can also include situational questions to ascertain your problem-solving abilities, your ability to bounce back from or tolerate stress, as well as your capacity to work under stress.
This gives a lot of information about your conflict management, stress control, and sociability skills.
How to Answer:
- Specific Situation: Focus upon one significant incident which can even be difficult at times considering the nature of the job.
- Action Taken: Give a clear description of the measures you undertook to overcome the challenge.
- Results and Learnings: Identify what was expected/went wrong in the situation and what lessons were learned from it.
Conclusion
The way you handle these top 5 questions asked in Nigerian job interviews will improve your chances of getting a job in Nigeria. Attempt to grasp the purpose of every question and work towards finding suitable answers for them, it will help you to come out as a sensible and organized individual who is worthy of joining an organization.
It however, is good to note that there are quite too many for one interview, the interview is not only for the employer’s knowledge about you it equally allows you to assess and confirm the compatibility of yourself with the company’s prospect of the development of your career.
FAQs – Top 5 Questions Asked in Nigerian Job Interviews
What questions are asked in Nigeria interview?
With regard to interview questions that are asked during job interviews in Nigeria, we know that they will differ with the respective organization, industry, and position in question, however, below are some general interview questions that are likely to be directed to you during the course of taking interviews in Nigeria:
General Questions
- Give a summary of yourself.
- What makes you passionate about this role?
- What do you understand about this company?
- What are your personal advantages and disadvantages?
- Discuss a time when it was difficult to accomplish something and what did you do to achieve it.
Job Specific Questions
- Do you have any experience in this role?
- How do you stay updated on industry trends?
- What future plans do you have for your professional development within this industry?
- Have you ever had to complete a task when time wasn’t on your side? Can you tell me about that?
- What methods do you employ for conflict resolution?
How to answer “May we know you?” in an interview?
When an interviewer asks, “May we know you?” it means the interviewee wants to have a short introduction.
Here is the proper way of responding to them:
Provide a precise introduction:
Your name: Give out your name in full.
- Your present status: Mention your current position or the most relevant one.
Your professional experience:
- Provide a summary of the career development, concerning key positions held or major achievements.
- Demonstrate your relevant skills and experience:
State your enthusiasm for the company:
- Reasons: Give reasons why you would like to work for the company or in the position that has been availed.
- Alignment: Highlight how your skills and experience align with the company’s goals and values.