Yesterday, I had my first job interview at British American Tobacco Malaysia. Here are the Top 10 Common Interview Questions and Answers I prepared for the interview. Question 1, 3 and 8 had been asked during my interviews and I answered them well. However, I answered two unprepared questions badly. First, tell me details about your planning skills. I stunned for a while and answered badly. Second question, I am an ACCA affiliate applying for the post of Personal Assistant, the interviewer asked me whether I thought of working in my field of study after two years’ time when the contract has ended. I did not answer the question. The interview lasted about half an hour. The interviewer said that she would call for second interview if I was on the short list.

1. Tell me about yourself

My name is (FULL NAME). I am an ACCA affiliate and have a degree from the Oxford Brookes University. I like traveling, meeting and talking with people. Over the past few years, I have been travelling around and hoping to find a goal in my life. I have learned a lot of good skills by travelling such as communication skills and planning skills. I have become more open-minded and mature. I love knowledge and I hope to work in a place with a diversity of cultures and perspectives where I could meet and learn from successful people like all of you here.

2. Why should we hire you?

I am very good at Time Management. I could help my superiors to make good use of their time by dealing with secretarial and administrative tasks. Besides, when dealing with confidential matters, I am discreet and mature enough to know what to say and what not to say. I am a reliable, considerate and hardworking person. Being punctual and sincere, I could finish the work given to me on time. I am willing to learn.

3. Have you ever had confrontation at your last job. Tell me about confrontation at your last job.

No, not really. I usually get along with everyone.

4. What are your positive and negative traits? What are you strengths? What are your weaknesses?

I have a cheerful personality, and I learn things quickly. I enjoy being around with people. I am an honest, self-motivated and hardworking person with positive attitude. Sometimes, I might ask a lot of questions but that is just because I want to make sure I understand everything correctly before I undertake to do it.

5. Why do you want to work here? What you like about the company?

It is a great privilege for anyone to work in a reputed company like BAT. When I read about your company I found that 80% of employees saying they were extremely satisfied with BAT as a place to work. I have also read some of the reviews of working at BAT on the net and those reviews were very positive. BAT gives opportunities to employees and makes good use of their talents, skills and abilities. I would like to be one of them and contribute to the company’s growth.

6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

In the next 5 years, I will see myself occupying a respectable position in the organization.

7. Tell me what you know about this company.

BAT is the largest tobacco company in Malaysia. The company manufactures and markets high quality tobacco products designed to meet diverse consumer (adult smokers) preferences. Portfolio includes well-established international names such as Dunhill, Kent, Pall Mall. BAT aims to maintain leadership in the industry through increasing share of the tobacco business and satisfying consumer demands better and more profitably than competitors.

8. Why are you looking for a field/job change?

I am thankful to my previous education because I have learned a lot of things from there. To me, changes are necessary for everyone to enhance skills, knowledge and for personal growth. I am sure BAT is a good platform for me to achieve all these.

9. What are your career goals?

My short term goal is to get a job in a reputed company where I can utilize my skills and improve my career path. My long term goal is to achieve a respectable position in your organization.

10. What is your salary requirement?

I believe that RM 3500 a month would be fair. However, salary is not my first priority. This is the right platform to start my career. So I expect a reasonable starting salary basing on my ability and your company’s norms.

Questions to ask the employer:

Thank you for giving me this good opportunity.

1. I would like to better understand the job responsibilities and requirements.
2. I would like to know about the working hours and the salary scale for this position.

A very good friend of mine sent me a message yesterday and I would like to share with you all:

Do not worry about the job, whether they wanted you or not. I am sure you learned a lot by preparing for this interview. This is life experience at its best! If it does not work it can have many reasons and many of those are not your fault. Maybe they want someone who is not as smart as you to demand good criteria for the job or maybe they want to order so around. It is a fact though that you will have experience for the future and you might need this skill for a job you like. So close this chapter, be bubbly and dreamy again and tell yourself you are very very awesome. Okay?

I am now with the mind at ease.

As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better. – Steve Maraboli