5 communication skills questions

The following questions can help determine someone's communication skills

during an interview:

1. Tell me about your greatest accomplishment.

This behavioral question allows interviewers to gain insight into what a potential
employee considers an accomplishment and how they went about achieving it. The
answer given is often directly related to the job the person is applying for and will
likely include personal information that can help a hiring manager get to know the
candidate better.

Example: "I volunteer at a local homeless shelter as the communications and event
coordinator. This past year, I worked with several donors to raise more than
$10,000 to put into the homeless shelter to improve the living environment and
food available. I hope that these contributions to the shelter will help the homeless
individuals who use the shelter have a better opportunity to find comfort and hope
and encourage them to work toward finding long-term jobs and getting back on
their feet."

2. Describe a time when you faced conflict and how you addressed it.

This type of question allows interviewers to get a sense of how a candidate handles
conflict and works under pressure. The answer a candidate gives will often reveal
their ability to communicate in a way that is focused on problem-solving.

Example: "I was working with a coworker who on at least three occasions failed to
meet deadlines that negatively impacted our team's ability to complete a project on
time. After meeting with this coworker, we determined the cause of their inability
to complete projects on time and determined a solution that improved the
coworker's workflow and benefited the team as a whole."

3. Do you work well with other people?

This question is important because it gives an idea of whether a candidate is

capable of working in teams and alongside others. Working with others requires
strong communication skills, so individuals who enjoy working with others often
have the ability to effectively communicate.
Example: "My ability to effectively communicate has played a large role in my
success as a social media manager. Regularly working with other team members
and listening to the employees I oversee has allowed me to continuously motivate
my team and improve overall performance. Through regular communication and a
dedication to ensuring employees are happy and understand their roles, our entire
social media team has improved its productivity."

4. How would you describe yourself?

This question gives the candidate a chance to illustrate their ability to effectively
function within a particular position as well as their own understanding of their
ability to communicate.

Example: "I would describe myself as a great team player who is committed to
adding value to the workplace through effective communication and listening
skills. My work experience has equipped me with the ability to not only lead but
also to listen in a way that ensures I am on the same page as my team and that my
employees feel heard and understood. I am a dedicated manager who is passionate
about helping my colleagues and employees achieve their goals and be as
productive and happy within the workplace as possible."

5. Why are you a good fit for this position?

This question is a great way to gauge a candidate's ability to convey their work-
related skills as well as their own opinion of what they feel is important for the job
they are applying for. It also allows interviewers to get an idea of a person's
confidence level and whether their confidence is more boastful or helpful.

Example: "I feel that I am a good fit for this position because I am confident that I
will hit the ground running and provide immediate results for your company. In my
previous job, I was able to increase the sales in my department by 40% within the
first 90 days of my employment, and I believe that I can provide similar results for
this organization. My commitment to regular and effective communication with
both clients and staff as well as my dedication to accomplishing goals makes me a
great candidate for this job."

10 Examples of Common Communication Interview Questions

There are some interview questions that hiring managers will use often because of
how well they explain an applicant’s communication skills. Get yourself familiar
with some of these questions (and their ideal answers) and show up prepared with
winning responses.

1. Tell Me About Yourself.

This is a classic interview opening question that can frustrate a lot of

applicants. It’s such an open-ended question that it can seem impossible to
narrow down your answer.

Interviewers will open with this question to assess how concise you can be
and what relevant qualities about yourself you will bring to the table. It’s a
good transition to learning more about you and negating the awkward
interview tension.

How To Answer: This question gives you an excellent opportunity to show

the interviewer your succinct presentation skills. In order to stay on topic
when it coming to telling more about yourself, try to stick to your
professional self. Base your answer around where you are now, your
previous accomplishments, and where you’re hoping to go in your career.

Be realistic and honest. If you paint a picture of yourself as an expert and

cannot deliver on this promise, it’ll end up in a stressful situation for both
employee and employer.

It could be beneficial to rapport building to give the hiring manager a more

personal insight into who you are. This could include any appropriate
information you feel is relevant and what makes you who you are. It can be
helpful for an interviewer to get a glimpse into your life outside the office,
however, keep the personal information brief.

Example Answer

My name is Tim. I’m originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania. I’m a recent

college graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. I received a
Bachelors’s in Public Relations with a minor in Communications. I currently
intern at a start-up media company called Lifestyle Management. I’m hoping
to attain a position where I can utilize my current skills on a marketing team,
and gain more professional experience.”

2. Do You Work Well With Other People?

 This is a direct question involving an applicant’s interpersonal skills. While
an interviewer will be paying attention to the details of what you say, they’ll
also be taking note of how you answer the question.
How To Answer: Your answer to this question should be elaborate and
accurate to your work style. The interviewer isn’t looking for a simple yes or
no. They want examples and reasoning for your response.

Remember, depending on the position it can be very valuable to have

independence abilities. Other positions may depend on your capacity to
work well with other people. Consider your potential position, and
determine what answer would be most beneficial for it.

For example, a freelance social media manager may want to highlight their
strengths in working without the structure of a team in addition to their
coordination abilities.

In contrast, an office assistant should definitely focus on their people skills

since it’s more of a team-building position.

Example Answer

Yes, I think I work very effectively on a team. I’ve been working as a

secretary for a dental office with a team of 8 other administrative staff for
the past 3 years. I enjoy working with other people, as well as learning more
from them.

3. What Are Your Weaknesses

Interviewers ask what your weaknesses are to have a barometer for how self-
aware you are and to measure your honesty. It can seem like a trick question
to get into your shortcomings, but really, you can use this question to exhibit
your strengths because the fact is that everyone has some weaknesses. The
ability to understand them and address them is valuable to employers.

How To Answer: When answering this question, be sure not to use the cop-
out of claiming perfection. Nobody is perfect, and a hiring manager knows
this. You should name at least one weakness, but it shouldn’t be detrimental
to the role.

Potential weaknesses can be:

 o Something that was difficult for you in the past but has since been
remedied
o A weakness that’s unrelated to the job responsibilities
o A quality that could be considered a weakness that you can spin as a
positive

Example Answer

Some people may consider my introverted personality to be a weakness in a

business environment where teamwork is crucial. However, I believe that I
use this quality as an asset to my performance. It makes me a more
independent employee who sees through tasks to the finish.

4. What is Your Greatest Accomplishment?

In addition to being able to articulate your weaknesses well, an interviewer

will likely want to know how you view your accomplishments. It shows
what your definition of success is and if it aligns with their company policy.
Communicating your accomplishments in an accurate and humble way
demonstrates that you can speak to your strengths with a realistic
perspective.

How To Answer: There’s probably a lot of accomplishments you’ve

collected throughout your life. For an interview setting, you should stick to
an answer that displays a strength that’s relevant to the particular role you’re
applying for.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be directly work-related, but it should

showcase a skill that could be useful in the role you’re applying for. For
example, if you climbed Mt. Everest and feel like it’s your greatest
accomplishment, that could be considered relevant because it shows
dedication, persistence, and drive.

Example Answer

The greatest accomplishment of my career so far was working with a

motivated team to conduct groundbreaking experimentation into childhood
ADHD. It involved two years of screening, research, directing, and analysis.
I consider this my greatest accomplishment because it addressed a topic that
was important to me. It was an honor to work with such an impressive team
and brought enormous value to my career.
5. What Motivates You?

After answering a bunch of decently straightforward questions, the hiring

manager might hit you with the doozy of “what motivates you?”. This is
another test of your skills in answering an expansive question that can be
easy to get off track with. On the spot, this question can definitely catch an
applicant off-guard. With some preparation, your answer will impress the
interviewer.

How To Answer: Like any other question in an interview, you should

answer this one honestly, but without being overly forthcoming. This means
that you should provide an answer for your professional and general
motivations, but steer clear of answers that can hurt your chances of landing
the job. Sometimes being too honest can talk you right out of a job offer.

Examples of motivations to avoid answering with include:

o A paycheck
o Power
o Needing a job
o Your parents told you to finally move out of your teenage bedroom

Examples of motivations that often impress interviewers include:

o You thrive in a fast-paced environment

o You value putting forth exceptional work
o Your passion for a particular field of study
o Your goal to be a part of a growing industry

Example Answer

I was first motivated to pursue veterinary sciences when my childhood dog

needed surgery. The dedication and care of the veterinary staff amazed me.
It is this initial love of animals that continues to motivate me towards
providing exceptional veterinary care today.

6. Tell Me About A Conflict You Had at Work and How You Handled It

Being asked to recall a time you had a conflict with a previous co-worker or
employer can surprise many interviewees. Hiring managers propose this
 question to assess your interpersonal skills, as well as how professionally
you can communicate a situation of disagreement.

How To Answer: It’s best to handle this question with a positive outlook.
While conflict might inherently sound negative, it can lead to innovation and
coordination. You should tell the interviewer about a time that this was the
outcome, rather than something more negative.

The interviewer is looking to get an answer to what the conflict was and how
you handled it. Make sure that your answer covers both of these facets of the
question.

Example Answer

When I was working on my first professional photography team, I had a co-

worker who was continually acting unprofessional on shoots. I thought that
it was impacting the customer’s experience. In this situation, I decided to
talk to my co-worker directly. We were both associates with the same level
of seniority, so, I thought it best to be respectfully straightforward. Luckily,
my co-worker was very understanding and grateful for my constructive input
and their performance improved dramatically.

7. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

Employers want to hire people who remain professional, even after they stop
working for a company. This question serves to estimate an applicant’s
ability to do that. It’s not that the interviewer has ulterior motives in asking
this question, rather, it’s a powerful tool to assess how a candidate will
communicate a difficult situation like leaving a former job.

Communicating a professional answer to this tricky question can make the

hiring manager more confident in your proficiency in discussing
complicated subjects.

How To Answer: An interview is definitely not the place or time to start

trashing your past job, and this question is not an invitation to do so. In fact,
it’s almost exactly the opposite.

Even if you absolutely hated your former position, saying so won’t gain you
any points with the interviewer. Especially since your former employee isn’t
there to tell their side of the story (unless they’re contacted for a reference
 later). An applicant who talks badly on their former supervisors or company
will likely leave the interviewer thinking that you’d just as easily do it with
them.

Try to explain your parting from your previous organization in as positive a

light as possible without downright lying. Discuss any extenuating
circumstances if there were any. It can also be beneficial to make note of the
skills you gained there.

Example Answer

I had a very amicable split from my last job where I learned a lot about
administrative work. I was ready to pursue a position with more
management responsibility, however, these roles were already filled at my
former company. This lead me to seek new opportunities.

8. Why Are You The Best Person for This Position?

This question gives you the chance to highlight your skills and potential
value that you would bring to the role. Interviewers want to know why you
consider yourself qualified to fulfill the position. Your answer should exude
confidence while avoiding being too full of yourself.

How To Answer: Your answer to this question should encapsulate your

employee profile. Talk about what lead you to apply based on your work
history. Touch on specific responsibilities the job will entail and
requirements the original job posting made note of. Go into detail about how
you fit what they were looking for and how you think you can be an asset to
the organization.

Interviewers will probably respond negatively to an answer that brags about

how great you are without any evidence to back it up. Even if you are that
amazing, being humble about it is likely to impress more. When applicable,
use examples of accomplishments you’ve made in a past position, and how
you think it’ll be useful for this role.

Example Answer

When I came across your job posting, I noticed that you were looking for an
applicant who was highly creative and dependable with at least three years
of experience in graphic design. It stood out to me because it sounds like it
 would fit me perfectly. I have worked as a graphic designer for the past five
years. In that time, I helped create revolutionary campaigns for several major
clients who saw growth as high as 18%. I believe that my former experience
and creative skills would make me an excellent candidate for this position.

9. Why Do You Want To Work For Us?

Answering this crucial question well can launch you from being an applicant
to getting hired. Employers want to know what it is that drew you to apply
for their organization because it gives them insight into how familiar you
are. It also allows them to see how well you can communicate your
motivations.

An interviewer will know a phony answer when they hear one so try to be as
genuine about your interest as possible.

How To Answer: While preparing for interviews, it can be helpful to do a

little research into the company’s background and culture. Include parts
about the organization’s framework that you appreciate and would like to
experience in a work environment.

You should also be candid about how you hope working in this position will
advance or strengthen your career and work performance.

At the end of the day, you know what attracted you to apply at this company
and for this position. Harness those motivations and express them sincerely.

Example Answer

I’ve been a college mathematics professor at the same private university for
the past eight years. While this is an incredible organization and I valued my
time there, I’m looking to bring my teaching skills to a public university. I
was especially interested in the mathematics position at John Jay College of
Criminal Justice because I’d like to work with students focused on a justice
path. I would like to teach in a work environment that appreciates varying
opinions, such as your organization.

10.Do You Have Any Questions For Me?

Towards the end of an interviewer, the hiring manager will most likely ask
you if you have any questions for them. Many applicants fall directly into
 the trap of giving them a resounding no and thanking them for their time.
Not having any questions prepared comes off as lacking enthusiasm.

How To Answer: This question isn’t simply about being clear on

everything an interviewer has discussed about the position. Which is why
answering with ‘no’ can actually hurt your performance. Interviewers are
looking for curiosity and enthusiasm, and that means having a few questions
of your own.

You should come prepared with questions in mind based on research about
the organization and specifics of the position.

Examples of Strong Questions You Can Ask Are:

o “How is the day usually paced?”

o “Is there any flexibility in the schedule?”
o “How does your organization handle performance reviews?”
o “Can you tell me a little bit about the company’s culture?”
o “What’s the management style?”
o “Do you think I’m missing any qualifications to adequately perform in
this position?

Example Answer

When looking into your marketing company, it seems that your organization
strongly values teamwork and cooperation. Are there any other aspects of
company culture you could tell me about?

Tips for Interview Questions Involving Communication Skills

 Be Honest and Realistic about Your Abilities. Stretching the truth in an

interview can have detrimental effects on your success. An experienced
interviewer will likely spot a blatant lie or exaggeration of skills.

With that being said, try not to divulge any information that could result in
them eliminating you as a candidate for the position.

 Be Strategic with Your Answers. The hiring manager set up an interview

with you to assess your skills, communication and otherwise. This isn’t to
say that they’re being sneaky in their questioning, but rather, common
interview questions are strategic for determining eligibility.
 You should utilize a similar strategy in your answers to present yourself as
the best possible candidate for the position.

 Prepare Ahead of Time. While you won’t know exactly what questions an
interviewer is going to ask you, preparation can only help you. It’s useful to
have a general idea of your answers to common questions.

Do a fair amount of research into the company you’re interviewing with and
the best interview practices without psyching yourself out.

 Don’t Worry Too Much. Preparing and performing for an interview can be
stressful. Despite this, try not to worry excessively. One of the factors that
make for a great interview is being comfortable and confident.

If you’re super concerned about your interview, remember that there’s

always more positions out there and that an interview is just a discussion.
The world does not depend on the outcome of this interview, and there will
be more regardless of if you’re hired for this position.