One great question can spark an engaging conversation in an interview. All of the conversational tactics you use in an interview can be summed up by the phrase building rapport. Would you like to improve your rapport-building skills for your next interview? Luckily, there is no trick and anyone can improve their skills to build better connections during the interview process. However, if you’re pressed for time and in need of some quick advice, we’ve put together a few of the most common questions in an interview. By preparing for these questions, you’ll be more comfortable during the interview, which is the first step to finding the topics that resonate with the hiring manager.You can almost guarantee that these topics will come up at some point or another, so prepare answer ahead of time.

Did you find the office easily?

The hiring manager will likely start with the light conversation topics to put job seekers in a comfortable state. Hiring managers want to see how candidates handle rapport-building; prepare well and act naturally. Don’t give single-word responses, and job seekers shouldn’t shy from asking a relevant question to the interviewer.

Tell me about yourself.

Most interviewers start by asking you to talk about yourself and your career history. What they’re really asking is ‘What would you be like to work with and what difference could you make to the position?’ This is your opportunity to talk about your strengths, skills, and experience. Don’t give a detailed account of every single job you’ve ever had. Instead, summarise your career history by highlighting the most important points that relate to the job you’re interviewing for. Keep your summary to five minutes. Think about your personal brand and the story you want to tell, and ensure you display enthusiasm and flexibility.

Tell me about your strengths.

Answering this question well is all about showing your ability to do the job, your commitment to work, and your ability to function effectively as part of a team. Choose a handful of qualities that focus on how your skills and unique personal strengths will benefit this specific role, demonstrate to the hiring manager a combination of hard and soft skills.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Consider pragmatically about where this position can lead you and how that plays into your career plans. Job seekers should come across as driven, yet not aggressive or difficult to work with long term. You should aim to identify a unique way to demonstrate how your personal goals and skills correspond with those of the position.

Tell me about your hobbies outside of work?

This is a great opportunity to help hiring managers see a complete view of yourself and to ideally score points with the interviewer. Work to having stories that are compelling or unexpected that can highlight your skills and make sure to come across in their post-interview review.Using these strategies will help you handle the interview more effectively and create remarkable conversations because you were prepared for the basics.