It is a tough question to answer because it is so broad and it is difficult to know what information to concentrate on. It is a seemingly informal and friendly question so candidates tend not to prepare for it. This is a mistake, it is very easy to bore the interviewer with irrelevant information. Use these expert interview tips to help you with this one.

• Know what the requirements of the job opening are. Make sure you have a good understanding of what the company is looking for in a successful candidate.
• Tailor your answer to highlight how you have the skills and abilities the company is looking for
• Keep it to the point - an interviewer will quickly lose interest in a candidate who rambles on about themselves. Stick to about 3 - 5 pertinent points
• Start with the strongest benefit you can bring to the job
• Be specific by supporting your answer with facts and figures

One of the 5 common interview questions, "Why should we hire you?"requires similar preparation.

• Match your skills to the job requirements. Look at the competencies needed for success in this type of position.
• Prepare a statement that clearly demonstrates these skills and competencies
• Avoid the type of answers that don't work for this question such as I am a hard worker and I try really hard. These don't tell the interviewer why you, specifically, are the right person for the job

Find out more about handling this interview question at Why should we hire you?

The old staple - "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"

An effective answer requires you to sit down before your job interview and consider this carefully. Use these helpful tips to prepare.

• Keep it job-related. The interviewer is not really interested in how good you are at cooking or swimming
• Show how your strengths would benefit the job and the company
• Avoid falling into the old trap of trying to present a strength as a weaknesses such as I am a workaholic. This is too much of a cliche for credibility. Focus rather on how you are trying to improve a genuine weakness