Temporary or contract jobs are at their peak, and according to one survey, about 40% of hiring is through temporary hire. Also, the retention rate after being hired as a permanent employee’s contractor is on an increasing trend. Therefore, the job seeker must frame her answers and must give adequate answers to the most frequently asked questions described below.

Even if the temporary employee wants to work full-time instead of as a temporary employee, they don’t need to mention that they want to be a full-time employee. Because the employer hiring the temporary resource wants or may be interested in using the job seeker’s resources for as long as the job seeker wants. Not forgetting that there is a good chance that the temporary staff that is hired will become a permanent employee if they demonstrate their skills and fit into the work culture of the organization.

Here are some questions the interviewer would likely ask you and judge whether or not to hire you based on the answers you give.

1. Why are you interested in this temporary opportunity and do you think it fits you?

Through this question, the interviewer would like to know why you are interested in the position and what your ambitions are. You must answer in a way that highlights his intentions to be employed by the company and that his skill set and ambitions would help you achieve his long-term career goals, implying that this is not a interim agreement. You should also mention how his skill set fits the job, mentioning that he will soon fit into the work culture of the organization.

2. What do you expect from this organization and your co-workers if you are hired?

Before answering this question, you should have done some basic research on the company and the kind of work culture it fits. The company’s website, its “about us” section, and some company contacts through LinkedIn would help you learn about the company’s work culture. Once he decides that he is fit and happy to work for the company, he should focus more on how he will add value to the company. Instead of mentioning the flexibility and fun aspect, mention more about professional development, training opportunities, and rewards for good performance. Also, mention that you are a team player, mingle with people very quickly, and see the bigger picture than personal goals.

3. Would you like to become a full-time employee if given the opportunity?

Staying positive is the key answer to this question. Unless you really don’t want to work full time, you always say you’d be happy to work if you had the opportunity to work full time. Emphasize what you like best about the job and why you want to be hired by the particular organization.
If the answer is no, briefly mention why you are only interested in a temporary job, without making negative comments. You might mention that you would be happier with the flexibility and other perks of temporary employment.

4. What do you consider to be your most important achievement?

A good answer to this question can give you a job opportunity. After doing your research and discovering that there are few problems in the company, highlighting your strengths in dealing with those problems can be a definite scoring point. Other than that, bring out more of your nature as a worker, putting in long hours of work and efforts, handling pressure. You can also tell a short story of what was the greatest achievement of his in his work experience.

5. How do you handle pressure? Do you like or dislike these situations?

Few people perform well under pressure. If you are one of them, please highlight it and give an example. This question could also mean that the opening might require a bit of pressure management. Try to judge and know what exactly the position implies. Be descriptive if giving the answer sounds positive.

6. Why did you leave the last position?

This is a very critical question and the answer must be carefully given. Do not speak ill of your former employer. You can say that it was a contract job or that you would like to improve his skills and that the current job did not offer many learning opportunities. Also, don’t mention that you had any personal problems with management or the leader if you had any. You can also throw in a word of praise for the current organization by saying, I’m more interested in working for your company.

7. Deadlines, frustrations, difficult people, and silly rules can make work difficult. How do you handle these kinds of situations?”

The basic reason for asking this question is to judge how positive and willing you are to take on such a situation, whether it exists or not. Be positive and mention that you can cope with all of these situations. You can mention that you would like to work with tight deadlines and challenging conditions. Mention that you have the diplomacy, patience, and common sense to get through these situations.

8. One of our biggest problems is. . . What has been your experience with this? How would you deal with that?

This question would judge your organizational and analytical skills. It is important to think fast and give an intelligent answer to this question. The best way to answer this question is to break it down into subsections and, if you’ve been in that situation, provide a brief history of how you experienced and handled the problem. After answering the subsections, summarize as a whole and conclude with a positive sentence.

9. How important has your technical ability been in achieving results?

It is very important to have the technical ability to answer this question. First, assess how much technical skill the interviewer is looking for and check to see if you have the skill. You should express your experience, for example, if you have a background in software, please provide information about the software programs and the different job roles you had in the specific industry. Also, that should be related and explained how you would use those skill sets for the current job you are applying for.

10. What are your professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?

This question must be answered realistically. Don’t give your answer as saying you want to achieve a role that is not attainable. Mainly emphasize that you would attend to the growth of the companies and that you would see yourself 2-3 levels higher if given the opportunity, as being suitable to carry out the aspirations and goals of the companies. However, if you have a particular goal in mind, you can mention it, considering you have decent experience and track record. Always try to judge what the interviewer expects from you and therefore it is important to understand the recruiter’s problem.