Mark Twain once said that there is no such thing as a new idea. That is particularly true when it comes to questions that candidates are asked in job interviews.
Based on our research over more than 22 years of executive search we found that more 
than 70 percent of the questions posed to candidates have been asked before. That is to say that the majority of the questions you will be asked you have previously answered in this or other interviews. So it is enormously frustrating for recruiters when candidate responses reflect little or no advance preparation.
Why candidates, in an increasingly competitive job market, do not do a better job preparing for interviews is one of life’s great mysteries. They do not fail because they lacked experience or lacked some essential competence — they wouldn’t be at the interview table if that were the case.
No, more often than not it was poor preparation resulting in rambling, unfocused answers, or ones that failed to deliver quantifiable proof of a relevant accomplishment, for example. You may be the most qualified candidate for a position, but if you cannot communicate your value then you will continue to be disappointed when the recruiter calls with the news that you will not be moving forward in the search.
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