Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates once gave a brilliant answer to one of the most common job interview questions that would have most of us stumped. During a 2020 interview for NBA star Stephen Curry’s YouTube series called ‘State of Inspiration’, Mr Gates was asked to play the role of a junior software engineer interviewing for a job at Microsoft. He was then asked a few questions to which the tech magnet revealed important points and prospective that might help you for your next big career move. 

One of the most common job interview questions the billionaire was asked was salary expectations. “What is your salary expectation for the role?” the host of the show asked Mr Gates. To this, the tech mogul didn’t give an actual figure, but he explained how best to answer the question. 

“I hope the option package is good. I’m able to take risk and I think the company has a great future, so I prefer to get stock options even more than cash compensation,” Mr Gates advised, per Forbes. “I hear some other companies are paying a lot, but treat me fairly and emphasize the options,” he added. 

By saying he is willing to take shares of a company instead of a mega salary shows the interviewer that he is a risk-taker and believes in the firm, its products and its future. According to Forbes, he also gives himself leverage in any salary discussion by saying, “I hear other companies are paying a lot”. This reminds the interviewer that this job candidate is in high demand, but treat him fairly and he’ll be a team player. 

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In the YouTube show, Mr Gates also answered other job interview questions that candidates dread answering. One important question that interviewers usually ask is: “Why should we hire you?” 

Answering this, Mr Gates responded, “You should look at the codes that I’ve written. I write software programs way beyond any classes that I’ve taken. I think I’ve gotten better over time, so take a look at how ambitious I’ve been there.”

“I do think I can work well with people. I might criticize their code a little harshly, but overall, I like to be on a team. I like ambitious goals. I like thinking through how we can anticipate the future. Software is cool, and I want to be involved,” he added. 

Mr Gates’ answer shows off his achievements while also showing how his skills have improved over time. His answer also points out his ability to work well with others as well as reflects on where he could have improved. Overall, his answer demonstrates his high standards of excellence – an important quality recruiters look for and admire in a job candidate.