1. Tell me about yourself:The most often asked question in interviews.
You need to have a short statement prepared
in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to
work-related items
unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs
you have held that
relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest
back and work up
to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?Stay positive regardless of the
circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with
management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the
organization. If you do,
you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a
positive reason
such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other
forward-looking reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?Speak about specifics
that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have
specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?You should always answer
yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have
set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?Be prepared with a quote or two
from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a
paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always
said I was the
hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said
it at the interview
herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?This question is one
reason to do some research on the organization before the interview.
Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the
current issues and
who are the major players?
Subbu
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last
year?Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can
be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy
to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?Be honest but do not spend a lot of
time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what
you can do for this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?This may take some
thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done
on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily
be sensed. Relate
it to your long-term career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?Be aware of the policy on
relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer
even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention
a friend only if
they are well thought of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?A loaded question. A nasty little
game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do
not answer it. Instead, say something like, That's a tough question. Can
you tell me the
range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard,
will tell you. If not,
say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to
have examples ready. Specifics that show you
often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good
evidence of your
team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a
key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I'd like it to
be a long time. Or
As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about
that?This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you
Subbu
like to fire people. At the
same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to
the organization
versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect
the organization.
Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?The interviewer is not
looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong
feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That's the type of answer that works
best here. Short
and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?Answer
yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you
prefer. Do
not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?If you have not, say
no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things
about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organizationYou
should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your
best points
as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance
thought to this
relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?Point out how your assets meet what the
organization needs. Do not mention any other
candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have madeHave a good one ready.
Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then
considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a
real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?This is a trap question. Think
real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you.
A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?Numerous answers are good, just
stay positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work
Subbu
under pressure,
Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your
leadership skills, Your
positive attitude .
23. Tell me about your dream job.Stay away from a specific job. You
cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is
it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion
that you will be
dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say
something like: A
job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can't wait to
get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?Give several
reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?Do not be
trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization, violence or lawbreaking
to get
you to object. Minor objections will label you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?Money is
always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better
answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point
is?There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,
Initiative, Patience,
Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisorBiggest trap of
all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it
and
tell about a problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview
right there. Stay
positive and develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?Don't get trivial or
negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract,
Subbu
which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.You may say
that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that
relates
to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more
closely?Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may
want another job more
than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?This is a personal
trait that only you can say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?This is up
to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?Several
ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a
success.Your boss
tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?You should be clear
on this with your family prior to the interview if you think there is a
chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get the job if the real
answer is no. This can
create a lot of problems later on in your career. Be honest at this point
and save yourself
future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of
your own?This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry
about the deep ethical and
philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.Try to avoid labels. Some of the
more common labels, like progressive, salesman or
consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on
which management
expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will
manage according
to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
Subbu
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?Here you have
to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well
intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An example would be
working too far
ahead of colleagues on a project and thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?Trick question. If you know about
blind spots, they are no longer blind spots. Do not reveal
any personal areas of concern here. Let them do their own discovery on
your bad points. Do
not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look
for?Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?Regardless of
your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of
experience?First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not
know about, bring that up: Then,
point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?Be generic and positive.
Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to
subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have
these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between
others.Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving
technique and not the dispute
you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?Be
honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.Emphasize benefits to the organization.
Things like, determination to get the job done and
work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?Be
sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show
acceptance and no
negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.Talk about
having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
Subbu
50. Do you have any questions for me?Always have some questions
prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to
the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and
What type of
projects will I be able to assist on? are examples.
You need to have a short statement prepared
in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to
work-related items
unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs
you have held that
relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest
back and work up
to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?Stay positive regardless of the
circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with
management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the
organization. If you do,
you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a
positive reason
such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other
forward-looking reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?Speak about specifics
that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have
specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?You should always answer
yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have
set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?Be prepared with a quote or two
from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a
paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always
said I was the
hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said
it at the interview
herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?This question is one
reason to do some research on the organization before the interview.
Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the
current issues and
who are the major players?
Subbu
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last
year?Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can
be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy
to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?Be honest but do not spend a lot of
time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what
you can do for this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?This may take some
thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done
on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily
be sensed. Relate
it to your long-term career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?Be aware of the policy on
relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer
even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention
a friend only if
they are well thought of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?A loaded question. A nasty little
game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do
not answer it. Instead, say something like, That's a tough question. Can
you tell me the
range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard,
will tell you. If not,
say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to
have examples ready. Specifics that show you
often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good
evidence of your
team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a
key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I'd like it to
be a long time. Or
As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about
that?This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you
Subbu
like to fire people. At the
same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to
the organization
versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect
the organization.
Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?The interviewer is not
looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong
feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That's the type of answer that works
best here. Short
and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?Answer
yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you
prefer. Do
not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?If you have not, say
no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things
about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organizationYou
should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your
best points
as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance
thought to this
relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?Point out how your assets meet what the
organization needs. Do not mention any other
candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have madeHave a good one ready.
Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then
considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a
real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?This is a trap question. Think
real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you.
A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?Numerous answers are good, just
stay positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work
Subbu
under pressure,
Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your
leadership skills, Your
positive attitude .
23. Tell me about your dream job.Stay away from a specific job. You
cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is
it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion
that you will be
dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say
something like: A
job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can't wait to
get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?Give several
reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?Do not be
trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization, violence or lawbreaking
to get
you to object. Minor objections will label you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?Money is
always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better
answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point
is?There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,
Initiative, Patience,
Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisorBiggest trap of
all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it
and
tell about a problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview
right there. Stay
positive and develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?Don't get trivial or
negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract,
Subbu
which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.You may say
that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that
relates
to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more
closely?Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may
want another job more
than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?This is a personal
trait that only you can say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?This is up
to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?Several
ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a
success.Your boss
tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?You should be clear
on this with your family prior to the interview if you think there is a
chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get the job if the real
answer is no. This can
create a lot of problems later on in your career. Be honest at this point
and save yourself
future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of
your own?This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry
about the deep ethical and
philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.Try to avoid labels. Some of the
more common labels, like progressive, salesman or
consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on
which management
expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will
manage according
to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
Subbu
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?Here you have
to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well
intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An example would be
working too far
ahead of colleagues on a project and thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?Trick question. If you know about
blind spots, they are no longer blind spots. Do not reveal
any personal areas of concern here. Let them do their own discovery on
your bad points. Do
not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look
for?Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?Regardless of
your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of
experience?First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not
know about, bring that up: Then,
point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?Be generic and positive.
Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to
subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have
these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between
others.Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving
technique and not the dispute
you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?Be
honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.Emphasize benefits to the organization.
Things like, determination to get the job done and
work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?Be
sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show
acceptance and no
negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.Talk about
having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
Subbu
50. Do you have any questions for me?Always have some questions
prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to
the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and
What type of
projects will I be able to assist on? are examples.