INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. So, tell me a little about yourself.
I'd be very surprised if you haven't been asked this one
at every interview. It's probably the most asked question
because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you
talking. Be careful not to give the interviewer your life
story here. You don't need to explain everything from
birth to present day. Relevant facts about education,
your career and your current life situation are fine.
2. Why are you looking (or why did you leave your last
job)?
This should be a straightforward question to answer, but
it can trip you up. Presumably you are looking for a new
job (or any job) because you want to advance your
career and get a position that allows you to grow as a
person and an employee. It's not a good idea to mention
money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if
you are in the unfortunate situation of having been
downsized, stay positive and be as brief as possible about
it. If you were fired, you'll need a good explanation. But
once again, stay positive.
3. Tell me what you know about this company.
Do your homework before you go to any interview.
Whether it's being the VP of marketing or the mailroom
clerk, you should know about the company or business
you're going to work for. Has this company been in the
news lately? Who are the people in the company you
should know about? Do the background work, it will make
you stand out as someone who comes prepared, and is
genuinely interested in the company and the job.
4. Why do you want to work at X Company?
This should be directly related to the last question. Any
research you've done on the company should have led
you to the conclusion that you'd want to work there.
After all, you're at the interview, right? Put some
thought into this answer before you have your interview,
mention your career goals and highlight forward-thinkin
g goals and career plans.
5. What relevant experience do you have?
Hopefully if you're applying for this position you have
bags of related experience, and if that's the case you
should mention it all. But if you're switching careers or
trying something a little different, your experience may
initially not look like it's matching up. That's when you
need a little honest creativity to match the experiences
required with the ones you have. People skills are people
skills after all, you just need to show how customer
service skills can apply to internal management positions,
and so on.
6. How are you when you're working under pressure?
Once again, there are a few ways to answer this but they
should all be positive. You may work well under pressure,
you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually
PREFER working under pressure. If you say you crumble
like a pack of cards, this is not going to help you get your
foot in the door.
7. What motivates you to do a good job?
The answer to this one is not money, even if it is. You
should be motivated by life's noble pursuits. You want
recognition for a job well done. You want to become
better at your job. You want to help others or be a leader
in your field.
8. What's your greatest strength?
This is your chance to shine. You're being asked to
explain why you are a great employee, so don't hold back
and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who
thrives under pressure, a great motivator, an amazing
problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention
to detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink
anyone under the table or beat your opponent in a game
of FIFA11, keep it to yourself. The interviewer is looking
for work-related strengths.
9. What's your biggest weakness?
If you're completely honest, you may be kicking yourself
in the butt. If you say you don't have one, you're
obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that
politicians have become masters at answering. They say
things like "I'm perhaps too committed to my work and
don't spend enough time with my family." Oh, there's a
fireable offense.
I've even heard "I think I'm too good at my job, it can
often make people jealous." Please, let's keep our feet
on the ground. If you're asked this question, give a
small, work-related flaw that you're working hard to
improve. Example: "I've been told I occasionally focus on
details and miss the bigger picture, so I've been spending
time laying out the complete project every day to see my
overall progress."
10. Let's talk about salary. What are you looking for?
Run for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an
interview. Even if you know the salary range for the job,
if you answer first you're already showing all your cards.
You want as much as possible, the employer wants you for
as little as you're willing to take.
You may want to say, "well, that's something I've thought
long and hard about and I think someone with my
experience should get between X & Y." Or, you could be sly
and say, "right now, I'm more interested in talking more
about what the position can offer my career." That could
at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation.
But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are
confident that you can get it, I'd say go for it.
11. Are you good at working in a team?
Unless you have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you'll always
answer YES to this one. It's the only answer. How can
anyone function inside an organization if they are a
loner? You may want to mention what part you like to
play in a team though; it's a great chance to explain
that you're a natural leader.
12. Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?
It's not a very fair question is it? We'd all love to get
paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but that's
rare indeed. It's fine to say money is important, but
remember that NOTHING is more important to you than
the job. Otherwise, you're just someone looking for a
bigger paycheck.
13. Would you rather be liked or feared?
The genuine answer should be "Neither, I'd rather be
respected." You don't want to be feared because fear is
no way to motivate a team. You may got the job done but
at what cost? Similarly, if you're everyone's best friend
you'll find it difficult to make tough decisions or hit
deadlines. But when you're respected, you don't have to
be a complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job
done.
14. So, explain why I should hire you.
As I'm sure you know, "because I'm great" or "I really
need a job" are not good answers here. This is a time to
give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents
that just so happen to match the job description. It's
also good to avoid taking potshots at other potential
candidates here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not
other people's flaws.
15. Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?
I'll finish the way I started, with one of the most
common questions asked in interviews. This directly
relates to the research you've done on the company and
also gives you a chance to show how eager and prepared
you are. You'll probably want to ask about benefits if they
haven't been covered already. A good generic one is "how
soon could I start, if I were offered the job of course."
You may also ask what you'd be working on. Specifically,
in the role you're applying for and how that affects the
rest of the company. Always have questions ready,
greeting this one with a blank stare is a rotten way to
finish your interview. Good luck and happy job hunting.
