Interview – questionsandanswers

There is more to successful job interviewing than just answering questions

Many popular books on the subject of interviewing focus almost entirely on “how to answer interview questions”. While knowing how to answer questions is important, with increased competition for the best jobs, it’s simply not enough. You must take a holistic approach to interviewing if you want to stand out from the competition.

Sample Questions and Answers

Q. Why are you currently looking for a new opportunity?

How to Answer:

Never talk negative about your old company. Compliment your previous company if possible. Then, put a positive spin on why you’re leaving …such as looking for more growth. If you were fired or laid-off, find a way to soften the blow when explaining this to interviewers. In fact I would not advise that you say “I was fired”. Instead say something like, there were things I wasn’t happy with at my previous company and so instead of complaining about things that I couldn’t necessarily change or control, I decided to look for other opportunities.

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Q. What would your old boss say about you?

How to Answer:

A simple but effective way to answer this question is to say that your boss would say that you were a valued asset to the company. Be careful not to be too braggadocious. Arrogance won’t get you hired.

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Q. How do you deal with conflict? Give me an example.

How to Answer:

This question may also be asked “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult person.” Describe a time when you were confronted with a dicey situation involving a manager, coworker, or customer…and how you managed through it. Ensure that your answer shows that you were calm and under control in dealing with the situation and that you took a professional approach to resolving the issue.

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Q. Tell me about a time when you’ve made a customer really happy. What was his or her name?

How to Answer:

Talk about a time when you did something that really pleased a customer. Be sure to talk about something you did professionally. Do not talk about a gift you gave them or a lunch you treated them to. Talk about a job specific action you took that pleased either an internal or external customer…such as getting them the product they ordered early or delivering something on the weekend during your off hours. Be prepared to give the name and title of the individual.

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Q. What’s your greatest strength?

How to Answer:

The answer to this question should change depending on the position you’re interviewing for. If you’re interviewing to be a manager or supervisor, your strength should be something like: I’m a great motivator or I’m a great leader. If you’re interviewing to be a Sales Professional, your strength should be that you’re great at building relationships, great at persuasion or that you’re a great listener.

If you’re interviewing to be an Engineer, your strength should be that you’re great at design and technical project management. If you’re interviewing for a Finance position, your strength should be that you are very advanced in Microsoft Excel or that you’re a numbers wiz, etc.

A great generic but powerful answer to this question is: My greatest strength is that I have great follow-up skills. Follow up skills are very important in almost any job or position. This is a great choice if you are having difficulty coming up with what to use for your strength.

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Q. Tell me about a time when you’ve failed.

How to Answer:

Do not answer this question by saying, “I’ve never failed.” Instead, discuss a time when something you worked on professionally either individually or as part of a team, did not turn out as planned. Tread lightly with this answer. Your failure should not illustrate that you were incompetent or did a poor job. Choose a mild failure if possible…preferably one where there were mitigating circumstances that could not be avoided. Be sure to mention what you learned from the failure.

As the saying goes, “Proper Prior  Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!”. If you want to knock em dead…then  prepare yourself – Job Interviews  are tough.  The interviewers are  going to be asking behavioral job interview questions that require specific  examples. They are going to be asking you for details…including names of  people, dates, and results.  They’ll ask  you about lengthy projects you’ve been involved in – how you lead, manage and handle  deadlines as well as how you perform under pressure and deal with difficult  people.

Prepare yourself with this instand download!

Here is a Sneak Peek

There are numerous resources available for performing pre-interview research. However, to get the most relevant information in the shortest amount of time, there are three places you should go. The first place you should visit is the company’s web site. (Everybody does that)

But there are two additional places serious job seekers go to get inside information on the position, the company, & the interviewers. I’m talking employee feedback, company gossip, salary data, and interviewer backgrounds and resumes. Get access to these insider research portals with this instant download.

As the former head of recruiting for 2 major U.S. companies, I’ve seen how unfair the corporate recruiting system can be…like how we asked trick interview questions, how we ruled out candidates based on how they were dressed, and how we chose candidates who lied during the interview over honest job seekers.

You will be amazed, once you learn the job interview method, you will be making your way to higher paid postions in no time.

Download the Prepare for Your Job Interview in 24 Hours or Less.

Phone interview seem to be growing more common as search committees try to make the difficult decision of who to invite for a campus interview. When you pass this level you will pass to the interview, and to campus for in-person interviews, and ultimately offered the position! If you are not interviewed by phone, these same questions are likely to be asked on site.

Some helpful hints: Introduce yourself clearly and directly. Engage in some “small talk” at the start of the interview, just as you would in a one-on-one interview. Have your resume and the job advertisement with you for reference, and a pencil and some paper to make notes. Speak clearly into the receiver and modulate your voice. Your voice is the only way you have of showing eagerness, enthusiasm and zest for the job. Your voice reveals both your personality and your attitude toward the caller. Don’t forget to smile! It makes a big difference in a conversation, even on the phone. Some students find that it helps to dress for a telephone interview as you would for a face-to-face job interview – it often helps to psychologically prepare you for this form of business “meeting”.

No matter how or where your interview is conducted, you should still have the same goal: to communicate to the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the position for which you are being interviewed. If the phone interview has been scheduled in advance, you should prepare as carefully as you would for a formal “sit down” in someone’s office. Eliminate any distractions from your immediate environment (desk toys, newspaper clippings, your shopping list). Dress professionally and maintain good posture. The one bonus to a phone interview is that you can prearrange notes to prompt you and to keep you on track, but only if you can refer to them unobtrusively. You do not want the person on the other end of the line to hear you shuffling papers in the background!

The Official Phone Interview Handbook Average Rating: 7 total customer reviews...