Sunday, November 2, 2014

Interview Questions

With 60 years of experience
, on both sides of the interviewing desk, you could say we have a few interviewing pointers to share. Here’s a list of commonly asked questions—and effective responses—to help get you through the interview with ease. Go in prepared and come out on top.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

* Spend about two minutes answering this question.
* Begin wherever you feel comfortabl
e: high school, college, a prior position.
* Speak logically and clearly about yourself—s
hare particular attributes or accomplishments that demonstrate your value as a prospective employee.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISH
MENT.
* Develop an excellent response to this critical question.
* Focus on hard work, commitment
, long hours or ability under pressure.
* Describe a recent challenge and your involvemen
t in the solution (overtime, leadership, innovative thinking, etc.)
* Present an accomplish
ment relevant to the current position you seek.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE JOBS?

* Never criticize a past employer or co-workers
.
* Discussing
major problems within the company, or sharing the fact that the company is being bought out or shut down, is acceptable.
* Answering that you feel you can no longer make a contributi
on because of extensive changes at the company, or that you are looking for growth opportunities, is safest.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE / DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR LAST POSITION?

* Another key question that demonstrat
es whether or not you are a good fit.
* Avoid negativity
about your past position (e.g., dislike of overtime, conflict with management, etc.)
* Put a positive spin on your answer by focusing on challengin
g work that you did, variety of experience gained, team projects you were involved in, etc.
IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION?

* Choose a few specifics from the job descriptio
n and focus your answer on how your particular skills and experience meet these requirements.
* Highlight relevant management
experience, technical skill or a personal success story.
DESCRIBE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT STRENGTHS.


* Identify five strengths relevant to the position for which you’re interviewi
ng (e.g., technical skills, management experience, etc.)
* Give a brief example of how you successful
ly applied each of the five strengths in a past work situation.

HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISH
ED SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T THINK WAS POSSIBLE?
* Demonstrat
e integrity, work ethic or commitment to achieving a heady goal.
* Give an example of how you accomplish
ed this significant challenge without giving in to such things as obstacles along the way, tight deadlines or lack of resources.

IS THERE A SITUATION IN THE PAST IN WHICH YOU TOOK THE INITIATIVE
?
* Demonstrat
e that you are a motivated, results-oriented employee who knows what to do without being told.
* Describe situations
in which you exhibited a strong work ethic or creative abilities that helped you overcome a challenging situation.

CAN YOU THINK OF A SITUATION DURING YOUR CAREER THAT WAS PARTICULAR
LY EMBARRASSING? HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THE SAME SITUATION TODAY?
* Show that you are able to learn from past mistakes.
* Be honest about a particular
failure, but talk positively about the lesson you learned from it.
ONE OF OUR COMPANY’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES
IS…HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH THIS?
* Ask for more details before trying to answer this question.
* Break the challenge into sub-challe
nges, in which you have prior experience.
* Explain your strategy for dealing with each step and summarize the method you would use to solve the overall problem.
* Present your analytical
and organizational skills in a logical, step by step way.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN SITUATIONS
INVOLVING DIFFICULT CO-WORKERS, TIGHT DEADLINES OR INADEQUATE RESOURCES? HOW DID YOU HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS?
* Discuss effective management
skills and your ability to handle challenges.
* Describe your most difficult management
trial and the skills used to overcome it (e.g., organization, interpersonal skills, perseverance, diplomacy, etc.).
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR CAREER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNIT
Y?
* Be honest. The interviewe
r wants to know if you’ll be happy in the position, and whether you’re motivated to make changes in order to get what you want out of your career.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS?

* Focus on the attainable
.
* Give realistic answers, such as a management
promotion in three to five years.
* Consider your past (did you rise quickly or travel a rocky road?) and use this as a guideline for a reasonable
response.
MOST IMPORTANTL
Y, WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
* Take this opportunit
y to reveal your organizational skills, positive attitude and confidence.
* Restate key aspects of the job (which you’ve gleaned from the interview)
and describe the traits that make you an ideal candidate for the position.