Interview Questions
There are a number
of interview questions that for some reason people like to ask. Not only to get
information from you but also to see how you handle yourself. The trick is to be prepared with answers that
help your cause, not to stumble through answering a question and sink your ship
in the process. Some of these questions
are:
"Where do you want to be five
years from now?"
"What are your major
strengths?"
"What was your greatest
accomplishment?"
“What are you most proud of in your work history?”
“What do some co-workers do that annoys you?”
“Which of your job skills do you think need improving?”
“What are you least proud of in your work history?”
“What did you like most about the last place you worked?”
“Who was your favorite boss?” “Why?”
“What kinds of situations get you in trouble at work?”
“What did you like least about the last place you worked?” Be really careful when you answer this one. Remember, nobody likes a complainer.
"What are your major weaknesses?" Try to turn this into something positive.
"Why did you leave your last job?" Be sure you have a well rehearsed story line for this one, especially if the circumstances were not benign. Full disclosure is not necessary but honesty is.
"What was your worst mistake?" Again try to turn this into something positive.
Remember with these
kinds of questions that you don't really have to answer the question that is
asked you only have to appear to. For
example, in the case of the last question you might answer the question,
"What mistake did you make that taught you the most interesting
lesson?" Whatever you do don't
actually tell about your worst mistake.
Unless it was so bad that it was published in the newspaper, there is no
way your prospective employer can know.
Furthermore, there
are things about the company that they're not going to tell you about
either. There is a picture that hangs in
my office. It shows a cowboy. Under the picture is a caption that reads,
"Thar were things about this outfit they didn't
tell me afor I signed on." This is always the case. Full disclosure is never the practice nor is
it desirable in an employment interview.
And don't take this as an opportunity to say something negative about
your old employer. No matter how bad
they were; no matter how much dirt they did you, keep your mouth shut on that
score and get on with your life. And
unbelievable as it might seem your prospective employer isn't interested in you
sad tale. Do you want sympathy or do you
want a job? Nobody wants to hire someone
who might later badmouth him or her.
Nobody wants some body around who sounds bitter and resentful.
Write out answers to these questions and memorize the answers. Practice giving the response so that you seem natural giving it. When you are asked a question that you've not heard before, add it to your list of questions and develop an answer.
Send me an email with any different interview questions that you've encountered and tell me how you answered it.