Professional Documents
Culture Documents
There are many types of interview and you never have any idea about which type you will have to deal with until you come to interview place. So, the important thing is you should know about all those types and prepare yourself well.
sure to make eye contact with everyone, no matter who asked the question. Its important to establish rapport with each member of the interview team. Try to find out the names and job titles of the participants.
questions are designed to push your boundaries. The question you have to ask yourself is: Do I want to work for a company that treats me this way even before the offer is made? Rethink the corporate culture.
Future Plans Questions What are your long-term goals? What are your long-term career objectives? How do you plan to achieve your career goals? What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
What plans do you have for continuing your education? Availability Questions When will you be able to start this job? Do you mind working overtime? Money and Benefits Questions What level of salary are you expecting? What benefits are you expecting? Personal Questions What are your weak points with regard to your ability to perform this job? What are your strong points? How do you work under pressure? What are your two most satisfying accomplishments? Do you consider yourself a creative person? Why? What important rewards do you expect from your career? Why should I hire you? What have you learned from your hobbies or interests? What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it? What have you learned from your mistakes?
Whether you're being interviewed to be an intern or a CEO, you're going to run into a few notoriously tricky questions--here's a road map of what you'll be asked, and how to craft impressive answers to even the toughest questions. No two situations are ever exactly the same, but as a general guide, these are the types of questions that could come up in a typical interview. Why dont you tell me about yourself?
This question, often the interview opener, has a crucial objective: to see how you handle yourself in unstructured situations. The recruiter wants to see how articulate you are, how condent you are, and generally what type of impression you would make on the people with whom you come into contact on the job. The recruiter also wants to learn about the trajectory of your career and to get a sense of what you think is important and what has caused you to perform well. Most candidates nd this question a difcult one to answer. However, the upside is that this question offers an opportunity to describe yourself positively and focus the interview on your strengths. Be prepared to deal with it. There are many ways to respond to this question correctly and just one wrong way: by asking, What do you want to know? You need to develop a good answer to this question, practice it, and be able to deliver it with poise and condence. The right response is twofold: focus on what interests the interviewer, and highlight your most important accomplishments. Focus on what interests the interviewer
Do not dwell on your personal history--that is not why you are there. Start with your most recent employment and explain why you are well qualied for the position. The key to all successful interviewing is to match your qualications to what the interviewer is looking for. You want to be selling what the buyer is buying. Highlight Important Accomplishments
Have a story ready that illustrates your best professional qualities. For example, if you tell an interviewer that people describe you as creative, provide a brief story that shows how you have been creative in achieving your goals. Stories are powerful and are what people remember most.
A good interviewee will memorize a 60-second commercial that clearly demonstrates why he or she is the best person for the job. How long have you been with your current (or former) employer? This is a hot-button question if your rsum reects considerable job-hopping. Excellent performers tend to stay in their jobs at least three to ve years. They implement course corrections, bring in new resources, and, in general, learn how to survive--thats why they are valued by prospective employers. If your rsum reects jobs with companies that were acquired, moved, closed, or downsized, it is still viewed as a job-hoppers history. Volunteer and go to events where hiring authorities may be found. Ratchet up your networking to include anything that exposes you to hiring authorities who can get past your tenure issue because now they know you. Your networking efforts have never been so important. What is your greatest weakness? An impressive and condent response shows that the candidate has prepared for the question, has done serious self-reection, and can admit responsibility and accept constructive criticism. Sincerely give an honest answer (but not a long one), be condent in the fact that this weakness does not make you any less of a great candidate, and show that you are working on this weakness and tell the recruiter how. Tell me about a situation where you did not get along with a superior. The wrong answer to this hot-button question is, Ive been very fortunate and have never worked for someone I didnt get along with. Everyone has had situations where he or she disagreed with a boss, and saying that you havent forces the recruiter to question your integrity. Also, it can send out a signal that the candidate is not seasoned enough or hasnt been in situations that require him or her to develop a tough skin or deal with confrontation. Its natural for people to have differing opinions. When this has occurred in the past, you could explain that you presented your reasons and openly listened to other opinions as well. Describe a situation where you were part of a failed project. If you cant discuss a failure or mistake, the recruiter might conclude that you dont possess the depth of experience necessary to do the job. The recruiter is not looking for
perfection. He or she is trying better to understand your level of responsibility, your decision-making process, and your ability to recover from a mistake, as well as what you learned from the experience and if you can take responsibility for your mistakes. Respond that youd like to think that you have learned something valuable from every mistake you have made. Then have a brief story ready with a specic illustration. It should conclude on a positive note, with a concrete statement about what you learned and how it beneted the company. What are your strengths?
Describe two or three skills you have that are relevant to the job. Avoid clichs or generalities; offer specic evidence. Describe new ways these skills could be put to use in the position you are being considered for. How do you explain your job success?
Be candid without sounding arrogant. Mention observations other people have made about your work strengths or talents. What do you do when you are not working? The more senior the position, the more important it is to know about the candidates qualities that will impact his or her leadership style: is the person well adjusted and happy, or is he or she a company zealot? Discuss hobbies or pursuits that interest you, such as sports, clubs, cultural activities, and favorite things to read. Avoid dwelling on any political or religious activities that may create conict with those of the interviewer. Why did you leave your last position?
At high levels, issues that relate to personality and temperament become more important than they might otherwise. The recruiter wants to know if you will t in with the client company. The recruiter may also be shing for signs of conict that indicate a potential personality problem. Be honest and straightforward, but do not dwell on any conict that may have occurred. Highlight positive developments that resulted from your departure, whether it was that you accepted a more challenging position or learned an important lesson that helped you to be happier in your next job.
Think of a story to tell about how you rst became interested in this type of work. Point out any similarities between the job youre interviewing for and your current job. Provide proof that you arent simply shopping in this interview. Make your passion for your work a theme that you allude to continually throughout the interview.
A positive, nonintrusive way to stay on an employer's mind is to send a thank-you note. Vega recommends emailing one within 24 hours of the interview, then following up with a handwritten note that arrives one to three business days later. 2.3.6. Send each interviewer a personalized, powerful follow-up letter This piece of communication is another chance for you to shine, so don't waste space with generalities. Ford R. Myers, a career coach and author of "Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring,"recommends including specific references to each person you met and tying your accomplishments directly to the company's stated challenges. You also can use the letter to introduce achievements that didn't get discussed and to elaborate on interview answers that you felt lacked punch. 2.3.7. Address one of the company's needs Another effective way to follow up is to act more like a consultant than an applicant. "During the interview, you learn a lot about a company's weaknesses and/or areas where the company wants to expand," states Linda Matias, president of CareerStrides.com and author of "201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions." "Consider creating a proposal on how you would address one of those areas. Doing so will demonstrate that you have the knowledge and also the enthusiasm to make a significant contribution." 2.3.8. Keep thinking and learning about the company Be prepared for additional interviews or follow-up phone calls by continuing to research the organization and the field. Gain new information about a topic brought up in conversation. Think of additional questions you'd like answered. These actions show the hirer that you didn't stop caring about the company after the interview was over. 2.3.9. Leverage outside resources Networking should never stop. "If you have contacts and connections with anyone who might influence the hiring decision, or who actually knows the interviewer, ask her to put a good word in for you," Myers says. 2.3.10. Accept rejection with grace Finally, keep emotions in check and don't burn bridges if someone else gets hired. One never knows what the future might hold. The accepted candidate may not work out, or a different position may open up.
"If you are rejected, the first thing you should do (ironically) is send a thank-you note," Myers says. "This will help distinguish you from other rejected candidates and put you in a positive light."
Find out as much as you can about the company through annual reports, Newspapers, Value Line," S&P, etc. Your effort will show in the job interview, and youll be seen as proactive, hardworking and astute. Dress appropriately to match the company culture
Many companies have gone to corporate casual. Check with your contact to see what they require. When in doubt, always err on the side of formal business attire. Punctuality
Punctuality is a subtle clue about attitude and behaviour. Tardiness, no matter the excuse, is a major blunder. Research in advance what your parking options are and allow plenty of time. Exhibit enthusiasm
First impressions, positive or negative, dramatically affect the ultimate evaluation. You can make or break an job interview within the first five minutes. Appear friendly and outgoing
Smile and say hello to everyone. A positive reaction from the support staff is an important factor in the evaluation. Many hires have been heavily influenced by an Administrative assistant. Be self-confident
High self-esteem and self-confidence are the hallmarks of the successful individual. With confidence, be able to demonstrate how you have overcome obstacles. Theres nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself. Come prepared for key questions
Practice your responses to all the typical questions, such as "tell me about yourself" and "why are you looking for a new position?" How well you speak will have a bigger impact than what you say. Remain involved
The most effective job interviews are those where an active two-way conversation takes place. Not the typical question and answer type. Begin early in the interview to interject your own relevant insight. Remember, dont interrupt your interviewer. Establish your worth
Discuss your specific accomplishments that demonstrate a proactive attitude. Such as: have you installed systems, done something not required, trained someone, etc. Its always important to demonstrate how you either created revenue or saved expenses, and be specific with the amounts and how you accomplished that goal. Know your six key strengths
Be prepared to discuss in detail and with examples your five or six main attributes. These should be the ultimate reason you get the job over someone else. Assuming you have done the proper homework on the company, these strengths should also be closely aligned to the key traits the employer is looking for in a person to fill their position. Give 1 to 2 minute responses
Communication is the key to successful interviewing. A minimum of one to two minutes of well-prepared discussion gives the interviewer insight into your intellect and supports your contentions. Provide examples/details
Support statements about yourself with specific examples. These will provide legitimacy to your claims. Without them, the interviewer wont accept them as valid. Remain attentive
Stay alert during the job interview. Maintain good eye contact. Sit forward in your chair. Be animated. Show high levels of interest and stay enthused. These actions can maintain
or generate momentum during the interview. This is especially important when you are doing multiple interviews on the same day. The energy level must be as high for the last as it is for the first. Dont be arrogant A presumptuous, overbearing attitude will offset the finest abilities. Theres a fine line between being too confident and cocky. Dont cross that line. Ask probing questions
A few strategic questions can demonstrate your intelligence, analytical skills and assertiveness. Have these prepared from your research. Avoid superficial small talk. Be positive about co-workers Dont bad mouth previous positions, companies or employers. No matter how well founded, this implies a negative attitude, typical of those who dont take personal responsibility for their actions. Clearly state your interest
By the conclusion of the interview, state that you are definitely interested in the position and would like to know when the next step will take place. Its best to demonstrate this interest throughout the session. Be careful not to go overboard. Know your objective and end with it
Establish your objective before the job interview, like a second interview or an offer. Ask for it if you have not achieved it. Ask a question such as, "do you think my skills match your needs?" This gets straight to the point and, at worse, reveals other obstacles to overcome.
Have you ever been with someone who constantly clock watches? Isnt it annoying? Dont do it especially in an interview. Its distracting, annoying and rude to the interviewer. If youre serious about the job you need to show it by giving it your full attention. Being unprepared
If you turn up at an interview not knowing anything about the company or role you are going for, you will look stupid! Make sure that you have done your homework and know about what the company does, where its heading and what they are trying to do. You should know about the role you are going for and also about the people who are interviewing you. Expressing irrelevant opinions
Going on about something that is completely irrelevant to your interview is counterproductive and a waste of time in an interview. You may not even realize that you are doing it because you get so excited about a certain topic but make sure that you become more alert to this problem. Some of us are easily distracted and can get wrapped up in a conversation if we have strong views on it and find it interesting. However, if its not relevant to the role or job youre going after suck it up be quiet! Not listening or responding to the questions If you dont really listen to the questions, you wont respond to them well or properly. Making sure that you put on your listening cap as well as your speaking and get my opinions & talents across cap. If you dont listen in your interview you are pretty much sunk!