The Best Answers to Tough Interview Questions Tell me about yourself.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? Describe a major goal you ve set for yourself recently. !ow that you ve had a chance to learn more about us" what would you change about our com#any? We all have wea$nesses. What are some of your major wea$nesses? What ty#e of decisions do you have difficulty ma$ing? What is your biggest failure? What are the major reasons for your success? We re considering two other candidates for this #osition. Why should we hire you rather than someone else? %ow do you s#end your free time? Why do you want to wor$ in this industry? %ow do you stay current? Why do you thin$ this industry would sustain your interest in the long haul? Where do you want to be in five years? Describe your ideal career. Tell me something about yourself that I didn t $now from reading your resume. Tell me what you $now about this com#any. What have you learned about our com#any from customers" em#loyees" or others? Tell me what you thin$ our distinctive advantage is within the industry. What other firms are you interviewing with" and for what #ositions? Do you believe you re over&ualified for this #osition? What would you do if one of our com#etitors offered you a #osition? What s your dream job? What motivates you to do this $ind of wor$? Why should I hire you? What are your strengths? %ow do you e'#lain your job success? Would your current boss describe you as the $ind of em#loyee who goes the e'tra mile? Tell me about a time you didn t #erform to your ca#abilities. %ow do you manage stress in your daily wor$? %ow do you regrou# when things haven t gone as #lanned? Why is service such an im#ortant issue? Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate customer. %ow did you handle the situation? %ow do you manage your wor$ wee$ and ma$e realistic deadlines? What #ersonal s$ill or wor$ habit have you struggled to im#rove? What color is your brain? If you got on an elevator where everyone was facing the bac$" what would you do? or innovative #roject you ve wor$ed on? (onsider the following scenario) *ou re wor$ing late one evening and are the last #erson in the office. *ou answer an urgent tele#hone call to your su#ervisor from a sales re# who s currently meeting with a #otential client. The sales re# needs an answer to a &uestion to close the sale. Tomorrow will be too late. *ou have the e'#ertise to answer the &uestion" but it s beyond your normal level of authority. %ow do you res#ond? +ive me #roof of your #ersuasiveness. What s your most #roductive or ideal wor$ setting? Do you #refer continuity in structure or fre&uent change in your daily wor$? What environments allow you to be es#ecially effective? %ow will you com#lement this de#artment? Whom did you choose as your references and why? (an we call all of your references? Are you most #roductive wor$ing alone or in a grou#? Tell me about an effective manager" su#ervisor" or other #erson in a leading role you ve $nown. What ty#e of #eo#le do you wor$ with most effectively? What things im#ress you in colleagues? %ow do you organi,e and #lan for major #rojects? What #ersonal characteristics add to your effectiveness? %ow have your technical s$ills been an asset? %ow do you usually go about solving a #roblem? %ow #ractical or #ragmatic are you? Tell me about a time when there was no rule or #recedent to hel# you attac$ a #roblem. What s your greatest achievement to date? Tell me about something you accom#lished that re&uired disci#line. Where do you ho#e that your career will have #rogressed to in the ne't few years? -ince this will be your first job" how do you $now you ll li$e the career #ath? What are your as#irations beyond this job? %ow long do you thin$ you d continue to grow in this job? (om#are this job to others you re #ursuing.

Tell me about your salary e'#ectations. What do you reasonably e'#ect to earn within five years? .ther than wor$" tell me about an activity you ve remained interested in over several years. What do you enjoy in your s#are time? Do you live a balanced lifestyle? What outside activities com#lement your wor$ interests? If you found yourself getting burned out" what would you do to revitali,e your energy? .ur com#any believes that em#loyees should give bac$ time to the community. %ow do you feel about it? What community #rojects that can use your #rofessional s$ills are #articularly interesting to you? Describe how a s#ort or hobby taught you a lesson in teamwor$ or disci#line. When you aren t at wor$" do you #refer to stic$ to a schedule" or do you #refer to be s#ontaneous? Why? Tell me about an interest that you outgrew. What would you do if I told you that I thought you were giving a very #oor interview today? Tell me about your most difficult wor$ or #ersonal e'#erience. If this were your first annual review with our com#any" what would I be telling you right now? +ive an e'am#le of a time when you were as$ed to accom#lish a tas$ but weren t given enough information. %ow did you resolve this #roblem? %ow have you handled criticism of your wor$? Tell me about a situation that frustrated you at wor$. Tell me about your least/favorite manager or #rofessor. Who s the toughest em#loyer you ve ever had" and why? Time management has become a necessary factor in #roductivity. +ive an e'am#le of a time/management s$ill you ve learned and a##lied at wor$. Would you be willing to locate to another city? Would you be able to wor$ e'tended hours as necessary to #erform the job? -ell me this sta#ler. What is your biggest wea$ness? Why weren t your grades better? Was there a course that you found #articularly challenging? Why didn t you #artici#ate more in e'tracurricular activities?

Questions As$ed By 0m#loyers What are your long range and short range goals and objectives" when and why did you establish these goals and how are you #re#aring yourself to achieve them? What s#ecific goals" other than those related to your occu#ation" have you established for yourself? What do you see yourself doing five years from now? What do you e'#ect to be earning in five years? What do you really want to do in life? What are the most im#ortant rewards you e'#ect in your business career? Why did you choose the career for which you are #re#aring? Which is more im#ortant to you" the money or ty#e of job? What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and wea$nesses? %ow would you describe yourself? %ow do you thin$ a friend or #rofessor who $nows you would describe you? What motivates you to #ut forth your greatest efforts? %ow has your college e'#erience #re#ared you for a business career? Why should I hire you? What &ualifications do you have that ma$e you thin$ that you will be successful in business? %ow do you determine or evaluate success? What do you thin$ it ta$es to be successful in a com#any li$e ours? In what ways do you thin$ you can ma$e a contribution to our com#any? What &ualities should a successful manager #ossess? Describe the relationshi# that should e'ist between a su#ervisor and those re#orting to him or her. What two to three accom#lishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why? Describe your most rewarding college e'#erience. If you were hiring a graduate for this #osition" what &ualities would you loo$ for? Why did you select your college or university? What led you to choose your field of major study? What college subjects did you li$e best? Why? 1east? Why? If you could do so" how would you #lan your academic study differently? Why?

What changes would you ma$e in your college or university? Why? Do you have #lans for continued study? An advanced degree? Do you thin$ that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? What have you learned from #artici#ation in e'tra/curricular activities? In what $ind of wor$ environment are you most comfortable? %ow do you wor$ under #ressure? In what #art/time or summer jobs have you been most interested in? Why? %ow would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation? Why did you decide to see$ a #osition with this com#any? What do you $now about our com#any? What two or three things are most im#ortant to you in a job? Are you see$ing em#loyment in a com#any of a certain si,e? Why? What criteria are you using to evaluate the com#any for which you ho#e to wor$? Are you willing to travel? Do you have a geogra#hical #reference? Why? Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you? Are you willing to s#end at least si' months as a trainee? Why do you thin$ you might li$e to live in the community in which our com#any is located? What major #roblem have you encountered and how did you deal with it? What have you learned from your mista$es? What were your major courses of study in school? Why did you choose those courses? What was the most im#ortant thing you learned in school? Why did you decide to go to this 2niversity? Do you #lan to finish your college degree while you are wor$ing? Did school meet your e'#ectations? %ow did you #ay for your college education? To what e'tent do your grades reflect how much you learned? What were your major res#onsibilities at your last job? At the one before that? Which of your #revious jobs did you li$e 3or disli$e4 most? Why? What was the most rewarding e'#erience at wor$? What do you find most satisfying in a job? What was your single most im#ortant accom#lishment for the com#any in your last job? Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want to change jobs? What was the toughest #roblem you had to solve? %ow did you solve it? Why do you want to wor$ for this com#any? This job means you will have to relocate5 what #roblems do you foresee" if any? This job has a lot of travel5 how will you handle that? After reading a descri#tion of the job" how do you see yourself fitting in with this job? What s$ills did you learn at your last job that you can use here? Why do you want to wor$ for our com#any? %ow do you thin$ your education will hel# you on this job? What would you do if you were fired in two years? If you went to wor$ for us today" what job would you li$e to hold in three years? %ow long do you #lan on staying with us? What $inds of additional education" formal or informal" do you thin$ you need to meet your career goals? What do you $now about our com#any? Why did you choose our com#any? What are your career goals? Where do you e'#ect to be in your career within five years? What are your educational goals? What future training do you #lan in connection with your career goals? What are your lifetime goals? What do you $now about the #osition you are interviewing for? What s$ills" e'#erience" and training do you have that ma$es you &ualified for this job? What other #ositions have you had that &ualify you for this #osition? What have you contributed to your #ast em#loyers that saved the com#any time" money" or enhanced its image? %ow many #romotions did you receive at your last or #resent com#any? Why were you given these #romotions at your #resent or last com#any? %ow many raises were given at your last #osition? Why were you given them? What did you learn in your last three #ositions? Why do you want to change careers?

%ave you had any su#ervisory or administrative e'#erience? 6lease tell me more about it. What management style do you #refer? %ow are your #eo#le/management s$ills? (an you give me one or two e'am#les? %ow well do you communicate in writing and orally? +ive me some e'am#les. (an you meet deadlines? If so" give me an e'am#le. +ive me an e'am#le of a decision you made that benefited your com#any. What motivates you? %ow do you best motivate others? What clubs do you belong to? What volunteer wor$ do you do or have you done in the #ast? What awards or honors have you received? What are your hobbies? What do you do in your s#are time? What are your salary re&uirements? %ave you ever done consulting wor$? If so" why and for whom? %ave you written any articles for a #rofessional journal" maga,ine" or news#a#er? What civic organi,ations do you belong to? What #rofessional associations do you belong to? What major strength do you feel you have that would ma$e you a great 37anager" -ales 8e#resentative" Accountant" Analyst" etc4? Describe a situation where your wor$ or an idea was critici,ed. %ave you done the best wor$ you are ca#able of doing? What #roblems do you have getting along with others? I m not sure you re suitable for the job" what do you thin$? Tell me about something you are not #roud of. What are some of the things your su#ervisor did that you disli$ed? What as#ects of your job do you consider most crucial? What is your energy level li$e? Describe a ty#ical day. Why do you want to wor$ here? What $ind of e'#erience do you have for this job? Are you willing to go where the com#any sends you? What did you li$e9disli$e about your last job? What is the least relevant job you have held? What would you li$e to be doing five years from now? What are your biggest accom#lishments? %ow do you organi,e and #lan for major #rojects? What is your greatest strength? What are your outstanding &ualities? What interests you most about this job? What can you do for us that someone else can t do? Describe a difficult #roblem you have had to deal with. What would your references say about you? (an we chec$ your references? What was the last boo$ you read 3or movie you saw4? %ow did it affect you? %ow do you handle tension? %ow long have you been loo$ing for a #osition? %ave you ever been fired? %ow does this job com#are with others you have a##lied for? %ow do you ta$e direction? 8ate yourself on a scale of one to ten. What $inds of things do you worry about? What is the most difficult situation you have faced? What are some of the things that bother you? What have you done that shows initiative? %ow interested are you in s#orts? Do you #refer wor$ing with others or alone? 0'#lain your role as a grou#9team leader. %ow would you define a conducive wor$ atmos#here? Define coo#eration. What difficulties do you have tolerating #eo#le with different bac$grounds and interests from yours?

In hindsight" what have you done that was a little harebrained? What would you do when you have a decision to ma$e and no #rocedure e'ists? What $inds of decisions are most difficult for you? Tell me about the #roblems you have had living within your means. What area of your s$ills9#rofessional develo#ment do you want to im#rove at this time? Are you willing to ta$e calculated ris$s when necessary? -ee this #en I am holding" sell it to me. What is the worst thing you have heard about our com#any? %ow do you handle rejection? Tell me about a time when you #ut your foot in your mouth. What interests you least about this job? What do you feel is a satisfactory attendance record? What are some of the things you find difficult to do? Why do you feel that way? What $ind of #eo#le do you li$e to wor$ with? What $ind of #eo#le do you find it difficult to wor$ with? %ow have you successfully wor$ed with this difficult ty#e of #erson? %ow would you evaluate me as an interviewer? We have tried to hire #eo#le from your major before" and they never seem to wor$ out. What ma$es you different? Do you li$e routine tas$s9regular hours? What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to wor$? What do you thin$ determines #rogress in a good com#any? Do you thin$ grades should be considered by first em#loyers? Why do you thin$ you would li$e this ty#e of wor$? What would your ideal career #osition be? Do you consider yourself a leader" and if so" give me some e'am#les of your leadershi# abilities? Do you consider yourself a better manager or a better im#lementer? What are your most significant achievements? %ave you had any international e'#erience? Do you s#ea$ or write in any foreign language? What can you offer us? %ave you ever fired em#loyees" and if so" how did you handle terminations? What do you feel is the most difficult res#onsibility that a manager9e'ecutive must #erform? What is your definition of success and according to this definition" how successful have you been in your career? What are your long and short range #lans? What were your favorite courses in school? Who were your favorite #rofessors and why? Did you #re#are your own resume? %ow long have you been engaged in your job search? %ave you had any s#ecific offers? Why haven t you found a #osition before now? What do you $now about this com#any" and where did you find this information? %ow do you s#end your time when you are not wor$ing? If you could begin your career over again" what would you do differently? %ow much do you thin$ this #osition is worth? What is the hardest job you have ever #erformed? Do you object to ta$ing #sychological tests? What contributions do you thin$ that you could ma$e to this com#any? *ou seem over&ualified for this #osition" what do you thin$? Additional Questions You May be Asked Work History Questions: I noticed that you were wor$ing for 3your last job was with4 ::::. Why did you decide to wor$ there? What e'actly do 3did4 you do there? What do 3did4 you li$e about that job and com#any? What do 3did4 you not li$e? %ow do 3did4 you get along with your su#ervisor there? %ow do you thin$ he or she would rate you? Would he or she recommend you for another job? What &ualities do you loo$ for in a su#ervisor? What ty#e of #eo#le do you li$e to wor$ with? Tell me about your successes in that job.

Was your wor$ ever critici,ed? If so" in what way? What did you do to im#rove? What $ind of setting do you li$e to wor$ in &uiet or noisy? Alone or with others? In doing your job" do you thin$ it s more im#ortant to finish &uic$ly or do the wor$ e'actly right?

Education Questions: I see you went to :::::::::. Why did you #ic$ that school? Would you go there again? If not" why? Where would you go instead? What do you feel were the most significant things you got out of going there? %ow did you ha##en to major in :::::::::? Would you choose the same curriculum again? If not" what would you choose instead? In what subjects did you do best? What subjects gave you the most trouble? What was your overall average for class standings? Did you have any #art/time jobs while you were going to school? %ow will your degree hel# you succeed in our com#any? Why aren t your grades higher? Self-Evaluation Questions: %ow do you feel you can contribute to this com#any? What do you ho#e to gain from wor$ing here? What do you feel are your outstanding &ualities? When you analy,e yourself in relation to wor$ and other #eo#le" do you find areas that need im#rovement? If so" how would you go about it? What are your short and long range career objectives? Why do you want to change jobs? What will your last su#ervisor tell me are your two strongest9wea$est areas? Tell me about a time when you had to delay finishing a tas$ because you didn t have enough information to come to a good decision. Describe the best su#ervisor you ve ever had. What do you really want to do in life? %ave you ever hired or fired anyone? %ow would you describe yourself? Would you li$e to have your boss s job? Describe the $ind of #eo#le that annoy you most. What ty#e of #eo#le do you li$e wor$ing with? What interests you about this #osition? +ive an e'am#le of a time when you were able to effectively communicate with another #erson even though that #erson may have disli$ed you? Why do you want to wor$ here? +ive an e'am#le of a time when you were able to build motivation in your co/wor$ers or those you su#ervised. Why should I hire you rather than someone else for this #osition? %ow do you feel about your career #rogress to date? +ive an e'am#le of a #roblem you had at wor$ and tell me how you solved it. %ow has your #ast e'#erience trained you for this career? What did you do on your last job in order to hel# build teamwor$? What did you disli$e9li$e about your last job? What are two things you wish to avoid in your ne't job? Describe an im#ortant goal that you ve set in the #ast" and tell me about your success in reaching it. What $inds of decisions are hard for you? +ive an e'am#le of a time when you had to be relatively &uic$ in coming to a decision. Describe the most significant written re#ort9#resentation that you had to com#lete. Tell me some s#ecific techni&ues you used on your last job in order to im#rove your organi,ational and time management s$ills. What is the most creative wor$/related #roject you ve been involved in? %ow do you wor$ under #ressure? Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done. What have you learned from your mista$es? Describe a time on any job when you ve confronted #roblems9stresses that tested your co#ing s$ills. +ive me an e'am#le of a s#ecific occasion when you conformed to a #olicy that you didn t agree with. What motivates you in a job and in #ersonal life?

What role do you ta$e in a grou# situation? +ive e'am#les. +ive an e'am#le of how you #erformed in a team situation. What are the biggest issues facing our industry and com#any today? What would you do to im#rove our com#any s #osition? What research have you done on our firm and our industry? Are you results oriented? +ive some e'am#les. %ow have you develo#ed your inter#ersonal s$ills? Are they good? Describe your #roblem solving s$ills. +ive me an e'am#le of a com#le' #roblem you solved. +ive me an e'am#le of when you have failed and how you res#onded. (an you wor$ under #ressure? +ive an e'am#le. What ty#e of salary are you worth and why? What are the five biggest accom#lishments of your life? %ow long would it ta$e you to ma$e a contribution to our com#any? If you could change something in the course of your life" what would you change? %ow would you rate yourself as a manager? As a wor$er? What were the develo#ment ste#s on your last #erformance a##raisal? What new goals have you set for yourself? Why did you choose these? What did you thin$ of your last boss? What did your subordinates thin$ of you? Why haven t you obtained or acce#ted a job so far? What features of your #revious jobs did you li$e and disli$e? Describe your ideal #icture of success. What interests you most about our #osition? What was the last boo$ you read? What did you do on your last vacation? Wouldn t you be better off in a bigger 3smaller4 organi,ation? Are you a leader? +ive e'am#les. Describe your #ersonality. %ow have you increased #rofits in your #ast jobs? What &ualities do you loo$ for in hiring #eo#le? ;or this job? Describe the ideal em#loyee. %ow have you im#roved yourself recently? What were your res#onsibilities in your cam#us activities? Describe your study habits. %ow do you change your style to wor$ with #eo#le at all levels" from <ice 6residents to -ecretaries? What other firms are you tal$ing to and why? %ow would you decide between job offers from us and one of our com#etitors? What have you learned from your #ast jobs? What s$ills do you bring to us and how can you #ut them to wor$? Describe the time #eriod and circumstances when you became self/su##orting. Describe a goal you have set in the #ast and how successful have you been in wor$ing towards its accom#lishment. Describe a time when you were under #ressure to fulfill a commitment you made to do something in s#ite of difficulties. Describe a situation in which one of your decisions was challenged in a grou#. %ow did you react? Were you able to achieve the results you wanted? Describe a time when you had to be #ersuasive in getting your ideas across. +ive me a &uestion that you ve never heard a recruiter as$ you and you want to hear. Describe a situation in which you found yourself to be an analytical and thorough #roblem solver" and by solving the #roblem achieved good results. Describe when you used facts9figures to su##ort your story to obtain a significant accom#lishment in an im#ortant matter. It s hard to get a new idea acce#ted by others. Describe when you have had to do this. What are some things about yourself that you would li$e to im#rove?

In order to be effective as a negotiator" it s im#ortant to not only be able to analy,e your com#etition" but also be able to com#romise. Describe an e'#erience in negotiating that reflects your ability to com#romise. Describe ste#s you have ta$en to address #roblem areas in some im#ortant matter. What are two or three things you would still li$e to learn in this field? What s$ills do you rely on most in your everyday wor$? What $ind of training do you feel you would benefit from? %ow much su#ervision do you normally receive? 6refer? What $ind of things come most naturally to you? Describe your biggest success. %ow do you feel about wor$ing in an unstructured environment? Why? What do you li$e most about your #resent job? What do you li$e least about it? What $inds of things give you the greatest satisfaction in your wor$? 1east satisfaction? What ste#s have you ta$en in the last few years to develo# your s$ills? In your o#inion" what ma$es you different from the other a##licants? What have been the most significant accom#lishments in your life so far? What sort of decisions are easy for you to ma$e? What sort of decisions are difficult for you to ma$e? If we hire you for this job" what would we need to do to bring you u# to s#eed? What has been your biggest frustration? If I s#o$e to a friend" what characteristics of yours would he or she li$e to see you change? To what e'tent would you say that your last job was a learning e'#erience? Why? What changes have you dealt with in your current #osition? Describe the ris$s that you have ta$en in your last job" and tell me the outcome of these ris$s.