ne strategy for job-seekers preparing for behavioral interviews is to use the STAR

Technique, as outlined below. (This technique is often referred to as the SAR and PAR
techniques as well.)

Read up on the technique, and then try it out with our list of sample behavioral interview
questions. Read one SAR Story.

S
ituation or

Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed
to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation, not
a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be
sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This
situation can be from a previous job, from a volunteer experience,
or any relevant event.

T
ask

ction you took

Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you.
Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, describe what
you did -- not the efforts of the team. Don't tell what you might do,
tell what you did.

What happened? How did the event end? What did you
accomplish? What did you learn?

esults you achieved

SHARE Model
A similar method to the STAR Method is the SHARE Model for responding to behavioral-based
job interview questions:
S -- Situation; describe a specific situation;
H -- Hinderances; identify any hindrances or challenges faced;
A -- Action; explain the action(s) you took in response;

R -- Results; discuss the results or outcomes from your action(s);

E -- Evaluate; explain and evaluate what you learned from the experience.

Have you taken advantage of all of our job interviewing resources? Find articles, tutorials,
and more -- all written to help job-seekers learn how to succeed in all types of job
interviews.

About

Contact

Advertise

Get 3X Miles on Everything with Discover it Miles

Discover it Miles offers 3X miles on everything for the first year!

Credit Cards

Personal Finance

Frugal Living

Career

Life Hacks

Best Deals

Top PF Blogs

More

Home Career and Income Career Building How to Answer 23 of the Most
Common Interview Questions

How to Answer 23 of the Most Common Interview

Questions
By Paul Michael on 4 October 2007 (Updated 28 April 2015) 275 comments
490

Photo: Marco Bellucci / Flickr

Wise Bread Picks

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Cash Back Credit Cards

0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards

[Editor's note: If you recently lost your job, take a look at Wise Bread's collection of tips and
resources for the recently laid off.]

Let's face it; no one likes the interview process. Well, certainly not the people being interviewed
anyway. You have to be on your best behavior, you only get one chance to get it right, and it's
like taking your driving test all over again. Over the years I've been to countless interviews. To
get my first job out of college I attended some 15-20 interviews a week. Whether it was in
Britain or over here in the States, the questions never really seemed to change from job to job.
Not only that, but the answers to them are usually the same, with your own personal
interpretation of course. Here I present 23 questions you're likely to be asked, and how I have
learned to answer them. Why 23? Because I had more than 20 and less than 25. Remember,
being interviewed is a skill, and if you do the preparation you should ace it every time. (See also:
12 Unique Ways to Score a Job Interview)

1. So, tell me a little about yourself.

I'd be very surprised if you haven't been asked this one at every interview. It's probably the most
asked question because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking. Be careful not to
give the interviewer your life story here. You don't need to explain everything from birth to
present day. Relevant facts about education, your career and your current life situation are fine.

2. Why are you looking (or why did you leave you last job)?
This should be a straightforward question to answer, but it can trip you up. Presumably you are
looking for a new job (or any job) because you want to advance your career and get a position
that allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It's not a good idea to mention money here,
it can make you sound mercenary. And if you are in the unfortunate situation of having been
downsized, stay positive and be as brief as possible about it. If you were fired, you'll need a good
explanation. But once again, stay positive.

3. Tell me what you know about this company.

Do your homework before you go to any interview. Whether it's being the VP of marketing or the
mailroom clerk, you should know about the company or business you're going to work for. Has
this company been in the news lately? Who are the people in the company you should know
about? Do the background work, it will make you stand out as someone who comes prepared,
and is genuinely interested in the company and the job.

4. Why do you want to work at X Company?

This should be directly related to the last question. Any research you've done on the company
should have led you to the conclusion that you'd want to work there. After all, you're at the
interview, right? Put some thought into this answer before you have your interview, mention your
career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and career plans.

5. What relevant experience do you have?

Hopefully if you're applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that's
the case you should mention it all. But if you're switching careers or trying something a little

different, your experience may initially not look like it's matching up. That's when you need a
little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are
people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal
management positions, and so on.

6. If your previous co-workers were here, what would they say

about you?
Ok, this is not the time for full disclosure. If some people from your past are going to say you're
a boring A-hole, you don't need to bring that up. Stay positive, always, and maybe have a few
specific quotes in mind. "They'd say I was a hard worker" or even better "John Doe has always
said I was the most reliable, creative problem-solver he'd ever met."

7. Have you done anything to further your experience?

This could include anything from night classes to hobbies and sports. If it's related, it's worth
mentioning. Obviously anything to do with further education is great, but maybe you're spending
time on a home improvement project to work on skills such as self-sufficiency, time management
and motivation.

8. Where else have you applied?

This is a good way to hint that you're in demand, without sounding like you're whoring yourself
all over town. So, be honest and mention a few other companies but don't go into detail. The fact
that you're seriously looking and keeping your options open is what the interviewer is driving at.

9. How are you when you're working under pressure?

Once again, there are a few ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work
well under pressure, you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually PREFER working
under pressure. If you say you crumble like aged blue cheese, this is not going to help you get
your foot in the door.

10. What motivates you to do a good job?

The answer to this one is not money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life's noble
pursuits. You want recognition for a job well done. You want to become better at your job. You
want to help others or be a leader in your field.

11. What's your greatest strength?

This is your chance to shine. You're being asked to explain why you are a great employee, so
don't hold back and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who thrives under pressure, a
great motivator, an amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention to detail. If
your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone under the table or get a top score on Mario
Kart, keep it to yourself. The interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.

12. What's your biggest weakness?

If you're completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don't have
one, you're obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become
masters at answering. They say things like "I'm perhaps too committed to my work and don't
spend enough time with my family." Oh, there's a fireable offense. I've even heard "I think I'm
too good at my job, it can often make people jealous." Please, let's keep our feet on the ground. If
you're asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you're working hard to improve.
Example: "I've been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I've been
spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress."

13. Let's talk about salary. What are you looking for?
Run for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an interview. Even if you know the salary range
for the job, if you answer first you're already showing all your cards. You want as much as
possible, the employer wants you for as little as you're willing to take. Before you apply, take a
look at salary.com for a good idea of what someone with your specific experience should be
paid. You may want to say, "well, that's something I've thought long and hard about and I think
someone with my experience should get between X & Y." Or, you could be sly and say, "right
now, I'm more interested in talking more about what the position can offer my career." That
could at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation. But if you do have a specific figure
in mind and you are confident that you can get it, I'd say go for it. I have on many occasions, and
every time I got very close to that figure (both below and sometimes above).

14. Are you good at working in a team?

Unless you have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you'll always answer YES to this one. It's the only
answer. How can anyone function inside an organization if they are a loner? You may want to
mention what part you like to play in a team though; it's a great chance to explain that you're a
natural leader.

15. Tell me a suggestion you have made that was

implemented.
It's important here to focus on the word "implemented." There's nothing wrong with having a
thousand great ideas, but if the only place they live is on your notepad what's the point? Better
still, you need a good ending. If your previous company took your advice and ended up going
bankrupt, that's not such a great example either. Be prepared with a story about an idea of yours
that was taken from idea to implementation, and considered successful.

16. Has anything ever irritated you about people you've

worked with?
Of course, you have a list as long as your arm. But you can't say that, it shows you as being
negative and difficult to work with. The best way to answer this one is to think for a while and
then say something like "I've always got on just fine with my co-workers actually."

17. Is there anyone you just could not work with?

No. Well, unless you're talking about murderers, racists, rapists, thieves or other dastardly
characters, you can work with anyone. Otherwise you could be flagged as someone who's picky
and difficult if you say, "I can't work with anyone who's a Bronco's fan. Sorry."

18. Tell me about any issues you've had with a previous boss.
Arrgh! If you fall for this one you shouldn't be hired anyway. The interviewer is testing you to
see if you'll speak badly about your previous supervisor. Simply answer this question with
extreme tact, diplomacy and if necessary, a big fat loss of memory. In short, you've never had
any issues.

19. Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?

It's not a very fair question is it? We'd all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love
but that's rare indeed. It's fine to say money is important, but remember that NOTHING is more
important to you than the job. Otherwise, you're just someone looking for a bigger paycheck.

20. Would you rather be liked or feared?

I have been asked this a lot, in various incarnations. The first time I just drew a blank and said, "I
don't know." That went over badly, but it was right at the start of my career when I had little to
no experience. Since then I've realized that my genuine answer is "Neither, I'd rather be
respected." You don't want to be feared because fear is no way to motivate a team. You may got
the job done but at what cost? Similarly, if you're everyone's best friend you'll find it difficult to
make tough decisions or hit deadlines. But when you're respected, you don't have to be a
complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job done.

21. Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of

your own?
Again, another nasty question. If you say yes, you're a corporate whore who doesn't care about
family. If you say no, you're disloyal to the company. I'm afraid that you'll probably have to say
yes to this one though, because you're trying to be the perfect employee at this point, and perfect
employees don't cut out early for Jimmy's baseball game.

22. So, explain why I should hire you.

As I'm sure you know, "because I'm great" or "I really need a job" are not good answers here.
This is a time to give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just so happen to
match the job description. It's also good to avoid taking potshots at other potential candidates
here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not other people's flaws.

23. Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?

I'll finish the way I started, with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This
directly relates to the research you've done on the company and also gives you a chance to show
how eager and prepared you are. You'll probably want to ask about benefits if they haven't been
covered already. A good generic one is "how soon could I start, if I were offered the job of
course." You may also ask what you'd be working on. Specifically, in the role you're applying for
and how that affects the rest of the company. Always have questions ready, greeting this one with
a blank stare is a rotten way to finish your interview. Good luck and happy job hunting.
Share on Facebook

Tweet This

Pin It

Tagged: Career Building, Job Hunting, answers, career, interviews, jobs, questions
Related and Popular

Job Hunting Resources

Help! I Lost My Job!

I Hate My Job! Now What?

Using Times New Roman on Your Rsum Is Like Wearing Sweatpants to an

Interview

10 Times You Should Speak Up at Work

6 Easy Ways to Improve Your Online Reputation

4.164045
Average: 4.2 (1463 votes)
Not useful
Somewhat useful
Useful
Very useful
Extremely useful
Your rating: None
ShareThis
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
RECOMMENDED AROUND THE WEB

The 2015 Renault Pulse. With Pulsating Features, Get Special Benefits Up to Rs.
30,000Renault

Bond Bubble Will Explode Violently TalkMarkets

Get Started with SIPs in Our Recommended SIP Funds for Long Term Wealth
CreationFundsIndia.com

Investing in SIP Can Be So Simple, You Can Call it a Childs Play! My Universe

Discover How to Stay Safe During Downpours and Thunderstorms Zigwheels

14 Celebs With Fake SmilesRisottop.com

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect
the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

comments
275 discussions

Add New Comment

CAPTCHA
This test helps prevent automated spam submissions.

Privacy & Terms

Your name: *
Guest

E-mail:

Website:

Subscribe to comments on this article.

Alya

There was once I missed on a big company because I fumbled with the term Healthcare Provider
and Healthcase Solutions Provider. I was doing fine with all the questions until he came to
number 4. I had the right words in my mind but the wrong words came out from my mouth. He
felt I did not do my research properly. The interviewer became angry and corrected me. I
apologised but I could see he lost his interest. This was way back after I graduated from college.
Since then I became very cautious and I sit and practice infront of the mirror, sometimes I even
use the PC to record my voice as I am practising my answers so as I can judge myself and be
more careful. After that episode, I learnt to pass all my interviews!

REPLY

Guest

I think your flub was a blessing in disguise. Any interviewer who would become angry is a poor
representative of a company or business. Imagine working in that climate....

haha

looks like you need to learn how to freaking spell, go back to college, dude!

Guest

Hopefully you've learned to spell. Learnt?

Faye

Uh, guys, "learnt" IS in fact, acceptable English. It is like "burnt," "knelt," "spilt," etc.
Perhaps research would be a good idea next time.

Guest

nothin like bein a grammar nazi only to find out you're a jew.

Guest

The interviewer sounds tightly wound, if you ask me - yikes! To most of the people making
comments about Alya's use of the term 'learnt' - why don't back off and retreat back to the
pedastal you came down from?

Ben

To everyone saying Alya has bad spelling, I'll just say this. I don't think she's spelling anything
wrong. I'd say she's British. "Apoligised...practising...learnt." That's how they spell stuff there.
Kind of like they use colour and favourite.

Guest

Some people are obviously unaware that there are other countries in this world and that the
spelling of certain words varies. Ignorance!

HA

I agree..blessing in diguise! I wouldn't want to work for someone who is that anal! When I'm
being interviewed by a manager, I am also determining whether I want to work for them. It's
important to have the right fit!

Guest

Agreed - lesson learned, but this interviewer seems like he was probably just nasty. Like some
faceless folk on the internet. It was probably better that you didn't get the job. What a work
environment that would have been.

Guest

You know half of you guys shouldn't be allowed to post on here. It very much seems like Alya is
British as the spelling is perfect as far as I can see... and I'm British. Anyway, that's beside the
point, wasn't the main topic of conversation supposed to be the 'interviewer' and the method of
'practising' for the interview?! Stop being so anal people... god help anyone that's ever
interviewed by you!!

Paul Michael

Doing a dry run or practising in front of the mirror are both great ways to overcome any possible
issues you may have with certain questions.

REPLY

Ryan

No wonder you guys didn't get hired...

You don't even know how to spell
*practicing, not practising

ScottB

Maybe he's English, dude. They spell practice practise in England. Favor is favour. License is
licence.

Gopal Pawar

THANKSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I got ur massage

Be Nice

Practise is a verb in Canada and England while practice is a noun. In US, practice is for both the
verb and the noun.

Guest

Paul,
Regarding question # 23, from my understanding, the interview process is also for the potential
employee. Would it be advisable to ask questions like the following:
1- Can you tell me how many people have left your company in the last couple of years?
2- How do you choose your managers/supervisors? Is it by length of time they have been with
the company or is it because you see true leadership qualities in them?
3- Based on your experience with several employees, what were the specific qualities of the
employees that you truly enjoyed having worked and hopefully continue to work for your
company?
These questions to me says a lot about the organization.
What do you think?
L

Guest

@Ryan how about you stop being the spelling/grammer police!

Debbie M

My worst answer was "I don't know." I've since learned that "it depends," with a couple of
examples, is perfectly appropriate. And that's how I'd answer this one:
Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of your own? It depends. I would put
important interests of the company over minor interests of mine and I would put important
interests of mine over minor concerns of the company.
Of course then they will ask what if both are important. Then I hope I'd say that maybe the the
job and I aren't a good match. I try not to get into situations where that would happen. And can
they give me examples of where this has happened before?
I'm to the point now where I'm always trying to guess what their real goal is. If anyone even
asked me illegal questions like "Are you planning to have children?" I'd just say something like,
"It sounds like you're worried that an employee might quit just when you finally got them
trained. I wouldn't take this job if I didn't think I'd be wanting to stay a while."
And if anyone asks me those evil "worst weakness" types of questions, I ask a similar one right
back, like what is the worst weakness of the company or section of the company. Or just give a
brief answer: Has anything ever irritated you about people you've worked with? "Of course."

Mike J

REPLY

Absolutely beautiful answer. Honest and classy. Will make me much more comfortable at an
interview.

Paul Michael

Some good advice there. I have also tried "it depends" but have been asked too many time "yes,
but if you HAD to choose" so now I make a firm choice.

REPLY

Debbie M

I did have one interview that was really terrible in this way. I had real trouble not rolling my
eyes. I ended up getting the job. It turned out the people asking the questions also hated them,
but they had to ask them because there was an HR spy--ahem--representative in the room.

kevin

I answer this question with, "With few exceptions, yes"....

and if asked what the exceptions are, provide a small list of exceptional events, such as a family
member in trouble/ill or the wedding day of my daughter.

Guest

I would say: "I would plan ahead both my work and my personal life to avoid any conflicts. Of
course I can understand emergencies, and an emergency in both sides are important. But none
your life or you job should be full of emergencies unless you are a doctor at the hospital.
Otherwise something is worng with the company or with yourself!"

Timmy

I sometimes get stuck on the question, "So what are your short/long term goals?" or "Where do
you see yourself 5-10 years down the road?" I always try to say something along the lines of "in
a position that is still challenging with room to still grow". What do they want to hear? I stumble
on this question time and time again.

REPLY

Guest

Where do you want to be in 5 to 10 years? They dont want to hear in the same job you are
interviewing for. Ultimately, the HR people are searching for someone who can handle the job
now, and has the potential to grow into a high level management job in the future. Do you have
those goals too?
In other words....are you looking for a career, or a job? (MakkyD's is hiring).

Arun Bamania

Hi Timmy,
It is really a tough question to answer. By asking such questions, the interviewer tries to judge
whether your primary aim is to gain a specific designation, that is, are you over-ambitious.

Answer such questions in a way that you do not reveal any specific designation, for example,
Manager, Director, Vice President, or CEO. If you specify any designation, it may appear to the
interviewer that you are over-ambitious. Also, the interviewer may feel that if you could not
achieve the desired position, you may leave the organization.
Maybe you can answer such questions as, "Five years down the line, I want to be among the best
performers or best employees of the organization."
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Arun Bamania

Preeti

Hi Arun,
Good advice.
Keep helping the people who really need such advices.
Thanks
Preeti

Guest

I was asked that, and my answer to the interviewer was, " Hopefully,I would like to be sitting in
your position", understandably, I did not get a call back. So I guess that was too overly
ambitious?

Guest

oh

Guest

oh

Kim

I feel if your answers are honest, you stand a good chance on giving the interviewers what they
want to hear. And going online and looking up 'questions and answers on a interview' and
practicing the answers with a friend or spouse really does help with being nervous on said
interview. And ask the interviewer similar questions are a very good idea as well. Good luck on
your next interview.

Jamie

"I would like to be sitting in your position" can be a tricky response. Think of being in a court of
law, if you do not know the answer to the question, then don't ask it?
a) Maybe the interviewer got your position 6 months ago, and are now in that position: So in 5
years you want to be where I got in 6 months? That's under-ambitious.
b) Perhaps the Interviewer was hired as that position; maybe it's not an available option for you;
maybe it's a department the company would just not promote to from your position? That's
ambition in ignorance.
c) Perhaps it took the interviewer 15 years to get that position, but you want it in 5? Overambitious.

Sticking with "leading my field within this company" (in a prettier way) is usually the best
option.
Being vague in an interview is not always bad, so long as you punctuate that vagueness and don't
try it every question. As an interviewer I love it when someone says, "I don't know". It means my
company can still teach them a thing or two, and they are willing to throw their hands up instead
of procrastinating a solvable issue in fear of "getting it wrong". Knowing when to ask for help is
a rare skill few are willing to divulge during the interview process.
Instead of just hoping your answer is what they are looking for, you're allowed to ask questions
too. Opening a question into a discussable topic during an interview is gold at an interview.
"Before I answer that question, can I ask what the promotional opportunity, or expectations, are
within this company?" You also just answered the question. You want a job that offers
opportunity to climb the ladder. A perfect answer, and you are satisfying the last question, "do
you have any questions for me?"
And when they do ask that question, it's ok to recap the questions you have asked during the
interview process: "Let's see....do I? We covered promotional opportunities and X Y and Z
questions I had earlier, so I think I'm all set!"
-Jamie

Guest

Jamie. The response is intended to show ambition, however is aggressive, and that is why the
interview was failed.

Guest

When I got asked this question my response was:

There's no telling where I'll be in 5 years. I am ambitious, yes, but people learn in different rates.
I want to take my time to learn and experience what this field has to offer me. No one can do

everything perfectly. I'm not perfect myself, but I want to be as close to it as possible and that
takes time. If I receive this position, I'll do all that I can to be the best at it.
They gave me the job because they saw how eager I was and that I was willing to humble
myself.

Guest

At my last employer there was two types of career paths within engineering, management and
technical expert. I would think the most benign answer to the question would be something
expressing interest in mastering the technology and becoming an expert, ie. "The xxxx field is
highly specialized. I am looking forward to continuing my research in yyyy being an industry
expert in zzzz". etc... The goals and timetable should be vague and non threatening but makes the
candidate look like he work hard and problem solve for the company.

Dave

The answer to 18 is completely wrong. I am a director at a major media company's interactive

division. Our company is expanding and I am almost in a constant state of hiring. I ask a
variation of this question in every single interview and if a candidate has never had one issue or
disagreement with anyone, (I stated a variation: I ask if it has happened with anyone in the
workplace) I peg them as a liar and reject them immediately.

REPLY

Guest

That's b/c you're small minded and assume, so wrong. How do you know that that's not true. So
you mean to tell me out of everyone alive that's in the working field, no one can have a smooth

ride? You're full of crap, b/c I've never had any problems with anyone at the job and I've been
working since 1994.

Siju

The answer to Q18 can be right as well. I am working with my boss for the past 3 years, without
no grudge at all. I never let an argument last to an extent that leads disgruntlement. It all starts
when you ain't flexible. My answers would be "No" to Q18 and still I am not a liar.You may have
to rethink on the same, I request.

Guest

If your company is always hiring, then chances are you are losing employees faster than you can
hire them. Maybe check your interviewing tactics.

James

This isn't about the truth, it's about getting a job. I fabricate a minor disagreement that had a
positive outcome. Max points on the HR interview question point scale.

janin

That's a tough statement i would say.. no wonder you get mouth shutting replies.. But i do agree
with you. it's no good in the ear that you have had enter into dispute with your past employer/co

worker but reality check,BIG companies don't want employees who are like dogs, because if
that's the case there's no room for improvement. if you had bad shots with your boss that's
because you know your rights, and in the business world those who made it to the top are those
who knows how to fight for the right cause.

Shanique

I have to agree with you Dave thats why when I was writing my response I stated something like.
We are both humans its likely to happen.... and then focus on something more positive like...but
my boss was a great motivator who encouraged good performance and constructive critisisms, so
I would much rather focus on that than pointless conflicts.
---even if your boss was count dracula you get to admit that there have been conflicts but you
come off looking good saying so.

Arun Pathak

Thanks Mr Dave. Appreciate your feedback.

But its 70% true only , sometime we also dont have any issue with employer.

Matthew

I mean obviously there's always that one guy at every job you could live without. He's at every
job!! haha. If you say you've never had problems with anyone, you're being dishonest. I simply
say "there's people you don't get along with but I don't let that effect my work". I try to keep my
opinions of people to myself and make the best of it :)

lkanony

And what if IN FACT the person HAS NOT had an issue or disagreement with anyone? I mean
frankly, NOT everyone is interested in raising hell or getting their feet wet in a childish back and
forth debate (read argument) IN THE MIDDLE OF WORK. I'M PERSONALLY ONE OF
THEM. I HATE AND AVOID CONFLICT.....THUS, I start no trouble so there wouldn't BE any
trouble. Some people just like to pick a bone with others for the most petty reason(s) and believe
me, those reasons may not necessarily be anything in relation to work...just superficial things. In
other words, SOME employees let their personal insecurities get the best of them when they
come in contact with other employees that seems to be doing better or who are always
bettering/enhancing themselves OUTSIDE OF WORK....NOTHING WORK RELATED. Why
humor that? The ONLY conflict I generally have with co-workers have all been scheduling
conflicts and well.....IT IS THE TRUTH. My professionalism, maturity, work ethic and on and
on should NOT be compromised because of someone else's professional and/or personal issues. I
have and DO tune these types of individuals out because they are distracting to me and I LOSE
MY FOCUS and purpose for being at the job. I don't need it. Perhaps the media world is another
ball game BUT perhaps giving people the benefit of the doubt (for reasons I've noted with my
own observations, experiences and mindset) won't be such a bad idea.

Guest

Another take on question #12 is "What was your greatest disappointment?" One answer, "That I
haven't had the time to work on completing a PhD in Business (or something related to your
work). And, it's not a lie, for me at least. Here, your disappointment should be admired by the
interviewer and turns a negative into the opposite.

REPLY

J. Lin

I absolutely agree with Dave @ Major Media Company up above.

I may or may not immediately reject the person as a liar (some people really are laid back and
easy to work with). I'd put it together with other clues I have about them. But generally, there are
always conflicts with other people, even if it's minor. For someone to say they've never had
conflicts with anyone, is suspicious.
When I ask this question of a candidate, I want to see how they resolve interpersonal conflicts. I
want to see how they work in a team. I want to see how creatively they make the most of what
they have.
Fortunately for me, _I_ can be honest about it. =) I think I've been quite successful at working
out more difficult work relationships. An essential part of it is, of course, to actually try to get to
the heart of the conflict and do my best to resolve my portion of it.
Companion to that, I crack jokes that deride and make fun of myself first. I will make jokes
about the other person too, just much more benign jokes and only after I've gotten to know them.
I think this serves several purposes: 1) laughing makes everyone relax; 2) it's safer to make fun
of myself than someone else; 3) I cannot be hurt by negative comments about me because I've
already said it; 4) most importantly, I show that I understand their point of view which makes
compromising and meeting in the middle easier.
I have never known this approach to fail with reasonable people, which most co-workers are (I'm
in IT/Software).
-- J.

REPLY

Jamie

Paul Michael's suggestion along this vein may be the most appropriate from an interviewer's
point of view.
All people have had strife, even those who have said they "have had no problems that have lead
to any actual disgruntlement", is a MUCH better answer than, "no, no problems"

Those of you that say you may have never let anyone bother you in the workplace, may be
accurate; but that doesn't your actions weren't ever an issue (voiced or not) to a previous boss or
co-worker. In short, unless your name is Jesus Christ, (and even then, Judas) you've been
involved in workplace disruptions.
"Sure, I've had issues with my past employers, employees and customers (well the customers
have an issue with the company, but it's me they are talking to nevertheless...from time to time,
who hasn't? The important thing I would like to stress however is I've never knowingly allowed
an issue to become more than just that; it's how we handle those issues that separate us, and I'm a
professional."

Paul Michael

I talked to several HR employees before I wrote the article, and also based this on my
experiences. I found that bringing up disputes with prior bosses never went across very well at
all, but when I said "I never really had a problem, nothing worth talking about anyway" I was
always greeted with acceptance and the next question. But it's good to know that opinion, thanks
so much.

REPLY

Guest

I think the best response would be a fellow co-worker putting other co-workers down, and not
fostering their development. I think that within a company's environment, everyone should help
to foster everyone's growth and development and not hinder them. To which you then resolved
the situation by drawing attention to teamwork and the need to work together and conhesively.
No idea is a bad idea and no question is a bad question.

Omar

"What Are Your Major Weaknesses?" is also a very important question. What would you answer?
Omar

REPLY

Guest

Omar- I agree with the article about the weaknesses question. You need to be able to list a few
small ones that are easily fixed. I always say I get lost in the details so now I am more focused on
the bigger picture. I can tell you another thing I have learned from this question is whether or not
they like you. If they ask you to list one, they are just asking to ask and see what you will say. I
know my husbands friend was actually asked to list seven of them, so the number is a good gage.

Guest

These are all stupid questions that are only asked by idiots in HR. If a company is asking these
kinds of questions, they don't really need me. If they really NEED me, then they are going to be
in a panic and asking technical questions about how I can bail them out of their predicament.
Also, companies who are desperate pay a lot.

REPLY

D.Webb

Brother are you egotistical! I've been a Controller, HR Mgr. for 20 yrs. and these are the type of
questions for insight into character flaws and problems. With this knowledge companies can help

to eliminate problem candidates with the potential of becoming problem employees. Problem
employees are those that companies can't legally terminate without just cause. These types of
employees are most often the cause of EEOC and frivolous lawsuits. Nowadays companies can
and do loose thousands of dollars through these procedures.
It is much easier and safer to hire a candidate with much the same skill set and fewer character
flaws. Companies would rather pay the tuition to develop a good employee with the skills
needed. We do it all the time. Companies don't like to pay profits to attorneys. Good luck with
your job search....sounds like your going to need it.

FITT

DO NOT answer "21. Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of your own?"
like the writer suggests by saying 'yes,' that is not a good response at all. In every single instance,
this is pure HR bait to see how spineless you are. Saying yes to this question says two things a)
you're spineless b) you're lying, and probably about other answers you've given.
The best bet is to say something like "It would be situational. If you're asking am I willing to
work until 3am to get a project out the door, then absolutely, but if you're saying will I come in to
work on a project when, for instance, a family member is on their death bed, then absolutely not.
I'm ready to work extremely hard for X company, but there are a few things that are more
important than work." It shows you have a spine and are at least somewhat honest.
Otherwise, a good read! =)

REPLY

djNio

I just wanted to say that you are totally right and you got a good point!
Its very important for someone not to "asslick" their bosses by saying things "I would give
everything to be perfect in my job and stop living.." becouse its really annoying! Personally its
really "Not MY TYPE" and I would suggest everyone not to be "such nerd" too as well! =P

So -> #23 Is here! :))

Regards,
DeeJayNio..

ProBono

The only reason why you are asked questions is for them to gage your reaction and to see if you
can handle pressure well. Everyone knows you're BSing as much as they are.
The jobs I got are the ones where I walked in with a great attitude, relaxed, and sound useful.
Answer what they want, but not necessarily what they ask.

REPLY

Ophie!

I've botched every question and gotten some right but this is a great guide, I get nervous reading
the questions right now.
Good question: would you rather work for a big company or a small one? Favorite answer: I'd
treat any company like it was my own regardless. Total ownership of the situation can get you a
long way.

REPLY

Ophie!

I've botched every question and gotten some right but this is a great guide, I get nervous reading
the questions right now.

Good question: would you rather work for a big company or a small one? Favorite answer: I'd
treat any company like it was my own regardless. Total ownership of the situation can get you a
long way.

REPLY

Shahzad

Hi All..
Am having interview at macdonalds and itz my 1st interview. can any body help me to answer
questions 1,2,4,9,11,12,14,22 plz.Some sort of general answers
thnkz

REPLY

Guest

In case you are not joking around you might want to start by checking how the company's name
is spelled. ;-)

Guest

Sure, just show up for the interview.

Rieke Indrianty

Forget about looking for job, start your own business! Youll never get rich by being employee.
Plus, you dont have to go for interviews.

REPLY

Guest

Really??? What an idiotic suggestion... If everyone were starting their own businesses where
would hospitals, schools, and -yes- big companies go? Would you start a hospital and a school
for just your family??? Everyone would love to have a financially comfortable life but some
occupations and professions are more about love for doing the job than financial gain because
they are underpaid and that's not going to change. One example is being a teacher or a nurse.
Obviously they can improve their incomes by continuous studying and becoming leaders in their
field but can you imagine a world of every single one of them founding schools and hospitals???
How would they even be able to open them if everyone just wants to be rich and not someone
else's employee??? How would you open a school or a hospital if no one wants to be an
employee??? Or better yet, are you going to invent a way in which these workplaces would
function with just you as a doctor, nurse, surgeon, manager, etc; or principal, teacher, bus driver,
cook, school nurse, etc all at the same time??? Having your own business is good if you really
believe in your product or service and have the skills to manage it on your own but we are not
islands and we need each other and fortunately we all have different skills to make our society
function. Whether that system is fair is an entirely different issue but the point is that nobody can
function alone. And your suggestion is about that: function alone and get rich (which is ironic
because you need others to get rich: you need other people to want or need whatever it is that
you offer). And yes, there are interviews: with your clients (or do you know everyone on the
planet who will buy your product or service?)

Catherine

I believe your adice is sound. I usually add a little humour depending my read of the room. It
helps lighten things up and demonstrates confidence
under pressure.

Your suggestion on projects implemented is good. I find most companies are looking for people
who can deliver outcomes in a timely manner and on budget.

REPLY

Jamie

Absolutely! When asked if there is anyone you would not work with, I always jump on this.
Interviews are not just to see if you are a reliable person who will do your job well, but also, if
people will get along with you and vice-versa.
Have fun at your interviews, "Yes, I'm sorry to say that through past experiences I find that I am
unable to get along with Bears' fans.....[hahahahahaha].....no really, barring the obvious
murderers, rapists and thieves...I'll work with anyone and I'll sell to more!"

Obsession

You're making a basic mistake by looking for a job. You'll do better if you start your own
business instead.

REPLY

Guest

I think you should probably think about what you're going to say before you let your imagination
vomit all over the place. Imagine if all of your employees started their own business; who would
work for you? By all means, be the HR department, marketing, support, IT all rolled into one.
I'm sure you're an expert in all of these things that usually take a normal person a good four years
to get a degree for.

And this is just GREAT advice for aspiring astronauts. I just know they'll have fun sending that
rocket into space on their own.

Silk

Is that so, Obsession? If everyone did that, who'd work in your business?

REPLY

Obsession

The great thing is that not everyone has courage to start his/her own business, which is why I got
people working for me and I don't have to work myself. I was actually forced to start my own
business because with ADHD I have difficulty to finish any work on time, so the only solution
was to find someone to do most of the work. Now, I have several people working for me, I just
check from time to time if everything is delivered and that's all. PS: I do design, branding etc.

REPLY

work smart not hard

Awesome! I also suffer from ADHD and find it difficult to stay on task. The minute I get bored
I'm off on another project, never really completing the first one. As a manager its good for me
because I can then delagate it off to someone else to finish. Not a great quality to bring up in an
interview though.

Ritter

After a year of training in the secret underground of pick up artists I found out that you can use
this stuff just anywhere. I had a couple of job interviews lately and I did the exact same routines
with the 3-5 people on the table like I do with chicks at a club (or street/coffeeshop/bookstore, if
it's for daygame). Works perfectly fine. Tends to get boring though, so I picked a job I really like.

REPLY

Guest

All of these questions and answers are great, but how do you get to the interview process?? I am
looking for a job in retail I see all theses places hiring on simply hired and career builder and I
have applied and no one is calling back. i have had 3 calls in 2 months for about 15-20 jobs I
have applied for. Any suggestions to why??

REPLY

Lori

I would suggest that you contact the managers at the places you have applied in the past and ask
them if they received your application. Find out if they would be willing to spare you a few
minutes and discuss with you their reasons for not hiring you and if they have any suggestions on
what you could do to become hireable with them. It would be better if you could met them in
person to have this conversation.
It could be you do not have enough experience for the positions you have applied for, or it could
be your resume does not reflect your skills. Usually if you look good on paper, you have a great
chance at being called in for an interview.
I would strongly suggest that you apply for any retail positions in person to the manager, rather
than leaving, or sending in your application. I was in management in retail for many years and I
think you can represent youself better face to face. Often you may get an interview on the spot.
Also, apply at the companies you would like to work, after researching them first. Don't wait for
them to advertise a position. You might be surprised at how successful you will be.

Sara

The CV is so important, i have 2 CVs, one for Visual merchandising and one for retail
management. You need to look at the qualities they are asking for and put them in the key skills
section of your CV. I tailored them to the jobs and saved them under the company name with a
strong covering letter mentioning their company by name and complimenting them within it ...
so and so is at the forefront of design, i find your work very inspiring and i would love to be part
of your team.
When i started to do this, i was getting interviews for nearly every job i applied for compared to
the 10% i was getting before.
A really punchy statement at the start helps and not too long, mine is 2 pages
:)

Guest

I've had a few jobs that I never would have gotten an interview for had I not called them first. It's
risky, though, because you have to remember that these are busy people and bothering them
might make them resentful, but it's all in the way you present yourself. I usually say something
like "I think I may have experienced a minor power outage, so I wanted to make sure all my
information went through just fine."

Guest

When I'm reading articles like this one, i tend to ask myself "what does this guy know that I
don't, and why should I trust him/her on the subject?"
"To get my first job out of college I attended some 15-20 interviews a week."

An HR-manager, or someone familiar with interviewing would have been a great resource
regarding the interview process. But one who has just been to several interviews? I'm just
wondering, WHY have you been to many interviews, because you are good at them? I'd doubt it.

REPLY

Paul Michael

haven't worked in advertising in London. When you're fresh out of college you have to go and
see as many agencies as possible, get your face known and interview with as many places as you
can in order to increase your chances of landing a job. Some of my friends were seeing 3-4
agencies per day for many weeks. You may doubt my abilities as an interviewee, but I'm in a
business that demands face time in front of agencies. It comes with the territory, and you often
have to take your book around even when you're not specifcally looking for a job.

REPLY

business learning

From a small business owner's perspective, thank you. I'm doing my first interview for an office
assistant next week.

REPLY

Guest

I've found the most killer way to answer the question "do you have any questions" is to ponder
for a moment, and then ask your interviewer "what aspect of your job do you find most
challenging". Its a bit out the park and really gets the interviewer to think (which is good) and
their answer gives you a bit of an inner taste for the company.

REPLY

Guest

21. Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of your own?
I'd say "my OWN interests sure, but my DOG'S interests are ahead of everything else."

REPLY

Guest

I've started to look again for a job and keep hearing that the best way to get your foot in the door
is thru networking. Newpaper, Monster, Simply Hired, Recruiters, Network! - do them all.

REPLY

Joe Levi

I applied for a position advertised as "Web Master" some years back. This was a new position for
the company and the job title and the description didn't match, so after we went over why I was
on the market (had been recently down-sized), what my education certifications were (associates
degree from a local University, and several industry specific certs), I interjected, asking about the
position they were hiring for.
I mentioned that I didn't have much experience as a Web Master, per se, but that a web master
was in charge of maintaining the web server(s), installing updates/upgrades to the box, and
ensuring the pipe to the web server(s) was sufficient for current traffic without being limiting to
the future.

I then defined the role of a Web Developer (someone who writes markup, code, and basically
enables web-based designs and applications to run on a web server), then asked which of the
positions they were really trying to fill.
Once we had determined they really wanted a Web Developer I was able to pull out my "Web
Developer" resume' and detail my experience.
I ended up getting the job, and getting $11,000 more than they were initially offering.
- www.JoeLevi.com

REPLY

Guest

These questions all sound like they'd be asked of people in the services industry, like marketing,
retail, sales, management. The kind of questions HR would dream up for someone looking for a
job in HR. All of these questions and "right" answers amount to "how well can you BS?" It's a
total shame that people on the technical side should ever have to endure more than a couple of
these questions during an interview. BSing is not their skill, nor is it nearly so important to their
job.

REPLY

Guest

Now if I could only find an employer who agrees with you! I am very good at being an
accountant, I can wrangle numbers and balance books like nobodies business but I really suck at
sitting in a room being questioned in this manner. I am not comfortable sitting there giving a
cookie cutter answer that I have researched and know is the "right answer". I just want to present
myself nicely, meet the potential co-workers or supervisors, discuss my qualifications and
answer honest questions.

Jamie

It's true, and it's not. Yes, they are cookie-cutter questions. The answers however, not so much.
1) Good interviewers do not ask all 23 of these questions. You're right, only half of THESE
questions are necessary, but they are still probably the 23 most asked questions.
2) Good interviewers also change up these questions requiring a different....Intro into the answer.
"What strengths would you like to see your Supervisor so that he/she would best compliment
your weaknesses?
If you tell me your Supervisor should be patient, than you're telling me either you're not or you're
slow.... It requires thought and non cookie-cutter responses. It also measures an importantly
equal skill set in business: Listening skills. If you answer without listening to the question merely
thinking "oh this is an easy one" and spam out your cookie-cutter response....well I won't be
hiring you due to your inability to follow instruction.
3) I've never interviewed, or had an interview, that only contained these kind of questions; if you
have then you're either doing the interview an injustice, or you have an interviewer that just
doesn't care and you won't be hired anyway, or it is a "high school" job.
However as to the post being written, I've never been involved in an interview that didn't ask at
least a good portion of these questions.
Lastly, cookie-cutter questions allow an interviewer to pull out an interviewee from a nervous,
defensive position. I've used cookie-cutters to get people comfortable, had I gone straight into
my private list of questions...I promise you their stress level alone would have been an unfair
element that probably would have meant a lot of non hires that were ultimately (at first) too shy
to allow themselves to succeed...and are now some of our most valuable employees.

Ruiaxe

Thanks!

This really sums up 99% of my interviews!

Nice to see I haven't made a lot of mistakes... :)

REPLY

Frida

Maybe it's cultural - I'm a European - but I certainly wouldn't hire someone who answered all the
questions just to give the 'right' reply.
When I've interviewed candidates for a post, it's been fundamentally uninteresting to speak to
those who follow this kind of advice and anxiously try to tell you what they believe you want to
hear.
I'm no pro in being interviewed for jobs (finding and changing jobs has been relatively smooth)
but I would stress the following:
-- when interviewed, remember that recruitment is a two-way process: the company is also
putting itself on the market place. Therefore don't signal that you sell yourself at any price an in
any way (the terrible response to question 21!). I think the right answer should signal
professionalism, work ethics and self-respect.
-- I tend to work much too much, but would never say that in a job interview. If asked about my
availability, I would say that occasionally I can put in a few extra hours if there is something
unforeseen, but I prefer to work efficiently during regular working hours and plan and manage
the workload in a way that preempts the emergencies. So far I have never had any negative
reactions using this response, on the contrary, it has put the company representatives a bit on the
defensive and they have started to try to sell the post to me by making it sound more
manageable.
The idea is of course that a more demanding candidate tends to get more esteem. And to avoid
having to work for a company that has shows no consideration for the needs of the employees.
-- I would also say that your approach is more important than the reponses. The prospective new
employer does not give a toss about the conflicts you've had in your workplace, but needs to see
if s/he can live with your way of solving them. No conflicts means that you just go along with
what everyone says, which signals incompetence, or that you are covering up, which signals
dishonesty.

REPLY

Juicy77

It's definitely cultural. A lot of American employers have misplaced priorities. They'd rather you
dazzle them with dishonest answers than be forthright and qualified. It's sad.

Nice Bikes

This is pretty much every job interview.

Just Practice and you'll do good!

REPLY

solak

Re: question 23.

I would ask the interviewer, Why do you like to work here? or, if that has already been
discussed, turn some other question theyve asked back to them, preferring the job-related
questions to the money or personal ones. This is similar to response #30, (though I dont think
its out of the park at all) in that youre showing more interest in the job and the company, and
the answer will tell you something about whether you actually want the job if you do get an offer.
Reply #39 also raises this important issue not covered in the article: Just as much as they are
trying to find out about you, you need to find out more about the company and the job to decide
whether it is a match. If your response to #23 is, "When will I get reimbursed for my travel
expenses?", you've blown it.

REPLY

Guest

Thanks for this good article. I have frequently been on both sides of the interview table in my
career, and it can be a fascinating experience, especially for the interviewing team.
I too peg someone who admits no faults, or has never had a conflict in the workplace as either a
liar (depending on other factors) or seriously out of touch with the reality of the workplace(even
the 'laid-back' people have conflicts--they just may choose not to acknowledge their existence!)
I recently didn't hire someone, who otherwise had great qualifications, because they couldn't give
the interviewing team even a passing answer at 'your deficits as an employee'. It was
embarrassing watching the person struggle with the question, and that told me all I needed to
know. How I read it: this person does not know herself at all OR she has had major deficits as an
employee and doesn't want to reveal them.
The better answer for this question for this potential employee would have been something like:
'In the workplace there are always conflicts born from differing priorities, paradigms and
practices. My style has always been to steer as clear of conflicts as possible, but to take them on
when I see that my integrity is being put to question in some way. I suppose you could say that
one of my growing edges as an employee is to learn how to better know what conflicts I should
engage and which I should look at as gossip-driven and have no part in. I'm working on this."
(Of course, only if this is true!)
Thanks again for a good article, particularly for those new in the job market. I will be using the
article as reference material for teaching interviewing skills in a local high school that my Rotary
club has become involved in as a project.
Beth

REPLY

TSPracitce.com

Here is a great website that will help you answer all the real tough interview answers.

http://www.tspractice.com

REPLY

Guest

It's a jungle out there, kiddies. Forewarned is forearmed. To understand today's hiring climate
remember that any large company (thousands of employess to hundreds of thousands of
employees) has been sued for sex discrimination, racial discrimination, age discrimination,
employees who have gone Postal, embezzlers, fraudsters, etc. etc. and any combination thereof
and undoubtedly settled or lost in court along the way.
They are gun shy. The HR depts. in these companies have no other purpose than to follow the
instructions of the lawyers. In fact, today, in order to be an HR person you essentially are a
lawyer and should be one.
In many of these companies, the HR dept. has the hiring managers on a very short leash.
Then on top of that, you have the companies that put all management through a Gallup interview,
the type of questions that #43 alludes to on their site. To understand this from the employers
perspective, you should read the Gallup books by Buckingham. This is the "past performance is
the best indicator of future performance" mentality - Gallup invented it, which may or may not
be the correct way of evaluating job candidates.
Basically, in order for this to work, the company has to profile the personality required of every
position or key role in the company and draw up a mix of personality characteristics of the
employees who perform well and have high job satisfaction. They are then engaging in a
matching process to identify who has the best fit. You, of course, do not have the benefit of
seeing the profiles, so you are operating blind.
To understand this from your perspective (how to do the right thing even though you have no
idea how), read The Hero With a Thousand Faces and other books by Joseph Campbell which
examine the human condition throughout the ages across all religions and belief systems and the
journey through life that we are all compelled to undertake. You are on a journey whether you
want to be or not and whether you realize it or not. You may as well realize it. Campbell shows
the way.

In this type of interview, no matter what you say, they will reply with something to the effect of
these words, "Can you give an example of a time when you..."
For example, they say, what would you say are your strengths. You mention something. They
say, can you tell me about a time when you used that strength.
Any claim of any sort that you make will be followed up with a question about specifics. So for
any statement about some wonderful thing you have on your resume, you need to be armed with
a dozen examples that you can supply to prove it is true.
What they "want" you to say is something along the lines of, "There was a situation in which..."
or "I was given a task to do..." After describing the situation or task, you then go on to say,
"What I did was..." or "The action I took was..." and then you say, "The result was..." or "This
resulted in".
Thus, so-called the STAR approach (Situation or Task, Action, Result).
Your challenge is to couch your answers in this very robotized fashion without sounding like a
robot. To understand the essence of this, just watch any Proctor and Gamble tv ad for Tide-getsthe-dirt-out, Bounty-the-quicker-picker-upper or any of their other products. They all use the
same problem/solution/product-is-the-hero approach. "Tide saved the day!" You're the product
here, so be the Hero in your STAR stories about yourself! Good luck!
Then, in addition to that, you have the Top Graders. These are managers that systematically lop
off the 10% of the lowest performing employees every year and recruit to replace them. The
creates lots of opportunity for aggressive newcomers to the organization, but hangs over the head
once you are in.
Jack Welch and GE is a well known example of this. These managers think they are on a mission
to hire "A" players and will engage you in multiple lengthy interviews at multiple levels of the
organziation - taking up hours and hours of your time. Every time you make the slightest gesture
or utter the slightest word they are asking themselves whether you are an A, a B, or a C
performer. Their mission - keep the A's, develop the B's and re-position or fire the C's.
There is a book on this one, too, of course, Top Grading. Every management level employee
should read this because you will be subjected to this type of interview process somewhere along
the line and in these organizations, you will be expected to employ this method in your own
hiring of staff. Remember this: the top grade interview process is extremely difficult to conduct
and you are as likely to be subjected to managers who are "learning" or botching it as you are to
meet those who get it right.

Of course, you should be using your own Top Grading process to find the best company to work
for. (A book on this one, anyone?)
Best defense - take the Force with you!

REPLY

Miss Thrifty

Thanks for the article. I've had the experience of being both the interviewer and the interviewee,
and somehow I found both equally stressful. I think the key is to practice answering questions
beforehand and to really play to your strengths. Calm confidence is the key.

REPLY

Miss Thrifty

Thanks for the article. I've had the experience of being both the interviewer and the interviewee,
and somehow I found both equally stressful. I think the key is to practice answering questions
beforehand and to really play to your strengths. Calm confidence is the key.

REPLY

Guest

A previous post mentioned a question I KNOW I'm going to hear: Where do you see yourself in
5-10 yrs?
My problem: A little background info...I have a degree in Biology and 2 years in a doctor of
optometry program (it's a 4 yr program; I left b/c I decided I wanted to become a
physician/ophthalmologist instead of an optometrist). I have an interview for an ophthalmic

technician position (requires a G.E.D. and certification preferred; try getting a job w/ a B.S. in
Bio and no work exp...it's hell! No one cares about all of my schooling :() to hold me over until I
get into medical; maybe 2 years from now. NOW...here's the problem: I know they're going to
ask about my future plans so what do I say? If I tell them I want to go back to school to be a
physician, they probably won't hire me b/c companies want long term employees. So, what do I
say? If I tell them I want to "grow w/ the company" (not quite sure where you can grow in the
healthcare field if you're a tech...w/o going back to school), they probably won't believe me b/c I
have a bachelors and 2 years of graduate education. Any suggestions? Thanks!

REPLY

CampusGrotto

Great Post Paul! I added this to our list of career resources for recent College Grads.

REPLY

next

last

Paul Michael
Senior Writer
More from Paul

An adman with inside knowledge, I'll steer you to wiser choices.

Most Popular

These Secrets of Amazon's Pricing Strategy Will Help You Find the...

5 Financial Pitfalls Stay-at-Home Parents Should Avoid

11 Cool Uses for Your Coffee Maker

5 Expensive Life Essentials Worth Investing In

When Is the Best Time to Lock in a Mortgage Rate?

more
AROUND THE WEB

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect
the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

2015 Wise Bread | About | Advertise | Contact | Subscribe

User Agreement | Privacy Policy

Management Interview Questions and Answers

If you're interviewing for a management position, be prepared for a rigorous and
challenging interview process. Interviewing for a manager position is substantially
different than interveiwing for an entry-level job. As a manager you're not only
responsible for your own production, but that of a team or an entire department -- a
lot is riding on your ability to perform. Hiring managers and prospective employers
have to make sure you're the right manager for the job.
Instead of exploring your personal skills, a hiring manager is going to explore a
variety of competencies required to be an effective manager. A hiring manager
wants to find out how your think and act when confronted with tough management
situations. You'll need to be prepared to demonstrate that you have the experience
and ability to resolve complicated problems, lead others, and oversee large, multifaceted projects.
Below you'll find many of the common, and not so common, questions that manager
candidates can expect to answer during the management interview. The questions
are organized by skills type and followed by tips and suggestions for answering the
type of question.

Decision Making Questions and Answers

Managers make decisions. They make a lot of decisions. They make decisions that
affect productively, stability and profitability of their department and the
organizations they represent. Good managers are good decision makers. The
following are a few common interview questions designed to test a candidates
ability to make decisions.

What is the process you typically follow to make a decision about a plan of
action?

When given two or three equally viable paths to achieve an object, how do
you decide which path to follow?

Please explain the process you used to select the college you attended.

What is your process or methodology for making important decision?

When faced with several options, none of which is sufficient to accomplish

your goal, how do you decide with option to pursue?

When is it important to make a decision quickly? When should you take time
to make a decision?

Have you ever delayed any decision-making? What were the consequences
for your company?

Do you make decisions on your own without input from others? When do you
seek advice from others when making decisions?

What the interviewer is looking for:

Employers want to hire managers that can demonstrate logical decision making
processes, but not afraid to be decisive. As a management candidate you want to
demonstrate a systematic approach to weighing options. When answering
questions, use past experiences and examples to provide evidence of effective
decision making processes. In your answers, describe to the interviewer how your
decisions lead to positive outcomes for your team, department and company.
While it's important to demonstrate a systematic and methodical approach to
decision making, hiring managers also want to see that you're willing to learn and
grow. Are you creative, innovative, and willing to step outside the box? Show the
interviewer that you can be creative and innovative in your approach to decision
making. A candidate who can demonstrate creativity as well as make logical
decisions is an attractive management candidate.

Delegating Questions and Answers

Managers aren't expected to do it all themselves, but they are expected to get it all
done. To accomplish this, managers have to be able to delegate -- and delegate
effectively. In order to be an effective management candidate you must
demonstrate to the interviewer -- through your answers -- that you can assign
duties to team members. The following are a few common interview questions
designed to test a candidates ability to delegate.

What method do you employ for delegating tasks to your team members?

How do you ensure that taks are successfully completed? Are there any steps
you take?

What type of instructions do you provide your staff when you decide to
delegate?

Are there times when you shouldn't delegate?

What should you assume about a team member if you want to delegate
successfully?

Tell me about an important task or assignment that you delegated?

Is there a difference between assignment and delegation?

What types of tasks can be delegated? What types cannot?

How do you decide which tasks to delegate to which employees?

What the interviewer is looking for:

First and foremost, hiring managers are looking to see that you understand the
importance of delegation. They also want to see that you have a good grasp of what
it means to delegate and that you have the ability to do so. Managers who don't
appreciate the importance of delegation, or are unable to delegate, are ineffective.
Expect interview questions about delegation to test your ability pick the right
people for each task, deliver clear instructions with decisive standards, motiviate
team members, and know when and when not to delegate a task. Spend some time
developing developing concise answers, support by your experience, for the
questions above.

Motivation Questions and Answers

It's important for a manager to be productive. However, it's much more important
for a manager's team to be productive. Managers are motivators. Managers must
have the energy, attitude and people skills to motivate their team members to
maximize productivity. If a manager knows how to make decisions and knows how
to delegate, but isn't a good motivator, they'll still be an ineffective manager. The
questions below are often used by hiring managers to test a candidate's ability to
motiviate.

What is motivation?

Share a work related experience that demonstrates your ability to encourage

and motivate another person.

Pretend you were the recipient of a coveted award three years from now.
What is the reward? Why did you receive it?

Describe time when you and your team were lacking moral and explain what
you did to raise spirits?

How do you make employees feel valued?

What will you do to retain valued employees?

What non-monetary factors to you feel help motivate employees?

What kind of work culture do you think increase moral and employee
motivation level?

What type of incentives or rewards work best for motivating team members?

Describe a time when you successfully motivated an employee who didn't

want to take on a new assignment.

What the interviewer is looking for:

Simply defined, motivation--as it relates to work--is the enthusiam of a employee
which causes them to take action. All questions that an interviewer asks relating to
motivation are going to be aimed at determining if you, as a potential manager,
have the ability to increase the enthusiam level of coworkers, team members, and
subordinates to a level that causes them to take action, or take additional action.
Your answers to motivation related interview questions should demonstrate how you
determine the appropriate motivation strategies to use for different groups of
workers based on their different needs and perspectives.
Describe to the interviewer how you will communicate corporate goals and visions
to those you manage, gain buy in from employees, establish realistic rewards and
incentive structures, and motivate staff to new levels of success.

Communication Questions and Answers

Communication is the number one tool managers use to manage. Effective
managers are effective communicators. Poor communicators make ineffective
managers. Be prepare to answer several questions designed to test your
communication skills and ability. The questions below are often used by hiring
managers to test a management candidate's ability to communicate effectively.

How do you communicate expectations to team members?

How do you communicate to an employees that he or she is not meeting

expectations?

What is your preferred communication style?

Decribe five things about communication within a team that must be present
in order to have a productive environment.

On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 representing excellent, please rate your

communication skills. Provide me 3 examples from previous work experiences
that show the number your selected is accurate.

Explain how you develop relationships with managers, clients, and other
colleagues.

Explain in detail steps and actions you've taken to build relationships with
new clients.

What types of people are difficult to persuade? How do you motivate others?

What the interviewer is looking for:

The ability to communicate is a key attribute of any effective manager. Be prepared
to answer several communication related interview questions. Respond to questions
directly and succinctly. Show the interviewer that you know how to provide feedback
to those you'll manage in a non-threatening manner. Demonstrate, using relevant
and specific experiences, that you understand there is a proper time, place and
method for communicating with employees.
Remember, we communicate as much information through our body language as
we do through what we say. Non-verbal communcation can be just as powerful as
verbal communication. Make sure your body language shows your engaged,
attentive, concerned, sincere, interested, thoughtful and comfortable.
Communication questions can be challenging. Make sure to prepare for these
questions before entering the interview. Have several relevant work related
experience ready to share with the interviewer.

Leadership Questions and Answers

Leadership is unquestionably one of the top skills hiring managers are looking for in
management job candidates. Leadership entails much more than just managing
people. It encapsulates the ability to effectively communicate vision, motivate and
empower, delegate responsibility, make tough decisions, turn vision into reality and
guide employees through change. Below are several leadership related questions
you can expect to see in your next management interview.

Describe an example of how you've demonstrated leadership in a previous

job.

What specific strategies have you used to lead a team?

What are the key attributes of a successful leader?

How would past coworkers and team members rate your leadership skills?
What would they say about your leadership style?

What factors do you consider when faced with tough decisions?

How do you make a decision when important facts are unavailable?

What methods do you utilize to resolve problems?

Provide examples of creative solutions you relied on to solve major problems.

Explain how you've delegated responsibilities and coordinated tasks during

previous projects.

Explain how you've adapted to project changes in the past.

What skills and knowledge do you still need to develop? Explain what you've
done to increase your business knowledge and skills.

How do you manage large workloads? What do you do to prioritize daily

responsibilities?

Explain how you've dealt with past failures.

How do you determine what colleagues should have key project roles?

What the interviewer is looking for:

There are literally hundreds of different leadership interview questions and versions
of questions that can be asked in the management interview. Taking the time to
develop strong answers for the leadership questions presented above will provide
you with a foundation for answering many more leadership questions. The key to
answering leadership question is to (1)be familiar with what sound leadership
entails and (2) have several strong experiences prepared for the interviewer that
demonstrate your leadership ability and style.

Teamwork Interview Questions and Answer

Teamwork is at the center of corporate management today. If you can't manage a
team, you aren't an effective manager. Corporations are seeking managers who can
effectively manage teams of professionals with diverse skills sets and personalities.
As such, interviewers will ask numerous questions to job candidates being
considered for positions where teamwork is vital. The following are common
teamwork related questions hiring managers often ask during the interview process.

Tell me about a team project you successfully managed.

What is your philosophy for delegating responsibilities?

In your experience, what makes a successful team?

Have you ever managed a team where there was a strong disagreement
between team members? How did you handle it?

What is your strategy for resolving disagreements?

What is your methodology for team building? How do you select team
members?

What strategies would you use to motivate your team?

How would you describe your team management style?

Share a rewarding team experience.

How do you empower team members you oversee?

Why should I hire you as team leader?

What the interviewer is looking for:

Again, there are many derivations of the above questions that hiring managers
might ask during an interview. Develop strong answers for the teamwork questions
above focusing on your ability to delegate, motivate, and build effective teams and
you'll have strong foundation as well as the confidence to any tackle teamwork
interview question. Also make sure to identify several professional experiences you
can share with the interviewer that demonstrate your ability to manage teams.

Other Management Competencies

In addition to the core management competencies listed above there are several
other competencies that interviewers are likely to test. These include the following:
Problem Analysis and Assessment

Describe a complex problem you recently had to address while managing a

project. Take me step by step through the process you used to gain a better
understanding of the problem.

Describe an instance where you were able to identify and resolve a small
problem that had the potential of becoming a much bigger problem.

What the interviewer is looking for:

Here you need to demonstrate that you're able to detect problems, gather relevant
information, identify the core issues, and understand the cause and effect
relationships. Focus your answers and examples on your ability to indentify the right
information and major issues underlying the problem.
Staff Development

Describe a project where you were required to provide training to various

team members on the same tasks.

Provide an example of an instance where you had to provide feedback to a

team member who's performance was sub par. How did you do this and what
was the outcome?

What the interviewer is looking for:

Your answers to these and similar questions should focus on your ability to facilite
the development of new knowledge and skills among those you oversee. Address
how you're able to assess the needs of your team members, put together a plan
and implement the plan.
Work and Task Management

Step me through a long-term plan you developed and implemented while

managing a team of workers.

How do you prioritize work assignments?

What the interviewer is looking for:

Work and task management questions are intended to test your planning and
organizational skills. Your answers should demonstrate your ability to establish
meaningful, achievable objectives, prioritize tasks, assign tasks to the right team
members, allocate resources correctly, use organizational tools and follow up on
tasks and provide useful feedback and direction.

Other Interview Q&A Guides for Management and General Management

Candidates
The following are job interview question and answer guides for candidates seeking
job opportunities in general management. You can expect to see several of the
questions presented in these guides in your next job interview.