1. Can you tell me a little about yourself?

“So, tell me about yourself.”

”Well, I’m currently [an account executive ] at Smith, where I handle our top performing
client. Before that, I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national
healthcare brands. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to dig in
much deeper with one specific healthcare company, which is why I’m so excited about this
opportunity with Metro Health Center.”

Remember throughout your answer to focus on the experiences and skills that are going to be
most relevant for the hiring manager.

2. How did you hear about the position?

A simple [good] response is:

 “I was excited to find out about the job from my friend who works in [department]”

 “ It took me just a few moments, after reading the announcement, to realize,[ to
understand, to see…] that it was fortunate that my friend…., […that I found the add
over the Internet, that saw, that I read the announcement over / on the Social
media, …the newspaper, etc.] because I felt, I believe, I think that this job
opportunity is a good fit to my career protections…But yeahh….(and the repeat how
you found out about the job)

These are perfectly OK response. In fact, it’s the only response you should be giving if this is
the case.

3. What do you know about the company?

After demonstrating to the interviewer that you care about the firm by most effectively
discussing the organization’s work and its impact. The company's mission.

…think about concrete ways it relates to your passions and experiences, and connect them into
your answer.

“I’m personally drawn to this mission because I have experienced the same situation in my
last two jobs: I have worked with the intention of projecting, broadening, solving, improving,
etc……” or

“I really believe in [Puma's] approach [or Puma’s way of presenting to their customers, , or
Puma’s manner of building customer engagement, client trust,….] at maintaining providers
good relationships because…That is exactly what I have PERSONALLY been doing at my
current job for about 2-3-4 years… (and share a personal example or two...)…”

“…For example, for instance, as an example, as a demonstration of that three/six months

ago I was very successful in solving, overcoming, managing difficulties…”
 Denisse, this is an INSERT, for you, as an example of the core competencies for regional positions….the abilities that
the company managers seek for in the candidates for jobs like the one you are applying to….

Talent Attraction

 Coach and develop team…

 Inspires and attracts emerging and experienced talent (diversity)
 Emphasize Diversity and Inclusion

Reporting and Analytics

Develop data-driven actions and approaches …..(to whatever)

Identify how best to use the data to support….(whatever)
Design and communicate with reports and analyses…

Leadership

Lead the team to ensure excellent service delivery,

Build on teams as internal branding task
Build a culture of Customer Service
Review the recruitment process
Act as a first point of escalation for any firms' action (whatever)

Diversity and Inclusion

4. Why do you want this job?

Step 1: Express Enthusiasm for the Company

“…As I said before I feel much enthusiasm and sympathy for this new opening (new job, new
open position, new job opportunity, etc.) since I realized, I felt that most main, (central, core,
etc.) aspects of this position and the company reflects very well into my own career plans,
(expectations, etc.) of the tasks and challenges in this job …So I feel truly/really interested
about filling this position

Step 2: Align Your Skills and Experiences With the Role

“Also, you mention in announcement that you need somebody with [characteristic] and I
honestly believe that I have been building [those skills and abilities] during my present job
for about 3 years and in my previous job as well….”

Step 3: Connect to Your Career Trajectory

“...And my orientation for the future of my professional development, [my career path, my
plan “for working trajectory] match very well those of ( Puma), in terms of…building
relationships, maintaining well care for the community and for the company, etc ,etc…”
5. Why should we hire you?
So, here are three strategies.

1. The Intersection

“…Well, I firmly believe in what I can do and in what I can not…I strongly feel at time in my
career that I am a good connector, a good link , a solved, that can provide pretty good solution
to many needs…I see that you, the company, are seeking a person with most of the aptitudes,
skills, and experience I have been developing during these last 3-4 years…And that I can be the
point of solution for those two sides, aspects, fronts….your needs and my will, desire,
enthusiasm, interest, in becoming the best solution provider….”

2. The Company Expert

3. The Problem Solver

6. What are your greatest professional strengths?

Respond with “curiosity.” “doggedness.” “Enthusiasm”, and the like.

For example

“….Connection !!!! Yes…the ability to make connections….As I have been try to explain to you…
I feel passion for connecting tasks, people, actions, places…I most of the time I gain from my
relationship with my colleagues, coworkers, and , specially , with supervisors…All that thanks
to my ability to create CONNECTION!!!!...”

7. What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

you could answer…

“...Well, when I first started I was really bad[ /defective, non-effective] at remembering the
tasks my supervisors had charged me/[ assigned me]….In college, too, I had the same
problem, and I was many times troubled by that issue,[ what I considered my weakness..]
and I didn’t do a very good job at completing tasks, homework, assignments….

For that reason I decided to improve, solve, have a solution to minimize that aspect of mine
and….[I decided to learn good note--taking techniques… ]

Then, I managed to hold that as a day-to-day good practice and habit … which made a big
difference.

Now, even though I get nervous when I have to remember things at work in meetings with
my colleagues, managers, supervisors…But can really feel much more easy nowadays… it's
something that doesn’t completely affect (trouble) me…
I have recently been taking more serious responsibilities at work with increasing difficulty…
and I still feel a little preoccupied, but I sense really much more comfort with my note-taker,
personal tablet, my laptop, or a simple note book,……”

8. What is your greatest professional achievement?

Convey these four messages in your answer…

1. You Were Indispensable in Your Previous Job

“...In my last job as a [purchase international agent] , it was my role to [manage the buying
process from vendors of all over Europe”), …..In only 3-5 months, I [did speed up the process, I
reorganized bad previous….., put together….., increase…, solved,… connected….. which [saved,
served as, was recognized, Improved…. ] into my group/department/area….by 10 less hours
per week of useless long distance phone meetings … and reduced….[…] errors…[ on invoices…]
by 5%...US$5000 Daily….”

2. You Will Be Awesome in This New Job

Certain themes that come up again and again in job descriptions in your field,

 Sales oriented, or high quality…., or deadline oriented, or improved—process

oriented, detail-oriented, etc.
 Team builder, leader natural, talent attractor,….
 Also, listen closely to what the interviewer is asking—often, she’ll ask leading
questions or share challenges that others before you have had in the role.

“...I can very often work under tight deadlines and have to turn around our projects quickly,
[work under time pressure”…“.. In my last job, we often had short deadlines. I was very
effective at managing these situations because I focused on consistent communication with
the team, and used my organization skills to stay on top of everything we had going on…For
example, when I had to…..I could [achieve]….”

3. You’re the Perfect Fit for This Job

Focus on….likability……And use “relaxed formality.”

It’s an interview, try to be yourself and have a natural conversation.

4. You Really Want This Job

“One of the reasons I’m so excited about this role is because it allows me to put into practice
my [ client management] skills [your expertise] , this time within a larger frame of interaction
and with clients/ vendors [relationships] that have more complex deals [the new challenge].”

…. follow up with an honest seal-the-deal thank you note!

9. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've faced at work, and how
you dealt with it.
Pick the Right Story

“….I recall two times…when I had to….

Make a Statement

“...I learned early on in my professional career that it’s fine to disagree if you can back up your
point of view with solid practical arguments….”

Finish Strong

“In short, it’s not that I’m an amazing [multitasker, coordinator, area organizer, talented team
member….]—Instead I usually try to find a balance, prioritize long term vision, goals, and check
my course of actions frequently.”…In other words is that I mostly seek a position that allows
me to stand as a good--strong—solid communicator’ connector, team motivator, people
sender and a collective achiever….”

and back them up with the stories that you have….

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

“Well I’m really excited by this position at [Puma] because in [five] years, I’d like to be seen as
someone with deep expertise in the…… sector, and I know that’s something that I’ll have an
opportunity to do here. …I’m also really excited to take on more managerial responsibilities in
the next few years and potentially even take the lead on some projects. I’ve been lucky enough
to work with some amazing managers, and so developing into a great manager myself is
something I’m really excited about.”

11. What's your dream job?

1. What Skills Do You Want to Use?

“…I’ve mentioned my experience with __. My dream job would definitely have to relate to
that. I’d also love to grow my skills in __.....I’ve thought about this before, and I know I would
want to keep improving my skills in __ as well as learn more about __.”

2. What Interests You?

“…I’ve been interested in the __ industry ever since I first discovered __. That, combined with
my interest in __ and __, means I’ve been truly passionate, attracted, compelled, inclined,
evesince...In terms of job content, I’m interested in work that involves __ and __. I’ve been
curious about things like this ever since __, so I would definitely want that to be part of my
dream job…”
3. What Are Your Values?

“…Based on my skills and interests, in my dream job, I would want to __ as related to __,
ideally in a company where I could __ and __. These are both really important to me, and I’m
excited to see that they seem to be equally important to the company...Basically, my dream
job would be to __ for __ in a position that would allow me to __ and __. I value this last
point in particular—it’s the reason I’m so excited to be interviewing for this position…”

12. What other companies are you interviewing with

“...This is the only company I’m interviewing with.”…

If You’re Interviewing in Other Industries

“…I’m interviewing with a few companies for a range of positions, but they all fall short to
delivering an excellent [customer experience]. I wanted to keep an open mind about how to
best achieve that goal, but so far it seems that this role [at Puma] will really allow me to focus
all of my energy on [ customer experience, international strategic positioning, area brand
building, external vendors strong relations…] and retention, which I find very interesting,
challenging, appealing, and close to my career path expectations….”

If You’re Not Interviewing Anywhere Else

“…I’m still pretty early in my job search. I’ve applied to a number of opportunities that will
allow me to use my skills in [data visualization] to help [ educate clients], but this position is
most exciting to me. In fact, I think this position is a particularly good fit for my skill set
because I can put into action my significant experience while working with complicated
external internatnl. vendors, ….] …”

13. Why are you leaving your current job?

KEY/CENTRAL ASPECT:

 ”…Mmm..No, I don’t think so...I don’t think I am leaving anyone…I don’t see it in that
way…What I see is that I’m in the middle of my career development and my plans
are in a way that I can easily see this change in a optimistic way…”
 ”Perhaps I could say that…I really can't see myself growing professionally there, but
it is not that the point…"

BUT, also…

Say… ” I believe that there are some companies (job positions) that are highly suitable for
some professionals, but also that they with time they just stop offering opportunities that
suit to the employee/collaborator ..…Perhaps because they go in different directions, or they
both pass through different orientations or have different business pressures, problems…So
in my case something like that is happening, and I would like to anticipate that, if possible,
….In other words it is NOT that a I am leaving the company and people, and projects that I
currently join, but as I have been trying to explain you….I am foreseeing a change in my
career, and I know very well what I want and what I don’t want, and according to my plans
what really fits my present and near future expectations of personal and professional
development is what this new offering with you [with Puma] provides….”

14. Why were you fired?

Or, “Why, exactly, did you leave your last job?”

1. Come to Terms With Your Emotions (answer honestly)

speak calmly about your qualifications and your past job experience, spend time and calmly
explain….

2. Without Hesitating, Explain Succinctly What Happened

“Unfortunately, I had to….. go, leave, resign, voluntary resign… (put my resignation on)…”

3. Discuss What You Learned, Then Get Back on Topic

“…Even if it were that the case with me and would have been fired due to my fault, I would
spend a good time meditating/reflecting on the experience and on how to ensure I will keep
the top-of-mind in everything I do. If this happened to me, I believe it would be a
tremendous asset/advantage/ favorable experience in my next role…“

4. Never, ever talk badly about your previous/former employer, Boss or Company

5. Recap What You Have to Offer, Making Your Interest Clear

“…but also I feel capable of delivering my …..[enthusiasm, ability to make connections, and
my previous advantageous experience ] into the organization, just to make it very clear to
you that I am willing to deliver what the team needs—and that I would be very happy in
doing so…”

15. What are you looking for in a new position?

----- “Everything this one offers?”. (don’t say this, but express it in other words…)

1. Start With Your Skills

“…I’ve been improving my [ …see list of requirements… ] skills during the last [five…# ]years
up to now and, first and foremost, I’m looking for a position where I can continue to exercise
those skills….”

2. Explain Your Motivation

“…Also, important to me at ANY position is that it allow me not only experience with
administrative tasks, but also that provide me with more exposure to…[see list of
requirements] but also succeed at [ list of requirements…] that make direct contribution to
clients and senior management…. That would be really refreshing! I’m always very
motivated by being able to see the impact of my work on other people….and that is about
what I feel I can get from filling this job position with you, with Puma….”

3. Connect With Your Long-Term Goals

“…And, I’m definitely looking for a position where I can grow—professional development is
something that’s really important to me since I hope to take on responsibilities as an area
manager in the future…”

4. Wrap Up With Something About the Company

“ In short…. I’d love a position where I can use my skills to make an impact that I can see
with my own eyes. Of course, the position is only part of the experience…. Being at a
company [like Puma] where I can grow and work toward realistic and nice goals/objectives is
something I care for.…And I want to be at the intersection between what inspires me and
what I am capable to offer, that’s why I’m truly /really interested about this position….”

16. What type of work environment do you prefer?

browse everywhere, conduct some research on magazines, Internet forums, company
website, et…gather that info. And prepare this answer.. ..

“….well I consider myself very flexible and open minded, I have a good response new
environments, characters, diverse personalities, managing styles, and so…I wouldn’t say that
I would never have any problem with adapting myself to new situations…but in general I can
manage to survive, exceed, and succeed at differently types of corporate cultures…Of course
I have preferences and those are close to that type of companies that promoted true values
like in many ways this one…I like this position and the opportunity that Puma here offers,
since it promotes…those values I also really appreciate, such as [ here you insert you
research]….

17. What's your management style?

If you’re interviewing for a position that requires supervising others, any sensible hiring
manager will ask you, “What’s your management style?”

And for some reason, this question always seems a little awkward to answer. How can you
respond in a way that shows you can be an effective leader who’s right for the team while not
sounding too grandiose (and at the same time not being too humble)?

While there are plenty of ways to make an impression that strikes that balance, here’s one way
that I think works particularly well when it comes to discussing your management style.

1. Define “Good Management”

The secret to getting this question right is setting the parameters for how good management
should be judged. To do this, you want to explain what you believe makes a strong manager,
so that the scope of all the things a boss could possible be is narrowed down a bit. This ensures
that you and the interviewer are on the same page on how to evaluate the story you’re about
to share.

Management style is so hard to put your finger on, but I think in general a good manager gives
clear directions and actually stays pretty hands-off, but is ready and available to jump in to
offer guidance, expertise, and help when needed. I try my best to make that my management
style.

2. Add Your Spin

Now that you’ve defined what a good manager is and stated that’s your model, one up
yourself and offer something extra that you do in addition to what’s already been established.
Making the point to set the parameters early in your response will allow you to introduce an
additional leadership trait that makes you exceptional.

In terms of what makes me unique, I also go out of my way to make sure I know when my
team needs help. I don’t hang around and wait to be called upon by my direct reports—I go to
them. That means plenty of informal check-ins, both on the work they’re doing and on their
general job satisfaction and mental well-being.

3. Give an Example

Of course, all of this only works if you can back up what you’ve said. Give some evidence of
your management prowess by offering a brief story of how you demonstrated the traits you’ve
described. Since management can be such a lofty topic, you’ll have to be mindful of using a
story that isn’t too long—you don’t want your interviewer to lose interest, after all.

I remember one project in particular at my most recent position where I supervised seven staff
that involved everyone working on a separate aspect of the product. This meant a lot of
independent work for my team, but rather than bog everyone down with repetitive meetings
to update me and everyone else on progress made, I created a project wiki that allowed us to
communicate new information when necessary without disrupting another team member’s
work. I then made it my job to make sure no one was ever stuck on a problem too long without
a sounding board.

Ultimately, despite the disparate project responsibilities, we ended up with a very cohesive
product and, more importantly, a team that wasn’t burnt out.

That’s it! Now that you have the basic structure down for this common interview question, just
make sure you don’t flub the ending. Try connecting your response back to the position or
switching it up and asking a question of your own. Practice, practice, practice, and you’re set.

18. How would your boss and co-workers describe you?

Saying nice things about yourself tends to be a lot harder than saying nice stuff about others.
For most people, it can be really awkward to talk about their own accomplishments—which is
why interviewing is so uncomfortable for many.
Thankfully, there is one question that can (kind of) bridge this gap. When an interviewer asks
you, “How would your boss or colleagues describe you?” this is your chance to use the words
of others to talk about your own positive traits. Here are a few ideas about how you can take
advantage of this opportunity.

1. Quoting an Official Performance Review

The easiest way to answer this question is to paraphrase a recent positive performance review.
Referencing specifically where you’re getting your information from makes it easier to describe
yourself as “trustworthy, dedicated, and creative” without cringing. You’ll also want to give
some big picture context about your role and responsibilities to fill in the gaps around your
answer. Altogether, it’ll sound something like this:

Actually, in my most recent performance review in April, my direct supervisor described me as

someone who takes initiative and doesn’t shy away from hard problems. My role involves a lot
of on-site implementation, and when things go wrong, it’s usually up to me to fix it. Rather
than punting the problem back to the team, I always try to do what I can first. I know she
appreciates that about me.

2. Start With the Story and Share the Takeaways

Another way to do this is to start off with the story and conclude it with how your boss or co-
workers would describe you. Since the question is pretty open-ended, this is a great
opportunity for you to share something you really wanted to mention in the interview but
haven’t had the chance to yet.

Or, it could be the other way around. There might be some trait or skill you know the hiring
manager is looking for, and the opportunity to talk about it hasn’t come up yet. This is your
chance.

One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m always the one people turn to for recommendations on how
to handle a new event or program—the latest fundraiser that I just told you about would be
one. I have a lot of institutional knowledge, which helps, but I think the reason people come to
me is because I work through what a new program might look like very methodically. If you
were to ask my colleagues, I’m confident they’d describe me as logical, organized, and
meticulous.

3. Naming Three Positive Traits With Short Examples for Each

Coming up with stories can be tricky when asked on the spot (which is why you should have a
few prepared), so if you just can’t think of anything, here’s another approach. Try to think of
three positive traits you bring to your work or workplace. Then, have a short example after
each. It might go something like this:

I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I’m pretty confident my colleagues would describe
me as thoughtful—I’m the one in the office who remembers everyone’s birthdays—and hard-
working, since I never leave my office until it’s been dark out for a couple of hours. My boss in
particular would say I’m very knowledgeable about audience development—it’s why I kept
taking on more and more responsibilities in that domain.

Next time you get this question, you should be smiling because of what a great opportunity it
presents to talk about pretty much anything you want to framed in a way that makes it easier
for you to talk about. That’s what you call a win-win.

19. What are your salary requirements?

Next, I recommend using the words “(flexible)” or “(negotiable)” next to your number…

Stress that your salary requirement is flexible or negotiable and that you are open to
negotiate a package of compensation—bonuses, benefits, job title, opportunities for
advancement—That you’re certain you can satisfy the job requirements if they consider you
are a good fit for the position.

1. Don’t be afraid to be a bit aggressive !!

2. Focus on Your Target Price

 Determine your best-case-scenario outcome, and focus on that. Evaluate market

range Salary in similar positions…
2. Be Flexible
3.

20. Do you have any questions for us?

You probably already know that an interview isn’t just a chance for a hiring manager to grill
you with interview questions—it’s your opportunity to sniff out whether a job is the right fit for
you.

Which means: It’s important to go in with some questions. What do you want to know about
the position? The company? The department? The team?

To get you thinking, we’ve put together a list of key questions to ask in your interview. We
definitely don’t suggest asking all of them rapid-fire—some of this stuff will certainly be
covered during the course of your discussion, and you can weave in other questions as you go.

But when the inevitable, “So, do you have any questions for us?” part of the interview comes?
Use this list to make sure you’ve covered all your bases.

First, make sure you have a handle on exactly what the day-to-day responsibilities of the job
will be—both now and in the future.

What does a typical day look like?

What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?

Can you show me examples of projects I'd be working on?

What are the skills and experiences you’re looking for in an ideal candidate?

What attributes does someone need to have in order to be really successful in this position?

What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?

What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?

What sort of budget would I be working with?

Is this a new role that has been created?

Do you expect the main responsibilities for this position to change in the next six months to a
year?

Think of each new job not just as a job, but as the next step on your path to career success.
Will this position help you get there?

11. How will I be trained?

12. What training programs are available to your employees?

13. Are there opportunities for advancement or professional development?

14. Would I be able to represent the company at industry conferences?

15. Where is the last person who held this job moving on to?

16. Where have successful employees previously in this position progressed to?

Understanding how your potential new manager will measure your success is key in both
understanding the company priorities, as well as their managerial style. 17. What are the most
important things you’d like to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the
job?

18. What are the performance expectations of this position over the first 12 months?

19. What is the performance review process like here? How often would I be formally
reviewed?

20. What metrics or goals will my performance be evaluated against?

Asking questions of the interviewer shows that you're interested in him or her as a person—
and that's a great way to build rapport.

21. How long have you been with the company?

22. Has your role changed since you've been here?

23. What did you do before this?

24. Why did you come to this company?

25. What’s your favorite part about working here?

Why not learn a little bit about where you might work. Because a job isn’t just about your day-
to-day to-do list. 26. I've read about the company’s founding, but can you tell me more about
___?

27. Where do you see this company in the next few years?

28. What can you tell me about your new products or plans for growth?

29. What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work
to support hitting those goals?

30. What gets you most excited about the company's future?

The people you work with day in and day out can really make or break your work life. Ask
some questions to uncover whether it's the right team for you.

31. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?

32. Who will I work with most closely?

33. Who will I report to directly?

34. Can you tell me about my direct reports? What are their strengths and the team's biggest
challenges?

35. Do you expect to hire more people in this department in the next six months?

36. Which other departments work most closely with this one?

37. What are the common career paths in this department?

Is the office buttoned-up conservative or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of place? Learn

the subtle, but oh-so-important, aspects of company culture.

38. What is the company and team culture like?

39. How would you describe the work environment here—is the work typically collaborative or
more independent?

40. Can you tell me about the last team event you did together?

41. Is there a formal mission statement or company values? (Note: Make sure this isn't Google-
able!)

42. What’s your favorite office tradition?

43. What do you and the team usually do for lunch?

44. Does anyone on the team hang out outside the office?

45. Do you ever do joint events with other companies or departments?

46. What’s different about working here than anywhere else you've worked?

47. How has the company changed since you joined?

Before you leave, make sure the interviewer has all of the information he or she needs and
that you’re clear on the next steps by asking these questions.

48. Is there anything that concerns you about my background being a fit for this role?

49. What are the next steps in the interview process?

50. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?

51. Can I answer any final questions for you?