Career Planning:

Interviews
  

 compliments of FutureVisions^SM

THE MOST POPULAR POTENTIAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ...

You have studied the organization and you believe that you are well qualified for this job. If you don’t believe that, work on your confidence until you do – this is very important. You are now ready for the interview, right? No, not quite. You’re only halfway through the preparation phase.

The next area of preparation is to anticipate and prepare answers for potential interview questions. You should brainstorm on all of the possible questions you think interviewers will ask during your interviews. Write down those questions and jot down answers to them. These are the top 10 most commonly asked interview questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Where do you expect to be in five years?

3. What do you know about our organization?

4. What would you look for in a job?

5. Why are you leaving your present position?

6. What did you like most about your last job? Least?

7. What have been your most important career accomplishments?

8. What are your strengths? Weaknesses?

9. Describe a typical day in your job?

10. Why should we hire you?

Here is some more on the most common types of questions and some sample answers. Use my mock-up responses as a guide to come up with your own answers tailored to your strengths. After all, interviewers will be interviewing you, not me. Let’s dive in!

"Why are you interested in this position?"

Example: "The job description is a perfect match for my skills and aspirations. This is a win-win opportunity where I know I can be successful for your company and that my successes will be rewarded."

This question separates the contenders from the pretenders. Here, a boss wants someone enthusiastic and who is a go-getter. If a person answers this question without conviction, most likely they will not perform well on the job. However, if the person is energetic and gives a well-thought-out response to the question, he or she is a great candidate for the position.

This is also the ultimate cop-out question! Interviewers use this question when they are not prepared and can’t think of anything else to ask. Basically, in asking this question, interviewers are trying to figure out how similar you are to them. So in answering the question, you want to provide information that they can relate to and is interesting to them.

"What are your interests?"

Example: "I enjoy playing and watching competitive sports like baseball, football and golf."

Some interviewers (especially those recruiting salespeople) ask this question because they are looking for people who thrive on competition. Competitive individuals usually made very good salespeople. If you play sports, such an interviewer may ask them if they play for fun or to win. Other interviewers may look for different interests. Another interest that is good is traveling, because jobs often entail that. (Even casino gambling is acceptable if the interviewer is looking for a risk taker.)

However, while sales managers like risk takers, an administrative manager or plant floor manager may not. Thus, make sure your interests are in line with the opportunity. This question also relates to whether or not you are similar to the people interviewing you. If the interviewer has a golf-ball paperweight on the desk, a picture of Arnold Palmer on the wall, and if you like golf, mention that golf is one of your passions. If the person has several pictures of family on the desk, declare how one of your interests is doing things with the family (if true).

The key here is to answer the question in a way that demonstrates that you’ve a lot in common with the person interviewing you. However, make sure you are honest! If you don’t play golf, don’t say that you do. Lying in an interview will always backfire. It is, however, usually possible to highlight areas in your own life that have some connection with the interviewers. None of us is that different from each other.

"What are your short and long term goals?"

Example: "My short-term goal is to obtain a position with an organization that will challenge me and allow me to grow. One of my long-term goals is to grow with the company and move into management. I feel that in order to be a successful leader, I first have to start out in the trenches."

"Using single words, tell me your three greatest strengths and one weakness."

Example: "Competitive, Successful, Creative & Workaholic."

This question forces candidates to be concise and think quickly on their feet. Again, this provides great insight into the mindset of the individual. If you answer this question with multiple-word descriptions, it signals that you did not listen to the question and demonstrates a lack of listening skills. It is my belief, and most interviewers will agree that if someone is not a good listener, that person will not be a good employee. So if someone asks you to describe yourself using one-word descriptions, answer in single words only.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?  This kind of question has become so "popular" that you need to think about it extra-carefully. Be clear about your strengths. You're almost certain to be hit with questions pertaining to your strengths and weaknesses. Know your strengths and emphasize those that relate specifically to the position for which you're being considered. If, for example, you're applying for a sales position, you might describe one of your strengths (if it's true) as follows: "I've made a study of personality types and I've learned to quickly type people in terms of the kinds of approaches that might best attract them." Be prepared, in this case, to back up your claim if the interviewer suddenly asks: "What type would you say I am?

Weaknesses: this is tricky, so let's think about why the question is asked. The interviewer probably wants to learn several things about you with this question, such as: whether or not you are arrogant ("I really don't think I have any weaknesses"), whether you know yourself ("Well, I've never really thought about that"), and finally, what you are doing to eliminate your weaknesses. Here are two ways to answer this question so that you leave a positive impression in the mind of the interviewer: (a) Show that, in overcoming a weakness, you've learned. If, for example, there's a period in your chronology that just doesn't fit (say that you took a job selling cars between jobs as an accountant ... it happens!), you might tell the interviewer: "One weakness, which it took me some time to overcome, was that I really wasn't sure that I wanted to be an accountant. For example, in 1988-90, I worked as a car salesman. I did so because I couldn't decide if I wanted to make accounting my career. That experience taught me that I really didn't want to sell products, and that I was much more challenged by the opportunity to solve client problems. (b) Pick a weakness that is really a strength. If, for example, you're interviewing for a job in an organization you know is hard-charging and unforgiving of average performance, you might say, "One of my weaknesses is that I tend to be impatient with people who aren't willing to pull their full weight and give 110%." In this case, your "weakness" may help you get the job.

"What motivates you to succeed?"

Example: "Seeing a challenge and conquering it."

Motivation is key to success for any job. If the motivation does not fit what the interviewer is looking for, then there is a mismatch. Make sure your motivation is in line with what the interviewer would expect for the job.

"What is your ideal job?"

Example: "My ideal job is one that utilizes my talents to the fullest and allows me to grow and be rewarded as I contribute to the success of the organization."

Here, the candidate should state aspects of the job at hand. If the candidate’s idea of the ideal job does not match the job at hand, then the interviewer will know the candidate will not work out and move on to the next interview.

"What traits do you look for in an ideal company and an ideal job?"

Example: "I want to work for a company that does not tolerate mediocrity, and a company that is growing, profitable and an industry leader like yours. I want a job that is challenging and where I can make an immediate contribution"

"Where do you want to be five years from now?"

Example: "I plan to become qualified in every phase of this industry."

Be clear where you want to go. Unless you plan to inherit Dad's company, your answer is apt to be a lot more general than it might have been a decade ago. Why? Because the economy and nearly every industry are changing so fast that specificity with respect to the distant future is extremely difficult. So, instead of responding to the question with, "I plan to be in a position of senior leadership in this company," you might want to say: "I plan to become qualified in every phase of this industry." The exact response depends upon the specifics of your job hunting campaign, but the principle is: be specific while allowing yourself the flexibility which suggests that you understand the complexities of the business you're applying for.

Why should I hire you over the other candidates I am interviewing?

Example: Because of my competitiveness, proven success and unique ability to learn, I will make an immediate contribution to the continued success of your organization.

"Why are you looking to leave your current position?"

How to Answer:

"I am at the stage in my career where I want a job that is more challenging and rewarding."

How NOT to Answer:

"I am leaving because I hate my boss and my company is full of losers."

Also, do not provide any proprietary information about your current or previous jobs. Unfortunately, some companies interview people from the competition just to gain proprietary knowledge and not because they are actually considering hiring you. Plus, interviewers will look negatively upon you if you provide them with information that you should not give.

More important, providing confidential information is unethical. Proprietary or confidential information can be something as simple as telling them how many shifts a factory is running to the cost of goods or the number of people in your division. Try not to provide specific numbers. Instead, try to focus on percentages like increased sales 120 percent in my territory or reduced the cost of production by 33 percent.

BONUS QUESTIONS

What follows are some additional questions you will likely see in your interviews. I am not going to provide you with the answers to these questions because I want you to exercise your mind. It has been said, "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day ... if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." Taking this into account, I want you to start preparing on your own.

General Questions:

General questions are a way to get general information about your thought process.

I) "Why are you looking to leave your current position?"

2) "What was your greatest accomplishment at _______company?"

3) "How does your company compete against ours?"

4) "Have you ever been asked to do something unethical? If yes, how did you handle it?"

5) "What do you do if you totally disagree with a request made by your manager?"

Leadership Questions:

Leadership questions give insight into your leadership skills.

I) "When in a group setting, what is your typical role?"

2) "How do you motivate a team to succeed?"

3) "Have you ever had to fire anyone? What caused you to take this action?"

4) "Have you ever held a leadership role? How did you motivate people in that role?"

5) "What was your most difficult situation? What did you learn from it?"

Teamwork Questions:

Teamwork questions give insight into how you work as part of a team. In today’s environment, most managers feel it is critical to hire team players.

I) "How do you feel about working in a team environment?"

2) "Describe to me how you helped the morale of the team and motivated them to succeed?"

3) "Have you been in team situations where not everyone carried their fair share of the workload? If so, how did you handle the situation?"

Problem-Solving Questions:

Problem-solving questions demonstrate your ability to come up with to difficult situations and your ability to think on your feet.

I) "Can you give me an example of a difficult work situation and how you handled it?"

2) "How do you prioritize when you are given too many tasks to accomplish?"

3) "Why are manhole covers round?" I know this question sounds crazy, but one of my previous managers used to always ask it. The Interviews - fun?! page tells you how to handle this question, but first, try it on your own.

Drive and Motivational Questions:

Drive and motivational questions are a way to understand how motivated you are and what "makes you tick."

1) "Tell me about one of your most significant accomplishments."

2) "What was your favorite job and why?"

3) "What have you done to make yourself more proficient in ……..

Organizational and Planning Questions:

Organizational and planning questions demonstrate how you approach your job and how you think. If someone appears disorganized, more likely than not, that candidate will be rejected.

1) "Do you set goals for yourself? If so, how?"

2) "Tell me about a goal you set for yourself and how you accomplished it."

3) "How do you go about your workday?"

4) "Do you typically achieve what you set out to do?"

Miscellaneous Questions:

1) "What would your last boss say were the areas that you needed to improve upon?"

2) "What demotivates or discourages you?"

3) "Do you work better in teams or by yourself?"

4) "How important to you is a positive attitude?"

5) "What is your definition of success?"

6) "What was your biggest disappointment in your prior position?"

7) "What do you feel it takes to have a successful career?"

8) "What do you like the most about your current position?"

9) "What do you like least about your current position?"

10) "What do you want to do in five years?"

11) "Tell me about the most difficult decision you have had to make."

12) "Can you explain why you were not employed during _____ period of time?"

13) "Why did you choose to go into ______ industry and/or ______company?"

Now Comes the Fun Part:  You need to answer each of these questions in your own words. I have given you examples and techniques of how you can answer these questions. Tailor your answers to your areas of interest, and to your personality and strengths.

Your actual experience of what is asked of you will vary depending upon your specific industry. However, going through these questions should be helpful in your pursuit. I guarantee that you will hear at least a couple of these questions in your next interview.

When you write down answers to these questions, I suggest that you jot down a couple of key words that will help you remember how you want to respond to each inquiry. By answering each possible question before the interview, you will be prepared for almost any situation.

So, spend a few moments taking another look at the questions, and answer them as if you were in the interview. Mold the answers to your skills, experience and personality.

Be Flexible In Your Answers: Be able to adapt your answers to any situation. People hire those whom they like and who are like them. You want interviewers to be able to relate to you on both a professional and personal level. That is why it is so important to develop a strong rapport with interviewers.

So, if you leave enough flexibility in your answers, you will be better able to relate to anyone you meet. Interviewers are much more inclined to offer you a job if you have developed a positive rapport.

If you've been fired, be forthright about it.

So many people have been laid off through no fault of their own in the past ten years that it's no longer a stigma to have been fired--unless it was for justifiable cause (e.g.,- you socked your boss). Answer directly, but without a "charge" in your voice. Expressing your bitterness over being let go tells the interviewer (rightly or wrongly) that you can't accept the realities of modern free enterprise -- that downsizing is acceptable and often necessary.

PRACTICE

At this point you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. I know that seeing a stream of questions can be frustrating. But you would be surprised at how easy it is to prepare once you dive in.

The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be, and the better you will perform in the interview. However, before I leave this topic, I cannot neglect to mention the most crucial part of preparation—PRACTICE.

Get a Friend to Help: I recommend getting friends to help you practice. Have them play the role of the interviewer. Do not use your family. They will be too easy on you. You want the role player to be someone who will not hesitate to provide objective feedback and criticism when necessary.

Give the role player the list of possible questions you developed as a result of the suggestions above. Then, act out the interview as if it were for real. Afterwards, make sure you get feedback. Tell your friend not to be afraid to be critical. Better to bomb out with your friend than the interviewer!

Practice the interview until you are confident you can get the job. Make sure you start the role-play by knocking on the door and entering the office or room. Do not break out of your role this will hurt your concentration and will not properly simulate the interview. After the interview, you can go over how you performed.

Record Your Performance:  Another great way to review your practice is to record yourself using audio or videotape. By listening to yourself on tape or viewing yourself on video, you can really identify your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you say the word "uh" once every ten words. If you have a video, you might notice poor posture or a bad habit like wiping your brow or scratching your nose. (Some people pay thousands to have "experts" tape them and critique them. Do some this for yourself, and you can at least catch some of the more obvious weaknesses with the help of friends whose opinions you respect.)

By recognizing a weakness in practice, you can work to overcome that weakness prior to the interview. The more you practice and prepare, the better you will do in the interview. You can NEVER practice too much. Try practicing in front of a mirror and see how your skills will improve.