Interviewing often make people anxious. You may not know what to expect and what is expected of you. The only thing you know for certain is that you are being evaluated. The following is typical interview questions and responses.
Describing Your Qualifications
Typical Questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your qualifications for the position?
- Describe your background for me.
- Why should I hire you?
The interviewer wants you to describe those parts of your background that are relevant to the position you are discussing. Your answer will be assessed on how well you demonstrate that you understand what would be required of you on the job.
Many people have difficulty answering this type of question because they don’t know what kind of information to include. Basically, the employer is asking, “What do you have to offer that is needed in my organization?” It is a request for a sales pitch about you.
Guidelines for your Answers
Since the question is general, you can use examples from your paid or volunteer work experience, education and personality to show your qualifications. Previous related work experience is your strongest selling point, so begin your answer with that. But, go on to show that you have personal qualities such as organizational skills that would be useful.
Your answer should never include the idea that you should be hired because you need a job. This looks like begging and it may turn employers off. As well, you should avoid talking about personal information such as your family background, your age and your interests and hobbies. You aren’t being asked your life story, you are being requested to talk about yourself as a worker.
Describing Your Accomplishments
Typical Questions
- What do you consider to be your greatest achievements?
- What accomplishments have given you the greatest satisfaction? Why?
- Describe two or three things you have done really well.
- What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
Guidelines for your Answers
Try to describe achievements that will be related to your new job. A sales manager who claims that his/her greatest accomplishment was writing a book on changes in the river beds of ancient Mesopotamia is likely to get funny looks from the interviewer. Perhaps this applicant should say that his/her greatest achievement was getting a book on such a subject published. That at least would show great sales ability.
The rule to follow is to choose an accomplishment that can be related to the job at hand. With this in mind, you can eliminate successes like marrying the person of your dreams or holding the world record for distance walked backwards. While these may be important to you, they really are private successes.
Everyone has accomplishments. They do not need to be earth shattering but they should show that you have qualities that would make you a successful worker. When you chose your occupational goal, you must have believed that there was something in your personality or experience that made the choice reasonable. This should be the source of a story about a successful experience in your past.
In your answer, you should both name the achievement and explain why you think it was successful.
Assessing Your Job Knowledge
Typical Questions
- Why are you interested in this job?
- What qualifications would you look for if you were hiring someone to fill this position?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in this kind of job?
The interviewers, in these questions, are testing your knowledge of the work and your ability to analyze the qualities necessary to perform it successfully.
Guidelines for your Answer
As well as showing that you know what the work consists of, you should try to include information that indicates you have the necessary skills in your answer.
If you are in doubt about the work duties or the aptitudes and abilities required, you would be wise to talk to someone already doing the job.
Assessing Your Attitude Towards Previous Jobs
Typical Questions
- Why did you leave your last job?
- How does this job differ from you previous ones?
- Why have you changed your employment so often?
Here you must avoid being negative! Employers want loyal employees who will stay around for a while. If you indicate that you aren’t loyal to your previous employer, this will be seen as a reflection of your general attitude. If you criticize your former boss, you will severely hurt you chances for the job in question.
Guidelines for your Answer
Present your reasons for leaving your last job or for changing jobs often in a positive light. Don’t say you quit because the work was boring; say rather, that you are seeking greater challenge in your work. Don’t say you were in a dead-end job; say that you are seeking an opportunity to advance to a more senior position. Never, never say you hated your boss. Say that you weren’t compatible but that you respect his or her competence and ability.
If you were fired from your position, don’t lie about it. Explain the situation calmly without condemning anyone. You would be wise to practice your answer carefully before you are actually faced with the question, otherwise you may get carried away. Positive or neutral reasons for leaving a job include: returning to school or college; moving to a new geographic location; the offer of a better job or the recognition of a new field of occupational interest.
Assessing Your Attitudes, Values and Personality
Typical Questions
- What are your greatest strengths? Greatest weaknesses?
- How would your friends describe you?
- Describe yourself.
- What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
- How do you define success?
- What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
- In what type of work environment are you most comfortable?
- Can you work well under pressure?
Employers want to find out whether you will fit into their organization. You may be a good and hard worker, but if your personality or work habits make it appear difficult for you to fit within their organization, you won’t be successful. Since it is costly to train new employees, the interviewer wants to be as sure as possible that you will fit. If, for example, you fall into pieces when the work builds up, neither you nor the employer will be happy if you are put into a job where this happens regularly.
Guidelines for your Answer
Once again the golden rule is to be positive about yourself. Many people find this difficult because it seems like boasting, and they have been taught that modesty is a virtue. In a job interview, remember, however, that you are your own sales representative. You must be positive about yourself. Also, keep in mind that there are two sides to every coin. For example, you can say either that you are stubborn or that you are persistent. One sounds negative, the other is positive. Find the positive objectives.
It is a good idea to show that you have the qualities typically required in the job. For example, a secretary would be wise to point to his or her accuracy and attention to detail. When you figure out the kinds of qualities that are preferred, try to talk with someone in a similar job or in the same job area.
Prepare answers to several of the typical questions before going to the interview. Try to be honest with yourself. If you describe yourself as outgoing and assertive when you are shy and introverted, you many end up with a job you hate and don’t have the personality for.
Try to avoid getting angry. Statements like, “I refuse to answer that question”, “How dare you ask me such a thing”, or “That is none of your business”, serve only to worsen the situation. Try to turn the question aside politely but firmly.
Often, towards the end of the interview, you will be asked if you have any questions. Quite often you will. They will have arisen naturally in the course of the interview. However, there are many times when you haven’t thought of anything to ask. You can just say you have no questions and prepare to leave. Don’t feel uncomfortable about this; the interviewer is simply demonstrating a genuine interest in you.
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