Interview Tips Interview Tips, Interview Questions and Answers

24Jun/100

The Best Questions to Ask in the Interview

Some good topics to cover include: The company Dave Stanford, executive vice president of client services for contingency and contract staffing firm Winter, Wyman Companies suggests asking:

  • What do you see ahead for your company in the next five years?
  • How do you see the future for this industry?
  • What do you consider to be your firm's most important assets?
  • What can you tell me about your new product or plans for growth?
  • How do you rate your competition? The position's history Asking about why the position is vacant can provide insight into the company and the potential for advancement. According to Annie Stevens and Greg Gostanian, managing partners at executive and career development firm ClearRock, good questions include:
  • What happened to the last person who held this job?
  • What were the major strengths and weaknesses of the last person who held this job?
  • What types of skills do you NOT already have onboard that you're looking to fill with a new hire? The department Asking about your department's workers and role in the company can help you understand more about the company's culture and hierarchy. Stanford suggests asking:
  • What is the overall structure of the company and how does your department fit the structure?
  • What are the career paths in this department?
  • What have been the department's successes in the last couple of years?
  • How do you view your group/division/department? The job's responsibilities To avoid any confusion later on, it pays to gain a solid understanding of the position. FGP International's Eddie Payne recommends inquiring:
  • What would you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?
  • What are the skills and attributes you value most for someone being hired for this position?
  • Where have successful employees previously in this position progressed to within the company?
  • Could you describe a typical day or week in this position? The typical client or customer I would be dealing with? The expectations To determine how and when you will evaluated, Payne recommend advises asking:
  • What are the most immediate challenges of the position that need to be addressed in the first three months?
  • What are the performance expectations of this position over the first 12 months?
  • How will I be evaluated at XYZ company, and how often? The next steps At the end of the interview, don't forget to ask:
  • What are the next steps in the interview process?
  • 22Jun/100

    Why Do They Ask That in an Interview?

    The company wants a team player and an independent worker
    When you are asked whether you work better alone or in a team, what they really want to know is how you interact with others and how much direction you need when you're assigned to work by yourself.

    If you use time alone well, are you able to keep your boss posted on your progress at reasonable intervals? Are you good at brainstorming in a group, the one who comes up with rapid-fire ideas? Or are you the person who is likely to mold them into a collaborative effort to find a solution for the challenge at hand?  Either alone or in a team, you want to convey that you can interact well with co-workers at various levels of authority, but that you're a person who can be productive and come up with answers on your own as well.

    Remember, an interview is a two-way street, and that's true where questions are concerned. Be sure to ask questions that show you have researched the company and that you're aware of current issues faced by the company and the industry it's in. You need to show an interest in the company if you want it to show an interest in you.

    For years, people have been counseled to envelope their "weakness" in an answer that actually makes it sound like a strength. But job interviewers have heard them all, and those answers tend to sound hollow these days. Rather, choose a time when you had to face a significant challenge or adversity -- without getting too personal -- and tell how you overcame that dilemma and were improved by it. Tell what you learned and how that newfound knowledge benefited you as a professional. People who recognize their weaknesses and show they want to do better are showing a prospective employer they are willing to do their best, even if it means learning from mistakes.

    21Jun/101

    Things to Tell an Interviewer

    The best way to show these traits is to take the initiative and have several personal stories that you can tell, taking maybe 30 to 90 seconds each. You may want to start by developing your stories around these seven areas:

    1. Times where you either made money or saved money for your current or previous company.

    2. A crisis in your life or job and how you responded or recovered from it.

    3. A time where you functioned as part of a team and what your contribution was.

    4. A time in your career or job where you had to overcome stress.

    5. A time in your job where you provided successful leadership or a sense of direction.

    6. A failure that occurred in your job and how you overcame it.

    7. Any seminal events that happened during your career to cause you to change direction and how that worked out for you. I want to emphasize that an interview should not be an interrogation. It should be a conversation between two equals. When you accomplish this you come away a step closer to your goal of landing the job you really want, because... It's the conversation that wins an interview, and it's the conversation that wins the job. To have a conversation, have your stories ready.

    24Feb/100

    Worst-Case Interview Scenarios

    Here are some suggestions on how to handle unforeseen interview mishaps.

    You Forgot Your Résumé Materials.
    You grabbed your briefcase, but left your portfolio stuffed with your beautifully printed résumés, letters of recommendation and work examples sitting on your kitchen table.
    Solution: "This can be easily handled if you planned ahead properly," Guarneri suggests. "Don't rely on just a paper résumé. Have your résumé available online somewhere, such as a blog, personal Web site or in your e-mail. Then it can be instantly retrieved from the interviewer's office."

    You Have a Wardrobe Malfunction.
    Somewhere between your house and the interviewer's office your smartly pressed suit ends up looking stupid. This happened to one of Guarneri's clients who was splashed by a passing cab right outside the building of the company with which he was going to interview.
    Solution: Guarneri recommends continuing to your interview and briefly explaining what happened. Almost everyone has had a wardrobe malfunction occur at an inopportune time -- your interviewer will likely be empathetic to your mud speckled trousers.

    You're Late.
    Whether you overslept or your train stalled on the tracks, either way, you know you're going to be late for your interview.
    Solution: "If you can see you're going to be late, immediately call ahead and let them know," Guarneri advises. That way you won't keep your interviewer waiting and you give them the chance to call the shots -- squeeze you in for a later appointment or reschedule for another day.

    The Interviewer is Distracted.
    Another of Guarneri's clients entered an interview only to find the interviewer sitting with his head in his hands and didn't even look up when her client entered the room and sat down.
    Solution: If they're not listening when you're talking, are they bored? Are they stressed with other projects?

    "Pick up on the emotional cues the interviewer is delivering," Guarneri says. "Then recognize the situation and get their attention." In this case, her client said, "If this is a really bad time, I can come back."

    You Forget the Name of the Person You're Interviewing With.
    You're nervous during an interview and it's common for your mind to go blank.
    Solution: If you didn't write it down on, don't see a nameplate on the desk, or can't read it off of certificates adorning the walls, don't fake it, Guarneri warns. Find an opportune time to ask the interviewer for his or her business card, by saying something like, "Before I forget, could have one of your business cards?"

    19Feb/100

    What will do if the employer ask for credit report?

    I have answered many help wanted ads and have gotten very little response. Some of the responses are questions regarding my credit score. Is this something new? I did talk to a friend of mine and she told me her previous employer asked before continuing the application/interview process. I don't feel that that has any bearing on my qualifications, experience and education. Is it legal for employers to ask this information of people applying for work?

    Alas, it's entirely legal for a prospective employer to request your credit report. But they can't do that without your explicit permission.

    If you refuse to give the hiring manager authority to pull your report because there's stuff on it you don't want them to see, or you just think it's an invasion of privacy, you have every right to do that.

    Unfortunately, the employer also has every right not to give you a job.

    If you do agree to let them see the report, and they base their decision not to hire you on something in it, you have the right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to see it, says EFL's Meschke. This will give you an opportunity to try to explain or rectify any issues or errors that may be on there.

    The best thing to do is to get a copy of your credit report right now and make sure there's nothing on it that could derail your chances of landing a gig.

    Under the Act, the credit reporting firms – TransUnion, Equifax and Experian – are required to give you a copy of your report for free once a year.

    Also, if you do have stuff on there that may make an employer nervous, tell them upfront so there are no surprises when they see it, says Tim Mohr, a certified fraud examiner and partner with BDO Consulting.

    17Feb/100

    Top 5 Ways to Wreck Your Job Interview

    1. Being rude to the receptionist or assistant
    Some candidates don't think it matters if they're dismissive of the hiring manager's assistant when arranging the interview or get upset at the receptionist because he or she mispronounced their name by mistake. After all, this person isn't the one making the hiring decision. But you may be surprised to learn that six out of 10 executives polled by Robert Half said they consider their assistant's opinion important when evaluating potential new hires. So remember to be polite and respectful to everyone you interact with during the hiring process.

    2. Acting like you're the only person there

    Consider this scenario: After you've checked in for the interview, you make a quick phone call to give your friend a blow-by-blow description of last night's party, speaking so loudly that everyone in the office can't help but hear you. That's the wrong approach. It's better to sit patiently and peruse any company literature in the lobby. Doing so demonstrates common courtesy and can help you learn more about the firm and its needs.

    3. Arriving late

    Getting to an interview on time or, for that matter, a few minutes early is an easy way to impress a prospective employer. Arriving late is not only unprofessional, it also shows the hiring manager that you have little regard for his or her schedule. It also calls into question your ability to show up to work on time, one of the most basic aspects of any job. Plus, arriving late could cause you to miss the meeting altogether if the interviewer has another appointment.

    4. Going into the interview unprepared

    Far too many candidates fail to properly prepare for the interview, believing that they can "wing it" and still make a strong impression. The savviest job seekers spend time considering questions the hiring manager will likely ask, so they can answer confidently during the meeting. They also research the employer ahead of time so they can explain how their skills match the open position, and also highlight their true interest in the company and position.

    5. Not asking questions
    As the interview winds down, the hiring manager will likely ask if you have any questions. Your answer should be yes. But your questions should go beyond "How much does the position pay?" and "How many days of vacation can I expect?" Although compensation and benefits are important components of any job, broach these subjects only if the prospective employer has expressed serious interest in hiring you -- usually not until the second or third interview. More appropriate questions for a first interview include "What will my specific duties be?" "What are your top priorities for this position?" and "What does a typical day in this position look like?"

    15Feb/100

    5 Types of Interviewers

    To give you a little extra help, here is a list of 5 types of interviewers you might encounter and how to deal with them.

    1. The interrogator
    What to expect:
    Question after question after question. The interrogator doesn't come to the interview ready for conversation. He has a list of questions to fire off and you had better be ready to answer them. Don't expect to receive a lot of helpful feedback to gauge how you're doing. Just expect more questions.
    What to do: Watch episodes of "Law & Order" to prepare. You're going to feel defensive the entire time and might walk away from the interview feeling as if you did something wrong. Once you realize that your interviewer is going to lambaste you with questions, just focus on answering them and don't obsess over reading his reaction. You can try to initiate conversation with a few of your answers, but don't be surprised if those efforts fail. This interviewer wants to hear your answers and see how you handle yourself, so staying calm is the best approach you can take.

    2. The one who has better things to do
    What to expect:
    An interviewer checking her e-mail, looking at you but not paying any attention to what you say. Some people are forced to participate in the interview process even if they have no interest in doing it, so don't take it personally.
    What to do: Answer the questions and be friendly. Try to hold conversations with this distracted interviewer and hope you can win her over -- hey, it can't hurt to have someone who likes you. But this interviewer either made up her mind before she walked into the room or doesn't intend to give much feedback about you, so do your best but don't take her disinterest personally.

    3. The rule follower
    What to expect:
    Every interviewing tip you've ever been told. Just like some students never imagine skipping a day of school or not doing homework, some interviewers can't imagine going outside of traditional business interviewing protocol. Boring questions and a stoic demeanor are this interviewer's best friend.
    What to do: Be the best interviewee you can be. Do you know what your biggest weakness is? Do you know how to give the perfect handshake? Do you plan on wearing a conservative shirt under your jacket? You had better, because these by-the-book practices will earn you high marks.

    4. The inappropriate one

    What to expect: Cold sweats because you don't know what to do or say. Every once in awhile you will encounter an interviewer who doesn't understand limits. You might hear an inappropriate joke, a personal story that should be reserved for a therapist or a question that delves too deeply into your life. This interviewer probably isn't trying to be inappropriate; he just has no concept of boundaries.

    What to do: Stay in your comfort zone. Just because this interviewer is ready to cry on your shoulder, don't feel pressured into doing the same. Answer what you want to answer and try to steer the conversation back to pertinent topics, such as the job requirements or your qualifications. The interviewer probably won't realize how off track he is and will follow your lead. Of course, if you think the questions cross a line, then you want to get out of there ASAP.

    5. The no-nonsense one
    What to expect:
    Tough love. This interviewer doesn't believe in sparing your feelings. He's honest and will waste neither his nor your time.
    What to do: Brace yourself. This interviewer will say that he's not sure you're qualified or that he fears you won't fit in with everyone. Prove him wrong with evidence that you are perfect for the job. He won't respect someone who cowers, so be just as firm with him.

    6Feb/100

    The Intimidating Interviewer

    Your potential boss has just finished itemizing what your job would entail, and the list includes working a number of weekends and extensive overtime, as well as more administrative duties than you'd anticipated. While you appreciate the hiring manager's candor, you already know this isn't the place for you.

    It's best to be honest: Tell the hiring manager that, based on his description of the job, you think you wouldn't be a good match for the position and thank him or her for meeting with you. The person will appreciate your honesty and that you didn't waste his or her time during the interview process. 

    While you can't completely prepare for what you'll encounter when you meet a hiring manager, you should consider the personality types you may meet during an interview. By applying your experiences and trusting your instincts, you'll be more likely to succeed -- and be asked back for another meeting.