InterviewQuestions&AnswersInterviewQuestionsAboutYouHowdoyouhandlestressandpressure?Examplesofgoodresponsesinclude:Stressisveryimportanttome.Withstress,Idothebestpossiblejob.TheappropriatewaytodealwithstressistomakesureIhavethecorrectbalancebetweengoodstressandbadstress.Ineedgoodstresstostaymotivatedandproductive.Ireacttosituations,ratherthantostress.Thatway,thesituationishandledanddoesn'tbecomestressful.IactuallyworkbetterunderpressureandI'vefoundthatIenjoyworkinginachallengingenvironment.Fromapersonalperspective,Imanagestressbyvisitingthegymeveryevening.It'sagreatstressreducer.PrioritizingmyresponsibilitiessoIhaveaclearideaofwhatneedstobedonewhen,hashelpedmeeffectivelymanagepressureonthejob.IfthepeopleIammanagingarecontributingtomystresslevel,Idiscussoptionsforbetterhandlingdifficultsituationswiththem.Whatmotivatesyou?Thereisn'tarightorwronganswertointerviewquestionsaboutwhatmotivatesyou.Theintervieweristryingtounderstandthekeytoyourbeingsuccessfulinthejobheisinterviewingfor,andwantstomakesureit'sagoodfit.Consider,inadvanceofinterviewing,whatactuallydoesmotivateyouandcomeupwithsomespecificexamplestoshareduringtheinterview.Yourresponsewillvarybasedonyourbackgroundandexperiences,but,youwillwanttoshareyourenthusiasmandwhatyoulike(d)bestaboutyourjob.Herearesomeexamples:IwasresponsibleforseveralprojectswhereIdirecteddevelopmentteamsandimplementedrepeatableprocesses.Theteamsachieved100%on-timedeliveryofsoftwareproducts.Iwasmotivatedbothbythechallengeoffinishingtheprojectsaheadofscheduleandbymanagingtheteamsthatachievedourgoals.I'vealwaysbeenmotivatedbythedesiretodoagoodjobatwhateverpositionI'min.Iwanttoexcelandtobesuccessfulinmyjob,bothformyownpersonalsatisfactionandformyemployer.Ihavealwayswantedtoensurethatmycompany'sclientsgetthebestcustomerserviceIcanprovide.I'vealwaysfeltthatit'simportant,bothtomepersonally,andforthecompanyandtheclients,toprovideapositivecustomerexperience.Ihavespentmycareerinsales,typicallyincommission-basedpositions,andcompensationhasalwaysbeenastrongfactorinmotivatingmetobethetopsalespersonatmyprioremployers.Whatisyourdreamjob?Makethequestionachancetodisplayyouraptitudethatfitsthejobyouhaveappliedfor.Displayhowyourskillscanbeputintosuitethechallengesandmoderntrends.TellmesomethingaboutyourselfDonotjustrepeatwhatyouhavegiveninyourresume.Bereadywiththeanswer,atalentorsomethingyoudidoutoftheordinary.Youcansounditasuniqueorgiveitatouchofyourpersonality.Howdoyoumanageyourworktomeetdeadlines?Answerthequestioneffectively. Describeindetailhowyourplanout,setpriorities,determineschedules,howyoufollowouttoseetheprogressandmeetthedeadline.Whomdoyouchooseasyourreferenceandwhy?Namethereferencesandhowyouknowthem.Youcanalsoshowthatyouareapersonwhocareforrelationshipsandhowyoustandingoodsteadwiththem.Canwecallallyourreferences?Ifyouhavegivenyourpresentbossasyourreferenceyoucantellthatyouprefertocallyourcurrentbossonlyafteryoureceiveaconfirmedofferashemaynotlikeyouchangingthejob.Howdoyouhandlecriticism?Heretheinterviewisonthelookoutforyouraccountabilityandprofessionalcharacter.Simplyexplainasituationthatcausedaproblemandnarratehowyoufaceditandovercameit.Haveyoueverbeenfired?If theanswerisnegative,theanswerissimple.Butifyouhavebeenfired,youneedtobeprepared totheanswerthefollowupquestionsthatmycomeup.Iftheterminationwasforreasonbeyondyourcontrolnarrateit.Ifnotdonottryjustifyingyourself.Ifyouhadafault,admititandconvincetheinterviewthatyouhavecorrectedit. Whatisthetoughestjobyouhad?Avoidmakinganynegativestatementsespeciallyaboutyourpreviousemployer.Changethequestionwithapositiveoutlookandansweritwithasatisfiedremarkofyouroutcome.DescribeyouridealcareerTalkofwhatyouenjoymostyourskillsandnaturaltalents.Donotspecifyyourgoalandanyjobtitle.Whyareyouleavingyourcurrentjob?Youshouldgivetwoorthreereasons forleaving.Lackofchallenge,focusonthelimitationsetc.Pointoutyourambitiontoproveyourworthconfidently.Whatdoyouthinkofyouradvantagesandyourdisadvantages?Answer:BasedonyourCVandJDAdvantagesexamples:hardworking,quicklearning,teamspirit,Englishskill……Disadvantagesexamples:haslittleexperienceon…(ButIamveryquicklearningguy…)Doyouhaveanyquestions?Bepreparedtoanswerthisquestioninadvance.Listoutafewquestionsyouwishtoknowmoreabout.Afteryouhavefacedthe interviewyourlogicwillguideyoutoaskthequestionyoureallywanttoknowmoreaboutJobInterviewQuestionsabouttheNewJobAndCompany(Donotrepeatyourresume)Whatinterestsyouaboutthisjob?Showhowyoubelievethatyouaremostsuitedtothepost.Ifyoucanfindoutanearlierexperienceitwouldbefine.Ifyouhaveexperience,youcanquotesomesimilaritiesfromthepastandhowyouachievedsuccess.Whyhaveyouselectedtojoinus?Ialwayslongedtoworkwithacompany.IamfamiliarandwhoseproductsIhaveusedandtrusted.(Narratebrieflyhowyoucanproveyourstatement.Dogoodresearchonthecompanybeforefacingtheinterview)Whatdoyouknowaboutthiscompany?Prepareinadvance,andinaword,research,so,youcanproviderelevantandcurrentinformationaboutyourprospectiveemployertotheinterviewer.Startbyresearchingthecompanyonline.Reviewthe"AboutUs"sectionofthecompanywebsite.Googlethecompany,readblogsthatmentionit,andcheckDiscussionBoardsandsocialnetworkingsites.Usetheinformationyouhavegatheredtocreateabulletedlistofrelevantinformationthatyoucaneasilyrememberduringtheinterview.Takingthetimetoresearchwillhelpyoumakeagoodimpressionwithhowmuchyouknowaboutthecompany.Howdidyouapplyforthejob?Bespecificandgiveastraightanswerofhowyoucametoknowaboutthevacancy.Ifitwasadvertisedspecifyhowyoucameacrossit.Havearesearchdoneaboutthecompany/organization Givejustoneortworeasonswhyyouareinterested.Youcanaddthesepoints:(1) company'sreputation(2)desiretojointhespecificfieldofinterestWhyshouldwehireyou?/Whyareyouthebestpersonforthejob?Thebestwaytorespondistogiveconcreteexamplesofwhyyourskillsandaccomplishmentsmakeyouthebestcandidateforthejob.Takeafewmomentstocomparethejobdescriptionwithyourabilities,aswellasmentioningwhatyouhaveaccomplishedinyourotherpositions.Bepositiveandreiterateyourinterestinthecompanyandtheposition.Whatapplicableattributes/experiencedoyouhave?/Whatcanyoucontributetothiscompany?Whenyouareaskedquestionsrelatedtotheexperiencethatqualifiesyouforthejob,it'simportanttobeveryspecificaboutyourskillsandexperience.Thebestwaytorespondistodescribeyourresponsibilitiesindetailandtoconnectthemtothejobyouareinterviewingfor.Tieyourresponsibilitiesinwiththoselistedinthejobdescriptionforthenewposition.Thatway,theemployerwillseethatyouhavethequalificationsnecessarytodothejob.Focusmostonyourresponsibilitiesthataredirectlyrelatedtothenewjob'srequirements.It'salsoimportanttobehonestandaccurate.Don'tembellishyourjob,becauseyoudon'tknowwhothehiringmanagerwillbecheckingwithwhentheycheckyourreferences.Howisyourexperiencerelevanttothisjob?Sketchoutsomesimilarworkwhichyouhavedoneinyourpreviousjob.Itshouldbesomethingjustifiablebyyou,eventhoughothersmaythinkdifferently.Youcanevenasksomequestionswhereyoucanprovethatyourexperiencestandsingoodstrand. Whataspectsofthisjobdoyoufeelmostconfident?Narratewhatyouaregoodandmatchitwiththepresentjobrequirements.YoumayaskquestionstoclearifthatparticularskillwilladdbenefittothecompanyDon'tyouthinkthatyouareoverqualifiedforthisjob?Thisquestionisputtoyoutopuzzleacandidate.Becalmandanswerthequestionwithapositiveandconfidentapproach.AnswerinthenegativeMyexperienceandqualificationwilljusthelpmetodothejobbetter.MoreoverIamatestablishingalongtermrelationshipwhichmyqualificationwillfavormetohandlemoreresponsibilitiesandhelpmetorisetoyourexpectations.Whatareyoursalaryexpectations?Beforeyoustarttalkingpay(andsalarynegotiations)withaprospectiveemployer,youneedtofindouthowmuchthejob(andyou)areworth.Youwillneedtotakethetimetoresearchsalaries,so,youarepreparedtogetwhatyou'reworthandajobofferthat'srealisticandreasonable.SalaryNegotiationsBeverypatient.Wheninterviewingforanewposition,doyourbestnottobringupcompensationuntiltheemployermakesyouanoffer.Ifyou'reaskedwhatyoursalaryrequirementsare,saythattheyareopenbaseduponthepositionandtheoverallcompensationpackage.Ortelltheemployeryou'dliketoknowmoreabouttheresponsibilitiesandthechallengesofthejobpriortodiscussingsalary.Anotheroptionistogivetheemployerasalaryrangebaseduponthesalaryresearchyou'vedoneupfront.Onceyou'vereceivedtheofferyoudon'tneedtoaccept(orreject)itrightaway.Asimple"Ineedtothinkitover"cangetyouanincreaseintheoriginaloffer.SalaryNegotiationsCont’dAndifyou'reambivalentaboutthepositiona"no"canbringyouabetteroffertoo.Becarefulthough,ifyoudodefinitelyneedthatnewjobthere'sariskthattheemployermayacceptyourdecliningthepositionandmoveontothenextcandidate.Whatsalarydoyouexpect?Thisisatrickyquestiontobeansweredcarefully.Interviewersoftenacceptpeoplewithrealisticfinancialgoals.Ifyoumentionasalarythatislowitshowsthatyouarenotuptothemark.Ifyoumentiontoohighyouhaveruinedachancetogetajob.Sothebestistoaskforthesalarytheyofferandthenshowyourcapacity,howyourexperienceandqualificationratewithwhatisoffered.Whatisyourcurrentsalary?Donotbluff.Bespecificontheanswer.Donothesitatetosaythebenefitsyouenjoyedinthepreviousjob.Itmaybeverifiedsonevermentionthebenefitsyouhavenotgot.Areyouwillingtotravel?/Willyoubewillingtoaccepttransfer?Tellyoupreferencebutdonotspecifythatyouwillbenotwillingtoworkelsewhere.InterviewQuestions:TheFutureWheredoyouwanttobein5years?”Iwouldliketobefrank.JudgemefromtheworkandIamsureyouwillputmerightwhereIwanttobe.”Note:Donotoverambitiousandspeakinawaythatyouarenotsatisfiedwithyourcurrentjobwhichyouhaveappliedfor.InterviewQuestions:TheFutureWhatareyourgoalsforthenextfiveyears/tenyears?Refertothepositionandthecompanyyouareinterviewingwith.Don'tdiscussyourgoalsforreturningtoschoolorhavingafamily,theyarenotrelevantandcouldknockyououtofcontentionforthejob.Rather,youwanttoconnectyouranswertothejobyouareapplyingfor.Examplesofgoodresponsesinclude:Mylong-termgoalsinvolvegrowingwithacompanywhereIcancontinuetolearn,takeonadditionalresponsibilities,andcontributeasmuchofvalueasIcan.Iseemyselfasatopperformingemployeeinawell-establishedorganization,likethisone.Iplanonenhancingmyskillsandcontinuingmyinvolvementin(related)professionalassociations.OnceIgainadditionalexperience,Iwouldliketomoveonfromatechnicalpositiontomanagement.InterviewQuestions:TheFutureConHowdoyouplantoachievethosegoals?Aninterviewerwilloftenaskhowyouplanonachievingthosegoals.Agoodanswertothisquestionwillspeakspecificallyaboutwhatyouaregoingtoaccomplishandhowyouaregoingtoaccomplishit.Examplesofgoodresponsesinclude:Iplanongainingadditionalskillsbytakingrelatedclassesandcontinuingmyinvolvementwithavarietyofprofessionalassociations.InoticedthatXYZcompany(thecompanyyouareinterviewingwith)providesin-housetrainingforemployeesandIwouldcertainlybeinterestedintakingclassesthatwouldberelevant.Iwillcontinuemyprofessionaldevelopmentmyparticipatinginconferences,attendingseminars,andcontinuingmyeducationInterviewQuestions:TheFutureConWheredoyouwanttobein5years?”Iwouldliketobefrank.JudgemefromtheworkandIamsureyouwillputmerightwhereIwanttobe.”Note:Donotbeoverambitiousandspeakinawaythatyouarenotsatisfiedwithyourcurrentjobwhichyouhaveappliedfor.