How would your co-workers describe
you?
"I know they considered me to be
hard working. In fact, the other
team members often thanked me for
the extra hours I put in."
"I know that I was initially
considered intolerant if I felt
they were not putting in the same
amount of effort as I was. I
realized it was better to encourage
them to meet our deadlines by
offering help where needed. This
has worked much better for all of
us."
What motivates you in your job?
"I am motivated by the challenge of
difficult tasks and projects.My
previous manager gave me more and
more responsibility as I proved
myself, I found this very
motivating."
"It is important for me to meet the
customers needs. I give them the
best service and when I exceed
their expectations or get positive
feedback it motivates me."
"I like to know that I am growing
as an employee. Learning and using
new skills is a big motivator for
me."
here are many different motivators.
Challenge, achievement,
recognition, learning
opportunities, increased
responsibility, coaching or
mentoring others, team involvement
and interaction, task complexity
and variety are all possible
answers to top interview questions
about motivation.
sweetchildofmine478@aol.com
Achieving a challenging goal or set
of goals would be considered
success by most people.
"Success means the achievement of a
challenging and measurable goal
that I have set for myself or that
has been delegated to me. In my
previous position I had specific
sales targets to meet every
quarter. I set myself the goal of
been up on my monthly targets by 5
percent. I managed to exceed my
quarterly targets by 8 percent on
average. That, for me, was
success!"
Describe your ideal job
"My ideal job is one where my
knowledge and skills are put to
good use.
A job where I will learn and grow
as a person and an employee and
where I am given challenges that
test my potential.
"I believe a job is what you make
of it. Each position and company
has unique characteristics that
give meaning and value to that job.
If you work hard and make the most
of the opportunities given, you
will find job satisfaction.
I am enthusiastic about a position
that allows me to learn and grow
and to make a positive and
meaningful contribution."
How do you handle conflict?
"Everyone has to deal with conflict
at some point. I have found that
when there is conflict it helps to
try and put yourself in the other
person's shoes and understand their
perspective. It is important to ask
questions and listen to their point
of view. If you know what their
interpretation of the situation is,
then it is easier to work out a
solution. For example.... ( give a
specific example of a conflict
situation and how you dealt with
it)."
Emphasize the techniques you use to
diffuse conflict such understanding
the other person's position, asking
questions to find out the cause of
the conflict, not conveying blame
and not becoming too emotional.
Demonstrate your ability to work
collaboratively to reach an
acceptable resolution.
What has been the most difficult
situation you have had to face?
Examples of difficult situations
include having to discipline an
employee, unreasonable goals and
deadlines, unreasonable customers
and clients, adapting to change and
facing unethical work practices.
"I have faced a number of difficult
situations, but the one that comes
to mind now is ...... ( describe
the situation). I was able to deal
with it by assessing the situation,
determining the possible different
approaches and deciding on the most
effective one. I had to remain
unemotional and objective and
focused on a solution."
What made this team work
successfully?
Refer to aspects such as the good
use of available resources, the
management of obstacles, successful
team communication, use of
initiative and support and
encouragement of each other. Focus
on the approach the team took and
acknowledge the contributions of
individual members.
What was your personal contribution
to the team's performance?
Refer to your strengths such as
planning and thoroughness,
analyzing and problem-solving.
Support your answer with specific
examples of how you used these
strengths to contribute to the
team. What special role did you
play and how was your contribution
received by the team?
Why did this team struggle to
accomplish the objective?
Refer to the reasons why things did
not go according to plan, give
specific examples. Demonstrate that
you have been able to realistically
analyze the situation and explain
what you would have done, with
hindsight, to improve the situation
and deal with the problems the team
experienced. Show an ability to
offer solutions, not just to point
out the problems.
How did you deal with the stress
created by meeting the challenges?
Describe the specific steps you
took to remain calm and controlled.
Focus on skills such as planning,
flexibility, communication and
discipline.
How would the other team members
describe you?
Refer to the positive reactions
your experienced from other team
members. Support your perception of
how you came across with examples
of observations or remarks made by
the team.
How would you describe yourself?
How would your colleagues describe
you?
Think about the interpersonal style
you use with co-workers or your
peers. What adjectives would they
use to describe you? Dependable,
resilient, helpful, energetic etc.
Use this list of strengths to help
you with this. Support your answer
with examples.
"They describe me as dependable,
probably because I always meet my
deadlines." or "They consider me
highly adaptable, I am able to work
effectively with very diverse
people. My last department
consisted of ......"
What about this position appeals to
you most?
Give specific examples of why this
position and company excite you.
Refer to the positives you have
learned about the organization and
the job from this group interview
process. Think about how you can
prove your passion and interest for
the position. Why would you prefer
to work for this company rather
than their competitors? Use your
background research to help you
prepare for group interview
questions like this.
What are your goals and how does
this company and job fit into these
goals?
Tailor your goals to the realities
of this position and company. Don't
offer specific job titles or time
frames. Focus on types of
experiences you hope to gain and
abilities you want to develop.
Consider realistically the
opportunities available in this
organization. Refer to what you
will learn in this position and how
this fits in with your personal
development plan.
What would you bring to this
position?
Refer to your key skills and
abilities and how you would use
them in the job. Avoid general
statements like "I am a
team-player.." and rather refer to
specific evidence.
"I have worked as part of a team on
a number of projects and received
positive feedback about my role and
contribution. Particular mention
was made of my ability to initiate
new ways of looking at the
challenges and problems and then
encouraging contributions from
other team members."
Think about your strengths and the
benefits they bring to the company
and position. Give proof of what
you can offer to excel in this job.
"My problem-solving ability has
been put to the test many times.
For example, ...."
Discuss your specific
qualifications for the job. Always
refer back to your enthusiasm for
the position.
What skills are the the most
critical to this position?
"After carefully reviewing this job
I would focus on these key skills
as the most essential to success.
The company is going through
considerable restructuring and as a
manager I would need to properly
manage any changes with my team. My
communication, motivation,
negotiation and conflict management
skills are key to this. In my last
job I had considerable experience
in these areas when
................."
"What were your expectations for
the job and to what extent were
they met?"
There isn't a right or wrong answer
to this question. The best way to
respond is to discuss what you
expected when you took the job and
give examples of how the position
worked out for you. If the job
wasn't exactly what you expected,
it's fine to mention that. However,
you should focus on the job itself,
not the company, your boss, or your
co-workers (if they were a
problem). Do be careful how you
answer and don't focus too much on
the negative. Instead, address the
highlights of the job.
"How did you handle a challenge?"
•During a difficult financial
period, I was able to
satisfactorily negotiate repayment
schedules with multiple vendors.
•When the software development of
our new product stalled, I
coordinated the team which managed
to get the schedule back on track.
We were able to successfully
troubleshoot the issues and solve
the problems, within a very short
period of time.
•A long-term client was about to
take their business to a
competitor. I met with the customer
and was able to change how we
handled the account on a day-to-day
basis, in order to keep the
business.
Accomplishment in This Position?
example of something you
accomplished that is directly
related to the job you are
interviewing for. Review your
resume and review the job posting.
Find the best match and use that to
show how what you accomplished will
be beneficial to the company you
are interviewing with.
If you wrote a targeted cover
letter when applying for the job
use the information you included to
create your response. For example,
if you are interviewing for a job
at a school where you will need to
manage student registration,
explain to the interviewer how you
registered students for courses,
designed and managed registration
software, and solved customer
problems.
If you didn't fail at anything, say
so. If you can think of an example,
be sure that it's a minor one and
turn it into a positive. For
example, if you were working on a
project that was behind deadline,
explain to the interviewer how you
adjusted the workload and the
timeline to get back on track and
ahead of schedule.
ave you worked with someone you
didn't like? If so, how did you
handle it?
Yes, I've worked with someone whom
I found difficult to like as a
person. However, when I focused on
the skills they brought to the job,
their ability to solve problems and
the two things I did appreciate,
slowly my attitude towards them
changed. We were never friends, but
we did work well together.
Tell me about a time that you
helped someone.
Most recently, we had a new hire
(Paul) that was really struggling
with getting to work on time, and I
knew the boss (Harry) was getting
irritated. Over lunch one day I
explained to Paul how important it
was to our boss for everyone to be
there at least 10 minutes early. It
was personal with the Harry, but
you could really get on his bad
side when you were frequently late.
The new employee was grateful for
the advice. At his previous
employment, the boss was only
concerned about the work getting
done on time; he/she did not "watch
the clock".
Tell me about a time that you
misjudged a person.
There was a long-time employee
(George) at my second company who
was very gruff when he spoke to me.
At first, I went out of my way to
win the George's approval. Then I
realized that was compounding the
problem. So I observed how he
interacted with other employees and
discovered I wasn't alone. He was
gruff to most people. I quit trying
to gain his approval and, in the
process, discovered he'd learned
his behavior from a former boss
he'd had whom he admired.
How do you get along with older
(younger) co-workers?
Suggested answer if your co-workers
are older: There are times when I
just know that a new way of doing
something makes more sense to me;
but, first hand, I learned that my
"better way" may not be the best
way to get the job done. As a
consequence, I respect my older
co-workers knowledge and I've
learned how to make a suggestion at
the appropriate time.
Why do you want this job?"
•This is not only a fine
opportunity, but this company is a
place where my qualifications can
make a difference. As a finance
executive well versed in the new
stock options law, I see this
position as made to order. It
contains the challenge to keep me
on my toes. That's the kind of job
I like to anticipate every morning.
•I want this job because it seems
tailored to my competencies, which
include sales and marketing. As I
said earlier, in a previous
position I created an annual growth
rate of 22 percent in a flat
industry. Additionally, the team I
would work with looks terrific.
•I well understand that this is a
company on the way up. Your Web
site says the launch of several new
products is imminent. I want be a
part of this business as it grows.
•Having worked through a college
business major building decks and
porches for neighbors, this
entry-level job for the area's most
respected home builder has my name
on it.
•As a dedicated technician, I like
doing essential research. Being
part of a breakthrough team is an
experience I'd love to repeat.
•This job is a good fit for what
I've been interested in throughout
my career. It offers a nice mix of
short- and long-term activities. My
short-term achievements keep me
cranked up and the long-term
accomplishments make me feel like a
billion bucks.
•I want this job selling theater
tickets because I'd be good at it.
I'm good at speaking to people and
handling cash. I would like a job
with regular hours and I'm always
on time.
•Although some companies are
replacing Americans with imported
low-wage workers, you are standing
tall. This company's successful
strategies, good reputation and
values make it heads and shoulders
above its competition.
•I'd fit right in as a counter
clerk in your fine drycleaners. I
have observed that the counter
clerk position requires competence
at handling several activities in
quick order -- customer service,
payments, bagging and phones. I
like multitasking and, as a
homemaker, I have a lot of practice
in keeping all the balls in the
air.
•The work I find most stimulating
allows me to use both my creative
and research skills. The buzz on
this company is that it rewards
people who deliver solutions to
substantial problems.
Why Should We Hire You?
The best way to respond is to give
concrete examples of why your
skills and accomplishments make you
the best candidate for the job.
Take a few moments to compare the
job description with your
abilities, as well as mentioning
what you have accomplished in your
other positions. Be positive and
reiterate your interest in the
company and the position.
Job Interview Questions About
Yourself and Sample Answers
When the questions are "personal",
about you, it can be a very
slippery slope. The answers below
are guidelines so you can write out
your answers long before you go to
the interview. Then, when the
question is asked, you can take the
few seconds (expected by the
interviewer) to think about the
question and how you will frame
your answer (which you already
know).
What would you do differently if
you could start your working life
over?
The interviewer is looking for a
detour that continues to be a
professional block in your career.
Looking back over my career, I
would have returned to school much
earlier to complete my Masters
degree. Even though I got my degree
later than I had originally
anticipated, I never lost sight of
the goal.
How do you balance life and work?
The interviewer wonders if you've
made arrangements for the days when
your child is too sick to go to
school and/or daycare or if you're
"out of there" as soon as it's
quitting time.
Best Answer: Being organized helps
me balance my professional life and
personal life. Consequently, I can
be fully engaged while I'm at work.
For those unexpected times, I have
a good back-up system of child care
for my children.
What is your preferred way to
communicate?
This is a good opportunity to show
you understand the importance of
adjusting your preferences when
necessary.
At home, I enjoy talking on the
phone and emails. At work, I follow
the established pattern. Each of my
bosses, in the past, has had a
preferred method I've followed
their lead.
Do you check voicemail and email
when on vacation?
The interviewer is wondering
whether they will always be able to
find you.
Best Answer: While on vacation, I
can be reached for emergencies;
however, I also know the people
with whom I work are very capable
of making good decisions while I'm
away. I understand the importance
of recharging my battery.
What is your favorite book? How
about your favorite movie?
The interviewer wants to know
whether you read to stay current
and if you will you fit into the
company culture.
Best Answer (include your personal
favorites): I read many different
kinds of books. My current
"favorite" book is The World is
Flat by Thomas Friedman. My
favorite movie? Miracle on Ice.
What historical figure do you
admire and why?
The interviewer wants to know
whether you are well read and what
characteristics you admire.
Best Answer (include historical
figures you personally admire):
Personally, I most admire Abigail
Adams, John Adam's wife;
professionally I admired the
leadership style of Ronald Reagan.
What did you do during this six
month gap in employment?
Everyone, at some point, will
probably have a gap in employment.
Do not "waste it".
Best Answer: For the first month, I
worked on my "to do list" at home
and accomplished a great deal. Then
I began building a plan to reenter
the workplace. While it took a
little longer than I'd anticipated,
I've learned a great deal about
myself, am rested and looking
forward to new challenges in the
workplace.
What led you to this point in your
life?
The interviewer wants to know if
you are unhappy, frustrated, or
lost?
My "road of life" has been
interesting, sometimes challenging
and always rewarding. The steps
along the way that have led to this
point in my life are, in some ways,
very different than I had imagined;
however, I like who I am today in
part because of my past. An example
is when the second company on my
resume suddenly closed their doors
during a down-turn in the economy.
For a very brief time, the road
ahead was unknown; however, I
discovered I had previously
untapped strengths such as
perseverance.
Why do you think you will be
successful at this job?
The interviewer is concerned as to
whether you see this as a career
move, or stop-gap employment.
As my resume reflects, I have been
successful at each of my previous
places of employment. My research
of your company, the job
description outlined, and the
information we've exchanged today,
lead me to believe I have the
skills and experience for which you
are looking; and I'm eager to be a
contributing employee.
Tell me about a time that you
participated in a team, what was
your role?
Companies, for the most part, do
not want "Lone-Rangers" - - they
are looking for employees who will
adapt to the company culture and
get along with others.
In high school, I enjoyed playing
soccer and performing with the
marching band. Each required a
different kind of team play, but
the overall goal of learning to be
a member of a group was invaluable.
I continued to grow as team member
while on my sorority's debate team
and through my advanced marketing
class where we had numerous team
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