733INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q. Tell me about yourself / How w'd you describe yourself?
You have to showcase your qualifications and present a condensed history of your professional background that makes you perfect for the job. Rehearse your 2-minute pitch until it falls trippingly off your tongue and sounds convincing and spontaneous, not mechanical.
Q. What are your greatest strengths?
Pick up a couple of the key personality traits employers desire, like – drive, reliability, determination, or problem-solving skills. Give examples from your jobs to demonstrate that you indeed possess the traits you claim.
Q. What are your most important accomplishments?
Did you help your company make money, save money, save time or become more efficient in any way? Explain how. Be aware that most job accomplishments are achieved as part of a team or department.
Q. Why did you pick that company?
The interviewer is looking for sound reasoning and judgment behind some of your choices, as well as the ability to articulate it. Don't act as though you went wherever the wind blew.
Q. Can you handle pressure?
Of course saying "Yes" will not convince anyone. Explain how you turned out a professional work product despite juggling many competing projects, or despite a short deadline or whatever the specific pressure was.
Q. How do you handle deadlines?
Explain that you plan ahead for the materials and staff you need to handle a project, anticipate when certain steps need to be started and completed, and build in a time cushion to prevent last-minute panic.
Q. Why should I hire you?
Summarize your qualifications and positive traits – matching each point of the interviewer's job description with what you offer. Cite an example or two of how you can make a contribution to the job, based on your past job performance.
Q. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
To you, a job well-done is its own best reward since your own work and ethic demand it, but nevertheless kind words of appreciation from your boss are always welcome. Add that you, like everyone, look forward to regular salary reviews.
Q. What have you done that shows initiative?
Think of something that demonstrates a take-charge attitude where you came up with an idea and acted on it for the greater good of your company. The action you took should not have flouted corporate rules and procedures.
Q. If you could live your life all over again, what would you do
differently?
The interviewer is looking for how you think, how you assess yourself and what makes you tick to see if you are a good fit for the company. Show maturity, perspective and sound reasoning in your answer, and mention only one thing or nothing.
Perhaps you would have traveled the globe more, experienced different cultures, and met many different types of people. Or perhaps you are content, look forward to every day with enthusiasm and vigor, have no regrets, and would have changed nothing.
Q. Describe your ideal job.
Describe a job that matches the description of the job given by the interviewer, which enables you to use your qualifications and skills to grow and make a contribution to the company.
Q. What was the last book (or movie) you read (or saw)?
Be sure you mention a book you have read or movie you have seen, not just the "hot" item of the moment. Pick one that stimulated your thinking and taught you something useful in the work world.
Q. What are your hobbies?
This seemingly harmless question is to find out if you will be a good fit for the corporate culture. Solitary pursuits such as reading, running, and biking indicate you prefer to be alone; sports such as baseball, basketball, cricket etc. indicate you feel comfortable being part of a team.
Q. Can you take direction?
Yes, you can, and also welcome constructive criticism without feeling attacked because you understand you have a lot to learn from more experienced people in the company.
Q. What are the reasons for your success?
Offer general reasons, back them up with an example or two from previous jobs.
Perhaps you have a great deal of drive, welcome mastering new skills, have indefatigable energy - you never leave office before making one more phone call writing one more letter, and have been lucky enough to have worked with exceptionally talented managers and staff.
Q. Are you a risk taker?
Ask what sort of risk the interviewer has in mind. Tell that you take prudent risks backed by sound knowledge, good judgment and consultation with your boss.
Q. What was the hardest decision you ever had to make, and how did you handle it?
A major work related decision, such as firing staffers or radically re-shaping strategy to help an ailing division ( which ofcourse succeeded ), your rationale and how you carried it out is needed here.
Q. Who (or what) has been a major influence on your life?
A holder of key personality traits such as integrity, determination, initiative etc..
It could be your parent, teacher, coach - whose influence made you what you are today.
Q. What do you worry about?
Don't open a window into your psyche and reveal what you truly worry about.
Stick to things that are job-related and expected of a hard-working employee-what the competition is doing, deadlines, team members who are not pulling their weight- but note you aim to solve the situation, not just stew about it.
Q. Are you a self-starter?
If you say "yes" and stop dead, you aren't. Use this question to sell yourself and your proactive approach to your jobs. You know what to do and you go ahead and do it, without relying constant direction and feedback from your boss.
Q. How do you plan your time?
Show an organized, prioritized approach. For example, you only return phone calls after 11a.m., saving the mornings for client meetings, staff contact, thinking and writing. And you never leave office without writing a "do list" for tomorrow. This way, you are ready to hit the ground running each morning.
Q. How do you handle rejection?
For jobs in sales, public relations and similar fields, rejection is a part of life. Answer that you do not take it personally and let it get you down; you forge ahead and make more calls, since you realize the field is a numbers game with a ratio of failures to successes.
Q. Are you happy with life?
The answer is "yes". If you aren't, keep it to yourself or share it with family, friends or your therapist. Employers don't want personal problems and anxieties to stew on their time and lose productivity in the process.
Q. What don't you like about your current/previous employer?
You like everything about your current or previous employer. Don't let words like personality conflict, outmoded business practices, unfair promotion systems escape your lips. A Company doesn't willingly hire someone who is a potential troublemaker.
Q. What do you know about our company?
Sound informed about the company's products or services, growth areas, future plans etc. Positives only please.
Q. I understand you're working for a really tough firm now. What’s it like?
Don't get cajoled into making critical remarks about your current employer. Don't. Capitalize on the positive aspects of what you learned and how you can transfer that knowledge to the job in question.
Q. Can you sell me on our product (or service concept)?
You should be prepared with a sales presentation because of the research you did before the interview. Calmly and confidently, act as if you are on a sales call; highlight on the unique features of the product, and do demonstrate your communication skills.
Q. Why did you leave your last job?
Greater responsibility, more challenge, higher salary, larger company for
specialization ( or smaller company for opportunity )or more job security.
Q. What are some mistakes you've made in your previous jobs?
Uh-ho! you are invited to tell tales against yourself. Whatever you admit, make sure it's fairly innocuous and didn't involve losing time and money for your company. Be quick to explain what you learned from a past mistake and how you rectified things.
Q. Where else are you applying for a job?
It’s okay to admit to interviewing at other firms, but don’t say where. If pressed, politely decline to say. Don’t alarm the interviewer to know you are considering jobs in widely divergent fields.
Q. How do you feel about working overtime?
You understand there are times when a company expects employees to pitch in with extra efforts and extra hours, and this is fine with you. Cite an example from the past where you spend extra hours to get a project completed.
Q. Describe a difficult situation at work and how you handled it.
Here’s the chance to showcase your problem-solving skills. Use this chance to demonstrate your key personality traits employers desire as well, such as – listening skills, initiative, determination etc. For example: As a supervisor with a difficult client, I listened to the demands of the client and my staff, suggested compromises where needed, and implemented new suggestions.
Q. How do rate your career progress to date?
Show a healthy sense of self-respect and note that while you are proud of your accomplishments and have learned a great deal about the industry, the best is yet to come.
Q. What are you looking for in your next job?
Couch what you seek in terms of what you can offer the employer, not what the employer can offer you, such as glamour, travel etc.
For example, “ I am seeking a company where I can apply my proven ability to tap underutilized markets and motivate sales staff, and grow as much as I can professionally. When I was at ABC Company, I…..”
Q. How long would you stay with our company?
As long as you are facing challenges and growing as a professional. Ask about which projects you can get involved with immediately.
Q. Why do you want to get into this field?
Display some insight into how the industry works or what the job really entails day to day. It should convey that you have thought about what you want.
Q. What kinds of people do you prefer to work with?
People who are hard working, honest, enthusiastic and take pride in their work.
Q. Can you tell me about your management style?
Your answer should involve the following: you motivate your staff by praise, rewards, setting a good example; you treat them with respect, inviting their suggestions; you empower them to take on tasks of greater responsibility, and make them feel part of a team where everyone is pulling together; and you explain the long term and short-term goals of the work being done.
Q. How do you operate as a team player?
You realize that everyone on the team has an important and interdependent role to play, you listen to their opinions with respect, you try to get along with everyone for the greater good of the company, and you do your job in a manner that helps the team operate smoothly and productively.
Q. How do you get along with your current boss?
You get along fine with your current boss, and respect his or her ability, judgment and professionalism. Take the high road on this. Your boss might be an ogre who rules with an iron hand, but intimations of this should never pass your lips.
Q. Why aren’t you making more money at your age?
Avoid being defensive. SMILE, and say you have been building a career, honing your skills, learning a tremendous amount, and that money has not been your sole object.
NOW, however, you believe you offer a package of skills that is really worthwhile to an employer.
Courtesy...
Hari Prabhakar
www.kriyacorporation.com
Regards
M. Peer Mohamed Sardhar
91 93831 93832
From India, Coimbatore
really nice, It gives the idea of other side also (interviewer). I mean how they take answer and what is the logic of asking some question. Like " What are your hobbies" really good. Thanks DEV :D
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
real good to know stuff...... i will be going in for some interviews in the field of hr, an absolute fresher, was working with A BPO initially, please let me know some good and innovative answers to questions such as " why the field of hr? " or " why this change frm a bpo to a hr firm? "
please do provide solutions to such questions
thanks
arrpita
From India, Mumbai
please do provide solutions to such questions
thanks
arrpita
From India, Mumbai
These questions where really useful and as well explainatory.I have almost read all your posting in this site. Good keep going. Regards cherin:icon1:
From India, Madras
From India, Madras
Hi
I read some opinion in this topic. I agree with some but I recommend that we can find out some articles at citehr.com by searching.
This link below can show more info, you can find them at:
Employer interview questions
Rgs
From Vietnam, Hanoi
I read some opinion in this topic. I agree with some but I recommend that we can find out some articles at citehr.com by searching.
This link below can show more info, you can find them at:
Employer interview questions
Rgs
From Vietnam, Hanoi
You should know your teacher position job description, job qualifications then, teacher technical interview questions…, you can ref some questions as below:
Tell me about yourself?
What kind of salary are you looking for Teacher?
What are your career goals for teacher?
How many years of experience do you have for Teacher position?
How do you plan when starting a new study unit or topic with your class?
Tell me how you develop your daily lesson plan and what do you include?
Describe your teaching style?
Would you be interested in participating in after- school activities?
How have you used, or how will you use technology in the classroom?
What type of classroom management structure would you implement if you were hired?
You can ref more 170 teacher interview questions & answers at: azjobebooks.info/170-teacher-interview-questions or 103 common interview questions and answers.
From Vietnam, Hai Duong
Tell me about yourself?
What kind of salary are you looking for Teacher?
What are your career goals for teacher?
How many years of experience do you have for Teacher position?
How do you plan when starting a new study unit or topic with your class?
Tell me how you develop your daily lesson plan and what do you include?
Describe your teaching style?
Would you be interested in participating in after- school activities?
How have you used, or how will you use technology in the classroom?
What type of classroom management structure would you implement if you were hired?
You can ref more 170 teacher interview questions & answers at: azjobebooks.info/170-teacher-interview-questions or 103 common interview questions and answers.
From Vietnam, Hai Duong
Community Support and Knowledge-base on business, career and organisational prospects and issues - Register and Log In to CiteHR and post your query, download formats and be part of a fostered community of professionals.
Ten Tough Interview Questions and Ten Great Answers.zip
Best answers to tough interview questions.pdf
Common interview questions and answers.doc