Interviews
are a necessity. Very few people get a job without answering interview
questions or going through the interviewing process. Be warned though!
This article is not for those who pass the back door.
The
following are some of the most difficult questions you will face in the
course of your job interviews. Some questions may seem rather simple on
the surface such as ‘tell me about yourself’ but these questions can
have a variety of answers. The more open ended the question, the wider
the variation in the answers. Once you have become practiced in your
interviewing skills, you will find that you can use almost any question
as a launching pad for a particular topic or compelling story.
Others are classic interview questions, such as “what is your greatest weakness”?
Questions most people answer improperly. In this case, the standard
textbook answer for the greatest weakness question is to provide a
veiled positive such as: I work too much. I just work and work and work.
Wrong. Either you are lying or, worse yet, you are telling the truth,
in which case you define working too much as a weakness and really do
not want to work much at all.
The following answers are provided to
give you a new perspective on how to answer tough interview questions.
They are not there for you to lift from the page and insert into your
next interview. They are provided for you to use as the basic structure
for formulating your own answers. While the specifics of each reply may
not apply to you, try to follow the basic structure of the answer from
the perspective of the interviewer. Answer the questions behaviorally,
with specific examples that show that clear evidence backs up what you
are saying about yourself. Always provide information that shows you
want to become the very best for the company and that you have
specifically prepared yourself to become exactly that. They want to be
sold. They are waiting to be sold. Don’t disappoint them!
Tell me about yourself.
It seems like an easy interview
question. Its open ended. I can talk about whatever I want from my day
of birth forward, the team I support – Kotoko or Hearts of Oak, Chelsea,
Man U. Right?
Wrong! What the hiring manager really
wants is a quick, two- to three-minute snapshot of who you are and why
you are the best candidate for this position.
So as you answer this question, talk
about what you’ve done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate
for the position. Use an example or two to back it up. Then ask if they
would like more details. If they do, keep giving them example after
example of your background and experience. Always point back to an
example when you have the opportunity.
Tell me about yourself does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what makes you the best.
Why should we hire you?
The easy answer is that you are the best
person for the job. And don’t be afraid to say so. But then back it up
with what specifically differentiates you.
For example: You should hire me because
I’m the best person for the job. I realize that there are likely other
candidates who also have the ability to do this job. Yet I bring an
additional quality that makes me the best person for the job–my passion
for excellence. I am passionately committed to producing truly world
class results. For example . . .
Are you the best person for the job? Show it by your passionate examples.
What is your long-range objective?
The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives.
For example: Within five years, I would
like to become the very best accountant your company has on staff. I
want to work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in
doing so, I feel Ill be fully prepared to take on any greater
responsibilities which might be presented in the long term. For example,
here is what Im presently doing to prepare myself . . .
Then go on to show by your examples what you are doing to reach your goals and objectives.
How has your education prepared you for your career?
This is a broad question and you need to
focus on the behavioral examples in your educational background which
specifically align to the required competencies for the career.
An example: My
education has focused on not only the learning the fundamentals, but
also on the practical application of the information learned within
those classes. For example, I played a lead role in a class project
where we gathered and analyzed best practice data from this industry.
Let me tell you more about the results . . .
Focus on behavioral examples supporting the key competencies for the career. Then ask if they would like to hear more examples.
Are you a team player?
Almost everyone says yes to this
question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide
behavioral examples to back up your answer.
A sample answer: Yes, Im very much a
team player. In fact, Ive had opportunities in my work, school and
athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a
recent project . . .
Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples
and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the
strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question
may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict
within a team, so be prepared.
Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved?
Note that if you say no, most
interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find a conflict. The key is
how you behaviorally reacted to conflict and what you did to resolve it.
For example: Yes, I have had conflicts
in the past. Never major ones, but there have been disagreements that
needed to be resolved. I’ve found that when conflict occurs, it helps to
fully understand the other persons perspective, so I take time to
listen to their point of view, then I seek to work out a collaborative
solution. For example . . .
Focus your answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively.
What is your greatest weakness?
Most career books tell you to select a
strength and present it as a weakness. Such as: I work too much. I just
work and work and work. Wrong. First of all, using a strength and
presenting it as a weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of
the question.
You should select a weakness that you
have been actively working to overcome. For example: I have had trouble
in the past with planning and prioritization. However, Im now taking
steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner . . . then
show them your planner and how you are using it.
Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.
If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say?
This is a threat of reference check
question. Do not wait for the interview to know the answer. Ask any
prior bosses or professors in advance. And if they are willing to
provide a positive reference, ask them for a letter of recommendation.
Then you can answer the question like this:
I believe he would say I’m a very
energetic person, that I’m results oriented and one of the best people
he has ever worked with. Actually, I know he would say that, because
those are his very words. May I show you his letter of recommendation?
So be prepared in advance with your letters of recommendation.
What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
Focus on two words: leadership and vision.
Here is a sample of how to respond: The
key quality in a successful manager should be leadership – the ability
to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. This is
the person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. The
highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the
highest of their abilities. I’d like to tell you about a person whom I
consider to be a true leader . . .
Then give an example of someone who has touched your life and how their impact has helped in your personal development.
If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?
Focus on a key turning point in your
life or missed opportunity. Yet also tie it forward to what you are
doing to still seek to make that change.
For example: Although I’m overall very
happy with where Im at in my life, the one aspect I likely would have
changed would be focusing earlier on my chosen career. I had a great
internship this past year and look forward to more experience in the
field. I simply wish I would have focused here earlier. For example, I
learned on my recent internship… …then provide examples.
Stay focused on positive direction in your life and back it up with examples.
In reviewing these responses, please
remember that they are only to be viewed samples. Please do not rehearse
them verbatim or adopt them as your own. They are meant to stir your
creative juices and get you thinking about how to properly answer the
broader range of questions that you will face.
I hope this has been of help to you.
