The Interview

Job interviews can be some of the most stressful situations we have to face. From the moment you enter the potential employer's building to the time you are back outside, you are on show; and preparing to give a good performance is what can guarantee success, or at least give your best.

Possible interview questions

Warm-up questions:

• What made you apply for this position?
• How did you hear about this job opening?
• Briefly, would you summarize your work history & education for me?

Work history:

• What special aspects of your work experience have prepared you for this job?
• Describe for me one or two of the biggest disappointments in your work history?
• Why are you leaving your present job? (Or, why did you leave your last job?)
• What is important to you in a company?
• What things do you look for in an organization?

Job performance:

• Everyone has strengths & weaknesses as workers. What are your strong points for this job?
• What areas do you consider need improving?
• Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
• What kind of people do you find it most difficult to work with? Why?
• What are some things you would like to avoid in a job? Why?
• In your previous job what kind of pressures did you encounter?
• What would you say is the most important thing you are looking for in a job?
• What are some things you particularly liked about your last job?

Education:

• What special aspects of your education or training have prepared you for this job?
• What courses in school have been of most help in doing your job?

Career goals:

• What is your long-term employment or career objective?
• What kind of job do you see yourself holding five years from now?
• What do you feel you need to develop in terms of skill & knowledge in order to be ready for that opportunity?
• Why might you be successful in such a job?
• What might make you leave this job?

Self-assessment:

• What kind of things do you feel most confident in doing?
• Can you describe for me a difficult obstacle you have had to overcome?, How did you handle it?, How do you feel this experience affected your personality or ability?
• How would you describe yourself as a person?
• What do you think are the most important characteristics and abilities a person must possess to become a successful (............... )? How do you rate yourself in these areas?
• What do you consider to be your greatest achievements to date? Why?

Decisiveness:

• Do you consider yourself to be thoughtful, analytic or do you usually make up your mind fast? Give an example. (Watch time taken to respond)
• What was your most difficult decision in the last six months? What made it difficult?
• How do you go about making an important decision affecting your career?
• What was the last major problem that you were confronted with? What action did you take on it?

Motivation:

• What is your professional goal?
• Can you give me examples of experience on the job that you felt were satisfying?

Leadership:

• What specifically do you do to set an example for your employees?
• What sort of leader do your people feel you are? Are you satisfied?
• How do you get people who do not want to work together to establish a common approach to a problem?
• How would you describe your basic leadership style? Give specific examples of how you practice this?
• Do you feel you work more effectively on a one to one basis or in a group situation?

Oral presentation skills:

• Have you ever done any public or group speaking recently? Why? How did it go?
• Have you made any individual presentations recently? How did you prepare?

Written communication skills:

• Would you rather write a report or give a verbal report? Why?
• What kind of writing have you done? For a group? For an individual?

Flexibility:

• What was the most important idea or suggestion you received recently from your employees? What happened as a result?
• What do you think about the continuous changes in company operating policies & procedures?
• How effective has your company been in adapting its policies to fit a changing environment?
• What was the most significant change made in your company in the last six months, which directly affected you, and how successfully do you think you implemented this change?

Stress tolerance:

• Do you feel pressure in your job? Tell me about it.
• What has been the highest pressure situation you have been under in recent years? How did you cope with it?

Stability and Maturity:

• Describe your most significant success and failure in the last two years.
• What do you like to do best?
• What do you like to do least?
• What in your last review did your supervisor suggest needed improvement?
• What have you done about it?

The ways in which you answer interview questions are very important.

9 times out of 10 the same types of interview questions come up time and time again.

"Be Prepared!" Before you go to the interview prepare your answers carefully.