For example they may ask you, “What in your last job, did you find least appealing? What about it did you not like?” You may take out your concealed frustration about your former boss and say something’s negative about him or your workplace. This will be perceived as you being a disgruntled character, with no sense of gratitude or appreciation. Remember, with blurted out, off the cuff answers you can talk yourself right out of the job.
Here are three different answers that the same question can have and help you avoid the trap the interviewer hopes you fall in. Remember the question is, what in your last job, did you find least appealing? What about it did you not like?
First Answer: “Monotony crept in. All the projects were repetitive. There were no new challenges.”
Interviewer’s Assessment: Here too work is repetitive. The candidate will be entertaining similar feelings here too? His productivity may fall, if he starts to find it boring.
Second Answer: “There was no stability or constancy. Bosses kept on changing. During my brief tenure, I worked under six bosses. Every day, I would have to reschedule and rethink my work
Interviewer’s Assessment: Here too work is repetitive. The candidate will be entertaining similar feelings here too? His productivity may fall, if he starts to find it boring.
Third Answer: “My boss was arrogant and domineering. He would find fault with everything that I did. Moreover, he would criticize me in front of the other worker’s. I felt he was prejudiced against me.”
Interviewer’s Assessment: My, he’s pretty vocal and not hesitant tovoice them as well. He may not take well to criticism here. He may be rebellious and this could rub on to the other workers as well.
Don’t Get Personal
When this question is put to you, avoid talking about individual people, the company or what you perceive as workplace politics. Instead, talk about tasks. Say something like the workplace was good, as were the people, but there was too much paperwork, which unfortunately was not your forte and you had to make the reluctant decision of making this move.
Understand What You Are Looking For In A Job
Hark back to your earlier jobs. What irked you there? Why was it that many a time you preferred to remain absent and lose a day’s pay rather than go and work in an unfavorable atmosphere? Make a list of what you hated doing. Check if any of the things are there in your current place of choice. Is there some aspect of displeasure that is recurring on all the lists? Ask yourself, are you willing to get into it again?
Remember you perform best when you enjoy your work, when the workplace is amiable and you get along well with your colleagues. Recognize what you want before making the same mistake repeatedly and going through an identical rigmarole time and again.
