For example, if you are a "displaced homemaker" (a homemaker entering the job market for the first time), you can highlight the special skills you've acquired over the years while downplaying your lack of paid job experience.
Questions for Students and Recent Graduates
Whether you're graduating from high school or college, those of you with little or no work history face the same dilemma: it's tough to get a job without experience, and it seems impossible to gain experience without getting hired. But, as you'll see, there are ways to get around this problem by emphasizing your strengths and educational achievements.
Q: Why weren't your grades better?
A: School was a wonderful experience for me. I really enjoyed learning new ideas, I studied consistently, and I was attentive in class. But I never believed in cramming before the night of an exam just to get a higher grade or staying up all night to finish a term paper. I really believe that I learned just as much as many students who went for the grades.
It's likely that if you've made it to the interview stage, you fulfill the basic criteria for the position, including the education requirements. The recruiter is probably trying to judge here how well the candidate handles adversity. It's important not to get defensive or to place blame. Instead, try to put a positive spin on the question-for example, by concentrating on what you learned and the extra effort you put in, rather than on the grades you received.
Q: Why did you decide to major in history?
A: It was a difficult choice because I was also attracted to government, inter-national relations, and economics. But the study of history allowed me to combine all three, especially by focusing on economic history. What's more, I found several of the professors in the department to be exceptionally knowledgeable and stimulating.
Show that you have solid, logical reasons for choosing your major. If you can't defend your choice of major, the interviewer will wonder how much thought you've put into choosing a career. You should also be sure that your reasons for choosing your major are compatible with your career choice. For instance, don't say you were an English major because you love literature and writing if you're applying for a position as a banker.
Q: Was there a course that you found particularly challenging?
A: Initially I was completely overwhelmed by the introductory chemistry course that I took last year. No matter how hard I studied, I seemed to be getting nowhere. I failed the first three quizzes. So I tried a new approach. Instead of just studying by myself, I asked a friend who has chemistry major to help me with my studies. I also began seeking help from the professor after class. And I found that more time spent in the lab was critical.
I ended up with a B-plus in the course and thought I achieved a solid understanding of the material. More than that, I learned that tackling a new field of study sometimes requires a new approach, not just hard work, and that the help of others can be crucial!
The interviewer will want to see how well you respond to difficult situations. Demonstrate that you won't fold in the face of difficulty, and that you're willing to put in the extra effort to meet a challenge.
Q: Why didn't you participate more in extracurricular activities?
A: I wanted to give as much effort as possible to my studies. I came from a high school in a very small town, where I received a lot of A's, but this didn't prepare me very well for college. So I studied very hard. I have, however, found time to explore the city and make new friends, and I do socialize informally on weekends.
The interviewer may be worried that if you don't have many outside interests, you may eventually suffer from burnout. Employers like candidates who are well-rounded and have interests outside of work. If you didn't participate in formal extracurricular activities in college, you still may want to talk about some of your interests, such as reading or exercising, that you participated in on a more informal level. For instance, you may have a passion for running even if you weren't on the college track team.
Questions for Career Changers
For those of you who've devoted your careers exclusively to one profession or industry, work experience really isn't an issue. You have lots of experience-but none of it relates to your current job objective. No problem! Instead of emphasizing your job history, you'll just have to emphasize the skills you've acquired that apply to the job you're seeking. For example, let's say your career has been in real estate and, in your spare time, you like to run in marathons. Recently you heard about an opening in the sales-and- marketing department at an athletic-shoe manufacturer. What you need to do is emphasize the skills you have that the employer is looking for. Not only do you have strong sales experience, you're familiar with the needs of the company's market, and that's a powerful combination!
Q: Why do you want to leave your current position?
A: I've learned quite a bit about the plastics industry in my current position and am very glad to have had the opportunities I've had at Fiske, Inc. However, I've found that my interests really lie in research and development, which Fiske has recently decided to phase out over the next two years. And that's why I'm so interested in this organization, because, as I understand, Randy Corporation places a great deal of emphasis on R&D, and is also a highly respected leader in the industry.
The interviewer's foremost concern with career changers will always be why they want to switch careers. Show the interviewer that your decision has been based on careful consideration. Explain why you decided upon this particular position, as well as how the position will allow you to further your natural skills and interests.
Q: Why would you want to leave an established career at an employment agency for an essentially entry-level position in marketing?
A: I've enjoyed my work at the agency and have gained many valuable skills from it. At the same time, however, I feel as if I've stopped growing. I'm no longer challenged by my work. I've thought about this for a long time, and I'm confident that it's time for a change.
As for my interest in marketing, last year my teenage children and some of the other neighborhood kids decided to design and sell T-shirts to benefit a local family who'd lost their home to a fire. I pitched in by designing and distributing posters, placing advertisements in local newspapers, and selling shirts outside grocery stores and shopping malls. At first I really didn't give the project a lot of thought, but when I saw the fruits of my labor, I began to get very excited about it. I learned that you can have a great product and a great cause, but if nobody knows about it, you're dead in the water. I finally felt as if I was making a difference-and I was good at it, too. Since then I've taken two introductory marketing courses and am planning to enroll in a part-time degree program this fall.
Furthermore, I'll be able to use many of the skills and abilities I've gained at the employment agency in the marketing field. After all, working for an employment agency is marketing-marketing the agency to corporate clients and job seekers, and marketing job seekers to corporate clients.
The interviewer is trying to determine two things: the candidate's motivation for choosing a new career, and the likelihood that the candidate will be comfortable in a position where he or she will probably have less power and responsibility than in previous jobs. To dispel the interviewer's fears, discuss your reasons for switching careers, and be sure to show that you have a solid understanding of the position and the industry in general. Many candidates expect to start their new careers in a job comparable to the one they held previously. But the truth is that most career changers must start in lower-if not entry-level-positions in their new company to gain basic experience and knowledge of the field.
Questions for Candidates Re-entering the Job Market
There's no doubt about it, if you've been out of the workforce for a while, you're facing some troubling issues. You may be feeling anxious, wondering if you've still got what it takes to make it out there. The key element for you is to make sure all of your skills are up-to-date. If they aren't, you should consider retraining, which might mean learning a new computer program or taking a class at the local college. If your skills are current, not to worry. What you'll need to emphasize is your previous job experience and skills, ways you've kept up-to-date during your leave (reading trade journals, doing freelance work, attending seminars), and the skills you've learned at home that can be transferred to the workplace.
Q: Your resume doesn't list any job experience in the past few years. Why not?
A: I took five years off to raise my son, Jason, who's now in kindergarten. It was a difficult decision for me, but at the time I decided I wouldn't be able to commit myself 100 percent to my career with such tremendous responsibilities at home. And I didn't think it would be fair to my employer to give any less than my complete and total commitment. I believe it was the right decision for me at the time, but now I feel refreshed and ready to devote myself full-time to my career.
Whatever the reason for your hiatus, be honest. Discuss the decisions behind your absence, whether they were to stay home and raise a family or to recuperate from a debilitating injury. Tell the interviewer why you're now ready to return to work. Most important, emphasize your eagerness to resume your career.
Q: I see you've been out of work for a while. What difficulties have you had in finding a job that's compatible with your interests?
A: It is true that I've been out of my field for the last four years, but I've had a number of tempting offers to jump back in. However, I thought it was important to stay home with my new baby and also continue a part-time family business, which I ran out of our home while my husband was completing law school. Now that that's behind us, I'm ready to return to my career in the entertainment industry.
The real question behind the interviewer's curiosity here is why someone else hasn't taken this candidate off the market. Why isn't the candidate in greater demand? Is he or she being too unrealistic, or perhaps going after random positions? Is there something in the job seeker's past that others have discovered? You'll need to alleviate such concerns by frankly discussing your situation. Be sure to emphasize how you've remained involved in your career during your sabbatical, as well as your eagerness to rejoin the workforce.
Q: Your resume indicates that you've been working for the past two years as a part-time clerk at Reliable Insurance Brokers. How will this experience help you in your banking career?
A: Reliable was in the process of computerizing its files, and I was hired primarily to check the computerized files for accuracy vis-a-vis the manual files. I recorded premium payments, prepared bank deposits, and sorted payables. Not only did this work help me keep my accounting skills cur-rent, I also learned valuable computer skills that will certainly help me become even more efficient and productive in my next position in banking.
The interviewer may be concerned here that the candidate is simply applying for any available job, rather than for a specific position in a specific field. Explain how your experience relates to the position you're applying for, and discuss any skills you've gained that are transferable to the position and company.
Illegal Interview Questions
Illegal interview questions probe into your private life or personal background. Federal law forbids employers from discriminating against any person on the basis of sex, age, race, national origin, or religion. For instance, an interviewer may not ask you about your age or your date of birth. However, she or he may ask you if you're over eighteen years of age.
If you're asked an illegal question at a job interview, keep in mind that many employers simply don't know what's legal and illegal. One strategy is to try to discover the concerns behind the question and then address them. For instance, if the employer asks you about your plans to have children, he or she may be concerned that you won't be able to fulfill the travel requirements of the position. Sexist? You bet. But it's to your advantage to try to alleviate those concerns.
Try to get to the heart of the issue behind the question by saying some-thing like "I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at. Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?" Once the interviewer's real concerns are on the table, you can allay those concerns by saying something like "I'm very interested in developing my career. Travel is definitely not a problem for me-in fact, I enjoy it tremendously. Now, let me direct your attention to my experience and expertise in...
Alternatively, you may choose to answer the question or to gracefully point out that the question is illegal and decline to respond. Avoid reacting in a hostile fashion-remember that you can always decide later to decline a job offer.
Any of the following responses are acceptable ways to handle these tricky situations without blowing your chances for a job offer. Choose the response that's most comfortable for you.
Q: What religion do you practice?
Answer 1: I make it a point not to mix my personal beliefs with my work, if that's what you mean. I assure you that I value my career too much for that.
Answer 2: I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at.
Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?
Answer 3: That question makes me uncomfortable. I'd really rather not answer it.
Q: How old are you?
Answer I: I'm in my fifties and have over thirty years of experience in this industry. My area of expertise is in...
Answer 2: I'm too young to retire, but I'm old enough to know better than to answer a question like that.
Answer 3: I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at.
Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?
Answer 4: That question makes me uncomfortable. I'd really rather not answer it.
Q. Are you married?
Answer I: No.
Answer 2: Yes, I am. But I keep my family life separate from my work life so that I can put all my effort into my job. I'm flexible when it comes to travel and late hours, as my references can confirm.
Answer 3: I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at. Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?
Answer 4: That question makes me uncomfortable. I'd really rather not answer it.
Do you have children?
Answer I: No.
Answer 2: Yes, I do. But I keep my family life separate from my work life so that I can put all my effort into my job. I'm flexible when it comes to travel and late hours, as my references can confirm.
Answer 3: I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at. Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?
Answer 4: That question makes me uncomfortable. I'd really rather not answer it.
Do you plan to have children?
Answer I: No.
Answer 2: It's certainly a consideration, but if I do, it won't be for some time. I want to do the best job I can for this company and have no plans to leave just as I begin to make meaningful contributions.
Answer 3: I can't answer that right now. But if I ever do decide to have children, I wouldn't let it detract from my work. Becoming a parent is important, but my career is certainly very important to me, too. I plan on putting all of my efforts into this job and this company.
Answer 4: I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at. Would you please explain to me how this issue is relevant to the position?
Answer 5: That question makes me uncomfortable. I'd really rather not answer it.
