The strategy for success in an employment interview is to be who the interviewer wants you to be. It is done by listening for clues as to what he or she wants and responding with the appropriate answer. All interviewers are seeking the answer to the basic question of why they should hire you as opposed to at least six other candidates who are equally qualified. How well you address yourself to their image of the ideal candidate will usually determine whether or not you get the job offer.
If you don't know, ask someone (Forty Plus does this) to check your references. The desired response: expect them to be good because I did a good job for them.
The questioner has identified you as a "job-hopper" and legitimately wants to know why your jobs have been so diverse. Be careful to explain why they are, in fact, a logical progression, considering your overall career objectives.
This question is really loaded. Be careful. The boss was wonderful. End of discussion.
What the interviewer is looking for is how well you understand the structure of the organization. They also might want to know if you were empowered.
Answer honestly, without emotion. Don't elaborate unless asked, then do so simply.
Use accomplishment statements from your resume to answer this one. Explain or elaborate as the interviewer shows interest. This gives you a chance to brag without seeming boastful. You can talk about the special skills you have that enabled you to pull off these accomplishments.
- How did your previous employ- This is another version of how interviewers treat you? Challenger's question, "Tell me about your current and previous employers." Watch your answer carefully. So far as you're concerned, your other employers treated you fine.
- What would you like to have done more of on your last job?
- Answer honestly, but concisely. Be sure the answer is in keeping with the job you are interviewing for.
About yourself:
- Tell me a little about yourself.
- Tell me three (four or more) characteristics about yourself.
Take no more than two minutes to give a summary of who you are: where you came from, where you were educated, where you've worked. Then ask a question related to the company with which you are interviewing.Same answer as number one, above. Talk only about work-related characteristics and abilities.
- What would you consider your Lucky you if you are asked this one. most significant (three at the most) accomplishments in your business life?
Choose the one (or two) best accomplishments from your accomplishment resume and discuss them in a little more detail than they appear on your resume.
- What specific strengths did you bring to your last job? This gives you a chance to legitimately brag. Elaborate on your thumbnail sketch.
- What has been your biggest failure (three biggest failures) or frustrations in your business life? Why? Be careful. This question is a trap.
You don't want to set a trend that makes you sound a failure. Trusting someone who was not trustworthy might be acceptable, but it is not acceptable to blame someone for a failure which you should have prevented.
Not enough capital to complete a project might be acceptable. You might even say that the failures and frustrations you had were not big enough or important enough to become an issue. I did have some things that I learned lessons from, though.
- Think of something (or more than one thing) that you consider a failure in your life and tell me why you think it occurred.
This is a personal question. Any personal failures I had did not relate to the job. Since they were personal, I would prefer not to discuss them.
- Tell me about your hobbies and you are well rounded, and if you are involved in your family and community life. Answer briefly, but carefully. Many companies want their executives to be involved in approved community affairs. The interviewer wants to know if interests.
- What specific strengths can you skills and the job requirements. Describe the match between your bring to this job?
- What risks did you take in your last few jobs, and what was the results? The risks to your accomplishments for the best response to this of those risks?
- If you were starting your career it may bring out that you really don't like the kind of work for which you're applying! This one may be dangerous because now, what would you do differently?
