There are usually two reasons this question is asked. First, to get you to talk about the kinds of errors you've made or the kinds of performance deficiencies that your managers have noted in the past. Second, and just as important, is to see how you handled yourself when you were called on the carpet as a result. The presumption obviously is that in your next job you're likely to make similar mistakes, run into similar performance deficiencies, and respond to criticism in about the same way.
There are several things you can do to help you deal better with this very sensitive question. First, long before your first interview, make a list of as many errors and areas of performance deficiency as you can possibly think of. If you don't, and are asked this question, you're likely to grasp for the first mistake that comes to mind-and it's likely to be a big one. If, on the other hand, you think back on your past mistakes beforehand, you can choose one:
- From a long time ago (when your experience level might have been the reason you made it), or
- One that was of little consequence to the overall performance of your past job, and
- One in which the way you responded to criticism demonstrates positive qualities about you.
What are you like as a person? How would you describe your personality?
If you're asked this question before you know the kind of personality your interviewer is looking for, the odds are one-in-two that you'll blow your interview. If your description of yourself is what the interviewer wanted to hear, you're golden. If not, you might as well pack up and leave. The unfortunate fact is that you might have been perfect for the job but emphasized an aspect of your personality that your interviewer had some preconceived notions about.
The "what are you like" question, alone, is sufficient reason to use a strategy in every interview you take to probe for clues about the kind of person your prospective is looking for before you talk about yourself. If, however, your probing is unsuccessful, and you are forced to answer this question without knowing the kind of person your interviewer has in mind, there are still some things you can do to win over your interviewer.
Use your knowledge of the position to reason out the kind of personality that would best fit the job. Ask yourself what personal qualities are required to achieve the mission of the person who gets the offer. Is creativity the key? Organizational ability the answer? The ability to lead people? Etc? Once you've decided what traits you think are desirable for the job, describe those of them that you believe actually describe you. No need to describe qualities that aren't appropriate.
Tell your interviewer that you haven't given much thought about your personality characteristics, and, therefore, invite him or her to "judge for him or herself" the personality traits that you have based on some examples of things you've done in your present (or past) jobs that you think the interviewer might like to hear about. At that point, relate your most appropriate, most positive worth points, and ask your interviewer for feed back. This strategy allows you to prove that you have achieved results in the past that demonstrate your ability to do the job. Hopefully, too, the examples you choose suggest traits that your interviewer is seeking.
One final thought: if your interviewer probes sufficiently so that you find it necessary to answer the question about your personality directly, talk about three or four of your most positive characteristics. Remember, the question doesn't call for an 'a-to-z' run down.
How would you describe the ideal working environment?
Whatever you do, don't answer this question by suggesting such mundane things as an office with a window or flex hours. That's not appropriate. The purpose of the question is to determine the kinds of work relationships you find most satisfying with bosses, peers, and associates. If, for example, you are cramped by too much direction.
