1. "How would you describe yourself?" or "How would others describe you?*' or 'Tell me about yourself."
The interviewer who opens with this type of question either does not have any idea how to conduct the interview and wants you to assume the responsibility or wants you to start talking and reveal what you think is important about yourself, which will suggest to the interviewer specific areas for more detailed follow-up questions. If the interviewer is the former type, you will soon be faced with long awkward silences unless you pick up the conversational ball, which you are prepared to do. If your interviewer is the second type, questions will soon be coming at you rapidly, and you will have to hustle to get your questions asked.
In either case, your response is a quick summary of your experience, education, strengths, and Special Ingredient. Ideally, prior to this question, you have been able to find out the primary duties and responsibilities of the job opening and the type of back ground being sought. If so, your response is slanted along those lines. If not, smoothly direct the interview toward those questions now by saying, "There is so much to say. Before I begin, tell me the major duties and responsibilities of the position you seek to fill and what kind of person you want so I can be sure to cover the relevant data.
2. "Why do you want to change jobs?"
When employers hire anyone, they naively like to believe that that person will remain an employee until retirement. Therefore, when asked the above question, your answer must be a specific, logical, and acceptable reason that does not imply that you will automatically leave your new employer after a short time. For example, it is better to say that you are seeking ‘’better advancement potential" or "under scope of responsibilities" rather than that you are bored with the same old job after two years or that nobody appreciates your work. It is usually bad form to criticize your current or previous employer because, unless the company's problems are common knowledge or your boss's reputation as an S.O.B. is widely known, the interviewer may suspect that the real problem is you.
For example, if you use "personality conflict" as a reason for leaving more than one job, you are almost always eliminated from further consideration. If the company has valid financial problems, that is an acceptable reason. However, do not blame "poor company management" for your desire to change as it normally translates into your blaming your unhappiness on everyone else in the old company and suggests that the management of your next employer will soon be the target of your wrath.
It is not advisable to state a desire for a higher salary as your reason for wanting to change jobs unless you are obviously under paid. Even then, be certain that the reason for your low salary is clearly identified as lower-than-average pay scales on the part of your employer rather than your own poor performance. In any event, claiming salary dissatisfaction as your reason for changing will arouse the suspicion that you may soon be job hunting again when you suspect that the company down the street will offer a few dollars more.
3. "What would be the perfect job for you?"
Much of your answer will come from previous analysis of yourself, slanting the answer toward the job you know or suspect the interviewer to be trying to fill. Nothing in your answer should imply that you would not be happy with the job under discussion. Your perfect job should not be unrelated to or several levels above that job.
4. "Why do you want to work for this company?"
The answer to this question should show the results of your research on the company and include some gentle flattery of the company and the interviewer. Say something like, "I admire excellence and from everything I have read about your company, it is one of the best in the industry. I’m very impressed that your sales have increased 25 percent each of the last two years. Also Tm very excited about the new glass-bottomed widget that you are developing now. The potential growth of the company and the opportunities that will result for the employees is just what I am looking for. Finally, I think I could learn a lot from you if you were my boss." Do not say something like, "I don't know enough about the company yet to know why or even if I want to work here."
