Job Interview Questions >> The Correct Way to Answer

by  job- search- adviser. net

Question 1 : Like me – Like me NOT

Image of a man using a computerOne of the most common interview questions is, “What did you like most, and what did you dislike most about your last job?”

When you give your job interview answer for this question you want to make sure that you do not speak too negatively about your prior company. If you do so, this may lead the person that you are interviewing with to assume that you will do the same with their company. Job interview answers are not always the easiest to spin into something positive. You may need to write, rewrite and rewrite again to get this answer correct.

Try an answer something like this: “I enjoyed the company because they rewarded the employees when all goals were completed. It showed us that they really cared about our hard work and us. I would have enjoyed the it more if they would have had more advancement opportunities.”  

Question 2 : weakness VS. STRENGTHS

Employers tend to ask about your strengths and weaknesses. They may form the questions like this, “What is your greatest weakness?” and “What is your greatest strengths?”

Most individuals can come up with a job interview answer for strengths in a heartbeat, but can’t come up with a weakness that they are willing to share with others. So they stumble over the answer and end up sounding a little weak in the interview. Make sure you do not refer to your weakness as such, spin it to a positive.

So look at the better way to have a job interview answer for this question: “I enjoy taking pride in my work so I tend to take a little too much time checking it. Luckily I have learned some new features of Microsoft office 2007 that have helped me to better and more efficiently check my work.

Question 3 : The boss is wrong!

There are times when interview questions that will ask you about your judgment. They may ask you, “What would you do if your boss told you to do something and you knew that was the wrong way to do it?

This question may make you start to squirm a little in your seat. How in the world are you going to answer this without getting them upset? Try a job interview answer along these lines: “To be honest with you, I’m not sure what I would do. If it was something minor I may just do as I was told, and go with the flow, but if it was something that I knew was really wrong I would have to talk to him about it.”

You may also want to mention the fact that some people take confrontation differently than others. There are supervisors that you can approach and would have no problem with you letting them know they are wrong. There are also supervisors that do not care to have their authority challenged, even in private conversations.

Question 4 : Have you done your homework?

Sometimes the interviewer will ask you this question, “How did you get ready for this interview?” or “What do you know about our company?”
 

OK, your first responses is Oh no, not a pop quiz! I can’t do that! There has to be a way to avoid this job interview answer! Alas, this is not so!
 

Make sure that when you do send in your resume that you look up the company on the Internet and see if they have a website. See what they are about, what their mission statement is, and if this would be a company you would want to work for. Then a great job interview answer would look like this: “When I found the ad in the Anytown Daily Press I did a Google search on your company and went to your website.

I was impressed by your mission statement and the amount of community service that you do every year, that is something that is important to me as well. I looked over your annual report and noticed that the company had a slight increase in the equity this year. I think that with me in the accounting office that I will be able to assist the Accounting Manager in at least doubling that target. As you can see on my resume…”

As you can tell, the interviewee did their homework, and was able to show the employer that he or she had as well. It’s important to keep the employer on your side. The best thing to do is to have knowledge, for knowledge is power.

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Five Great Tips for the Interview Appointment

Five Great Tips for the Interview Appointment

Written by Craig Travis Jun 07, 2009 www.jobsarticle.com

The whole purpose of an interview is for the employer to meet you, to get acquainted with your professional background and experience, learn about your special skill sets and qualifications, and of course, to see how you match up with their organizational needs. You obviously have piqued their interest with your resume, so now is not the time to disappoint them by not paying proper, close attention to the important details related to your interview appointment. Plus, this is the opportunity for you to do your homework, learn everything possible about their interview plans and process, learn all about their firm and key people, and plan how you will knock them over with your winning interview.



CONFIRM THE DETAILS: DAY, DATE, TIME, LOCATION AND PEOPLE
It should go without saying you must always confirm the details of your interview appointment, but we have seen too many times candidates missing their interviews because they did not think to confirm the details. When called about your interview appointment, before getting off the phone, confirm the exact day, date, time and location of the interview. This includes the address and room where the interview will take place. Just as important, confirm all of the names and titles of the person(s) you will be meeting and a contact phone number should you require additional information prior to your appointment. This is the ideal time to learn who will be conducting your interview, the type of interview they are planning and the expected duration of the interview process so you can plan accordingly. Will you be expected to meet other personnel? Who are they? Will there be multiple interviews that day conducted separately by other key personnel? Who? Where? How long? How many resumes should you bring along? Should you take along sample materials so you can leave it with them? How many copies should you make? These are all important questions you need to have answered so you can take away any surprises that might crop up. In the likelihood your first interview will be by telephone, make absolutely sure they have the correct phone number to call you and you have theirs in the event you should become disconnected during the interview. Just as important, ensure you will be in a location that is completely private and that you will not have any disturbances or interruptions of any kind while you are on the phone. You do want any unbecoming or unprofessional background noise (children playing, dog barking, colleagues walking in and out of your office, etc.). It also goes without saying that should you have a telephone interview, you should never be driving in your car. Find a quiet remote location to park with no distractions.



RESEARCH THE ORGANIZATION
Now is the best time to conduct your research on the organization and after confirming your interview plans, you now know the names and titles of the key people you will be meeting the very ones whom you need to impress and win over to land the job. Get to know everything you possibly can about the firm, its key personnel, management and the interviewers. It seems overly simplistic, but ask your self what kind of business is this firm? What do they do and what are they most noted for? You would be surprised how many candidates have no clue about the organization with whom they are interviewing with, and it places them at a distinct disadvantage in the competition. What is the stock price? Where is the headquarters? Are there any regional offices? Where? Who are their clients? What is their reputation in the marketplace? How many employees? What is their annual revenue? Read the annual report from the past three years to familiarize your self about the core nature of their business, earnings and revenues, and future plans. This will help you prepare to answer questions related to how you see yourself fitting into their organization. In fact, why are you applying for this position? What do you envision you will do for this firm and where do you want to fit in? What do you have to offer and contribute? Who will you be working for and where? Is the interviewer your prospective boss? What are the future plans of the company/division where you will be working? Finally, read the posted job description if you have not already. If you have not, ask for a copy of it when you confirm your interview appointment. Knowing the details of the job description will prepare you to intelligently address the qualifications and requirements of the position.



TRAVEL PLANS: GET A MAP AND PLAN YOUR TRAVEL ROUTE
If you are meeting at the prospective employer’s office, which is generally the case, take time beforehand to confirm the location on a map, obtain driving directions and the best route to use for the time and day you are traveling to the appointment. If possible, drive the route days before so you are familiar with it and the traffic congestion at that time of day. This will help you to know for certain how much time you need to allow yourself to travel and arrive with time to spare. Ask yourself where you will park; is parking free or paid? Covered or uncovered? This might be important on a stormy day. How far will you need to walk from the parking lot to the office and how long will it take you? If possible, doing some reconnaissance days beforehand so you will not be surprised about how long it may take. After all, you do not want to be late for your job interview, ever. It will not only make a bad first impression, it may take you out of contention before you ever have the chance to sell your qualifications.



OUT OF TOWN TRAVEL
Likewise, if you are traveling from out of town for the interview put in the same effort as you would at home by doing your reconnaissance beforehand. If possible, arrive into town the day before a morning interview (it allows you to be rested and better prepared) so you will have time to get your bearings. Always check and double-check your travel arrangements, including air, hotel and rental car reservations. Get a map and ask for driving directions if necessary. Be absolutely sure you know where you are going and how long it will take you to get there from your hotel. If you are traveling into town, it is advisable to arrive the day before to acclimate yourself to the surroundings, region, climate (higher elevation in some cases) and to help you feel rested and ready to go the following day. You certainly want to be your freshest, sharpest self so it only stands to reason you need to prepare yourself in every way possible, including getting into town early. After traveling far distances and over a long time, you will not be at your best, so avoid such an interview appointment at all costs.



CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST
Also, it is advisable you check the weather forecast regularly. If it rains or is exceptionally windy (any foul weather) you want to be properly prepared to weather the elements. Carry an umbrella, overcoat, hat, gloves and scarf if necessary. You want to be sure that when you arrive at your interview you are still well dressed and properly groomed, so it is worth taking every ounce of precaution against inclement weather. Should you encounter foul weather, then make sure you have extra time upon your arrival to use the restroom to freshen up and take a good look in the mirror so you will look sharp. Reconnaissance can prepare you for this situation as well.

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Getting Hired Successful Job Interview Using Influence Skills

Getting Hired Successful Job Interview Using Influence Skills

By: Alan Vengel

One of the most important influence moments in your career is the moment where you must convince someone to hire you. Whether you are just out of college, looking for a change, or a contractor who must convince others of your services almost daily, you will find that a set of simple influence skills will propel you through the interviewing process on your way to a successful career.

Assert

It is imperative that you state your objectives clearly. Most organizations are looking for people who take action and will engage in helping the organization move forward. Your organization will first see your potential for such behavior in the hiring stages.

Jay and Mary are both interviewing for a position at an engineering company. Each is highly qualified for the position and holds some great recommendations. As Jay enters the interview, he is asked a series of questions. He ponders each and answers to the best of his ability. When asked, he pulls out his portfolio and demonstrates his skills to the employer. His work is excellent and the employer is notably impressed with it. He is sure to take Jay's information and informs him that he will be contacted with their final decision.

Mary's interview comes later, and when she enters, she introduces herself and instantly pulls out her portfolio and references. During her presentation, she highlights the portions of her work that seem to fit with what she has seen advertised for the position for which she is applying. When she is finished, she asks the interviewer if there are questions that he has. She ponders each question and answers to the best of her ability.

When the board makes its decision, it is determined that Jay's work was excellent, but Mary's assertive presentation of her work was what the company needed in order to progress in the competitive engineering market. Mary made good use of her first influence skill.

Ask Questions

Your ability to draw your interviewer in through active questioning is another important influence skill. Open-ended questions gather information and find out what the other person is thinking. Focused questions help the other person to focus on alternatives. These questions promote a greater inclusion of the other person and lead to openness and increased rapport, understanding and commitment.

During Mary's presentation, she asks her interviewer, "Is there a specific set of drafts that you would like to see?" Her question prompts the interviewer to indicate that he is most interested in what she has done with mechanical design. Though Mary had intended on showing him other drawings, she realizes by her open-ended questioning that it would be better to focus on what her interviewer is most interested in. She has two sets of drawings in her portfolio and asks the focused question to determine exactly which he would like to choose from.

Summarize

You will want to be sure that you and the other person understand each other. By repeating and summarizing important elements of the influence situation, you will be sure to remain on the same page.

When Mary finishes her presentation, the interviewer asks her, "How do you feel your employment would benefit our organization?" Mary is unsure of the exact response that the interviewer is looking for, so she uses her summarizing skill to clarify the situation. "So what you're asking me is what will change within the organization when I am hired?"

The interviewer responds, "Yes, I would like to know how you feel your set of skills will make a fit with our organization and its mission statement." Mary's keen use of her influence skills brought out a much more specific question where she could determine precisely what type of answer the interviewer was looking for.

Offer Incentives

Make it easier or more attractive for the person to do what you are asking. This will help you further promote agreement and commitment.

When the interview is finished, Mary is sure to express her feelings to the interviewer. "This interview has shed new light on your organization, and I am enthusiastic to begin my employment with you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with your decision. I plan to immediately put into action the skills that we discussed and help the company move forward in its objectives." Mary's statement offers concrete rewards that the company will receive by hiring her.

The influence skills listed are only a few of the skills that you can develop which will help you progress in your career. They can be applied in a variety of circumstances; and when used effectively, they can achieve outstanding results for your career development.