Interview Questions and Answers

1. Tell Me About Yourself

It's one of the most frequently asked: Tell me about yourself.Your response to this request will set the tone for the rest of the interview. For some, this is the most challenging question to answer, as they wonder what the interviewer really wants to know and what information they should include.Eleanor dreaded this question. When it was the first one asked at her interview, she fumbled her way through a vague answer, not focusing on what she could bring to the job."I'm happily married and originally from Denver," she began. "My husband was transferred here three months ago, and I've been getting us settled in our new home. I'm now ready to go back to work. I've worked in a variety of jobs, usually customer service-related. I'm looking for a company that offers growth opportunities."The interview went downhill after that. She had started with personal information and gave the interviewer reason to doubt whether she was an employee who would stay for very long. She's married, and when her husband gets transferred that means she has to leave; she did it once and can do it again. She has some work experience with customers but didn't emphasize what she did. She is looking to grow. What about the job she is applying for? Will she stay content for long?The secret to responding to this free-form request successfully is to focus, script andpractice. You cannot afford to wing this answer, as it will affect the rest of the interview. Begin to think about what you want the interviewer to know about you.FocusList five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits, skills, etc.). What do you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave?

2. What are yourstrengths?What do you have to offer an employer? Why should that employer choose you over someone else? What will make interviewers remember you after they're done with their first round of meeting potential candidates?It's about matching their problems and needs with your qualifications, skills and traits. Your mission is to convince interviewers that you are the solution they've been seeking.Concentrating on your five best strengths will help you focus during the interview and will make it easier for them to remember you. You can begin before the interview by identifying your five key strengths and matching them up with the job requirements. Once you've done that, determine ways to bring up these matches during the interview.A CASE:Susan Croce Kelly of Kirkpatrick International in Houston is a communication specialist who writes speeches for executives. She advises telling your audience what you are going to say early in your presentation and then repeating your points throughout. It is not unusual for people to say What a wonderful speech,' and then five minutes later can't remember what it was about, says Kelly. If they remember two ideas from a speech, that is scoring high. Repetition is really important, because they might miss it the first time. Keep going back to the main point.You can actually use the speech model to prepare your presentation. Think of ways to present your key qualities throughout the interview. For example, let's say you're interviewing for a position that requires strong organizational skills.What Are Your Strong Points?Identifying your five strengths and matching them to the job is an important step in preparing for your interview. Read through the description and identify the key factors needed to do the job. Be sure to read between the lines. For example: Will interact with accounting, engineering and manufacturing departments.

3.What are yourweaknesses?

I recommend that job candidates be up front during interviews. Don't say you have "no weaknesses" or "work too hard." Instead, tell hiring managers what you are working on improving and what you've done to build your skills in these areas.One thing to keep in mind: If one of your weaknesses is directly related to the position and could potentially take you out of the running, the opportunity may not be right for you.Let the Job Description Guide YouFirst, make sure you truly understand the job duties before the interview starts. Match the job duties with your strengths. What is a strength you have that someone may consider as a weakness?For example, if you apply to asales job, your weakness could be "not quick to close": "I really take a lot of time to listen to a customer before I provide recommendations. A lot of sales people are quick to answer, but I spend time making sure I understand the customer's needs." Salespeople need to be good listeners although they don't always come across that way.

Another example is if you applied to a very detail-oriented job, your weakness is you are a perfectionist. The hiring manager needs someone that pays close attention to the little things.

In summary, a weakness on one hand is a strength on the other.

4.What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?

is something of atrap when it comes tointerview questions, because your interviewer is asking for a negative answer. If you haven't given the subject some thought, you may blurt out something about your boss or the company, and talk yourself right out of a job.One of the purposes of this interview question is to find out if you're going to be satisfied in the job for which you're interviewing. If you were dissatisfied before, you may be dissatisfied again if the circumstances are similar. Here's how three different candidates might answer this question:Answer No. 1:"I didn't have enough challenges. After a while, all the projects became repetitive. I thrive on challenge."Interviewer's Thoughts:A lot of the tasks here are repetitive. What makes this candidate think he will like it here any better? Will we be able to keep him challenged?Answer No. 2:"Lack of stability. After three company acquisitions, I had five bosses in three years. I couldn't take it any longer. What I am looking for is stability in a job and company."Interviewer's Thoughts:While our company is stable now, there are no guarantees about the future. This guy sounds like he may have some burnout and flexibility issues.Answer No. 3:"In my last job, my boss was overbearing and wouldn't let me do my job. If she didn't like the way I was doing something, she'd criticize me."Interviewer's Thoughts:Could he work with me as a supervisor? How would he react if I had to critique his work? He sounds like he could be a problem to supervise.Stay on TaskWhen you answer this question, it's best to focus on tasks rather than company politics or people. A good response would be:I've given this question some thought, and overall I've been very satisfied with my jobs. I've been able to work with some really interesting people. I have to say that I did have a job where there was an inordinate amount of paperwork. Because working with people is my strength, the paperwork really bogged me down at times.

5.Why Should We Hire You?is anothercommon interview questionthat can take you down the wrong road unless you've done some thinking ahead of time.The Wrong TrackSpencer answers by saying, "Because I need and want a job." That's nice, but the bottom line here is, "What can you do for us?"Mariana says, "I'm a hard worker and really want to work for this company." The majority of people think of themselves as hard workers -- and why this company?The Right TrackTom's answer to this question is, "Because I'm a good fit for the position." Getting warmer, but more details, please.Sharon answers, "I have what it takes to solve problems and do the job." This is the best answer so far. Expand on this, and you've got it.Develop a Sales StatementThe more detail you give, the better your answer will be. This is not a time to talk about what you want. Rather, it is a time to summarize your accomplishments and relate what makes you unique.Product Inventory ExerciseThe bottom line of this question is, "What can you do for this company?"Start by looking at the job description or posting. What is the employer stressing as requirements of the job? What will it take to get the job done? Make a list of those requirements.Next, do an inventory to determine what you have to offer as a fit for those requirements. Think of two or three key qualities you have to offer that match those the employer is seeking. Don't underestimate personal traits that make you unique; your energy, personality type,working styleand people skills are all very relevant to any job.The Sales Pitch: You Are the SolutionFrom the list of requirements, match what you have to offer and merge the two into a summary statement. This is your sales pitch. It should be no more than two minutes long and should stress the traits that make you unique and a good match for the job. Prepared by: Ahmed Shaban Ahmed