Interview Questions

There are a number of interview questions that for some reason people like to ask. Not only to get information from you but also to see how you handle yourself. The trick is to be prepared with answers that help your cause, not to stumble through answering a question and sink your ship in the process. Some of these questions are:

"Where do you want to be five years from now?"

"What are your major strengths?"

"What was your greatest accomplishment?"

            “What are you most proud of in your work history?”

            “What do some co-workers do that annoys you?”

            “Which of your job skills do you think need improving?”

            “What are you least proud of in your work history?”

            “What did you like most about the last place you worked?”

            “Who was your favorite boss?” “Why?”

            “What kinds of situations get you in trouble at work?”

            “What did you like least about the last place you worked?”  Be really careful when you answer this one.  Remember, nobody likes a complainer.

            "What are your major weaknesses?"  Try to turn this into something positive.

            "Why did you leave your last job?"  Be sure you have a well rehearsed story line for this one, especially if the circumstances were not benign.  Full disclosure is not necessary but honesty is.

            "What was your worst mistake?"  Again try to turn this into something positive.

Remember with these kinds of questions that you don't really have to answer the question that is asked you only have to appear to. For example, in the case of the last question you might answer the question, "What mistake did you make that taught you the most interesting lesson?" Whatever you do don't actually tell about your worst mistake. Unless it was so bad that it was published in the newspaper, there is no way your prospective employer can know.

Furthermore, there are things about the company that they're not going to tell you about either. There is a picture that hangs in my office. It shows a cowboy. Under the picture is a caption that reads, "Thar were things about this outfit they didn't tell me afor I signed on." This is always the case. Full disclosure is never the practice nor is it desirable in an employment interview. And don't take this as an opportunity to say something negative about your old employer. No matter how bad they were; no matter how much dirt they did you, keep your mouth shut on that score and get on with your life. And unbelievable as it might seem your prospective employer isn't interested in you sad tale. Do you want sympathy or do you want a job? Nobody wants to hire someone who might later badmouth him or her. Nobody wants some body around who sounds bitter and resentful.

Write out answers to these questions and memorize the answers. Practice giving the response so that you seem natural giving it. When you are asked a question that you've not heard before, add it to your list of questions and develop an answer.

Send me an email with any different interview questions that you've encountered and tell me how you answered it.