Typical Interview Questions

I suggest that you review all these questions, and think about how you will answer them. Planning is essential to avoid coming across as unprepared.  Worse yet, you may answer in a way that will keep you from getting the job.

On the other hand, don't invent answers.  It is equally important to be truthful and sincere.  No employer will hire someone that can't be trusted.

Write down how you want to answer each question. Then review your answers with colleagues, relatives, counselors - anyone that can give you feedback. Adjust  your answers.  Finally, do lots of practice interviews. Practice, practice, and practice, until you can answer any question naturally, intelligently, and with poise.

Tell me about yourself.

Don't spend too much time answering (1-2 minutes at most). Avoid going into in-depth details. Don't ramble.  Your  preparation for your resume contains valuable information pertinent to answering this question.  You might mention the following work-related factors:

• Your interest, skills and experience that qualify you for the position.
• Your past work experience. Identify one or two good examples of accomplishments that support your having a skill needed to do the job well.
• Your education or your training.

Why do you want to work here?

You need to go into the interview knowing as much as possible about the company and the area that you want to work in.  Do thorough research.  Mention several positive attributes about the organization, especially those that particularly impressed you, such as:

• Its fine reputation.
• You read that the company values creativity and rewards employees for their innovative contributions.
• The company is strongly service oriented, which you feel is important in today's highly competitive marketplace.
• Your values coincide with those of the company (be prepared to state which ones).
• The company is at the leading edge of technology and you want to be a participant and contributor to its continued success.

What do you know about our organization?

Again, be prepared with the facts. Highlight products, services, problems, people, history and some key statistics.  You might also indicate curiosity to learn more by asking for additional information in specific areas, particularly as they relate to the position you are seeking.

What is important to you in a job?

Your interviewer needs to get the sense that you view your life's work as more than just a way to make a living.  A job needs to be satisfying, something you genuinely like to do and take pleasure in doing well.  You need to project a real enthusiasm for your work and for doing a good job. 

Be aware of your values.  To the extent that your values correspond with those of the company you can leverage them into your response.  For example, to a successful salesman, making money is an important value.

What are your major weaknesses?

This seems to be a "popular" question.  You need to think carefully about this one. Don't get caught unprepared on this question because it can trip you up badly.  You may inadvertently reveal a basic flaw that will justify a turndown.

Don't mention any negatives.  Without compromising your integrity or honesty, answer the question by offering a "positive" weakness:

• Impatient to get the job done.
• Expect the same high level of dedication and strong work ethic from others.
• Have difficulty at times in separating work from play- really enjoy working.
• Somewhat aggressive - if I see a job needs doing, I do it.
• I am my own worst critic.

Another approach that could be very effective is to identify some problem that you had at one time but have since resolved:

"I used to leave project wrap-up tasks until the last minute, then "burn the candle" to finish on schedule.  But I have learned to organize my work and my time better and feel this is no longer a problem."

What do you hope to be doing in five years?

Give this some thought and draw up some realistic goals.  It is sometimes difficult to set goals for what you will be doing in two years, much less five.  Nonetheless, you need to assess and define the direction you want to go.  Not only will you be able to answer the question intelligently, but your goals will help you maintain focus on where you are going, and help you do what is necessary to achieve them.  If you don't know where you are going, you will for sure never get there.

How did you get along with your supervisor and co-workers?

Your past is a predictor of your future. Always be positive. If you had problems getting along, say something like, "We had our differences sometimes, but always worked together to get the job done."

How much do you expect to be paid?

Unless you are being offered a job, you should not talk about salary at all.  Whatever you say about money early in the interview could well screen you out of consideration.  You might try something neutral that does not commit you either way.  For example, "I know that this company is fair and competitive so I am confident that I would be paid a salary that reflects my skills and experience."  Other acceptable responses might be "What salary range do you pay for positions with similar requirements?"; or "Tell me what you have in mind for the salary range."

If your interviewer insists that you disclose a desired salary, we suggest that you know in advance the probable salary range for similar jobs in similar organizations, then bracket your salary range to begin slightly above their probable range.  If you are offered the job, you are likely to be offered more than they may originally have considered.

What are your major strengths?

Your response must convey that you have strengths which are highly desirable for the position you are seeking.  You have identified many of your key strengths as they relate to your job objective already.  Now you need to understand the specific strengths for this particular interview, and to prove to your interviewer that you indeed have a particular strength.

Proving a strength is accomplished when your interviewer believes that you have that strength.  The process has three steps:

1.      State the strength that you will prove.

"My greatest strength is motivating and leading others to achieve the defined goal."

2.      Provide an experience episode that conveys that strength.

"I have always had a lot of energy and impatience to get things done.  People seem drawn by my enthusiasm, and I enjoy the leadership role.  For example, I was appointed chairman of my Brotherhood's garage sale.  I had the challenge of supervising and coordinating the efforts of as many as 60 volunteer members to ensure that all aspects of the project would be properly done.  As a result, our sale raised in excess of $10,000 in a  single Sunday afternoon, about 10 times what had been raised in previous years.  The project ultimately included the participation of  nearly 100 members and the contributions of twice that many.  Our accomplishment and record still stands to this day."

           

3.      Tell what you have just proven.

"To summarize, I believe this shows that my greatest strength is leadership to motivate others to achieve goals."

Tell me about a time when...           

This type of question is becoming more common and therefore requires your understanding and preparation.

The question is designed to assess how you would perform in a work situation based on how you handled a similar situation in your life experience. It is defined by the performance requirements of the job.

For example, suppose the position is Programmer. The company has assessed the performance requirements of a successful programmer. One of the important requirements is the ability to take action in solving problems with sound judgment and a realistic understanding of issues.   A series of questions might be asked to ascertain whether or not you have this ability:

"Tell me about a time when you used a common-sense approach in making a decision, and it paid off."

"What were the issues surrounding your decision?"

"What other options did you consider?"

What was the result of your decision?"

So, how do you prepare in order to respond intelligently to such questions?

First determine what the performance requirements of the position are likely to be.  Information interviews, research, earlier job interviews, will all help to identify them.  Once the requirements are identified, think about what questions an interviewer might ask along these lines.  Finally, search into your past for instances where you demonstrated these requirements and be prepared to respond during the interview.

Here are some examples of initial and follow-up questions:

§  Decision Making and Problem Solving

What types of problems do you enjoy solving?

Give me an example of a time when you took action to solve a practical problem.

Tell me about a time when you kept your objectivity even though you had strong feelings about a problem situation.

Tell me about a time when you used a common-sense approaching making a decision, and it paid off.

How did you make the decision to go to XYZ school?

§   Team Player

Would you rather work independently or as a member of a group or team?

What are the pros and cons of each style?

Tell me about a group project you worked on.

What was your role?

What did you do to make sure the project got done, and done on time?

What did you do when a group member was unable or unwilling to complete his/her part of the project?

Describe a time when you were involved in a group project and had a conflict with someone else in the group.

How did you handle it?

What effect did it have on the group?

§   Analytical Problem Solving

Tell me about an experience you had solving a technical problem. What tools/techniques/methods did you use, and how did you choose them?

To what extent has your past work required you to be skilled in the analysis of technical reports or information?

Pick any experience which would highlight your skills in this area and describe it to me.

How would you do it differently now?

§   Verbal Communication

Tell me about a time when your ability to listen helped you communicate better.

Tell me about a time when you had to explain a technical subject to a non-technical audience. What was the subject and how did you handle it?

§   Written Communication

In some assignments, it's necessary to have thorough written documentation of work. Give me an example of your experiences in this area.

What was the most complex information you have ever had to read (perhaps involving a   project or activity you had to complete?)

What material do you read, other than assigned work?

§   Commitment to Task

Tell me about a time when you had to work very hard to reach your goals.

Tell me about a time when you had to commit to completing a difficult task in the face of challenging circumstances.

How did you handle it?

What were the major steps?

§   Organization and Planning

Describe how you schedule your time during an unusually hectic period.

Think of one major assignment or project.  How did you go about developing a plan for completing the assignment or project?

Give me an example of any time management skills you have learned and used.

§   Creativity

Give me an example of one of your unique or novel solutions to a common problem.

Give me another example of a time when one of your ideas was particularly well received.

§   Decisiveness

Describe a situation in which you had to make a quick decision and take fast action.

Tell me about a situation where you found it important to "take a stand" and be decisive on an issue or situation.

Describe a time when you had to commit to a plan of action in an emergency at school or work. What was the situation?

What action did you take?

§   Tolerance of Ambiguity

Tell me about a time when you held off on your comments until you had all the facts needed for a good response.

Give me an example of a time when you had to deal with unexpected events.

Sometimes it's necessary to work in fast changing circumstances (priorities; technologies). When have you found yourself in this situation?

Tell me how you handled it.

§   Goal Setting

What process do you use for setting goals?

Tell me about a time when you defined your goals in writing.

What experience have you had in defining longer range goals?  Tell me one specific goal you set, how you set it, and how successful you have been in achieving it.

So, what has been your experience? What questions have you been asked? How did you answer them? Your comments and feedback are most welcome!!