Finding a job can be intensely stressful. As Harry Truman once said, "It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours." Well, as with most things in life, good preparation can remove much of the stress.
Facing the job interview is no different. One of the good things about a job interview is that many of the questions that will be asked can be anticipated ahead of time. That means that you have the opportunity to be well prepared, and being well prepared will not only make you feel more secure but will likely impress your employer. Here are some interview questions that you are wise to carefully consider.
"What is your greatest strength?" You should hope that the interviewer asks you this question because it is one of the easier questions and one which you can answer with pride and confidence. You'll want to pick out one or more strengths that match the job for which you are being interviewed. Describe the skills and experience that directly relate. For example, "I have constantly exceeded my sales goals and I've earned a bonus every year." Also, "I have great pride in my customer service abilities, and I'm able to resolve situations that could be difficult." Or, "I'm great with deadlines. I don't just meet deadlines; I prefer to complete the project ahead of the deadline."
Here's a more difficult question, "What do people most often criticize about you?" Hopefully you've thought about this in the past and have addressed those concerns so that you can answer, "There are no ongoing criticisms. I'm always open and always growing personally and professionally." If you choose to address a particular criticism be sure you stress that you have overcome the issue and that you are a better employee now than you have ever been in your life. Practice these responses so that you don't stumble over the question when it is asked.
The interviewer may want to see how you will fit in with the company's long range future goals and may ask, "What are your goals for the next 5 to 10 years?" Be careful not to give a distracting answer here by talking about returning to school or starting a family because such goals are not relevant to your future job. Your answer should be related to the specific position and company that you are interviewing with. Think about this question carefully before going to the interview. You can talk about the specific level in the company that you want to achieve. You might mention specific departments that you want to work in. You'll want to use phrases like "career path" and "additional responsibilities."
"So why did you leave your last job?" Or, "Why were you fired?" Yikes! You may have been hoping the interviewer wouldn't ask that question, but he probably will. Caution: don't speak badly of your last employer because the implication is that someday you may speak badly of this one. You've got to sound positive and clear when you make your response. For example, "I was becoming bored with the work and am looking for more challenges. There wasn't room for growth there, and I'm ready to move on to bigger challenges." Or also, "I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I'm ready for a new challenge." Also, "I was laid off when my department was eliminated and I'm looking for a growing, stable company." Or, "I wasn't considering a change but I saw this job posting and loved the exciting opportunity. It's a perfect match with my experience and qualifications." Or, "I was released because I should have done some things differently. I learned a lot from that and now I'm a better employee than I've ever been. I'm ready to prove myself."
You know that your employer is going to expect you to be as well prepared for your interview as you are for the job, so get seriously prepared. After all, good luck is little more than good preparation.
For more good information about the interview process please read and listen to "Twenty Something Style" about this related subject. It's a lively interview and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Facing the job interview is no different. One of the good things about a job interview is that many of the questions that will be asked can be anticipated ahead of time. That means that you have the opportunity to be well prepared, and being well prepared will not only make you feel more secure but will likely impress your employer. Here are some interview questions that you are wise to carefully consider.
"What is your greatest strength?" You should hope that the interviewer asks you this question because it is one of the easier questions and one which you can answer with pride and confidence. You'll want to pick out one or more strengths that match the job for which you are being interviewed. Describe the skills and experience that directly relate. For example, "I have constantly exceeded my sales goals and I've earned a bonus every year." Also, "I have great pride in my customer service abilities, and I'm able to resolve situations that could be difficult." Or, "I'm great with deadlines. I don't just meet deadlines; I prefer to complete the project ahead of the deadline."
Here's a more difficult question, "What do people most often criticize about you?" Hopefully you've thought about this in the past and have addressed those concerns so that you can answer, "There are no ongoing criticisms. I'm always open and always growing personally and professionally." If you choose to address a particular criticism be sure you stress that you have overcome the issue and that you are a better employee now than you have ever been in your life. Practice these responses so that you don't stumble over the question when it is asked.
The interviewer may want to see how you will fit in with the company's long range future goals and may ask, "What are your goals for the next 5 to 10 years?" Be careful not to give a distracting answer here by talking about returning to school or starting a family because such goals are not relevant to your future job. Your answer should be related to the specific position and company that you are interviewing with. Think about this question carefully before going to the interview. You can talk about the specific level in the company that you want to achieve. You might mention specific departments that you want to work in. You'll want to use phrases like "career path" and "additional responsibilities."
"So why did you leave your last job?" Or, "Why were you fired?" Yikes! You may have been hoping the interviewer wouldn't ask that question, but he probably will. Caution: don't speak badly of your last employer because the implication is that someday you may speak badly of this one. You've got to sound positive and clear when you make your response. For example, "I was becoming bored with the work and am looking for more challenges. There wasn't room for growth there, and I'm ready to move on to bigger challenges." Or also, "I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I'm ready for a new challenge." Also, "I was laid off when my department was eliminated and I'm looking for a growing, stable company." Or, "I wasn't considering a change but I saw this job posting and loved the exciting opportunity. It's a perfect match with my experience and qualifications." Or, "I was released because I should have done some things differently. I learned a lot from that and now I'm a better employee than I've ever been. I'm ready to prove myself."
You know that your employer is going to expect you to be as well prepared for your interview as you are for the job, so get seriously prepared. After all, good luck is little more than good preparation.
For more good information about the interview process please read and listen to "Twenty Something Style" about this related subject. It's a lively interview and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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