Tuesday 30 August 2011

Top 10 Interview Questions – Recap

Question 1. Tell me about yourself.
“Tell me about yourself” is a very common question, but it is also the question which most candidates do not do well on. The challenge is because it is normally the first question asked, job candidates miss an important opportunity to make a great first impression.
The good news is with some preparation and a lot of practice, you make a phenomenal first impression by answering this question well.
First, what not to do:
  1. Do not recite your resume or academic transcript. The interviewer can read your resumé.
  2. Do not ramble an answer. Since this is a very common question, candidates are expected to have a good, concise answer. Being caught-off guard with this question without a good answer shows recruiters that a candidate did not prepare properly.
  3. Do not give a common, boring response. Excite me. Interest me. You’re talking about yourself, so take the opportunity and promote yourself as to why the recruiter should hire you.
So, with that in mind, what should you say? Here are some ideas and tips:
  1. Talk about your passions. Why did you chose the degree you did at university? Why did you chose this career path. Let me get to know you beyond the resume and academic transcript.
  2. Talk about your goals. Why are you here? What about you and your personality excites you about my company and this job?
  3. Pick one or two KEY things and achievements about your background–the things that best define you and put you in the best light–and tell me about it. Don’t take too long, and as I said earlier, don’t tell me everything in your background. Just pick the two things you want me to know about you. What accomplishments are you most proud of? What defines you as a person? What motivates you? What was your best experience so far? Tell me that. And remember, it doesn’t have to be exclusively on the professional front. Some of the best answers I have heard from job candidates is when there were telling me about being captain of a sports team or a community group they were involved in. The important thing to remember is that your examples should show why you are a special and unique person I need to hire.
  4. Share your dreams and ambitions. Tell me an interesting story.
  5. Since this is a very common question, practice, practice, and then practice some more. Write out some ideas of key stories from your background, and then practice telling your story in a concise and entertaining manner. I strongly recommend practicing this with friends and family, and get their honest and candid feedback on your response. Be sure to ask what you can do better. Then try again.
  6. Keep the answer to a couple of minutes.
  7. Watch the body language of the interviewer. Are they interested in what you are saying? Are they smiling and listening intently?
The most important thing about this question is to make the recruiter like you. By sharing an enthusiastic story, speaking with passion about your experiences and yourself, you will be highly likable and most importantly, memorable.
The good news is since most people give a boring summary of their resume, you really have the opportunity to stand-out by being different and telling a story which is interesting and exciting.

Potential answer:

At a young age, I had a passion for technology, so when it came to select a course of study at my university, computer science was a natural decision. I have enjoyed studying for the past four years, and now look forward to not only continuing this education but also delivering world class solutions for companies. Outside of work, I enjoy group activities such as football and music.

2. What are your Greatest Strengths?

In asking this question the interviewer is simply trying to figure out whether you can do the job and whether you will fit in at the company.
To answer this question, focus on how your technical skills solve a problem the company has and may possibly benefit the company.

Potential answer:

I am very good at supervising and managing the members of our team and being the liaison with management. My team had a major project due and we hit a snag; our client had not made some necessary adjustments so the data migration was going to be delayed by three weeks. I split the team in half to focus one half on the current project while the other half dealt with the data issue. Ultimately, it worked perfectly. I kept our management team in the loop every step of the way and we came in 5% under budget and on time – under some really tough circumstances.

3. What Are Your Weaknesses?

By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to (a) screen out people who confess to weaknesses that are unacceptable given the position and (b) see how you deal with an uncomfortable question.
Answer this question by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths and giving a weakness that is also a strength. Be honest, but do not be absurdly blunt. Focus on professional traits, not personal traits, because professional traits can be learned.

Potential answer:

  • I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective presenter. I recently took a seminar at MIT on effective IT communication skills.
  • One of my weaknesses was to take on too many projects with too little time to complete to my high standards. I have learned to prioritize and set realistic goals. I am now more focused and productive professionally and personally.

4. Why Should We Hire You?

By asking this question the interviewer is trying to (a) see how prepared you are, (b) determine how you handle a problem, (c) see why you would help the company and (d) determine your real motivations for seeking employment.
To answer this question, relax, this is simply a chance for you to explain how your skills and abilities provide the employer with a benefit by giving examples.

Potential answer:

  • My research indicates you need someone with a help-desk background to reduce the call volume diverted to supervisor level employees. In my 4 years at ABC, I was able to reduce call volume by over 40%. I am confident while working with your team, we could significantly reduce call volume.
  • As we have discussed, your website is very static and needs new and creative approaches to compete in today’s market. To effectively compete, the site needs to be a database-backed site with dynamically generated content, like your competitor BGM, LLC. Working with you, I am confident we could do the same here to increase sales and drive more volume to our profit centers.

5. Why Do You Want to Work Here?

By asking this question the interviewer is (a) trying to determine that you have prepared and are not just interviewing because there is an available position and (b) trying to get a sense of the value you would add.
To answer this question, focus on how your experience allows you to solve a specific problem and give examples.

Potential answer:

I have always greatly admired ABC. After researching the company I came to admire it even more and understand that you are planning to expand into Europe and will need significant support here for the European team. Based on my experiences with XYZ in providing dedicated support for their European team, I am confident that I could bring new innovative solutions to help improve the performance and efficiency of the team. Exactly like the time I was responsible for integrating, rolling out and eventually supporting SDR4, XYZ’s own project management software.

6. What Are Your Goals?

By asking this question the interviewer is (a) giving you a chance to talk about your goals, (b) trying to see if you are a thoughtful, driven candidate and (c) trying to determine whether you fit within the organization.
To answer this question, again link your skills to the customers need and show how your goals benefit the company. Sometimes it is best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future.

Potential answer:

  • I have been looking for a position that will allow me to use C++. My primary goal was to find a company using C++ like yours. I may have some learning to do, but I hope that in six months I will be the person people turn to for the right answers. Ultimately, I look forward to managing projects.
  • My short-term goal is to come work with the team and finish Project Unicorn by using my knowledge of C++ to add functionality just like I did when XYZ put out HyperTee 2.0. My intermediate goal is to continue to build responsibility and move into a more senior position. Ultimately, I’d like to use my technical skills and leadership ability to manage a team that is building new and creative solutions that hit our bottom line.

7. Why Did You Leave (or Why Are You Leaving) Your Job?

By asking this question the interviewer is trying to (a) see if you will fit in, (b) see whether you will stay at the company for a suitable period of time, (c) determine if you are worth the company’s investment and (d) find out if there is anything wrong with you.
To answer this question, deal with the interviewer’s needs and state your reasons for leaving in a positive context.

Potential answer:

If you were laid off, show you were just one of many.
I joined the company because it was a startup and I would get a lot of opportunities to take on more responsibility quickly. Unfortunately, the rapid shift in the economy left us under-capitalized to properly market what ultimately will be a great product. Ultimately, for the survival of the company, management needed to reduce costs by eliminating the support team of which I was a key member.
If you were fired, show that you had a different approach than management.
I am a firm believer that all customers deserve the highest possible customer service experience even if it means being on the phone a little longer than my colleagues. My clients do not need to call back, because I take the extra time to resolve all their problems in one call. At times, going this extra mile affects my call times and the number of calls handled.
If you are a recent college graduate, show that you will fit in and that you are trainable.
  • My education has provided me with valuable job skills, but more importantly, it has equipped me with the foundation to learn skills quickly throughout my career. By learning a base set of programming languages, I now know how to pick up any new language rapidly. The best part of my education? It expanded my mind and opened me up to new ways of thinking.
  • By working in teams over the term of certain classes, I learned what makes teams tick and how to provide effective feedback that other members of the team can use.”
If you are simply switching companies, show that you will fit in, stick around and are worth the investment. For example:
Having originally joined XYZ out of college I realized that I would not have the opportunity to work in activities that hit their bottom line. I am now looking to work with you to use my buying and negotiating skills to cut costs within the IT department.

8. What do you like most about your job?

By asking this question, the interviewer wants to know (a) what motivates you and (b) about your work values.
To answer this question, stress the values held by the employer and focus on performance and getting the job done. Try to use examples.

Potential answer:

  • I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the programmers and solving their problems; that is an important part of the job for me.
  • I enjoy working with a team of competent, energetic and innovative professionals to develop and implement exciting projects. In the past year, I worked closely with one of our best project managers and learned a great deal about decision-making and implementing solutions on a tight deadline. I am looking forward to working in a similar environment that encourages team effort and initiative. Really though, most of all, I enjoy seeing the results of our efforts translated into satisfied customers and new projects.

9. What makes you unique?

By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to get at the core of why they should hire you over the other candidates – some of whom may look remarkably similar to you. Be prepared to take this key opportunity to emphasize why you are different.
Focus on your skills, abilities, qualifications and experiences that may be unique compared to the rest of your competition.

Potential answer:

If I look carefully at my experience at ABC, I know there is one thing that really stands out, I not only write code in a variety of different languages but I can communicate in a very clear and concise manner to management why changing code could contribute to the bottom line of the business. My ability to put complex technical requirements into plain English for non-technical members of the team allowed our team to outperform every single team at ABC.

10. Why are you looking for a new job?

In asking this question the interviewer is trying to determine whether you can do the job.
To answer this question, avoid blaming other people or circumstances and focus on your ability to bring skills relevant to a company problem and demonstrate these skills by providing a specific example.

Potential answer:

I love a challenge. I am looking for a position where I get a chance to put my skills to the test on a daily basis.

How to Write Great Resumes Part 2

How to Build an IT Résumé

Remember the hard work you put in at school studying, at work building a solid reputation and a valuable set of skills? If you want it to pay dividends and get you the right job, you need to convincingly tell your story in an attention-grabbing résumé.

RÉSUMÉ COMPONENTS

A standard IT résumé will consist of the following sections:
  • Header
  • Objective statement or summary of qualifications
  • Education
  • Certification
  • Technical Skills
  • Experience

The Header

Your résumé header should include:
  • Your name in bold type at least 2 points larger than type througout the rest of the document
  • Your mailing address including city, province/state and postal code
  • Telephone number – use a number that is used and “controlled” by you, exclusively, and that accepts voicemail that only you check. If you do not have a telephone where people can leave you messages which you can consistently retrieve, do include your telephone number. For example, if your forgetful 7-year-old sister is in charge of taking down all messages at your home – do not include that number. If you include a phone number, be sure to check your voicemail frequently. We recommend using a single telephone number so any and all voicemail messages are consolidated in a single location.
  • Email address – if your email address is silly, inappropriate or unprofessional (for example iamnotfunny@yahoo.com) get a new email address that you can use for professional purposes. An address based on a combination of your first and last name, possibly using punctuation such as underscores or hyphens to divide them, will seem both professional and customized to your identity.

Objective/Summary of Qualifications

Your résumé’s Objective Statement will be one of the first things an employer reads. Therefore, it presents your first and best chance to grab their attention, announcing to them that you are the best candidate for the job and that you bring solutions to current company challenges.
Do not fall into the traditional trap of telling the HR Recruiter that you would like:
“To obtain a position as a systems administrator that utilizes my experience and knowledge of administering optimized secure LANs.”
Instead use this objective statement to market yourself and convey a powerful message about what you offer, while stating the position for which you are applying. To write a powerful objective statement:
  • Avoid clichés such as “I am a hard worker.”
  • Be aggressive and creative, but do not lie. You must be honest and not overstate your abilities. If you do, you could end up in the wrong role and seriously damage your credibility. Portray your knowledge and abilities accurately—but confidently.
  • Include personal characteristics using key words that convey your soft-skills and personality traits, such as, for example: approachable, self-motivated, team player, team leader, personable, outgoing, leader, effective communicator, customer service skills, receptive, strong soft skills, motivator, positive influence, sales and marketing, professional. There are many, many more similarly powerful descriptors you can and should use. Find the ones that best encompass your greatest strengths.
  • Keep your objective short and concise.
  • If possible, highlight your key skills and traits identical to those listed in the company’s job description. Try, however, to rephrase and use enough synonyms to suggest you are not simply mimicking their statement of job requirements.
  • Use adjectives, terminology and phrases important to IT employers.
  • Do not try to be modest—writing your résumé is a rare chance to sing your own praises without seeming conceited.
  • Describe your relevant past experiences—work, volunteer, and extracurricular—in terms of duration, scope, responsibilities, accomplishments, and recognition.
  • Emphasize your soft-skills—especially if your professional work experience is somewhat thin.
Experienced candidates often find that an objective statement no longer than five or so lines works best. In it, one should attempt to accomplish many or all of the following:
  • Summarize your experience most closely related related to your job objective.
  • Demonstrate your understanding of the key components of the position – i.e. customer service, vendor management or team leadership.
  • Detail your skills which will enable you to effectively do the job – i.e. attention to detail, creative thinking, problem solving, etc.
  • Provide any educational background that complements your relevant professional experience.
  • Touch upon personal characteristics that contribute to making you a good choice for the position, i.e. self-motivated, creative, dedicated, proactive, works under pressure, etc.
Your objective statement can be formatted as either a paragraph or a list.
Because of the high volume of résumés that result from most every job posting, it is always a good idea to let the HR Recruiter know explicitly which open position for which you are applying. You can highlight the position title in the first instance where it appears in your objective statement by using a bold face font. For a great example, please refer to the Sample Experienced Résumé.

Education

When detailing your education, the key elements are: your college or university name, the official title of the degree you earned, your graduation year and, if it is impressive, your grade point average (GPA).

COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

Prestigious College
If you attended a prestigious college, list the name of the college first, then the degree, then the graduation year, then your GPA.
Cornell University, B.S. Computer Science, 2003 3.66/4.00 GPA

Normal or Non-Prestigious College
If you did not happen to attend a prestigious school, do not worry, list your degree, then the name of the school, then the graduation year, then your GPA. For example:
B.S. Computer Science, University of Phoenix, 2002 3.66 GPA
Degree
Typically include your degree and any relevant concentration. List any graduate degrees prior to any undergraduate degree.
If you attended college, but did not receive a degree from that school, note your studies relevant to the position for which you’re applying. For example:
Web Design and Programming, Cornell University 1999-2000
GPA
Whether to include your GPA on your résumé depends on how high/impressive it is and what in what country you hoping to work. In the U.S. you will want to include your GPA if it was 3.5 or above. In India, include your GPA if it is 7 or above. If you are unsure, ask a college placement officer. If you graduated more than 3 years ago, you may omit your GPA unless it was very impressive—the more time that has passed and the more professional work experience you have acquired, the less relevant your GPA will become.
Certifications
Certifications should be listed separately within the educational experience section of your résumé.  Remember, when listing certifications use the correct abbreviations. Many résumé-scanning programs will only register strictly correct abbreviations. If you want or need to fill space, feel free to write out the certification, completely and unabbreviated, followed by the correct abbreviation in parentheses.
Additional Course and Training
This is a good area of the résumé to point out your skills in other areas that make you more attractive as a candidate and help you stand out from the crowd.
Certifications:
CompTIA A+ Certification, Microsoft MCSE
Additional Courses and Training:
Exchange 2000 Server: Server Administration

Skills

After the summary section, the most relevant and important section of your résumé from the perspective of an HR Recruiter is the skills section. This should be incredibly detailed, concise and well organized.
Divide the section into subcategories so the reader can quickly scan through your knowledge of programs and applications. Possible categories include: hardware, software, operating systems, networking, office productivity, programming/languages, web applications and database applications. You should only list programs/applications that you could confidently discuss in an interview. Correctly formatted, a skills section would resemble the following:
Programming: HTML, Visual Basic 5, C++, Java, Java Script, ASP
Networking: Windows 2000/NT, Linux, FTP
Applications: SQL Server 7.0, Goldmine 4.0, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Writer, Corel WordPerfect
Design: Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft FrontPage.

How to Write Great Resumes Part 1

Your résumé is one of the best tools to assist you in getting the interviews that can lead to your best career opportunities. In this section, you will learn what it will take for you to create the best possible résumé to highlight and convey what you offer potential employers.

Research, Research, Research!

By this stage in your job search, you have no doubt noticed a pattern to the steps necessary to achieving success. Like every other major endeavor you will undertake as you pursue a great job with a great company, the creation and refinement of your résumé begins with crucial preparation in the form of research.

RESEARCH COMPANIES

To ensure that your résumé will set you apart from other candidates, you will need to tailor it to the specific company for whom you’d like to work. To do this, must be very familiar with each company you are applying to and understand for what they are looking.
Allow yourself ample time for this stage of the process—it can be time-intensive. The more time and effort you expend at the beginning of your job search, the more likely you will be to get an interview and ultimately, the more successful you will be in winning—then working in—your new position. By the time you’re hired, you will be amazed by how much you know about your industry and the companies driving it. In the long run, this knowledge will contribute to your professional growth. Here are some tips from our experts on how to research companies:

RESEARCH THE COMPANY

Research your selected potential employers and their industries until you can answer the following questions for each company with confidence and certainty:
  • What does the company do, make or offer the world?
  • Who is the typical customer of this company?
  • Who are the three leading companies in this company’s industry?
  • What are the similarities and differences between this company and its competitors?
  • How does the company match up against its competitors?
  • What key strategic and operational issues does the company face?
  • What does this company need to do to address those key issues?
  • Is this company growing or shrinking, focusing or diversifying?
  • How many employees does it have?
  • How many key locations/offices/facilities does it have?
  • Who are its major partners?
  • What differentiates this company from others?
  • Who is the management of this company?
  • Is management close to retiring?
  • What is the company’s reputation?
  • What kind of management structure does the company have?
  • What sorts of employees does it hire?
  • What is its corporate culture like?
  • What are its greatest accomplishments?
  • What are its greatest failures?
  • What is its financial condition?
  • What new things are the company pursuing? New products? New Services?

RESEARCH THE POSITION

  • Why did the person who previously held the position leave? Where did they go?
  • What is the detailed job description?
  • To whom does the position report?
  • What is important to know about the position?
  • What information should you bring to your interview for this position?

Resources for Researching Companies and Positions

There is a wealth of information out there that will allow you to research companies and gather the information you need to succeed. To get started:

COMPANY RESEARCH RESOURCES

  • Examine the company’s profile.
  • Look at trade journals that mention the company.
  • Review the company’s website(s) – especially employee message boards.
  • Browse relevant trade group sites.
  • Talk with people you know who work, or have worked, at the company.
  • Read any business articles you can find written about the company.
  • If it’s a publicly traded company, examine its investor information. An annual report, for instance, will provide you with a wealth of information.
  • Go to job fairs to learn about the company.
  • Attend any expos, conferences, training sessions, seminars and trade briefings that the company may conduct.
  • Go to your university career center and read as much as you can about the company.
  • Ask your professors and your placement officers, and other people you respect, about companies.

POSITION RESEARCH

Typically, there is not as much information available on specific job positions as on entire companies. To uncover the relevant information, you just may need to get creative. Some good ways to start are to:
  • Call the company and ask.
  • Ask your third-party recruiter, if you are working with one, get you the information.
  • Look at the company’s employee message board.
  • Have a friend or acquaintance who works at the company supply the information to you.
  • Review the job description on the Internet.

Understanding You Have Skills IT Employers Need

Before even considering approaching potential employers, you must first strive to understand your skills. Set aside some time—approximately two or three hours—to sit down and simply consider yourself. to begin, ask yourself the following questions and record your responses.

WHAT SKILLS AND OPERATIONAL ABILITIES DO I HAVE?

Technical Skills
Assess all of your technical skills including hardware, operating systems, network operating systems, networking, web development, web design, development, database development, database administration, telecom, applications, engineering, systems analysis, quality assurance, helpdesk and any other relevant technical skills.
Management Skills
Assess all of your management skills.
“Soft Skills”
Soft skills consist of your communication and other non-technical skills, including: your ability to communicate with people such as other members of your team, customers and management. These are skills that can set you apart from the crowd. Examples of soft skills are:
Written Communication skills
Your ability to clearly communicate your thoughts in written documents such as an email, letter, project proposal, progress report or application documentation.
Verbal Communication skills
Your ability to clearly communicate thoughts in conversations with people such as your supervisor, a customer or team member, and to groups of people.
Project management skills
Your ability to define, plan, organize, control and execute a range of complex interrelated tasks.
Presentation skills
Your ability to communicate a concept, speech or proposal clearly and succinctly to an audience.
Sales skills
Your ability to sell and convince others, whether it concerns an idea you have, your suitability for your next position, pitching an internal project, or selling to a client.
Meeting skills
Your ability to manage and facilitate orderly and efficient group interactions.
Leadership skills
Your ability to drive a project and team forward, by reaching consensus up and down the corporate hierarchy, directing the project managers, and properly allocating resources.
Problem solving skills
Your ability to efficiently and powerfully analyze and resolve problems and challenges.
Customer service skills
Your ability to meet the needs of customers in a way that creates or increases their loyalty to your company.
Self-direction skills
Your ability to take responsibility for a task and accomplish it in an efficient and logical way, requiring minimal leadership from your superiors.
Teamwork skills
Your ability to build a team and perform effectively as a team player while completing tasks and projects.
Management
Your ability to manage a group and mentor others.
Foreign Language
Your ability to speak or write in other languages is very valuable in the increasing global field of IT.
Vendor Management skills
Your ability to deal with and handle vendors from a cost and direction perspective.
Marketing skills
Your ability to think creatively about how to position products
Product Development skills
Your ability to direct the creation of new products and services, and to develop new applications for existing ones.
Financial/Business Modeling skills
Your ability to look at a business as a whole from a financial and a business perspective and to use your understanding to predict the impact of different alternative strategies and tactics.

WHAT ARE ALL THE JOBS I HAVE HAD AND WHAT IS MY RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE?

The exercise requires you to write a list of every position you have held at every company at which you’ve worked, including the title and dates of each. Next, summarize your primary responsibilities and accomplishments for each position.
If you cannot remember the details of your work history, conduct some research; look at old pay records, old job offer letters, even call former employers’ human resources offices.
Finally, review this newly minted Work History document with the stated requirements of the job position(s) for which you will applying. Look at each past job position, making notes on or highlighting the skills and requirements of each which best show you would be an excellent hire for the new position(s) which you will soon be pursuing.

Standing Out From the Crowd

Just like writing great code, writing a great résumé is as much an art as it is a science. A great IT résumé needs to do four things:
  1. It needs to get you noticed by the right company with the right opportunity for you.
  2. It needs to properly market you to that company.
  3. It needs to clear the screening process of the HR Recruiter, so you can receive the serious and deliberative consideration of the Hiring Manager.
  4. It needs to help you to get you an interview.

GETTING NOTICED

To get noticed and standout from the crowd, you need to follow two simple rules when preparing your résumé:
  • Believe in yourself and your abilities. Be confident! You will never get noticed unless you recognize your confidence, competitive nature and self-assuredness and let it show in the way you discuss youself, your skills, and your experience in writing. Having prepared your Skills and Experience Work History notes, you should be confident that you have skills and experience any company would be lucky to get.
  • Work to shape and manage your public image. Temporarily suppress your sense of modesty. Do not undersell yourself. Do not be ashamed or nervous about exhibiting a little pride. This can be counter-instinctual, but you can learn how to self-market.
It is important to remember and follow these two rules as you prepare your résumé.

How to Accept a Job Offer

Once you have an offer, you need to evaluate the position and the package you have negotiated and decide if it is the right fit for you. You may even have more than one offer you need to chose between.

Analyze the Offer

Your first task is to determine if the offer is the right one for you. To do this, you need to understand your needs and ambitions. Before analyzing a job offer, we strongly recommend your review your:
  • Skill set
  • Financial goals & needs
  • Short-term career goals
  • Long-term career goals
Once you have a firm understanding of your needs and goals, we recommend analyzing the job offer in four steps:
  1. First, analyze the company and the job offer to ensure it matches your personal goals:
    • Will you have to make sacrifices in terms of family commitments at the new job?
    • Will you have to travel for the new job?
    • Will you have to move for the new job?
    • Are you willing to work the hours required by the company?
    • Do you think you will like working with the people you met?
    • Will the culture and work environment bring out the best in you?
    • Will you enjoy going to work every day?
  2. Next, analyze the job offer and ensure it matches your career goals:
    • Does the job match up with your career goals?
    • Does the job seem challenging and interesting to you?
    • Does the job offer training that will help you to grow?
    • Does the position offer the opportunity of advancement?
  3. Finally, analyze if the company itself matches your career goals:
    • Does the company size and culture mesh with your career goals?
    • Does the company foster teamwork? Does this matter to you??
    • Does the company invest in developing its staff?

Make a Decision

Once you have analyzed all of this information, it is time to make your decision.
We recommend talking the job offer over with family and trusted friends to get their perspective. It is always helpful to have a fresh set of eyes review your opportunity and provide their perspective. But remember, you are the one who ultimately must do the job each and every day, so while it is important to listen to different perspectives, be sure to make the decision you make is yours alone.

Formally Accepting the Offer

Once you have decided to accept the offer, place a call or write an email or letter indicating your acceptance. In many cases, emailing your acceptance is more than suitable, but following it up with a mailed letter is a nice touch and it ensures the company received your notice of acceptance. But as always, if the company directs you on how to accept the offer, be sure to follow the instructions precisely.
If the company provided you with forms to complete and sign, by sure to do this promptly.
One final idea we recommend when appropriate: email the people you interviewed with and let them know you have accepted the job offer and are excited to begin working together.

Choosing Between Multiple Job Offers

Choosing between multiple job offers can be difficult and stressful. It is hard to turn away an opportunity.
At GILD, we recommend building a “decision matrix” which allows you to clarify how you want to make this choice so you can objectively compare the options. A decision matrix is very simply to build. Draw a table, and down the rows write the things that are important to you. Next, draw a column labeled “Priority.” In this column you should rank the list of items in order of importance. Finally, draw a column for each company. You are now ready to fill-out your decision matrix.

Golden Rules of Successful Interviewing

The following is a summary of the most important things to keep in mind while preparing for a job interview. Know them well and execute them competently and you will represent your strengths and potential as well as possible.

Do Your Research

This point cannot be overemphasized. Take time to research and deeply understand yourself and your skills, strengths and job preferences, the company for whom you would like to work, the industry in which that company competes, and, if possible, the people who will interview you. There are many excellent sources for such information; they include: industry periodicals and associations, general news media, online blogs, internet searches, online chat boards, job fairs, and casual conversation with current and former employees.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

The more you prepare for your interview, the more self-assured, competent, and well-prepared you will be.
Compose the questions you wish to ask, rehearse responses to questions you expect the interviewer to ask of you, and plan and prepare your interview outfit well in advance.
Don’t let the first time you answer a question – especially predictable questions – be in a live interview. Using the information found in PAC Career Coach, practice your responses to common questions by enlisting the help of a friend and conducting a mock or practice interview. Have your friend impersonate an interviewer, then switch roles so you can understand what the process feels like from the other person’s chair. It is very likely you will hear themes and often specific questions repeated within your practice interview. The more you hear and respond to those questions, the easier it will be to do so directly, concisely, and without hesitation once you begin the real job interview.

Be Organized

Know the exact time and location of the interview and how you will get there. Bring a nice folder or briefcase containing extra copies of your résumé and your list of references, a notepad, and multiple pens. Turn off your mobile phone prior to entering the building.

Dress Appropriately

Always dress in a conservative and sharp manner. Some interviewees underestimate the importance of a professional appearance, only to suffer as a result of their lax attention to detail. Prepare your clothes well before the interview to make sure they are clean and unwrinkled.

Arrive Early

Always arrive at the location of your interview ten minutes early. Allow plenty of extra time to accommodate any unexpected delays you may encounter on your way to the interview location. If you arrive more than ten minutes ahead of schedule, simply find a place nearby where you can relax and wait, possibly going over any last minute reviews or preparations. Also, it is best to think of the interview as starting the moment you leave your home. Treat everyone you encounter with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Be Confident and Passionate

Confidence comes from being prepared and from believing in your ability to bring value and competence to the job for which you are interviewing. You are selling yourself as the ideal candidate for the job and if you are not truly confident about yourself, you cannot expect the interviewer to be.
Being passionate is equally important. You must be passionate about accomplishing difficult things, about the company with whom you are interviewing, their industry, and the job position. People hire enthusiastic, qualified candidates. Show your confidence from the instant the interview starts with a firm handshake and direct eye contact. In your conversation with your interviewer, demonstrate your passion for your chosen profession, for working with others to solve interesting challenges, and for contributing to the success of the organization for which you work.

Listen

Always be sure to understand exactly what is being asked in the question, and try to understand what motivation or curiosity may be behind the question—what information about you the interviewer is attempting to discover. Sophisticated interviewers will rarely ask a direct question, especially if they anticipate a generic answer. You will be the one talking for the majority of the interview, as you respond to questions, so be careful to not talk over the interviewer, to let that person fully express themselves before beginning to respond. Also, remember that another way you can demonstrate your intelligence, familiarity with the business, and your priorities and values is in the questions you ask of the company representative.

Clear, Concise Answers Show Clear, Concise Thinking

During an interview, job candidates are commonly nervous. When nervous, job candidates can sometimes ramble on, fail to answer questions directly, or even forget or confuse the question they are answering.
A good answer usually has two parts: first, concisely answer the question in summary form. Then provide an example or how you arrived at or can justify the answer. Just be sure to remember that it is within the second part of the answer – when telling a story or giving an explanation – that candidates tend to go on tangents and/or lose focus, so be detailed with that part of your response, but not digressive.
As a general rule, answers should be about 60 seconds in length, and rarely go over 2 minutes. Of course, though, there will be valid exceptions to this rule. Paying attention to the body language of the interviewer—if they look distracted or impatient during one of your longer responses—you should take that as a signal to conclude that response reasonably quickly.

Provide Specific Examples

Professional interviewers believe the best predictor of future behavior is how a candidate has behaved in the past. Accordingly, prove your point or highlight your achievements by offering relevant, factually concise anecdotes of how you have addressed specific challenges in the past when discussing your approach to performing your job duties. And remember, it is usually within such examples that you can best give the interviewer a tangible sense of who you are and just how excited you are about working hard and solving problems. The more enthusiasm with which you relate stories of past accomplishments, the more excited your interviewer will probably be about the idea of adding you to their team.

Ask Insightful Questions

Asking great questions starts with great preparation. Be sure to have a list of questions before the interview, and try to ask some questions that reference or clarify or build on things the interviewer has told you. Also, it is often a good idea to ask a question or two that requires the interviewer to give their opinion, such as, “What do you like about working here?”

Follow-Up Promptly

Be sure to get the business card of every individual who interviews you, and follow-up with a thank-you email message or written note or letter to be sent no later than twenty-four hours after the interview. In your interview, be sure to reiterate why you want the job and why you believe yourself to be most qualified.

Sending A Thank You Note After The Interview

Sending a thank you note, either email or letter, after the interview can be the key to landing the job.  The thank you note allows you to better enhance your interactions you had with the interviewer and also displays your professionalism and interest in the job.

The thank you note is only effective if it is delivered in time to impact the hiring managers decision.  For that reason, the interviewer(s) must receive your thank you note within 24 hours after the job interview.

The most effective method is sending a thank you note via email.  Usually before you begin an interview, you will get a copy of the interview’s busniess card, and his or her email address will most likely be on the card.  Do not send the thank you note as an attachment, instead, write the thank you note in the body of the email.  Most people avoid opening attachments, so your thank you note may not get read.

An example of a sample Thank You Email

If you don’t readily have access to a computer, you can hand write a letter and drop it off in person.  Be sure to put your letter in an envelop and address it to the interviewer(s).  You will most likely end up giving the letter to the receptionist, so be polite and ask if he or she can pass the letter along in a timely manner.

An example of a sample Thank You Letter

How To Deal With Rejection

Getting rejected from a potential job is a common reality of conducting a job search. But, getting rejected can be viewed as a positive thing since if you never get rejected, it means you are not setting your goals high enough. Luckily, GILD can help you find other opportunities.

If you are turned down for a position, do not be upset. Instead, try to use the opportunity to learn what you could have done better, and to leave the door open to a future position within the company.
Always thank the employer for his or her time and consideration. In fact, we recommend following up with a letter thanking them for their time and consideration. Few candidates do this, and yet it is a great way to stand-out from the crowd and be remembered for future openings.
Try to find out from the company why you were not selected and what you could have done better. Many times recruiters will share feedback.

Do not, under any circumstance try to argue with the recruiter or say anything negative. You may want a job there in the future, and recruiters switch companies, so it is best to always act with professionalism.
Finally, always ask that your résumé be kept on file. If you leave a positive impression – especially if you send a thank you after receiving a rejection letter – you may be surprised at how quickly another opportunity at that company is presented to you.

Monday 22 August 2011

Top 10 Interview Question 10: Why are you looking for a new job?

Why are you looking for a new job?

In asking this question the interviewer is trying to determine whether you can do the job.
To answer this question, avoid blaming other people or circumstances and focus on your ability to bring skills relevant to a company problem and demonstrate these skills by providing a specific example.

Potential answer:

I love a challenge. I am looking for a position where I get a chance to put my skills to the test on a daily basis.

Worst Answer:
  • I am bored from my old job. 

Top 10 Interview Question 9: What Makes You Unique?

What makes you unique?

By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to get at the core of why they should hire you over the other candidates – some of whom may look remarkably similar to you. Be prepared to take this key opportunity to emphasize why you are different.
Focus on your skills, abilities, qualifications and experiences that may be unique compared to the rest of your competition.

Potential answer:

If I look carefully at my experience at ABC, I know there is one thing that really stands out, I not only write code in a variety of different languages but I can communicate in a very clear and concise manner to management why changing code could contribute to the bottom line of the business. My ability to put complex technical requirements into plain English for non-technical members of the team allowed our team to outperform every single team at ABC.

Worst Answer:
  • My Height
  • My dressing.
  • I am very intelligent. 

Top 10 Interview Question 8: What do You Like Most About Your Job?

What do you like most about your job?

By asking this question, the interviewer wants to know (a) what motivates you and (b) about your work values.
To answer this question, stress the values held by the employer and focus on performance and getting the job done. Try to use examples.

Potential answer:

  • I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the programmers and solving their problems; that is an important part of the job for me.
  • I enjoy working with a team of competent, energetic and innovative professionals to develop and implement exciting projects. In the past year, I worked closely with one of our best project managers and learned a great deal about decision-making and implementing solutions on a tight deadline. I am looking forward to working in a similar environment that encourages team effort and initiative. Really though, most of all, I enjoy seeing the results of our efforts translated into satisfied customers and new projects.
Worst Answer:
  • Facebook, Chatting etc is allowed there.
  • There is no workload.

Top 10 Interview Question 7: Why Did You Leave Your Job?

7. Why Did You Leave (or Why Are You Leaving) Your Job?

By asking this question the interviewer is trying to (a) see if you will fit in, (b) see whether you will stay at the company for a suitable period of time, (c) determine if you are worth the company’s investment and (d) find out if there is anything wrong with you.
To answer this question, deal with the interviewer’s needs and state your reasons for leaving in a positive context.

Potential answer:

If you were laid off, show you were just one of many.
I joined the company because it was a startup and I would get a lot of opportunities to take on more responsibility quickly. Unfortunately, the rapid shift in the economy left us under-capitalized to properly market what ultimately will be a great product. Ultimately, for the survival of the company, management needed to reduce costs by eliminating the support team of which I was a key member.
If you were fired, show that you had a different approach than management.
I am a firm believer that all customers deserve the highest possible customer service experience even if it means being on the phone a little longer than my colleagues. My clients do not need to call back, because I take the extra time to resolve all their problems in one call. At times, going this extra mile affects my call times and the number of calls handled.
If you are a recent college graduate, show that you will fit in and that you are trainable.
  • My education has provided me with valuable job skills, but more importantly, it has equipped me with the foundation to learn skills quickly throughout my career. By learning a base set of programming languages, I now know how to pick up any new language rapidly. The best part of my education? It expanded my mind and opened me up to new ways of thinking.
  • By working in teams over the term of certain classes, I learned what makes teams tick and how to provide effective feedback that other members of the team can use.”

If you are simply switching companies, show that you will fit in, stick around and are worth the investment. For example:
Having originally joined XYZ out of college I realized that I would not have the opportunity to work in activities that hit their bottom line. I am now looking to work with you to use my buying and negotiating skills to cut costs within the IT department.


Worst Answer:
  • I was fired.
  • I am not able to work properly. 

Top Ten Interview Question 6: What Are Your Goals?

Number 6. What Are Your Goals?

By asking this question the interviewer is (a) giving you a chance to talk about your goals, (b) trying to see if you are a thoughtful, driven candidate and (c) trying to determine whether you fit within the organization.
To answer this question, again link your skills to the customers need and show how your goals benefit the company. Sometimes it is best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future.

Potential answer:

  • I have been looking for a position that will allow me to use C++. My primary goal was to find a company using C++ like yours. I may have some learning to do, but I hope that in six months I will be the person people turn to for the right answers. Ultimately, I look forward to managing projects.
  • My short-term goal is to come work with the team and finish Project Unicorn by using my knowledge of C++ to add functionality just like I did when XYZ put out HyperTee 2.0. My intermediate goal is to continue to build responsibility and move into a more senior position. Ultimately, I’d like to use my technical skills and leadership ability to manage a team that is building new and creative solutions that hit our bottom line.
Worst Answer:
  • Become a famous developer, designer, etc.
  • Open my own organization.

Top 10 Interview Question 5: Why Do You Want To Work Here?

Number 5. Why Do You Want to Work Here?

By asking this question the interviewer is (a) trying to determine that you have prepared and are not just interviewing because there is an available position and (b) trying to get a sense of the value you would add.
To answer this question, focus on how your experience allows you to solve a specific problem and give examples.

Potential answer:

I have always greatly admired ABC. After researching the company I came to admire it even more and understand that you are planning to expand into Europe and will need significant support here for the European team. Based on my experiences with XYZ in providing dedicated support for their European team, I am confident that I could bring new innovative solutions to help improve the performance and efficiency of the team. Exactly like the time I was responsible for integrating, rolling out and eventually supporting SDR4, XYZ’s own project management software.

Worst Answer:
  • I want to switch to another company.

10 Answers You Should Know Before Your Job Interview


  1. Tell me about yourself.
    Chances are the employer doesn’t want to know how much you weighed when you were born, when you learned to tie your shoes, or how much you had to drink last night. He or she wants to know how you would fit into the company and what your relevant job experience is. You might answer by asking the interviewer what he’d like to know. Or you might talk about your education, the fact that you’re a team player, or whatever you think might be important to this particular company.
  2. Why should we hire you?
    Even though five people may be waiting outside, you need to sound confident, calm, and capable. Explain how your experience has prepared you for the job. Emphasize the qualities you think the employer is looking for, such as your outstanding work ethic or the fact that you’re a fast learner.
  3. What is your worst characteristic?
    Some human resource specialists suggest that you make a virtue sound like a flaw. “I tend to be a perfectionist,” or, “Everyone says I work too hard.” But others say these answers have become clichés. Mention a minor flaw, such as, “I think I’m too outspoken at times, but I’m working on it.”
  4. Where do you want to be five years from now?
    Let the interviewer know you’re looking for job stability and that you aren’t planning to use this job as a temporary stopping point in your quest for a better position. You
    could say, “I’d like to be employed in a small company like this one, where I can learn,
    contribute, and advance.”
  5. Why did you leave your last job?
    Never put your former employer or your co-workers in a negative light. Don’t blame them for your departure. Give a positive reason, such as you left to take advantage of another opportunity that was better suited to your skills.
  6. Tell me about a problem you had in your life and how you solved it.
    Be prepared with a short answer that shows you’re resourceful. “I really wanted to go to a private university, but my parents didn’t have the money. I went to a community college for two years, worked part time and saved my money so I could attend the last two years at the college of my choice.”
  7. Have you had difficulties getting along with supervisors or co-workers?
    You’d have to be a saint to have had no problems with the people you worked with. You might answer, “Nothing major. I try to get along with everyone.”
  8. How do you deal with stress on the job?
    The employer wants to know if you’re going to run out the door when things get stressful. Ask yourself if you thrive on working with deadlines or if you need creative time to function more effectively. Think about how you handle stress and be honest. “I focus on the work I’m doing,” or, “I make time to work out at the gym.”
  9. What salary do you want for this job?
    Rather than stating a definite figure, tell the interviewer you’d expect to get somewhere in the standard range paid for this position.
  10. Do you have questions for me?
    Always have a few questions. They show that you researched the company. Ask about a
    current issue the company is working on or how their recent layoff in another department
    affected company morale.
Remember-- the job interview is a two-way discovery process. By doing your homework and answering interview questions intelligently, you’re striving to prove you’re the person for the job On the other hand, you need to decide--sometimes in the midst of the questions---if the position you’re applying for is what you want to do and if the company is where you want to spend most of your time for the next few (at least) years.

Top 10 Interview Question 4: Why Should We Hire You?

Number 4. Why Should We Hire You?
By asking this question the interviewer is trying to (a) see how prepared you are, (b) determine how you handle a problem, (c) see why you would help the company and (d) determine your real motivations for seeking employment.
To answer this question, relax, this is simply a chance for you to explain how your skills and abilities provide the employer with a benefit by giving examples.

Potential answer:
  • My research indicates you need someone with a help-desk background to reduce the call volume diverted to supervisor level employees. In my 4 years at ABC, I was able to reduce call volume by over 40%. I am confident while working with your team, we could significantly reduce call volume.
  • As we have discussed, your website is very static and needs new and creative approaches to compete in today’s market. To effectively compete, the site needs to be a database-backed site with dynamically generated content, like your competitor BGM, LLC. Working with you, I am confident we could do the same here to increase sales and drive more volume to our profit centers.
Worst Answer
  • I'am qualified for this positions.
  • I've answered all the interview questions.

5 Tips to Acing An Interview

1. Be Unique

This is by far, the biggest tip I can give anyone who's looking for a job and I'll tell you why it works: Everyone looks the same on paper. Anyone reviewing your resume has also reviewed hundreds of other resumes, both in relation to the job you're applying for as well as any other positions they might have open. As a result, they've seen the words "Objective" and "Work Experience" more times than they can count and honestly, it all becomes a haze after a while.
So here's what you do — you stand out. You don't look like everyone else. Maybe you accomplish this with a not-so-standard kind of paper or something equally as subtle. As for me? I went all out. I created a website with a fun "10 Reasons You Should Hire Me" quiz and turned my resume into a full-color tri-fold brochure.
Yes, there were times when someone else was just clearly more qualified than I was for the job but I'll tell you this — I ALWAYS got a call-back for that coveted interview and even in the instances where I didn't get the job, I almost always got offered a different position in the company. Why? Because they liked me too much to just let me go somewhere else.

2. Learn the Art of Resume B.S.

There is truly an art to writing a resume, and if you're not sure of where the line between fact and fiction lies, here it is: While you should never blatantly lie on your resume, it is acceptable and even expected to make your previous positions sound absolutely amazing.
It doesn't matter how menial, how common or entry-level that position might have been — you were an expert at it and turned it into an important component of the company.
I once reviewed a resume for a girl who had a position that sounded something like this:
"...responsible for managing all corporate duplication equipment and overseeing document distribution for Fortune 500 firm..."
Her job? She was a copy clerk. And I knew that when I read her resume. But she obviously took her job very seriously and anyone who can make something that impressive out of a copy clerk position was worth another look. Incidentally, I hired her.

3. Never Say Can't

Along the same lines as Rule #2, while you don't want to commit yourself to skills you truly don't have, there are ways to diffuse a lack of knowledge in a particular area.
Instead of saying "I don't know how to do that" or "I don't have that skill" say something like "I haven't used that particular software/system but I have used X, Y, and Z so I'm sure I'll have no problem." The point is to replace "can't" with something more positive such as "I can learn it," "I can do it," "I can figure it out."

4. Look 'Em In The Eye

During one of my stints in Corporate America, our CEO ordered every employee to attend an on-site course on Business Communication. Most of the seminar revolved around identifying personality types and learning to match your conversation to the other person's natural type. It was interesting, but what really stood out for me was the coach's tip to always look people in the eye. It conveys the trustworthiness and confidence that prospective employers look for.
This is actually harder than it sounds, especially when you're nervously trying to close a big deal or in this case, make it through an interview. So here's the tip I learned, one that has served me well: If looking them in the eye makes you uncomfortable, look at the bridge of their nose instead. They can't tell the difference and you'll come across as being direct, honest and confident.
And while you're staring at the bridge of their nose, lean in (conveys interest in the conversation) and be animated. Smile, show concentration, even surprise if they tell a story that calls for it. The goal here is to turn your interview into an enjoyable, invigorating "meeting."

5. Use a Strength as Your Weakness

It's not unusual for your interview to include some probing questions, such as "What is your biggest strength?" and the more dreaded "What is your biggest weakness?"
Most people have an easy time talking about their strengths but what on Earth should you say about your weakness? The answer? Pick a strength and talk about its downside.

How to Answer 23 of the Most Common Interview Questions

1. So, tell me a little about yourself.
I'd be very surprised if you haven't been asked this one at every interview. It's probably the most asked question because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking. Be careful not to give the interviewer your life story here. You don't need to explain everything from birth to present day. Relevant facts about education, your career and your current life situation are fine.

2. Why are you looking (or why did you leave you last job)?
This should be a straightforward question to answer, but it can trip you up. Presumably you are looking for a new job (or any job) because you want to advance your career and get a position that allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It's not a good idea to mention money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if you are in the unfortunate situation of having been downsized, stay positive and be as brief as possible about it. If you were fired, you'll need a good explanation. But once again, stay positive.

3. Tell me what you know about this company.
Do your homework before you go to any interview. Whether it's being the VP of marketing or the mailroom clerk, you should know about the company or business you're going to work for. Has this company been in the news lately? Who are the people in the company you should know about? Do the background work, it will make you stand out as someone who comes prepared, and is genuinely interested in the company and the job.

4. Why do you want to work at X Company?
This should be directly related to the last question. Any research you've done on the company should have led you to the conclusion that you'd want to work there. After all, you're at the interview, right? Put some thought into this answer before you have your interview, mention your career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and career plans.

5. What relevant experience do you have?
Hopefully if you're applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that's the case you should mention it all. But if you're switching careers or trying something a little different, your experience may initially not look like it's matching up. That's when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management positions, and so on.

6. If your previous co-workers were here, what would they say about you?
Ok, this is not the time for full disclosure. If some people from your past are going to say you're a boring A-hole, you don't need to bring that up. Stay positive, always, and maybe have a few specific quotes in mind. "They'd say I was a hard worker" or even better "John Doe has always said I was the most reliable, creative problem-solver he'd ever met."

7. Have you done anything to further your experience?
This could include anything from night classes to hobbies and sports. If it's related, it's worth mentioning. Obviously anything to do with further education is great, but maybe you're spending time on a home improvement project to work on skills such as self-sufficiency, time management and motivation.

8. Where else have you applied?
This is a good way to hint that you're in demand, without sounding like you're whoring yourself all over town. So, be honest and mention a few other companies but don't go into detail. The fact that you're seriously looking and keeping your options open is what the interviewer is driving at.

9. How are you when you're working under pressure?
Once again, there are a few ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work well under pressure, you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually PREFER working under pressure. If you say you crumble like aged blue cheese, this is not going to help you get your foot in the door.

10. What motivates you to do a good job?
The answer to this one is not money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life's noble pursuits. You want recognition for a job well done. You want to become better at your job. You want to help others or be a leader in your field.

11. What's your greatest strength?
This is your chance to shine. You're being asked to explain why you are a great employee, so don't hold back and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who thrives under pressure, a great motivator, an amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention to detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone under the table or get a top score on Mario Kart, keep it to yourself. The interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.

12. What's your biggest weakness?
If you're completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don't have one, you're obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like "I'm perhaps too committed to my work and don't spend enough time with my family." Oh, there's a fireable offense. I've even heard "I think I'm too good at my job, it can often make people jealous." Please, let's keep our feet on the ground. If you're asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you're working hard to improve. Example: "I've been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I've been spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress."

13. Let's talk about salary. What are you looking for?
Run for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an interview. Even if you know the salary range for the job, if you answer first you're already showing all your cards. You want as much as possible, the employer wants you for as little as you're willing to take. Before you apply, take a look at salary.com for a good idea of what someone with your specific experience should be paid. You may want to say, "well, that's something I've thought long and hard about and I think someone with my experience should get between X & Y." Or, you could be sly and say, "right now, I'm more interested in talking more about what the position can offer my career." That could at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation. But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident that you can get it, I'd say go for it. I have on many occasions, and every time I got very close to that figure (both below and sometimes above).

14. Are you good at working in a team?
Unless you have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you'll always answer YES to this one. It's the only answer. How can anyone function inside an organization if they are a loner? You may want to mention what part you like to play in a team though; it's a great chance to explain that you're a natural leader.

15. Tell me a suggestion you have made that was implemented.
It's important here to focus on the word "implemented." There's nothing wrong with having a thousand great ideas, but if the only place they live is on your notepad what's the point? Better still, you need a good ending. If your previous company took your advice and ended up going bankrupt, that's not such a great example either. Be prepared with a story about an idea of yours that was taken from idea to implementation, and considered successful.

16. Has anything ever irritated you about people you've worked with?
Of course, you have a list as long as your arm. But you can't say that, it shows you as being negative and difficult to work with. The best way to answer this one is to think for a while and then say something like "I've always got on just fine with my co-workers actually."

17. Is there anyone you just could not work with?
No. Well, unless you're talking about murderers, racists, rapists, thieves or other dastardly characters, you can work with anyone. Otherwise you could be flagged as someone who's picky and difficult if you say, "I can't work with anyone who's a Bronco's fan. Sorry."

18. Tell me about any issues you've had with a previous boss.
Arrgh! If you fall for this one you shouldn't be hired anyway. The interviewer is testing you to see if you'll speak badly about your previous supervisor. Simply answer this question with extreme tact, diplomacy and if necessary, a big fat loss of memory. In short, you've never had any issues.

19. Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?
It's not a very fair question is it? We'd all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but that's rare indeed. It's fine to say money is important, but remember that NOTHING is more important to you than the job. Otherwise, you're just someone looking for a bigger paycheck.

20. Would you rather be liked or feared?
I have been asked this a lot, in various incarnations. The first time I just drew a blank and said, "I don't know." That went over badly, but it was right at the start of my career when I had little to no experience. Since then I've realized that my genuine answer is "Neither, I'd rather be respected." You don't want to be feared because fear is no way to motivate a team. You may got the job done but at what cost? Similarly, if you're everyone's best friend you'll find it difficult to make tough decisions or hit deadlines. But when you're respected, you don't have to be a complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job done.

21. Are you willing to put the interests of X Company ahead of your own?
Again, another nasty question. If you say yes, you're a corporate whore who doesn't care about family. If you say no, you're disloyal to the company. I'm afraid that you'll probably have to say yes to this one though, because you're trying to be the perfect employee at this point, and perfect employees don't cut out early for Jimmy's baseball game.

22. So, explain why I should hire you.
As I'm sure you know, "because I'm great" or "I really need a job" are not good answers here. This is a time to give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just so happen to match the job description. It's also good to avoid taking potshots at other potential candidates here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not other people's flaws.

23. Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?
I'll finish the way I started, with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This directly relates to the research you've done on the company and also gives you a chance to show how eager and prepared you are. You'll probably want to ask about benefits if they haven't been covered already. A good generic one is "how soon could I start, if I were offered the job of course." You may also ask what you'd be working on. Specifically, in the role you're applying for and how that affects the rest of the company. Always have questions ready, greeting this one with a blank stare is a rotten way to finish your interview. Good luck and happy job hunting.
 

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