Prepare Your Interview Answers

Interviews are more important than CVs since they are the real criterion upon which the final say about your personality and whether or not you are the right person for the job is detected.

To give a top-notch interview, you need to know the answers to three critical questions:
- Why do I want this job?
- What do I have to offer?
- What else do I need to know?

1) Why do I want this job?
Employers aren't just looking for bodies to fill in vacant positions. They want people who can bring something new and valuable to their business.

Research the employer. The only way you can prove to an interviewer that you've got what it takes is to show that you know exactly what his/her organization does. Find out as much as you can.

When you really know the answer to "Why do I want this job?" you'll be able to answer some important interview questions such as:

- How did you become interested in this field?
- Why did you submit your application to our company/organization?
- What are your general career interests?
- What do you see yourself doing in five years?
 

2) What do I have to offer?

Employers want to know why they should hire you. To find out, they ask a variety of questions to help them find out who you are and what you can do. To be prepared, review your experiences at work, at school and in volunteer activities.

- Keep a mental list of your accomplishments.
- Think about challenges you've faced and how you dealt with them.
- Remember times that you've been a problem-solver.
- Consider mistakes that you've made as learning experiences.
 

General questions you could be asked:
- What skills/strengths do you bring to this position?
- How will you contribute to our organization?
- What was your most important job accomplishment?
- Why did you leave your last job?*
- What are your weaknesses?*

*Would you have difficulty answering these last two questions? Honesty is important, but the way you phrase the answer can mean the difference between getting the job or losing it.
 

1. Can you tell me something about yourself?
This question is aimed at finding out what kind of person you are, not merely about your job skills. Mention your personal strengths, interests and abilities.

2. Have you ever done this kind of work before?
You should never say "No." Since no two jobs are the same, the interviewer wants to know if you can learn to do the job in a reasonable amount of time. Discuss:
- Your workplace skills.
- Your education/training in relation to the job, any relevant non-paid experience, and how quickly you have learned that type of work in the past.
- Experiences that demonstrate your ability to learn--to show that you will be able to quickly pick up the skills required.
 

3. Why do you want to work here?
The interviewer wants to ensure that you'll be satisfied with the job and likely to stay. This question also demonstrates if you've researched the company. Mention as many positive features about the job, company or organization as you can.

4. Why did you leave your last job/want to leave your present job?
The interviewer is trying to determine whether you had previous work problems. Don't say anything negative about your previous/present company or supervisor. Here are some suggestions for answering this question:

·        "I need a career change."

·        "I would like a job that suits my skills better."

·        "I'm seeking more challenges in my work life."

5. What kind of salary are you expecting?

The interviewer wants to determine whether your expectations are too high. You can mention a salary range. Stating an exact figure may harm your chances. You also have the right to ask: "What is the range of salary for this position?"

6. Why should we hire you instead of someone else?

The interviewer is asking you to help them make a decision. If you hesitate or can think of only one or two reasons, then they will feel that the reasons are not clear or sufficient. List your skills and positive characteristics.

7. How much were you absent from your last job?

The interviewer wants to know about your dependability. Discuss your past attendance record and give assurance of your future reliability.

8. When are you available for work?

The interviewer wants hard facts here. He/she may be juggling various candidates and the needs of the organization. However, you may not be able to commit yourself to a firm date. Perhaps you are uncertain about the job, have scheduling problems, or are waiting to hear about other job opportunities. If this is the case:

·        Ask when the organization expects someone to start.

·        If you can't make that date, tell the employer that you will have a better idea in xxx days.

·        Don't go into details about why you can't start right away.

·        Don't express hesitation or you may not get a job offer.

9. What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?

The interviewer wants to get a sense of who you are and your self-image.

·        Highlight your most positive attributes.

·        Use examples to illustrate your positive qualities and how they apply to work.

·        In discussing weaknesses, talk about things which you recognize and have taken steps to improve.

·        Don't make general negative comments about yourself.

10. What five words would you say describe you best?

The interviewer wants to get a sense of who you are and your self-image. Select only positive aspects.

11. What was your last employer's opinion of you?

The interviewer is trying to determine whether you had previous work problems. Your best answer is to have an open letter of recommendation from your last employer, which you can summarize and show to the interviewer.

If you don't have a letter:

·        List the positive things your employer would say about you.

·        Supply the interviewer with a list of references, including phone numbers.

12. What are your long-range goals?

The interviewer wants to ensure that the job will suit you. State your goals and demonstrate why the job is a good match by saying that:

·        You like the organization.

·        You hope to become a valuable employee.

·        You believe the job will be an interesting challenge.

·        You want to make an effective contribution to the organization.

Career tip: You can ask about the possibility of promotion. But be cautious about focusing too much on this topic. The interviewer may think that you will be dissatisfied with the job you're applying for.

13. What kind of machines/software can you operate?

This question indicates that skills in this area are very important. You should express your experience and capability.

·        Be as specific as possible about your expertise.

·        If you haven't had experience with the equipment required, describe similar machines/software you've worked with.

14. Can you work under pressure or tight deadlines?

The interviewer is indicating that this job may be stressful.

·        Talk about several examples where you met deadlines.

·        Show how capable you were in rising to the occasion.

·        Indicate that you didn't mind the stress and, if it was the case, even enjoyed it!

15. What do you think of working in a group?

The interviewer wants to get a sense of your ability to get along well with others:

·        Discuss the advantages of working in a group.

·        Be prepared to give concrete examples of your experience of teamwork.

16. Would you be willing to work as a temporary or contract employee?

Temporary/contract work is a viable alternative to permanent employment. If you're thinking about the "negatives," also consider the "positives." It would give you the chance to:

·        Get your foot in the door.

·        Prove yourself and possibly get a permanent position.

·        Gain valuable new experiences.

·        Gain additional job references and more content for your résumé.

Behaviour description questions

These questions test your ability to deal with work-related incidents. For example:

      - Can you tell us about a school or work situation where you recognized a problem and took action to correct it?

     - Give us an example of a presentation you made at work/school? How did you research it? What were your findings and conclusions?

     - Can you describe a group situation where you were the only person who disagreed with a point of view or action? How did you handle it? What were the results?

When you get a question like this, answer it as if you were telling a story and:

·        Identify the skill that your story demonstrates.

·        Identify the situation in which you used the skill.

·        Describe your actions.

·        Describe the results of your actions.

3)  What else do I need to know?

One of the final questions you'll be asked in an interview is: "Is there anything you would like to know about the organization or the job?"

Answering "No" sends the wrong signals--that you're not really interested in the organization, don't know what's important to you in an employee/employer relationship, or lack confidence and assertiveness. Here are some questions you should be prepared to ask.

            ·   About the job
      ·   What is the size of the department/branch/section?

·   Do you have a training program? Could you please describe it?

·   What are my opportunities for advancement?

·   What is the salary range for this position?

            ·    About the person you would be working for

            ·    Who would I report to directly?

·    How long has he/she been with the company?

·    What is their background?

            ·    About the company

            ·    What is the management philosophy?

·    What are the company's goals and how will they affect employees?

·    Does the company have plans for expansion or reduction?

** What are Employers Looking For?

Employers need your specific work skills: what you're qualified to do such as build houses, translate text, or provide service to customers. But, they are also looking for other kinds of workplace skills.

For example, are you a good listener, great at organizing events, or a terrific problem-solver? Or, perhaps, you're enthusiastic, give 110% all of the time, and never give up? Then you have the kind of skills/traits that employers are seeking.

How do people develop these skills/traits? Through experiences:

·        in the family

·        with friends

·        in their community

·        as a volunteer

·        as a worker

·        in their leisure activities