Employing professionals is no more an easy job, neither for the recruiter nor for the applicant, with hundreds of students graduating every year from one single college. The applicant to job ratio has shown a tremendous growth over the passing years. The employer has to make his choice with their limited vacancies from the many applicants as per their need for the post. So, what makes them stand out in the crowd? Is it their qualifications, job experience, exceptional talent or rather how they project it? Well, it is needless to say that a good packaging always attracts attention.
Why, do you think a recruiter will pick up your curriculum vitae amongst so many on his table? The answer is he finds it attractive. Yes, the key to your next step to the job position is getting that attention. So get set to get some CV advice to build a profressional yet attractive CV.
The first CV advice is that you should always keep in mind that the CV you are about to write is for the recruiter and not yourself. Therefore you will have to know about the company, position and the product you wish to work for. Get into the recruiter’s shoes and then design your curriculum vitae.
A vitae, CV or curriculum vitae is described as a written description of your past work experience, educational qualifications, related skills and personal details so the recruiter can find out about you well in advance and decide whether or not you should be interviewed. The word “curriculum vitae” is Latin in origin which literally means “course of life”. It is a “living document” that reveals the progress in one’s professional career and therefore needs to be reorganized regularly.
An important piece of CV advice that most professional writers give, is that it is not necessary to include everything in the CV. For the CV to be precise, effective and interesting one needs to include only those experiences, projects and qualifications that relate the most to the job opening. Try and show how you contributed to the growth of the previous organisation by quantifying your achievements. Unless you are a fresh graduate, mention your work experience before your educational qualifications, beginning from the most recent one along with the time duration and designation you worked in.
Try and keep your resume short as a lengthy CV could be time consuming and boring. Keep the length of your CV one or two pages long depending on an individual’s related work experience and other details. Use readable font size and make the points bold that you want the recruiter to pay extra attention to and bullet point each detail for quick viewing.
It is completely an individual’s judgement on how he wants their CV to look, but seeking advice from a professional CV writer is always an added advantage.
Article written by Mike Kelley (CV Writer). You can see more about writing CVs and download some professional CV templates at http://www.cv-service.org/
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Write a good job application - tips and tricks
Tips on writing an Application Letter
- Writing a Job Application!
Your application is the first contact you will have with an employer. The employer will use it to help decide if you are suitable for the job and if they would like to give you an interview.
It is most important to take time and care with your application. Make it look good and make sure all the information is clear and easy to read. Make sure you use paper that is size A4.
The Application Letter
There are many ways you can write a letter for a job. One way is, your address, phone number and the date must be on the letter. Always address the letter to the person named in the add. If there is no name mentioned write Sir/Madam or phone the company and get the correct name. When you write the letter put in the following information.
If your letter starts with Sir/Madam, always end with Yours faithfully. If you start with a person's name end Yours sincerely. Sign your name and have your name printed underneath.
An example of a letter is
72 Smith Street
Homeville 1234
3 March 2012
The Manager
Presentations Are Us
PO Box 782
Showtown4321
Dear Sir/Madam
Please accept my application for the position of Sales Representative as advertised in the Showtown News on 14 February 2012.
I am currently working as a Sales Representative for Homeway Productions and am keen to obtain a full time position. I hold a certificate in Sales and am prepared to undergo further training if necessary. Please find enclosed my résumé in support of my application.
I am confident my skills and previous work experience will enable me to perform the duties of the position well. I am available for an interview at a time convenient to you and can be contacted by telephone on (05) 7286 3159.
Yours faithfully
Caroline Nielsen
Things To Remember Before writing an application,
Your application is the first contact you will have with an employer. The employer will use it to help decide if you are suitable for the job and if they would like to give you an interview.
It is most important to take time and care with your application. Make it look good and make sure all the information is clear and easy to read. Make sure you use paper that is size A4.
The Application Letter
There are many ways you can write a letter for a job. One way is, your address, phone number and the date must be on the letter. Always address the letter to the person named in the add. If there is no name mentioned write Sir/Madam or phone the company and get the correct name. When you write the letter put in the following information.
- Contents Refer to the job and where and when you saw it advertised.
- Put in any information about work you have done before.
- Give your telephone number in the letter.
- Close your letter by saying how suitable you are for the job.
If your letter starts with Sir/Madam, always end with Yours faithfully. If you start with a person's name end Yours sincerely. Sign your name and have your name printed underneath.
An example of a letter is
72 Smith Street
Homeville 1234
3 March 2012
The Manager
Presentations Are Us
PO Box 782
Showtown4321
Dear Sir/Madam
Please accept my application for the position of Sales Representative as advertised in the Showtown News on 14 February 2012.
I am currently working as a Sales Representative for Homeway Productions and am keen to obtain a full time position. I hold a certificate in Sales and am prepared to undergo further training if necessary. Please find enclosed my résumé in support of my application.
I am confident my skills and previous work experience will enable me to perform the duties of the position well. I am available for an interview at a time convenient to you and can be contacted by telephone on (05) 7286 3159.
Yours faithfully
Caroline Nielsen
Things To Remember Before writing an application,
- Find out as much as you can about the job.
- Make a draft plan first with what you want to put in your application.
- Write it as many times as you want until you get it right.
- Always check spelling and watch your grammar. Get someone to proof read it for mistakes before you send it.
- Write neatly, but get it typed if you can.
- Make sure you use clean A4 size paper.
- Always send copies of everything, except the application letter.
- Tell the people who wrote you a reference you are being interviewed before you go.
- Keep a copy of your application.
- Make a number of copies of your résumé and send one off each time you apply for a job.
- Keep your résumé up to date.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Job Interview Questions & Answers: Know What to Expect and What to Say
Although many candidates dread them, job interview questions are wonderful things! They are your greatest opportunity to prove to the interviewer that you are the best person for the job!
The key is to give better answers than anyone else.
To do this, you must:
(1) Anticipate likely questions;
(2) Develop excellent answers;
(3) Practice!
Be enthusiastic and confident when responding to questions. Don't rush your answers, but don't ramble on and on, either. Try to, um, avoid, like, using unnecessary words, right? And um, repeating yourself or, like, annoying phrases, you know?
A good technique is to write out your answers to the questions you anticipate, then edit them to make them more concise. Then practice your polished answers out loud, over and over. If you can have someone help you do a "mock interview," that would be the best way to do this.
Most questions will relate either to your ability to do the job or to the type of employee you will be. Here's one that is very commonly used to help the interviewer learn about both:
"Tell me a little about yourself."
When responding to this request, you should focus on both your personal and professional values. Always be honest, but talk about your best traits only, especially those that relate to the position for which you are applying. Highlight experiences and accomplishments you are most proud of. Here's an example:
"I'm an experienced communications specialist with extensive knowledge of public information tools and techniques. I've developed comprehensive communication plans for major public events, written dozens of articles accepted by worldwide publications, and created specialized educational programs for adults and students. I am always eager to learn new methods and procedures, and have implemented continuous improvement techniques in my past positions that saved money and increased productivity. I like working with people and enjoy group projects, but am also a self-starter who doesn't mind working on my own. I'm a volunteer with the local chapter of Special Olympics and enjoy participating in community events. My goals are to complete my Master's Degree and broaden my experiences with community relations."
Remember to tailor your response to the specific job. By studying the job announcement, you'll get a good idea of the skills and experience being sought. Work those into your response.
Consider this your own personal commercial. If the interview consisted of only this ONE chance to sell yourself, what would you say?
"What do you feel has been your greatest work-related accomplishment?"
Choose one example from your past that was important to you and helped the company you worked for. Give specific details about what you did, how you did it, and what the results were. Try to pick an accomplishment that relates to the position for which you are applying. Employers like to hear about accomplishments that reduced expenses, raised revenues, solved problems or enhanced a company's reputation.
"What is your greatest strength?"
This is a great chance to highlight your best skills. Don't pick just one, focus on your top three or four. Some examples are: leadership skills, team-building skills, and organizational skills. Determine which strengths would fit best with the position for which you are applying. For example, if the job announcement stresses the ability to handle multiple tasks, you could say: "I'm good at organizational skills, prioritization and time management. But my greatest strength is my ability to effectively handle multiple projects and deadlines."
"What is your greatest weakness?"
Be careful with this one. Most interview guides will tell you to answer it with a positive trait disguised as a weakness. For example, "I tend to expect others to work as hard as I do," or "I'm a bit of a perfectionist." Interviewers have heard these "canned" answers over and over again. To stand out, be more original and state a true weakness, but then emphasize what you've done to overcome it. For example: "I've had trouble delegating duties to others because I felt I could do things better myself. This has sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I've taken courses in time management and learned effective delegation techniques, and I feel I've overcome this weakness." IMPORTANT: Be sure the weakness you talk about is NOT a key element of the position!
"How do you handle stressful situations?"
Give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt with in the past. Tell how you use time management, problem-solving or decision-making skills to reduce stress. For example, tell them that making a "to-do" list helps. Site stress-reducing techniques such as stretching and taking a break. Don't be afaid to admit that you will ask for assistance if you are feeling overwhelmed.
If it's true, say you actually work better under pressure.
"What is the toughest problem you've had to face, and how did you overcome it?"
Try to make this about a problem that faced your company and not just you or your particular work group. The bigger the problem, the better. Give specific examples of the skills and techniques you used to resolve this problem. Emphasize the successful results. Be generous in sharing credit if it was a team effort, but be sure to highlight your specific role.
"Have you ever had to discipline a problem employee? If so, how did you handle it?"
This is a likely question if the position for which you are applying requires supervisory duties. Explain how you used problem-solving skills, listening skills, and coaching skills to help the employee. If those techniques turned the employee around, be sure to say so. If those techniques failed, tell how you followed the company's policies and what the end result was.
"Why do you want this position?"
Here's where your research about the company will help you stand out among the other candidates. Explain how you've always wanted the opportunity to work with a company that... provides a vital public service, leads the industry in innovative products, whatever... find something specific about that company that you can tie in with your answer. Explain how your qualifications and goals complement the company's mission, vision and values (use specific examples). If you are applying for a position in a company for which you already work, explain how you'll be able to apply and expand on the knowledge and experience you've gained from your current position, and will be able to increase your contributions and value to the company through your new responsibilities.
"Why are you the best person for this job?"
As with all other questions, be confident and enthusiastic when you answer this. Don't try to say you are the best qualified person, because you don't know the qualifications of the other applicants. Instead, emphasize several reasons why you should be hired. For example: "I've got extensive experience in [name the appropriate field] and have the specific skills you are looking for. I'm a fast learner who adapts quickly to change and will hit the ground running. I'm dedicated and enthusiastic about helping your company meet its goals, and will provide top-quality results with minimal oversite. I'm an outstanding performer who takes pride in my work. You won't have any regrets when you hire me."
UNEXPECTED QUESTIONS
Interview questions and answers can only be predicted and prepared for to a certain extent. There are endless variations and no way to know every question in advance. But that doesn't matter. Because you know there will be unexpected questions, you will not cringe or freak out when they pop up, as some applicants will. Instead, you will turn them into opportunities to shine even more brightly.
No one knows you better than you. Memorize a list of your best features, your best selling points. Use every opportunity and unexpected question to mention these.
Realize that sometimes what you say isn't as important as how you say it. Be confident, enthusiastic, and remember to smile often.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
Often the interviewer's last question is, "Do you have any questions for me?" Candidates who do not have questions show a lack of initiative and give the impression that they have minimal interest in the position. Stand out from those lazy job seekers by asking questions!
Have your questions ready in advance. Relate them to the company or its accomplishments/challenges (your research of the company will show and further impress the interviewer). Don't ask any question that shows that you have not done your research about the company.
Do not ask questions related to you, such as "When will I be eligible for my first raise?" or "How often will I be subjected to a performance review?" Don't bring up money. (You can do that after you are offered the job.)
In addition to specific questions you develop based on what the company does, here are some sample generic questions:
What do you enjoy most about working here?
Be sure the person you ask actually works for the company. Some organizations, especially public agencies, have interview panels in which employees from other agencies participate.
Is there anything I've mentioned that makes you think I'm not the best candidate for this job?
If they do mention something that's bothering them about you, such as lack of specific experience, this gives you a last-ditch effort to change their opinion about you. If you've thought about your possible weaknesses in advance, you should have a prepared answer to those weaknesses. For example, "I know I have limited experience in this field, but what I lack in specific experience I make up for in enthusiasm and desire to excel. I'm a fast learner and I'll work harder than anyone else to be a top producer on your team."
When do you expect to make your final decision?
Be sure to ask that! Failure to do so may give the impression that you're not that interested, and you need to know when to follow up.
The key is to give better answers than anyone else.
To do this, you must:
(1) Anticipate likely questions;
(2) Develop excellent answers;
(3) Practice!
Be enthusiastic and confident when responding to questions. Don't rush your answers, but don't ramble on and on, either. Try to, um, avoid, like, using unnecessary words, right? And um, repeating yourself or, like, annoying phrases, you know?
A good technique is to write out your answers to the questions you anticipate, then edit them to make them more concise. Then practice your polished answers out loud, over and over. If you can have someone help you do a "mock interview," that would be the best way to do this.
Most questions will relate either to your ability to do the job or to the type of employee you will be. Here's one that is very commonly used to help the interviewer learn about both:
"Tell me a little about yourself."
When responding to this request, you should focus on both your personal and professional values. Always be honest, but talk about your best traits only, especially those that relate to the position for which you are applying. Highlight experiences and accomplishments you are most proud of. Here's an example:
"I'm an experienced communications specialist with extensive knowledge of public information tools and techniques. I've developed comprehensive communication plans for major public events, written dozens of articles accepted by worldwide publications, and created specialized educational programs for adults and students. I am always eager to learn new methods and procedures, and have implemented continuous improvement techniques in my past positions that saved money and increased productivity. I like working with people and enjoy group projects, but am also a self-starter who doesn't mind working on my own. I'm a volunteer with the local chapter of Special Olympics and enjoy participating in community events. My goals are to complete my Master's Degree and broaden my experiences with community relations."
Remember to tailor your response to the specific job. By studying the job announcement, you'll get a good idea of the skills and experience being sought. Work those into your response.
Consider this your own personal commercial. If the interview consisted of only this ONE chance to sell yourself, what would you say?
"What do you feel has been your greatest work-related accomplishment?"
Choose one example from your past that was important to you and helped the company you worked for. Give specific details about what you did, how you did it, and what the results were. Try to pick an accomplishment that relates to the position for which you are applying. Employers like to hear about accomplishments that reduced expenses, raised revenues, solved problems or enhanced a company's reputation.
"What is your greatest strength?"
This is a great chance to highlight your best skills. Don't pick just one, focus on your top three or four. Some examples are: leadership skills, team-building skills, and organizational skills. Determine which strengths would fit best with the position for which you are applying. For example, if the job announcement stresses the ability to handle multiple tasks, you could say: "I'm good at organizational skills, prioritization and time management. But my greatest strength is my ability to effectively handle multiple projects and deadlines."
"What is your greatest weakness?"
Be careful with this one. Most interview guides will tell you to answer it with a positive trait disguised as a weakness. For example, "I tend to expect others to work as hard as I do," or "I'm a bit of a perfectionist." Interviewers have heard these "canned" answers over and over again. To stand out, be more original and state a true weakness, but then emphasize what you've done to overcome it. For example: "I've had trouble delegating duties to others because I felt I could do things better myself. This has sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I've taken courses in time management and learned effective delegation techniques, and I feel I've overcome this weakness." IMPORTANT: Be sure the weakness you talk about is NOT a key element of the position!
"How do you handle stressful situations?"
Give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt with in the past. Tell how you use time management, problem-solving or decision-making skills to reduce stress. For example, tell them that making a "to-do" list helps. Site stress-reducing techniques such as stretching and taking a break. Don't be afaid to admit that you will ask for assistance if you are feeling overwhelmed.
If it's true, say you actually work better under pressure.
"What is the toughest problem you've had to face, and how did you overcome it?"
Try to make this about a problem that faced your company and not just you or your particular work group. The bigger the problem, the better. Give specific examples of the skills and techniques you used to resolve this problem. Emphasize the successful results. Be generous in sharing credit if it was a team effort, but be sure to highlight your specific role.
"Have you ever had to discipline a problem employee? If so, how did you handle it?"
This is a likely question if the position for which you are applying requires supervisory duties. Explain how you used problem-solving skills, listening skills, and coaching skills to help the employee. If those techniques turned the employee around, be sure to say so. If those techniques failed, tell how you followed the company's policies and what the end result was.
"Why do you want this position?"
Here's where your research about the company will help you stand out among the other candidates. Explain how you've always wanted the opportunity to work with a company that... provides a vital public service, leads the industry in innovative products, whatever... find something specific about that company that you can tie in with your answer. Explain how your qualifications and goals complement the company's mission, vision and values (use specific examples). If you are applying for a position in a company for which you already work, explain how you'll be able to apply and expand on the knowledge and experience you've gained from your current position, and will be able to increase your contributions and value to the company through your new responsibilities.
"Why are you the best person for this job?"
As with all other questions, be confident and enthusiastic when you answer this. Don't try to say you are the best qualified person, because you don't know the qualifications of the other applicants. Instead, emphasize several reasons why you should be hired. For example: "I've got extensive experience in [name the appropriate field] and have the specific skills you are looking for. I'm a fast learner who adapts quickly to change and will hit the ground running. I'm dedicated and enthusiastic about helping your company meet its goals, and will provide top-quality results with minimal oversite. I'm an outstanding performer who takes pride in my work. You won't have any regrets when you hire me."
UNEXPECTED QUESTIONS
Interview questions and answers can only be predicted and prepared for to a certain extent. There are endless variations and no way to know every question in advance. But that doesn't matter. Because you know there will be unexpected questions, you will not cringe or freak out when they pop up, as some applicants will. Instead, you will turn them into opportunities to shine even more brightly.
No one knows you better than you. Memorize a list of your best features, your best selling points. Use every opportunity and unexpected question to mention these.
Realize that sometimes what you say isn't as important as how you say it. Be confident, enthusiastic, and remember to smile often.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
Often the interviewer's last question is, "Do you have any questions for me?" Candidates who do not have questions show a lack of initiative and give the impression that they have minimal interest in the position. Stand out from those lazy job seekers by asking questions!
Have your questions ready in advance. Relate them to the company or its accomplishments/challenges (your research of the company will show and further impress the interviewer). Don't ask any question that shows that you have not done your research about the company.
Do not ask questions related to you, such as "When will I be eligible for my first raise?" or "How often will I be subjected to a performance review?" Don't bring up money. (You can do that after you are offered the job.)
In addition to specific questions you develop based on what the company does, here are some sample generic questions:
What do you enjoy most about working here?
Be sure the person you ask actually works for the company. Some organizations, especially public agencies, have interview panels in which employees from other agencies participate.
Is there anything I've mentioned that makes you think I'm not the best candidate for this job?
If they do mention something that's bothering them about you, such as lack of specific experience, this gives you a last-ditch effort to change their opinion about you. If you've thought about your possible weaknesses in advance, you should have a prepared answer to those weaknesses. For example, "I know I have limited experience in this field, but what I lack in specific experience I make up for in enthusiasm and desire to excel. I'm a fast learner and I'll work harder than anyone else to be a top producer on your team."
When do you expect to make your final decision?
Be sure to ask that! Failure to do so may give the impression that you're not that interested, and you need to know when to follow up.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Job Interview Q and A
Some sample job interview questions and answers.
Common Interview Questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
Keep your answer short and focused on your professional life and professional goals and aspirations. This is not an invitation to dwell on personal relationships, childhood experiences, family etc. A brief history of education, career and special interests is what is called for here capped with why you are interested in and uniquely qualified for this particular career and job and how you expect to make a firm and solid contribution. Use this to show career focus, commitment to success and strong personal and professional values that are aligned with the company's.
2. Why are you applying for this particular job?
Show interest and demonstrate that you have researched the job and know what you are getting into. Bring up evidence from past work/ studies that supports your interest in this role and any skills you have acquired in preparation for the role. You can say something like 'I would like to work for a leader in innovative network and telecommunications solutions and my college degree in computational mathematics has given me a solid background for this role. Mention the value-added you can bring to the job.
3. What do you know about our company?
Indicate what you have learnt from your research activities - from their annual reports, newspapers, word of mouth, other employees etc. Use this to show that you have done your homework, know what to expect and are genuinely interested in working with them.
4. What makes you qualified for this particular job?
Again, explain that you are very interested in the job and demonstrate what it is about your past experiences, education and qualifications that makes you ideal for the job. Show enthusiasm and support your answers with evidence wherever you can (eg. my summer internship at Citibank gave me broad exposure to the area of equity analysis and I think I can apply many of the tools I learnt there in this job). Elaborate on all the past experiences and skill sets that make you uniquely suitable for the job.
In cases where your past experience is not directly relevant, you can still find elements of it that can be useful. Play up teamskills, technical skills, leadership roles, specific courses and independent research activities that can be useful to the job at hand to show your initiative even where you don't have directly relevant job experience.
5. What can you do for us that someone else can't?
Demonstrate key strengths, skills and personal characteristics. Also show that you have thought about the contribution you would like to make and already envision yourself making that contribution. Be specific in terms of where you see yourself fitting in and what you see yourself contributing - the more you can show you have genuinely thought about meeting a particular need or solving a particular problem the company has as is related to the job you are applying for the more likely you are to impress. Show you are a person who is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to meet the company's targets and can find innovative solutions to old problems.
6. Why should we hire you?
Because you have all the experience/ traits/ skills/credentials needed for the role and in addition to being qualified, you are enthusiastic, intelligent, hardworking, flexible, committed, willing to learn and have a track record of personal and professional success. Show how you will be an asset to their team and contribute to meeting the company's goals and targets. Also mention any key relationships you may have that may assist you in the job.
7. What do you look for in a job?
Be honest. Also mention keywords such as challenging, steep learning curve, good work culture, demanding, rewarding, opportunities for advancement and growth, team environment, opportunity to build and maintain client relationships etc.
8. Why are you looking to make a career change?
Mention your interests and make sure you bring up all skills/ experience however insignificant that can support your move in this new direction. It is quite common in this day and age to make a career switch. You need however to show that you have very carefully thought about the change, have a strong interest in the new career and can use some of your previous skills/ education/ relationships to make that move.
9. Why did you leave your last job?
Do NOT use this as an opportunity to badmouth past employers or peers or talk about a failure of any sort. Any of these answers are acceptable: you were looking for a new challenge, your learning curve had flattened out in the previous job and you were looking for a new learning opportunity, the company or department were restructuring, you were ready to start something new after achieving your career goals at the previous company etc. Ideally you need to show you are in a position where you are happy with past successes and ready to achieve even more pronounced successes and take larger strides forward in your career.
10. Why do you want to work for us (as opposed to the competitor companies)?
Demonstrate that you know something about the company, that you believe they are leaders/ innovators in what they do, or you think their work culture is exactly what you are looking for, or you like their product(s) or you have friends who work there and have always been attracted to the company etc. Indicate that this is a company where you feel you can make a meaningful and significant contribution and mention why you believe so. Flatter the company and show you have done your research about it and see yourself as a valuable longterm member of their team.
11. How long will it take you to start making a meaningful contribution?
Show that you are enthusiastic and willing to learn and will put in all the hours and effort necessary to learn the ropes and start making an immediate contribution. Indicate that your past experiences/ skills/ credentials will enable you to make an immediate contribution at some level while you quickly learn the new aspects of the job. The employer ideally wants someone who is willing and able to learn, has a valuable existing skillset, a strong work ethic and will deliver a return on the employer's investment sooner rather than later.
12. What are your strengths?
What in your opinion has contributed to your success to date and will be a valuable attribute in this job? Ideally chose strengths that have the most bearing on the role you are applying for whether it be technical skills, leadership skills, quantitative skills, interpersonal skills, ability to consistently achieve targets, teamplayer skills, ability to work very well under pressure, creativity, client relationship skills, research skills etc. While you probably have many strengths, rather than delivering a long laundry list, chose those strengths that may be the most relevant to your chosen field and that indicate focus and professional maturity.
13. What are your weaknesses?
It is probably unwise to chose this as an invitation to elaborate on key weaknesses and fundamental character flaws. This is not the place to say you are bad at meeting deadlines or consistently fail to meet all your targets or would rather be in a different career altogether. Turn this question around to your benefit. For example, you may be 'overambitious' or 'extremely attentive to detail' or 'like to take on too many projects'. Chose a positive trait that accurately reflects you and keep the answer positive. Another way to handle this question is to chose a weakness that has absolutely no bearing to the position you are now applying for and consequently does not raise any warning flags eg if you are applying to a financial analyst position you can comment on how your graphic design skills could use some tweaking and comment that you are aware this is completely irrelevant to your chosen career path. Finally you can bring up a past weakness that is not at all severe or alarming and will not raise warning flags and comment on actual concrete measures you took to successfully overcome this weakness eg. courses attended, books read, mentors sought, experience gained etc. This shows that you are a proactive professional who is not saitisfied with mediocrity and is willing to take the time to learn and build skills and develop.
14. What are your career goals?
Show you have thought forward and are committed to your career. Indicate where you would like to be in 2 years, 5 years and 10 years time. Indicate you hope to continuously add on new responsibilties, make a larger impact on the company's profitability and success and develop personally and professionally.
15. How would you describe yourself?
Ideally you are just the kind of person who will succeed in this role and your research has highlighted all the key traits you have that the employer is looking for which you can use this opportunity to recite. Every role will have its different set of unique requiremenst however very generally speaking employers are looking for employees who are hard-working, persistent, proactive, committed, career-oriented, ambitious, diligent, pleasant to work with, professional, fair, dedicated, fast-learning, creative, good at problem-solving and able to learn from their mistakes. Be honest in describing your key professional strengths and how you think they will positively impact your performance in the new role.
16. How would your colleagues describe you?
Employers are looking for someone who is pleasant to work with, co-operative, a good team player and possesses all the soft and hard skills required to excel in the job. Do not bring up anything negative here.
17. How would your boss describe you?
Be candid but do not dwell on weaknesses. They will check references anyways so bring up the most positive attribute you can remember from your last formal or informal performance review and leave it to your Boss to say anything to the contrary.
18. What did you most like/ dislike about your past job?
Do not use this to badmouth past jobs/ employers. Keep it candid and in your favour eg I outgrew the job, there wasn't a clear career progression, I wasn't learning anything new etc. Ideally, you will have loved your last job and would like to achieve the same kind of success and job satisfaction in a more challenging area as you have now 'outgrown' that job and are ready to take on 'new challenges'.
19. Describe a situation in your past where you showed initiative?
You could describe any new methods you came up with to do your job or to save time or money for the company or to solve a problem or turn around a bad situation. It can be something as simple as changing a filing system, or establishing a relationship with a vendor that saved your department a lot of money. If you are in sales, you may want to talk about how you brought in that big account or drastically increased sales from an existing account by being more proactive and taking several important steps or addressing a key issue or reorganizing the client service team or changing the terms of the relationship to a more win-win situation etc. Creatives may talk about how they came up with that cutthroat image or design that brought in the business. Whatever your role, you need to demonstrate a situation where you took a proactive and creative approach to improving the company's performance, thought ''outside the box'' and innovated successfully in your domain.
20. What were your main responsibilities in your last job?
Have these ready and list them all. Focus on the ones that are most relevant to the new job. Do not dwell on the more trivial aspects of the job or those least relevant to the job at hand.
21. What do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
Many of us have one or two milestones in our career that we are very proud of eg. that early promotion, that 'huge' deal we brought in, the design we came up with, the costs we saved, the revenues we increased, the people we trained, a new invention or process we came up with etc. Examples of accomplishments may be: 'Reduced costs by X%; or renamed and repositioned a product at the end of its lifecycle, or organized and led a team to do do XYZ, or achieved sales increase of X% etc. If you are a fresh college graduate, talk about extracurricular activities, leadership roles, internships, summer jobs, volunteer activities and grades.
22. Describe your management style (if relevant)
Describe what the management role means to you and how you bring out the best in the teams and resources you manage. Elaborate on how you have succeeded in keeping your teams motivated, engaged, committed, ambitious, enthusiastic and successful; how you communicate with your teams; how you encourage teamwork and cohesiveness in your teams and what you believe are the keys to successful management and how these have applied to you.
23. Do you work better in teams or independently?
Show that you are a proactive teamplayer and like to bounce ideas off others and get input; however you are very capable of working independently (give examples of both).
24. How do you work under pressure?
Indicate that you are very capable of working under pressure and give evidence that you have worked under pressure successfully in the past without compromising your professionalism or the quality of your work or your targets in any way. Indicate however that your effective time management and organisational and communication skills allow you to plan ahead and allocate resources effectively and communicate efficiently with the appropriate stakeholders such that you are not always working to impossible deadlines or unrealistic targets.
25. What other jobs have you applied for?
In order to show focus and single-mindedness and career maturity you may choose not to mention jobs you are currently applying for that are in totally different career directions (eg advertising copywriter and investment banking analyst) even if you are genuinely unfocused and still in the 'shopping around' phase of your job-hunt. Do however bring up any other offers or Interviews from competing firms.
26. How did you do in college?
Keep it positive. It's okay to say you were very busy making the most of college and were very involved in sports, activities, internships, part-time jobs, social life etc. Employers want human beings not robots. Mention the areas you did very well in even if it was just one or two courses you excelled in. They will check for themselves.
27. What kind of hours would you like to work?
Employers want to see flexibility commitment and a strong, unwavering work ethic. Indicate you are willing to put in whatever hours are necessary to finish the job. Do however mention any constraints you have eg. you would like to be home to pick your kids up from school at 3:30. Most employers are willing to work around your constraints if you show flexibility on your side as well.
Common Interview Questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
Keep your answer short and focused on your professional life and professional goals and aspirations. This is not an invitation to dwell on personal relationships, childhood experiences, family etc. A brief history of education, career and special interests is what is called for here capped with why you are interested in and uniquely qualified for this particular career and job and how you expect to make a firm and solid contribution. Use this to show career focus, commitment to success and strong personal and professional values that are aligned with the company's.
2. Why are you applying for this particular job?
Show interest and demonstrate that you have researched the job and know what you are getting into. Bring up evidence from past work/ studies that supports your interest in this role and any skills you have acquired in preparation for the role. You can say something like 'I would like to work for a leader in innovative network and telecommunications solutions and my college degree in computational mathematics has given me a solid background for this role. Mention the value-added you can bring to the job.
3. What do you know about our company?
Indicate what you have learnt from your research activities - from their annual reports, newspapers, word of mouth, other employees etc. Use this to show that you have done your homework, know what to expect and are genuinely interested in working with them.
4. What makes you qualified for this particular job?
Again, explain that you are very interested in the job and demonstrate what it is about your past experiences, education and qualifications that makes you ideal for the job. Show enthusiasm and support your answers with evidence wherever you can (eg. my summer internship at Citibank gave me broad exposure to the area of equity analysis and I think I can apply many of the tools I learnt there in this job). Elaborate on all the past experiences and skill sets that make you uniquely suitable for the job.
In cases where your past experience is not directly relevant, you can still find elements of it that can be useful. Play up teamskills, technical skills, leadership roles, specific courses and independent research activities that can be useful to the job at hand to show your initiative even where you don't have directly relevant job experience.
5. What can you do for us that someone else can't?
Demonstrate key strengths, skills and personal characteristics. Also show that you have thought about the contribution you would like to make and already envision yourself making that contribution. Be specific in terms of where you see yourself fitting in and what you see yourself contributing - the more you can show you have genuinely thought about meeting a particular need or solving a particular problem the company has as is related to the job you are applying for the more likely you are to impress. Show you are a person who is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to meet the company's targets and can find innovative solutions to old problems.
6. Why should we hire you?
Because you have all the experience/ traits/ skills/credentials needed for the role and in addition to being qualified, you are enthusiastic, intelligent, hardworking, flexible, committed, willing to learn and have a track record of personal and professional success. Show how you will be an asset to their team and contribute to meeting the company's goals and targets. Also mention any key relationships you may have that may assist you in the job.
7. What do you look for in a job?
Be honest. Also mention keywords such as challenging, steep learning curve, good work culture, demanding, rewarding, opportunities for advancement and growth, team environment, opportunity to build and maintain client relationships etc.
8. Why are you looking to make a career change?
Mention your interests and make sure you bring up all skills/ experience however insignificant that can support your move in this new direction. It is quite common in this day and age to make a career switch. You need however to show that you have very carefully thought about the change, have a strong interest in the new career and can use some of your previous skills/ education/ relationships to make that move.
9. Why did you leave your last job?
Do NOT use this as an opportunity to badmouth past employers or peers or talk about a failure of any sort. Any of these answers are acceptable: you were looking for a new challenge, your learning curve had flattened out in the previous job and you were looking for a new learning opportunity, the company or department were restructuring, you were ready to start something new after achieving your career goals at the previous company etc. Ideally you need to show you are in a position where you are happy with past successes and ready to achieve even more pronounced successes and take larger strides forward in your career.
10. Why do you want to work for us (as opposed to the competitor companies)?
Demonstrate that you know something about the company, that you believe they are leaders/ innovators in what they do, or you think their work culture is exactly what you are looking for, or you like their product(s) or you have friends who work there and have always been attracted to the company etc. Indicate that this is a company where you feel you can make a meaningful and significant contribution and mention why you believe so. Flatter the company and show you have done your research about it and see yourself as a valuable longterm member of their team.
11. How long will it take you to start making a meaningful contribution?
Show that you are enthusiastic and willing to learn and will put in all the hours and effort necessary to learn the ropes and start making an immediate contribution. Indicate that your past experiences/ skills/ credentials will enable you to make an immediate contribution at some level while you quickly learn the new aspects of the job. The employer ideally wants someone who is willing and able to learn, has a valuable existing skillset, a strong work ethic and will deliver a return on the employer's investment sooner rather than later.
12. What are your strengths?
What in your opinion has contributed to your success to date and will be a valuable attribute in this job? Ideally chose strengths that have the most bearing on the role you are applying for whether it be technical skills, leadership skills, quantitative skills, interpersonal skills, ability to consistently achieve targets, teamplayer skills, ability to work very well under pressure, creativity, client relationship skills, research skills etc. While you probably have many strengths, rather than delivering a long laundry list, chose those strengths that may be the most relevant to your chosen field and that indicate focus and professional maturity.
13. What are your weaknesses?
It is probably unwise to chose this as an invitation to elaborate on key weaknesses and fundamental character flaws. This is not the place to say you are bad at meeting deadlines or consistently fail to meet all your targets or would rather be in a different career altogether. Turn this question around to your benefit. For example, you may be 'overambitious' or 'extremely attentive to detail' or 'like to take on too many projects'. Chose a positive trait that accurately reflects you and keep the answer positive. Another way to handle this question is to chose a weakness that has absolutely no bearing to the position you are now applying for and consequently does not raise any warning flags eg if you are applying to a financial analyst position you can comment on how your graphic design skills could use some tweaking and comment that you are aware this is completely irrelevant to your chosen career path. Finally you can bring up a past weakness that is not at all severe or alarming and will not raise warning flags and comment on actual concrete measures you took to successfully overcome this weakness eg. courses attended, books read, mentors sought, experience gained etc. This shows that you are a proactive professional who is not saitisfied with mediocrity and is willing to take the time to learn and build skills and develop.
14. What are your career goals?
Show you have thought forward and are committed to your career. Indicate where you would like to be in 2 years, 5 years and 10 years time. Indicate you hope to continuously add on new responsibilties, make a larger impact on the company's profitability and success and develop personally and professionally.
15. How would you describe yourself?
Ideally you are just the kind of person who will succeed in this role and your research has highlighted all the key traits you have that the employer is looking for which you can use this opportunity to recite. Every role will have its different set of unique requiremenst however very generally speaking employers are looking for employees who are hard-working, persistent, proactive, committed, career-oriented, ambitious, diligent, pleasant to work with, professional, fair, dedicated, fast-learning, creative, good at problem-solving and able to learn from their mistakes. Be honest in describing your key professional strengths and how you think they will positively impact your performance in the new role.
16. How would your colleagues describe you?
Employers are looking for someone who is pleasant to work with, co-operative, a good team player and possesses all the soft and hard skills required to excel in the job. Do not bring up anything negative here.
17. How would your boss describe you?
Be candid but do not dwell on weaknesses. They will check references anyways so bring up the most positive attribute you can remember from your last formal or informal performance review and leave it to your Boss to say anything to the contrary.
18. What did you most like/ dislike about your past job?
Do not use this to badmouth past jobs/ employers. Keep it candid and in your favour eg I outgrew the job, there wasn't a clear career progression, I wasn't learning anything new etc. Ideally, you will have loved your last job and would like to achieve the same kind of success and job satisfaction in a more challenging area as you have now 'outgrown' that job and are ready to take on 'new challenges'.
19. Describe a situation in your past where you showed initiative?
You could describe any new methods you came up with to do your job or to save time or money for the company or to solve a problem or turn around a bad situation. It can be something as simple as changing a filing system, or establishing a relationship with a vendor that saved your department a lot of money. If you are in sales, you may want to talk about how you brought in that big account or drastically increased sales from an existing account by being more proactive and taking several important steps or addressing a key issue or reorganizing the client service team or changing the terms of the relationship to a more win-win situation etc. Creatives may talk about how they came up with that cutthroat image or design that brought in the business. Whatever your role, you need to demonstrate a situation where you took a proactive and creative approach to improving the company's performance, thought ''outside the box'' and innovated successfully in your domain.
20. What were your main responsibilities in your last job?
Have these ready and list them all. Focus on the ones that are most relevant to the new job. Do not dwell on the more trivial aspects of the job or those least relevant to the job at hand.
21. What do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
Many of us have one or two milestones in our career that we are very proud of eg. that early promotion, that 'huge' deal we brought in, the design we came up with, the costs we saved, the revenues we increased, the people we trained, a new invention or process we came up with etc. Examples of accomplishments may be: 'Reduced costs by X%; or renamed and repositioned a product at the end of its lifecycle, or organized and led a team to do do XYZ, or achieved sales increase of X% etc. If you are a fresh college graduate, talk about extracurricular activities, leadership roles, internships, summer jobs, volunteer activities and grades.
22. Describe your management style (if relevant)
Describe what the management role means to you and how you bring out the best in the teams and resources you manage. Elaborate on how you have succeeded in keeping your teams motivated, engaged, committed, ambitious, enthusiastic and successful; how you communicate with your teams; how you encourage teamwork and cohesiveness in your teams and what you believe are the keys to successful management and how these have applied to you.
23. Do you work better in teams or independently?
Show that you are a proactive teamplayer and like to bounce ideas off others and get input; however you are very capable of working independently (give examples of both).
24. How do you work under pressure?
Indicate that you are very capable of working under pressure and give evidence that you have worked under pressure successfully in the past without compromising your professionalism or the quality of your work or your targets in any way. Indicate however that your effective time management and organisational and communication skills allow you to plan ahead and allocate resources effectively and communicate efficiently with the appropriate stakeholders such that you are not always working to impossible deadlines or unrealistic targets.
25. What other jobs have you applied for?
In order to show focus and single-mindedness and career maturity you may choose not to mention jobs you are currently applying for that are in totally different career directions (eg advertising copywriter and investment banking analyst) even if you are genuinely unfocused and still in the 'shopping around' phase of your job-hunt. Do however bring up any other offers or Interviews from competing firms.
26. How did you do in college?
Keep it positive. It's okay to say you were very busy making the most of college and were very involved in sports, activities, internships, part-time jobs, social life etc. Employers want human beings not robots. Mention the areas you did very well in even if it was just one or two courses you excelled in. They will check for themselves.
27. What kind of hours would you like to work?
Employers want to see flexibility commitment and a strong, unwavering work ethic. Indicate you are willing to put in whatever hours are necessary to finish the job. Do however mention any constraints you have eg. you would like to be home to pick your kids up from school at 3:30. Most employers are willing to work around your constraints if you show flexibility on your side as well.
Overall Tips & Warnings
Repeated tips and explanations to remember for your own job interview questions and answers:
Step 1 Explanation:
Keep it positive while discussing some negative parts. Don’t try to do all positive; you’re not fooling anyone! We’re all human, and there are plenty of examples both positive and negative if you dig deep enough.
Step 2 Explanation:
This also keeps it positive. I also listed some skills that you learned. The only negative part was that I was little bored. I didn’t say anything bad about my boss or that I wanted more money.
Step 3 Explanation:
This shows that were you a good leader, by helping your team and working efficiently. But, most importantly, you really want to improve yourself and learn because you took the time to ask for help from the people that know what their doing while mentoring them in what you're good at.
Warning: Use these job interview questions and answers as templates, don't try to memorize anything. The objective is to be yourself. If you come off as very robotic, your interviewers will sense that probably not give you the job.
Step 1 Explanation:
Keep it positive while discussing some negative parts. Don’t try to do all positive; you’re not fooling anyone! We’re all human, and there are plenty of examples both positive and negative if you dig deep enough.
Step 2 Explanation:
This also keeps it positive. I also listed some skills that you learned. The only negative part was that I was little bored. I didn’t say anything bad about my boss or that I wanted more money.
Step 3 Explanation:
This shows that were you a good leader, by helping your team and working efficiently. But, most importantly, you really want to improve yourself and learn because you took the time to ask for help from the people that know what their doing while mentoring them in what you're good at.
Warning: Use these job interview questions and answers as templates, don't try to memorize anything. The objective is to be yourself. If you come off as very robotic, your interviewers will sense that probably not give you the job.
How to job interview questions and answers
by Ian Iacocca
Introduction
Here's a few of the hardest and most important job interview questions and answers that I've had in the past.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You'll Need
In-depth research into your own background
your resume
tons of sleep before your job interview
Steps
1Step OneLet's start off with one the most detailed of the job interview questions and answers.
1. Probing questions:
Do you guys remember when you very younger, you’re Mom would ask you a question and you didn’t really feel like answering so you gave those “one-word” answers that she really hated? And then what did she do? They starting more and more questions, almost forcing you to answer. Well this interview question is sort of like that. The idea is to for the interviewer to know everything about the situation.
3. Tell me about your role when you worked in a team.
I can remember when I worked for [company].
My marketing manager at the time noticed that our RFP (request for proposal) process was outdated [any further explanation of the process]
For this task, I would have to interview everyone involved about how
to improve the process from project managers, to sales VPs, to the
Senior VP of Marketing and Sales.
“What did you like most about it?”
I was really excited to get the chance to meet all these people in my company and to be a driving force of change in our entire sales process.
4. What didn’t you like?
However, I found out that these people were very busy and barely had
any time. I was getting discouraged and a little bit upset to go back
and forth with them, desperately trying to set up a time to meet. But
I stuck with it and persisted. In the meantime, when some managers were
canceling my meetings, I researched their role in the process myself and
came up with some relevant questions to ask.
5. What happened in the end?
Then when we finally did meet, they were alarmed at the amount of information I knew. I even found that some wanted to stay for some additional time with to discuss my personal goals.
The head manager of sales took some time out after meeting to
discuss how I could best prepare for a future sales career. At that
internship, I also made great friends with the SVP and I talk to him often to this day. I learned a lot from that one activity, more because I trained myself to be the person I wanted to be. At first I felt a little sad and angry, and had I let this behavior continue, I probably would've never walked away with the value I have in my life right now.
Explanation:
Keep it positive while discussing some negative parts. Don’t try to do all positive; you’re not fooling anyone! We’re all human, and there are plenty of examples both positive and negative if you dig deep enough.
2Step Two2. Job interview questions and answers about previous workplace (usually negative connotation)
Why did you leave your last job?
“Well to tell you the truth, I enjoyed my last job. I really made a good decision to be there. I loved working with other great talented people and I loved learning as much as I could. I learned a ton about how to treat customers and go about creating successful marketing and our sales process. But, I wanted to try something new. The business became very routine; I didn’t feel the passion and the challenge anymore. But I’ll always remember what I learned there and I continue to keep in touch with some of my bosses and my coworkers.”
Explanation: This keeps it positive. I also listed some skills that you learned. The only negative part was that I was little bored. I didn’t say anything bad about my boss or that I wanted more money.
3Step Three3. Job interview questions and answers directed toward something negative about yourself:
What are your weaknesses?
“Hard question! What do I do! I want to be honest, but I don’t want the interviewers to think I’m a total fool. Should I flip it around into a positive like most people say?”
Don't try to flip the question around. Don't worry that much about revealing something bad about yourself.
We gotta remember that job interviewers are humans too and they want to connect. Just answer the question plainly and simply.
Here's the answer I've been given in the past:
"My greatest weakness is that I'm not a very detail oriented person. I'm more of a big picture guy."
"For example, in a project at school it was a two-part marketing presentation. One part was finances and the other was the whole plan. I had a friend that was really good at the “numbers” and other details and I was good at the big picture plan. We divided the work accordingly, but then I asked him to teach me about the finance part and I taught him about the plan."
Explanation:
This shows that were you a good leader, by helping your team and working efficiently. But, most importantly, you really want to improve yourself and learn because you took the time to ask for help from the people that know what their doing while mentoring them in what you're good at.
Introduction
Here's a few of the hardest and most important job interview questions and answers that I've had in the past.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You'll Need
In-depth research into your own background
your resume
tons of sleep before your job interview
Steps
1Step OneLet's start off with one the most detailed of the job interview questions and answers.
1. Probing questions:
Do you guys remember when you very younger, you’re Mom would ask you a question and you didn’t really feel like answering so you gave those “one-word” answers that she really hated? And then what did she do? They starting more and more questions, almost forcing you to answer. Well this interview question is sort of like that. The idea is to for the interviewer to know everything about the situation.
3. Tell me about your role when you worked in a team.
I can remember when I worked for [company].
My marketing manager at the time noticed that our RFP (request for proposal) process was outdated [any further explanation of the process]
For this task, I would have to interview everyone involved about how
to improve the process from project managers, to sales VPs, to the
Senior VP of Marketing and Sales.
“What did you like most about it?”
I was really excited to get the chance to meet all these people in my company and to be a driving force of change in our entire sales process.
4. What didn’t you like?
However, I found out that these people were very busy and barely had
any time. I was getting discouraged and a little bit upset to go back
and forth with them, desperately trying to set up a time to meet. But
I stuck with it and persisted. In the meantime, when some managers were
canceling my meetings, I researched their role in the process myself and
came up with some relevant questions to ask.
5. What happened in the end?
Then when we finally did meet, they were alarmed at the amount of information I knew. I even found that some wanted to stay for some additional time with to discuss my personal goals.
The head manager of sales took some time out after meeting to
discuss how I could best prepare for a future sales career. At that
internship, I also made great friends with the SVP and I talk to him often to this day. I learned a lot from that one activity, more because I trained myself to be the person I wanted to be. At first I felt a little sad and angry, and had I let this behavior continue, I probably would've never walked away with the value I have in my life right now.
Explanation:
Keep it positive while discussing some negative parts. Don’t try to do all positive; you’re not fooling anyone! We’re all human, and there are plenty of examples both positive and negative if you dig deep enough.
2Step Two2. Job interview questions and answers about previous workplace (usually negative connotation)
Why did you leave your last job?
“Well to tell you the truth, I enjoyed my last job. I really made a good decision to be there. I loved working with other great talented people and I loved learning as much as I could. I learned a ton about how to treat customers and go about creating successful marketing and our sales process. But, I wanted to try something new. The business became very routine; I didn’t feel the passion and the challenge anymore. But I’ll always remember what I learned there and I continue to keep in touch with some of my bosses and my coworkers.”
Explanation: This keeps it positive. I also listed some skills that you learned. The only negative part was that I was little bored. I didn’t say anything bad about my boss or that I wanted more money.
3Step Three3. Job interview questions and answers directed toward something negative about yourself:
What are your weaknesses?
“Hard question! What do I do! I want to be honest, but I don’t want the interviewers to think I’m a total fool. Should I flip it around into a positive like most people say?”
Don't try to flip the question around. Don't worry that much about revealing something bad about yourself.
We gotta remember that job interviewers are humans too and they want to connect. Just answer the question plainly and simply.
Here's the answer I've been given in the past:
"My greatest weakness is that I'm not a very detail oriented person. I'm more of a big picture guy."
"For example, in a project at school it was a two-part marketing presentation. One part was finances and the other was the whole plan. I had a friend that was really good at the “numbers” and other details and I was good at the big picture plan. We divided the work accordingly, but then I asked him to teach me about the finance part and I taught him about the plan."
Explanation:
This shows that were you a good leader, by helping your team and working efficiently. But, most importantly, you really want to improve yourself and learn because you took the time to ask for help from the people that know what their doing while mentoring them in what you're good at.
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