|
|
2.9.2003
The Job Fairy Responds to the 10 Most Common Interview QuestionsWhy should we hire you?
Reiterate what the requirements are for the positions and how your qualifications match them exactly.
Why do you want to work here?
Having gone to the company web site or talked to a current employee, rave about the company's product line and accomplishments. State that whatever it is that they are doing, you are terribly interested in it and it has been a professional goal of yours for years. Cite how it ties into your prior professional experience. If they have told you the kind of hardware and software environment you will be in, claim that it is the ideal mix that you have always wanted to work in, and it will be a "wonderful professional challenge" and a "great opportunity".
Why are you leaving your job?
The only acceptable answer is for more of a professional challenge. You can say that your company is or has gone out of business, or that you have been laid off; these are no longer seen as signs of failure. However, be advised that these answers, albeit truthful, will lower what salary they offer you should you be selected. It is best to maintain the façade of employment, and the myth of the quest for the greater and better challenge. (See archived article in Weblog on how to look employed.) Never mention anything that is not positive and joyful.
When were you most satisfied in your job?
Describe anything you have done in the past that matches the requirements and duties for the position. Say how much you liked that kind of work and you would be looking to do more of that in the future.
What salary are you seeking?
State that it is too early to discuss such a thing; if they select you as a candidate then it would be appropriate to discuss it at that time. If they press you, ask them what the range is for the position. If they will not budge, use the humor-to-excess ploy. Tell them you want $500,000 a year, a yacht, a chauffeur-driven limo, a mansion in Beverly Hills… that usually gets them laughing, and breaks their reserve somewhat. If they're still in Ice Princess mode at this point, then they're hard-assed little bastards, and they'll get you at rock bottom price or not at all. Depending on your financial situation, you will either keep looking or cave in. But if they force you into a low-ball offer, you will still keep looking.
What can you do for us that other candidates cannot?
You reiterate how your prior experience and qualifications dovetail neatly with the requirements and duties of this position. Then you add in anything that the interviewer has mentioned as a need that your predecessor could not do. For good measure, throw in some non-measurables such as that you are well organized, a team player, you pay attention to detail, or that you are a perfectionist.
What are your weaknesses?
Remember the greed of the employer here. You do not want to say what your weaknesses really are; you are selling yourself into a position. You simply say that you are too much of a perfectionist. It causes you to work too hard; you need to be able to "let go" of things and say to yourself, "It's really good the way it is; it doesn't have to be perfect every time". Your prospective employer will salivate at the prospect of all the unpaid overtime they think they will be getting out of you. They love the concept of neurotically motivated employees working themselves to the bone for the company. What a shame you will never actually be one of them!
What are your goals?
Your only goals are to perform the duties of the job they are offering. Your goals are also to fulfill the requirements. However, you do not say it like that; you are enthusiastic about the duties as if you have been looking for this for years and you are just so glad you found this! If pressed further, you say that you would be interested in pursuing more training on these duties/requirements if available, because they are of such interest to you. You never mention your wish to be promoted or express any thoughts about what comes next. The employer is not interested in that; they do not want employees with ambition, because that causes turnover.
What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
Ideally, they should all relate to the position you are seeking. You should say that they always liked working with you, you fit in well with the team, you always got your work done on time, you did whatever the skills are that they're looking for very well for them. They're not going to be able to actually discuss this with your supervisor, so feel free to say whatever you want as long as it's reasonably plausible.
If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
"I am an animal; which is homo sapiens sapiens, and that's all I would ever want to be". Human beings are only technically animals; do not let them treat you like one. Make them treat you like a human being.
|
|
|
