Can you work under pressure?
TRAPS: An easy question, but you want to make youranswer believable.
BEST ANSWER: Absolutely…(then prove it with a vividexample or two of a goal or project accomplished under severe pressure.)
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
TRAPS: The two traps here are unpreparedness andirrelevance. If you grope for an answer,it seems you’ve never been inspired. Ifyou ramble about your high school basketball coach, you’ve wasted anopportunity to present qualities of great value to the company.
BEST ANSWER: Have a few heroes in mind, from your mental“Board of Directors” – Leaders in your industry, from history or anyone elsewho has been your mentor.
Beprepared to give examples of how their words, actions or teachings have helpedinspire your achievements. As always,prepare an answer which highlights qualities that would be highly valuable inthe position you are seeking.
What was the toughest decision youever had to make?
TRAPS: Giving an unprepared or irrelevant answer.
BEST ANSWER: Be prepared with a good example, explainingwhy the decision was difficult…the process you followed in reaching it…thecourageous or effective way you carried it out…and the beneficial results.
Tell me about the most boring jobyou’ve ever had.
TRAPS: You give a very memorable description of avery boring job. Result? You become associated with this boring job inthe interviewer’s mind.
BEST ANSWER: You have never allowed yourself to grow boredwith a job and you can’t understand it when others let themselves fall intothat rut.
Example: “Perhaps I’ve been fortunate, but that I’venever found myself bored with any job I have ever held. I’ve always enjoyed hard work. As with actors who feel there are no smallparts, I also believe that in every company or department there are excitingchallenges and intriguing problems crying out for energetic and enthusiasticsolutions. If you’re bored, it’sprobably because you’re not challenging yourself to tackle those problems rightunder your nose.”
How could you have improved your career progress?
TRAPS: This is another variation on the question,“If you could, how would you live your life over?” Remember, you’re not going to fall for anysuch invitations to rewrite person history. You can’t win if you do.
BEST ANSWER: You’re generally quite happy with your careerprogress. Maybe, if you had knownsomething earlier in life (impossible to know at the time, such as the boominggrowth in a branch in your industry…or the corporate downsizing that wouldphase out your last job), you might have moved in a certain direction sooner.
But all things considered, you take responsibility forwhere you are, how you’ve gotten there, where you are going…and you harbor noregrets.
May I contact your present employer for a reference?
TRAPS: If you’re trying to keep your job searchprivate, this is the last thing you want. But if you don’t cooperate, won’t you seem as if you’re trying to hidesomething?
BEST ANSWER: Express your concern that you’d like to keepyour job search private, but that in time, it will be perfectly okay.
Example: “My present employer is not aware of my jobsearch and, for obvious reasons; I’d prefer to keep it that way. I’d be most appreciative if we kept ourdiscussion confidential right now. Ofcourse, when we both agree the time is right, then by all means you shouldcontact them. I’m very proud of myrecord there.
Where could you use some improvement?
TRAPS: Another tricky way to get you to admitweaknesses. Don’t fall for it.
BEST ANSWER: Keep this answer, like all your answers,positive. A good way to answer thisquestion is to identify a cutting-edge branch of your profession (one that’snot essential to your employer’s needs) as an area you’re very excited aboutand want to explore more fully over the next six months.
What do you worry about?
TRAPS: Admit to worrying and you could sound like aloser. Saying you never worry doesn’tsound credible.
BEST ANSWER: Redefine the word ‘worry’ so that it does notreflect negatively on you.
Example: “I wouldn’t call it worry, but I am astrongly goal-oriented person. So I keepturning over in my mind anything that seems to be keeping me from achievingthose goals, until I find a solution. That’s part of my tenacity, I suppose.”
How many hours a week do you normally work?
TRAPS: You don’t want to give a specificnumber. Make it to low, and you may notmeasure up. Too high, and you’ll foreverfeel guilty about sneaking out the door at 5:15.
BEST ANSWER: If you are in fact a workaholic and you sensethis company would like that: Say youare a confirmed workaholic, that you often work nights and weekends. Your family accepts this because it makes youfulfilled.
Ifyou are not a workaholic: Say you havealways worked hard and put in long hours. It goes with the territory. Itone sense, it’s hard to keep track of the hours because your work is a labor oflove, you enjoy nothing more than solving problems. So you’re almost always thinking about yourwork, including times when you’re home, while shaving in the morning, whilecommuting, etc.
The “Hypothetical Problem”
TRAPS: Sometimes an interviewer will describe adifficult situation and ask, “How would you handle this?” Since it is virtually impossible to have allthe facts in front of you from such a short presentation, don’t fall into thetrap of trying to solve this problem and giving your verdict on the spot. Itwill make your decision-making process seem woefully inadequate.
BEST ANSWER: Instead, describe the rational, methodicalprocess you would follow in analyzing this problem, who you would consult with,generating possible solutions, choosing the best course of action, andmonitoring the results.
Remember,in all such, “What would you do?” questions, always describe your process orworking methods, and you’ll never go wrong.
What do you for when you hire people?
TRAPS: Beingunprepared for the question.
BEST ANSWER: Speak your own thoughts here, but for thebest answer weave them around the three most important qualifications for anyposition.
1. Canthe person do the work (qualifications)?
2. Willthe person do the work (motivation)?
3. Willthe person fit in (“our kind of team player”)?
