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13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview

Ways to Answer Ten More Tricky Questions you May be Asked in a Job Interview (Part 9 of 10)

Q80 – Do you feel that you can deal with the general public? If you have never had a job dealing with the general public, you should indicate that you get along well with all the people you meet and it should be easy for you.

Q81 – Are you a joiner? Here the interviewer is trying to find out if you are a socializer and get along well with people. In most cases the interviewer should know from reading your resume’, but a positive answer here would be more helpful than a neutral or negative answer.

Q82 – How did you get our name? This question may be designed to help the company keep track of their sources of new prospects. If you answered an ad they will probably ask what newspaper or magazine. A straightforward answer is best.

Q83 – Where did you first hear about our company? As in Q82, they are probably tracking sources of new prospective employees. A straightforward answer is best.

Q84 – Do you consider yourself a “nice guy (or gal)? The old saw “nice guys finish last” is still believed by some. Best answer here is that you expect to be paid based on your performance on the job, and your goal is to do what it takes to be a high quality employee.

Q85 – What’s a nice girl (or guy) like you doing applying for work in a place like this? The best response to this one is to question the interviewer about what is so bad about this place that I should have to worry about applying here? Their answer may or may not give you second thoughts about trying for a job here.

Q86 – How is your health in general? This question may be designed to catch you off guard in case you have had recurring medical problems that may either impair your job performance, or may cost the company health providers with high expenses. You need to be truthful here.

Q87 – Ever had any back problems? This is a loaded question and a no answer is what they are looking for. If you have had problems, it may limit what jobs you can do and may also cost the company more for your health care.

Q88 – How’s your coordination? On some jobs this may be very important. Best answer is “normal”, but if you are really a “klutz”, then you might want to think twice about taking a job requiring super coordination.

Q89 – Do you get bored easily when doing routine and repetitive tasks? Most people would answer ‘yes’ to this. If you can truthfully answer ‘no’ then you might make a terrific assembly line worker.

For more answers to questions, watch for part 10 of 10 in this series of articles.

Good luck at your next interview!.

Many people think that one cannot prepare for job interview questions. Thus, they often relied purely on fate for the outcome of their interview. This is definitely not the way that it should be.
If you have attended several job interviews at one go, you would realize that there are certain common questions that job interviewers always kept asking. And if you have prepared for these questions earlier, wouldn’t you have improved your chance of success in interviews?
Here are the 6 most commonly asked interview questions I’ve surveyed and gathered. Take note of the sample answers below each questions and try to modify and remember them so that you would be much better prepared the next time you enter the interview room.
Question 1: Why Don’t You Tell Me About Yourself?
The interviewer does not want to know your life history! Instead, he or she wants you to explain how your background relates to doing the job. Following is how one person might respond:
“I grew up in the Southwest and my parents and one sister still live there. I always did well in school, and by the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to work in a business setting. I had taken computer and other business classes and had done well in them. The jobs I’ve had while going to school have taught me how many small businesses are run. In one of these jobs, I was given complete responsibility for the night operations of a wholesale grocery business that grossed over $2 million a year. I learned there how to supervise others and solve problems under pressure.”
This answer gives a brief personal history and then gets right into the job seeker’s skills and experiences. A different job would require you to stress different skills. Your personal history is unique, but you can still use the three steps to answer the question for yourself.
Question 2: Why Should I Hire You?
This is the most important question of all! If you don’t have a good reason why someone should hire you, why will anyone? This question is not often asked so clearly, but it is “the” question behind many other interview questions.
The best answer shows how you can solve a problem for the employer, help the business make more money, or provide something else of value that the company needs. Think about the most valuable thing you can do for an organization. You should probably include that information in your answer. Here is a sample response from a person with recent training but little work experience:
“I have over two years of training in this field and know about all the latest equipment and methods. That means I can get right to work and be productive almost right away. I am also willing to work hard to learn new things. During the entire time I went to school, I held a full-time job to help earn the tuition and support myself I learned to work hard and concentrate on what was important. I expect to do the same thing here. Since I won’t be going to school now, I plan on putting in extra time after regular work hours to learn anything this job needs.”
Question 3: What Are Your Major Strengths?
This is a direct question with a little hidden meaning. These are the skills employers are most concerned about. Here is one answer from a person who had little prior work experience:
“I think one of my strengths is that you can depend on me. I work very hard to meet deadlines and don’t need a lot of supervision in doing so. If I don’t know what to do, I don’t mind asking. In high school, I got a solid B-plus average even though I was very involved in sports. I always got my assignments in on time and somehow found the time to do extra credit work, too.”
Question 4: What Are Your Major Weaknesses?
This is a trick question. Most job seekers don’t handle this one well. If you discuss what you don’t do well, you may not get the job. If you say you have no weaknesses, the interviewer won’t believe you. Ask yourself what the interviewer really wants to know. He or she wants to know that you are aware of your weaknesses. The interviewer wants to know that you have learned to overcome them so that they don’t affect your work. Using the second step of the three-step process would result in a response like this:
“I do have some weaknesses. For example, in previous jobs I would get annoyed with coworkers who didn’t work as hard as I did. I sometimes said so to them, and several times I refused to do their work when they asked me to.”
You have answered the question, but the response should not end there! Using step three of the three-step process would result in a statement like this:
“But I have learned to deal with this better. I still work hard, but now I let the supervisor deal with another worker’s problems. I’ve also gained some skills as a supervisor myself I’ve learned to motivate others to do more because they want to, not because I want them to.”
Did you notice that this weakness isn’t such a weakness at all? Many of our strengths began in failure. We learned from them and got better. Your answer to any interview question should always present your positives.
Question 5: Why Are You Looking for This Sort of Position and Why Here?
Employers know that you will do better in a job you really want. Employers want to make sure you know what you want. They also want you to tell them what you like about the job, and what you like about doing the job in their organization. The closer you come to wanting what they have, the better.
The best answer for this is the truth. You should have a clear idea of the type of job you want before the interview. You should also know the sort of organization and the type of people you want to work with. You gathered all of this information earlier in this book. If you are interviewing for a job you want, in a place where you think you would enjoy working, answering this question should be easy.
Question 6: How Does Your Previous Experience Relate to the Jobs We Have Here?
This one requires a direct response. The employer is really asking, “Can you prove you have the experience and skills to do the job?” The question is directly related to the employer’s expectation on skills and training. In some cases, other people with better credentials than yours will want the job you’re after. You can even mention this, and then explain why you are a better choice. Here is an example of how one person answered this question:
“As you know, I have over five years of experience in a variety of jobs. While this job is in a different industry, it will also require my skills in managing people and meeting the public. In fact, my daily contact with large numbers of people on previous jobs has taught me how to work under pressure. I feel very able to deal with pressure and to get the job done.”
Remember to go through and familiarize yourself with each of these questions before you go for your interview. They will proof to be useful in one way or another.

How to Answer those Tough Questions you may be asked at a Job Interview – Part One of a Series of Ten Articles

When interviewing for a new job, whether it be your first or a job change, you will be asked lots of questions. The sometimes highly skilled human resources people and managers of your prospective employer want to find out as ,much as they can about you. Will you fit in? Will you stay or are you just looking for a parking place until you can find something else? Are you a team player? In most cases they won’t ask these questions in this way. rather, they will likely ask indirectly. The more people who interview you, the more questions you will be asked. A short manual written several years ago for use in conjunction with a resume’ service I ran contains a list of 100 questions. Ten of them are presented here.

Better to be prepared in advance than to fumble around for answers during the interview. The mere fact that you did or did not prepare ahead says something about you. Being prepared is one of the attributes that may win you the job. Do otherwise at your own peril. Having changed jobs several times during my career, I learned how to answer most of them with ease. To be successful you need to do the same. The answers I propose are not the only answers, but hopefully they will serve as a guide for you in your search for a job. Good luck (or as a friend of mine once said good skill) to you in finding your new job!

Q1 – What do you know about our company?

You should consider this question as an opportunity to let the interviewer know you are interested, and that you have done your homework. Use can now use this as a springboard to tell the interviewer how your experience and/ or education and training relates to what their company does, the products they make, etc.

Q2 – What do you want to be doing 5 years from now?

Answering this question gives you the opportunity to state your goals, career milestones you hope to achieve, etc. Hopefully you have thought about this and put it down on paper. If you haven’t done it be sure you do it before the interview. Vague answers like “I hadn’t really though about ” will be scored against you and lessen your chances of getting the job offer. An answer well thought out in advance will work in your favor.

Q3 – What is your greatest weakness?

This question is a little tricky to handle, but obviously you should not start spouting out all your bad points (we all have a few). Rather you should turn the question around on the interviewer, so that your greatest weakness is not really a weakness at all, but is really a strength, i.e. – You could say that your greatest weakness is that you talk too much, but that in most cases this helps you communicate better and you usually learn more than you would if you were quiet all the time. Another example: I’m afraid I’m a “workaholic.” While this might seem like a weakness because of all the material that’s been written about this “disease.”

On the contrary, most employers look at a “workaholic” as one who is “dedicated to their job.” Many great musicians, for example have become great by spending most of their waking hours practicing, and who can say this is really a weakness?

Q4 – Why should I hire you?

Answer this one with all the attributes, accomplishments, etc. that make you the best choice for this job. Tell them that you like this kind of work, or that you want to help contribute to your new employer’s success. If you have done something in the past that specifically relates to what they do, tell them about it in detail, then tell them you can do the same for them. The absolute WORST answer here is “I don’t know” Please don’t give that answer, rather go over this question in advance and be ready for it when asked!

Q5 – Why are you leaving your present job?

If you are presently employed, the best answer is that I haven’t left my present job yet, and I may not, but that depends upon the opportunity I am offered. Another acceptable answer would be that my present job has little opportunity for growth, and that I am looking for a job with more responsibility, or I want to broaden my experience, or a similar answer that is positive.

Q6 – What was your biggest problem with your last job (or the job you are in now)?

This is another question you need to turn from negative to positive. Example of a good answer – My biggest problem was that I wanted more responsibility and authority and then job you are offering looks like just what I was looking for.. Or – My present job is not challenging enough and your offering looks like it is more challenging.

Q7 – Do you make mistakes?

Best answer here is – I am only human but I don’t make any more than the next guy, and any mistakes I make are usually minor ones and I learn from them.. If true, you could also mention that you are a stickler for doing things right the first time, and you are able to do this almost all of the time.

Q8 – Are you afraid of being fired from your present job?

This question is probably designed to put you off balance or get you flustered. Don’t let it worry you. The best answer is that you have no reason to be afraid because..and then you can start telling about some of the contributions you have made, and that you consider your self an asset to your employer.

Q9 – If you had it to do all over again, what field would you go into?

This question is probably designed to find out if you really like what you are doing presently. If you give a negative answer, or say you wish you had gone into another field, you are asking for trouble. Best answer here is the simplest – I can’t think of any field I would rather be in.

Q10 – What do you dislike about your present employer?

The safest answer here is that you have nothing against your present employer, but what you are seeking is more responsibility, a more challenging job, etc.

To see all 100 questions you need to be ready to answer at a job interview go to my website and click on the link for the book “How to Get a Job Anywhere, Anytime” part of which was the basis for this article. The rest is filled with lots of tips and how-to’s for hunting a first or a new job.

How to Answer Ten More Tricky Questions you May be Asked in a Job Interview (Part 2 of 10)

Q11- Can you tell me a little about yourself?

This commonly asked question is like an opener to get the interview rolling, Many people like to talk about themselves and after all this question does get at the purpose of the interview in the first place, which is to get information. The employer wants to learn as much as he/she can about you. It also gives the interviewer a chance to watch you in action, see your body signals, poise, etc. This is your golden opportunity to sell yourself by telling about your abilities, past accomplishments, future aspirations, etc. You also have an opportunity to tell about what contributions you think you can make to their company based on what you have done in then past. It also gives you some measure of control over the interview. You could, for instance, answer some of the questions you anticipate they will ask you, rather than just sit back and wait to be asked. Your interviewer should appreciate this because it tells him you are “cutting to the chase” and perhaps saving some time. By doing this you are also displaying your confidence in yourself, your way with words, and perhaps your assertiveness.

Think of the interviewer as a customer and you as a salesman (and the product being sold). Your job is to convince he/she that you are the best product to fill his needs as a customer. Be prepared for this question or some variation because it’s almost a certainty that you will be asked it.

Q12 – Why do you want to work for our company?

This question gives you the opportunity to show the interviewer that you have done your homework and are really interested in their company. Use the information you have gathered about the company to relate to what you have done. Now you can launch into what contributions you think you can make to their company.

Q13 – What position are you after?

The answer to this should be on the tip of your tongue. If you answered and ad, use the same words the ad used. If you aren’t sure what the position is this is a good opportunity to ask the interviewer what the position is and what it entails.

Q14 – What do you consider your outstanding achievements in school and on the job?

These should be on your resume’ in brief form but here you can expand upon them with more detail. Use specific numbers where you can. It’s lots more convincing to say “my suggestion to raise the temperature 10 degrees C. for making product X caused a 10.4 % increase in the production rate for this product and ended up adding $14,350 in additional profit to my company” than to say “I told them to raise the temperature on this one product and it made the company lots more money.

Q15- What is your greatest strength?

A good answer here will undoubtedly increase your chances for a job offer. Consider this another opportunity to tell your prospective employer what you do best. This is not the time to be modest. Just don’t go so far as to sound like a braggart. Here again be specific about why X is your greatest strength. Put numbers on it if you can.

Q16 – Do you plan to make this job your career?

If you are applying for a job as a mail boy to get your foot in the door, resist the temptation to reply with “yeah, I want to be a mail boy the rest of my life” Instead you could say you like what their company does and think you might fit in to one of several areas as openings develop. The absolute WORST answer you could be “I don’t know” Don’t do it.

Go over this question ahead of time and have an answer ready in case they ask.

Q17- What hours are you available to work?

Best answer is that you are flexible and will work whatever hours they need you to work. Any other answer may limit your opportunity to get an offer. Most employers expect their employees to work whatever hours they are assigned and also work overtime if it needed.

Q18 – What minimum salary would you accept?

The answer to this has to be a personal choice but if you think they are just shopping around for the cheapest employee, you might just answer that you are interested in the going rate for the particular position. Another answer is to turn it around and ask them that if they feel you are qualified for the job, to make you an offer.

Q19 – Will you work overtime if it is offered?

The only acceptable answer here is yes. Saying anything else will probably spoil your chances with just about any company.

Q20- Why did you leave your last job?

If you are still working for a company, the simplest answer is I haven’t left the job I have at present. If you are unemployed be sure you have a positive answer here. An answer like ‘I couldn’t get along with my boss’ won’t cut it here. If you were laid off, better have a good reason for it. One of the better answers is you are very ambitious and your previous employer just didn’t have enough opportunity for advancement.

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For more answers to questions, watch for part 3 of 10 in this series of articles.

Good luck at your next interview!.

 

Interview Body Language- 7 Simple Ways to Send the Right Message in your Job Interview.

Pay attention to your interview body language – it plays a critical role in determining how you come across in the job interview! Non-verbal communication accounts for over 90% of the message you are sending the interviewer. 58% of that is your actual body language and 38% is the way you speak including voice tone and pitch. There are 7 simple ways to ensure that you are sending the right message with your interview body language.

1. Your Posture

Sit upright but in a relaxed fashion leaning slightly forward at about a 10 to 15 degree angle towards the interviewer. This send the message that you are an interested and involved candidate. Hunching down or leaning off to the side gives an impression of nervousness. A sloppy posture and leaning back appears casual and careless, perching on the edge of the chair comes across as tense and uncertain.

2. What to Do With Your Hands

The best is to rest your hands loosely-clasped in your lap or on the table if there is one. Fiddling with your hair, face or neck sends the message that you are anxious and uncertain.. Body language experts agree that touching the nose, lips or ears can signal that the candidate is lying.  Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hands pushed down into pockets send a message of secretiveness, showing your palms helps to build trust.  

3. Avoid Crossing Your Arms

Folding arms across the chest suggests a defensive type of position. It sends the message that the candidate is feeling threatened and ill-at-ease and is shutting the interviewer out. It can also send the message that the candidate does not agree with or buy into what the interviewer is saying. Waving your arms about too much is often interpreted as a lack of maturity and confidence. Try to keep your arms placed, in a relaxed fashion, by your sides, this looks confident and professional.

4. Put Both Feet on the Floor

Crossing your feet at the ankles or placing them both flat on the floor sends a message of confidence and professionalism. Jiggling or moving your legs creates an irritating distraction and shows nervousness. Resting an ankle on the opposite knee looks arrogant and too casual, crossing the legs high up appears defensive.  

5. Keep Direct Eye Contact

Maintaining direct eye contact with the interviewer demonstrates active listening and interest. Blink regularly, look away very briefly and move the head slightly every now and them to not appear to be staring aggressively. Eyes that dart around suggest dishonesty. Looking down gives the impression of low self-esteem.

6. Control your Facial Expressions

These can speak louder than the words coming out of the candidate’s mouth! Pursing the lips or twisting them sideways shows disapproval of what is being heard. Biting your lips suggests nervousness. Try to relax your mouth. Frowning makes you look confused and uncertain. Practice relaxing your facial muscles beforehand.

7. Position your Head Properly

The position of your head sends a clear message. Keeping your head straight looks self-assured and authoritative, it sends the message that you should be taken seriously. For a more friendly and relaxed look tilt your head slightly to one side. Nod your head every now and then to show you are listening closely.

Be aware of the non-verbal signals in your job interview. They are as eloquent as your interview answers. These interview body language tips will send a positive and professional message to the interviewer. More valuable job interview tips and techniques.

Best way to Answer Ten More Tricky Questions you May be Asked in a Job Interview (Part 10 of 10)

Q90 – What kinds of machines can you operate? In and office and some industrial shop environments, experience on specific machines (or computer platforms) may be helpful and if you have such skills you should bring them out here.

Q91 – Do you think you would be a good salesperson? Better answer yes if you are going into the sales field (and back it up with any experience data) After your ‘yes’ answer the follow-up question will likely be: Why? . Be prepared to back up your answer.

Q92 – How are the company politics where you work now? This is a loaded question. A positive or neutral answer is called for here. Anything negative will probably hurt you.

Q93 – Ever had any safety problems? Your best answer is that you always work safely, but if you have had problems with former employers you should be ready to explain any past problems.

Q94 – Ever been subjected to disciplinary action such as time off without pay? If you have anything on your record, you should be prepared to give your side of the story and answer any follow-up questions you may get.

Q95 – Have you ever been fired from a job? If you have, you need to be well prepared for questioning. Most companies understand that in company buyouts, difficult economic times etc. that people are fired through no fault of their own. Be prepared with all the circumstances, etc.

Q96 – Have you ever been laid off? If you have, be prepared to outline the circumstances, etc.

Q97 – Have you ever collected unemployment? This question is designed to find out if you have been laid off, and also to determine if you have been “chronically unemployed” because of a long record of unemployment. If this is the case with you, be prepared to explain all the circumstances.

Q98 – Are you the kind of person who ‘gets things done’? If you answer ‘yes’, be prepared with evidence to back it up. your best answer is ‘yes’ but the question is really a leading question designed to learn about what you have gotten done and how you did it.

Q99 – Can you maintain your concentration on the job no matter what is going around you, or are you distracted easily? This is a loaded question that is probing to find out whether you can work in a noisy office (or factory, or shop). The fact that they are even asking such a question should be a clue to you that this company does have a noisy environment, and if that bothers you then you should weigh this and other factors to decide whether you really want to work for this company.

This concludes this series of interview questions.

Good luck at your next interview!

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