BE POSITIVE! This seems to be an obvious point but is often over simplified. Many people who aren’t normally upbeat and positive have difficulties with this at the most basic level. It requires practice if it’s not a typical trait.

Question: So you think you can handle this position?

Negative answer: “All these projects seem like a lot of work. I would love the job.”
Positive answer: “These projects seem quite challenging. I look forward to helping."

Interview answers should be from 30 seconds to two minutes. They should positively never be one word answers.



Employer Questions
Common Questions on your interview

What is your reason for leaving your current organization?
What is your current salary?
Have you ever been fired?
How does this position compare with other opportunities you are considering?
Tell me about yourself?
So how long have you been looking for a job?
Describe a goal you have recently set for yourself or achieved?
What do you like most/least about this position?
What are your three biggest strengths/weaknesses?
What are your career plans over the next five years?
What do you know about the position?
Have you ever worked for a difficult person?
Describe a situation when you made a quick decision.
The transition from interviewee to interviewer…

What is your reason for leaving your current organization?
Don’t offer a selfish explanation. Take a broader, simpler view. DO NOT mention you didn’t get along with your last manager. You will be viewed as a difficult candidate.


What is your current salary?
Answer with a range if possible or couch your answer if you have no idea what the position pays. Working with recruiters will eliminate much of this concern as we match salary ranges and expectations prior to presenting candidates for specific openings.


Have you ever been fired?
These things do happen and it need not hamper your job searches forever. There are many reasons a person can get fired. Keep in mind that these are often complex. Personality issues with your manager could potentially label you as someone who can’t get along. Consider how much you wish to disclose. In any event, admit that it happened and note that you certainly learned from this experience.


How does this position compare with other opportunities you are considering?
Okay, so the goal here is not to disclose that this is one of many, or the only job you are considering. You want a manager to feel comfortable that you are genuinely interested in their position. Keep the answer to the unique opportunity being presented. This puts your active listening skills to use because it allows you to showcase your level of understanding to the interviewer. This turns a potential risky question into a positive affirmation of your interest in their opening.


Tell me about yourself?
Should you get this question on the interview you should realize you are being interviewed by a novice interviewer. They are probably crunched for time and really don’t know what other questions to ask. That being stated: you have two minutes or less to tell them your career progression since school, progressing through the positions/organizations you’ve held and ending with where you are today on your job search. Be certain to include accomplishments. It’s not a bad idea to have these hot points bullet-pointed on your notepad for reference info.

This is a good format to practice: “after graduating from ABC College with a degree in accounting, I accepted a position at XYZ Inc. working as a staff account. XYZ was a mid-sized manufacturing firm making widgets. After 4 years of increased responsibility I was promoted to Accounting Manager overseeing a group of 5 accountants. I was then recruited to DEF Corporation to lead their Oracle implementation. I am here today because DEF has been sold to an international firm and our jobs are being sent overseas.”


So how long have you been looking for a job?
Positive attitude! If you are going to admit you’ve been looking for awhile, spin it towards a positive career move. Just be prepared to discuss what’s been offered to you.

Describe a goal you have recently set for yourself or achieved?
Find the right job. If they ask about a past goal achieved, be prepared but make it meaningful.


What do you like most/least about this position?
This presents another opportunity to display what you’ve learned. State the two or three most important parts of the position, including perhaps the special projects discussed. For the least favorite, perhaps note that there are no significant drawbacks. If you must expand, then empathize with what the hiring manager has discussed as a difficult scenario.


What are your three biggest strengths/weaknesses?
This is where you can use some of your business clichés: loyalty, strong work ethic, goal oriented, good communication skills (please don’t say you are a ‘people person’) are all good answers. For weaknesses, please avoid the workaholic syndrome. It may be best to address items that are not critical to the position. If you’re not working with Oracle Financial reports you might say you’ve never really been able to get the hang of Excel Macros.


What are your career plans over the next five years?
This is a standard question without much bite but still a popular one. It therefore requires a standard answer. Repeat after me: “I hope to continue to grow within this organization in positions of increased responsibility. During this time my career growth would continue to contribute to the organizations success and ultimately learn from each other and my colleagues.”


What do you know about the position?
Do not go into an interview without ANY information. Disclose what you know and be prepared to ask a lot of questions to clarify the manager’s expectations.


Have you ever worked for a difficult person?
Difficult is a relative term. What you define as difficult may not be the same as the hiring manager. Ask them to explain what they mean by difficult? Doesn’t trust anyone? Doesn’t delegate? Establish impossible deadlines?


Describe a situation when you made a quick decision.
The hiring manager is not trying to determine if you should be the leader of the free world, but whether or not you can assess risk quickly.
Are you a team player? No better way to answer this than to make it clear that you understand what a team player is:

• Fair
  
• Accepts responsibility for problems
  
• Shares compliments
  
• Supports management decisions
  
• Offers constructive criticism
  
• Positive attitude
  
• Use “We” instead of “I” in your answers