 Tell
me about yourself? |
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Identify some of your main
attributes and memorize them. Describe your qualifications,
career history and range of skills, emphasizing those
skills relevant to the job. |
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| What
have your achievements been to date? |
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Select an achievement that
is work-related and fairly recent. Identify the skills
you used in the achievement and quantify the benefit it
had to the company. For example, "my greatest achievement
has been to design and implement a new sales ledger system,
saving the company $50,000 per month." |
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| Are
you happy with your career to date? |
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This question is really about
your self-esteem, confidence and career aspirations. The
answer must be "yes", followed by a brief explanation
as to what it is about your career so far that's made
you happy. If you have hit a career plateau, or you feel
you are moving too slowly, then you must qualify your
answer. |
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| What
is the most difficult situation you have had to face and
how did you tackle it? |
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The purpose of this question
is to find out what your definition of difficult is and
whether you can show a logical approach to problem solving.
In order to show yourself in a positive light, select
a difficult work situation which was not caused by you
and which can be quickly explained in a few sentences.
Explain how you defined the problem, what the options
were, why you selected the one you did and what the outcome
was. Always end on a positive note. |
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| What
do you like about your present job? |
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This is a straightforward question.
All you have to do is make sure that your 'likes' correspond
to the skills etc. required in the job on offer. Be enthusiastic;
describe your job as interesting and diverse but do not
overdo it - after all, you are looking to leave. |
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| What
do you dislike about your present job? |
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Be cautious with this answer.
Do not be too specific as you may draw attention to weaknesses
that will leave you open to further problems. One approach
is to choose a characteristic of your present company,
such as its size or slow decision-making processes etc.
Give your answer with the air of someone who takes problems
and frustrations in your stride as part of the job. |
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| What
are your strengths? |
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This is one question that you
know you are going to get so there is no excuse for being
unprepared. Concentrate on discussing your main strengths.
List three or four proficiencies e.g. your ability to
learn quickly, determination to succeed, positive attitude,
your ability to relate to people and achieve a common
goal. You may be asked to give examples of the above so
be prepared. |
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| What
is your greatest weakness? |
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Do not say you have none -
this will lead to further problems. You have two options
- use a professed weakness such as a lack of experience
(not ability) on your part in an area that is not vital
for the job. The second option is to describe a personal
or professional weakness that could also be considered
to be a strength, and the steps you have taken to combat
it. An example would be, "I know my team thinks I'm
too demanding at times - I tend to drive them pretty hard
but I'm getting much better at using the carrot and not
the stick." |
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| Why
do you want to leave your current employer? |
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State how you are looking for
a new challenge, more responsibility, experience and a
change of environment. Do not be negative in your reasons
for leaving. It is rarely appropriate to cite salary as
your primary motivator. |
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| Why
have you applied for this particular job? |
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The employer is looking for
evidence that the job suits you, fits in with your general
aptitudes, coincides with your long-term goals and involves
doing things you enjoy. Make sure you have a good understanding
of the role and the organization, and describe the attributes
of the organization that interest you most. |
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Other questions
to consider: |
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How does your job fit
in to your department and company? |
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What do you enjoy about this industry? |
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Give an example of when you have
worked under pressure. |
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What kinds of people do you like
working with? |
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Give me an example of when your work
was criticized. |
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Give me an example of when you have
felt anger at work. How did you cope and did you
still perform a good job? |
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What kind of people do you find it
difficult to work with? |
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Give me an example of when you have
had to face a conflict of interest at work. |
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Tell me about the last
time you disagreed with your boss. |
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Do you prefer to work alone or in
a group? Why? |
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This organization is very different
from your current employer - how do you think you
are going to fit in? |
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What are you looking for in a company? |
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How do you measure your own performance? |
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What kind of pressures have you encountered
at work? |
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Are you a self-starter? Give me examples
to demonstrate this? |
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What changes in the workplace have
caused you difficulty and why? |
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How do you feel about working long
hours and/or weekends? |
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Give me an example of when you have
been out of your depth. |
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What have you failed to achieve to
date? |
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What can you bring to this organization? |
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