Is there anything I haven’t told you about the company that you’d like to know?
Toward the end of the interview, hiring managers will ask some version of, “Do you have any questions for me?” Your answer is ALWAYS going to be “yes.”
You always want to have a list of questions to ask in ... Views: 1364
We are looking for someone with experience…or, You don’t have enough experience—why should we hire you?
If you’re a new graduate, or if you’re switching careers, you might get asked this question, especially early on in the process, like in a phone interview. It is a challenge, but don’t let ... Views: 1362
Job interviews are all about communication, right? You will only get the job if you can successfully communicate that you understand the job, that you can do the job, that you will do the job, and that you pose no risk to this person’s continued employment. (That’s why 30-60-90-day plans are ... Views: 1362
What was your most difficult work experience and how did you deal with it?
This is a great job interview question to talk about how you have overcome a challenge and ended up a winner! You can talk about how you stepped up to a difficult situation and got a good outcome, or how you overcame ... Views: 1360
Why do you want to switch from an academic field to business/industry?
The one big perception / misconception about academics is that they can’t make it in the ‘real’ world. They are secure in their ivory towers and not coming out any time soon. So if you find yourself trying to leap from ... Views: 1360
You might not think about the quality of your voice before your phone interview—but you should. Interviewers concentrate very hard on your voice in that conversation: Do you sound alert? Confident? Enthusiastic? Are there any red flags they need to be worrying about? They just don’t have ... Views: 1359
Tell us about a time that you went against corporate directives. Why? How did it turn out?
I once did a survey of job seekers as part of my mock interview program, asking them to give me actual questions they’ve been asked in job interviews, and this was one of the responses. I almost ... Views: 1357
Tell me about a time when you failed.
The key to answering the failure question is that you can’t say you’ve never failed. I know you probably really want to, because you don’t want to be seen in a bad light. But you can’t. And it’s OK.
Everybody fails. If you’ve never failed, it ... Views: 1356
What type of work environment do you prefer?
The best answer to this job interview question of what work environment do you prefer is the same answer you’d give to “What’s your ideal job?” The correct answer is: “This one.”
Of course, you need to respond with the type of work environment ... Views: 1355
You have much more power over your phone interview than you probably think you do, including when to schedule it. If you can exercise that power, please do so.
Why is it so important to control when you interview? First, you want to give yourself enough time to prepare. This phone ... Views: 1350
How do you deal with stressful situations?
If I got asked about how I deal with stressful situations, the first thing that would pop into my head is, “You mean like this one?” (Job interviews are very, very stressful. The way you deal with that stress is recognizing that it’s going to be ... Views: 1349
Phone interviews are really phone screens. They are screening candidates, narrowing down a list that’s too long, figuring out who to invite in for a face-to-face interview. So really, in a phone interview, they’re looking for reasons to mark you off the list—to screen you out. Your job in ... Views: 1349
Resume Blasts
I included resume blasts on my Fastest Way to Find a Job Series not because I like them, but because some job seekers think these are the way to go, and I have a better alternative.
Resume blasts used to be the hot, hot thing back in 1999 and before. When I got my first job ... Views: 1348
What would you do first at this job?
When they ask you this question in the job interview, they want to get a picture of how you would be in the role. How you answer tells them about your personality and your work style. Do you attack it from day one? Do you take it all in and analyze it ... Views: 1348
What would your manager say was the area you needed most development in?
This question might also sound like, “What would your boss say you need to improve on?” No doubt about it…impressing your boss is always important, and we all have things about ourselves that we could improve on. But, as ... Views: 1343
Companies you’ve interviewed with before
Companies you’ve interviewed with before but never worked for are a place to network that most people don’t think about. It’s really overlooked. It won’t work for everyone, but it will work for some and it will be extremely fruitful.
Let me give ... Views: 1342
How long would you plan to stay with us?
Asking about your future plans in this way is really not asking you about your future plans. You don’t have to go into your 5-year life plan or your career goals. It’s a brief question that requires only a brief answer.
Personally, my response to ... Views: 1337
I noticed that you are applying for a position that is not as senior as your past positions. Why would you consider a job that is, in effect, a demotion for you?
This is a question you might get asked early on in the process, like in a phone interview. If you have a lot of experience, it’s ... Views: 1335
What are your workplace values?
Asking about your workplace values is similar to asking “What is your work ethic?” Or, “What are your workplace ethics?” They want to know what kind of person you are. What matters to you?
It’s really an easy question to answer because your answer should ... Views: 1334
Even if you’ve got all the big factors covered for your phone interview (quiet spot, landline, preparation), there are still some pretty small phone interview mistakes that will get you screened out and marked off their short list. Sometimes it doesn’t take much….phone interviews are real ... Views: 1327
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In other words, are you going to bail on them in a few months for another job, or are you going to stick around and make their training and investment in you pay off? Is this a stepping stone on your career path, or is this a job to pay the bills until ... Views: 1326
Career Coaching
If you’re in the job search, you have certainly heard advice about job boards, networking, or even temporary work. But have you ever considered a career coach as a path to a new job?
When I say “Career Coach,” I do not mean the kind of life coach who helps you decide what ... Views: 1323
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is ideal for college students as they graduate, but it’s not just for the kids. Anytime you’re transitioning into a new field (either by choice or because you were laid off), a job shadowing experience can give you a big boost in your job search.
Why should you ... Views: 1320
Freelancing / Consulting / Temping
Freelancing, temping, and consulting are all great ways to fill your time in between jobs. Sometimes it’s just a financial necessity, and that’s OK. But these activities also offer some great benefits for you while you’re in the job search. Sometimes they ... Views: 1319
What were your responsibilities in your last job?
Your answer to this question about your job responsibilities depends entirely on the role you played in your last job. What were your major responsibilities? You want to list those out.
A reasonable person might think, “Why would they ask ... Views: 1316
Even though your interviewer can’t see you, using the right body language in your phone interview will help you to have a better outcome.
Smile
One of the simplest things you can do to project confidence and enthusiasm over the phone is to smile while you talk. It’s amazing what smiling ... Views: 1315
What was your least favorite part of your last job?
Why does the hiring manager want to know about your least favorite part of your last job? Because they want to find out more about you, and they are hoping to uncover any potential weaknesses or problems before they hire you. What you say ... Views: 1308
For such a short conversation, phone interviews are a surprisingly wide-open opportunity for screw-ups. Why is that? Partly, it’s because in a phone interview, the interviewer is really looking for mistakes. Telephone interviews are a screening process—a way to weed out too many candidates. ... Views: 1306
Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you know…it’s WHO you know”? That’s not entirely true, but there’s a healthy-enough grain of truth in that statement to make networking a very powerful strategy for your job search.
The most important thing you can do when you’re in the job hunt ... Views: 1305
How do I know you still have the ‘fire in the belly’ to do this job?
If you’re of a ‘certain age’ in the job search, you already know that age is a big issue. It’s a very real obstacle to getting a job. Older workers have a reputation of not being up on the latest technology, not being ... Views: 1305
What have you been doing since you got laid off?
I know…this job interview question makes you want to roll your eyes. The painfully obvious answer is, “I’ve been trying to find a new job!” But you can’t say that.
Why would they ask you this question? It turns out, they have several ... Views: 1304
How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
I love, love, love this question. This is a ‘roll out the red carpet, here’s your golden ticket’ opening to introducing your 30-60-90-day plan.
If you’ve never heard of a 30 60 90 day plan, it’s very simple: it’s a ... Views: 1301
What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishment?
This is a fantastic job interview question. It sets you up to shine a giant spotlight on yourself as the ideal candidate for this job.
Never, ever answer this question by talking about something you achieved or accomplished ... Views: 1301
In any job interview, it’s important to use your best manners—and telephone interviews are no exception. Besides your resume, this is their first impression of you. Make it a great one by being super-polite and professional.
Set Up Your Space for Quiet
Nothing says “I don’t care about ... Views: 1301
How do you handle stress and pressure on the job?
Hmmm….how DO you handle on-the-job pressure?
I cry, yell, or complain.
I hide in the bathroom.
I love stress! It’s so motivating!
I don’t get stressed.
Obviously, they want your answer to be (c) or (d)…either one works. Either ... Views: 1299
What are some of your greatest and/or proudest accomplishments?
This is a great job interview question, but a lot of people don’t do it or themselves justice when they answer it.
One of the worst mistakes people make is that they will say that their greatest or proudest accomplishment is ... Views: 1295
Alumni Organizations
Alumni organizations are great networking resources for you, which means they are also great resources to help you find a job.
I graduated from the University of Oklahoma, so I have attended many OU alumni functions in Dallas. (Most alumni organizations have groups in ... Views: 1294
Think you can talk on the phone anywhere? That might be true if you’re discussing dinner plans, but it is not true for your phone interview. For that, you have to choose your location carefully. Why? Because this phone conversation is the gate you have to pass through to get to your ... Views: 1290
YouTube
Posting a video on YouTube to try to find a job might sound like a desperate, last ditch effort, but think again. If you’re on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google Plus, or other social media networks, why wouldn’t you be on YouTube? There are lots of things you can do on YouTube that you ... Views: 1287
Friends / Family / Church
It is so important to talk to your friends, family, and church about your job search situation if for no other reason than they are your support system. The job search is too stressful to carry it on your shoulders alone.
I’ve known job seekers to leave the ... Views: 1284
What’s the point of a phone interview? A phone interview is an inexpensive, time-saving way to determine whether or not you are worth the time, effort, and expense of a face-to-face interview. That’s it. For the employer, it’s a screening process: Do you merit further consideration? For ... Views: 1284
Here’s a secret: There’s really only so many interview questions you can ask. Some hiring managers like to break out of the rut and ask crazy things to catch you off guard, like “What kind of tree would you be?”, but most of the time they tend to ask the same kinds of questions. There’s just ... Views: 1283
What kind of money would you be interested in making?
Hiring managers always want to know how much you’re going to cost them, so they will ask the salary question a hundred different ways: “How much did you make at your last job?” “What are your salary expectations?” Or this one, “How much ... Views: 1281
What will you contribute to this job?
This job interview question is very similar to “Why should we hire you?” Or, “Why do we want you over the other candidates?” The job interview is a sales process in which you are the product and the hiring manager and company is the buyer. Your salary ... Views: 1281
Previous Co-Workers
People you have worked with in the past are a big networking opportunity for you in your quest to find a new job.
(1) They can pass on job leads to you. People in your career space will naturally hear about job openings and happenings in other companies. If it’s ... Views: 1278
How have you responded to a colleague who is putting you down at work?
This is a pretty specific question, but it’s basically just another version of “How do you react in difficult situations?” This type of question is often asked in one version or another in behavioral interview situations. ... Views: 1277
Why research the interviewer before your phone interview? Look at it this way: The job interview is a sales process in which you are both the product and the sales rep. One of the first rules of sales is “Know Your Customer.” You can’t sell effectively unless you know a little something ... Views: 1277
How do athletes win championships? Practice.
How do violin students become virtuosos? Practice.
How do you get better at interviews? Practice.
Interviewing is not a talent. It is a skill. Most people don’t get a chance to spend much time honing that skill, because most of us don’t ... Views: 1276
What will you do if you don’t get this position?
This question is mostly likely to be asked when you’re interviewing for an internal promotion. You’re probably going up against other candidates in the company, and maybe even some external candidates, too. They’re worried about how you’ll ... Views: 1274
What are your phone interview goals? The bottom-line goal of any phone interview is getting the invitation to come in for a face-to-face. That’s the whole point of a phone interview. Your goal in this interview is not the job. It’s the next interview. The phone interview is a screening ... Views: 1273