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- How to Answer Interview Questions - Q33 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeIf you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person? This is a ‘work style’ type of question. But it’s a complicated one. Employers really want both. If you’re a big-picture person, they’d like for you to also be able to handle the ...
Views: 3824 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q34 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeIf you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be? This is definitely a wacky question. Sometimes it’s “what animal would you be?” or even “What fruit would you be?” You might think it’s ridiculous, but you still have to play along, or you’ll upset the interviewer. They’re asking ...
Views: 1738 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q35 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeIs 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: 1501 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q36 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeSituational Response Question: An airplane landed in the parking lot. What would you do? Most situational interview questions are like behavioral interview questions. They have some direct relation to the job…like, “You are introducing a new policy to the group and facing opposition. How ...
Views: 1916 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q37 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss about a way that something should be done. How did you handle that? You can’t get away with saying, “That’s never happened. I’ve never disagreed with my boss.” Everybody, at some point, has disagreed with a decision the boss made about ...
Views: 1670 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q38 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell me about a time when you faced a difficult situation with a co-worker. “Works well with others” is a major skill we’re judged on from kindergarten right on into the workplace. (If only we didn’t get so many ‘opportunities’ to hone that particular skill!) That’s why you get job ...
Views: 1535 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q39 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell 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: 1492 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q4 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeDescribe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it. Asking you to describe difficult situations (and your reactions to them) is a favorite tactic of interviewers. It’s called behavioral interviewing. Behavioral interview questions get way past your basic skills and ...
Views: 2308 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q40 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it? If you’re interviewing for a management-level job, you will almost certainly be asked this question at some point. Nobody likes to give negative feedback, but if you supervise anyone, it’s a ...
Views: 1675 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q41 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell me about yourself. Some people think this is an icebreaker question because it’s one of the first questions they ask you in the interview (and because in normal circumstances, it is an icebreaker question). So they answer it like they would in a social situation and say something along ...
Views: 1616 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q42 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell me your life story (more of your personal history). Hiring managers want to find out as much as they can about you in the interview. It’s a little bit of a risk management thing. The more they know, the less likely they’ll make a mistake by extending you a job offer. But even if they ...
Views: 1496 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q43 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell us about a failed project. This is a more specific version of “Tell us about a time when you failed.” This is a big behavioral interview question. Why do hiring managers want so badly to ask about your failures? It’s because we’ve all failed at one time or another and how we deal with ...
Views: 1617 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q44 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeTell 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: 1480 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q45 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeThere’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Let’s see….Lake Tahoe, lying on the beach holding a fruity drink with an umbrella in it, riding my horse through the mountains, at the bank counting the millions of dollars I just won in ...
Views: 1740 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q46 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWe 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: 1508 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q47 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat 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: 1418 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q48 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your advantages and disadvantages? This job interview question is another way to get at what your greatest strengths and weaknesses as a candidate are. But in this particular one, they’d like a list of the pros and cons of hiring you. Don’t let it throw you. It is a beautiful ...
Views: 1909 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q49 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your hobbies? Asking about your hobbies and interests seems like an odd interview question, but companies are asking more and more of those ‘personality’ type questions these days in an effort to make sure that you’re going to be a good cultural fit for the organization. And the ...
Views: 1533 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q5 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeDescribe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them. Job interviews are like very intense speed dating. They’ve got to get to know you well in a very short time. For many ...
Views: 2763 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q50 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your least favorite things to do in your role as a XXXX? This is a slightly different version of, “What did you dislike about your previous job?” They are trying to find out more about you and how you think. If you are transferring roles in more of a lateral move, your answer ...
Views: 1528 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q51 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your pet peeves? Why would they ask about your pet peeves in a job interview? They can actually find out quite a lot about you by what you choose to say when you answer this question: Do you get irritated easily? (How long is your list?) Will you be a good fit for their company ...
Views: 1599 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q52 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your salary expectations? Oh, the dreaded salary question! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be a big problem for you if you know how to handle it. The primary strategy I teach my job seekers is “Do your research so that you know what the going rate is for that job in your ...
Views: 1587 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q53 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat 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: 1470 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q54 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat did you earn at your last job? For most candidates, “What was your salary?” is a very uncomfortable, Too Much Information-kind of a question. But all potential employers are going to ask at some point in the process, usually very early on, sometimes as early as the initial application. ...
Views: 1632 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q55 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat did you like or dislike about your previous jobs? Asking what you liked or disliked about your previous job sounds like a ‘get-to-know-you’ question, but don’t get too comfortable. This is another way to get at your strengths and weaknesses, and you can trip yourself up. Always ...
Views: 1522 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q56 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat do people most often criticize about you? Watch out for this question. This is another way to ask, “What’s your greatest weakness?” It is also a fishing expedition to see how well you take criticism. We all have to be open to criticism in order to grow and improve as professionals and ...
Views: 1607 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q57 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat 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: 1444 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q58 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat do you expect from a supervisor? Be careful when answering this job interview question. There’s a line to walk. They’re looking to see (1) do you understand the general supervisor/employee relationship, (2) will your style match with your potential new boss, and (3) will you take this ...
Views: 1387 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q59 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat do you know about this company? This is a very typical job interview question. Hiring managers want to know if you’ve done your homework. Have you done any company research? You would be surprised at how many job candidates can’t answer this question. Other candidates get a basic ...
Views: 1400 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q6 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeDescribe your work style. Do you know what your work style is? This is a popular interview question, but a lot of people go wrong in their answers because they don’t understand what that employer really wants to know. They’re not interested in your personality or your likes and dislikes ...
Views: 1891 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q60 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat do you wish you’d done better? When you are asked this question in job interview, please be aware that they are referring to your career, not your life. You could say that you wish you’d hired someone to tile your floor instead of doing it yourself, or that you wish you’d planned your ...
Views: 1350 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q61 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat excites you and scares you about this position? This is a tough question. I think it sounds like another version of “what are your greatest advantages and disadvantages?” or another way to ask about your strengths and weaknesses. They’re looking to see if you’ll tell them about any ...
Views: 1658 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q62 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat 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: 1446 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q63 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat have you learned from your mistakes? This job interview question is an opportunity for you to show them that you’re a “growth” person…someone who learns from their mistakes and grows from it, developing into a stronger, smarter, better version of yourself. If you keep it general, you ...
Views: 1596 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q64 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat is good customer service? This job interview question will generally be asked in interviews for retail or customer service jobs, but there’s really a wide range of jobs that have contact with customers, or people who pay money for a good or service. Engineers, accountants, and ...
Views: 1595 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q65 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat’s Your Greatest Weakness? “What’s your greatest weakness?” is possibly the most annoying job interview question just because of its sheer ridiculousness…your choices seem to be either to give them an obviously fake weakness (like you’re a perfectionist or you work too hard…ugh!), or a ...
Views: 1513 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q66 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat is your ideal job? In a personality test, this question may not be so easy for you to answer. But in a job interview, it’s one of the easiest questions you’ll be asked. Question: What’s your ideal job? Answer: This one. As far as they are concerned, your ideal job is the ...
Views: 1647 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q7 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeDescribe yourself to me in one word. Sometimes job interviewers try to get inside your head. Why? Hiring you feels like a gamble to them and they don’t like it. The person who hires you has a big stake in you doing well on the job. Remember the 4 unasked questions of every hiring ...
Views: 1751 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q8 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeDo you prefer working in a team or alone? Even though asking if you prefer working independently or as part of a team is a standard job interview question, it’s also a bit of a tricky one. I can’t think of any job that doesn’t at some point require both work styles. So even though you ...
Views: 2315 - How to Answer Interview Questions - Q9 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeGive me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. Even though a good STAR story is the backbone of answering Behavioral Interview questions, here’s one interview question where it’s actually a good thing NOT to have a great story for. ...
Views: 7324 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q100 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhy should we give you the job over the other candidates? This is a tough job interview question. Most people are not that comfortable with the idea of tooting their own horn, but that’s exactly what you have to do in a job search and in a job interview, and that’s especially what you have ...
Views: 1523 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q11 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHave you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it? Asking about any difficulties with team projects in the past is a great behavioral interview question, and interviewers love to ask it. At some point, everybody’s been on a team where someone ...
Views: 4524 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q12 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHave you ever had difficulty working with a supervisor/manager? When your interviewer asks, “Have you ever had difficulty working with a supervisor or manager?” they’re not really asking about your past supervisors. They’re asking about you. They want to know how you are to work with. The ...
Views: 1634 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q13 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHow can you apply your specific skills to help the organization achieve sustainable growth and generate revenue? To answer this question, it’s very important that you understand the role you’re applying to fill. If they ask you in the interview how you can apply your skills in “X, Y, and ...
Views: 1779 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q14 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHow did you deal with the situation the last time your boss chastised you or strongly disagreed with a statement, a plan or a decision you made? There are a lot of potential landmines lurking in this behavioral interview question. Maybe your knee-jerk reaction would be to say, “Why, I ...
Views: 1649 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q15 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHow 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: 1437 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q67 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat is your least favorite managerial task? With this job interview question, they are trying to get a feel for any potential weaknesses you’ll be bringing to the job, without asking directly about your weaknesses. Hiring managers are fully aware that you’ll be ready for the ‘weakness’ ...
Views: 1520 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q68 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat 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: 1424 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q69 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat makes you unique? What are hiring managers really asking in the job interview when they ask about what makes you unique? Well, they don’t want to know about what makes you special on a personal level. They want to know what makes you unique in relation to the job you’re interviewing ...
Views: 1395 - How to Answer Interview Questions – Q70 - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2014 from Peggy McKeeWhat motivates you? What’s the one big elephant in the room that MUST be ignored with the motivation question? All together now: “Money.” As much as the money question is a big part of why you work, employers want to think that you’re also doing this because you love it. And you should ...
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