|
The
following 'difficult' questions are common to most
tricky or adversarial interviews. In order to
convince the interviewer that you are the best
person for the job, you must prepare and rehearse
your answers meticulously. Study the job description
and the candidate profile; research the company; and
match your skills and accomplishments to the
employer's requirements.
When preparing your answers, consider what each
question is designed to find out about the
candidate's suitability for the position.
1. Why Are You Leaving
Your Current Job?
The
employer is seeking to identify problems you have
had in the past that you may carry over into your
new job. Always cite positive reasons for joining
and leaving a company. Never criticize your previous
employer or work colleagues. Avoid statements that
may convey a negative impression of yourself or your
ability to get on with others. State that you are
looking for a new challenge and briefly explain why
you see the advertised position as an important step
forward in your career.
2. Why Should We
Employ You Rather than One of the Other Candidates?
The
interviewer wants to know what unique quality makes
you the best person for the job. To differentiate
yourself from the other candidates, you must show
that you have researched the company thoroughly and
studied the job description. You should be prepared
to demonstrate clearly how your skills,
qualifications, and accomplishments match the
employer's specific needs. It is important to convey
genuine enthusiasm for the post.
3. What Are Your
Strengths and Weaknesses?
This particularly tricky question requires
painstaking preparation and rehearsal. The
interviewer is looking for evidence of critical
self-assessment and a commitment to continuous
self-development. Stress specific job-related
strengths and accomplishments. Select one weakness
that could be viewed both as positive and negative,
e.g. you are a perfectionist who tends to work too
long hours. Show, by particular example, how you
have successfully addressed this tendency. Make sure
to portray yourself in a positive light. Never
mention a weakness that is directly related to
the job for which you are being interviewed.
4. Tell Me About
Yourself
The
interviewer wants to know how well suited you
are for the job and how you can benefit the company.
Spend no longer than two minutes answering this
question. By analysing the job description and
carrying out detailed company research in advance,
you will have a clear idea of the ideal candidate.
Focus on your skills, qualifications, and
accomplishments that relate to the advertised
position. Remember that the company has a problem
and they are looking for the best solution. Prove to
them that you can solve their problem better than
anyone else.
5. Where Do You See
Yourself in Five Years' Time?
This question is designed to determine your career
plan. Have you well planned short-term and long-term
career goals? Is the advertised position consistent
with these? If hired, are you likely to commit
yourself fully to the company or will you seize the
first opportunity to move on? Show that you have a
structured way of establishing goals. Demonstrate
the importance of the job on offer as part of your
career progression. Stress that you are ambitious,
but realistic. Let them know that you plan to
develop professionally within the company and to
work energetically to obtain a promotion.
6. Why Do You Want to
Work for Our Company?
The
interviewer is trying to discover how much you know
about the company. Once again, detailed company
research will pay handsome dividends when it comes
to answering this question. The candidate who
displays a knowledge of the company and an awareness
of the challenges it faces is more likely to be
selected than the tongue-tied interviewee who looks
perplexed when asked why he or she wants to work for
that particular company.
You
should find out as much as you can about the
company's organisational structure; its financial
history; its range of products, goods or services;
its aims and objectives; its philosophy and culture;
its trading methods; its history, current position,
and future developments; its competitors; its
training programmes; its attitude towards its
customers; its achievements; and any problems it may
have. Tailor your answer in terms of their needs,
not yours.
Be
positive. Say that you like what you've heard about
the company and the way they treat their staff and
customers. Stress that you are confident that you
can make a meaningful contribution.
Gerard McLoughlin, Director of Assignments Plus
Communications, has contributed career-related
articles to a wide range of recruitment companies,
websites and publications throughout the world,
including USA Today, JobBankUSA.com, US-Recruiters.com;
Jobs1.co.uk, Nurse-Recruiter.com, and
Recruitireland.com, etc.
|
