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Interviews can be very stressful, so the more
prepared we are, the better. One way to prepare
ourselves is to brainstorm ideas about questions we
may get asked, so we'll be ready when the time
comes. But how do we know how to answer them? More
than often, we get asked at least one question in an
interview that seems to have little or nothing to do
with the job. Believe it or not, there is a reason
for every question they ask. Here are some tips to
help you decode interview language and find out what
they really want to know.
Interviewers ask various questions to find out what
kind of person you are and how you might be as an
employee. Here are some of the more popular
interview questions and tips on how to answer them:
Q:
"What is your greatest accomplishment in life so
far?"
A:
They're not just trying to find out what kinds of
things you're good at. Interviewers ask questions
like this because they're trying to find out about
your values. The way you answer this question
reveals how you see the world. The things that are
of value to you contribute to your overall
personality, which has a lot to do with your work
habits. For example, if the position requires the
applicant to have more education than learned
skills, you might answer by saying you're most proud
of your college or graduate level degree. This shows
the interviewer that you have a solid understanding
of what they're looking for in an employee and you
might be a good fit as well.
Q:
"Why do you want to work for this company?"
A:
Although this question seems fairly simple, a lot of
people don't seem to realize how important it is.
Again, this relates to the "good fit" idea. The way
you answer this question has a lot to do with how
much chemistry you may or may not have with the
company. Like any other relationship, it's important
to have good chemistry with the people you work
with. While it's not the same kind of chemistry you
need in a personal relationship, it's still
important. They need to know if you have what it
takes to join their team and if you're willing to
deliver. Instead of focusing on how good you would
be at the job, focus on exactly how you will help
them exceed their goals. Try to come up with unique
ideas that make sense and will separate you from
other candidates. Be creative and show them you've
taken some time to really think about your answer.
Q:
"So tell me about yourself..."
A:
This question usually comes towards the middle of
the interview or at the very beginning to help start
things off. If it seems like a very straightforward
question - it is. However, don't make the mistake of
thinking the interviewer wants to get to know you on
a personal level. Interviewers ask this question in
order to find out about your strengths and
weaknesses and how they may affect your work
performance. So instead of telling them what you
like to do on weekends, you might want to say
something like "I'm very sociable and I get along
with all kinds of people." An answer like that would
show that you work well with others and you're
probably fairly easy to get along with.
Whatever you do, don't stress too much about the
actual questions. A lot of times, a first impression
has more to do with the way you conduct yourself
than the things you actually say. If you come in
with pre-rehearsed answers and a script-like
presentation, you probably won't win them over. But
if you are asked a question that you weren't
prepared for, but you handle it well, you are
exhibiting both sincerity and "grace under
pressure."
Now
that you understand the meaning of these questions,
you should be able to come up with some personalized
answers. Keep in mind that they ask these questions
to get an idea of who you are, not to put you on the
spot. If you ever feel like you're being asked an
unfair or inappropriate question, you always have
the option to leave the interview and turn down the
job. But in most situations, the person is just
trying to get to know you a little, so let them!
Scott Brown
is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com).
As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on
job searching, Scott has written many articles on
the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to
provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use
guide to finding a job effectively.
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