من طرف المؤسس الثلاثاء 09 أغسطس 2011, 10:10The
following are the most common questions asked during an employment
interview. This will help you to get ready for a winning interview.
1. Tell me about yourself.
Keep
your answer short and focused on your professional life. This is not
the time to bring up relationships, childhood experiences, family etc. A
brief history of education, career and special interests is what is
called for here. End it with why you are interested in this particular
job.
2. Why are you applying for this particular job?
Show
interest and demonstrate that you have researched the job and know what
you are getting into. Bring up evidence from past work/ studies that
supports your interest in this role and any skills you haveacquired
in preparation for the role. You can say something like 'I would like
to work for a leader in innovative network and telecommunications
solutions and my college degree in computational mathematics has given
me a solid background for this role. Mention the value-added you can
bring to the job.
following are the most common questions asked during an employment
interview. This will help you to get ready for a winning interview.
1. Tell me about yourself.
Keep
your answer short and focused on your professional life. This is not
the time to bring up relationships, childhood experiences, family etc. A
brief history of education, career and special interests is what is
called for here. End it with why you are interested in this particular
job.
2. Why are you applying for this particular job?
Show
interest and demonstrate that you have researched the job and know what
you are getting into. Bring up evidence from past work/ studies that
supports your interest in this role and any skills you haveacquired
in preparation for the role. You can say something like 'I would like
to work for a leader in innovative network and telecommunications
solutions and my college degree in computational mathematics has given
me a solid background for this role. Mention the value-added you can
bring to the job.
3. What do you know about our company?
Indicate
what you have learnt from your research activities - from their annual
reports, newspapers, word of mouth, other employees etc. Use this to
flatter them and show that you have done your homework.
Indicate
what you have learnt from your research activities - from their annual
reports, newspapers, word of mouth, other employees etc. Use this to
flatter them and show that you have done your homework.
4. What makes you qualified for this particular job?
Again,
explain that you are very interested in the job and demonstrate what it
is about your past experiences, education and qualifications that makes
you ideal for the job. Show enthusiasm and support your answers with
evidence wherever you can (eg. my summer internship at Citibank gave me
broad exposure to the area of equity analysis and I think I can apply
many of the tools I learnt there in this job). Elaborate on all the past
experiences and skill sets that make you suitable for the job.
In cases where your past experience is not directly relevant, you can
still find elements of it that can be useful. Play up teamskills,
computer skills, leadership roles, specific courses and independent
research activities that can be useful to the job at hand to show your
initiative even where you don't have directly relevant jobexperience.
Again,
explain that you are very interested in the job and demonstrate what it
is about your past experiences, education and qualifications that makes
you ideal for the job. Show enthusiasm and support your answers with
evidence wherever you can (eg. my summer internship at Citibank gave me
broad exposure to the area of equity analysis and I think I can apply
many of the tools I learnt there in this job). Elaborate on all the past
experiences and skill sets that make you suitable for the job.
In cases where your past experience is not directly relevant, you can
still find elements of it that can be useful. Play up teamskills,
computer skills, leadership roles, specific courses and independent
research activities that can be useful to the job at hand to show your
initiative even where you don't have directly relevant jobexperience.
5. What can you do for us that someone else can't?
Demonstrate key strengths, skills and personal characteristics.
6. Why should we hire you?
See
3. Because you have all the experience/ traits/ credentials
demonstrated in 3 and in addition to being qualified, you are
enthusiastic, intelligent, hardworking, flexible and willing to learn.
Also mention any key relationships you may have that may assist you in
the job.
. What do you look for in a job?
Be
honest. Also mention keywords such as challenging, steep learning
curve, good work culture, demanding, rewarding, opportunities for
advancement and growth, team environment, opportunity to build and
maintain client relationships etc.
8. Why are you looking to make a career change?
however
insignificant that can support your move in this new direction. It is
quite common in this day and age to make a career switch. You need
however to show that you have very carefully thought about the change,
have a strong interest in the new career and can use some of your
previous skills/ education/ relationships to make that move.
however
insignificant that can support your move in this new direction. It is
quite common in this day and age to make a career switch. You need
however to show that you have very carefully thought about the change,
have a strong interest in the new career and can use some of your
previous skills/ education/ relationships to make that move.
9. Why did you leave your last job?
Do
NOT use this as an opportunity to badmouth past employers or peers or
talk about a failure of any sort. Any of these answers are acceptable:
you were looking for a new challenge, your learning curve had flattened
out in the previous job and you were looking for a new learning
opportunity, the
company or department were restructuring, you were ready to start
something new after achieving your career goals at the previous company
etc.
Do
NOT use this as an opportunity to badmouth past employers or peers or
talk about a failure of any sort. Any of these answers are acceptable:
you were looking for a new challenge, your learning curve had flattened
out in the previous job and you were looking for a new learning
opportunity, the
company or department were restructuring, you were ready to start
something new after achieving your career goals at the previous company
etc.
10. Why do you want to work for us (as opposed to the competitor companies)?
Demonstrate that you know something about the company, that you believe they are leaders/ innovators in what they do, or youthink
their work culture is exactly what you are looking for, or you like
their product(s) or you have friends who work there and have always been
attracted to the company etc. Flatter the company and show you know
something about it.
Demonstrate that you know something about the company, that you believe they are leaders/ innovators in what they do, or youthink
their work culture is exactly what you are looking for, or you like
their product(s) or you have friends who work there and have always been
attracted to the company etc. Flatter the company and show you know
something about it.
11. How long will it take you to start making a meaningful contribution?
Show
that you are enthusiastic and willing to learn and will put in all the
hours and effort necessary to learn the ropes and start making an
immediate contribution. Indicate that your past experiences/ skills/credentials
will enable you to make an immediate contribution at some level while
you quickly learn all new aspects of the job. An Interviewer wants
someone who is willing and able to learn and will make a return on his
investment sooner rather than later.
Show
that you are enthusiastic and willing to learn and will put in all the
hours and effort necessary to learn the ropes and start making an
immediate contribution. Indicate that your past experiences/ skills/credentials
will enable you to make an immediate contribution at some level while
you quickly learn all new aspects of the job. An Interviewer wants
someone who is willing and able to learn and will make a return on his
investment sooner rather than later.
12. What are your strengths?
See
14 below. In addition, keywords such as good teamplayer, work very well
under pressure, very creative, very strong quantitative or computer
skills, and very strong client relationship skills may be appropriate
depending on your chosen field.
See
14 below. In addition, keywords such as good teamplayer, work very well
under pressure, very creative, very strong quantitative or computer
skills, and very strong client relationship skills may be appropriate
depending on your chosen field.
1
3. What are your weaknesses?
Do
NOT mention key weaknesses here. This is not the place to say you are
bad at meeting deadlines or you never mastered highschool mathematics
etc. Turn this question around to your benefit. For example, you are
'overambitious' or 'extremely attentive to detail' or 'like to take on
too many projects'. Make it sound positive.
14. What are your career goals?
Show you have thought forward and are committed to your career.
14. What are your career goals?
Show you have thought forward and are committed to your career.
1
5. How would you describe yourself?
Any
of these are good examples of attributes employers are looking for:
intelligent, hardworking, quick to learn, enthusiastic, honest,
efficient, productive, ambitious, successful, compassionate (in the
medical fields).
16. How would your colleagues describe you?
Do not bring up anything negative here
Do not bring up anything negative here
17. How would your boss describe you?
They will check references anyways so bring up the most positiveattribute you can think of about yourself eg hardworking, honest etc. and leave it to your Boss to say anything to the contrary.
They will check references anyways so bring up the most positiveattribute you can think of about yourself eg hardworking, honest etc. and leave it to your Boss to say anything to the contrary.
18. What did you most like/ dislike about your past job?
Do
not use this to badmouth past jobs/ employers. Keep it light and in
your favour (e.g., I outgrew the job, there wasn't a clear career
progression, I wasn't learning anything new etc). Ideally, you will have
loved your last job and would like to achieve the same kind of success
and job satisfaction in a more challenging area as you have now
'outgrown' that job and are ready for 'new challenges'.
Do
not use this to badmouth past jobs/ employers. Keep it light and in
your favour (e.g., I outgrew the job, there wasn't a clear career
progression, I wasn't learning anything new etc). Ideally, you will have
loved your last job and would like to achieve the same kind of success
and job satisfaction in a more challenging area as you have now
'outgrown' that job and are ready for 'new challenges'.
19. Describe a situation in your past where you showed initiative?
You
could describe any new methods you came up with to do your job or to
save money for the company or to turn around a bad situation. It can be
something as simple as changing a filing system, or establishing a
relationship with a vendor that saved your department a lot of money. If
you are in sales, you may want to talk about how you brought in that
big account. Creatives may talk about how they came up with that
cutthroat image or design that brought in the business.
You
could describe any new methods you came up with to do your job or to
save money for the company or to turn around a bad situation. It can be
something as simple as changing a filing system, or establishing a
relationship with a vendor that saved your department a lot of money. If
you are in sales, you may want to talk about how you brought in that
big account. Creatives may talk about how they came up with that
cutthroat image or design that brought in the business.
20. What were your main responsibilities in your last job?
Have
these ready and list them all. Dwell on the ones that are most relevant
to the new job. This answer should be smooth and practiced.
Have
these ready and list them all. Dwell on the ones that are most relevant
to the new job. This answer should be smooth and practiced.
21. What do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
Many
of us have one or two milestones in our career that we are very proud
of eg. that early promotion, that 'huge' deal we brought in, the design
we came up with, the costs we saved, the revenues we increased, the
people we trained, a new invention or process we came up with etc.
Examples of accomplishments may be: 'Reduced costs by X%; or renamed and
repositioned a product at the end of its lifecycle, or organized and
led a team to do XYZ, or achieved sales increase of X% etc. If you are a
fresh college graduate, talk about extracurricular activities,
leadership roles and grades.
Many
of us have one or two milestones in our career that we are very proud
of eg. that early promotion, that 'huge' deal we brought in, the design
we came up with, the costs we saved, the revenues we increased, the
people we trained, a new invention or process we came up with etc.
Examples of accomplishments may be: 'Reduced costs by X%; or renamed and
repositioned a product at the end of its lifecycle, or organized and
led a team to do XYZ, or achieved sales increase of X% etc. If you are a
fresh college graduate, talk about extracurricular activities,
leadership roles and grades.
22. Describe your management style (if relevant)
No answer
No answer
23. Do you work better in teams or independently?
Show
that you are a proactive teamplayer and like to bounce ideas off others
and get input; however you are very capable of working independently
(give examples).
Show
that you are a proactive teamplayer and like to bounce ideas off others
and get input; however you are very capable of working independently
(give examples).
24. How do you work under pressure?
Well. Give evidence.
Well. Give evidence.
25. What other jobs have you applied for?
Don't
mention jobs in different career directions (eg advertising and
investment banking). Do however bring up any other offers or Interviews
from competing firms.
Don't
mention jobs in different career directions (eg advertising and
investment banking). Do however bring up any other offers or Interviews
from competing firms.
26. How did you do in college?
Keep it positive. It's okay to say you were very busy making the most of
college and were very involved in sports, activities, social life etc.
Employers want human beings not robots. Mention the areas you did very
well in even if it was just one or two courses you excelled in. They
will check for themselves.
27. What kind of hours would you like to work?
Employers
want to see flexibility. Indicate you are willing to put in whatever
hours are necessary to finish the job. Do however mention any
constraints you have eg. you would like to be home to pick your kids up
from school at 3:30. Most employers are willing to work around your
constraints if you show flexibility on your side as well.
Employers
want to see flexibility. Indicate you are willing to put in whatever
hours are necessary to finish the job. Do however mention any
constraints you have eg. you would like to be home to pick your kids up
from school at 3:30. Most employers are willing to work around your
constraints if you show flexibility on your side as well.
28. Do you have any questions for me?
YES
you do. Questions engage the Interviewer and show your interest. Ask
questions that show you know something about the company or the job,
that you are planning ahead, that you are anxious and willing to learn
the ropes and that you are committed to the position. See Questions to
Ask the Interviewer for examples.
YES
you do. Questions engage the Interviewer and show your interest. Ask
questions that show you know something about the company or the job,
that you are planning ahead, that you are anxious and willing to learn
the ropes and that you are committed to the position. See Questions to
Ask the Interviewer for examples.
1-At( aa) Group a great deal of work is done in project teams - tell us
about a time when you worked in a team. What was your role? What
challenges did you face? Pay attention to how you influenced the outcome
and operated as an effective team member.
2-On the (aa) you are given real responsibility from day one and each
placement is what you make of it - describe a recent situation where you
have demonstrated initiative and motivation. Think about when you have
acted to improve, change or develop something.
3 -(aa) Group operates in a challenging global environment, across
different cultures - tell us about a time when you have used your
influencing skills to achieve a specific aim. Think about how you
approached the issue, what you actually did and how you affected the
outcome.
