Question:1. Tell Me a Little About Yourself?
Answer: This is the most general and probably the most difficult question, as one has to cover up the entire life story within a couple of minutes. But if handled well, this can be the best from the candidate’s point of view. There is no need to explain about your childhood, hobbies or schooling. Instead this is an invitation to convince the interviewer what you can offer the company through your education, training or experience. Yes, you can describe your co-curricular activities; interest or part time work provided they have some relation with the job you are applying for. As you have to prove your credibility for the job, it is important to explain how you attracted in this particular kind of job, company and your key accomplishments in the previous job. Again the time allotted to a particular candidate would be limited and hence one should make most out of it focusing on the above-mentioned points.
Question:2. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?
Answer: This is another common question that one can be expect to be asked in almost every interview and its answer depends on different circumstances. Possibly there can be three different categories and one has to explain it in suitable context. Whatever may be the context but one should stay positive when answering this question. You should try to make positive statement about the previous job and company that can show your desire for growth, taking responsibilities and facing challenges. Here are the three circumstances and some key points to answer these questions: Resign for a change – Every one wants a new position and takes new challenges just to prove that she/he is able to take the next step of his career. So when answering this one never tried to show any kind of disregard to your current job instead explain that the next job is more challenging and can be another stepping stone in your career. You can answer in this way as you are in this current company for two years and no more find the work interesting. You want new challenges for learning new things. Point out that there are no advanced opportunities in the present company and therefore you decided for a change, which will be helpful in your career goal. Lay off – This is also a very common thing in most of the private sector but the answer should be specific with facts and figures behind your lay off. There can be a situation that a company faces bankruptcy and so decided to cut the number of employees or even eliminate some departments. Again one can explain that position along with his/her group was eliminating as the project on which they were working on was cancelled. So it’s not a big taboo these days and you just have to explain it in a more effective way.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Interview Questions and Answers
Introduction
Here are some very popular interview questions and some possible ways to answer them. Please remember that there cannot be just one answer to them. Your answers depend a lot on your particular circumstances. For instance, if the interviewer asks you to describe a challenging issue you had to face, your answer would depend on your particular background and experience. Therefore we have attempted to give you strategies to answer such questions, rather than specific answers.
Remember, what you say makes only half of the story. How you say it-how positive and convincing you sound- matter a lot. Do not try to make up stories or exaggerate-it shows. If you are a fresher and cannot tell things from your work experience, you can cite instances of your leadership and skills from appropriate circumstances of your student life. Speak slowly and accompany what you say with moderate gestures. Maintain eye contact (this does not mean that you have to stare!)
Here are the questions.
1. Can you tell us about a challenging situation at work you have encountered so far? How did you tackle it?
Here the interviewer is looking at a number of factors- your problem solving skills, underlying attitudes, how you put across your ideas and how your previous experience may be useful to the present organization. When answering this question, keep the following in mind. What are the requirements of this organization or the job you have applied for? (You should have done some research about this before going to the interview). Now consider a situation, skill or experience from your past that would be relevant to the present company. This acts as a proof of your usefulness. It is a good idea to prepare such a list and have a few small stories ready for the interview. The word ‘story’ does not mean that you have to cook up something- find something genuine from your past. Having such stories helps you in several ways- you have something to talk about, and you feel more confident.
2. What is your way of handling conflicts?
Work related conflicts can be of several sub varieties. This could be conflicts between colleagues, conflicts between senior management and subordinates, conflicts with management rules, systems and procedures, conflicts with clients and customers as well as work versus personal life. The employer obviously expects you to look at things from their point of view. No employer likes an employee for whom they are second priority. You are valued for your ability to solve problems and not for bringing problems to the workplace. Therefore it is important to project a rational and realistic approach. You can say something like “I am aware that conflicts are quite natural things- problems do crop up. My approach would be to look at what is causing the problem. This involves communicating with my team members or the other concerned parties. I will take in as many views as possible and go with the solution that appears to be the most rational to me”. The interviewer is quite likely to ask you for some such instance from your previous work. In fact you can offer some such example even if you are not asked, as long as you keep it brief and relevant. If it illustrates your point, go for it.
3. In what ways do you think you are suited for this job? How can you contribute to this organization?
This again is a question that requires preparation. Before appearing for the interview, assess your own qualification and skills. You should also evaluate the needs of the job and the company. You are qualified for the job to the extent that these two match. What are the most important skills this particular position requires? Make a list and then prepare a list of instances from your previous work experience that match these requirements.
For instance, a customer care executive needs good interpersonal skills, ability to look at problems rationally, and also the ability to deal with difficult people. Once you are clear about this, make a list of such instances where your good interpersonal skills and objectivity helped to solve a difficult problem at work.
The next step is to analyze the specific requirements or problems the company is facing at the moment. Which of these can be helped by you? What is the value that you bring to the company?
Once you have prepared specific answers to these questions, you are in a great position to answer this question. You can now say something like “In my view, good interpersonal skills and objective problem analysis are the most important requirements in a customer care executive. I can tell you a few instances from my previous experience where I had demonstrated these skills and solved problems successfully (Give one or two brief stories here). I also see that you are planning to set up a separate unit to cater to corporate clients. With my previous experience in servicing corporate clients, this is an area I could be of specific use to you…”
Incidentally, this question may be framed in another way. “Why should we hire you?”
4. I would like to hear about some experience from your work life so far.
This is in fact another version of the previous question, but a more open-ended one. The interviewer wants to leave it up to you what part of your personality and work experience you wish to bring forth. However this is not an invitation to share your adventures and tales of heroism. You would do well to tell them some story from everyday work life, but one that shows your problem solving skills- things like how you conduct yourself at work and with difficult situations and people. Here you have more possibilities for showing something that you value in yourself- your resourcefulness, your adherence to the rules or your ability to think out of the box. But do consider the organization you are interviewing for- its requirements as well as work culture. What you say should not give the impression of a misfit.
5. Give us an instance when you failed in spite of your best efforts?
This is a very common situation for many people, but nevertheless a tricky question. You are likely to be embarrassed or worried that talking about a previous failure hampers your job prospects. This need not be the case. No one can be perfect. The employer here is most probably looking at your ability to deal with failure, learn from mistakes and also deal with other people’s mistakes. If you have such experiences, be prepared with one. Make sure that it is something that took place sometime back, was not too gigantic or drastic and something that offered you a chance to learn from and apply that learning thereafter. The net result should be to show you in a better light.
6. How would you evaluate your analytical skills?
This is a fairly easy question if you have done your homework. It is important to be realistic about what skills you have and how you can substantiate your claims. You have to be prepared to talk about where or how you learned the skill and how you have applied it. However your inventory should be in tune with what the current job requires. This way the employer gets to know about the specific skills you can bring to the table. You can also take into account skills you learned from extracurricular activities, as these can also teach you great skills like teamwork.
7. Tell us about what you consider as your weak area- things you find difficult to manage.
This is a multi-purpose question again. The interviewer wants to see how you react to tricky questions. They are also assessing your awareness of yourself and how you approach difficult situations and tasks. The trick is again being prepared with a story or two. It could be about addressing a meeting, voicing your disagreement about an important issue or being put in a situation you had no skills to handle. The story should show something valuable you have learned from the experience. It could also show a difficulty that you are preparing yourself to handle. “I find that it is difficult for me to make a presentation to my seniors without adequate preparation. I usually have to prepare all the details and rehearse in advance. For example, there was this instance with my previous company where the project had to be temporarily discontinued due to some problems with the supplies. The company was very concerned, as this project was strategically very important to them. I was asked to brief the top management immediately. I was handling all the details, so I simply put together all the facts and brought them up in the meeting. It was easier than I thought, but whenever possible I still would like some time to prepare”.
All the Interview Questions and Answers Tips Provided by imtiaztips.t35.com
Here are some very popular interview questions and some possible ways to answer them. Please remember that there cannot be just one answer to them. Your answers depend a lot on your particular circumstances. For instance, if the interviewer asks you to describe a challenging issue you had to face, your answer would depend on your particular background and experience. Therefore we have attempted to give you strategies to answer such questions, rather than specific answers.
Remember, what you say makes only half of the story. How you say it-how positive and convincing you sound- matter a lot. Do not try to make up stories or exaggerate-it shows. If you are a fresher and cannot tell things from your work experience, you can cite instances of your leadership and skills from appropriate circumstances of your student life. Speak slowly and accompany what you say with moderate gestures. Maintain eye contact (this does not mean that you have to stare!)
Here are the questions.
1. Can you tell us about a challenging situation at work you have encountered so far? How did you tackle it?
Here the interviewer is looking at a number of factors- your problem solving skills, underlying attitudes, how you put across your ideas and how your previous experience may be useful to the present organization. When answering this question, keep the following in mind. What are the requirements of this organization or the job you have applied for? (You should have done some research about this before going to the interview). Now consider a situation, skill or experience from your past that would be relevant to the present company. This acts as a proof of your usefulness. It is a good idea to prepare such a list and have a few small stories ready for the interview. The word ‘story’ does not mean that you have to cook up something- find something genuine from your past. Having such stories helps you in several ways- you have something to talk about, and you feel more confident.
2. What is your way of handling conflicts?
Work related conflicts can be of several sub varieties. This could be conflicts between colleagues, conflicts between senior management and subordinates, conflicts with management rules, systems and procedures, conflicts with clients and customers as well as work versus personal life. The employer obviously expects you to look at things from their point of view. No employer likes an employee for whom they are second priority. You are valued for your ability to solve problems and not for bringing problems to the workplace. Therefore it is important to project a rational and realistic approach. You can say something like “I am aware that conflicts are quite natural things- problems do crop up. My approach would be to look at what is causing the problem. This involves communicating with my team members or the other concerned parties. I will take in as many views as possible and go with the solution that appears to be the most rational to me”. The interviewer is quite likely to ask you for some such instance from your previous work. In fact you can offer some such example even if you are not asked, as long as you keep it brief and relevant. If it illustrates your point, go for it.
3. In what ways do you think you are suited for this job? How can you contribute to this organization?
This again is a question that requires preparation. Before appearing for the interview, assess your own qualification and skills. You should also evaluate the needs of the job and the company. You are qualified for the job to the extent that these two match. What are the most important skills this particular position requires? Make a list and then prepare a list of instances from your previous work experience that match these requirements.
For instance, a customer care executive needs good interpersonal skills, ability to look at problems rationally, and also the ability to deal with difficult people. Once you are clear about this, make a list of such instances where your good interpersonal skills and objectivity helped to solve a difficult problem at work.
The next step is to analyze the specific requirements or problems the company is facing at the moment. Which of these can be helped by you? What is the value that you bring to the company?
Once you have prepared specific answers to these questions, you are in a great position to answer this question. You can now say something like “In my view, good interpersonal skills and objective problem analysis are the most important requirements in a customer care executive. I can tell you a few instances from my previous experience where I had demonstrated these skills and solved problems successfully (Give one or two brief stories here). I also see that you are planning to set up a separate unit to cater to corporate clients. With my previous experience in servicing corporate clients, this is an area I could be of specific use to you…”
Incidentally, this question may be framed in another way. “Why should we hire you?”
4. I would like to hear about some experience from your work life so far.
This is in fact another version of the previous question, but a more open-ended one. The interviewer wants to leave it up to you what part of your personality and work experience you wish to bring forth. However this is not an invitation to share your adventures and tales of heroism. You would do well to tell them some story from everyday work life, but one that shows your problem solving skills- things like how you conduct yourself at work and with difficult situations and people. Here you have more possibilities for showing something that you value in yourself- your resourcefulness, your adherence to the rules or your ability to think out of the box. But do consider the organization you are interviewing for- its requirements as well as work culture. What you say should not give the impression of a misfit.
5. Give us an instance when you failed in spite of your best efforts?
This is a very common situation for many people, but nevertheless a tricky question. You are likely to be embarrassed or worried that talking about a previous failure hampers your job prospects. This need not be the case. No one can be perfect. The employer here is most probably looking at your ability to deal with failure, learn from mistakes and also deal with other people’s mistakes. If you have such experiences, be prepared with one. Make sure that it is something that took place sometime back, was not too gigantic or drastic and something that offered you a chance to learn from and apply that learning thereafter. The net result should be to show you in a better light.
6. How would you evaluate your analytical skills?
This is a fairly easy question if you have done your homework. It is important to be realistic about what skills you have and how you can substantiate your claims. You have to be prepared to talk about where or how you learned the skill and how you have applied it. However your inventory should be in tune with what the current job requires. This way the employer gets to know about the specific skills you can bring to the table. You can also take into account skills you learned from extracurricular activities, as these can also teach you great skills like teamwork.
7. Tell us about what you consider as your weak area- things you find difficult to manage.
This is a multi-purpose question again. The interviewer wants to see how you react to tricky questions. They are also assessing your awareness of yourself and how you approach difficult situations and tasks. The trick is again being prepared with a story or two. It could be about addressing a meeting, voicing your disagreement about an important issue or being put in a situation you had no skills to handle. The story should show something valuable you have learned from the experience. It could also show a difficulty that you are preparing yourself to handle. “I find that it is difficult for me to make a presentation to my seniors without adequate preparation. I usually have to prepare all the details and rehearse in advance. For example, there was this instance with my previous company where the project had to be temporarily discontinued due to some problems with the supplies. The company was very concerned, as this project was strategically very important to them. I was asked to brief the top management immediately. I was handling all the details, so I simply put together all the facts and brought them up in the meeting. It was easier than I thought, but whenever possible I still would like some time to prepare”.
All the Interview Questions and Answers Tips Provided by imtiaztips.t35.com
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