How to Answer Any Interview Question
Don't be rattled by your next job interview. It's possible to answer any question that comes your way. How? By preparing and knowing how to direct the conversation to the topics you want to cover.
To start, take a tip from consultants who coach executives and politicians on how to handle media interviews. These trainers say you can deliver the message you want to an employer, regardless of the question you're asked.
"Most people don't realize that their purpose isn't to sit there and hope the right questions will be asked," says Aileen Pincus, president of the Pincus Group, a media interview-training firm in Silver Spring, Md. "They need to develop two or three key messages and make sure their
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Eric Herzog, a vice president of product line management and channel marketing at Maxtor Corp., a hard-disk drive company in Milpitas, Calif., says he always talks to current and former company employees and analysts whenever possible prior to job interviews to gain as much insight as he can into the employer's challenges and culture. If the company is publicly owned, he studies its financial condition by reading U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents, such as annual 10-K shareholder reports on the company's performance. He then tailors his interview answers to the company's issues.
"If the company is having a rough time financially, you can say that not only did you make good products or services, but that you produced things on time and under budget," says Mr. Herzog. "That's a little plus if the company is in trouble."
If you're working with a recruiter, ask him or her about what the company is seeking and its key challenges, says Derek Messulam, vice president of rental market development for GE-Capital Solutions, a financial-services unit of General Electric Co. in Norwalk, Conn. Mr. Messulam says he grills recruiters regarding a job's responsibilities and the attributes the company wants before job interviews. He then makes sure that his answers demonstrate his potential value to an employer.
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A couple of days ago, I got the chance to interview one of my dad’s friends, Nate, about his experiences with interviews. Currently a Nurse Practitioner, he has had over ten different jobs in his lifetime, ranging from a managerial position at KFC to an emergency room nurse. Just like his past jobs, the types of interviews that he has been in have been wildly different. He has even conducted a few interviews himself. Soon I will be participating in important, career-defining, interviews and it is important that I understand the ropes of an interview. I asked him only a couple of questions, but I got detailed answers and invaluable insights from the mind of both a successful interviewee and
As a group, come up with 5-10 questions to ask each person you intend to interview make sure that the questions are relatable and germane.
To end the interview, MacKinnon was asked to give advice on how to get a job in the field. Two key pieces to his advice were, when you apply and go in for an interview to not hesitate to ask questions to the employer. That this is ultimately your career choice, and you need to make sure that it'll be a right fit for you. He also, and most notably stated, that you need to determine what area of communications you want to enter, but to also be open to other opportunities because those opportunities might take you somewhere unexpected but ultimately beneficial.
Having just completed my first year of college I was out in the business world looking for a new job for the summer. I applied for various jobs online and received a couple offers and went in for an interview at a local hotel. I was interviewing for a pool attendant position. I met the manager of the hotel and we sat down as he described to me all of the inner workings of the job. He then asked me a variety of questions that apply to the job as well as the type of person I was. It is important to answer these questions with answers the interviewer wants to hear. Even though there isn’t a “right” answer for a lot of the questions, there are answers that the interviewer could approve or disapprove of. Using skills that I learned from my liberal arts education I was able to build a connection with the interviewer, answer his questions with answers he wanted to hear, and establish who I was and what I could bring to the organization.
The speaker of “How to Prepare for an Interview” explains key information that you should know prior to attending an interview. She provides us with details about three categories which are professional resume, knowledge of the company, and appropriate final questions. The speaker gives numerous details about how to prepare for an interview and her knowledge towards preparation.
One thing that was addressed in this presentation was different types of questions that are common for the interviewer to ask the person being interviewed. Some of these questions are more basic, and some are more specific for in the company and position you are interviewing for. I learned that when you tell the interviewer about yourself, that you should relate it to your work, and not just say random things about yourself. If they ask you to name some of your flaws, you should be honest with it and name some realistic ones, but then close
When faced with having to find a job and then securing a job, the job interview has to be a home run! Simply submitting a professional resume and completing an application is not enough. You cannot settle for being average. You can wait for the next job opportunity, but there are no guarantees there will be one. In Piotrowski’s article, “Preparing for the Job Interview: Know Thyself,” she identifies the process of a job interview (Wyrick, 2014). The steps Piotrowski identified in her article are included below. The steps below focus on identifying job openings, researching companies, preparing for the interview: the pre-interview, the job interview, and the post-interview summary.
3.Provide training on the appropriate questions to ask a potential candidate during job interviews. For example, an interviewer should not ask questions relating to race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
This is a good way to ensure I will cover all my bases and get all the information I need. It will be important to include all types of questions. Most questions will be open-ended to allow the interviewee to freely express himself. Some questions will be factual, while others will seek an opinion. A hypothetical question is one when the respondent has no experience to answer the question directly (book). One I might ask is, “If you have a personal problem, then would your co-workers support you in a time of need? Or would Hudl provide services for you?”
Shove (2015) used the purposeful sampling method which aimed at particular group for interview (Cloke et al., 2009). Shove (2015) is clear and focused on who to interview for ‘Cool Biz’ as she interviews those who had experience with ‘Cool Biz’ and those who could provide an overview on ‘Cool Biz’ - the office workers and the IGES officers. According to Longhurst (2003) that selection of interviewees is important. Cloke et al. (2009) mentioned that it is important for the interviewer to get the interviewees who have knowledge, experience and positioning, and most importantly are able to express the knowledge to the interviewer. Even Cameron (2000) mentioned that the interviewees are often chosen based on their experience on that particular
The Interview Skills video was presented by the Career Services Department in 2017. Discussed in the video are ways to prepare for an interview, how to successfully navigate through an interview, and finally how to follow up after the interview in complete. First, in order to prepare yourself before the interview, it is suggested that you research on the company you are interviewing with. For example, find out what the mission and values of the company are. Also, you may look for connections to the community or any special projects the company maybe working on. This way you can make a
Play on your strengths and translatable skills to show how you could be a potential asset to the company and the job you are interviewing for. Show the interviewer you are ready and willing to try your very best at the job at hand. Always keep your answers short, simple and honest, because making them long, confusing and made up is the worst thing you can do if the interviewer catches you in a lie with specific questions regarding your answer. Don’t try to be over smart, instead present yourself as a confident, sensible, and hard working. Don’t ever use slang words, clichés or criticize a former employer or employees during the interview, because this shows that you could be doing the same thing to them if you don’t get the job or after you might leave the job later. This shows that they can trust you to keep business details within the company, and not outside of it that can give the company a bad name. Posture and having a sense of humor and a smile on your face are good to have during the interview process because it shows that you are ready and happy for the opportunity, and enjoy the company. It is good to have your cheat sheet ready for specific STAR questions that could be asked, and at a glance you can bring up past experiences that can be used rather than trying to figure out an experience or don’t have one at all and unable to answer the question. It’s good to try not to sound like you rehearsed
Also, please remember this is a professional interview. You should be dressed professionally and also act in a professional manner!
I also learned that interviewing can be a powerful tool. It is imperative to include as many perspectives as possible in order to successfully change an organization. These interviews provide individual insight as to the current state of the establishment, as well as provides many possible solutions to common problems. Through interviewing we were able to note common trends in information to provide a more complete solution to the overall problem.
I also want to make sure I study the company I am interviewing for. If I can cater the answers to the company’s mission statement or values, I am likely to score some points there. I want to feel confident in what I am talking about. I also what the interviewer to know that I know their company and I will uphold the same values they believe in. Again, this makes me prepared.