Interview
Preparation:
Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much about the
company and the position as you possibly can. If you found the position
through a recruiter, he or she should be able to provide that information
for you. If not, search the web or go to the library. In today's world
of mass communication, there's no excuse for lack of research.
After
you have studied the company, write out a list of questions to ask the
employer.
Sample questions
follow:
- Why is this
position available?
- What type of
training programs will be offered to the person in this position?
- What are your
goals for this position?
- What obstacles
must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
- How will my
performance be evaluated?
- What opportunities
are there for growth in the next 12 months? Two years? Five years?
- What growth
do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?
No one can predict
the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, but your recruiter
should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality,
his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions
that the employer is likely to ask. To prepare, think about how you
would answer the following questions:
- Tell me about
yourself. Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review
your past positions, education and other strengths.
- What do you
know about our organization? If you've done your research correctly,
you should have no problem answering this one. Be positive.
- Why are you
interested in this position? Relate how you feel your qualifications
really match the requirements of the job. Also, express your desire
to work for that company.
- What are the
most significant accomplishments in your career so far? Pick recent
accomplishments that relate to this position and its requirements.
- Describe a situation
in which your work was criticized. Focus on how you solved the situation
and how you became a better person because of it.
- How would you
describe your personality?
- How do you perform
under pressure?
- What have you
done to improve yourself over the past year?
- What did you
like least about your last position?
- Are you leaving
(did you leave) your present (last) company?
- What is your
ideal working environment?
- How would your
co-workers describe you?
- What do you
think of your boss?
- Have you ever
fired anyone? What was the situation and how did you handle it?
- Are you creative?
- What are your
goals in your career?
- Where do you
see yourself in two years?
- Why should we
hire you?
- What kind of
salary are you looking for?
- What other types
of jobs/companies are you considering?
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