...Acing the Interview How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job! by Tony Beshara Amacom © 2008 288 pages Focus Leadership & Management Strategy Sales & Marketing Finance Human Resources IT, Production & Logistics Career Development Small Business Economics & Politics Industries Intercultural Management Concepts & Trends Take-Aways • Looking for a job is hugely stressful. • To get hired, you must become proficient at the job interview process. This takes practice, so attend as many job interviews as possible. • Using a prepared script, phone companies to ask for interviews. • Anticipate the questions you will be asked at an interview, and prepare credible, compelling responses. • Employers want people who can do the work, don’t want too much pay and are not risky. • Your likeability is more important than your job qualifications. • Ask the interviewer questions that elicit information you really need about the job. • Imagine yourself in the interviewer’s chair to gain a clear perspective on what attributes they seek. • Don’t think that a job interview is a conversation between equals. First, you have to prove yourself. • Don’t shoot yourself in the foot at the end of the interview by asking the interviewer if they would like to know more about you. Rating (10 is best) Overall 9 Applicability 10 Innovation 6 Style 7 To purchase abstracts, personal subscriptions or corporate solutions, visit our Web site at www.getAbstract.com, send an e-mail...
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...first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related. Q. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?) A. Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move." Q. What are your strengths? A. Point out your positive attributes related to the job. Q. What are your weaknesses? A. Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it. Q. Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself? A. Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious, hard-working, honest and courteous, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well. Q. What do you know about our company? A. To answer this one, research the company before you interview. Q. Why do you want to work for us? A. Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company. Q. Why should I hire you? A. Point out your positive attributes...
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...first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related. Q. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?) A. Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move." Q. What are your strengths? A. Point out your positive attributes related to the job. Q. What are your weaknesses? A. Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it. Q. Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself? A. Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious, hard-working, honest and courteous, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well. Q. What do you know about our company? A. To answer this one, research the company before you interview. Q. Why do you want to work for us? A. Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company. Q. Why should I hire you? A. Point out your positive attributes...
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...(PROFESSIONAL) Why do you want this job? Why should we hire you? To hire means to recruit, or give someone a job. Why are you the best person for the job? Explain how you would be an asset to this company. An asset is something valuable. Why do you think you will be successful in this job? What are your qualifications for this position? Qualification means the educational and professional background or experience needed in a job. What can you offer our company? What do you know about this industry? What is your personal mission statement? Why do you think you’re suited for this position? Suited means appropriate, a good match. Describe your work ethic. Your work ethic is your attitude towards work and behavior at work. Describe your management style. What are your short-term goals? Short term means in the near future. What are your long-term goals? Long term means in the distant or far future. Why did you choose this field? Field means an area of work, such as computers, engineering or medicine. Please describe your work experience. Why do you want to work for our company? What do you know about our company? What is most important to you in a job? Describe your previous jobs. The word previous means what came or happened before. Why did you leave your previous job? What were your responsibilities in your previous position? The word responsibility refers to what you are supposed to do, what you are in charge of. What did you like the most...
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..._______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Home Phone: ___________________ Cell Phone: ___________________ Are you legally eligible for employment in the U.S.? __________ Are you at least 18 years of age? __________ if no, state your age: __________ Position applying for: ___________________ Have you previously worked for Dewey’ Pizza? __________ s Are there any shifts you cannot work? __________________ Have you ever been convicted of a crime, excluding misdemeanors and summary offense? ___________ If Yes, please explain: ___________________________________________________________________________ What is the last grade/ degree that you have completed? __________ List any extracurricular activities, awards, scholarships, or clubs in which you were involved that might relate to the position for which you are applying: __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Education Name of School, City, and State Did you graduate? Degrees Earned — Major/Minor High School: Yes No College: Yes No Graduate School: Yes No Work Experience List your 3 most recent places of employment: 1.) __________________________________________________________________________________________ Company Name Phone Number Supervisor’ Name s Position Held Dates Worked Can we call...
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...TIPS TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW Preparing for the Interview RESEARCH Don’t forget to research the organization/company before the interview. Learn what you can about the workplace prior to the interview. Ask your friends, do library or internet research or ask the organization for any printed information. Make sure you are familiar with the company or organizations products and/or services WHAT TO WEAR Rule #1: Always be clean, neat and tidy. Appropriate attire varies from industry to industry. What is appropriate to wear to an “accounting” interview may not necessarily be appropriate to wear to a “waitressing” interview. It is as important to be as neat and tidy as possible. In some traditional industries (i.e. the banks) you may want to dress even more conservatively. If possible go by the location ahead of time to see how people who work there are dressed. At the very least you should always wear clean, ironed slacks and a nice shirt. CALMING YOUR NERVES DURING THE INTERVEW • • • • • Do quick check of your appearance before entering if possible Arrive 10 minutes early (never be too early though!) Take long and deep breaths Think positively: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from the experience Get a drink of water if your throat is dry; ask for water if you need to and it isn’t offered or bring a bottle in your bag BODY LANGUAGE • • Greet the interviewer (and e...
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...Introduction A. Indentifying Your Values – and Voicing Them II. People Issues A. Discrimination B. Harassment, Sexual and Otherwise III. Conflicts of Interest A. What Is It? B. How Can We Think About This Issue? C. Why Is It an Ethical Problem? D. Costs IV. Customer Confidence Issues A. What Is It? B. How Can We Think About This Issue? C. Why Is It an Ethical Problem? D. Costs V. Use of Corporate Resources A. What Is It? B. How Can We Think About This Issue? C. Why Is It an Ethical Problem? D. Costs VI. When All Else Fails: Blowing the Whistle A. When to Blow the Whistle B. How to Blow the Whistle VII. Conclusion VIII. Discussion Questions IX. Short Cases Teaching Notes - Discussion Questions 1. What do you value? Can you make a list of the three or four values you would stand up for? How will you explain to others what your values are and why? This is the perfect place to begin linking the values exercises you (hopefully) did with your students in Chapter 2, with why it is important to identify their values. It is difficult, if not impossible, to voice values, if you have no idea what your values are! Go to the “Giving Voice to Values” website: (http://www3.babson.edu/babson2ndgen/GVV/default.cfm. There are many exercises available there, which can help you teach the importance of identifying values...
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...commonplace strategy for organizations to adopt in an effort to cut costs, eliminate redundancies, and streamline organizational systems. Over the last 15 years, many organizations have engaged in downsizing more than once. Most companies have learned from the mistakes of the past, but some companies are still trying to use the same tactics today that were used in the mid 1980s, that leave employees reeling. Read the scenarios below describing two different approaches to downsizing. Analyze the downsizing practices utilized by each company, explain which activities/practices you believe would have been both effective and ineffective, and explain why. If you could have managed the downsizing process, what would you have done differently and why? Considering the importance placed on ethics in the Human Resource profession, do you believe the companies described in the following scenarios engaged in ethical downsizing practices? If so, how are the practices ethical? If not, what was done in an unethical manner, and how would you correct it? Detail your answers in two memos addressed to the Board of Directors for each company described. You focus should be to explain what the company did right, what they did wrong, and changes they should make in future downsizing situations. Company A The reorganization of Company A resulted in the loss of 1,150 jobs (13% of the total workforce), and the retirement of over 600 employees. Displaced employees were matched to vacant positions, given severance...
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...question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present. 2. Why did you leave your last job? Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons. 3. What experience do you have in this field? Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can. 4. Do you consider yourself successful? You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others. 5. What do co-workers say about you? Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself. 6. What do you know about this organization...
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...apologized to him for my mistake. apply FOR a job / admission to a university, etc.: ■ I think you'd be good at this job. Why don't you apply for it? believe IN something: * Do you believe in God? (= Do you believe that God exists?) * I believe in saying what I think. (= I believe that it is a good thing to say what I think.) belong TO someone: ■ Who does this coat belong to? care ABOUT someone/something (= think someone/something is important): ■ He is very selfish. He doesn't care about other people. care FOR someone/something: i) = like something (usually in questions and negative sentences): ■ Would you care for a cup of coffee? (= Would you like ... ?) ■ I don't care for hot weather. (= I don't like ...) ii) = look after someone: * She is very old. She needs someone to care for her. take care OF someone/something (= look after): * Have a nice vacation. Take care of yourself! * Will you take care of the children while I'm away? collide WITH someone/something: ■ There was an accident this morning. A bus collided with a car. complain (TO someone) ABOUT someone/something: ■ We complained to the manager of the restaurant about the food. concentrate ON something: ■ Don't look out the window. Concentrate on your work! consist OF something: ...
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... How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team? 2. What motivates you? 3. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution to the company? 4. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days? 5. If selected for this position, describe your strategy for the first 90 days. 6. What are the three most important traits of an excellent employee? 7. What skills do you bring to the company and how do they relate to the position? 8. Why are you looking for a job? 9. How would you describe your work style? 10. What would be your ideal working environment? 11. What do you look for in terms of culture -- entrepreneurial or structured? 12. Give examples of ideas you've had or implemented and how you went about sharing those. 13. What techniques, processes, and tools do you use to keep yourself organised? 14. If you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person? 15. Tell me about your proudest achievement. 16. Who was your favorite manager and why? 17. What do you think of your previous boss? 18. Was there a person or mentor in your career who really made a difference? 19. Why are you applying for a job that is below the status / pay of a previous job you’ve held? 20. What kind of personality do you work best with and why? 21. What are you most proud of? 22. What things do you like to do? 23. How do you deal with stress? 24. Would you rather be liked or feared? 25. What are your lifelong dreams...
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...The League of Nations In this module you will learn: The FOUR aims of the League of Nations [SIDE]. How many members the League had in 1919 and in the 1930s. The names of THREE countries who weren’t members of the League (and why). the four main members of the league. Four strengths of the League. THREE weaknesses of the League. FOUR powers of the League. EIGHT parts of the League’s organisation. NINE successes of the League in the 1920s. FOUR failures of the League in the 1920s. TWO failures of the League in the 1930s – and their effect on the League. SEVEN reasons why the League failed in the 1930s [WAS DUMB]. You must do the following written work: A spidergram showing the main aims of the League. Written notes on the League’s powers. Written notes on the League’s organisation. An essay: ‘How strong was the League of Nations?’ Written notes on the work done by the League. Written notes on Manchuria, 1931 Written notes on Abyssinia, 1935 A 35-word ‘last word’ comment on the League. Written answers to 15 questions on the League. Have you read: Peter Moss, History Alive 4, page 29. T Rea and J Wright, International Relations, chapter 4. Christopher Culpin, Making History, chapter 11. J Traynor and I Dawson, The Struggle for Peace, chapter 5. N deMarco and R Radway, The Twentieth Century, pages 148–155. | | |Source A | |The League of Nations ...
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...Three selection tools that I would consider using for a hiring program at my supermarket are job history, interview process, and a criminal background check. I believe that all three of these tools will help decide whether or not I will hire an applicant. When deciding on hiring an applicant, you want to know about whom you are hiring and if they will make a great employee. I believe that these three selection tools are the best combination of tools to use for a hiring program. I chose job history as one of my selection tools, because I would want someone who would be looking for a long time position and grow with the company. Checking someone’s job history will help determine if the applicant is going to work hard for the company, have qualified skills that will benefit the company, and to see how determined the applicant is. I believe that hiring an applicant who has a previously worked for a company for a long time, will show great qualities that I would look for in a future employee. The next selection tool that I would consider using for a hiring program would be the interview process. The interview process allows the employer to get a feel and better understanding for the potential candidate. On certain applications, the applicant can’t fully express their personality and job history because it is very limited on space with other important information. In the interview process, this gives the applicant a way to express their personality and describe their qualifications...
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...1. One of your customers has just said to you, "The service here is terrible." You should say: "What is it about the service that you have not liked?" "Would you like to fill out a complaint form? I can get one for you." "I realize our service is poor today. We are understaffed, so I apologize." "I am really sorry to hear you say that, but we are trying as hard as we can." 2. A customer came to your department with an urgent question. You promised her that you would collect information about her question and answer it by noon. It will take you at least 20 minutes to gather the information needed to provide an answer. It is now 11:50 a.m. Your supervisor just scheduled a 30-minute meeting to start at noon. This meeting is for all employees in your department. You decide to: Find the customer after the meeting and apologize. Ask your supervisor if you can be late for the meeting. Arrange to have the customer call you back at a better time. Contact the customer right away and hope that she can be found. 3. Terry, who has been an employee in your department for about six months, can be careless about safety. He hasn't been involved in any serious accidents, but he's had many near misses. Your supervisor asked you to introduce a new employee, Susan, to the department and to help with her training. Terry overheard and offered to show Susan the safety procedures. Your supervisor thought that would be a great idea. What should you do? Tell Terry that you think it would...
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...The Best Answers to Tough Interview Questions Tell me about yourself. This is really more of a request than a question. But these few words can put you on the spot in a way no question can. Many quickly lose control of the interview during the most critical time- the first five minutes. This is not the time to go into a lengthy history or wander off in different directions. Your response should be focused and purposeful. Communicate a pattern of interests and skills that relate to the position in question. Consider your response to this question as a commercial that sells your autobiography. Provide an answer that includes information about where you grew up, where you went to school, your initial work experience, additional education and special training, where you are now, and what you intend to do next. One of the most effective ways to prepare for this question is to develop a 60-second biographic sketch that emphasizes a pattern of interests, skills, and accomplishments. Focus your response around a common theme related to your major interests and skills. Take, for example, the following response, which emphasizes computers. "I was born in Canton, Ohio and attended Lincoln High School. Ever since I was a teenager, I tinkered with computers. It was my hobby, my passion, and my way of learning. Like most kids I enjoyed computer games. When my folks gave me a computer as a reward for making honor roll my sophomore year, I mastered DOS, Windows, and WordPerfect within six...
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