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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:21:24 GMT 5.5
Job Interview Pointers
candidates should research a company thoroughly before an interview. And if the company is a private firm, that's not an excuse to skip doing your homework.
Where there's a will, there's a way, and finding a way to gather information on a company "distinguishes the great candidates from the good candidates," says Experts.
Consider a large independent public relations agency. If someone were trying to find out about the company, the candidate could take a number of steps. In addition to simply visiting the company's Web site, talking to people who are working in that company.
"People might be able to find a press release that one of company's PR people has written and contact that person and say, ‘I saw your press release. It looks really good. Would you be open to me asking a few questions? I'm doing research on your company.' That's a way to get information."
What else can you do to improve your chances at the interview? Try these tips.
Be Concise
Interviewees rambling on is one of the most common blunders. "You really have to listen to the question, and answer the question, and answer it concisely. "So many people can't get this basic thing down. You ask them a question, and they go off on a tangent. They might think you want to hear what they're saying, but they didn't answer your question."
Provide Examples
It's one thing to say you can do something; it's another to give examples of things you have done. "Come with a toolbox of examples of the work you've done," advises Experts. "You should come and anticipate the questions a recruiter's going to ask based on the requirement of the role. Think of recent strong strategic examples of work you've done, then when the question is asked, answer with specifics, not in generalities. You should say, ‘Yes, I've done that before. Here's an example of a time I did that…,' and then come back and ask the recruiter, ‘Did that answer your question?'"
Be Honest
Somehow, candidates get the impression that it's best to try to dance around difficult questions. "If you don't have a skill, just state it. Don't try to cover it up by talking and giving examples that aren't relevant. You're much better off saying you don't have that skill but perhaps you do have some related skills, and you're happy to tell them about that if they like."
Keep Your Guard Up
According to Experts, you can split recruiters into two schools. There are those who are very straight-laced and serious, and candidates better take the process seriously as well when dealing with them.
Then you have recruiters Who are going to be that candidate's best friend. Thier technique is to put them at ease, because they want you to tell them everything, and a lot of candidates mess up in this area. They start to think, ‘Oh, this guy is cool. I can tell him anything.' And then they cross the line." And that can take a candidate out of contention. Remember: Always maintain your professionalism.
Ask Great Questions
Experts says nothing impresses him more than a really good question that not only shows you've researched the company in general, but the specific job you're hoping to land as well. "That makes me go, ‘Wow, this person has really done their homework. They not only know the company, but they know the role.'" ------------------------------------------ CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:24:44 GMT 5.5
The 4 P's of Interviewing
Expert Advice
Experts divide interviewing into four buckets -- the four P's of interviewing:
1. Preparation. 2. Practice. 3. Personal presentation. 4. Pertinent questions.
Preparation
"It's really frustrating for an interviewer to have someone that they're talking to who really doesn't know the company or the position they're applying for," laments one of the expert, who is confounded by candidates who don't do the research before the interview. He estimates roughly one out of five prospects commits this crime.
Candidates should have "looked at the Web site, read the [company's] brochure, talked to people who've worked there -- that's kind of baseline homework," he says. "If you haven't done that, it can really make it uncomfortable in the interview, because either you're not going to understand what the interviewer's talking about, or you're going to ask some dumb questions."
"Another thing is not really preparing for the interview itself." Applicants should "sit down and think, ‘What are they going to ask me when I'm in that interview?' With a little bit of asking around, you can find out things like, do they use behavior-based questions, do they use case-based questions, do they use a really unstructured conversational interview?"
Finding people to talk to within the organization can yield a lot of information. Experts also say it's perfectly acceptable to ask some questions when setting the interview up, including:
* Who will I be talking to? * Any suggestions on how to prepare? * Should I expect a particular type of interview format?
"You have nothing to lose by asking," says Experts. "It shows that a candidate is interested in what's going to happen. They're interested in you as an employer and they're inquisitive, and in most cases, that's going to be a very positive thing."
Practice
Candidates can often anticipate the kinds of questions -– if not the exact ones -- they'll be asked during interviews, particularly if they've done their due diligence. Once you've determined the probable questions, Experts advise practicing in front of someone.
They always talk about preparing yourself -- looking in the mirror and answering the question. It's much more difficult to give your answer to a live person and ask them what they thought of your answer than to look yourself in the mirror and do it.
Personal Presentation
Dressing appropriately is sometimes lost on recent graduates. Clothes that are wrinkled, or wearing festive dresses. It could be a lot of different things that are easy to fix, but it just doesn't help them when they're up against a lot of competition for a position. Again, doing your homework should reveal the appropriate attire.
Be sure to cover all the standard interviewing etiquette points as well. Even the basics -- like a good handshake, not being nervous, smiling -- because they don't see the real you if you're uptight. And basic eye contact; a lot of people put a lot of weight into eye contact. Maintaining that is really important.
Pertinent Questions
It's profoundly disappointing in interviews to "get to the end and say, ‘Do you have any questions I can answer for you?' and they say, ‘Nope, I think you answered them all,' and that's the end of it. It's just really disappointing and reflects negatively on the candidate."
Include developing a tough question in your preparation to finish things off. "For me, I just love it when someone asks a really difficult question -- something that takes some guts to ask, asking really well-thought-out questions that show you know the business that that interviewer is in. You know their company to some extent, and you've thought about your question. It all goes back to preparation, and it tells the interviewer you thought about this interview before you walked in the door. --------------------------------------------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:34:35 GMT 5.5
100 Potential Interview Questions
While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So we've prepared a list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably. Will you be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact questions? Absolutely.
1. Tell me about yourself. 2. What are your strengths? 3. What are your weaknesses? 4. Who was your favorite manager and why? 5. What kind of personality do you work best with and why? 6. Why do you want this job? 7. Where would you like to be in your career five years from now? 8. Tell me about your proudest achievement. 9. If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do? 10. If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say? 11. Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
12. How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team? 13. There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? 14. How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you? 15. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference? 16. What's your ideal company? 17. What attracted you to this company? 18. What are you most proud of? 19. What are you looking for in terms of career development? 20. What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial? 21. What do you like to do? 22. Give examples of ideas you've had or implemented. 23. What are your lifelong dreams? 24. What do you ultimately want to become? 25. How would you describe your work style? 26. What kind of car do you drive? 27. Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job. 28. What's the last book you read? 29. What magazines do you subscribe to? 30. What would be your ideal working situation? 31. Why should we hire you? 32. What did you like least about your last job? 33. What do you think of your previous boss? 34. How do you think I rate as an interviewer? 35. Do you have any questions for me? 36. When were you most satisfied in your job? 37. What can you do for us that other candidates can't? 38. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you? 39. What negative thing would your last boss say about you? 40. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be? 41. What salary are you seeking? 42. What's your salary history? 43. Do you have plans to have children in the near future? 44. What were the responsibilities of your last position? 45. What do you know about this industry? 46. What do you know about our company? 47. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution? 48. Are you willing to relocate? 49. What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome? 50. What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job? 51. Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work. 52. What would you do if you won the lottery? 53. Can you describe a time when your work was criticized? 54. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it? 55. What is your personal mission statement? 56. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it? 57. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it? 58. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it? 59. What is your greatest fear? 60. Who has impacted you most in your career, and how? 61. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job? 62. What's the most important thing you've learned in school? 63. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you? 64. What will you miss about your present/last job? 65. If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for? 66. List five words that describe your character. 67. What is your greatest achievement outside of work? 68. Sell me this pencil. 69. If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do? 70. Do you think a leader should be feared or liked? 71. What's the most difficult decision you've made in the last two years? 72. What do you like to do for fun? 73. Why are you leaving your present job? 74. What do you do in your spare time? 75. How do you feel about taking no for an answer? 76. What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it? 77. What is your favorite memory from childhood? 78. Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it? 79. Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn't want me to know. 80. Tell me the difference between good and exceptional. 81. Why did your choose your major? 82. What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader? 83. What is your biggest regret, and why? 84. What are three positive character traits you don't have? 85. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it? 86. If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do? 87. How many times do a clock's hands overlap in a day? 88. How would you weigh a plane without scales? 89. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue? 90. If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest? 91. If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why? 92. What's the best movie you've seen in the last year? 93. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them. 94. What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized? 95. If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of, and why? 96. With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes. 97. if you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big picture person or a detail oriented person? 98. If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 dayss 99. Who are your heroes? 100. Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing. ----------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:39:01 GMT 5.5
How to Handle Common Interview Questions
Every interview has a unique focus, but some questions are asked so often, it makes sense to do all you can to prepare for them. In order to be successful, you need a strategy -- not scripted answers. Your goal should be to emphasize your past experiences that best fit what each interviewer is looking for.
In this series, we'll look at some common questions and what you should consider when formulating your responses. Work through each potential question, creating your own responses, and you will be in great shape for your next interview. It helps to write out potential answers. Even better: Practice aloud with someone.
Tell me about a time when you faced a major obstacle at work.
Intent: Similar to the proudest achievement question, this is a behavioral interview question focused on an event. In this case, the interviewer is interested in your ability to overcome a major hurdle.
Context: Pick an example that illustrates a significant obstacle that best demonstrates how you work and that had a positive, tangible outcome. Obstacles might include business problems, a difficult objective, key people who stood in your way or lack of resources. Once you have your example, explain the steps you took.
Response: You could include the analysis you performed and the resulting strategy, the process you took, the key actions performed, your arguments or anything else that clearly demonstrates how you achieved your goal. A great response technique for this kind of question is to break your answer down into phases or steps: "First, I... Second...."
How do you deal with conflict?
Intent: Conflict is part of any workplace, and the reality is that you often can't get ahead or perform well in your job unless you can deal with conflict at a basic level. Do you avoid conflict or face it? Do you think it through, or are you emotional? Do you use constructive techniques to resolve the situation?
Context: There are different forms of conflict of course: the everyday interpersonal sort, disagreements in direction or strategy, and conflict over resources. You should describe how you handle conflict at an appropriate level. If you are a manager or executive, for example, pick a reflective example.
Response: Consider offering a specific example to demonstrate how you resolve conflict.
Tell me about yourself.
Intent: Such an innocent-sounding question, but it is a bit of a trap. The interviewer wants to see how you present yourself, but this is not an offer to recite your resume.
Context: This question, which when asked always occurs at the beginning of the interview, is a predictable opportunity to craft an engaging, intriguing executive summary of who you are professionally and why you are there. While there is no hard-and-fast rule as to how long it should be, let's say it should last up to a minute. If you are given this opportunity, turn it to your advantage to establish momentum.
Response: The stronger the connection you can make between your background, knowledge and interests, and the job at hand, the more compelling you will be as a candidate. If there is something notable about your personal life that adds to your candidacy or helps explain your career trajectory, add it. Otherwise, leave personal details out at this stage unless invited to do so.
How would you describe your work style?
Intent: This is a fairly open-ended question. At a basic level, the interviewer is interested in hearing how you both understand and articulate how you work. However, there may be a requirement for someone highly organized, or the team may have a specific way of working, and the interviewer wants to see if you fit.
Context: You may not have thought about this too carefully before. How do you best operate? What's the optimum work situation for you? There are two sides to this: how you work and in what kinds of work environments do you work best. Are you highly structured? Do you focus on one thing and get it done, or move multiple projects forward concurrently? On the environment side, do you do best in fairly structured workplaces, or do you thrive in chaos?
Response: Like any other answer, being specific and backing up your answer with a brief example works best. You could use the past week as an illustrative example.
Why are you interested in this job/our organization?
Intent: Fair question. Why are you? The interviewer knows you are looking for a new opportunity, and at a basic level, a job. Why else? A candidate with good reasons why is going to be more interesting.
Context: This is not about telling them what they want to hear. Your reasons could involve opportunity, career fit, cultural fit, interest in their business, personal value proposition fit and your ability to be successful in the job. It's also a great opportunity to illustrate the homework you've done on the company.
Response: You want to present your reason as a benefit to the employer. If it is the first interview, you might not have all the answers or will have not made up your mind yet. In this case, use a statement like, "From what I have seen so far...."
[Ian Christie founded BoldCareer.com to help individuals build bold, fulfilling careers and help organizations attract, develop and retain talent. A career coach, consultant, three-time entrepreneur, former senior director at Monster and former retained executive search consultant, Ian is an expert in the fields of careers and recruitment. He believes that career management is a central theme to both personal and organizational effectiveness. BoldCareer.com offers career services to companies and individuals as well as free career resources.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:42:32 GMT 5.5
How to Handle Common Interview
Every interview has a unique focus, but some questions are asked so often, it makes sense to do all you can to prepare for them. To be successful, you need a strategy -- not scripted answers. Your goal should be to emphasize the experiences in your background that best fit what each interviewer is looking for.
In this series, we'll look at some common questions and what you should consider when formulating your responses. Work through each potential question, creating your own responses, and you will be in great shape for your next interview. It helps to write out potential answers. Even better: Practice aloud with someone.
Tell me about an assignment that was too difficult for you. How did you resolve the issue?
Intent: The intent can be varied. The interviewer may be interested not only in your ability to respond to a challenge but also in how you respond. Or he may want to know how you define "too difficult." Your ability to learn from a situation you considered too difficult is also relevant. Answer the right way, and you can impress with your coping skills and range of abilities. The wrong answer could take you out of the running.
Context: If you have been in challenging roles, then at some point you should have found yourself stretched to the limit. This is when we grow. So this question is a marvelous opportunity to talk about a time you dealt with a really big challenge successfully.
Response: Do not make the mistake of saying you have never had an assignment that was too difficult for you. Discuss an example of a time you had to overcome a lack of knowledge, skill or experience, or when you took your game to the next level: "I wouldn't say that it was too difficult for me. However, I was faced with..."
What is your management style?
Intent: This is a classic question for management-level candidates. The interviewer's intent here is threefold: to find out if your management style fits, to determine if you have management ability and to probe how much you understand your own work style.
Context: Avoid responding with cliches. Hopefully you can say more than that you have an open-door policy or you manage by walking around.
Response: In today's environment, you need to speak to leading and developing your team, communication, how you organize and plan, how you execute and how you measure progress. It need not be a long answer, but responding with a well-thought-out approach to your management style will make a better impression than spouting generalities.
How would your past experience translate into success in this job?
Intent: Either the interviewer is asking in a tone that indicates his doubt about your legitimacy as a candidate, or he is asking you to make the connection for him effectively.
Context: You can blow the whole interview here. In fact, you have no business being in the interview unless you are clear why you have what it takes to do the job well.
Response: You might start with naming the top few requirements for this job and then describing how you meet or exceed each one. Or you might begin with your background and summarize how it has prepared you for this job. Often, the context of the job is almost as important as the skills required, so don't forget to speak to the specific challenges and objectives you see in the role.
How would you tackle the first 90 days?
Intent: This question is about thoroughness, process and appreciation for organizational complexity. In a second or third interview, the interviewer may also be testing how much you have thought about the job itself.
Context: Most people would say they would study the company's business. You must go beyond this answer to speak to specific job's key challenges or goals. You also want to assure your potential employer that current production will continue without interruption. Of course, you want to express that you would work with the team, your boss and any key influencers to get up to speed as quickly as possible.
Response: Unless asked to do so, do not get specific on changes or initiatives you would make. Instead, think of your response as an operating framework that demonstrates you have a solid, realistic understanding of what needs to be done and how.
Give me proof of your technical competence.
Intent: This question is worded vaguely on purpose. In any number of ways, your interviewer will likely ask you to prove your competence in some technical area important to the job. You need to do so decisively.
Context: You could be given a hypothetical scenario, such as a case study or a technical problem to solve, or you simply could be asked to describe your level of competency in a specific skill. How you do this will depend on the kind of question.
Response: Remember the three possible competency scenarios: exceeds, meets or needs development. Even if you find yourself in the last category, you need to demonstrate that you are purposefully and rapidly developing in that area and trying to compensate with an area of strength. You are better off acknowledging where you are rather than trying to fake it.
You can see themes running throughout this series: Know yourself. Think about the position you're interviewing for. Connect the dots between your background and the job and organizational requirements. Expand upon your responses to ensure you effectively communicate the depth and breadth of your experience. And of course, understand the nuances behind the questions. Good luck!
[Ian Christie founded BoldCareer.com to help individuals build bold, fulfilling careers and help organizations attract, develop and retain talent. A career coach, consultant, three-time entrepreneur, former senior director at Monster and former retained executive search consultant, Ian is an expert in the fields of careers and recruitment. He believes that career management is a central theme to both personal and organizational effectiveness. BoldCareer.com offers career services to companies and individuals as well as free career resources.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:46:07 GMT 5.5
Nonverbal Communications
It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look.
Look back at speakers or teachers you've listened to. Which ones stand out as memorable? The ones who were more animated and entertaining, or the ones who just gave out information? This is not to say you have to entertain the interviewer -- no jokes required -- but it does mean the conversation should be animated and interactive. If you say you are excited about the prospect of working for this company but don't show any enthusiasm, your message will probably fall flat. So smile, gesture once in a while, show some energy and breathe life into the interview experience.
And don't underestimate the value of a smile. In addition to the enthusiasm it expresses to the interviewer, smiling often makes you feel better about yourself.
Nonverbal Messages:
* The Handshake: It's your first encounter with the interviewer. She holds out her hand and receives a limp, damp hand in return -- not a very good beginning. Your handshake should be firm -- not bone-crushing -- and your hand should be dry and warm. Try running cold water on your hands when you first arrive at the interview site. Run warm water if your hands tend to be cold. The insides of your wrists are especially sensitive to temperature control.
* Your Posture: Stand and sit erect. We're not talking ramrod posture, but show some energy and enthusiasm. A slouching posture looks tired and uncaring. Check yourself out in a mirror or on videotape.
* Eye Contact: Look the interviewer in the eye. You don't want to stare at her like you're trying to look into her soul, but be sure to make sure your eyes meet frequently. Avoid constantly looking around the room while you are talking, because that can convey nervousness or a lack of confidence with what is being discussed.
* Your Hands: Gesturing or talking with your hands is very natural, but keep it in moderation. Getting carried away with hand gestures can be distracting. Also, avoid touching your mouth while talking. Watch yourself in a mirror while talking on the phone. Chances are you are probably using some of the same gestures in an interview.
* Don't Fidget: There is nothing worse than people playing with their hair, clicking pen tops, tapping feet or unconsciously touching parts of the body.
Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than the verbal message you're sending. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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Post by vimala on May 25, 2008 6:50:04 GMT 5.5
Behavioral Interview
As soon as you hear the words, "Tell me about a time when...," you should be aware that your interviewer is probably using a behavioral interviewing technique.
This technique uses your past experiences and behaviors as an indicator of your future success. In other words, if you can demonstrate through examples that you accomplished something before, the interviewer may have the tendency to believe you may do it again.
For example, if you saved your company money by streamlining a process and you relate that experience to the interviewer, he will become interested, because there's a strong possibility you could save his company money, too.
Be Specific
Sometimes it's difficult to come up with a specific illustration, because the situation, such as managing multiple tasks at once, occurs regularly in your line of work.
For example, when a candidate who had worked in publishing for seven years was asked, "Tell me about a time when you had to juggle priorities to meet a deadline," she almost laughed out loud.
"Juggling priorities is a way of life in the publishing business," she answered. "There's not a day when I don't have to work under that kind of pressure."
Her interviewer persisted, asking for specific examples of this type of demand.
"I could tell you five incidents that happened this week alone," the candidate replied. "I had one person on the phone, received three emails with project changes and had two deadlines to meet. And that was only on Monday."
In this scenario, the interviewer is seeking information about how the candidate handles priorities and deadlines, how she works under pressure and how flexible she is.
Since this candidate had a lot of experience in these areas, she would have satisfied the interview question by telling about a specific time when she demonstrated those organizational skills. She could have shown how she gets things done, no matter what it takes, by saying, "There was an incident last month when I received a frantic phone call from one of the managers, and I had to drop everything to get a change processed. What he asked was almost impossible, but with some help from my team and working some extra hours, I was able to accomplish the goal. The department manager commended me for pulling off the changes and meeting the tight deadline."
Write Your Stories
Preparing your stories is one of the most beneficial exercises you can do to become focused before your interview. If you say you're good at something, prove it with a story. You should be able to back up anything you say on your resume or in an interview with a story or an example of how you soared in a sticky situation.
Potential Questions
The exact questions you might be asked are virtually limitless.
But here are a few examples of the types that you could face:
* Tell me about a time when you felt it was you against everyone else. You thought you were right and that everyone else was wrong. What did you do? * Tell me about a time when you were working with someone who wasn't pulling their weight, and they had a different value system than yours. How did you deal with this person? * Tell me about a time when you failed. What happened, and how did you recover? * Tell me about a time when you succeeded. Give a specific example. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAREERS AND PLACEMENT
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