The Baker’s Dirty Dozen
By thoroughly Researching your target companies you can be
prepared to answer questions such as these as well as others which pertain to the specific industry and company you are
targeting. When you have a ready answer for all of the employer’s question you
will be successful in your interview.
The following list contains 13 of the most interview
questions. On other sheet of paper, prepare answers to these questions and
others and role-play them with your coach to be sure they sound right.
1.
Tell me about yourself.
2.
What are your greatest strengths-weaknesses?
3.
Why di you leave your last job?
4.
Why do you want to work for us?
5.
How did you like your last job?
6.
What kind of salary are you looking for?
7.
What do you know about our company?
8.
Why should we hire you?
9.
What did you think of your old boss?
10.
What are your long range goals?
11.
Do you like to work overtime?
12.
You seem over-qualified (or underqualified)?
13.
Do you have any questions?
The questions may be asked in different ways. For
example, after viewing a resume an
interview may ask, ”After all of the things that you have done, are you sure
you want to work for us?” The
interviewer is asking question number 12- “You seem over-qualified for this
job.”
The interview may ask, “If I called your former employer
right now, what would he say about you?” The employer is asking for your
strengths- the last part of question number 1. This is a chance for you to say
something like, “He would say that I have a great work ethic, I work hard and
produce a good quality product. He would say that I am an honest and reliable
person, if he had something to do, he could count on me.”
THE DIRTY DOZEN AGENDA
Interviewers are trying to discover pieces of information
about you. This information will guide them in their hiring decision. The
following is an attempt to provide you with an awareness fo what they are
looking for so that you may be better
prepared to provide a better answer. The following contains a buzz-word for each
question, the philosophy of why it is asked, and what you can do to respond.
1.
OVERVIEW question: Tell me about yourself.” Give
your “Me in 30 seconds” summary. The interviewer is trying to understand who
you are. Remember that it is not appropriate to volunteer personal information.
In fact, the interviewer may resent being loaded down with information that is
none of his business. Remember that it is against the law to discriminate
because of ethnic origin, religious affiliation, marital status, age, sex,
condition of your health, etc., therefore, leave this information out. Make
sure that you don’t leave out your strongest characteristics and capabilities.
These are called “The words that get you hired.”
2.
DISARM question: “What are your greatest
strengths and weaknesses?” The interviewer makes an assessment while you are
giving your overview as to how best to put you on the spot. He wants to see how
you behave under pressure. If he feels that you are bruised easily, he will ask
for a strength. If he is looking for impact, he will ask for biggest weakness.
You must respond with a weakness, a very brief description of why it is a
weakness, then what you are doing about it.
Example: “My biggest weakness is that I was very
aggressive when I work and it intended
to make people uncomfortable around me. So I have learned
to be sensitive to the feelings of others. I have learned that I can be
assertive without being abnoxiously aggressive.”
Example: “My biggest weakness was that I am a perfectionist
and tended to hold onto a project longer than I should. Now I am more aware of
schedules so I get my work done on time and with the best possible quality.”
Example: “My biggest weakness is that I just do not have a lot of experience in
this area. However, I am a quick learner, I have a lot of energy and drive, I
amvery adaptable , and I am confident that it will not be a problem for me or
you.
3.
LOYALTY question: Why did you leave your last
job?” The interviewer wants to know if you are the kind who stays around or
skips from job to job. Make sure that you have a loyalty statement in you
answer.
Example: “I left my last job because it was a dead-end
position. I f it could have given me the opportunity to continue to grow and
develop I’d still be there today.”
Example: I left my last job because the economy was such
that some that some jobs had to be eliminated and I was one of the ones that
fell out. I f the economy was such that I could continue to make my
contributions, I’s still be there today.
4.
HAPPINESS question: “Why do you want to work for
us?” the interviewer is trying to determine if you would be satisfied and
content to work for them. A happy worker is a good employee. Tell them why you
would enjoy working for them. Notice all of the happy words in the example.
Example: “I would like to work for yo because I feel good
about doing that kind of thing. It is the type of thing that I have been
trained to do. I feel that it would be a challenging assignment, and give me an
opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of the company.”
5.
ORIENTATION questions: “How did you like your
old job?” The interviewer is trying to determine if you are a positive or a
negative type of person. He is trying to discover if you will fit into his
organization or be some sort of misfit. If you simply say, “I loved it.” He
will ask you to tell him five things that you liked about it followed by five
things that you disliked. It is best if you start enumerating the things you
liked before he asks. Emphasize your PEOPLE statements. Be careful about
negative responses. If you have anything negative to say, it better have some
substance to it.
Example: “I really enjoyed my last job. I enjoyed the people
I worked with, my peers. I enjoyed working with the public.. I enjoyed working
with the management team. I enjoyed the technical challenge. I also enjoyed the
opportunity to work independently. I can’t think of anything that I disliked,
I’m a positive person and I have learned how to handle negative things in a
positive way.”
6.
SERIOUSNESS/LEANINGS question: “What kind of salary are you
looking for?” The interviewer is trying to find out how serious you are about
this job and if you will consider or reject his offer.
Example: MEMORIZE THIS ANSWER: “I would really like to work here, I know
that I am qualified for the work.
I will seriously consider any reasonable offer you would
like to make.”
That answer tells him you are serious, please make an offer
reasonable, and that it is his responsibility to make the offer and not yours
to tell him what you will work for.
7.
YARDSTICK question: “What do you know about our
company?” The interviewer will measure you and all you say to him against what
you say here. For example if you say, “I know that you treat your employees
fairly.” The interviewer will take everything that goes into treating an
employee fairly and assume that you know all about it. He will assume that you
know all about the company’s salary plan, career plan, and benefits plan
because all of those things go into treating
an employee fairly.
Did you do your homework? You should have talked to some
employees previously to see what the benefits are and how they treat employees.
Ask the secretary when you check in for your interview,”Is this a great company
to work for?” Then you can give a response like the example.
Example: “I know that you have a great reputation in the
community. I know that you have a good product. Everyone that I know feels that
you are a great company to work for and that you treat your employees fairly.
You are just the kind of company that people like to be associated with.”
Always be very careful how you act from the first minute
park your car, enter the waiting room and beyond. You may be watched every step
of the way.”
Always be POLITE TO THE SECRETARY!! People have been hired
and not hired because the boss came out and asked the secretary what she taught
of you or how you acted toward her, or what you did in the waiting room.
Make sure that you talk about things centered on the job and
not what is in it for you. Do not give the interviewer the impression that you
are self centered. This is called a “fatal” impression.
8.
COMPETITIVE EDGE question: “Why should we hire
you?” the interviewer has talked to the other candidates. You must tell him why
you are the best person for the job. You response should tell him that you are
a competitive pesson.
Example: “Because I’m going to make sure that I do the job
in a way that will please you and my performance will be exemplary—that’s just
the way I am. I’m not content to be just an average employee, I like to excel.”
9.
REPUTATION questions: “What did you think of
your old boss?” The interviewer is trying to determine what you do with
people’s reputation. He is thinking, “If you work for us, what wil say about
us when you leave?” If you can’t say
something good about your last employer, you will fail this question. The
following example describes a boss that was not your favorite, yet does not
cause undue concern.
Example: “My last boss knew exactly what he wanted to do and
when he wanted to do it. I did not always agree with him, but he was a
successful business man and I learned a lot from him.”
10.
MOTIVATION questions: “ What are your long range
goals?” The interviewer wants to know if you are a motivated person or if you
just muddle through life. Your answer should tell him that you area doer.
Example: “I want to go as far as I can in life and realize
my greatest potential. I do that by getting thoroughly involved in the work.
I’m going to continue my education where I discover that I need to improve. I
would like to make myself so valuable to my employer that he might consider me
for a leadership position someday. I am an active employee. I am self
motivated.”
11.
LIKES/WILLINGNESS questions: “Do you like to
work overtime?” The interviewer is trying to discover your willingness to help
when needed. They are asking if you are willing to bend your schedule to meet
the demands of their business. You need to answer both parts. Employers have a
dislike for employees who spend overtime budget unnecessarily; they like to
hear words that show that a prospective employee is not that type.
Example: “No, it’s not my favorite thing, but I know that
iti si often necessary in business, and I want you to know that if you need me
to help out, I will, I don’t have a problem with that.”
12a. BOREDOM question:
“You seem over-qualified for this job.” The interviewer has made a value
judgement and you are deemed to be a winner. Be sure to thank him for the
compliment then go on to describe how you handle boredom.
Example: “Thank you for the compliment. I feel that my
experience will benefit the company. I will contribute in any way that I can to
enhance the company and productivity. Also I am a team player and will follow
directions chosen by management. I am a self-motivated person who knows how to keep
busy and productive.”
12b. FRUSTRATION question: “You seem to be a bit
under-qualified for this job.” The interviewer is concerned about this job
causing trauma in your life. If you want this job you need to minimize his
concerns. You need to tell him that this job will not cause you problems and
that you will grow to meet the demands.
Example: “Yes, there are things in that job that I haven’t
done before, but I like a good challenge. If I don’t have a challenge then I
don’t have any personal growth either. It doesn’t bother me to stretch. Also, I
am not afraid to ask questions and I have a good research technique to find
answers. I take challenges as opportunities to bring out my best. I will
probably do that job better than someone that treats it like a routine task.”
13.UNHOOKING questions: “Do you have any
questions?” the interviewer Is asking your permission to finish the interview.
He may even have another interview pending in a few minutes. Do not ask fatal
questions. Do not try to sustain the interview. However, here are the two
questions that should always be asked-unless you got the job!
Question 1: (Always ask this question and
question #2 at the end of the interview)
“When do you plan to fill this position?”
This is a neutral question that will not
offend. It also gives you informations as to how much more time you have to try
to get the job.
Question 2: (Always ask this question
also.)
May I check back with someone in a few
days? I may be able to reinforce or clarify something from our interview that
may help me get this job.”
This question tells the interviewer that
you are the one of the 3% that follows through on an interview. If you fail to
let him know that you are in the 3% group, he may feel that he could discard
your application and 97% of the time no one would ever know. It keeps your
application out of the wastebasket and on his desk. The longer it stays on his
desk the more valuable it becomes.
Why Don’t You Get Hired
Do you present a strong image at a job
interview? The following list itemizes things which personnel directors in 153
companies mentioned as reasons for not hiring an applicant. (NOTE: all of these
have little or nothing to do with EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE!)
1.
Poor personal appearance. (the first seven
seconds)
2.
Overbearing personality. (the first seven words)
3.
Lack of planning for a career, purpose or goals.
4.
Lack of interest and enthusiasm.
5.
Criticism of past employers.
6.
Lack of courtesy.
7.
Late to interview without a good reason.
8.
Marked dislike for school work.
9.
Little or no interest in the company.
10.
Lack of confidence.
11.
Unwilling to start at the bottom- expects too
much.
12.
Failure to look interviewer in the eye.
13.
Limp handshake.
14.
Sloppy application form.
15.
Wants job for only a short time.
16.
Asks no questions about the job.
17.
Talks too much. (More than 50% of the time)
Check yourself on
these before your next interview!!!
PUT
YOUR SHOULDER TO
THAT
THIN, GRAY LINE
BETWEEN
“VERY
ASSERTIVE”
AND
“OBNOXIOUSLY
AGGRESSIVE”
AND
PUSH, BUT DDON’T EVER,
EVER
CROSS THE LINE!!!
