3. There’s More to Successful Interviewing
than
Answering Interview Questions!
Many popular books on the subject of interviewing focus almost entirely on “how to
answer interview questions”. While knowing how to answer questions is
important, with increased competition for the best jobs, it’s simply not enough. You
must take a holistic approach to interviewing if you want to stand out from the
competition.
The First Step to a Successful Job
Interview is Research.
Once you are notified that you’ve been selected to be interviewed, that’s when the
hard work begins. The key to being ready to face the interview battle is
preparation. And research is an important part of good preparation. This guide
provides detailed instructions and resources for:
4. Researching the position
Researching the company
Researching the interviewer(s)
Here’s a Free Peek:
There are numerous resources available for performing pre-interview
research. However, to get the most relevant information in the shortest
amount of time, there are three places you should go. The first place you
should visit is the company’s web site. (Everybody does that)
But there are two additional places serious job seekers go to get inside
information on the position, the company, & the interviewers. I’m talking
employee feedback, company gossip, salary data, and interviewer
backgrounds and resumes. Get access to these insider research portals with
this instant download.
As the former head of recruiting for 2 major U.S. companies, I’ve seen how
unfair the corporate recruiting system can be…like how we asked trick
interview questions, how we ruled out candidates based on how they were
dressed, and how we chose candidates who lied during the interview over
honest job seekers.
5. There’s a Secret to Answering Interview Questions
Anticipate Questions Ahead of Time and Write Out
Detailed Answers Using Stories
From Your Past!!! ... (See Sample Interview Questions & Answers Below)
There are many books written on the subject of answering interview
questions. But what I’ve discovered is that every company uses a variation of
the same 25 interview questions when interviewing job candidates.
So when you see interview guides that say “The 300 Most Popular Job
Interview Questions” or “167 Job Interview Questions Every Candidate Should
Know How To Answer”, do not fall for it. These guides are trying to impress
you with how many questions the author could compile. Think about it…is
anyone really going to ask you..“If you were a dog, what kind of dog would
you be?” Highly unlikely.
6.
7. A Formula for Answering Each of These Questions and More is Provided in
this Guide. You’ll Have the Perfect Answer to Each question!
In today’s environment, the most successful job candidates understand how
to take charge of an interview, are master storytellers, can lie with a straight
face, and ask great questions.
Unfortunately, the only people who are usually privy to these proven
techniques are those fortunate enough to afford expensive interview coaches
or interview prep services. (With this instant download, you’ll be privy.)
Each of the 25 questions posed in this guide ends with a discussion of the
best strategy for formulating your answers in order to achieve maximum
effect. (Don’t waste your time with the 167 interview question nonsense.)
Serious job seekers should take the time to write out answers to each of the
25 questions and then practice saying the answers out loud until they roll off
the tongue. Once you do this you will be ultra-confident and super-prepared
to speak professionally about your background and experience in your next
job interview.
8. Sample Questions and Answers
Q. Why are you currently looking for a new opportunity?
How to Answer:
Never talk negative about your old company. Compliment your previous
company if possible. Then, put a positive spin on why you’re leaving …such as
looking for more growth. If you were fired or laid-off, find a way to soften the
blow when explaining this to interviewers. In fact I would not advise that
you say “I was fired”. Instead say something like, there were things I wasn’t
happy with at my previous company and so instead of complaining about
things that I couldn’t necessarily change or control, I decided to look for other
opportunities.
9. Q. What would your old boss say about you?
How to Answer:
A simple but effective way to answer this question is to say that your boss
would say that you were a valued asset to the company. Be careful not to be
too braggadocious. Arrogance won’t get you hired.
Q. How do you deal with conflict? Give me an example.
How to Answer:
This question may also be asked “Tell me about a time when you had to deal
with a difficult person.” Describe a time when you were confronted with a
dicey situation involving a manager, coworker, or customer…and how you
managed through it. Ensure that your answer shows that you were calm and
under control in dealing with the situation and that you took a professional
approach to resolving the issue.
10. Q. Tell me about a time when you’ve made a customer really happy. What
was his or her name?
How to Answer:
Talk about a time when you did something that really pleased a customer. Be
sure to talk about something you did professionally. Do not talk about a gift
you gave them or a lunch you treated them to. Talk about a job specific
action you took that pleased either an internal or external customer...such as
getting them the product they ordered early or delivering something on the
weekend during your off hours. Be prepared to give the name and title of the
individual.
11. Q. What’s your greatest strength?
How to Answer:
The answer to this question should change depending on the position you’re
interviewing for. If you’re interviewing to be a manager or supervisor, your
strength should be something like: I’m a great motivator or I’m a great
leader. If you’re interviewing to be a Sales Professional, your strength should
be that you’re great at building relationships, great at persuasion or that
you’re a great listener.
If you’re interviewing to be an Engineer, your strength should be that you’re
great at design and technical project management. If you’re interviewing for
a Finance position, your strength should be that you are very advanced in
Microsoft Excel or that you’re a numbers wiz, etc.
A great generic but powerful answer to this question is: My greatest
strength is that I have great follow-up skills. Follow up skills are very
important in almost any job or position. This is a great choice if you are
having difficulty coming up with what to use for your strength.
12. Q. Tell me about a time when you’ve failed.
How to Answer:
Do not answer this question by saying, “I’ve never failed.” Instead, discuss a
time when something you worked on professionally either individually or as
part of a team, did not turn out as planned. Tread lightly with this
answer. Your failure should not illustrate that you were incompetent or did a
poor job. Choose a mild failure if possible…preferably one where there were
mitigating circumstances that could not be avoided. Be sure to mention what
you learned from the failure.
