PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS

Ten Questions to be prepared for in an Interview:

Here are 10 basic questions that are commonly asked in most job interviews. Be ready to answer these questions, and you will be on your way to a better career!

1. Please tell me about yourself.
   This is usually the first question an interviewer will ask. Your answer should cover four basic sections regarding your background: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Be honest, sell yourself, and keep it short! Don't let your answer go over a minute or two at most.
2. What are five words that describe you?
   You should be prepared before the interview to have at least five adjectives that relate to the position that you are interviewing for. Make sure your answer is relative to the job that you will be performing. This is a test to see how well you know yourself.
3. What is your biggest weakness?
   This is understandably a very difficult question to answer. It is better to think of this question as identifying areas that you need to improve upon. This will show that you are aware of what you need to work on, and are not afraid to admit it.
4. What can you do to add to the success of the company?
   This is the time during the interview when it is perfectly acceptable to toot your own horn and be a bit arrogant. Be sure to mention specific examples of accomplishments from your resume, and other important things from your work history. Be earnest and passionate, and make every effort to really mean what you say.
5. In the first six months on the job, what do you think will be your greatest challenge?
   When you are asked this question in an interview, the interviewer is probably trying to find out how you handle new and challenging situations. They are also probably looking for anything to beware of! The best way to answer is to give an example of a challenge that you faced as a new employee in the past and how you overcame it. Don't mention that you had difficulty learning something new, or that you didn't have any challenges!
6. What was your reason for resigning from your last position?
   Do not, under any circumstances, give negative feedback about your last position, even if it was not so great! Try to accentuate your last position as a part of your career path. This is also a great way to stimulate conversation with the Interviewer as to how the prospective company fits in with your career goals.
7. In the next five or 10 years, where do you see yourself?
   With this question, try to establish that although you are unsure of what things hold that far into the future, you know what direction you would like to go in. Make your answer open-ended, and include the idea that you want to be the absolute best at (fill in the blank) that the company has, and continue to grow, develop, and take on more responsibilities in the long run.
8. In the last year, what is the most significant challenge that you have faced?
   This answer should include a very thorough understanding on your part of what the problem was. Concentrate on the challenge and then state three or four specific actions or steps that you took to resolve the problem. Also be sure to give the result of the actions you took to resolve the problem, which of course should be positive!
9. What is a decision that you have made in the last year that you feel very confident about?
   This question helps an interviewer view your decision-making process. Are you a random decision maker or one that has a logical, goal-oriented approach? Be sure your answer reflects that you are the latter!
10. What questions do you have for me?
    This is your chance to garner some information. Use this opportunity to find out where you stand in the overall hiring process. Asking a question about their timetable, or when they plan to make the phone calls, can help you with your follow-up efforts.

Research the company

Researching the company you are going to interview with will give you the inside edge.

Know the company's background, products/services provided, mission and vision statements, current position, along with which direction the company is headed. Know with whom you will be interviewing and learn as much as possible about that person. This can be helpful in finding a common interest to be used as a conversation starter or a way for the interviewer to remember you.

Research the position

Get the job description and know what it is that you will be doing if hired!

Understand the duties, responsibilities and goals of the position for which you are applying.

Be prepared to talk about yourself

Prepare ahead of time to speak candidly about all aspects of your past professional life.

Be prepared to discuss past positions you have held, previous employers, your education, experiences and abilities. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with these in order to speak confidently and easily on the topic. Relate as much past information as you can to the position for which you are interviewing.