1、1.Tell me about yourself.What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two- to three-minute snapshot of who you are and why youre the best candidate for this position.So as you answer this question, talk about what youve done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate for the position. Use
2、 an example or two to back it up. Then ask if they would like more details. If they do, keep giving them example after example of your background and experience. Always point back to an example when you have the opportunity.“Tell me about yourself” does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what
3、 makes you the best.sample answer:I have been working in the field of civil engineering for the past 6 years. My most recent experience has been with an engineering consulting firm where Ive worked for the last 2 years. I enjoy my job because its challenging and I like interacting with a variety of
4、people. In my most recent assignment I was on a project that lasted nine months. I made a significant contribution to the project because of my expertise in sanitary engineering. One of my strengths is my attention to detail. I am known for being extremely thorough and meeting or exceeding deadlines
5、 and goals. My boss knows that I work well under minimal supervision, that I am very conscientious and that the job will be done right the first time. Im looking for a new opportunity where I can contribute to the growth of the company by helping educate customers on the benefits of using our consul
6、ting services.My background to date has been centered on preparing myself to become the very best _ I can become. Let me tell you specifically how Ive prepared myself.Tell about your major, what you plan on doing when you get out of college, what other jobs you have had.Answer in about two minutes.
7、Avoid details, dont ramble. Touch on these four areas:How many years, doing what functionEducation credentialsMajor responsibility and accomplishmentsPersonal summary of work style (plus career goals if applicable)2.Did you bring your resume?Yes. Be prepared with two or three extra copies. Do not of
8、fer them unless youre asked for one.3.What is your long-range objective?The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives.For example: “Within five years, I would like to become the very best accountant your company has on staff. I want to work toward
9、 becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel Ill be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities which might be presented in the long term. For example, here is what Im presently doing to prepare myself . . .”Then go on to show by your examples what you are doing to
10、reach your goals and objectives.Although its certainly difficult to predict things far into the future, I know what direction I want to develop toward. Within five years, I would like to become the very best _ your company has. I would like to become the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so
11、, I feel I will be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities that might be presented in the long term.4.Are you a team player?Describe what would be an ideal working environment?Team work is the key.Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You nee
12、d to provide behavioral examples to back up your answer.A sample answer: “Yes, Im very much a team player. In fact, Ive had opportunities in my work, school and athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent project . . .”Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on
13、 your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be preparedYou are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Speci
14、fics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.5.What is your greatest weakness?Most career books tell you to select strength and present it as a weakne
15、ss. Such as: “I work too much. I just work and work and work.” Wrong. First of all, using strength and presenting it as a weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question.You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example: “I have had trouble
16、in the past with planning and prioritization. However, Im now taking steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner . . .” then show them your planner and how you are using it.Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.I would say my greatest weakness has bee
17、n my lack of proper planning in the past. I would overcommit myself with too many variant tasks, then not be able to fully accomplish each as I would like. However, since Ive come to recognize that weakness, Ive taken steps to correct it. For example, I now carry a planning calendar in my pocket so
18、that I can plan all of my appointments and “to do“ items. Here, let me show you how I have this week planned out.6.What is your greatest strength? Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under p
19、ressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude.You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewers greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this.Prior to an
20、y interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths. You should also have, a specific example or two, which illustrates each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements.You should, have this list of your greatest strengths and corre
21、sponding examples from your achievements so well committed to memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake at 2:30AM. Then, once you uncover your interviewers greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that best match up. As a general guideline, the 1
22、0 most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:1. A proven track record as an achiever.especially if your achievements match up with the employers greatest wants and needs.2. Intelligence.management “savvy“. 3. Honesty.integrity.a decent human being. 4. Good fit with c
23、orporate culture.someone to feel comfortable with.a team player who meshes well with interviewers team.5. Likeability.positive attitude.sense of humor.6. Good communication skills.7. Dedication.willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.8. Definiteness of purpose.clear goals.9. Enthusi
24、asm.high level of motivation.10. Confident.healthy.a leader.7.If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?Focus on a key turning point in your life or missed opportunity. Yet also tie it forward to what you are doing to still seek to make that change.For example: “Althou
25、gh Im overall very happy with where Im at in my life, the one aspect I likely would have changed would be focusing earlier on my chosen career. I had a great internship this past year and look forward to more experience in the field. I simply wish I would have focused here earlier. For example, I le
26、arned on my recent internship” then provide examples.Stay focused on positive direction in your life and back it up with examples.8.How did you prepare for this interview?When I found this position posted on the internet () I was immediately interested. I checked out the company website and mission
27、statement, looked at the bios of company founders and executives, and was impressed. Once I had the interview appointment, I talked with friends and acquaintances in the industry. And, Im sure Ill find out a lot more in todays meetings.”9.What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with?In
28、 my last three jobs I have worked with men and women from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. The only time I had difficulty was with people who were dishonest about work issues. I worked with one woman who was taking credit for work that her team accomplished. I had an opportunity to talk with h
29、er one day and explained how she was affecting the morale. She became very upset that others saw her that way, and said she was unaware of her behavior or the reactions of others. Her behavior changed after our talk. What I learned from that experience is that sometimes what we perceive about others
30、 is not always the case if we check it out.10.How do you handle conflict? (How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict?)On the job, there are many possible sources of conflict. Conflicts with: fellow employees management rules, procedures clients, customers demands of work vs. personal
31、 life, family The best way to approach a good answer is to look at if from the employers point of viewthey want to be your first priority and they want you to solve problems (not bring them any). “I know everything cannot run smoothly at work all the time. When there is a conflict I usually try to d
32、etermine the source of the problem and see if it can be solved. This might involve other members of the work team discussing the problem and offering possible solutions. I would then try to pick the solution which appears to have the best outcome and put it into action.” A natural follow-up to this
33、would be: Tell me when you solved a conflict at work. So, have a brief example , a short story to illustrate your approach. Even if not asked, you can offer your story! If it proves your point and accentuates a skill needed for the position, go with it.I believe I am quite good at handling conflict.
34、 Working in retail and in the residence halls required that I make many unpopular decisions at times, whether it was terminating an associate or taking judicial action on a resident. Often the person in conflict with me would be upset and sometimes physically outraged. I would always make sure that
35、I fully explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those policies exist. Usually by the end of the conversation, the person could see the other side of the situation.11. How do you handle rejection? Rejection is part of business. People dont always buy what you sell. The tick
36、here is to separate rejection of your product from rejection of yourself: “I see rejection as an opportunity. I learn from it. When a customer takes a pass, I ask him what we could do to the product, price or service to make it possible for him to say yes. Dont get me wrong: Youve got to makes sales
37、. But rejection is valuable, too. Its a good teacher.”12.Tell me about a time when you tried and failed?Has this ever happened to you? No one expects perfection actually, employers are more interested in your ability to cope, to learn from mistakes, and to deal with others who are less than perfect.
38、 If you have an example, certainly pick one that happened a while back, was not earth shattering in the results, and one which you learned and applied this knowledge recently. This is a version of damning with faint praise by picking an incident that was minor in scope but, since you are so wise and
39、 are always willing to learn, has taught you a valuable lesson.13.What are some of the things you find difficult to do?The interviewer is looking to determine how well you know yourself, how you react to difficult situations/tasks and credibility. Look back over your work experience for examples of
40、challenges speaking in public at a meeting, disagreeing with a manager over an important issue, being asked to use a software program you have not had an opportunity to learn These stories should illustrate a lesson learned, a problem overcome or a weakness being dealt with. “I always seem to need a
41、 day or two to prepare myself to give a presentation to department heads. When I know I have to give a report on my projects, I plan out all the details in advance and rehearse. One time, there was a problem with a supplier and I was asked to update senior management immediately. The supply chain wa
42、s crucial to the completion of an important project we had been working on for 5 months and decisions had to be made based on the information I had to prepare and present on a moments notice. I gathered the information and presented it simply and in detail. It was much easier than I thought without
43、the hours of concern and practice. The facts spoke for themselves. Since I understood the situation, I was able to make it clear to management and get a rapid decision. I still prefer advance notice but I know I can deliver when asked to.”14.What are your short and long term goals?No one can make go
44、als for you. It comes down to where you are in your professional life and what you want to do. Most people have 5-6 careers in their working lifetimesome with 2 careers going at the same time (like us). The best advice is to be certain to relate your answers to the organization that interviews you.
45、Do not make a point of having goals that cannot be realized there (”I want to work in Paris.” Organization is strictly domestic.) If you do your research into the organization, and into what you truly want to do in the future, you will be able to come up with reasonable responses. No one is going to
46、 come back to you in five years and chastise you for not meeting these goals! You will not be held to them it is only an interview and they are interested in how you see yourself (and they want to see you in the job.)My primary objectives are to learn as much as possible about your companys product
47、offering, organizational structure, and professional sales techniques so that I may become the most productive member of your sales team.What are your short-term goals?Many executives in a position to hire you are strong believers in goal-setting. (Its one of the reasons theyve achieved so much.) Th
48、ey like to hire in kind. If youre vague about your career and personal goals, it could be a big turnoff to many people you will encounter in your job search. Be ready to discuss your goals for each major area of your life: career, personal development and learning, family, physical (health), communi
49、ty service, and (if your interviewer is clearly a religious person) you could very briefly and generally allude to your spiritual goals (showing you are a well-balanced individual with your values in the right order). Be prepared to describe each goal in terms of specific milestones you wish to accomplish along the way, time periods youre allotting.My short-term objectives are to graduate from the Professional Development Program before the standard two years and begin developing a c
