hi

if anybody has any recruiting/hiring experience or a recent job change, what are some of the common/general interview questions? If possible, what are some of the worst answers you've heard? Please help. It's been a long time since I last interviewed for a job.

thanks for any help

 

One question I've had that can be tough to answer, and works out better if you have had time to think about is.

Q. Have you ever had conflicts with co-workers, and if so how did you handle that conflict.

They don't really want you to say you've had no conflicts, because then it just sounds like you may be trying to cover up something, or you want them to think you're perfect. Well, they know you're not perfect. In that situation it's better to just answer that you have had some conflicts, and maybe give some kind of responsible way you handled the situation.

 

A good interviewer will use experienced based interviewing techniques. That is, they will ask you questions that ask you to use specific examples from your past job experiences. Commonly, these types of questions will start with "tell me about a time when..." or "in your previous position....". This type of interviewing is not perfect, but it's a lot better than open-ended interviewing where they may ask you questions that you can give the "best story". Most untrained interviewers will fall into the later category, asking questions such as "how would you handle...." or "what would you do..." Those types of questions allow you to answer whatever you think without ever having to have exhibited the characteristics you're describing. Back to experienced based interviewing, the good interviewer may dig and dig on one specific point after you've given your initial answer.

Once you know about this type of interview, interviewing becomes easy since you know if the interviewer is good or bad. More often than not, I've come out of interviews thinking "what a terrible interviewer".

Come up with 2 or 3 good success stories from past jobs. Think of the positives and think of some of the obstacles you've had to overcome to achieve those successes. Once you have those stories, you are ready for the experienced based interviewer and you can also use those stories with the untrained non-experienced interviewer: "let me give you an example of how I overcame conflict. In my last position...."

Make sure you know about the business you're interviewing with and what the position is. I can't tell you the number of times I've run across clueless candidates. A little research about the business can go a long way towards impressing the interviewer especially when the other candidates have not done their homework. Always ask questions at the end of the interview about the industry, company, etc. Don't make the questions so detailed as to put the interviewer in an uncomfortable position because they don't know the answer (above their level to answer). Candidates who don't ask questions show disinterest.

Never ask a "me" question in the interview. "What are the benefits", "How much vacation time", "Who will I be working with", etc. The time to ask those questions is when you get the job offer and you are in the driver's seat. Once they make you the offer, then they have made a commitment that you are the candidate they want to hire and you have a lot more latitude in the types of questions you can ask.

Don't be nervous and do be yourself - open, energetic, and friendly. If you are as qualified as the other candidates, the interviewer will tend to gravitate toward the person that they think they will get along with the best in a work environment. Nobody wants to work with someone that is not friendly and can't manage themselves in stressful situations.

One more thing - be prepared for the crappy "stress" interviewers. They will do their best to make you nervous by asking you questions you don't have a hope of answering. A lot of places frown on these types of interviews because they are usually not relevant to the work environment, but that doesn't mean that they don't happen. If you don't know the answer to a question - DO NOT BS THE INTERVIEWER - that's exactly what they're trying to flush out. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" and if you can fit it in, tell them about a time when you didn't know about something but used initiative and aptitude to learn it.

Best of luck. PM me if you need some more thoughts.

 

DaveZ:


That was the best and most comprehensive answer to a post I have seen in a long long time.

You have given great advice. As an employer, who falls into the non-experienced category you describe, I have learned how better to handle the interviews I conduct. Thanks.

Mike

 

First of all, I have to say that Dave Z's comments are EXCELLENT! This is actually an area I'm somewhat familiar w/ (being an HR Mgr). The only thing that I would add to Dave Z's comments is that sometimes, depending on the position, the employer might start to delve more into your past (high school, college) and ask such things as, "What was your favorite subject and why?" Of course, it all depends on the type of position that you are interviewing for. The indepth interviews are mostly used for management type positions to get a better feel for your tendencies, etc.

One question that I personally never leave out is, "What is your greatest strength... & what are you doing to solidify this strength?" followed by, "What is your greatest weakness... & what are you doing practically to improve on this weakness?" Most people have a difficulty in answering the second one b/c they don't want to look too negative. I can't speak for all interviewers, but when I ask this question, it's not to find out what your weakness is, necessarily (everyone has weaknesses), but more to see what exactly you are doing to overcome that weakness.

I also have a sample of a CIDS (Chronological In-Depth Structured) interview that I used at my last job if you want to take a look at it. PM me, if you're interested.

Sam

 

Two questions that I've come across with that requires some pre-planning thought:

1. Why should we hire you?
2. What do you consider as one of your weaknesses? (and PLEASE don't say that you are a perfectionist. Any and every interviewing book will give you that example and let me tell you, it's been done to the point that interviewers would actually EXPECT that particular answer. So come up with an original one.

 

wow these are really cool advices. ahahah im going to add it to "MY s2000" for future references!

 

omg, thank you guys for taking your time to type out all that great advice

jane

 

"One more thing - be prepared for the crappy "stress" interviewers. "

That's my job. The LtCol always tell me to come in and interrupt him with an important message during an interview and then wants me to take over while he's taking care of the "Important business".

My job is to ask
1. What are your goals w/ this job.
2. Why did you quit your last job. If the same situation were to occur with this job, how would you handle it.
3. If you get a better job offer while working with us would you stay with us or leave us?
These questions are asked abruptly, non-stop, w/o giving the person chance to think about the response.
Last question: my favorite. Any question that's off key, i.e. What's your favorite color and why, and why not any other colors. What if our Department doesn't use that color. etc. OR What's your favorite food, etc...

None of the answers to these questions are relevant, it's already been asked by other staff members. My job is to see how the candidate handles him/herself under pressure.

Good luck,

LT