Collection Of

Job Interview
Questions And the
Answers
INTRODUCTION
Job interviews are always stressful - even for job seekers who have gone on countless
interviews. The best way to reduce the stress is to be reared. Take the ti!e to review the
co!!on interview "uestions you will !ost likely be asked. Also review sa!le answers to the
tyical interview "uestions.
It#s not enough just to have a erfect resu!e that co!!unicates who you are and
what kind of e!loyee you could be to a otential e!loyer. That#s just the beginning of the
rocess. A great resu!e will set you aart fro! other candidates and get you selected for an
oortunity to interview for that osition. Once you receive that call as an invitation for the
interview$ the rest is u to you.
%ecause interviewing is a skill$ you can only i!rove your style and acu!en with
ractice. College and university career services offices tyically offer !ock interviews and
interview workshos. %ut you can always revail uon fa!ily or friends to hel you reare.
A&'((( Ask too for genuine feedback that will be helful in working out the kinks. )ractice is
i!ortant too in assuaging fears and nervousness. *owever$ a degree of tension is beneficial
toward !aintaining a level of alertness that causes you to sit u straight and forward in your
seat$ leaning toward the interviewer. The ideal is to strike a balance between oise+cal! and
energy+enthusias!.
, - ) a g e
The interview is your oortunity to shine. .ever assu!e that the anel knows you or
has read your alication. It really doesn#t take a lot of ti!e to reare for your ne/t job
interview$ but it takes a lot of ti!e and effort to get an interview in the first lace-so it
doesn#t !ake any sense to blow it by not being ready. Investing a little ti!e in the resent
can ay off big for your job future.
0 - ) a g e
http://ow.ly/c9Irr
CONTENTS
Introduction
1 - ) a g e
PART ONE : Interview Questions: Work History
PART TWO : Job Interview Questions About You
PART THREE : Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company
PART FOUR : Job Interview Questions About the Future
PART FIVE : Questions by Career Fieds and Industries
PART ONE
Interview Questions: Eu!"tion "n Wor# Histor$
2 - ) a g e
3hen asked about your rior work history$ give secific e/a!les or anecdotes of how
your work had a ositive i!act or result for the co!any you worked for. 4o not lie about
anything concerning your work history. 5any eole before the interviewing anel are
te!ted to lie bout their work e/erience. They do this to give an i!ression that they have
the e/erience re"uired for that articular job. 3ith that lie$ the hiring !angers are forced
to ask "uestions to justify your e/erience. It is better to tell the truth about your working
e/erience and let e!loyers decide whether to give you the job or not.
The list of co!!on interview "uestions about education and work history 6
Question %& :
N"'e o( !o')"n$* )osition tit+e "n es!ri)tion* "tes o( e')+o$'ent,
Answer 6
7ou#d be surrised how !any job alicants fu!ble when asked about rior e!loy!ent.
4on#t be one of the!( 8efresh your !e!ory rior to the interview by reviewing your resu!e$
so you can seak about your rior work history in detail and accurately.
Question %- :
W."t Eu!"tion Do /ou H"ve 0
Answer 6
9ducation and training co!e in !any for!s. In addition to colleges and universities$
vocational-technical institutions$ rivate career schools$ and !ilitary schools count heavily.
And you can discuss other learning resources such as the following 6
: - ) a g e
Co!any training rogra!s you;ve articiated in and what you learned in those
training rogra!s.
Trade or rofessional journals that you read regularly$ online$ or in rint.
)rofessional conferences$ se!inars$ and workshos that you;ve attended recently <or
lan to attend soon=$ esecially those offering C9>s <continuing education units=.
3ebinars through which you find new infor!ation? !any are free.
If you !ust address your lack of re"uired education$ discuss your e/erience and skills as
education. &eak of e/erience-based knowledge and skills$ for instance$ and redirect the
conversation to your self-teaching efforts.
Assure the interviewer that your degree-less state does not affect your ability to do the job
well. >se secific e/a!les fro! your e/erience to rove this oint
Question %1 :
W."t o $ou o to #ee) u)2to2"te in $our 3ob0 How o $ou i')rove $our2
se+( )ro(ession"++$0
Answer 6
4escribe your articiation in rofessional associations$ se!inars$ !eetings and activities$
and Internet rofessional discussion grous. &ay you study rofessional websites and
!aga@ines$ look for technical breakthroughs$ and seek certifications that docu!ent your
continued skill building <describe certifications=.
Question %4 :
W."t +e $ou to !.oose $our (ie+ o( '"3or stu$0
Answer 6
&how how your !ajor is reflective of your natural abilities and assion. 9/a!le Answer 6
I started out on the business track and took Fundamentals of Accounting my resume year. I
loved it. I love the analytical challenge, and I've always had a strong ability when working
A - ) a g e
with numbers. I decided to be abs accountant after that class and am a student member of
the state CPA society.
Question %5 :
W."t i $ou +i#e or is+i#e "bout $our )revious 3ob0
Answer 6
3hen you#re asked what don#t like about your revious job$ don#t be too negative. &a!le
Answer 6
I enjoyed the eole I worked with. It was a friendly and fun atmoshere and I actually
enjoyed going into work each morning. I felt the leadershi team was great as well.
!ne of the reasons I am leaving is that I felt I was not challenged enough at the job. As a
fresh face in the working world, the comany offers a great oortunity for a good entry
level osition" however, after being there for so many years, I felt I was not able to reach
my full otential because of the lack of challenge and there was no room for advancement in
the comany. #hile I did enjoy working there and areciate the skills I develoed while
with the comany, I feel my skill set can be better utili$ed elsewhere, where my caabilities
are more recogni$ed and there is the oortunity for growth.
Question %6 :
W."t )rob+e's ."ve $ou en!ountere "t wor#0 "n .ow i $ou e"+ wit. t.e'0
Answer 6
3hen you resond$ be sure to include a ositive outco!e to the roble!s you reference in
your answer. &a!le answer 6
B - ) a g e
I feel that the best way to deal with any challenges is to meet them head on. #hen I found
that one of my colleagues was saying things that weren't true behind my back, I went to him
and talked it through. It turned out that he had misunderstood what I had said, and I was
able to set the record straight with him, and my suervisor.
Question %7 :
H"ve $ou ever ." i((i!u+t$ wor#in8 wit. " '"n"8er0
Answer 6
%e careful answering "uestions about revious !anagers. 7ou don#t want to co!e across as
difficult$ and you want to cast any ast e/eriences in the !ost ositive light ossible.
Question %9 :
W.$ Di /ou Resi8n Fro' /our Job0
Answer 6
9/a!le answers 6
I resigned because there were limited oortunities for advancement and I wanted to
further my career.
I graduated from college and resigned in order to find a osition where I could use my
education and related e%erience.
&o be honest, the osition wasn't a fit and I decided it made sense to resign and to
refocus my career ath.
I resigned from my job because I am interested in a new challenge and an oortunity
to use my skills and e%erience in a different caacity than I have in the ast.
'y family relocated to this area and my revious emloyer doesn't have an office
here.
C - ) a g e
PART TWO
Job Interview Questions About /ou
3hatD These are usually the oening "uestions E but you can e/ect Fyou based;
"uestions to cro u throughout your interview$ esecially if it;s a first interview.
GH - ) a g e
3hyD These "uestions are designed just to find out a bit !ore about you$ your
ersonality$ your e/erience$ your knowledge and$ of course$ your ersonality. After all$
nobody wants to work with so!eone who they won;t get on with. It;s as i!ortant as your
e/erience. 7ou !ust !arket yourself(
Question %: :
C"n $ou te++ 'e " +itt+e "bout $ourse+(0
Answer 6
Iirstly$ rela/( The interviewer just wants you to talk for just a coule of !inutes about why
you would be good at this job. It;s an all-ti!e favorite interview "uestion$ although !any
eole hate it$ and can be asked in various for!s. 3hen you do answer the "uestion$
re!e!ber to be natural and tell !e only the arts about yourself that aint a icture of
so!eone who fits the job you;re interviewing for. 9/a!le answers 6
I'm a eole erson. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different
eole.
I'm a creative thinker. I like to e%lore alternative solutions to roblems and have an
oen mind about what will work best.
I'm efficient and highly organi$ed. &his enables me to be as roductive as ossible on
the job.
I enjoy solving roblems, troubleshooting issues, and coming u with solutions in a
timely manner.
Question %&; :
W."t is /our <re"test Stren8t.0
Answer 6
3hen you are asked "uestions about your strengths$ it#s i!ortant to discuss attributes that
will "ualify you for the job. &a!le answers 6
GG - ) a g e
#hen I'm working on a roject, I don't want just to meet deadlines. (ather, I refer
to comlete the roject well ahead of schedule.
'y time management skills are e%cellent and I'm organi$ed, efficient, and take ride
in e%celling at my work.
I ride myself on my customer service skills and my ability to resolve what could be
difficult situations.
Question %&& :
/ou see' over2=u"+i(ie (or t.is 3ob* !"n $ou te++ 'e w.$ $ou "re intereste0
Answer 6
The interviewer is challenging you( They want to see if you are 89AJJ7 interested in this
osition and they want reassurance that you won;t get bored and leave. 7ou !ust show the!
your interest in this job$ and your answer should show how your "ualifications and e/erience
bring value to the role. 4e!onstrate your enthusias! and lay down any idea of this job
being a Fbackward ste;.
Question %&- :
How Wou+ /ou Des!ribe /our Wor# St$+e0
Answer 6
3hen you are asked about how you work during an interview$ it#s i!ortant to i!ress the
interviewer with your co!etency and accuracy$ rather than just your seed. &a!le Answers
I am very focused on my work, and conse)uently, am able to work )uickly.
I kee a steady ace, and check my work as I go along, to revent mistakes from
snowballing.
*ecause I am very organi$ed, I am able to accomlish a lot in a limited amount of
time.
G, - ) a g e
Question %&1 :
W."t is /our <re"test We"#ness0
Answer 6
3hen you#re asked what your greatest weakness is$ try to turn a negative into a ositive.
&a!le answers 6
*eing organi$ed wasn't my strongest oint, but I imlemented a time management
system that really heled my organi$ation skills.
I like to make sure that my work is erfect, so I tend to erhas send a little too
much time checking it. +owever, I've come to a good balance by setting u a system
to ensure everything is done correctly the first time.
I've learned to make my erfectionism work to my advantage at work. I am e%cellent
at meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my work is correct.
Question %&4 :
How o $ou ."n+e stress "n )ressure0
Answer 6
.ow days doing job is very hectic and the e!loyee or e/ecutive have to bear lots of stress
and ressure. The erson who be able to handle this sort of ressure can survive the job
successfully$ otherwise there is no lace for the!. &o this is a tyical interview "uestion can
be asked to get a sense of how you handle stress and ressure on the job. There are so!e
e/a!les of good resonses include6
&his one could be the best answer that actually I work better under ressure and
enjoy working in a challenging environment.
G0 - ) a g e
I am be able to handle the stress and ressure because I know how to differentiate
between the good stress and bad stress. I can make the correct balance between good
stress and bad stress. ,o stress is very imortant to me.
&o eradicate the stress I visit daily to the gym. *y doing some e%ercise I remove all
my stress, because I think it is the best mean to handle the stress and ressure.
Question %&5 :
Des!ribe $our wor# et.i!0
Answer 6
#ork is worshi for me and my comany is my temle. I do my work for the benefits to the
organi$ation. I believe in hard working with e%cellent use of my talent, skills and
e%erience. 'y dedication and commitment is towards my comany.
Question %&6 :
W."t is $our ie"+ 3ob0
Answer 6
%eware( This is a traing "uestion !ostly asks to the interviewee to !easure their
career by ti!e scale <at what oint in your careerD=. &o before answering you should analy@e
your career on the ti!e scale !easured by you$ because you deter!ine what do you want to
be in future. 7ou can count your strength before the! and according to it deliver your
answer.
A oor answer will trigger a robing follow u that uts ressure on the interviewer to justify
a daft resonse while a good answer need nothing to robe and the interviewer can !ove on
to other "uestion. A good answer !ay be like$ -I'd like to become an e%ert in my field
.state function if relevant/, where I'm able to use my skills and abilities to make a real
difference to the comany's erformance.0
Question %&7:
G1 - ) a g e
W."t o $ou +oo# (or in " 3ob0
Answer 6
%est answer 6 KI want to be recogni$ed by my working erformance, knowledge, skills,
dedication and talent.0
Question %&9 :
W."t >otiv"tes /ou0
Answer 6
The interviewer is trying to understand the key to your being successful in the job he is
interviewing for$ and wants to !ake sure it#s a good fit.
7our resonse will vary based on your background and e/eriences$ but$ you will want to
share your enthusias! and what you like<d= best about your job. 9/a!le answers 6
I have always wanted to ensure that my comany's clients get the best customer
service I can rovide. I've always felt that it's imortant, both to me ersonally, and
for the comany and the clients, to rovide a ositive customer e%erience.
I have sent my career in sales, tyically in commission1based ositions, and
comensation has always been a strong factor in motivating me to be the to
saleserson at my rior emloyers.
Question %&: :
W."t "re $our s"+"r$ e?)e!t"tions0
Answer 6
%efore you start talking ay <and salary negotiations= with a rosective e!loyer$ you need
to find out how !uch the job <and you= are worth. 7ou will need to take the ti!e to research
G2 - ) a g e
salaries. That way you will be reared to get what you#re worth and to get a job offer that#s
realistic and reasonable.
Once you know what you should be earning$ how do you go about getting itD &tart by being
very atient. 3hen interviewing for a new osition$ do your best not to bring u
co!ensation until the e!loyer !akes you an offer. If you#re asked what your salary
re"uire!ents are$ say that they are oen based uon the osition and the overall
co!ensation ackage. Or tell the e!loyer you#d like to know !ore about the
resonsibilities and the challenges of the job rior to discussing salary.
Question %-; :
W.$ s.ou+ $ou be .ire0
Answer 6
3hen the interviewer asks LIf the eole who know you were asked why you should be hired$
what would they sayDL he or she wants to know what your ercetion is of what others think
about your "ualifications and abilities. &a!le Answer 6
I'm sure if you asked my friends that )uestion they would say you should hire me
because I have the skills outlined in the job descrition and I bring 234 years of
e%ertise to this osition. #ords they've used to describe me are5 hard working,
rofessional, trusted and a team layer.
Question %-& :
Do $ou )re(er to wor# ine)enent+$ or on " te"'0
Answer 6
The interviewer wants to know if you#re a tea! layer or would rather work on your own.
%est answer 6
G: - ) a g e
I am e)ually comfortable working as a member of a team and indeendently. In
researching the 6'7 comany, your mission statement and the job descrition, I
could see similarities to my revious osition where there were some assignments
that re)uired a great deal of indeendent work and research and others where the
team effort was most effective. As I said, I'm comfortable with both.
Question %-- :
W."t t$)e o( wor# environ'ent o $ou )re(er0
Answer 6
3hen you are asked about work environ!ents$ your best bet is to say you#re fle/ible because$
at this stage in the interview rocess$ you don#t know what it will be like working for the
co!any. &a!le answer 6
I can be fle%ible when it comes to my work environment. #hat is the environment in
the 8ngineering deartment here at ((,, Inc9 .!nce they've described the work
environment, include key hrases they've used when you describe your referred
work environment/.
Question %-1 :
W.$ o $ou t.in# $ou wi++ be su!!ess(u+ "t t.is 3ob0
Answer 6
The interviewer is concerned as to whether you see this as a career !ove$ or sto-ga
e!loy!ent. &a!le answer 6
As my resume reflects, I have been successful at each of my revious laces of
emloyment. 'y research of your comany, the job descrition outlined, and the
information we've e%changed today, lead me to believe I have the skills and
e%erience for which you are looking" and I'm eager to be a contributing emloyee.
GA - ) a g e
Question %-4 :
Te++ 'e "bout " ti'e t."t $ou )"rti!i)"te in " te"'* w."t w"s $our ro+e0
Answer 6
Co!anies$ for the !ost art$ do not want LJone-8angersL - - they are looking for e!loyees
who will adat to the co!any culture and get along with others. &a!le answer 6
In high school, I enjoyed laying soccer and erforming with the marching band. 8ach
re)uired a different kind of team lay, but the overall goal of learning to be a
member of a grou was invaluable. I continued to grow as team member while on my
sorority's debate team and through my advanced marketing class where we had
numerous team assignments.
GB - ) a g e
PART THREE
Job Interview Questions About t.e New Job "n t.e
Co')"n$
3hen you#re asked what interests you about the osition you are interviewing
for$ the best way to resond is to describe the "ualifications listed in the job osting$
then connect the! to your skills and e/erience. That way$ the e!loyer will see
that you know about the job you#re interviewing for <not everyone does= and that you
have the "ualifications necessary to do the job.
Question %-5 :
W.$ Do /ou W"nt to Wor# Here0
Answer 6
The obvious answer that co!es to !ind is$ L%ecause you have an oening$ and I need a job.L
3hile this !ay be true$ it won#t earn you any oints in a job interview. The interviewer is
looking for an answer that indicates you#ve thought about where you want to work -- that
you#re not just sending your resu!e to any co!any with a job oening. 8esearching the
co!any and industry before your interview will !ake you stand out as a !ore infor!ed and
co!etent alicant. &a!le answer 6
*ased on the research I've done, this comany is an industry leader. #hen I visited
your #eb site, I found some imressive information about future rojects you have
lanned. I was also imressed with the founders' backgrounds and the current
GC - ) a g e
financial statements. &his is the comany I've been looking for, a lace where my
background, e%erience and skills can be ut to use and make things haen.
Question %-6 :
W."t C"n /ou Do (or T.is Co')"n$0
Answer 6
Iirst of all$ be sure to have researched the co!any rior to the interview$ so you are
fa!iliar with the co!any#s !ission. 8esond by giving e/a!les why your education$ skills$
acco!lish!ents$ and e/erience will !ake you an asset for the e!loyer.
Question %-7 :
W.$ S.ou+ We Hire /ou0
Answer 6
The best way to resond is to give concrete e/a!les of why your skills and acco!lish!ents
!ake you the best candidate for the job. Take a few !o!ents to co!are the job descrition
with your abilities$ as well as !entioning what you have acco!lished in your other ositions.
%e ositive and reiterate your interest in the co!any and the osition.
Question %-9 :
W."t o $ou #now "bout t.is !o')"n$0
Answer 6
)reare in advance$ and in a word$ research$ so$ you can rovide relevant and current
infor!ation about your rosective e!loyer to the interviewer. &tart by researching the
,H - ) a g e
co!any online. 8eview the LAbout >sL section of the co!any web site. Moogle the
co!any$ read blogs that !ention it$ and check 4iscussion %oards and social networking sites.
If you#re a college graduate check with the Career Office at your school to see if you can get a
list of alu!ni who work for the co!any. That#s an ideal way to get an insider#s view of the
e!loyer$ and to get infor!ation that !ight not be available elsewhere.
Question %-: :
W.$ o $ou w"nt to wor# .ere0
Answer 6
Co!are your goals with objectives of the co!any and the osition$ then reiterate why you
would be an asset to the e!loyer. Jet the interviewer know what you can do for the
co!any$ if you get a job offer. &a!le answers6
&his comany is internationally known for its .widgets/, and my e%erience in the
.marketing:lanning:roduction:etc./ of .widgets/ has me intrigued by the
oortunity this osition resents.
&he businesses in this area are known for their commitment to the community, and I
would like the oortunity to articiate in making this a better lace to live.
I am a .widget/ connoisseur, and would love the oortunity to share my enthusiasm
for .widgets/ with customers.
Question %1; :
W."t !."++en8es "re $ou +oo#in8 (or in " )osition0
Answer 6
The best way to answer "uestions about the challenges you are seeking is to discuss how you
would like to be able to effectively utili@e your skills and e/erience if you were hired for the
,G - ) a g e
job. 7ou can also !ention that you are !otivated by challenges$ have the ability to
effectively !eet challenges$ and have the fle/ibility and skills necessary to handle a
challenging job.
7ou can continue by describing secific e/a!les of challenges you have !et and goals you
have achieved in the ast.
Question %1& :
W."t !"n $ou !ontribute to t.is !o')"n$0
Answer 6
The best way to answer "uestions about your contributions to the co!any is to give
e/a!les of what you have acco!lished in the ast$ and to relate the! to what you can
achieve in the future. 4escribe secific e/a!les of how effective you have been in your
other ositions$ change you have i!le!ented$ and goals you have achieved. Talk about the
deth and breadth of related e/erience that you have. 9/a!le answers 6
I'm a hard worker with the e%erience to get things done efficiently.
I can contribute my organi$ational skills and my ability to work well in a grou.
I have the e%erience, contacts, and knowledge to contribute to the raid growth of
this business.
I am e%erienced in the areas this comany needs to grow, and my ability to lan
ahead will hel facilitate that growth.
Question %1- :
Are $ou wi++in8 to tr"ve+0
Answer 6
,, - ) a g e
3hen you are asked about your willingness to travel during an interview$ be honest. There#s
no oint in saying LyesL if you would refer to be ho!e five nights a week. It is erfectly
accetable to ask how !uch travel is involved. That way$ you can weigh how !uch you would
need to be on the road and !ake an educated decision as to whether the a!ount of travel
re"uired fits in with your lifestyle.
Question %11 :
How +on8 o $ou e?)e!t to re'"in e')+o$e wit. t.is !o')"n$0
Answer 6
3hen you resond$ be sure to fra!e your resonse so that it#s ositive. I#ve heard alicants
say that they only want the job for a short a!ount of ti!e or are lanning to relocate or go
back to school. 8esonses like that aren#t going to i!ress the hiring !anager who is looking
to hire a long-ter! e!loyee. 9/a!le answers 6
I believe that this comany has the caacity to offer me a rich and satisfying career,
and I would like to remain emloyed here for as long as I am having a ositive
imact.
I would like to ursue my career here for as long as I have the oortunity to.
I would like to remain emloyed here for as long as my services are needed.
Question %14 :
Is t.ere "n$t.in8 I ."ven@t to+ $ou "bout t.e 3ob or !o')"n$ t."t $ou wou+ +i#e
to #now0
Answer 6
It#s your turn( As the interview co!es to a close$ one of the final "uestions you !ay be asked
is L3hat can I answer for youDL *ave interview "uestions of your own ready to ask. 7ou aren#t
,0 - ) a g e
si!ly trying to get this job - you are also interviewing the e!loyer to assess whether this
co!any and the osition are a good fit for you.
*ere are "uestions to ask the interviewer so you can ensure the co!any is a good !atch for
your "ualifications and interests6
+ow would you describe the resonsibilities of the osition9
+ow would you describe a tyical week:day in this osition9
Is this a new osition9 If not, what did the revious emloyee go on to do9
#hat is the comany's management style9
#ho does this osition reort to9 If I am offered the osition, can I meet him:her9
+ow many eole work in this office:deartment9
+ow much travel is e%ected9
Is relocation a ossibility9
#hat is the tyical work week9 Is overtime e%ected9
#hat are the rosects for growth and advancement9
+ow does one advance in the comany9
Are there any e%amles9
#hat do you like about working here9
#hat don't you like about working here and what would you change9
#ould you like a list of references9
If I am e%tended a job offer, how soon would you like me to start9
#hat can I tell you about my )ualifications9
#hen can I e%ect to hear from you9
Are there any other )uestions I can answer for you
Questions .OT to Ask
#hat does this comany do9 .;o your research ahead of time</
,1 - ) a g e
If I get the job when can I take time off for vacation9 .#ait until you get the offer to
mention rior commitments/
Can I change my schedule if I get the job9 .If you need to figure out the logistics of
getting to work don't mention it now.../
;id I get the job9 .;on't be imatient. &hey'll let you know./
PART FOUR
Job Interview Questions About t.e Future
Question %15 :
W."t "re $our 8o"+s (or t.e ne?t (ive $e"rs A ten $e"rs0
Answer 6
The best way to resond to the interview "uestion L3hat are your goals for the futureDL or
L3here do you see yourself in five yearsDL is to refer to the osition and the co!any you are
interviewing with. 4on#t discuss your goals for returning to school or having a fa!ily$ they are
not relevant and could knock you out of contention for the job. 8ather$ you want to connect
your answer to the job you are alying for. 9/a!les of good resonses include6
'y long1term goals involve growing with a comany where I can continue to learn,
take on additional resonsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can.
,2 - ) a g e
I see myself as a to erforming emloyee in a well1established organi$ation, like
this one. I lan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in .related/
rofessional associations.
!nce I gain additional e%erience, I would like to move on from a technical osition
to management.
Question %16 :
How o $ou )+"n to "!.ieve t.ose 8o"+s0
Answer 6
As a follow-u to the interview "uestion L3hat are your goals for the futureDL the interviewer
will often ask how you lan on achieving those goals. A good answer to this "uestion will
seak secifically about what you are going to acco!lish and how you are going to
acco!lish it. 9/a!les of good resonses include6
I lan on gaining additional skills by taking related classes and continuing my
involvement with a variety of rofessional associations.
I noticed that =>? comany .the comany you are interviewing with/ rovides in1
house training for emloyees and I would certainly be interested in taking classes
that would be relevant.
I will continue my rofessional develoment my articiating in conferences,
attending seminars, and continuing my education.
Question %17 :
W."t wi++ $ou o i( $ou on@t 8et t.is )osition0
Answer 6
,: - ) a g e
3hen you#re interviewing for an internal osition within your co!any$ you !ay be asked
what you will do if you don#t get the job. The interviewer wants to know whether you are
concerned about just the advance!ent oortunity or the co!any. %est e/a!le answer 6
I am committed to this comany and its advancement so, should I not be selected, I
will work with and suort whoever might get selected. +owever, I do feel that my
e%erience in the deartment and with the team would make me the best candidate.
PART FIVE
Questions b$ C"reer Fie+s "n Inustries
In addition to the general interview "uestions alicants are tyically asked at
job interviews there are also job secific interview "uestions that candidates will be
e/ected to answer. 8ather than asking about strengths and weaknesses$ leadershi
and co!!unication skills$ and si!ilar tyes of "uestions focused on your ersonal
attributes and abilities$ these tyes of "uestions are designed to discover whether you
have the knowledge re"uired to do the job.
,A - ) a g e
A!!ountin8
3ith which accounting alications are you !ost fa!iliarD
In what asects of hands-on accounting did you articiateD
Can you give !e e/a!les of the accounting reorts you have rearedD
Can you describe any accounting rocess that you have develoed or revisedD
3hat do you consider to be the biggest challenge facing the accounting
rofession todayD
3hat cost-cutting !easures have you been resonsible for i!le!entingD
Can you discuss your e/erience in financial analysis of co!any+ad hoc rojectsD
Can you describe the e/ense forecasting for which you have been resonsibleD
3hat role did you lay in the audit rocessD
3hich !anage!ent reorts have you rearedD
Can you discuss your e/erience in ta/ lanning and rearationD
*ow do you stay udated on all the accounting rules and techni"uesD
>sing the Internal 8evenue &ervice rules$ what criteria differentiate a consul-
tant fro! an e!loyeeD
*ave you e/erienced handling an invoice discreancyD If so$ how did you
resolve the discreancyD
Can you tell the difference between billable and nonbillable e/ensesD
Can you e/lain the relationshi between cost accounting$ financial accounting$ and
!anagerial accountingD
Re!e)tionists
*ow would you go about !aking a visitor feel welco!e to the co!anyD
*ow would you handle answering a hone caller;s "uestion with five other
lines ringingD
,B - ) a g e
*ow did our recetionist greet youD 3ould you have done anything differentlyD
Can you give an e/a!le of how you dealt with a difficult situation+callerD
3hy do you think enthusias! is an i!ortant re"uire!ent for being a
recetionistD
3hat is the !ost irritating asect of a recetionist;s jobD
*ow would you resond to the following6 >set callerD >set sulierD
>set e!loyeeD
Mive us an e/a!le of a difficult situation and how you handled it.
3hat three things !ost likely would !ake you angry with a callerD
*ow would you handle a erson who has to wait a long ti!e for a scheduled
aoint!entD
Above all else$ what character "uality do you think is the !ost i!ortant for
a recetionistD
*ow would you handle an interrution fro! a visitor with an urgent re"uestD
*ow would you handle a caller while a visitor is standing before youD
3hat is !ore i!ortant to handle first N internal or e/ternal de!ands on
your ti!eD
*ow would you handle !ultile de!ands fro! your !anagersD
Can you tell us about a ti!e you found it necessary to be abrut with a
erson to finish your taskD
3hat is the !ost stressful e/erience you;ve had as a recetionist$ and how
have you handled itD
If your boss was working in his office and had asked not to be disturbed$
what would you tell a caller asking for hi!D
,C - ) a g e
A'inistr"tive "ssist"nts "n se!ret"ries
Are you co!fortable using a hone with !ultile lines and handling a high volu!e of
telehone callsD
*ow would you feel suervising two or three other e!loyeesD 3hat do you e/ect
fro! a suervisorD
3hat did you dislike the !ost about working in an office environ!entD
This office has an official dress code. *ave you reviewed our code and are you
co!fortable with itD
4o you have e/erience !aking national and international travel arrange!entsD
3ere you involved in the budgeting and financial lanning of the rojects that you
handledD
*ave you handled rocure!ent or hiring of suliers or vendors in your revious jobsD
3hat rocess do you follow in receiving and filing inco!ing lettersD
Can you give !e an instance of an assign!ent$ which you have recently worked on$
that involved the learning of a fresh technical develo!entD
Could your work resentation be i!roved by incororating new technological
knowledge and develo!entsD
3hat is your e/erience with software used in your jobD 3hat resources do you use
when faced with a co!uter roble!D
*ave you ever used software to !ake a work-associated resentationD
Are you ac"uainted with 5icrosoft OutlookD 5& 3ordD 5& )ower)ointD 5& 9/celD
3hat is your tying seedD
3hat is your knowledge with !eeting lanning and calendar !aintenanceD
*ow do you organi@e and schedule a !eetingD
If I asked you to lan a !eeting and cover all asects of the !eeting$ what would you
doD
Can you na!e the factors to consider in deter!ining the suitable reservation eriod
for recordsD
0H - ) a g e
3hat actions can you take to !ake the retrieval of records easyD
Can you tell !e your e/erience in !anaging an off-site records storeroo!D
3hat are the significant service re"uire!ents in using a contract facility for off-site
records storageD
Tell !e about the last job you did that concerned record keeing or bookkeeingD
*ow would you KfileO co!uter filesD Can you e/lain your knowledge of the digital
filing syste!D
In what circu!stances have you used social !ediaD Moogle )lusD TwitterD
3hat is the reason for a records retention scheduleD
3hat tyes of records would be !easured as very i!ortant records for an
organi@ationD
3hat are the resonsibilities of an e/ecutive secretary to a C9OD
4escribe a situation when you had to handle !ultile interactions si!ultaneously.
3hat did you doD
Air!r"(t )i+ots
7ou find your catain drinking before a flight. *ow will you handle thisD
7ou are talking to the catain and you s!ell alcohol. Although you didn;t see hi!
drinking$ what would you doD
The aircraft is loaded well beyond gross weight$ but the catain tells you that he does
this all the ti!e and the aircraft will fly. 3hat do you doD
If you were a rofessional ilot and had an early !orning tri$ how would you reare
yourself for itD
3hat are so!e of the li!itations of your aircraft and yourselfD
7ou s!ell s!oke in the cockit. 3hat initial action should you takeD
*ow would you fly this airort;s &I4D
*ave you ever had an in-air e!ergency? if so how did you handle itD
0G - ) a g e
3hat is the i!ortance of roficiency in several languages for a ilotD
Can you obtain ground reverse+braking thrust fro! roellersD
3hat is roeller feathering$ and why is it usedD
*ow would you overtake <in the air= another aircraft at the sa!e altitude and
direction of flightD
3ho has the right of way on the groundD
Can you e/lain stress analysisD
3hat is the re"uire!ent to beco!e a rofessional engineer <)9= in the field of
aerosaceD
3hat is your definition of C85 <crew resource !anage!ent=D
3hat is the attern altitude of jet aircraft and what is the !a/i!u! seed at GH$HHH
feetD
Can you e/lain the differences between aeronautical engineering and astronautical
engineeringD
3hat is PG <takeoff decision seed=D
Can you define balanced field lengthD
3hat would you do if you saw a assenger being abusive to a !e!ber of the cabin
crewD
3hat do you think oses the greatest threat to airline security todayD
Can you discuss the !ost significant business issue currently affecting the airline
industry and what !easures you think this airline is taking in resonse to its effectsD
Te"!.ers
3hat !otivated you to beco!e an educatorD
*ow do you !otivate studentsD 3hat would you do if you reali@ed that your aroach
wasn;t working or wasn;t as effective as you wanted it to beD
3hat have you found to be the toughest asect of classroo! !anage!entD
0, - ) a g e
*ow do you develo curriculu!D 3hat would you do if you reali@ed that your
curriculu! wasn;t effectiveD
*ow do you evaluate a student;s erfor!anceD *ow can you tell if a student
is KgettingO the !aterialD Or if not KgettingO the !aterial$ how would you deal with
the latterD
*ow do you individuali@e learning in a classroo! of students with different learning
styles and needsD
*ow do you handle students with consistent behavior roble!sD
Can you describe a ti!e that you deviated fro! your lesson lan for a Kteachable
!o!entOD
4o you believe that hu!or has value in the classroo!D Is so$ how do you use it to the
advantage of your teaching !essageD
*ow do you give your students recognitionD 4o you think a student can have too !uch
recognitionD
*ow do you encourage students to learnD
*ow do you refer to use co!uters in the classroo!D
If a student ca!e to you and said$ K.one of the other students like !e$O what would
you sayD
*ow would you handle a child who see!s gifted but is a disciline roble!D
*ow would you handle !aking a difficult hone call to a arentD
*ow would you work with arents who disagree with your teaching style or
assess!ent of their childD
*ow do you involve arents in the learning rocessD
3hat is your view of the role of a rincial <or other ad!inistrator=D
En8ineers "n en8ineerin8 te!.ni!i"ns
Can you describe the !ost significant written technical reort or resentation you had
to co!leteD
00 - ) a g e
Can you tell !e about your greatest success in using the rinciles of logic to solve an
engineering roble! in your last jobD
Can you give !e an e/a!le of a ti!e when you alied your ability to use analytical
techni"ues to define roble!s or design solutionsD
To what e/tent has your engineering background re"uired you to be skilled in the
analysis of technical reorts or dataD
Can you describe a ti!e when you used your engineering knowledge to solve a
roble! for which there aeared to be no answerD
I e/ect the engineer who I hire for this osition to be recise N detail- oriented in
everything he or she does. 3hat checks and balances do you use to avoid !istakesD
&o!e of the best-engineered ideas are born of an individual;s ability to challenge
conventional thinking. Can you tell !e about a ti!e when you were successful in
doing thisD
4o you have any atentsD If so$ can you tell !e about the!D If not$ is it so!ething you
see yourself ursuing$ and why or why notD
3hat factors would you consider in building an engineering deart!ent fro! scratchD
To who! did you turn for hel the last ti!e that you ran into a !ajor technical wall$
and why did you choose that ersonD
In the field of engineering$ riorities often change "uickly. Can you give !e an
e/a!le of a ti!e when that haenedD *ow did you handle itD
3hat software do you really$ really knowD
Are you keeing ace technically and technologicallyD *owD
Fin"n!i"+ "n"+$sts "n s"+es "8ents
3hat are the headlines in today;s 3all &treet JournalD
3hat do you read regularly on the industryD
3hat did the 4ow$ &Q)$ or .A&4AQ close at yesterdayD
3hat stocks do you follow and whyD <%e reared to discuss each stock;s
erfor!ance.=
01 - ) a g e
3hat are so!e differences a!ong financial consulting fir!s that are i!ortant to
youD
3hat were the sales and rofitability of your last financial services e!loyerD
Are you a financial generalist or secialistD 3here do you see yourself seciali@ingD
3hat is an interest rate swaD
3hat is 4CID *ow do you calculate the discount rateD
*ow do you deter!ine if a stock is undervaluedD
*ow would you rice the stock for an I)OD
3hat is the yield on a @ero couon bond trading at ar with ten years to !aturityD
3hat is working caitalD Quick ratioD Iree cash flowD
3hat do you want to do and why N 5QA$ caital !arkets$ or cororate financeD
3hy ick cororate finance as oosed to sales and tradingD
3hat !akes you think you can sell stocksD
3hy choose selling debt vs. selling e"uityD
3hat articular !arkets or instru!ents are you interested inD 3hyD
3hat rocesses did you use to evaluate financial riskD
Our division is thinking of introducing a new roduct. *ow would you go
about deter!ining whether this is a good ideaD
*ow would you value our co!any for a otential sale$ sin-off$ or li"uidationD
Hote+ "n rest"ur"nt )ersonne+
If you needed to organi@e a arty or !eeting for custo!ers$ how would you go about
itD
*ow do you resolve conflict with custo!ers or staff !e!bersD
*ave you ever stayed+dined hereD 3hat do you think about our services and staffD
02 - ) a g e
3hat do you know about our co!anyD
3hat does custo!er service !ean to youD
3hat do you understand about the ter! hositalityD
If a guest were uset$ what would you do to regain the guest;s goodwillD
*ow do you greet a high-rofile custo!er and escort the custo!er to his or her
restaurant seatD
*ow would you hel build reeat businessD
3hat stes have you taken in your revious hotel+restaurant !anage!ent job for
cost-cuttingD
*ow !any languages do you seakD
Coo#s "n (oo )re) wor#ers
*ow would you describe your style and values in cookingD
3hat trends+schools$ if any$ have influenced your develo!ent as a chefD
3hat$ if anything$ do you believe is uni"ue about your cookingD
Tell !e about e/erience<s= you have in designing your own dishes. *ow was it+were
they received by dinersD *ow do you knowD
4escribe a situation in which you had a cooking disaster in a restaurant or other
kitchen$ with hungry atrons waiting. 3hat did you do to coe+rectify itD
Can you give !e so!e e/a!les of how you !anage costs in your kitchen without
co!ro!ising "uality and freshnessD
So(tw"re en8ineers* )ro8r"''ers* "n ot.er IT
s)e!i"+ists
3hat is your e/erience with enterrise disaster recoveryD
0: - ) a g e
Can you describe the !aintenance and ad!inistration ractices that you utili@ed to
ensure effective erfor!ance of the cororate POI)+3A.+ITD
*ave you been resonsible for the budget of co!any IT syste!sD Can you tell us how
you !onitored costs$ business lan$ and cash flowD
*ow do you kee yourself udated with technologyD
Can you tell us about your e/erience in develoing or !aintaining an Internet siteD
*ow can our co!any effectively !anage our invest!ent in ersonal co!uters and
!obile devicesD
Tell us about a difficult or co!le/ rogra!!ing assign!ent you;ve had. 3hat stes
did you take and how successful were youD
3hat techni"ues and tools can you use to ensure that a new alication is as user
friendly as ossibleD
*ow would you co!are the use of a !ainfra!e syste! versus a ersonal co!uter
syste!D
3hat are the factors to consider in establishing a web resenceD
Can you tell !e about your e/erience with network ad!inistrationD
3hat has been your e/erience in develoing asD
3hat various tools and !easures can be i!le!ented to secure dataD
4oes a business analyst need do!ain e/ertiseD
Can you e/lain the ter! syste! design docu!ent <&44=D
Jet;s suose that you work for *ay City and it has recently i!le!ented a
website. Can you na!e so!e of the !eans by which a website !ay be used to
i!rove co!!unication with the citi@ens and encourage co!!unity involve!entD
*ave you had an e/erience when you$ as a technical erson$ have had to work with
nontechnical tyes to co!lete a rojectD 4id you find the situation frustratingD If so$
in what wayD *ow did you finally work togetherD
7ou have been given the assign!ent to develo a training rogra! for a new
alication. Aro/i!ately 0H staffers will re"uire training. 3hat stes will you take
in develoing the trainingD
0A - ) a g e
7our assign!ent is to reare the secifications to urchase a new alication. 3hat
will you doD
3hat are so!e of the hot toics that technology rofessionals are talking aboutD
3e need to ublish a new brochure. *ow would you aroach this taskD
*ow would you define &9O and &95D
3hat is your revious &9O history likeD Can you give e/a!les of rankings you;ve
achievedD
3hich blogs and websites do you follow daily to kee u-to-date and whyD
4o you know who 5att Cutts isD
3hich Moogle roducts do you useD
3hich &9O tools do you referD
4o you use any tye of web analyticsD
3hat is a )age8ankD
3hat is a .oIollow attributeD
*ow do you rate your *T5J hand-coding skillsD
3hy is a site!a i!ortant and how would you !ake search engines find it "uicklyD
4o you know anything about robots.t/tD
*ow would you track the nu!ber of a website;s outlinksD
Po+i!e o((i!ers
*ow do you feel about carrying a gun and ossibly having to take so!eone;s life in the
line of dutyD
3hat are the sources of stress in your ersonal and rofessional lifeD *ow do you
!anage this stressD
As a olice officer$ suose you catch your friend doing so!ething illegal. *ow would
you handle the situationD
0B - ) a g e
3hat is the i!ortance of building relationshis with colleagues in your rofessional
lifeD
*ow do you handle conflict situationsD Are your techni"ues successfulD
Attorne$s
4o you think your law school grades are an accurate reflection of the kind of work you
will do as an attorneyD
3hat tyes of cases do you usually take on$ and what tyes of cases do you feel !ost
assionate aboutD
*ow !uch rearation on files for trial do you doD
If we take a l2-!inute break$ can you resent a closing argu!ent based on the
following /-y-@ set of factsD
In your last cororate attorney leadershi role$ you had a large staff. Can you work
without such a large staffD
*ow would you react if a judge threatened you with conte!t of court$ but your
infor!ation was vital to winning your caseD
3hat have revious e!loyers said about your legal-writing skillsD
3hat does negligence !eanD
3hy do you want to ractice at a big fir!D
*ow versed are you in bankrutcy lawD
7ou;ve gone back and forth between laintiff work and insurance defense. 3hich is
your real interestD
3hat section of the /$y$@ code would you change if you couldD
4o you watch lawyer shows on TPD If so$ other than entertain!ent value$ what do you
think of their resentation of a lawyer;s work lifeD And which shows are your
favoritesD 3hyD
*ow would you have decided R caseD
0C - ) a g e
*ow would you lacate a business client who;s co!laining about the fir!;s
erfor!ance issues and threatening to leaveD
Can you bring new accounts to this fir!D
*ow would you educate a client regarding the liabilities of e!loy!ent
discri!inationD
3hat would you do if a client tells you he is going to lie during his trial testi!onyD
*ow !any deositions have you takenD
*ow !any court aearances have you !adeD
3ho was the worst client you ever hadD 3hyD
)artway through litigation$ your client decides to get another lawyer and de!ands
you return all fees. 3hat is your resonseD
P"r"+e8"+s
*ow good are your analytical and research skills in law and legal roceduresD
*ow have revious e!loyers rated these skillsD
Can you describe an instance when you interacted with a client while the law tea!
was busy dealing with cases and you were re"uired to fill inD
Although you are interviewing for your first aralegal job$ how has your aralegal
training reared you for itD Can you be secific$ !atching coursework with secific
skill re"uire!ents outlined in our job ostD
As a candidate for this banking aralegal osition$ can you describe a tyical day in
your revious ositionD Can you include co!!on banking ter!s and roceduresD
3hat area of law aeals to youD
>"n"8ers
*ow do you reinforce behavior you want reeatedD
*ow do you develo untaed otential in your staffD
1H - ) a g e
*ow do you build and !aintain !orale with your staff in a non!onetary wayD
*ow do you de!onstrate that you value eole for who they are$ as well as for what
they acco!lishD
3hat are the ri!ary !anage!ent stylesD 4escribe each. 3hich is your redo!inant
styleD *ow have you alied those characteristicsD 3hat successes and shortco!ings
have you e/erienced with your !anage!ent styleD
>"r#etin8 '"n"8ers
Can you give us an e/a!le of a !arketing brief you develoed for a recent !arketing
roject or rogra!D
Can you give an e/a!le of how you have effectively used digital !arketing toolsD
Can you give !e an e/a!le of a ca!aign that did not work out as you had lannedD
3hat factors do you consider the !ost i!ortant when atte!ting to influence
consu!er behaviorD
Are you fa!iliar with our target !arketD
3hat do you use to find out if your !arketing lan is workingD
3hat do you consider the five !ost i!ortant asects of successful !arketingD
*ow do you feel about ))C <ay er click= advertisingD
4o you subscribe to a articular !arketing belief or !ethodologyD
Can you describe your !ost successful !arketing ca!aignD
3hat is the difference between !arketing of service and roductD
3hat is the i!ortant factor in service !arketingD
Nurse
Can you tell !e about the last ti!e an uset fa!ily !e!ber irritated you and how
you handled itD
1G - ) a g e
Can you describe what a good day of care for a hosice atient would beD
3hat is it about this job that e/cites you$ and how do you relay that e/cite!ent to
atients in your careD
*ow do you resond to crabby eole in ainD
Aro/i!ately how old were you when you decided to beco!e a nurseD
3ere there any defining !o!ents that heled you decide to beco!e a nurseD
If you encountered a atient who was uncharacteristically uset and+or difficult$
what would you doD
If a atient has just e/ired and the fa!ily unknowingly has just arrived at the
facility$ how would you handle the une/ected dile!!aD
5rs. Jones is in the facility for a fractured hi. &he constantly seeks attention by
utting on the call light$ retending to be in ain. 7ou ass by the roo! and hear her
crying. 3hat is your resonseD
*ow do you react to a sense of being overwhel!ed with unfinished work ten !inutes
ast your shift deadline when you find a new atient in needD
3hat would you do if you saw another nurse stealing fro! a atientD
*ow often do you think a charge nurse or director of nursing needs to be on the unitD
After an e/tre!ely de!anding day with a atient who re"uired !uch attention$ a
fa!ily !e!ber aggressively aroaches you and accuses you of negligence and calls
you nasty na!es. *ow do you handle thisD
*ow would you go about !aking a hosital visitor feel welco!eD
If needed$ would you like to work another osition$ or would you rather not be cross-
trainedD
*ow do you !ake sea!less transitions on shift changesD
The schedule shows eight nurses assigned$ but only five show u. *ow does that !ake
you feelD 3hat would you doD
1, - ) a g e
Ret"i+ s"+es)ersons* e)"rt'ent '"n"8ers* "n store
'"n"8ers
3hat is good custo!er serviceD
3hy do custo!ers sho at this storeD
A coworker is rude to custo!ers. 3hat would you doD
A custo!er wants to ay for SG2 worth of !erchandise in "uarters. 4o you accet itD
A custo!er wants to return a ackage of food that is oen and half gone. 3hat would
you doD
*ow do you go about fa!iliari@ing yourself with the roducts you sellD
*ow would you greet your custo!erD Can you give !e a sa!le greetingD
*ow would you soothe an angry custo!erD
&ell !e a roduct. *ow would you do itD
*ow can you increase the sales of !y storeD
Can you e/lain the i!ortance of body language in a retail jobD
I a! your custo!er and I a! asking for a roduct that is out of stock. Can you
de!onstrate how you will convey this fact to !eD
I a! your custo!er and I a! asking for a discount of GH ercent$ but you cannot grant
!ore than B ercent. *ow will you e/lain that to !eD
*ow i!ortant is custo!er satisfaction to you in doing your jobD
*ow will you re!e!ber the location of different !erchandise in the storeD Any ideasD
Can you describe a ti!e when you had to handle a difficult custo!erD
3hat kind of training+induction+orientation were you given in your revious jobD
3hat was your sales targetD 3ere you able to achieve itD
3hat kind of custo!er co!laints have you ever receivedD *ow did you handle the!D
If this osition re"uires you to handle !oney$ are you ready to accet the
resonsibilityD 3ill you sign a background screening check er!ission for!D
10 - ) a g e
*ow do you feel about the hilosohy of the custo!er always being rightD
*ow do you resond if you know the custo!er is wrongD
S"+es)ersons
Are you co!fortable lacing cold calls to leads and e/isting clientsD
In what ways do you !aintain contacts and business relationshis with clients and
vendorsD
Is "uota a bad word for youD 4oes this word irritate or scare youD
*ow would you handle achieving a very high "uota the first CH daysD
Can you describe your e/erience with cororate salesD
This job covers a large territory. *ow !uch travel ti!e are you willing to co!!it to
being a road warriorD
In the ast$ how did you e/and your custo!er baseD
*ow well do you know your way around the western >nited &tatesD
*ow would you sell to a doctor who you can;t !eet face to faceD
3hat have you done as a sales !anager to organi@e a new sales forceD
11 - ) a g e
12 - ) a g e
http://ow.ly/c9Irr
1: - ) a g e