The best approach to answering this question:

Focus on the part of you which makes you the best candidate for the position. Talk first about your
preparation for the role and then focus in tightly on what makes you the best candidate for the role.
Use a quick overall summary, then use laser focus on the role itself. Keep your initial answer short,
about 2-3 minutes at most, then pause to give the interviewer the opportunity to either: a) ask a
different question; or b) ask a clarifying or detail question drilling into specifics around your answer.
When you pause, some interviewers will simply pause and/or nod as an indicator for you to continue.
If that happens, start drilling into the details and examples. Also, be prepared for potential
interruptions along the way, as many interviewers use this question as a way to bring up areas of
interest where they can drill down further.
An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates:
"I've worked hard in my education and career to prepare myself to become a world class accountant.
I received my BBA in Accounting from the University of Illinois and then went to work for KPMG after
graduation. I passed the CPA exam on my first try and have progressed well in my career. I was
recently promoted from Staff Auditor to Senior Auditor and was selected to train new hires in our
region on recent GAAP accounting changes"

I am punctual, dependable and can be counted upon to finish what I start. I get a great deal of
satisfaction from knowing that I have done something well and on time. For example, at my
present job, I was given different work orders every day. It was my responsibility to finish the
orders and make sure they all met quality and safety standards within a specific deadline. On
occasion, I had to familiarize myself with the product and the production process. I was always
able to learn quickly and carry out my job responsibilities. Our company was known for making
excellent processed food products. In 1990, it received an award for being on of Canada's top
companies in the field. I feel I can use the same skills and hard work to do well on this job too.

What do you do in your spare time?

Interviewers ask this question to see if your activities and hobbies might help the company and
to get an idea of what kind of person you are outside your work life. Describe any volunteer
work you do and any hobbies or interests that might relate to the job in some way. Stick to
active hobbies, such as playing sports, carpentry,gardening, etc. Avoid mentioning inactive and
non-creative activities such as watching television.
The best approach to answering this question:
Focus on your education, work experience, skills, aptitudes and abilities which differentiate you from
your competition. Make no mistake about it, this is a competitive posturing question. So any
statements you might make need to be backed up with examples that show how you try are the best
person for the position. Your answer should be geared toward meeting the employer's needs, not
your personal needs.

WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU

An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates:
"Because I'm the best person for the job. Here's why: I have all of the required qualifications that you
are asking for in this job. The education, the experience, the industry experience. But I also bring a
passion to the job that makes me the best person for the job. Why? Because that passion translates
into results. I really love what I do. Let me give you an example"

How do you react to instruction and criticism?

The interviewer is trying to find out how you get along with Supervisors and how you feel
about authority. You might say:
o

I appreciate getting instruction and criticism when it is done fairly and

constructively.

With the kind of work experience you have had, do you think this job would bore
you?
The interviewer may think you are over-qualified and want this job only until something
better comes along. Stress that no job is ever boring because you always learn new
skills. Mention how you would benefit by working for the company and vice versa.

ARE YOU A TEAM PLAYER

The best approach to answering this question:
Give an example of how you have worked in a positive way with your team. For managers, this can
take on a second dimension of managing a team. For most, however, it should be focused on how
we interact with and communicate with others at a peer level on a work team and the results
achieved, making note of outstanding contributions to the team. Final note: in spite of the temptation,
do not answer with sports analogies or sports cliches.
An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates:
"Yes I am. An example of this is my current team, the Global Standards Project, where we are all
working together with a variety of background and skills to produce a result which none of us could
have achieved individually. So it's important that we all communicate well with each other on an
ongoing basis. Some of this takes place in our weekly status meeting, where we get together to
update on our progress toward the goal. But I think the most important aspect is the ad hoc meetings
that take place during the week between different team members. One of the members of our team
taught us how to scrum on problems and now we are all using it as a way to both communicate and
involve others to move the project forward. These scrum sessions are usually impromptu and might

only last for 10-15 minutes, but they help to get team members unstuck on problems they are facing
so that they don't have to wait until the Friday status meeting to discuss. So we are all staying in
constant communication with each other to not only reach our own goals, but also to help others in
reaching their project goals. Net result is that we already have four distinct deliverables and have
already recorded more than $350,000 in cost savings in just the past two months. And, based on my
interaction with the team, I am currently being trained as a Scrum Master to lead future scrum
sessions."
CONFLICT WITH THE BOSS
The best approach to answering this question:
Talk briefly about the conflict, but focus on the resolution of the conflict. Give an actual example of a
resolved conflict, walking through the situation which brought up the conflict, what actions you took
to resolve the conflict and the end result.
An example of how to best answer this question for an experienced candidate:
"I recently had a conflict with an employee in another department who had a project which was
dependent on work being done by myself and two other members of our team. He had sent a rather
urgent e-mail acusing us of derailing his project. I had never met him before, so I asked to get
together with him for coffee. I asked him to walk me through his project and the interdependency of
his project with our project. I then walked him through our project and timelines. Once we had the
opportunity to communicate our independent priorities, we could begin talking about our shared
priorities. We agreed to a timeline that would help us both meet our goals and the conflict was
resolved before it became a major incident."

SUCCESSFUL MANAGER
The best approach to answering this question:
Focus on what you have done in the past to make your manager look good (or great). Even though
you may want to answer the question focusing on your past manager, you should focus on what you
have done in working with that manager. Even though this may seem like a subtle difference, it
makes a huge difference in how your answer is presented. Focus on vision and leadership qualities
as they translate into delivered results. And even though the answer is not specifically behavioral,
you should answer with a behavioral example, if possible. If you had a successful manager,
reference that person personally. Also, it's important to pause at the beginning of this question to
give it some thought before answering.
An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates:
(pause) "I believe that a successful manager should provide the team with the big picture, a view
and a vision of where we are going and how our work specifically fits into the overall direction of the
company. Yet focused on delivering results. As an example, I had a recent manager who was
excellent at keeping our team focused on delivering results which were in full alignment with a recent
change in corporate direction. Let me tell you more about it"

SEE YOURSELF IN NEXT 5 YEARS

Focus on them: In five years, you should have made a significant impact to the companys bottom
line. Think about how you can achieve this in the role youre interviewing for. In technology careers,
advancing your skills is important, too. You should be able to share what areas you want to
strengthen in the near term (but be careful that they are not areas of expertise that the company
needs now).