SOME SAMPLE ANSWERS- OF FREQUENTLY ASKED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

A few sample answers are provided herein, for the sake of guidance, as to how to approach and answer
such questions & what is the expectation of the interviewer in posing such a question. But remember it is
not a quantitative technique like mathematics that there will be only one correct answer; there could be
several good ways of answering so the answers provided hereafter should be taken as one good
approach & not the only good approach. The idea is to catch the essence of what is to be answered back.
So do not try to memorize or learn answers by rote, word for word; rather develop your answers including
your thoughts & words with which you are more comfortable and familiar. To remember jot down key
concepts, and review a few key words often; so that your mind recalls what all you would want to say in
an actual interview setting. And actually rehearse the answers you have developed; standing before a
mirror, or speaking aloud as you walk around the room; and also attend 3 or 4 mock interview sessions with
a teacher/trainer and see if the words flow out the way you have rehearsed. Better still if a video recording
could be made available for review & analysis of the last or final mock interviews it will go a long way in
improving your answering capability. You will get a feed back from the interviewer and analyze it and
correlate it with video taped replay how you actually answered; fumbled or got stuck up or mispronounced
or committed errors of grammar; or failed to recall correctly what you wanted to say. This will be a
tremendous help in improving upon the weaknesses that you notice after replay or feedback. Already these
points have been stated earlier- but are again stressed because we have often seen students studying this
answer or that book but doing little in terms of practice actual & real.

We again will remind that always gather information about the company & the job being offered, try to
know more by visiting the company website, reading brochures or bulletin etc about its product & services;
its values, vision & mission and the J.R.E. ( Job Requirement Expectations ) or better still work out J.C.E
(Job Competency Expectation) and visualize selling your skills & competencies to the interviewer (the
buyer) by providing the Fitting in answers & intelligent showcasing of your capabilities so that the
interviewer feels confident & impressed to accept you on board. Always with cool first try & understand
clearly what has been asked-muse for a short while to recollect your thoughts and then speak out in slow
(unhurried) but audible & clear, measured tone creating the impression of a thoughtful person, maintaining
a gentle, pleasant (smiling) disposition. Rehearse all this in mock interview sessions.

As a daily exercise, practice being more optimistic and enthusiastic. Try putting a positive spin on events
and situations, you would normally have regarded as negative just for sharpening your selling skills and
developing a positive attitude. To build a positive attitude in your day to day actions talk positive something
about what other talk only negative generally.-like about the college, about your teachers; the food served
to you in the hostel; about your classmates & friends & in other day-to-day happenings and see faces
lighting up. The best sales people as well as the best liked interview candidates, come off as being naturally
optimistic, enthusiastic, can do people; with pleasant & amicable disposition & expressions (body
language only somewhat expresses this disposition bit). You will dramatically raise your level by daily or
frequent speaking out rehearsals & adding these extra elements to your approach a positive approach
like Gandhijis proverbial three monkeys see positive; hear positive, talk positive- and thus stay positive.
let us now get down to the few sample answers.

Q.1 Tell us something about yourself?

Purpose: - Asked as an introductory (comfort) question, to get the interview started and make you
comfortable, settle down & to know about your communication & speaking style; & get an initial feel of
your suitability. You have to reply back in a minimum of 4 to 5 sentences or a maximum of 8 to 10
sentences; which you think to be a word portrait of you but relevant to the job expectations that the
interviewer may have in mind. The answer should be crisp economizing on words yet not so short as to
inform nothing much. Cover your academics, family, special abilities & qualifications, aspirations; hobbies
and if confident your strengths about which you are in a position to answer more). Those with experience
should definitely speak the salient part of their experience.
Sample Answer:
A fresh candidate can answer:
Answer Variants/Remarks
Sentence (1) I am Anurag Srivastava (avoid using Myself as
opening; you may say
May name is
(Name & Course) Currently in the final year of the B.Tech. * I am currently a student
course of Electronics & Communication of..at college.
Engg. of U.P. Tech. University which I am * I am doing.
pursuing at this college. (or name the And my aggregate score
college if in a joint campus / walk in.) so far is.
Sentence (2) (Academics) I have a good academic record, with
current 67% aggregate & equally good
scores at 10th & 12th level. (if the scores
are very good you may speak the %)
Sentence (3) (Special Skills) I have received training in computer
hardware & networking; and I am keenly
looking for an opening in a good
company..like yours.
Sentence (4) Objective & Where I could learn further & contribute
Aspirations to the organizations success.
 (alternatively-my immediate objective is
to get an entry level opening with a good
company inwhere I get to learn and
contribute to the companys performance
& goals).
Sentence (5) (Extra I love playing badminton & enjoy
curricular/Hobbies/interest) classical Indian & light film music,
reading books & traveling.
Can also include: As sentence 1- A line about family background (like-I am Only state what your
(A) from Jhansi and my father works father does no names or
for.alternatively I am from a family elaborate details. What
of professionals-basically, engineers (or your brothers or sisters are
government officials, or a business family doing-only of queried.
etc.) and my father is(Immediately
after name sequence 1-A) (1-B
additionally-we are a family of five & I
have a brother and a sister.as sequence
(1-B)

A passed out 2 year experienced can say:-

I am Janaki Aman holding a B.Tech degree in Computer Science & Engineering awarded by Annamalai;
University year 2007 For the past about two years; I have been working with Lotus Software and have
contributed in developing & completing 2 major projects including one of ERP applications for a
manufacturing industry using SAP; and other for a Transport Company in operations & logistics; and have
good skills in C, C++ and Dot. Net.

There can be several good alternatives, another good sample answer could be:
I am Tapas Ghatge Patil; about to finish my studies (or have just finished studies..) With a P.G. or
(Graduate degree or MBA) in Management studies with majors of Marketing & Finance. I aspire to make a
career as a Marketing Professional. Besides studies I have taken summer training & done short assignments
in two very good companies namely. &.. I have a keen business sense & good peoples skills (or
interpersonal skills) an adaptable mindset & willingness to work hard & work smart; I feel confident I will
stand up to challenges in any entry level marketing or business development position. Academically also I
have done well by maintaining first class scores all through my academic career, current scores in MBA
being 67%. I enjoy watching Cricket Matches & movies with a theme & also light & soft music & melodies
& I love travelling & seeing new places. I hail from a family of professional executives, as my father & two
uncles are all employed in reputed Private sector companies, in good executive positions.

Yet another examples: (if asked; tell me something not there in your resume)
I am Uma Rajagopalan. My resume does not mention about my winning attitudes. I am a very proactive
person and believe in accepting challenges head on by anticipating & planning for challenges ahead (in
advance) because in todays highly competitive & global work environment, only those succeed who can
deliver performances & stand up to challenges. I am adaptable in nature & can work in teams with
members of different regional, cultural or ethnic backgrounds. And I believe good effectiveness of a group
comes with good interpersonal understanding & trust and I have cared to cultivate such skills. Also the
resume does not reflect my creative & problem solving abilities.

Q. 2 What are your greatest strengths?

Purpose: - the question seems like a softball job, but be prepared. You do not have to be extremely egoistic
or arrogant & brag whatever occurs to you at the moment nor this is time to be very humble. Every person
is strong in certain areas and has better capabilities. How these strong points or better capabilities relate to
the Job Requirements Expectations (JRE s or JCEs ) so you have to understand the Job Requirement
vis-a vis your own strong points (CPA) & then make a statement that fits the two. There can be many
strengths- there is no specific list- however there are some very commonly desirable traits that all
employers would love to see in their employees and their can be specific desirable strengths also for the job
profile for which you are being evaluated. So you have to prepare mentally and genuinely know your
greatest strengths & further you should have one or two specific examples, to illustrate your claim (of each
strength); very well rehearsed and committed to memory, so much so you can recite them cold after being
shaker awake at 3.30 A.M.; and yet appear to be answering most naturally after carefully evaluating what
you have to say!! Prepare a genuine list of 3 & 4 strengths that you feel; for which you can also vouch &
narrate a couple of examples from your real life in support of your claim. False bragging will be detected
& you will have to cut a sorry figure.
An a general guideline some desirable strength that most interviewers (read employers) would appreciate
are :-
1. A positive attitude and passion for achievement & smart work (Can Do approach), & if you are
experienced then substantiate through some achievement matching with the job requirement
expectation. If you are a student then give examples from your college or school life.
2. The correct qualifications good knowledge & skill sets for the job(including the right
experience if you have work experience)
3. Strong aptitude capability suited to the job: - verbal & written communication, good
intelligence, reasoning & analytical capability, aptitude, as demonstrated by test scores etc. or
 if you have undergone a personality profiling test like MBT,16PF you may support with such
data ( management students)
4. Special skills suited for the job e.g. knowledge of application software e.g. Auto CAD or Pro-
E.
5. Honesty, integrity, commitment overall a good human being who can be trusted with a
responsibility, due to wholesome value framework.
6. Dedication and positive attitudes willingness to walk that extra mile to achieve & deliver
excellence in work & responsibilities entrusted; motivated/ self-driven
7. Good communication skills, business negotiation skills etc. (for marketing business
development & customer care & CRM roles)
8. Good interpersonal skills & team player spirit & skills (or group effectiveness skills) capacity
to Gel with the employer work team
9. Clear goals & realistic expectations definiteness of purpose
10. Self belief & confidence- (but not egoistic or arrogant), with pro-active approach- can work
without much supervision
11. Enthusiasm high energy (& motivational) level, good physical & mental fitness
12. Leadership capability to inspire, motivate, & carry along the peers & juniors for achieving
goals & delivering performances.
13. Capacity to work hard & under pressure & in challenging & demanding situations (nightshifts,
far off postings etc.)
14. Perseverance persisting in efforts until success is achieved never say die attitude.
15. Creative thinking and problem solving skills.
16. Good time management for greater effectiveness
17. Emotional maturity & self regulation
18. Quick Learner / learning curiosity.
19. Adaptability to various situations
20. Extrovert nature; willing to travel meet people & network (business development, CRM,
customer care roles) and you can go on adding to the list.
Let us now see some good answers (a) in case of an I.T. Graduate aspiring for a job in a
software solutions & I.T. company of repute (b) in case of a Mechanical engineer aspiring for
field (site) job with an EPC ( Engineering Procurement Construction) contracting firm setting
up a refinery from a green field stage. (c) A management graduate for a Sales & Marketing job
in a FMCG company.

Example (a) :- Aspiring I.T. Graduate :

My major strengths are my qualification as an I.T. Graduate and a good academic performance of above
70% throughout; which goes to show that I am consistent, hardworking & committed. Further I have
always had good scores on I.T. Aptitude Tests conducted by our college or available on line & thus I
believe I have good analytical, logical and reasoning capabilities & can perform well as a software engineer
after due training. I also believe that I can get along well with people & could integrate & gel with the work
team & thus add & contribute to the group effectiveness. I am both a smart & hard worker and can work
under pressure. Being a regular yoga enthusiast, I have excellent physical & mental fitness & can destress
& regain energy quickly; so necessary in todays demanding work situations.

Example(b) Mech. Engg. Graduate aspiring for site job with EPC contracting firm.(Engineering
Procurement & Construction (EPC) companies take-up projects in fields like petroleum, process plants;
power generation etc. and complete the project from a green field startupstage and handover to the
company for regular operation, on a turn key basis; or can undertake major over haul & expansion projects.
I feel I have abounding energy and a tough-minded attitude; having been a footballer at college & thus can
take up the challenges & strains of site jobs very well. Further, I can get things done through people; as one
example in support, I have managed annual technical festival & sports events in college quite meticulously
& I am an extrovert & love traveling and I am adaptable and can move around to various postings without
discomfort. This mobility also I view as strength. I am highly motivated & enthusiastic with a very positive
outlook & high self-belief. So as far as I can think, these are my strengths.

Example (c) - I am good in people skills that is dealing, networking & developing liaison with people. I
am a good communicator & can convey effectively viewpoints and presentations. Further, I love challenges
and have a good business sense- so I have a preference for marketing career or a similar field job where
results are to be achieved quickly &n targets met and I will love to accept the challenges head on.
Further, I have a high self-belief & the determination to persevere against odds fill I achieve. What I had
setout for i.e. my goal. I commit fully to the job I have undertaken. I think these are some of my strong
qualities.

Q.3 What are your major weaknesses?

Purpose: - This is an eliminator question; designed to quickly cut short the unwanted. Therefore, the
admission of a weakness or fault that is not visible very obviously; may earn you an A for honesty but an
F (Failure) for the interview.
Therefore very often students disguise strengths as a purported weakness, but even this the interviewers are
quick to interpret. Better is to talk off a weakness that does not impact the job very substantially and to add
& stress that you are making sincere efforts to improve & overcome the weakness.
Example :- I sometimes feel disturbed if some of my friends do not work as hard on the project as the
situation demands. I like to walk with a sense of urgency to complete things in time & when some other
person is not on the same wavelength I loose patience and feel disturbed. And sometimes I feel so stressed
or disturbed that it starts affecting my relationship but I am trying to overcome it, ( you may quote an
example if you have done any projects or any other group activity together like organizing a technical
festival or seminar etc. and explain how the feelings with some friends got strained as you could not bear
the negligence.

This strategy is better than admitting an outright flaw; however, it is widely used; it is transparent to any
experienced interviewer.
Therefore, another good strategy could be to assure the interviewer that you can think of nothing that would
restrict your performance; quickly, review your strongest points & then add one or two features where you
think you can improve. However if a weakness is oblivious, do not try to portray it as a strength e.g. if you
are not very fluent in English communication, you may add that due to the vernacular background at the
school level your English proficiency needs a little improvement which you are working seriously on.

Example:- Sir (or Maam) Nobody is perfect. Therefore, I think Everything in my background naturally
will not be perfect but I cant see any major weakness. I have both the right qualifications and the keen
motivation to do the job well; so in all honesty I do not see any major weakness. yes; there is scope of
improvement in my communication effectiveness; specially good articulation in English; to improve it
further and I am working hard & in a couple of months; I am sure, I will have developed the required
fluency. Being from a vernacular background, I realized a little late how important is English fluency &
good communication but I feel confident I shall improve just over the next couple of months- and I am
working really hard on it (which with sincerity you must if you really want a good job in a global
company).

Alternative Strategy : Is to describe what you like to do most and what you like least; and your liking
most matches up with the employer / interviewers major expectation and what you like least is not of
great consequence for the job.

Example: - Assuming you are applying for a direct sales position.

I like moving out into the market; meet dealers, asses requirements, study competitors products / pricing
& maintain relationships; in preference to doing office paper work. I understand the importance of paper
work but somehow I am unable to devote to it or concentrate conscientiously only on days when the
market is closed or I have taken out the entire day for paper work only.
 Or
(If you are applying for a operations/production job) I think I have good flavor for site &field work but I
feel I need more training & practical exposure because in college education, I am afraid we do not get
adequate exposure to site & field situation. However, I am a quick learner & will make up in training
quickly. And the other weakness I feel is that I nees to brush up English Communication & I am working
very seriously on this

You can be straight forward on some weaknesses:-

Yes. Is one weakness that I try & work upon
One weakness that I try & keep in check is (you can mention how you keep it in check)

Q.4 where do you find yourself Five Years (or ten years) down the line.

Purpose: The idea is to check your ambition / aspirations & how realistic you are about these & your
thought maturity & vision. It is not uncommon to see many students claiming that they wish to grow into
CEOs in five years but when confronted with the question what qualities as a CEO s you would need &
how would you claim you are better off in these regards from the competition; they sit blank faced as
they have no idea what a CEO of a 1000 Crore (+) employer would actually be required to do or to be.
Though this is not impossible for somebody to grow to CEO in five years yet there must be outstanding
capability level to move up the ladder that fast. Indeed many have setup businesses & become millionaires
at a young age. If you are too specific while answering i.e. naming promotions you hope to win very early;
you will seem presumptuous. If you are vague, it will create the impression of a spiritless, rudderless
person. So your answer should reflect that you are looking, to make a long term commitment & that at the
entry level it will be your endeavor first to learn & get trained for which the current position suits you &
you will grow as you demonstrate achievements.
We give two examples that we think are good sample answers.

Five Years
Example: - I believe in being realistic. Being fresh out of the college my application & process
capabilities are weak though I do have a conceptual knowledge framework... Therefore, I aim to work hard,
learn, & absorb as much as I can for the initial 2 to 3 years and there after I believe the way the industry is
growing, the management would grant me the opportunity in a superior executive position with greater
responsibilities. (Or a middle management position) where I could handle responsibilities independently &
contribute. It is very much dependent how the seniors asses & how much the company grows & views my
performance; but broadly, I feel a middle level executive position, I should be able to reach. (You can add
if pressed, what position you will acquire that as I am not aware of the exact hierarchy of the company, I
cannot name a specific position- but may be Assistant. Manager; or Team Leader).
In Case Of 10 Years- You could add and in about another 5 years possibly I should be able to grow in to a
senior executive position as a Manager or Project Leader. But before that I will want to complete an MBA
degree.

Alternatively:-
Example: Oh! I will certainly be amongst the high performers and with great passion for work &
achievement and I think I would like to go as far as possible within the companies HR policies may be a
couple of positions up from the entry level into one of greater responsibility where I could handle
responsibility more independent

Another alternate:-
Example: it is difficult to talk of future I think I shall have progressed a couple of positions up from
entry level & settle down into something which I have discovered as most suited to my aptitude &
capability

Example: 2 Ten years down the line

I am definitely looking for a long term commitment I am of the opinion that it takes about 5 years for a
young professional to gather knowledge and exposure to various functional responsibilities & work out the
career path that is best suited. And I believe looking at my better than average academic record and aptitude
I should have crossed the middle management level and should be leading towards a more senior executive
responsibility as an Operation Manager or may be a Project Manager (could be Marketing manager or
regional sales manager; or HR Manager etc. depending upon your branch/job/capabilities).
But it all will depend on doing my work with excellence; and earning the trust of the management and
opportunities will eventually open up with growth & expansion.

Q.5- What do you want to do in your life? What career goals you have in mind (or you have set for
yourself)
Or
Q.6-What are your goals? (Are you a goal oriented person?) & similar questions.
Purpose - Clear vision & goals show a focused & result oriented person. Not having any or having very
vague ones & not specific goals may not be the best position to be in, Many executives; in a position to hire
you, are strong believers in goal setting it may be one of the reasons why they have achieved their success
thus far and they may like to hire the similar kind; and vague answers may be a big turn off.
You can talk of your long & short term goals in major areas like career; personal development & learning,
family, health etc. and also generally allude to your spiritual goals (showing your values in the right order
but only if you think that the interviewer is a religious person, or a believer. If he is a non believer kind it
may back fire).
Be specific why the goal is important to you, how you wish to accomplish and by when etc. but also be
concise- and avoid over talking.

Sample Ans: I
I aspire to grow into a competent & successful professional person in my domain (field) of Software
engineering & IT,( or Telecom, Civil Engineer, Product design R&D; mechanical engineer etc..) with
excellent technical & managerial expertise required to lead & manage a good company. After acquiring the
essential qualification (B.Tech, MBA, B. Pharma); I will first seek to work for a successful (&Global;
nationally reputed.) company to acquire application/knowledge & process capabilities & skills because I
think college education does not equip us fully in terms of application capabilities So first 2 to 3 years
rigorous training is my aim and then I will be able to contribute significantly in my chosen endeavor.
Eventually in a time frame of 15 to 20 years from now, I envision growing into a senior management
position to lead & manage a company of large size & respectable market standing.
(Extra that could be added -
In addition to my career goals as above I feel a compelling desire to contribute to the society by rendering
useful social service and after I have acquired the position I aspire for; in my later years I will certainly want
to contribute in a significant way towards social causes most importantly awareness on environmental
issues & upgradation & capability building of disadvantaged sections. I am already a member of NSS in the
college).

Sample Answer:- II
(a) yes; I have certain vision of what I want to achieve in the long run & I have also set short term
goals to achieve them. I have set goals all by myself but I am open to discussing it with my parents,
teachers or mentors. And
(b) My recent goal was to aggregate 75% (+) till the sixth semester; which I have done. And now my
next immediate goal is to qualify the B. Tech with 78% agg. overall and to secure a good campus
placement in a reputable organization. in the long term, I aspire to establish my self as a successful
 professional at a managerial level and in about 18-20 year at the top level as a senior V.P./ CEO etc.
of a reputable organization.
Or
(c) I want to learn and acquire experience of 10 to 12 year on good projects & in good companies;
develop thought maturity & business sense and understand the nuances of business and then join as
a partner in a consulting company or setup one as an entrepreneur.

Q.7 How do you plan to achieve these goals?

Sample Ans: The keenness to learn and high motivation (passion) to achieve & perform; I believe; are
driving forces for me. So through learning, acquiring experience & skills, through committed hard work
and upskilling & upgrading & informal education I think I will achieve these goals, I am already on the
verge of completing my basic qualification (B. Tech / MBA / B. Pharma) & aspire to get into a good
company to begin a career soon & then I will gradually work my way up ; with keenness & passion as I just
spoke; I believe, in a timeframe of 15 to 20 years; I should attain whatever I am aspiring for.

Q.8 Any achievements; that you justifiably would like to quote?

Approach: Experienced persons can talk of some notable achievements on the job e.g. attaining targets of
production or sale or revenues or new product & service development, expansion & education, projects
undertaken etc.
Entry level / fresh from college; could talk of academic achievements (very good academic attainments or
better than average etc.
Co- curricular achievements (models exhibition in engineering; projects; good training exposure etc are
good achievements to talk about) or extra curricular (in debate, cultural, sports or games, social service,
N.C.C, organizing such events, N.S.S activities etc.
The answer can be suitably worded).

Sample Answer:
I have consistently done well academically scoring above 70% (or first class marks) all through, and thus I
have been better than an average student. Further I have read 3 papers in technical symposia organized by
technical institutes of repute; and I got a IInd prize in the one that I presented at I.I.T. (K) I am also a
member of my college Cricket XI & represented in the inter college meet where our team reached up to the
semifinal stage. These are some of the significant achievements.
Q. 9. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction in your life?
Sample Answer:- I derive satisfaction from good performance and achievements. The one notable
achievement that was very satisfying was the (you can describe as above at Q. 7 & 8 & later at Q.12 or
some other achievement of your life- from the good project you have done etc. we leave it to the
imagination of the student / incumbent to prepare their own suitable answers) All these achievements have
been satisfying.

Q. 10 Looking back (or if you were to live your life allover again) what you do differently in your life?
Purpose:- This question is usually asked to uncover any life influencing mistakes, regrets, disappointments,
or problems that may continue to affect your personality and performance. It is wise that you do not give
the interviewer any thing negative to remember about you by talking of some great personal & career
disappointment; even though long ago; that you with prudence could have avoided, nor you would want to
give an impression that your whole heart and soul will not be in the job you will do by indicating that you
are an unhappy, frustrated looking, lacking confidence to face challenges, lacking in energy & enthusiasm
or pessimistic person & that in general you would want to indicate the scope to improve is always there &
that life never is only a bed of roses; and that challenges are part of anyones life and you may not change
much of things except a few.

Sample Answer:- It has been a good life so far, rich in learning experience; and being on the threshold of a
career; I believe the best has yet to come. I believe every experience so far has taught me something &
made me wiser; I dont think of anything much I could want to change. yes; in future I wish & aspire to
occupy a position of responsibility & challenge in life; and given the opportunity again would like to
economize on some wasted moments and missing opportunities through lack of awareness and improve
my score by 5% more and also play more cricket & learn to dance & enjoy the music of A. R. Rehman
&..

Q. 11. How do you define success? How do you think you can be successful?
Remarks: Seems an easy question, but if unprepared, you may run short of words to speak. Give a well
accepted definition of success that leads on to your own collection of achievements.

Sample Answer: The best definition of success I have come across is that success is the progressive
realization of a worthy goal, a goal that one aspires for or has set for oneself. Some people may aspire for
a lot of money, others for a lot of fame or a lot of power and authority; But as an engineer I aspire to grow
to be a technically capable professional and manage at the helm of a reputable company in my domain and
I believe I should accomplish this in about 18 to 20 years time. As a first step I have already acquired the
basic qualification and now I am on the verge of starting a career and through intense motivation, hard
work, commitment, creativity and building healthy relationship based on mutual trust and respect with all
those whom I work with, I believe; progressively I will achieve the goal I have in mind That will be the
moment of my success.

Q. 12. Describe a situation in which you were successful.

Comments: You can suitably alter answers Q.7 & 8 & 9 & 11 and develop the answer here.

Sample Answer : Our college celebrates a technical festival of a national level which in this region is
amongst the most popular ones in which about 4000 students from over 50 colleges participate in various
fun and technical events, models exhibition, paper presentation; and cultural and dance and drama shows, I
was amongst the team of chief coordinators consisting of 10 members, all from 3 rd year batch of students
and ultimately we organized it as a grand success and won praise and accolades for the smooth conduct and
flawless events management, from teachers, visitors & participating students alike.

Q13. Are you a team player?

Sample Answer:
Yes, I am very much a team player; as I believe that pulling together produces the best results; and
therefore, I value the effectiveness of the group I work for & I can work well in groups. In a group of six
classmates, we are currently working on a very interesting project. Further as a member of college band, I
have given performances in many colleges in various events. I think good team work is very essential for
success of the organization & the team.(You can study more about team work in a later chapter of the book
devoted exclusively to it).

Q14. What motivates you?

Sample Answer:
I am driven by a passion to perform and achieve in all things I do so basically I am a self driven person &
the fear of nonperformance weighs a lot with me. Further good ambience, a good compensation and
encouragement from the seniors also reinforces my motive to achieve more & more.

Q15. Why did you choose to attend this college?

Sample Answer:
This is a premier and highly rated college of this region; and academic standard is high; and discipline and
ambience is very good and infrastructure, labs, workshop, libraries are all well equipped and the best part is
that faculty is knowledgeable and very helpful. And the placement opportunities are very bright as several
very good companies come here for campus recruitment and our seniors are working in all the top class
well known companies & many are abroad.

Q. 16. Why would you want to work for us? (Organization)

Purpose: This question tests whether you have done your homework, about the company & how do you
value & view the employment opportunity being offered? If you have not there is little you can speak- if
you have - you will win big reward. Thanks to the in depth preparation that you have done, this question
will provide you the opportunity you badly needed to speak. Best sources for researching about the
company are as already previously stated its website, annual reports, corporate news letters, brochures
and pamphlets sent to your placement deptt, advertisements, articles about the company in the trade press,
contacts (such as your college seniors) working at the company etc.
You have to basically show the Value offered by the companys job is understood by you and how you
find it to be a very good opportunity, and would be happy to acce

Sample Answer (a):

I think I am very keen to to work for (_______). It is not only about the money alone which is no doubt
good but more about the overall value proposition that is offered by your renowned company. You spend
a very high amount on training and provide one of the best training to the fresh recruits, which adds a lot
of value? Then you have very impressive client list and many fortune 500 companies are your clients so
there will be world class projects to work on; in the guidance of world class superiors and world class peers
and above all in a demanding but very constructive ambiences the opportunity to get exposure to truly
world class practices & managerial policies. So there is much more to learn, to absorb and progress - and as
the company is successful & growing fast the opportunities for growth are good, better than most other
places. Thats why this is a dream company not just another opportunity. I will truly feel a wish has come
true if I am offered the opportunity.

There may be even better opportunities or lesser opportunities. There are always positive aspects of a
companys work which you can keep in mind & further you have to be realistic & not cry for the dream
career because no company can offer everything to meet your expectation it will offer prospects to those
who fit in and with the initial offer there is a opportunity for a lot to learn by working hard in the
company. Initially the practical experience that you gain is the most major gain as you develop the
confidence to handle responsibility independently.

Sample Answer (b): I definitely know the Company reasonably well. It is a market leader in its space
offering Software solutions, packaged solutions to meet the IT needs of renowned clients; a large no of
which are fortune 500 companies, and with a current annual of $ 1 billion, it is one of the second largest in
India in its field. The thing that impresses me most is the culture and HR Philosophy. The compensation is
good but more importantly there are constant challenges and those who meet these get quickly rewarded,
and thus one gets to explore ones full potential. There is good team feeling and a rich ambience and world-
class superiors to work with on world-class projects. (or to work on high class projects of high class
clients..)
I will be pretty well happy if I am granted an opportunity for it will be a dream opportunity as far as I am
concerned.

For a slightly lesser known company, which is not yet a world class company yet still a well known, the
approach at (a) & (b) above could be used with a slight modification as below:

Sample Answer (c) : The company being a market leader and fast growing company. I will have the
advantage of working for a well known & well established brand and also there will be opportunities to
interact and learn from knowledgeable superiors & by working on important projects as you serve so very
reputed clients, most importantly I am very impressed by the work culture and HR Philosophy. You provide
excellent work environment, good pay and a challenge to be met and those who meet them are given
opportunities for taking up more responsibilities. Thats why I am so keen to work with the company. I look
at it as a very valuable opportunity.

Q. 18. Do you have a role model (who has inspired you in your life)
Remarks:

You should have a few heroes in mind eminent leaders in the industry, from society, country or world,
from history or anyone else who has been your mentor from the family or college like your father or an
exceptional teacher devoted to the betterment of students in great sincerity. You have to give some example
of how their words, actions, or teachings have helped inspire your thoughts for better, achievements or
course of life. Prepare more on such qualities that would be valuable in the job you are seeking.

Sample Ans:
My father, I think, is the person I appreciate most- not because he is my father but because I have watched
him grow as a self made man from very humble beginnings; with sincere hard work, patience &
perseverance. He has faced odds & difficulties with loosing confidence or his affable & cheerful
dispositions, shouldered his responsibilities at work & the family so I admire him & would want to develop
the same way my life too, through hard work, devotion, with courage & to face challenges full hearted
enthusiasm.
Q19 Do you think it is correct & ethical for the company to ask trainees to fill a service bond of 2
years?Do you have any issues if you are asked to sign a service bond of 2 years?

Sample Ans:
A fresh graduate coming out of the college does not have work experience and generally lacks application
or process capability and an initial training is required to make the person productive and deployable & the
company incurs costs on it. As the Company incurs cost on training, & the person benefits out of it so a
reasonable time should be allowed to the company to recover its costs and I do not see anything wrong in
the 2-year service bond.
As far as I am concerned; I have simply no issues and I am perfectly ready to sign the bond. Infact I am
delighted by the companys work culture and HR Policies and I am looking for a long term commitment to
learn and contribute and grow so 2 yrs bond is just not an issue with me.

Q. 20. Can you work under pressure? Any example you can quote in support of your claim.

Comments: You have to make your answer believable

Sample Answer: Yes, I am confident I can handle pressing situations and deliver the results. As a cricket
player also I have faced pressing situations and thought and excelled . I believe in accepting all challenges
that can reasonably be met; and I remain calm and focused and proceed methodically to quickly solve and
overcome the problem. However, the extra concern does create extra eagerness to respond quickly & does
create some amount of stress, but I think some stress is good.
(Quote some believable example from your life or of those whom you know closely saying that in your
own life you have not faced a really pressing situation but you have observed closely a case which
taught you the way one should handle pressures & narrate)

Q21 Why did you choose to attend this college?

Ans This is a premier and highly rated college of this region; and academic standard is high; and
 discipline and ambience is very good and infrastructure, labs, workshop, libraries are all well
equipped and best part is that faculty is knowledgeable and very helpful. And the placement
opportunities are very bright as several very good companies come here for campus recruitment
and our seniors are working in all the top class well known companies & many are abroad.

Q22 How has your education prepared you for your career ?

Ans The education I have undergone has given me the conceptual clarity technical knowledge about my
professional field & groomed my personality and attitudes. Given these inputs with some
application experience and process ability that I can gain by initial training in a good organization, I
am confident of pursuing a good career.

Q23 Are you satisfied with your academic performances till now?

Ans Our college schedule is quite demanding. Besides curriculum studies, we have to attend many co-
curricular activities like seminars and PDP classes & Sessions and also participation in extra
curricular activities is also mandatory. So I have done reasonably well, though I think with a little
better time management and extra focus I could improve by another 3% to 4%. which now I am
trying to do.
(Sometimes if youre academic scores has gone down over the years or fluctuated there may be
questions aimed at this and you have to include a viable explanation for the same which is
believable)

Q. 24 What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?

Ans The job of a manager is to bring out the best results through his people making optimum use of
resources available and so he should have. good leadership skills, be people friendly and capable of
motivating his team, result oriented and a sound decision maker. Further he should judge his
subordinates based on the performances they deliver and not on other extraneous considerations.
Also he should be a balanced & good person.

Q25 Do you think it is correct & ethical for the company to ask trainees to fill a service bond of 2 years?
Do you have any issues if you are asked to sign a service bond of 2 years ?

Ans A fresh graduate coming out of the college does not have work experience and generally lacks
application or process capability and an initial training is required to make the person productive
 and deployable. As the Company incurs cost on training, & the person benefits out of it, a
reasonable time should be allowed to the company to recover its costs and I do not see anything
wrong in the 2 year service bond.
As for as I am concerned; I have simply no issues and I am perfectly ready to sign the bond. Infact
I am delighted by the companys work culture and HR Policies and I am looking for a long term
commitment, to learn and contribute and grow so 2 yrs bond is just not an issue with me.

Q26. Do you have any plans for further education? How about getting an MBA degree after B.Tech (or a
specialized degree in international marketing)
Ans Yes: I believe learning is a continuous process and I would want to add to my qualifications. But
right now I am looking for a job and acquiring application and process abilities. Some time in
future when I am on the threshold of a managerial responsibility I may definitely want to get an
Executive MBA degree or through On-line / distance learning mode (lot of Universities are
providing such courses nowadays). But right now its the job that I want.
(Too-often- We have seen the MBA lure is taken to mean the applicant will use the job as a stopgap
arrangement or just a stepping stone) and otherwise certain offers are withdrawn due to this lack of
priority on the part of the student).

Q 27. Do you have any location preference? Are your willing to relocate?

Ans No; I do not have any strong location preference and can work any where in India or abroad.
However, if I have a choice available then I will opt for (Noida or Gurgaon in preference to
Bangalore (or Vice-Versa) as it is nearer home and I could meet parents and relatives more
frequently; but its not a precondition.
I am ready & willing to relocate as per my companies requirement; it is only a preference I have
indicated.

Q28 (a) What do you know about us?

Or
(b) Anything you would want to know about us?

Purpose This question can be asked at two stages. At an early stage during an interview which is
the first version and in the second version while concluding the interview; when the interviewer has
finished questioning and wishes to ask it as a courtesy question to judge your interest in the job or
the organization offering it and how serious you are about it a kind of if you know me well I
will be interested in knowing you well, Because the purposes are different the answering
approaches will be different.
 In the first case the interviewer is checking if you have done your homework & have cared to
know about the company or by some non-chalant attitude on your part in this regard wishes to
asses what esteem the candidate feels about the job and the company; and the approach has to be
reaffirm that you have cared to know about the job and the company and that you admire and
appreciate the company and the job.
Your areas of awareness about the company would include the following aspects,. Broadly,
(you do not have to specialize as a subject)
(a) Sales & current
(b) Yearly Turnover,
(c) Latest share price and trend (only approx.)
(d) Employee strengths
(e) No. of offices
(f) The Major projects/clients/product or services the company has at hand/or offered
(g) Technologies it functions in / utilizes
(h) Reputation & market goodwill
(i) HR Policies, working culture and ambience
(j) Establishment /year; approx years
(k) Profits and market standing
(l) Objectives, Vision & Mission, and the values the company holds as dear or
important.

Generally if you have studied the company Website and / or gone through a company
brochure and briefing etc. you would know well what to speak.

I am keenly interested in the company & the job. Its one of the best known companies in the
field .(Software/telecom/aviation/FMCG/retailas the case may be) with an annual turnover
of The company has (so many) branches (& overseas centers & offices) and offers
(product & service details-mention a couple of its best known offerings/product). The companies
vision.(employment ethics).makes it a highly respected company.
You can thus add a couple of salient features about the company/Chief Executive) special
recognitions/products & offerings etc

In the Second case (b) when it is used as a concluding question it is more

of a courtesy question to give the applicant an opportunity to clear his doubts-though after very
long questioning most of the interviewers will hardly have the capacity to respond to some true &
 sensible querry by the student, especially if it requires a long elaboration; so some sincere
answers/querries could be:
Sample Answer: (i)

Sir,/ Maam; this being a very important opportunity; I already have a lot of information gathered. Some
small doubts that I had were settled when you delivered the pre-placement talk which was very informative
and therefore, I have no more queries to make

Sample Answer: (ii)

Thank you Sir / Maam; I am already impressed by the Company as it is so successful and doing so very
well. However, I am just curious to know how you see your operations growing over the next decade as
fast as now or likely to slow down. (under the effect of . Worldwide economic constraints, a
stronger rupee; U.S. Congress imposing restrictionsetc.)

We believe the above sample question / answers will help the students to understand how to
approach to answer a question? There can not be an exhaustive list of all questions and possible
answers only indications of what good answers should look like, can be provided for guidance;
which is what we have tried to do. Those who can grasp the approach can work out suitable
answers in simple words easy for them to speak with practice & rehearsal, As we have indicated in
the beginning the words will flow at the stressful moment, only if you have done some practice.