The following are some of the most difficult questions you will face in the course

of your job interviews. Some questions may seem rather simple on the surface

such as, “Tell me about yourself?” but these questions can have a variety of

answers. The more open ended the question, the wider the variation in the

answers. Once you have become practiced in your interviewing skills, you will

find that you can use almost any question as a launching pad for a particular

topic or compelling story.

Others are classic interview questions, such as What is your greatest

weakness? Questions most people answer improperly. In this case, the

standard textbook answer for the greatest weakness question is to provide a

veiled positive such as: I work too much. I just work and work and work. Wrong.

Either you are lying or, worse yet, you are telling the truth, in which case you

define working too much as a weakness and really do not want to work much at

all.

The following answers are provided to give you a new perspective on how to

answer tough interview questions. They are not there for you to lift from the

page and insert into your next interview. They are provided for you to use as the

basic structure for formulating your own answers. While the specifics of each

reply may not apply to you, try to follow the basic structure of the answer from

the perspective of the interviewer. Answer the questions behaviorally, with

specific examples that show that clear evidence backs up what you are saying

about yourself. Always provide information that shows you want to become the

very best _____ for the company and that you have specifically prepared

yourself to become exactly that. They want to be sold. They are waiting to be

sold. Dont disappoint them!

1. Tell me about yourself.

It seems like an easy interview question. Its open ended. I can talk about
whatever I want from the birth canal forward. Right?

Wrong. What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two- to threeminute

snapshot of who you are and why youre the best candidate for

this position.

So as you answer this question, talk about what youve done to prepare

yourself to be the very best candidate for the position. Use an example or

two to back it up. Then ask if they would like more details. If they do,

keep giving them example after example of your background and

experience. Always point back to an example when you have the

opportunity.

Tell me about yourself does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me

what makes you the best.

2. Why should I hire you?

The easy answer is that you are the best person for the job. And dont be

afraid to say so. But then back it up with what specifically differentiates

you.

For example: You should hire me because Im the best person for the job.

I realize that there are likely other candidates who also have the ability to

do this job. Yet I bring an additional quality that makes me the best

person for the job--my passion for excellence. I am passionately

committed to producing truly world class results. For example . . .

Are you the best person for the job? Show it by your passionate

examples.

3. What is your long-range objective?

Make my job easy for me. Make me want to hire you.

The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing

to reach those objectives.

For example: Within five years, I would like to become the very best

accountant your company has on staff. I want to work toward becoming

the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel Ill be fully

prepared to take on any greater responsibilities which might be

presented in the long term. For example, here is what I´m presently

doing to prepare myself . . .

Then go on to show by your examples what you are doing to reach your

goals and objectives.

4. How has your education prepared you for your career?

This is a broad question and you need to focus on the behavioral

examples in your educational background which specifically align to the

required competencies for the career.

An example: My education has focused on not only the learning the

fundamentals, but also on the practical application of the information

learned within those classes. For example, I played a lead role in a class

project where we gathered and analyzed best practice data from this

industry. Let me tell you more about the results . . .

Focus on behavioral examples supporting the key competencies for the

career. Then ask if they would like to hear more examples. Enhance your

career opportunities by getting the training you need.

Are you a team player?

Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no

question. You need to provide behavioral examples to back up your

answer.

A sample answer: Yes, I´m very much a team player. In fact, I´ve had

opportunities in my work, school and athletics to develop my skills as a

team player. For example, on a recent project . . .

Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on your openness

to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above

the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to

questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be prepared.

5. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it

resolved?

Note that if you say no, most interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find

a conflict. The key is how you behaviorally reacted to conflict and what

you did to resolve it.

For example: Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but

there have been disagreements that needed to be resolved. I've found

that when conflict occurs, it helps to fully understand the other persons

perspective, so I take time to listen to their point of view, then I seek to

work out a collaborative solution. For example . . .

Focus your answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict

and working collaboratively.

6. What is your greatest weakness?

Most career books tell you to select a strength and present it as a

weakness. Such as: I work too much. I just work and work and work.

Wrong. First of all, using a strength and presenting it as a weakness is

deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question.

You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to

overcome. For example: I have had trouble in the past with planning and

prioritization. However, Im now taking steps to correct this. I just started

using a pocket planner . . . then show them your planner and how you

are using it.

Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.
7. If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they

say?

This is a threat of reference check question. Do not wait for the interview

to know the answer. Ask any prior bosses or professors in advance. And

if they´re willing to provide a positive reference, ask them for a letter of

recommendation.

Then you can answer the question like this:

I believe she would say I'm a very energetic person, that I´m results

oriented and one of the best people she has ever worked with. Actually, I

know she would say that, because those are her very words. May I show

you her letter of recommendation?

So be prepared in advance with your letters of recommendation.

8. If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you

change?

Focus on a key turning point in your life or missed opportunity. Yet also

tie it forward to what you are doing to still seek to make that change.

For example: Although I´m overall very happy with where I´m at in my

life, the one aspect I likely would have changed would be focusing earlier

on my chosen career. I had a great internship this past year and look

forward to more experience in the field. I simply wish I would have

focused here earlier. For example, I learned on my recent internship then

provide examples.

Stay focused on positive direction in your life and back it up with

examples.

In reviewing these responses, please remember that they are only to be viewed

samples. Please do not rehearse them verbatim or adopt them as your own.

They are meant to stir your creative juices and get you thinking about how to
properly answer the broader range of questions that you will face.

Questions You Should Ask in Your Job Interview

Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the

message that you have not been thinking about the job. Avoid asking questions

that are clearly answered on the employer's web site and/or in any literature

provided by the employer to you in advance. This would simply reveal that you

did not prepare for the interview, and you are wasting the employer's time by

asking these questions. Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those

subjects are raised by the employer.

Remember that an interview is a two-way conversation. For you, the interview

has three purposes, in the following order of importance:

One, to sell yourself,

Two, to evaluate the position, and,

Three, get their commitment for (or at least establish their desire for) the

next step in the process (whatever it is)

There are a few main goals of your interview with hospital: For the Hospital to

get a feel for your experience and skills as well as your personality to see if you

a “fit” for their vacancies and teams. The interview is the opportunity for the

facility to decide if they wish to offer you the position. Remember that the

hospital may be interviewing more than one person for the position so it is

important to put your best foot forward.

For you to form an impression of the unit, type of patients you will care for and a

general overview of the facility.

Preparation is the key - take the time to prepare and impress the facility with

your skills and interest in the position. Review the website information and find

out as much about the facility before your interview so you can ask intelligent

and appropriate questions.

All managers interview differently and so it is hard to give a blanket preparation

for interview. However the usual interview may consist of some or all of the

following:

Ø Be prepared to discuss your skills and experience in detail - types of cases,

patient loads, machinery etc

Ø Be prepared if they ask clinical scenario questions

Ø Be prepared if they ask some behavioral questions –

Some questions they may ask you are:

Tell me about your previous experience as a nurse.

In what departments/areas have you previously been working?

Could you tell me about any employment highlight or special

achievement form your current/recent position.

What do you consider to be your primary strengths?

Are there any areas you would like to improve or develop?

What motivates you to do a good job?

What key wards would you use to describe your personality?

Could you tell me about your ideal team environment?

What do you think you can bring to a team?

Can you please tell me about a situation where you have had a

problem/conflict with a colleague or supervisor?

What aspects do you see as important in enabling you to work

autonomously in the work place?

Can you tell me about a time where you have acted as a patient

advocate?

Can you tell me about a time when you have had to deal with a

customer complaint?

Can you please tell about the last time your day/workload was
particularly pressured/busy and how you managed this?

Relocating to a new country and health system presents many

challenges, describe what coping strategies you would use to over come

this?

Have you ever made a nursing decision that turned out to be a mistake?

And how did you handle this. Or tell me about a time you made a mistake

at work and what the situation was and how it was handled.

Tell what is the most that you have done to satisfy a patient. This would

be the time to tell about a special recognition for going above and

beyond the call of duty.

How do you keep organized?

How do you prioritize?

If you fall behind or get overwhelmed, what do you do?

What is your favorite type of patient?

How do you adapt to changing situations such as being pulled to

another assignment or a sudden change in your assignment (perhaps

being floated)?

What do you feel you would be bringing to ____[hospital your applying

to]____? What are your assets? (This is the same as asking about your

strengths, it is just different wording.)

Be prepared to talk about computer experience and computerized

charting.

Tell me what a typical day at work is like for you.

They may ask some, none or ALL of these! But it is better to be prepared

for all possibilities.

You could prepare a written short answer to all of these questions just to

be prepared.
Ejemplo de entrevista de trabajo:

Human Resources Manager: Please sit down, Ms Smith.

Ms Smith: Yes, thanks.

HRM: Well, I have your application form here. To be honest, I was very

interested in your form, it seems one of the most interesting.

MS: I have brought a reference from my last employer, if you would like to

have a look at it.

HRM: Thanks, I will take a look later

MS: Unfortunately, the firm had to close down; otherwise I would still be

there.

HRM: Do not worry; it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find a job

considering your skills. But there is a lot of competition of course.

HRM: I think we can offer you something interesting. You might sometimes

have to do overtime. But you’ll have the normal holidays with pay.

MS: Great! When do I begin work?

HRM: Come round tomorrow and we will show you round the works

La entrevista de trabajo en inglés: 10 preguntas y respuestas

By Primerempleo.com ;-)

inCompartir29

Cuando nos enfrentamos a una entrevista de

trabajo en inglés podemos encontrarnos con todo tipo de preguntas para las que debemos
estar preparados. Si algunas entrevistas ya son duras en español, cuando se trata de optar
a un trabajo en Inglaterra y tenemos que hablar en inglés, la cosa se complica un poco
más.

No es que en Inglaterra tengan unas preguntas diferentes a las que te puedes encontrar
aquí, pero sí que es importante que conozcas qué es lo que te puedes encontrar y como
preparar unas buenas respuestas en inglés.

Hay muchas preguntas típicas que te pueden hacer sobre tu situación, como: ¿por qué
decidiste viajar a Inglaterra?, ¿a qué te dedicabas en España?, ¿hasta cuando tienes
pensado quedarte?, ¿por qué has venido aquí y no a otro país?... Pero además, aquí
tienes 10 preguntas en inglés que pueden hacerte y que nunca está de más llevar
preparadas:

2 preguntas para pensar…

- How do you convert your Weaknesses in to your Strengths? (¿Cómo conviertes tus
debilidades en tus fortalezas?): si la típica pregunta de: "dime algo positivo y algo negativo
sobre ti", ya suele ser complicada, lo de convertir debilidades en fortalezas da que pensar.
Esta puede ser una posible respuesta:

I think my strengths are in my ability to understand the intent of a project, master the
details, and organize and pursue a well-developed project plan. My weakness might be that
I can be a little impatient with people who don´t keep their commitments, although I´m
learning that I get better results by being tactful and persistent in asking questions, rather
than making demands.

- Where do you see yourself in five years?? (¿Dónde te ves en 5 años?): una pregunta
difícil de contestar que puede dejarte bloqueado por un momento. Aquí va una sugerencia:

My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on
additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can.

8 preguntas de la entrevista de trabajo en inglés para las que necesitarás una

respuesta:

- Why do you want to work for us? (¿Por qué quieres trabajar para nosotros?): tendrás
que haber hecho los deberes investigando un poco sobre la empresa, conocer cuáles son
sus proyectos y ver si encajas en alguno. Puedes responder algo así:

This company is internationally known for its (widgets), and my experience in the
(marketing/planning/production/etc.) of (widgets) has me intrigued by the opportunity this
position presents.

I am a (widget) connoisseur, and would love the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for
(widgets) with customers.

- What can you do for us that someone else can´t? (¿Qué puedes hacer por nosotros
que nadie más pueda hacer?): esta es tu oportunidad para sacar todos tus puntos fuertes
a la luz. Menciona competencias para priorizar, identificar problemas y resolverlos de
forma eficaz… Aquí tenéis dos ejemplos:

I believe that my unique blend of experience, problem solving skills and people skills
differentiates me from most other candidates. I am motivated, disciplined and focused and
am willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

I am a well rounded individual with a very unique blend of skills. Past training and job
experiences have allowed me to take on and complete projects and assignments of high
importance and increasing difficulty while on time and under budget. And now, I want to be
part of your team and solving problems for you.

- What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive
about it? (¿Qué te parece más atractivo (y menos) de este puesto?): aquí debes exponer
dos o tres cosas que te gusten y una que no, sin darle demasiada importancia. Estas son
dos posibles respuestas:

I´m looking for a company I can grow my career with and it sounds like X allows that.

This is exactly what I do and what I want to keep doing.

- What do you look for in this job? (¿Qué buscas en este trabajo?): orienta la respuesta
hacia las oportunidades que puedas tener en esa empresa o en ese puesto de trabajo. Por
ejemplo:

It will enable me to utilise and employ my skills, and knowledge and aptitude. I can make
contributions to the establishment and at the same time build upon my existing skills and
experience by working in this role.

This position is tailored to my competency as a challenge to keep me on toes since I have

the skills outlined in the job description.

- What do you think is the hardest part of working for people younger/older tan
you?(¿Qué crees que es lo más duro de trabajar con personas más jóvenes/mayores que
tú?): en esta respuesta debes mencionar las diferencias que hay entre trabajar con
personas que tienen experiencia y las que no. Puedes decir, por ejemplo, que una de las
ventajas de trabajar con gente joven es que, aunque tengan menos experiencia, están más
motivadas.

- What motivates you? (¿Qué es lo que te motiva?): pueden motivarte muchas cosas,
aquí no hay una respuesta correcta o incorrecta. El entrevistador te lo preguntará para
conocer un poco más sobre tu personalidad y ver si encajas en el puesto. Posibles
respuestas:

I am motivated by challenges. I feel happy when I am challenged by, with, for anything. I try
to win at all costs and then I get happy and want to do more.

I´m professional. I´m a hard worker who can work at any time and any place. I´m intelligent,
I get in on time and I´m respectful.

- In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The
least? (¿En tu actual (pasado) trabajo, que es lo que más te gustaba? ¿Y lo que menos?):
Tienes que ser positivo y mencionar más cosas buenas que malas, sin sacar a la luz
problemas personales.

The most:

I enjoyed having to use my initiative. I have implemented and improved a number of the
systems including the order processing system.

The least:

There was a lack of growth opportunities in such as small company. One of the reasons I
am so interested in your company is that it is a much larger organization with formal career
planning structures in place.
 graduated as ___ in ___. – Es una forma de decir cuando te graduaste
exactamente y cual fue tu especialidad: “I graduated as a Electronic Engineer
in 2010.”

I am a goal-oriented worker; I enjoy working by setting specific goals for

myself and accomplishing them. / Soy un trabajador orientada a objetivos,
me gusta trabajar marcándome unos objetivos concretos y cumplirlos.

Estas son las “interview questions” que pueden hacerte en

cualquier entrevista en inglés:

 Tell me a little bit more about the work you did at your previous
company. (explíqueme algo más sobre el trabajo que realizó en su
anterior empresa.)
o Trata de centrarte en exponer aquellos ejemplos en los que
destacaste realizando un determinado trabajo, cómo conseguiste
superar algún problema, o en que casos tu experiencia te sirvió
para tomar decisiones propias, y terminar con éxito una tarea.

 Why do you want this job? (Por qué quiere este trabajo?)
o Esta es una de las preguntas más comunes, y puede hacerse de
distintas formas (Qué le interesó de nuestra oferta? Por qué
quieres trabajar aquí?), pero todas ellas intentan averiguar más
sobre tu motivación real y tus conocimientos sobre la empresa y
el puesto de trabajo. Debes demostrar que conoces ambas cosas,
y que estás allí convencido de lo que quieres conseguir.

 What are your salary expectations? (cuáles son tus expectativas

salariales?)
 HR Recruiter: Good morning Javier. Nice to meet you.
 Javier: Good morning, it’s nice to meet you too.
 H: Well, come with me. Have a seat.
 J: Yes, thanks.
 H: Tell me a little bit abaut yourself.
 J: Well, I’m 30 years old and I’m from Spain. I graduated there at the
Polytechnic University of Catalonia as an Electronics Engineer in the
year 2010. When I finished my studies I started working at a company
dedicated to the distribution of medical equipment, and I’ve worked
on this sector ever since.

 I’ve always wanted to come live in New York, so here I am.

 H: Very well. I’ve read your resume and I see you have the proper
skills for this position. But tell me a little bit more about the work you
 did at your previous company.
(Muy bien. He leído su currículum y veo que cuenta con la experiencia
adecuada para este puesto. Pero, explíqueme algo más sobre el trabajo
que realizó en su anterior empresa.)
 J: Of course. As you can see, I’ve always worked at companies that
distribute or manufacture medical equipment, and on my previous job
I was fully dedicated to the commission of magnetic resonance devices
as well as their maintenance.
(Sí, como ha podido ver siempre he trabajado en empresas que
distribuyen o fabrican equipo médico, y en mi ultimo empleo me
dedicaba por completo a la puesta en marcha de equipos de
resonancia magnética, además de encargarme de su mantenimiento.)

 H: Why did you leave your job? / Porque dejó su empleo?

 J: When I was first hired, the job and growth expectations were quite
attractive. But after a few years in the company, things changed, and I
couldn’t get to progress as I would’ve liked.
(Cuando me contrataron, el trabajo y las expectativas de crecimiento
eran muy atractivas. Pero tras unos años en la empresa las cosas
cambiaron, y no pude avanzar como me hubiese gustado.)

 H: What do you know about our company? / ¿Que sabe de nuestra

empresa?
 J: Well, it’s a company I’ve known for many years; you’re well-known
in the industry for the quality of your work and products. You work at
an international level and I’m quite familiar with your product
catalogue. I know you’ve recently been granted an important contract
by five new hospitals.
(Pues es una empresa que conozco desde hace años, en este sector se
les conoce por el trabajo bien hecho y los productos de calidad.
Trabajan a nivel internacional y conozco muy bien su catálogo de
productos. Se que ahora han conseguido un importante contrato con
cinco nuevos hospitales.)

 H: Why do you want to work for us? / ¿Por qué quiere trabajar para
nosotros?
 J: I believe I could fit quite well in this expansion process that your
company is undergoing. I like the way you manufacture your products,
and for what I’ve read about your company policy, I’d feel quite
comfortable working here.
(Creo que en este proceso de ampliación por el que pasa su empresa,
podría encajar muy bien. Me gusta como fabrican sus productos, y por
lo que he leído sobre su política empresarial, me sentiría muy asusto
trabajando aquí.)

 H: Why should we hire you? / ¿Porque deberíamos contratarte?

 J: When I read your job offering, I saw you were looking for a person
with experience in the maintenance of medical equipment, and I’ve
worked for 5 years on the verification and commissioning of cutting-
edge models, so I could be working at full capacity from day one.
(Cuando leí la oferta de empleo, pude ver que buscaban a una persona
con experiencia en mantenimiento de equipos médicos, y yo he
trabajado 5 años en la verificación y puesta en marcha de los modelos
más punteros, así que podría estar trabajando a fondo desde el primer
día.)

 H: Do you have any questions? / Tienes alguna pregunta?

 J: Well, I’d like to know how working hours are arranged.
(Bueno, me gustaría saber como se distribuye la jornada laboral.)

 Para despedirte puedes decir algo así:

– Thank you for your time, I really appreciate this opportunity. Could I
please have your e-mail in case I need to ask you any further questions?
(Gracias por su tiempo, le agradezco esta oportunidad. Podría darme su
email por si necesito hacerle alguna pregunta más?)
 Así puedes aprovechar para enviarle una nota de agradecimiento, o
plantearle alguna duda que debido a los nervios, no pudiste preguntarle.
 Extrae algunos datos en la entrevista telefónica
 1# Tell me about yourself (Hábleme sobre usted)
 No hables demasiado sobre ti, o demasiado poco. Practica hasta llegar a
un punto equilibrado de información. Si no te piden que te centres en
una determinada etapa laboral o estudiantil, podrías responder
empezando por el presente, explicando algo sobre la experiencia
adquirida en el pasado y finalizar hablando sobre el futuro, y la
oportunidad que te están dando:
 “I’m currently working as a programmer at a Start-up where I do
supervision tasks. Before that I managed the IT department at a security
company where I worked for three years and learned a lot about my
profession. And even though those jobs were a great boost to my
professional development, I now feel I should work at this company,
since it focuses a lot more on projects I’m really passionate about.”
 (Actualmente trabajo como programador en una StartUp, en la que
desempeño tareas de supervisión. Antes de eso dirigía el departamento
de informática de una empresa de seguridad, en la que estuve
trabajando tres años y que me sirvió para aprender mucho más sobre mi
oficio. Y aunque en su momento esos trabajos me han aportado mucho,
ahora siento que debo trabajar en esta empresa, ya que se especializa
mucho más en proyectos que realmente me apasionan.)
 2# Why do you want to work here? (¿Por qué quieres
trabajar aquí?)
 Cuando te preguntan, porque te interesa este trabajo o porque quieres
trabajar en esta empresa, lo que quieren saber es si has dedicado tiempo
a investigar lo que hacen allí y en que consistirá tu trabajo. Si eres
convincente y hablas de sus nuevos proyectos, sus productos o de como
coincides con su filosofía empresarial, darás a entender que te has
presentado a la oferta de empleo porque realmente te interesa y que te
tomas en serio la oportunidad que te están dando.
 “Having worked on teams that had teammates with very different
backgrounds, I feel I’m prepared to work on the latest project you’ve
been working on. I could be an asset to the company from the very first
day.”
 (Al haber trabajado en equipos que incluían compañeros con perfiles
muy diferentes, me siento preparado para trabajar en el último proyecto
que están llevando a cavo. Desde el primer día podría estar sumando a
la empresa.)
 “I’m well familiarized with your products and I know you pay a lot of
attention to detail, so I’d like to work with people that put that much
effort into creating quality products. I know your company takes good
care of its employees and that you offer a lot of training and
advancement opportunities. So it’d be great for me to be part of the
team.”
 (Conozco bien sus productos y se que cuidan mucho su acabado, así
que me gustaría trabajar con personas que dedican tanto esfuerzo a
crear productos de calidad. Se que en su empresa tratan muy bien a los
empleados, y que ofrecen muchas oportunidades de formación y
promoción. Así que me gustaría formar parte del equipo.)
 3# What Is Your Greatest Strength? (¿Cual es tu mayor
fortaleza?)
 Otra de las preguntas que forzosamente debes prepararte, y mi consejo
es que al menos sepas nombrar 3 de tus puntos fuertes, ya que es lo que
suele preguntarse. El entrevistador espera que te hayas tomado tu
tiempo para reflexionar y autoanalizarte, así que responde de forma
natural y sin precipitarte. Lo mejor es que acompañes tus fortalezas con
ejemplos reales de éxito, en este caso es importante demostrarlas y no
solo mencionarlas.
 Toma en cuenta el uso de adjetivos compuestos que ya te propuse en el
artículo sobre 5 consejos para superar la entrevista.
 “I have great writing skills. I’ve worked as a writer for several journals
and I can adapt to any style, whether it is for your blog readers or
writing press releases. You can see I even received a few awards.”
 (Tengo una gran habilidad escribiendo. He trabajado como redactor en
distintas publicaciones y puedo adaptarme a cualquier estilo, ya sea
escribiendo para los lectores de su blog o redactando comunicados de
prensa. Puede ver que incluso he ganado algunos premios.)
 “I’m focused on solving customer problems. I’ve worked for 5 years in
Customer Service and I’ve always enjoyed helping people. As you can
see in my recommendations, my communication and problems-solving
skills are specifically acknowledged.”
 (Estoy enfocado a resolver los problemas de los clientes. Llevo 5 años
desempeñando mi trabajo en Atención al Cliente y siempre me ha
gustado ayudar a la gente. Como puede ver en mis recomendaciones
sobre todo se menciona mis habilidades de comunicación y mi eficacia
para resolver problemas.)
 4# What Is Your Greatest Weakness? (¿Cual es tu
mayor debilidad?)
 Es bueno reconocer las propias debilidades, así que no se busca la
respuesta de “no tengo debilidades”. Más bien lo que quieren saber es
si nos conocemos a nosotros mismos y si hemos identificado nuestras
debilidades, como un primer paso para resolverlas y poder llevar
nuestro trabajo a cavo con normalidad.
 I have a hard time staying organized. But I had to learn how to do so.
Thanks to a good time management system, I’m always able to keep
my tasks up to date.”
 (Me cuesta mucho ser organizado. Pero he tenido que aprender a
hacerlo. Gracias a un buen sistema de gestión del tiempo, siempre
consigo mantener mis tareas al día.)
 “I often spend too much time on a particular task. But I’ve realized that
by delegating some tasks we are always able to meet the deadlines.”
 (Muchas veces paso demasiado tiempo realizando una misma tarea.
Pero me he dado cuenta de que delegando algunos tareas, siempre
conseguimos terminar el trabajo en la fecha acordada.)
 “I’m not fond of administrative tasks. But I’ve realized that if I plan
ahead and work on them at the very first moment, I no longer have to
deal with them later on. Now I’m always the first one to handle them.”
 (No me gustan las tareas administrativas. Pero me he dado cuenta de
que si las planifico y las hago desde el primer momento, ya no debo
pensar más en ello. Y ahora siempre soy el primero en terminarlas.)
 5# What are your salary expectations? (¿cuáles son tus
expectativas salariales?)
 La pregunta de cuanto quiere ganar o cuales son sus expectativas, va
dirigida generalmente a puestos de trabajo de cierto rango, y requiere
por tu parte de un proceso de investigación si antes no has ocupado un
puesto igual o similar. Ya que puede ser tan negativo pasarse al dar una
cifra, como dar un número demasiado pequeño. En cualquier caso es
aconsejable que te refieras a rangos salariales y no a cifras concretas,
dejando claro que podrías negociarlo.
 La respuesta puede variar dependiendo de si la pregunta se hace al
principio de la entrevista o al final, pero la idea seria la siguiente:
 “Money is not something I’m obsessed with, neither is it my main
motivation. But I know that in my sector they are paying a gross annual
salary of 20,000 to 30,000€, so based on my experience and education I
should receive a salary inside that range.”
 (El dinero no es algo que me obsesione, ni tampoco es mi principal
motivación. Pero se que en mi sector se están pagando entre 20.000 y
30.000€ brutos anuales, así que por mi experiencia y formación debería
recibir un salario dentro de ese rango.)
 “I’d appreciate it if you could make me an offer based on your planned
budget for this position, keeping in mind what you already know about
my experience and education.”
 (Le agradecería que me hiciese una oferta según lo que tengan
presupuestado para este puesto. Siempre teniendo en cuenta lo que ya
sabe sobre mi experiencia y conocimientos.)
 “The job you’ve described is not quite like the other jobs I’ve had, so if
you could tell me a little about the responsibilities I’d have and what a
normal working day looks like, I’d be able to have a better idea of what
an adequate salary would be.”
 (El trabajo que me ha descrito no es exactamente como otros empleos
que he tenido, así que si me dece algo más sobre las responsabilidades
que tendría, y como se desarrolla una jornada normal, podré hacerme
una idea de cual podría ser un salario adecuado.)
 haber dedicado tiempo a investigar sobre la empresa y sobre la persona
que te hará la entrevista, trata siempre de hacerle preguntas relevantes.
 – How long have you been working at this company? / Cuanto tiempo
lleva trabajando en esta empresa?
 – How many people are there currently in your department? / Cuantas
personas hay en su departamento actualmente?

What's the best way to respond when you're asked to describe yourself during a
job interview? Like the interview question, "Tell me about yourself," this
question is very common but not as simple as it seems. Employers ask you to
describe yourself for a couple of reasons. First, they want to see whether or not
you will be a good fit for the position and the company culture. This question,
similar to the question “How would others describe you?

” also shows the employer how you perceive yourself.

When answering this question, be sure to keep the job description in mind, and
answer in a way that shows you are right for the job. However, along with being
positive, you should also be honest and straightforward as to why you're a good
fit for the company. This is an opportunity to sell yourself to the interviewer, and
show why you're a strong candidate for the role for which you're being
considered.

How to Prepare a Response

To prepare for this question, create a list of adjectives and phrases that you think
best describe you (you might even want to ask family and friends for
suggestions). Then, look back at the job description, and circle all the adjectives
and phrases on your list that best relate to the particular position.

Pick two or three of the terms that best fit the position, and think of specific times
when you have demonstrated each of those characteristics.With a list of terms
and examples in mind, you will be ready to answer any form of the question.

By matching your qualifications to the job, you'll be able to show you've got the
right skills and personality for the position.

Tips for Giving the Best Answer

When you respond, keep in mind the type of position you are interviewing for,
the company culture, and the work environment. However, it's not a good idea to
simply regurgitate a list of reasons why you are right for the position.

Instead, answer with a few positive adjectives or phrases that describe your
personal characteristics or your attitude (sometimes employers ask a similar
question, “What three adjectives would you use to describe yourself?”). Make
sure to focus on the qualities that make you an ideal match for the job and the
company.
You typically do not need to follow up your response with specific examples of
times you have displayed each characteristic – often, an employer wants a
relatively concise answer to this question. However, if you give your answer and
the interviewer looks like her or she is waiting for more, you can then follow up
with examples from past work experiences. The interviewer might even ask you
outright to expand your answer with examples.

Finally, while you should shape your answer to fit the particular job, authenticity
is still important. Your response should be positive but genuine.

Examples of the Best Answers

Below are some sample answers to the interview question, “How would you
describe yourself?” When answering this question, be sure your answer fits your
own work experience and the job for which you are applying for.

 I'm a people person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of
different people, and am known for being a great listener and clear
communicator, whether I’m engaging with colleagues or employers.

 I'm the kind of person who knows how to execute difficult tasks with
precision. I pay attention to all the details of a project. I make sure that
every task is just right, but is also completed in a timely manner.

 I'm a creative thinker. I like to explore alternative solutions to problems

and have an open mind about what will work best. My creativity has
made me an effective team leader because I can anticipate problems and
innovate solutions.

 I'm an extremely organized person who is focused on producing results.

While I am always realistic when setting goals, I consistently develop
ways to efficiently achieve, and often exceed, those goals.

 I enjoy solving problems, troubleshooting issues, and coming up with

solutions in a timely manner. I thrive in team settings, and I think my
ability to effectively communicate with others is what drives my ability to
solve a variety of problems.
 Be sincere and authentic when describing yourself in a job interview.
Practice your response but make sure it comes naturally and not sound
rehearsed.

 In just about every sales interview, the interviewer asks the question, "How
would you describe yourself?" While this is something that should be
 anticipated and practiced, many job seekers overlook the importance of this
question and fail to take the time to formulate the right answers.

 ▶ To do the best job describing yourself, you should know what kind of
personality you have. Take the AMA Personality Test to find out.

 Moreover, when describing ourselves, we should approach our answers in

an honest, candid manner and even though some answers are laid out
below, always ensure that you phrase these in our own words as
authenticity is important.

 Here are 15 ways to describe yourself for your next sales interview:

 1. Revenue Generator
 "I am confident in my abilities to produce and while I prepare for the worst, I
do the work necessary to tilt the odds that the best will happen."

 2. Top Performer
 "I want to be judged by individual performance and I want be rewarded for
my efforts based on their my to execute."


 Subscribe to the Career Update Newsletter to receive the

latest information on tools and techniques to keep your
career on track. Don't forget to visit the AMA Career
Resouce Center.


 3. Vision for Success

 "I seek to work for a successful company that has strong leadership and
vision and who recognizes and rewards performers."

 4. Growth and Development

 "I am someone who is consistently growing themselves and who takes the
time to continue learning even though it's not a direct requirement of the
job. I find that many times it's a combination of what you study both directly
and indirectly related to work."


 Related:

 How do millenials describe their generation's personality

characteristics?



 5. Goal Oriented
 "I am modest, but hard working and I consistently sets firm goals for myself.
Then, once I've defined the benchmarks, I take the necessary steps to
achieve those milestones."

 6. Customer Focused
 "Someone who has a consultative selling style and who is concerned with
the clients' needs - consistently asking questions to uncover the what the
client truly wants then being able to meet those requirements."

 7. Positive Self-Starter
 "Someone who thinks positively and who can execute on difficult tasks. I'm
not an individual who needs to be micro-managed. Rather, when given a
specific task, I can figure out the best ways to solve the problem in an
autonomous manner."

 8. Leadership
 "I am a person who is able to control a situation rather than have a situation
control them."

 9. Self-Determined
 "I am someone who has an unwavering resolve. I am determined to do well
in my job and am determined to have a successful career as well as make
the company I work for more competitive."

 10. Results Oriented and Pragmatic

 "I have a need to produce results. I am the type of person to meet
challenges head-on rather than sweep them under the rug and hope they go
away. While I'm an optimistic person, I am also realistic about the current
situation and how satisfactory or unsatisfactory it is."
  11. Driven to Excellence
 "I am someone who has been able to not only meet my employer's
expectations, but I would describe myself as a person who has consistently
exceeded those markers."

nique Adjectives to Use on a Resume

Inventive Exciting Thoughtful

Powerful Practical Proactive

Productive Professional Meticulous

Quick Balanced Achiever

Knowledgeable Leader Diplomatic

Logical Initiator Original

Outgoing Particular Patient

Active Positive Consistent

Compassionate Incredible Independent

Precise Mediator Emotional

Cheerful Forgiving Responsive

Candid Industrious Cooperative

Positive Descriptive Words to Use in a Job Interview

Honest Assertive Attentive

Direct Broad-Minded Committed

Conscientious Dynamic Customer-Oriented

Persistent Mature Methodical

Motivated Objective Tenacious

Sociable Friendly Realistic

Reliable Resourceful Respectful

 Responsible Creative Confident

Traditional Trustworthy Unconventional

Unique Ecclectic Observant

Innovative Imaginative Thorough

Why It's Important to Know Your Strengths

From my experience delivering training programs and seminars about building confidence
and self-esteem, people get very quiet when they're are asked to describe five of their best
qualities. "I don't know" is the most common response.
Conversely, we're all pretty good at listing our faults and failings. It's as if people don't dare
to ask the question, "What's good about me?"

If this describes you, then it's even more important for you to do this exercise. Words are
powerful! If you come up with a list of your best traits, even if it feels awkward to do so,
you'll start believing them! This confidence will help you out in both your career and your
personal life.

Are You Creative?

Positive Descriptions for College Applications

Optimistic Accomplished Adept

Analytical Articulate Artistic

Self-Disciplined Controversial Individual

Tolerant Reflective Participatory

 Unselfish Sophisticated Commited

Strong Successful Diplomatic

Talented Team player Fun

Intelligent Changeable Passionate

Intense Intuitive Upbeat

Vibrant Funny Constructive

Hard-Working Dependable Direct

Collaborative Loyal Engaged

Empathetic Observant Thoughtful

Why Do You Want to Describe Yourself?

What made you want to know how to describe yourself?

 For Online Dating

 For an Online Profile
 For My Resume
 For a Job Interview
 To Learn New Words
 For a Self Confidence Boost
 None of the above
See results

Are You Diplomatic?

How to Turn a "Negative" Into a Positive
What would you say if you were asked, "What's your biggest weakness?"

Not sure? You might even wonder why employers even ask such a weird question. The
objective with a question like this is to see how a person responds when they're thrown off
base a little. It's also a way to force an applicant to reflect on how they've grown or want to
grow.
The key to answering this question successfully is to show that you've reflected on your
personality and have identified ways to improve.
Come up with a few words that you think describe your negative traits. Here are a few
examples:

 controlling
 rude
 shy
Ok, now with a little thinking and reflection these traits could provide insights into your best
qualities. For example, a controlling person might have a hard time asking for help. Have
you ever wished you'd accepted an offer of help from a friend or co-worker? Are you aware
of the benefits of not always being in charge? If so, you're looking for opportunities to let go
and work with others for better results.

Rudeness can easily be re-framed as bluntness and honesty. But you may feel that you
can be a bit too honest at times. Describe a situation when you said something that may
have been true, but that you wished you'd kept to yourself. Then explain that you're working
on making your feedback more constructive.
There's nothing wrong with shyness, but you may feel that it holds you back from
participating fully. Maybe there have been times when you wished you'd been more
assertive. Explain that you're working on speaking up more and overcome your fear of
offending others.

Words to Describe Yourself on Online Dating Sites

Direct Enthusiastic Spontaneous

Open Adventurous Lighthearted

Communicative Passionate Witty

Self-Aware Playful Strong-Willed

Easy-Going Intellectual Silly

Responsive Big-Hearted Intense

Unique Adjectives to Describe Your Personality

Competitive Political Socially Conscious

 Modest Courageous Enthusiastic

Enterprising Entrepreneurial Facilitator

Focused Genuine Open-Minded

Wise Sensitive Witty

Sensible Sincere Skilled

Solid Communicative Helpful

Fast Responsible Results-Driven

Results-Oriented Self-Reliant Organised

Knowledgeable Logical Personable

Amiable Flexible Adaptable

Persuasive Perceptive Insightful

Trustworthy Easy-Going Visionary

Imaginative Warm Ambitious

Diplomatic Curious Persuasive

What to Do With Your List of Positive Qualities

So, how did you get on? How does it feel to identify your positive qualities? Good, I hope!

You may have undertaken this exercise because your teacher asked you to. Perhaps
you're about to interview for a job or are making an online profile. In any case, here are
some "next steps" to make the best use of the list you've made:

 Look over your list of adjectives. Say them out loud to yourself with "I am . . ." before
each one.
 If you are interviewing for a job, look back at the job description and circle all the
adjectives and phrases on your list that best relate to the position. Pick two or three
words that relate to both you and to the job.
 Be prepared to give examples of specific times when you've demonstrated the
adjectives that you've chosen. For example, if you tell the interviewer that you're
"reliable," describe projects you have completed on deadline or times when an
employer or teacher have commented that they can count on you.
 If you're applying to a school or university, read over the school's website and look for
clues about the kind of student they are looking for. All schools want students that are
"hard-working," "inquisitive," and "persistent." Show them your unique qualities. Are
you particularly creative and imaginative? Are you exceptionally focused and
determined? Do you have a big heart for social justice? Toot your own horn!
How Do I Describe Myself?

Perceptive Down-to-Earth Open-Minded

Knowledgable Logical Analytical

Quick learner Genuine Warm

Inventive Rebellious Generous

Insightful