Resume Help Blog

I noticed in preparing this article that a lot of sites post the top 50 questions for an interview, one went further and had 51. Well not to be undone we are going to cut it down to what we believe will be the top 13. Brevity is the soul of something or other, I forget.

Tell Me About Yourself

This is the most asked question in an interview even though it is not stated as a question. Be prepared and have a short statement prepared. Don’t ramble, instead talk about the things you have done in your previous job(s) particularly the things that relate to the position you are applying for. Emphasize your accomplishments starting back as far as necessary and moving to the present.

Why Did You Leave Your Last Job (Alternate: Why Are You Looking For A New Position)

Oh Boy! What if you were fired? I have a Grandson who still lives at home while attending college. He was a manager of the DQ in the small town they live in. His record was spotless yet one day he was accused falsely of not charging a full amount for a product to a friend. The friend ordered a sundae and he and my Grandson (who was off work at the time) were eating. In fact, the owner came in and saw them eating, he knew that my Grandson had handled the transaction and drew the wrong conclusion. Why? I don’t know!

When he went for his next interview he asked his dad how to handle it and my son wisely told him not to lie but tell the employer that a misunderstanding had occurred and explain it. He was hired on the spot.

Do not talk negatively about your previous employer. Keep smiling and talk positively. If you don’t you will be the one looking bad.

Do  You Consider Yourself Successful:

This is a question that should always carry a yes answer. Simply explain why. Stress the fact that you know how to set goals and if they apply to this job application explain what they are & why. Be positive.

What Do You Know About This Company/Organization

This is the major reason why you find out everything you can about the company before the interview. How large is it? How many offices do they have? What attracted you to it? What do you know about the CEO (or CFO if you’re applying for a financial position)? Are they doing something innovative or interesting that makes you want to work there?

What Have You Done To Improve Your Knowledge/Experience In The Last Year

To answer this focus on any special classes you have taken to improve yourself. This is particularly important if this is a sales position. Also, if you didn’t go to school, did you take any special training within the company? Did they promote you or did you take on an extra assignment that required you to learn a skill or perform some research? Any time you show that you were “learning and growing” to benefit the company is a plus.

Are You Applying For Other Jobs

This is a touchy one but just smile and turn the question around and ask if they are interviewing other applicants for this position. Leave it at that. Be polite and smile when you answer, do not be offensive.

Why Do You Want To Work For This Organization

Thoughtfully answer and explain from your research on the company why you think you will enjoy joining their organization. Put it in terms of your long-term goals. Another approach to this is to smile and say, “I’m not sure that I want to work here yet. The interview isn’t just about whether you want me but whether I feel this would be a good fit for me”. Always smile when you say this. A wise woman I knew said “You can get away with saying anything as long as you smile when you say it.”

What Kind Of Salary Do You Expect

There are two ways of looking at this. 1) it is a loaded question or 2) it isn’t a loaded question and they want to know if your salary expectations are somewhere within their budget. Let’s look at it from both sides starting with the second one first. If you are expecting $80,000 per year and they are offering $40,000 then it’s better to know that up front and move on. If the salary offered is close then you might consider it.

Now from the other side let’s look at it as a loaded question. Smile and turn the question around and say; “That’s a tough question. Can you give me the range of compensation”? Many times the interviewer will be taken off guard and give you the answer. It’s a question of “the first person who speaks loses”.

Explain How You Would Be An Asset To Our Company

This give you the opportunity to shine. Explain your good points and how you can use them to be an asset. This question is one that you need to give some advance thought to. That’s where research comes in. And be ready.

Tell Me About A Suggestion Or Change You Have Made In A Previous Position

Have a good one ready. Preferably one that was accepted and considered successful. If your company didn’t ask for or accept suggestions say so. Most mid-level to upper-level positions though are looking for ways to improve.

What Is Your Greatest Strength

Most any answer will be good, just stay positive. Some possible answers: problem solving, ability to prioritize, work under pressure, work well with others (possible younger/older people), ability to focus well, leadership. See, it’s not too hard to come up with a list. If you can give an example of how you applied that in past positions. For instance, “I have a strong attention to detail and because of this I was responsible for tracking all the sales revenue and department expenses. I even found a few ways to save the company money through a few simple cost-cutting measures.”

What Is More Important – The Work Or The Money

Money is necessary to live but the correct answer on this one is WORK!

Tell Me About Some Previous Problem You Had With A Supervisor

Don’t fall into that! They want to see if you will speak badly of a previous employer/supervisor and tell of some problem. This is a test of your character. If you fall for it the interview is over. Stay positive and fail to remember. Speak highly of your boss (even if it’s hard, try to find something positive you liked about him).

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