1.

Tell me about yourself:

 The most often asked question in interviews.
You need to have a short
statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that
it does not sound
rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless
instructed otherwise.
Talk about things you have done and jobs you
have held that relate to
the position you are interviewing for. Start with
the item farthest
back and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last
job?
 Stay positive regardless of the circumstances.
Never refer to a major
problem with management and never speak ill of
supervisors, co-workers
or the organization. If you do, you will be the
one looking bad. Keep
smiling and talk about leaving for a positive
reason such as an
opportunity, a chance to do something special or
other forward-looking
reasons.
3. What experience do you have
in this field?
 Speak about specifics that relate to the
position you are applying for.
If you do not have specific experience, get
as close as you can.
 4. Do you consider yourself
successful?
 You should always answer yes and briefly
explain why. A good
explanation is that you have set goals, and
you have met some and are
on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about
you?
 Be prepared with a quote or two from co-
workers. Either a specific
statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill
Clark, a co-worker at Smith
Company, always said I was the hardest
workers she had ever known. It
is as powerful as Jill having said it at the
interview herself.
 6. What do you know about this
organization?
 This question is one reason to do some
research on the organization
before the interview. Find out where they
have been and where they are
going. What are the current issues and
who are the major players?
 7. What have you done to
improve your knowledge in the
last year?
 Try to include improvement activities that
relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can be mentioned as
positive self-improvement.
Have some good ones handy to mention.
 8. Are you applying for other
jobs?
 Be honest but do not spend a lot of time
in this area. Keep the focus
on this job and what you can do for this
organization. Anything else is
a distraction.
 9. Why do you want to work for
this organization?
 This may take some thought and certainly,
should be based on the
research you have done on the
organization. Sincerity is extremely
important here and will easily be sensed.
Relate it to your long-term
career goals.
 10. Do you know anyone who
works for us?
 Be aware of the policy on relatives
working for the organization. This
can affect your answer even though they
asked about friends not
relatives. Be careful to mention a friend
only if they are well thought
of.
 11. What kind of salary do you
need?
 A loaded question. A nasty little game that you
will probably lose if
you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead,
say something like,
That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the
range for this position?
In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard,
will tell you. If not,
say that it can depend on the details of the job.
Then give a wide
range.
 12. Are you a team player?
 You are, of course, a team player. Be sure
to have examples ready.
Specifics that show you often perform for
the good of the team rather
than for yourself are good evidence of
your team attitude. Do not brag,
just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is
a key point.
 13. How long would you expect
to work for us if hired?
 Specifics here are not good. Something
like this should work: I’d like
it to be a long time. Or As long as we both
feel I’m doing a good job.
 14. Have you ever had to fire
anyone? How did you feel about
that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any
way seem like you
like to fire people. At the same time, you will do
it when it is the
right thing to do. When it comes to the
organization versus the
individual who has created a harmful situation,
you will protect the
organization. Remember firing is not the same
as layoff or reduction in
force.
 15. What is your philosophy
towards work?
 The interviewer is not looking for a long or
flowery dissertation here.
Do you have strong feelings that the job
gets done? Yes. That’s the
type of answer that works best here. Short
and positive, showing a
benefit to the organization.
 16. If you had enough money to
retire right now, would you?
 Answer yes if you would. But since you
need to work, this is the type
of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you
do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to
leave a position?
 If you have not, say no. If you have, be
honest, brief and avoid saying
negative things about the people or
organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an
asset to this organization
 You should be anxious for this question. It
gives you a chance to
highlight your best points as they relate to
the position being
discussed. Give a little advance thought to
this relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?
 Point out how your assets meet what the
organization needs. Do not
mention any other candidates to make a
comparison.
 20. Tell me about a suggestion
you have made
 Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a
suggestion that was accepted
and was then considered successful. One
related to the type of work
applied for is a real plus.
 21. What irritates you about co-
workers?
 This is a trap question. Think real hard but
fail to come up with
anything that irritates you. A short
statement that you seem to get
along with folks is great.
 22. What is your greatest
strength?
 Numerous answers are good, just stay
positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-
solving skills, Your ability
to work under pressure, Your ability to
focus on projects, Your
professional expertise, Your leadership
skills, Your positive attitude
23. Tell me about your dream
job.
 Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win.
If you say the job you
are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If
you say another
job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be
dissatisfied with
this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic
and say something
like: A job where I love the work, like the
people, can contribute and
can’t wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would
do well at this job?
 Give several reasons and include skills,
experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a
job?
 Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win.
If you say the job you
are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If
you say another
job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be
dissatisfied with
this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic
and say something
like: A job where I love the work, like the
people, can contribute and
can’t wait to get to work.
 26. What kind of person would
you refuse to work with?
 Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty
to the organization,
violence or lawbreaking to get you to
object. Minor objections will
label you as a whiner.
 27. What is more important to
you: the money or the work?
 Money is always important, but the work
is the most important. There is
no better answer.
 28. What would your previous
supervisor say your strongest
point is?
 There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude,
Leadership, Team player, Expertise,
Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity,
Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you
had with a supervisor
 Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if
you will speak ill of
your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a
problem with a former
boss, you may well below the interview
right there. Stay positive and
develop a poor memory about any trouble
with a supervisor.
 30. What has disappointed you
about a job?
 Don’t get trivial or negative. Safe areas
are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid
off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract, which would have
given you more responsibility.
 31. Tell me about your ability to
work under pressure.
 You may say that you thrive under certain
types of pressure. Give an
example that relates to the type of
position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job
or another job more closely?
 Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the
suspicion that you may want
another job more than this one.
 33. What motivates you to do
your best on the job?
 This is a personal trait that only you can
say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
 34. Are you willing to work
overtime? Nights? Weekends?
 This is up to you. Be totally honest.
 35. How would you know you
were successful on this job?
 Several ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and
meet them. Your outcomes are a
success.Your boss tell you that you are
successful
 36. Would you be willing to
relocate if required?
 You should be clear on this with your
family prior to the interview if
you think there is a chance it may come
up. Do not say yes just to get
the job if the real answer is no. This can
create a lot of problems
later on in your career. Be honest at this
point and save yourself
future grief.
 37. Are you willing to put the
interests of the organization
ahead of your own?
 This is a straight loyalty and dedication
question. Do not worry about
the deep ethical and philosophical
implications. Just say yes
 38. Describe your management
style.
 Try to avoid labels. Some of the more
common labels, like progressive,
salesman or consensus, can have several
meanings or descriptions
depending on which management expert
you listen to. The situational
style is safe, because it says you will
manage according to the
situation, instead of one size fits all.
 39. What have you learned from
mistakes on the job?
 Here you have to come up with something
or you strain credibility. Make
it small, well intentioned mistake with a
positive lesson learned. An
example would be working too far ahead
of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.
 41. If you were hiring a person
for this job, what would you look
for?
 Be careful to mention traits that are
needed and that you have.
 42. Do you think you are
overqualified for this position?

 Regardless of your qualifications, state

that you are very well
qualified for the position.
 43. How do you propose to
compensate for your lack of
experience?

 First, if you have experience that the

interviewer does not know about,
bring that up: Then, point out (if true)
that you are a hard working
quick learner.
 44. What qualities do you look
for in a boss?
 Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are
knowledgeable, a sense of
humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and
holder of high standards. All
bosses think they have these traits.
46. What position do you prefer
on a team working on a project?
 Be honest. If you are comfortable in
different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.
 Emphasize benefits to the organization.
Things like, determination to
get the job done and work hard but enjoy
your work are good.
 48. What has been your biggest
professional disappointment?
 Be sure that you refer to something that
was beyond your control. Show
acceptance and no negative feelings.
 49. Tell me about the most fun
you have had on the job.
 Talk about having fun by accomplishing
something for the organization.
 50. Do you have any questions
for me?
 Always have some questions prepared.
Questions prepared where you will be an
asset to the organization are good. How
soon will I be able to be productive? and
What type of projects will I be able to
assist on? are
examples.