interview-questions-answered

InterviewQuestionAnsweredTellmeaboutyourself-------Summaryoftips:1.keeptheanswershortatabouttwominutes.2.focusonwork-relatedskillsandaccomplishments,notpersonalinformation.3.telltheinterviewerwhyyouthinkyourwork-relatedskillsandaccomplishmentswouldbeanassettothecompany.4.describeyoureducationorworkhistoryverybriefly.5.telltheintervieweraboutthingsyouhavedoneandjobsyouhavehadrelatedtothepositionyouareinterviewingfor.6.mentiononeortwopersonalcharacteristicsthathavehelpedyouaccomplishyourgoals,givingshortexamplestoillustrate.---------Sampleanswers:Ihavealwaysenjoyedworkingwithcomputers,soitwasaneasydecisiontomajorincomputerscienceatCaliforniaUniversitywithaplantoentertheITfield.Inschool,Iexcelledinmycomputer-relatedclassesandduringmycollegeyears,Ibecameparticularinterestedinsoftwaredevelopment,especiallysoftwarethatwouldhelpconsumers.That’swhyIappliedforandcompletedaone-yearinternshipwithLotadoeindustries.AtLotadoe,Ilearnedhowtoformulatenewideasforsoftwareandhowtocommunicatethoseideaseffectivelytotherestofthedevelopmentteam.IamaveryfocusedpersonandItendtobeproduct-oriented.AtLotadoe,ImadesurethatwhateverprojectsIworkedon,Isawtocompletion.Forinstance,IworkedwithateamthatwasdevelopinganewversionofapieceofpopularsoftwarecalledRototype.Iaskedtobepartofeverystepofsoftwaredevelopmentandattheendoftheproject,Iwasgiventheresponsibilityofgettingtechnicalapproval.ImadesurethatIfollowthroughwiththerightdepartments,keepingmyteaminformedoftheprogress.ThisisthetypeofworkIenjoyandthat’swhyIappliedforapositionwithyourcompany.TellmeaboutyourselfIhaveworkedsuccessfullyinsalesforover10years.Oneofmyfirstsalesjobswasincollege,whereImajoredinbusiness.Iworkedforthecollegenewspapersellingadvertisingspace,andasanextrovertwholikesinteractingwithpeople,Iwasverysuccessfulinthejob.Whatalsohelpedmesellmorethananyothersalespersonwasmypersistence.Iwaswillingtofollowupwithapotentialclientoverweeksandevenmonths,developingwiththemuntiltheywerereadytomakeadealwithus.IamcurrentlyworkingasasalesrepfortheMichmuneyCompany.Ihavebeentheirtopsalespersonforthepasttwoyears.Lastyear,Isoldover$3millionworthofproducts.Now,Iamreadyforanewchallenge.IwanttoworkinpublicrelationsbecauseitisanareawhereIcanusemycreativitytogetherwithmyknowledgeofadvertisingandsales.IhaveaprovenabilitytoworkwellwithpeopleandIcandevelopgoodlong-termrelationshipswithclients.IwanttoworkwellwithpeopleandIcanworkforyourcompanyinparticularbecauseyouworkprimarilywithInternet-basedcompanies,whichisanareathatisgrowingattherateof40%ayear.ThismakesyourcompanyaleaderintheindustryandIwouldliketobepartofthat.Whydidyouleaveyourlastjob?------summaryoftips:Tominimizeanyproblemsandtoshowthatyouhadpositivereasonsforleavingpreviouspositions.1mentionpositivereasonsforleaving2nevercriticizesupervisors,co-workers,orthecompany/organization.3don’tmentionmajorproblemswithmanagement.4telltheintervieweraboutanyneutralreasonsforleaving.5staypositivenomatterhowbadthesituationyouareleavingmaybe.6usetherightwordssoyoudon’tsoundself-serving.Insteadofsaying”ILEFTTOSEEKBETTEROPPORTUNITIES”say”Iamlookingforasituationwhichwillusemoreofmyskillsandexperience”.7avoidsoundinglikea“jobhopper”8turnthisintoanopportunitytotelltheintervieweraboutyourskillsandabilities,ifpossible.9keepyourexplanationshortortheinterviewermaythinkyouaremakingexcuses.---------sampleanswersIhavebeenwithLotadoeforoverfiveyearsandIhaveenjoyedworkingthere.Ilearnedalotaboutsoftwaredevelopmentandhowtoworkeffectivelywithmycolleagues.Abouttwoyearsago,Ibegangettinginterestedinotheraspectsofdesignandstartedlearningaboutnewwaysthatthefieldiscreatinganddevelopingnewdesigns.IcompletedtrainingthatqualifiesmetooverseeothertypesofprojectsthantheonesIworkonnowatLotadoe.That’swhyIamnowlookingforacompanythatwillallowmetomorefullyutilizemynewskillsandwhereIcantakeonnewchallenges.WhatIseeinthispositionisalsotheopportunityforgrowthandadvancement.Ithinkthatmycurrentskillsandabilitiesareagoodmatchwiththecurrentneedsofthiscompany.Whyareyoulookingforanewjob?TheprimaryreasonIleftMichmuneyCompanywasbecausethecompanywentthrougharestructuringandmypositionwaseliminated.Uptothatpoint,however,IhadaverygoodtrackrecordandreceivedpositiveemployeeevaluationseachofthethreeyearsIworkthere.LeavingMichmuneyactuallyallowedmetomakeacareerchangethatIhadbeenthinkingaboutforsometimeandthatismorealignedwithmycareergoals.AlthoughIhaveworkedsuccessfullyinsalesforthepastseveralyears,myeducationandmyinterestsaremorecloselyrelatedtomarketingIwouldliketofindapositionthatwouldallowmetousemyknowledgeandskillstodochallengingwork.ThispositionwouldalsogivememoreresponsibilitythanIhadatmylastcompanyandmorepromotionopportunities.Ithinkthatmyskillsandabilitiesareagoodmatchforthisjob.Whydoyouwanttoworkhere?------summaryoftips:1toshowthatyouknowalotaboutthecompanyandthatyourqualificationsmatchthecompany’sneed.2findoutallyoucanaboutthecompany,includingthedepartmentwhereyouwouldworkandthepeopleyouwouldworkfor.3researchthecompany’sproductsorservicesandthepositivethingsithasdoneforthecommunityorsociety.4befamiliar