Tips for a Successful Interview
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER
- What are your short range objectives? Long range?
- What do you look for in a job?
- Why are you leaving?
- Why did your business fail?
- What can you do for us that someone else cannot?
- Why should we hire you?
- How good is your health?
- Can you work under pressure, deadlines, etc.?
- What is your philosophy of management ?
- Do you prefer staff or line work? Why?
- What kind of salary are you worth?
- What are your five biggest accomplishments in your present or last job? Your career so far?
- Why didn't you do better in college?
- What is your greatest strength? weakness?
- What business, character, and credit references can you give us?
- How long would it take to make a contribution to our firm?
- How long would you stay with us?
- How do you feel about people from minority groups?
- If you could start again, what would you do differently?
- How do you rate yourself as a professional, As an executive?
- What new goals or objectives have you established recently?
- How have you changed the nature of your job?
- What do you think of your boss?
- What is your feeling about...alcoholism? divorce? homosexuals? women in business? religion? abortion?
- Why haven't you obtained a job so far
- What features of your previous jobs have you disliked?
- Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?
- Would you object to working for a woman?
- How would you evaluate your present firm?
- Do you generally speak to people before the speak to you?
- How would you describe the essence of success?
- What was the last book you read? movie you saw? sporting event you attended? etc.
- In your present position, what problems have identified that had previously been overlooked?
- What interests you most about the positions we have? The least?
- Don't you feel you might be better off in a different size company? Different type company?
- Why aren't you earning more at your age?
- Will you be out to take your boss's job?
- Are you creative? analytical? a good manager? a leader?...give examples
- How would you describe your own personality?
- Have you helped increase sales? profits? reduced costs?
- What do your subordinates thing of you?
- Have you fired people before?
- Have you hired people before? What do you look for?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- If you had your choice of jobs and companies, where would you go?
- What other types of jobs are you considering? what companies?
- Why do you feel you have top management potential?
- Tell us about yourself.
Obviously, we cannot provide answers for you to the previous questions. Every case is certainly an individual one, and the answers which you must be prepared to give will depend on your own goals and situation.
Many interviews can develop into a psychological test of wits. One of the things which you must have is a good sound reason for wanting to leave your present job. However, it can't sound like sour grapes.
You will frequently be asked to review your greatest strengths and weaknesses. Here you should have a number of answers developed in advance. You would then use the response which best firs the situation. Remember, when you are asked for your major weakness, you've got to appear mortal. The idea is to give a weakness which from the interviewer's viewpoint isn't much of a weakness.
