Archive for the ‘Interviewing’ Category
 These questions may be asked to determine your planning skills, your commitment to your career, and possible whether or not you’ll fit in to the company culture. If you just happened to fall into some career path and it’s worked out for you, great. But try to find some way to make your path seem purposeful. And likewise once you are in the job. Show that you can plan ahead and balance work and family, while meeting the needs of your company, clients and important stakeholders.
Q: Describe to me your career path after college. Explain the rationale behind each move.
A: “I first took an entry level job that was in industry I wanted to be in. I knew that I could learn a lot in that position, and it turned out to be true. After two years I felt like I had learned all I could, and was actually training other people. So I took a job at Company B which was very challenging. That position continued to grow as I was able to make strides. When the economy turned down, I was laid off in a company-wide reduction, so now I’m looking for another challenge.”
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 These questions are some that might be asked of those who have not been in the workforce for long or who are just entering it. The questions themselves might not ask directly about work, but your answer had better relate somehow to the job for which you are interviewing. Remember to always think in terms of what the job requires and why you are a good fit for it.
Q: Describe your dream job
A: “I really like to work with people and I see myself some day managing a team that plays an integral role in the company. Ideally I’d like to find a job that I can grow in, like this one, that provides me with a great opportunity for learning and that I can excel in.”
Rationale: Hopefully your dream job is not too far off from the job you are interviewing for, at least for now. But if you are applying for an entry level position, it is unlikely this is your dream job. It would not be wise to admit that you really want the pie in the sky position, but this job will do. This can be a tricky question. Try to be positive in relating your desire for this job and how it fits in with your dream job aspirations. Don’t feel you have to name a specific job, and try to work in your enthusiasm for the position for which you are interviewing.
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 When you are in salary negotiations for a new job, the ideal situation is to get your employer to give you a number first. This way, you don’t inadvertently lowball yourself. But sometimes giving out a number first is unavoidable. So how do you know what is reasonable for a position? Here are a few tips!
Know when to give a number. Sometimes, job postings will ask for your salary requirements. They use this information to weed out people who are over-qualified (too expensive) or under-qualified (too cheap.) You don’t want to place yourself in either pile, so instead, say your salary requirements are negotiable. Then, once you’ve secured the position – and only after trying to get a number from them first – should you give them your requirements.
Find out what other people at the company are making. No, you can’t ask, but you can check out websites like GlassDoor.com and Vault.com, where people anonymously share their salaries. This is probably the most accurate way to get the correct figure, but keep in mind that your experience and responsibilities may differ from someone else with the exact same title. Use the numbers you see as simply a guide.
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 Q: What do you do when you finish a project? How do you let off steam?
A: “If it’s a particularly big project or a client that we’ve been working on for a long time, I like to celebrate a bit. I think a team lunch is a great way for everyone to share in the success of a good project. Depending on the size of the project, a dinner might be in order! I have been on teams in the past where we’ve given out little funny awards, and that’s always a fun way to say ‘job well done.’”
Rationale: Keep the idea of a happy hour to yourself for now. Try to focus on rewarding the contributors and keeping it professional. Try to steer clear of mentioning time off – you don’t know what their policy is on that. But don’t be afraid to let on that you are human. You want to indicate that you are willing to reward others and that you work hard on a project or client.
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 Continued from Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 1, Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 2 and Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 3
No matter what type of job you are applying for, you are going to be asked the situational question. In the course of the workday we all come across difficulties or successes. Be sure to have some good examples ready and think of ways to present the information in a positive light. Think of several key situations; sometimes you can use the same situation to answer different questions. (But don’t do this in the same interview if you can help it!)
Q: Tell me about the best business decision you ever made? Describe the process you went through.
A: “The company had been doing a major project with the same vendor for several years. It was expensive and I thought we could get a better price. I sent out a call for bids and we got another vendor to do it for about half of what had been charged previously. The time it took to handle the bidding process was well worth the amount we saved.”
Rationale: You want to show you can analyze facts, being subjective, not emotional. This is not about your pet project, this is about a good you did for the company. It will also show that you pay attention to process and procedure, which is one of the key areas employers want to see. You don’t have to go into a lot of detail, but if you create a process for this change, be sure to mention it.
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