Job Interview Questions
A. Types of Interview Questions
Traditional Questions help the employer identify if you have the skills, knowledge, abilities to do the job, as well as the right attitude and cultural fit.
Traditional Interview Questions
When an employer asks you these questions, they are looking for your skills, your willingness to do the job and your fit in their organization. Prepare yourself by writing out your answers to these questions prior to an interview. (if you need specific assistance with one of these questions, come into our Resource Centre and talk to a Resource Advisor)
1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why did you leave your last job?
3. Describe the ideal job for you.
4. How would your last employer describe you?
5. What is your biggest weakness?
6. What are your strengths?
7. How well do you work under pressure?
8. What motivates you?
9. What is the worst mistake you ever made on the job?
10. What type of boss do you work best with?
11. Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?
12. What are your salary expectations?
13. What are your long term goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
14. Why are you interested in working for our company/organization?
15. Why should we hire you over someone else?
Behavioral Questions
The behavioral job interview is based on the theory that past performance is the best indicator of future behavior. Questions are used to ask about specific past behaviors such as…
"Tell me about a time where or when…,"
"Describe a situation you encountered at work…,"
"Give me a specific example of…."
Prepare for these interviews by recalling actual situations that fit the various types of behavioral interviewing questions. Expect interviewers to have follow-up questions and ask for more details.
The S.A.R. Technique
The best way to answer behavioral interview questions is to identify 6-8 past experiences where you demonstrated top behaviors and skills that employers typically seek.
§ Prepare short descriptions of each situation by reflecting upon the details:
a) Describe the Situation that existed
b) Tell what Action you took to fix the problem (how you used your skills)
c) Tell the Results of your action
§ Be sure the result reflects positively on you even if the result itself was not favorable
§ Be honest. Don't embellish or omit any part of the story. The interviewer will find out if your story is built on a weak foundation
§ Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed account of one event.
§ Employers want to know what you learned from the experience
Examples of an effective answer to a Behavioural Question
Question: Tell me about a time that you had a customer complain and what you did about it?
Answer: One of my customers, when I asked if I could assist her, told me that she was unhappy that what she wanted was not available, even after repeated requests for it to be stocked. She told me that she was disappointed that a chain store like ours was not able to carry such a common product. I explained to her that when she made the stock request the last time that I did speak to the Manager and found out that the product was not available from the USA supplier any more. So even though she was unhappy with the results, she was thankful that I had followed through with her request, and she continued to shop at that store for as long as I was there.
Common Behavioral Questions
1. Conflict: How you deal with conflict with a customer, a co-worker or a manager.
§ Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that person didn’t personally like you (or vice versa).
§ Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to communicate with someone you may not have seen eye to eye with.
2. Teamwork/Leadership: How you get along with others and what kind of leader you are.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to gain other people’s confidence towards you as a person
§ Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead?
§ Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
§ Give me an example of a time when you had to make a quick decision.
§ Give me an example of a time when you had to motivate others.
§ What have you done in the past to contribute to a team?
3. Problem Solving: How you find problems and what you do to fix them.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to address an unpleasant or uncomfortable issue at work.
§ Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems & took preventive measures.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without having all the facts or information.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem by searching for information.
§ Give me an example of a problem you have had and how you solved it.
4. Time-management/ Goal Setting: How you prioritize, set goals and achieve them.
§ Tell me about a time when you were required to prioritize several important projects/tasks.
§ Tell me about a time when you met a goal successfully
5. Professional Development: How you learn on the job.
§ What skills are you currently working to develop and how are you proceeding?
§ Tell me about a time you received “unsolicited feedback” about your performance?
§ Tell me about a time you had to learn something new, quickly.
6. General Situations
§ Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a stressful situation and what you did to manage it.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to speak up so others knew what you were thinking or feeling.
§ Tell me about a time when you had to do something that you did not agree with.
§ Describe a time when you had to pay close attention to what you were doing.
§ Give me an example of a goal you achieved in the past and how you achieved that goal.
§ Describe a written report or presentation you have completed.
§ Give me an example of a time you had to go above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done.
§ What did you do in your last job that kept you organized?
§ Describe the most creative thing you have done.
§ Describe a time you had to use a positive attitude to solve a problem or deal with a bad situation.
B. Tough Interview Questions
When you think about going to a job interview, what are the questions that you are concerned about being asked?
Employment gaps?
No references?
Why you left your last job?
1. What are your salary requirements?
Strategy:
The ideal time for a discussion of salary is deep into the interviewing process when both you and the employer have a strong interest in one another. There will be times, however, when an employer will ask about your salary expectations early in the interview. Use the following responses to avoid losing an offer because your expectations are too far apart.
Job-Seeker: "I have done some research and am aware that positions such as this one pay between $xxxx and $xxxx and I would be happy with an offer in that range.”
Job-Seeker: “I have done some research and am aware that positions such as this one pay between $xxxx and $xxxx and based on my experience and skills I would be willing to accept anything in the mid to upper end of that range.”
Employer: "The salary range for this position is $xx,xxx to $xx,xxx. Are you able to accept a salary within that range?"
Job-Seeker: "Thanks so much for asking me to be a part of your team. I know my unique mix of skills and abilities will be a great benefit to the organization. Based upon my research and what I've been discussing with other companies, I would have to say that the upper end of that range would be acceptable."
2. Why should I hire you instead of someone else?
Strategy:
The employer wants to know how aware you are about your value to the organization. This can include your interests, your values, your attributes, your experience, your education—and how these are of benefit to this organization. This is a time to sell yourself!
3. Why did you leave your last job?
Strategy:
The employer wants to know if there was a problem that caused you to leave or if you were let go or fired. If the contract was coming to an end or going into a winding down stage, give that as the reason for your departure. If your employment was terminated for issues like poor performance or attendance, prepare a response ahead of time. This will be verified by references so you must be honest.
4. Why are there gaps in your work history?
Strategy:
The employer wants to know how willing you are to work and if you plan to take time off from the job. You could talk about the need in the past to take some time to reassess your goals and direction, to overcome an illness or look after family members. Reassure the employer that you are now ready to commit your time and energy and stay with the company.
5. Tell Me about Your Weaknesses
Strategy:
To show the employer that you recognize your areas for development and that you are taking action to rectify it. Stronger candidates are open about their weakness and mistakes and talk about what they have learned and what they would do differently.
3. Illegal Interview Questions
According to the Canadian Labour Laws and the Canadian Human Rights Act, any question regarding the following subjects is illegal.
û Ageû Race
û Ancestry
û Political belief
û Marital status
û Sexual orientation / û Place of origin
û Religion
û Physical or mental disability
û Family status
û Conviction for a criminal or summary conviction charge that is unrelated to the employment
If you are asked an illegal question, it is important not only to know your rights but also to respond with dignity, assertiveness and professionalism. Indicate a willingness to demonstrate your suitability for the job without compromising your rights.
Some examples:
· How old are you?
· Your accent is interesting. Where are you from originally?
· I see you are wearing a wedding ring. Do you have children?
· Your shift will be working over the weekend. Do you go to church or anything that will conflict with this?
· It seems like we only just had an election. Who did you vote for
4. Questions to ask Employers
At the end of the interview the interviewer may give you the opportunity to ask a few questions:
ü Are you clear on the responsibilities and duties of the position if you are offered the job?
ü Do you wish to add anything to a previous answer?
ü What would be useful to know to further sell your skills and abilities to this
Prepare a list of 5-6 questions to bring with you. Take notes during the interview to capture any new questions to may want to ask.
NOTE: Only when you are offered the job, is it appropriate to ask questions about the medical plan, salary, public transportation facilities, etc…
Sample Questions
1. What are the key responsibilities for this job?
2. What personality traits do you consider critical to succeed in this job?
3. How could I complement the existing group?
4. What are your company’s short- and long-term goals?
5. What criteria will be used to measure my effectiveness?
6. Typically, how long does someone coming into this position take to learn the aspects of the job?
7. What do you see as the challenges of this position?
Closing Questions
o When will you be deciding upon your candidate?
o Can I call you after that date if I have not heard from you?