Good Job Interview Questions
You Should Be Prepared For
Here are some good job interview questions that will get you mentally prepared to do well in your next interview. Understanding how
to "package" your experience takes practice. Especially when there's a lot riding on how you come across. We all
know that you only get one chance to make a good first impression. So, your first round interview is critical.
Obviously, if you ramble - if you don't answer the question asked - if you don't have good eye contact - if you
don't come across as a "can do" kind of person, the chances of being invited back for additional rounds of
interviews are slim. Actually, slim to none.
What you need to do is gear up for each interview by looking at good job interview questions, and
practicing your answers. Each job you apply to will be a little different. You will need to tailor your answers to
the job at hand, swapping out your examples to fit the nuances of each job you're targeting. Does this sound
like a lot of work? You bet it is. But, if you prepare with these good job interview questions, there will be
more choices as you progress through your job search.
DESCRIBE A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU NEEDED
TO INFLUENCE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS WITH
DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES? WHAT WERE THE
RESULTS...WHAT WORKED WELL FOR YOU AND
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
It's common in corporate environments to have competing
priorities and different agendas. Sales and operations
immediately come to mind. In bringing any deal or project
to a successful conclusion, you typically need to influence
multiple people with a stake in the outcome. How do you
handle competing priorities? Are you a consensus builder
who brings stakeholders together to solve a problem? Or,
do you divide and conquer, getting buy in one on one?
There is no right or wrong answer here to a good job interview question like this. Your response
will give the interviewer insight into how you operate in a
typical corporate setting. Note that you're being asked
to pick a specific situation here, so be prepared to answer
accordingly.
WHAT IS THE ONE SKILL, KNOWLEDGE OR
EXPERIENCE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER
THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL BENEFIT OUR
ORGANIZATION THE MOST? WHY?
Similar to the "why should we hire you" question, the
interviewer is looking for your assessment of why you'll be
a good fit -- and of all the skills you bring with you, what
will have the most impact. In talking skills, you can't really
go wrong, but you can think about matching your skill set
to the key requirements of the job. If the number one issue
for the organization is booking new business in order to
meet aggressive sales targets, you might want to talk about
your ability and track record in opening new territories and
customer relationships.
Clearly, you don't want to misrepresent your background to
answer this question well, but it's acceptable to prioritize
your strengths according to what's most relevant for the job.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR CAREER IN RELATION
TO YOUR OTHER PRIORITIES?
The interviewer will be trying to get a sense of where you
stand on the work/life balance equation. While wanting
some balance is fine, do not go overboard on your response
here. Candidates who are looking to spend significantly
more time with their families do not fare well when this is
revealed. The exception might be if you've been a road
warrior and want to reduce travel to a reasonable level.
However, if you're looking to watch your kids play soccer
in the afternoon and have time off for school meetings, the
interview is not the place to make a big deal out of
this -- if you want the job. Most companies are pretty accommodating
on this front, provided you're generating results and
you are reasonable.
Assuming that you'll interview with peers as well as hiring
managers, ask them about corporate culture type issues.
This will give you a sense of whether the company expects
you to be a 24x7 player or encourages work/life balance,
along with community service activities. See if the
company encourages membership and active participation
in professional organizations; or is this an all work and no
"play" type company. When you get your answer, make
sure that it's consistent with your expectations.
