Job Interview Questions and Answers

Why should you be hired for this job? Point out how your talents and how they meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other job candidates and try to make a comparison. Try to tie a few things to your career path and how it is a good fit. Answer this question with confidence. Do not waffle. You show already know why you should be hired. If you have doubts or are tentitive about this answer, your interviewer might also have doubts. Why did you leave (or want to leave) your last job? Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.

What do you know about this company/organization?

This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?

What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?

Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.

Do you have any weaknesses?

Trick question. If you know about weakness, they are no longer blind spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.

What is your greatest strength?

Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude.

What have you learned from mistakes on the job?

Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and thus throwing coordination off.

Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?

This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.

Are you a team player?

You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.

Describe your management style.

Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive, salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the situation, instead of one size fits all.

Would you be willing to relocate if required?

You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself future grief.

Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?

This is up to you. Be totally honest.

What motivates you to do your best on the job?

This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:

Challenge, Achievement, Recognition

What motivates you to do your best on the job?

This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:

Challenge, Achievement, Recognition

What would your previous manager say your strongest point is?

There are numerous good possibilities:

Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise, Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver.

What kind of salary are you asking for?

A common loaded question. A tricky little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.

Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work.

Do you think you are overqualified for this position?

Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.

How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?

First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about, bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.

What qualities do you look for in a Manager?

Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have these traits.

Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between coworkers.

Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the dispute you settled.

Describe your work ethic.

Emphasize benefits to the company and the hiring manager. Things like, determination to get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.

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How to Prepare for BPO / Call Center Interview

The word “interview” itself makes a person tense and nervous who needs to appear in the interview. It is normal human behaviour to become confused or get tensed but such things can be overcome with practice, learning from seniors and elders, through own experience. These days Internet is a rich source of information.

In this jobshangout.blogspot.com, you will find questions also along with answers which are frequently asked and questions pertaining to your requirement. Have a walk through in this site. It will improve you performance remarkably and infuse a high level of confidence in you. It will make you more frank and it will develope diplomatic qualities in you too. Overall, it will give an impetus to you personality development.

The following are some frequently asked questions and answers in an interview. They are just suggestions feel free to adjust them to your personality and qualifications.

You should have a prepared response to the frequently asked question Tell me about yourself. Your ability to recite your background in a brief 120-second format is vital to the interview process. The two-minute bio offers a quick peek into your background, strengths, and career direction.

While every personal bio is unique, the traditional format looks something like this:

1. Begin with a brief remark about your background, such as your schooling, hometown, or other items of interest.

2. State your most recent employer, job title, and years with the company.

3. Offer one or two sentences about your job responsibilities.

4. Mention one or two special accomplishments in your most recent positions, including skill strengths.

5. Refer to prior positions to indicate career progression.

6. Indicate career goals.

Rehearse your 2-minute bio until it flows naturally according to the guidelines above.

WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?

The employer wants to hear your interpretation of the important aspects of the job. If you spend your interview for a retail sales position extolling your virtues as a computer expert you aren't likely to convince the interviewer that you have the skills needed to sell merchandise.

This is an opportunity question: an opportunity to tell how well your skills match the company's needs. If the search is for a super salesperson, tell how well you have honed your skills in persuasion, communication, and perseverance. Give an example of a time that you made a successful sale, or that you convinced someone to do something, or when tenacity paid off.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR OUR COMPANY?

This is where your research of the company comes in. In today's world of instant information, we can no longer get away with going into an interview without first having researched the company. The company in turn wants to know if you have done your homework.

This question allows you to show off the research you have done on the organization. Tell the interviewer you like the company's size, location, aggressive market stance, competitive thinking and creative business policies. It is perfectly acceptable to admit that you looked up the company on the Internet or in the reference section of the library. This shows that you know how to find answers to questions and arm yourself with information.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?

Occasionally an interviewer unearths some important information regarding a potential employee's longevity by asking this question. If you plan to go to graduate school, take a vacation tour, or move to a distant state, do not mention these plans to the interviewer under any circumstances. You will be considered a hiring risk no matter how strong your skills.

Remember that the main concern throughout the interview is to fill the open position with someone who will be successful in it. Say something like, First, I'd like to gain a solid foundation in the position you are considering me for, so that I am effective and successful in it. I'm sure that as I continue to grow, there will be opportunities within the company to offer me upward professional growth and new challenges.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESSES?

It is unlikely that most interviewers are straining their ears to hear your list of weaknesses. They simply want to see how you handle the question.

Some job candidates can get away with an answer like, While I certainly have weaknesses, I don't believe I have any that are significant to the position. As you've described the position to me, I think it would allow me to call upon my strengths.

If you don't feel you could pull that off, name a weakness that is first, not closely related to the position for which you are interviewing, and second, a technical skill that you can easily learn rather than a shortcoming in your personality, which is very difficult to change. Then tell the interviewer how you are working to improve your weak spot.

TELL ME ABOUT A PROBLEM YOU'VE FACED AND HOW YOU HANDLED IT

They want to assess your analytical skills as well as your ability to relate a delicate situation with tact and diplomacy.

To prevent yourself from stumbling and fumbling for a good response, prepare one before you set foot in the interview. Your answer should involve a clear presentation of the problem, the steps you took to correct the problem, and the results of your actions. Remember to keep it to less than two minutes.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS?

The interviewer is hoping to hear that your strengths match the needs of the job. He or she also wants to know how you present yourself and will watch warily for overconfidence, boastfulness, dishonesty, and lack of assertiveness.

This is an opportunity to highlight your strong points, so make the most of it. Speak of one or two strengths and then offer examples of how you have used these strengths.

WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT THIS JOB?

The interviewer is looking for your areas of enthusiasm “ where you will put the most energy into the job. Make sure your strong areas match the needs of the company's needs.

Answer this question with a question. Ask the interviewer to clarify the position for you before you answer, so that I can be sure not miss any key aspects of the job. Then match your interest areas with the key components of the job.

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Types of Interviews

Panel Interview/Board Interview

Candidates are interviewed by two or more individuals. This process is commonly used by governments and large organizations. It is important to maintain eye contact with the person asking the question and give an answer with an example to support it. Always acknowledge the other interviewers' presence by making eye contact while answering rotating questions. Direct your attention at the beginning and end of your response to the person who asked you that question. The questions asked in the interview are often set out in advance. The board may already have decided which answers they will accept/prefer for the questions. Ignore note-taking by board members. Obtain employers' names prior to the interview and use them during the conversation.

One-On-One Interviews

Candidates are interviewed by one person. These interviews tend to be more informal, however, it always depends on the employer's style. The interviewer will often have a series of prepared questions, but may have some flexibility in their choices. It is important to maintain eye contact with the person interviewing you.

Impromptu Interviews

This interview commonly occurs when employers are approached directly and tends to be very informal and unstructured. Applicants should be prepared at all times for on-the-spot interviews, especially in situations such as a job fair or a cold call. It is an ideal time for employers to ask the candidate some basic questions to determine whether he/she may be interested in formally interviewing the candidate.

Second Interviews or Follow-Up Interviews

Employers invite those applicants they are seriously considering as an employee following a screening or initial interview. These interviews are generally conducted by middle or senior management, together or separately. Applicants can expect more in-depth questions, and the employer will be expecting a greater level of preparation on the part of the candidate. Applicants should continue to research the employer following the first interview, and be prepared to use any information gained through the previous interview to their advantage.

Dinner Interviews

The interviews may be structured, informal, or socially situated, such as in a restaurant. Don't be the only one at the table to order an alcoholic drink, and if you have an alcoholic drink, stop at one. Decide what to eat quickly, some interviewers will ask you to order first (don't appear indecisive). Avoid potentially messy foods, such as spaghetti. Be prepared for the conversation to abruptly change from 'friendly chat' to direct interview questions, however, don't underestimate the value of casual discussion, some employers place a great value on it.

Telephone Interviews

Have a copy of your resume and any points you want to remember to say nearby. If you are on your home telephone, make sure that all roommates or family members are aware of the interview (avoids loud stereos, etc.). Speak a bit slower than usual. It is crucial that you convey your enthusiasm verbally, since the interviewer cannot see your face. If there are pauses, don't worry, the interviewer is likely just making some notes.

Group Interviews

Employers bringing several candidates together in a group situation to solve a problem are testing your ability to work in a team environment. They want to know how you will present information to other people, offer suggestions, relate to other ideas, and work to solve a problem. In short, they are testing your interpersonal skills. It is difficult to prepare for this type of interview except to remember what is being testing and to use the skills you have to be the best team player and/or leader you can be. Some employers will take you to meet the staff who would be your co-workers if hired. This is a very casual type of interview, but leaving a positive and friendly impression is no less critical

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