Do Your Research
Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much about the company and the position
as you possibly can. If you found the position through a recruiter, he or she should be able to
provide that information for you. If not, search the web or go to the library. In today's world of
mass communication, there's no excuse for lack of research.
After you have studied the company, write out a list of questions to ask the employer.
Sample questions follow:
- Why is this position available?
- What type of training programs will be offered to the person in this position?
- What are your goals for this position?
- What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
- How will my performance be evaluated?
- What opportunities are there for growth in the next 12 months? Two years? Five years?
- What growth do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?
No one can predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, but your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask. To prepare, think about how you would answer the following questions:
- Tell me about yourself. Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review your past positions, education and other strengths.
- What do you know about our organization. If you've done your research correctly, you should have no problem answering this one. Be positive.
- Why are you interested in this position? Relate how you feel your qualifications really match the requirements of the job. Also, express your desire to work for that company.
- What are the most significant accomplishments in your career so far? Pick recent accomplishments that relate to this position and its requirements.
- Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. Focus on how you solved the situation and how you became a better person because of it.
- How would you describe your personality?
- How do you perform under pressure?
- What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
- What did you like least about your last position?
- Are you leaving (did you leave) your present(last) company?
- What is your ideal working environment? How would your co-workers describe you?
- What do you think of your boss?
- Have you ever fired anyone? What was the situation and how did you handle it?
- Are you creative?
- What are your goals in your career?
- Where do you see yourself in two years?
- Why should we hire you?
- What kind of salary are you looking for?
- What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?