When you are facing a panel of interviewers, make your best moves.

Whether you are searching for jobs, looking for career avenues or climbing the corporate ladder,
you can't escape team interviews these days. The problem is that such interviews don't have a
pattern to them. They come in different forms. You could be facing your prospective team
members. Or you could be up against the top brass—HR vice-president, the section head, the
operations chief. Or you could also be sent to a recruitment assessment centre for multi-
parametric evaluation (psychological tests for pressure-handling abilities, team-player skills and
so on).
Try these ten tips for surviving, and scoring, in a team interview.
GIVE VARIETY TO YOUR ANSWERS

Remember you might be interviewed by different panels. Don't give a stock answer to all of them.
They'll be comparing notes.
Repackage your skills so that they sound different. If you're showcasing project X as your major
achievement in your present job before one team, talk about project B before another interview
panel.
A technical team will tune in to techie talk; an HR team would rather hear about your
interpersonal skills.
FINE-TUNE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Pull out the stops on your group management and group presentation skills.Interviewers are
people after all. Look for the personality type underscoring each interviewer.Then try and connect
with each one of them without getting personal. Usually the best way to make contact is to project
values that you feel you can share with your interviewers.
DON'T QUAKE IN YOUR BOOTS
• Interviewers are not ogres. They are looking for excuses to hire you, not spill your guts.
• Don't be obsequious. That conveys low self-esteem.
• If you face your interviewers with fear in your eyes, they won't like what they see. They are NOT
sadists.
PREPARE FOR STRESS
• You'll be up against a time crunch in a team interview.
• In one-on-ones, the interviewer might be taking notes, allowing you little breathers. No such luck
with four people firing questions at you. Use stress control techniques to soothe your nerves. You
might even use the extra adrenaline to sharpen your responses.
SHOWCASE THE IMPORTANT THINGS
• List seven important things that fit the job description of the advertised post. Prepare to present
skills that fit such traits.
• It helps to talk to friends familiar with the job description. You can even ask them to prepare
tests that you can take from them.
REHEARSE WELL
• Put together three family members or friends with diverse personality traits.
• Recreate the formality of a team interview situation and ask them to fire nonstop questions at
you. That will serve as a useful practice session.
• Ask for serious feedback, especially about weak areas in your answers. Questions about
qualifications and work experience are usually generic, so what your mock team asks you is
bound to be pretty close to the real stuff.
CREATE A MENTAL PICTURE OF YOURSELF
Boost your self-confidence by seeing yourself as star performer who's a cut above. See yourself
answering with elan the questions you expect. Then replay your answers and ask yourself these
questions:
• How interesting were your observations?
• Did most of your responses begin the same way?
• Did you use 'we' often, suggesting team-player attributes?
• Are there traces of humour in your responses?
ASK GOOD QUESTIONS
• Research is integral to a good interview performance. Find out as much about you can about
the company concerned. Browse the Net, check company reports, put together news clips.
• Armed with your background brief, ask relevant questions about the company.
• If you think you have a bright idea about any ongoing activity, try this: "Did the company
consider this option ..."
LOOK BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
• Your interview team has some core queries about you. It's these they want you to address. Try
and look beyond the upfront questions to decipher their exact intent. Then respond to fill in what
the team is really looking for.
• Flesh out your answers to focus on the team's concerns. If they ask you about your perception
of the company's ESOP policy, they want you to present your expectation from a stock option
plan.
• Answer in sync with the general tenor of the interview. If your work involves individual research
besides team work, don't go overboard about team-player abilities. Balance your answer. Mention
how sometimes individual work is more productive though team work is needed to put into action
ideas generated by individual research
Frequently Asked Questions About
about your experience in this type of job
admission in institute
admission in other institute
about hobbies and interests
about your own confidence
accomodate last minute change
assignment of challenging job
assignment on analytical ability
attitude towards life
comparison between confidence arrogance
decisionmaking on contentious issues
define dream job
definition of selfconfidence
definition of success
example of improvement
example of your analytical ability
gaps in resume
how you analyze
how you handle situations against you
how you motivate team members
hurdles in ambitious goals
if job is not offered
if your interview named terrible
important accomplishment
inefficient planning case
involvement of others immediate decision making
leadership styles
longterm career goal
narration immediate decision making
on facing dismissal
on factors to boost morale
on how you evaluate your team members
on how you give feedback
on immediate decision making
on ineffective logical approach
on obeying orders to do unethical things
on other's errors
on stress coping strategies
on task priority organization
on thinking of new idea
on tight work schedule
on trying new ways on whether you can compromise on values
on whether you can do unethical practise
on which task first
on your belief as a mentor
on your changing style
on your criticism
on your judgement about pattern
on your own values
opinion about others dress
planning organizing project
tell something about you
threats from colleagues
what motivates you
when less information available
when others need you
when your emotions involved
when your expectations are not met
whether you feel risk praising team members
whether you praise team members
why job in their organisation
why to select you
you an optimistic or pessimistic
your attitude towards work
your friends opinion
your improvement competence-wise
your initiative in your improvement
your justification about your confidence
yourself as self-starter
assuring of other person's understanding
describe your present job
difference in present and this job
do you change job frequently
do you honor your commitments with others
do you like your present job
duration of your stay
establishing rapport
example of negotiation
explaining complex technical issue
faq on informal aspect
fixing target and resistance price
frequently asked questions in interviews
handling delicate communication
how you negotiate
how you treat people
importance of team building
lmprasad author interview pages
making others interested to listen
on offer from competitor with higher salary
on your business attitude
on your managerial attitude
plans after mba
for experienced cadidates
in admission interview
on analytical ability
on attitude
on behavioral aspect
on communication skills
on confidence
on creativity
on decision making skills
on informal aspect
on initiative
on interpersonal skills
on judgement
on leadership
on management ability
on motivation
on negotiation skills
on organizational skills
on stresscoping skills
on value system
Sequence of questions in interviews
skills used to influence negotiation
survival of fittest or most cooperative
toughest job you had
typical day in present job
what makes a person likable
when others disagree
why leaving present job
why want admission in mba
PERSONALITY QUIZ STEP 1:
1. Usually Tired - YES/NO
2. Usually Exhausted - YES/NO
3. Can not Sleep - YES/NO
4. Tense - YES/NO
5. Often Uneasy - YES/NO
6. Non-Caring Attitude - YES/NO
7. Like Privacy - YES/NO
8. Secretive - YES/NO
9. Can not Face Facts - YES/NO
10. Don’t like Noise - YES/NO
11. Don’t know the tactful way of handling People - YES/NO
12. Don’t like Social Life - YES/NO
13. Don’t like Crowds - YES/NO
14. Active Mind - YES/NO
15. Soft Spoken - YES/NO
16. Don’t like Alcohol - YES/NO

If answers to any 12 out of above 16 points are YES,

then you are INTROVERT.

PERSONALITY QUIZ STEP 2:

1. Loud - YES/NO
2. Brazen - YES/NO
3. Tough - YES/NO
4. Back slapper - YES/NO
5. Like outdoors - YES/NO
6. Energetic - YES/NO
7. Like hard drinks - YES/NO
8. Courageous - YES/NO
9. Aggressive - YES/NO
10. Like sleep - YES/NO
11. Shrewd - YES/NO
12. Dominant - YES/NO
13. Take risks - YES/NO
14. Like youth activities - YES/NO
15. Eat well - YES/NO
16. Ethical - YES/NO
17. Greedy for affection - YES/NO
18. Effective communicator - YES/NO

If answers to any 14 out of above 18 questions are YES,

then you are EXTROVERT
PERSONALITY QUIZ STEP 3:
1. Adjustable - YES/NO
2. Fight for desires - YES/NO
3. Go Getter - YES/NO
4. Adaptable - YES/NO
5. Leader - YES/NO
6. Thinker - YES/NO
7. Planner - YES/NO
8. Look younger - YES/NO
9. Mesmeriser - YES/NO
10. Use training - YES/NO
11. Utilize education - YES/NO
12. Bounce back from defeat - YES/NO
13. Depressed some times - YES/NO
14. Efficient - YES/NO

If answers to any 11 out of above 14 points are YES, then you are AMBIVERT

QUESTION ASKED

Q1. Why do you want to leave your present job?

Q2. Why do you want the job which we have advertised?
Q3. What makes you feel that you will be suitable for this post?
Q4. How will you react when you feel that your superior officer is not correct on a
Particular issue and that he differs from you?
Q5. Why have you been working as a ……..for all these years?
Q6. Why are you unemployed now?
Q7. Why you want a job on less salary as compared to present one?
Q8. For what purpose you want Employment – for fascination or necessity?
Q9. But you can earn better elsewhere?
Q10. Some time some of the existing employees do not want to cooperate with the new
Entrants. In that case, what will be your role to play?
Q11. Will you grudge if you are over-burdened with work?
Q12. While coming for interview how many stairs you have covered to come to this room
from the down-stairs?
Q13. Colour of the wall at your back?
Q14. What do you do for recreation?
Q15. What types of persons do you dislike?
Q16. What plans do you have for self-improvement during the next twelve months?
Q17. What is your aim in Life?
Q18. Who is more efficient, male or female employee?
Q19. In what ways, you feel will be more effective employee in this company?
Q20. How would you develop the sense of belonging to the company, if appointed?
Q21. Can we consider appointing you at a bit lower position?
Q22. Do you believe in unionism?
Q23. Which public figure do you admire most and why?
Q24. If you are rejected today, what will be your reaction?
Q25. If appointed what will be your relation with the company?
Q26. After doing B.A., why have not you gone for M.B.A.?
Q27. If selected, will you feel that your ambition has ben fulfilled?
Q28. If you are not selected, will you feel down-hearted?
Q29. You reached here 30 minutes late. Can you explain the reason?
Q30. We find that you are replying to the question as ready made answers, duly prepared
from the notes given by your Trainer. Does it not indicate that you have no Originality?
Q31. Do you need service or you are required for Service?
Q32. You are an unemployed person. How do you spend your time?
Q33. What impression have you drawn from this Interview?
Q34. You have not ben able to satisfy us properly with your answers. How is that you
have got 89% in your +2 Exams?
Q35. Difference between Efficiency and Effectiveness?
Q36. If You get better job elsewhere will you stay with us?

WHAT INTERVIEWERS SEE AND OBSERVE:

• The Interviewers keep watch of the candidate right from the entry to the exit of
the interview room.
• They study the candidate’s Character, Intelligence, Smartness, Temperament,
Alertness, Presence of Mind, Patience, Gentleness, Way of Thinking, Personality
and Family background.
• Candidate's Eagerness for learning things.
 • Consistent Academic Career.
• They try to know whether candidates are concealing Facts. Truthful candidates
are liked.
• Power of expression and whether well balanced.
• Want Dutiful, Obedient and and Softspoken candidate. Good health is also seen.
• Whether ambitious through devotion to service.
• Don’t like oversmartness of candidates.
• They observe how far the candidates are dynamic and whether they have
foresightedness.
• Whether candidate becomes nervous and also has a Stable Mind.
• Don’t like shy candidate. Observe whether candidate will be able to adjust
themselves in different situations, seriousness of working.
• Sense of cleaniness and habits.
• Interviewer study whether the candidates have the capacity of catching the words
and repying instantly.
• Interviewer dislikes the candidates who are in the habit of irrelevant and
unwanted talks.
• They study attitude and aptitude.
• General awareness of candidates.
• Comfortable knowledge of the spoken Language.
• Intelligence, Self-confidence, Overall appearance, Behavioural pattern, Ability to
convince, Clarity of Expression.
DRESS-------------------
MEN:
• Most authoritative colours for Suits: Navy Blue / Grey / Black
Wool – Wool blend.
Trousers straight or Lappered.
No tight clothes because tight clothes magnify the weight problems.
• Shirts should be of white or light colour to offset the suit, cotton or cotton blend.
No shiny or see through material.
• A Tie is must. Tip of the tie should touch the belt. It should not be longer or
shorter . The thin end should not show below the broad end of the tie. If it
happens, don’t hide in your trouser but put inside in your shirt between the
buttons. Never wear a spoilt or dirty tie.
• No gold chains or bracelets and no finger Rings, no stone or gems.
• Don’t use too much or strong fragrance.
• Nails should be cleaned and well shaped. Looks should be clean and well shaved.
WOMEN:
• Wear according to the Organization's Work Culture. For Example, wear what an
Airline has in its uniform in case of Aviation Industry.
• Any coloured skirt or jacket. No pants or jeans. Don’t wear too long or too short
skirts. Idealy the skirt should end slightly above the knees.
• A scarf, if worn, should be brightly coloured, contradicting to suit.
Stockings is important. It gives the legs better shape and also make the attire look
complete. Wearing such suit without stockings give a naked look.
• Plain pair of pump (soft and shiny leather shoes) with heels should be polished.
 • Do not use torn stockings.
• Feet should be cleaned with painted nails.
• While taking height & weight measurements you may be asked to remove your
shoes. If stockings have any hole or feet smell , you know what will happen to
you.
• Carry a colourless nail polish with you.
• Wax your legs. Hair can definitely be seen through stockings.
Manicure your finger nails and paint them before going to Iinterview. Your hands
are constantly on display as you are greeting people, serving food, clearing trays
and demonstrating of emergency equipments. Dirty bitten nails give negative
impression. No chiped nail polish.
• Hair: Short hair or blunt cut etc. Easy to manage and have a neat look to it. Long
hair should be tied with clip etc.
• No toe ring. Jewellery should be of one metal either gold or silver.
• MAKE UP: Match the foundation to the skin colour . No Pancake make up that
seems as if you are hiding some scar or blemishes on your face and looks artificial
and ugly. Highlight your eyes and lips . Use Eye-liner and kajal. Do not wear
green, blue and grey contact lenses at interview. It looks Artificial and Cheap.
Natural eye colour contact lenses are best. Use a matching lipstick.
• Attend to personal cleanliness to prevent perspiration , Body and Breath odours,
and Remember you are never completely dressed unless you wear a SMILE :-)

FIRST IMPRESSION AND BODY LANGUAGE:

It takes ten seconds to make a first Impression and a Life time to undo it.
93% of Communication is Non-Verbal. Out of this 55% is through Body Language and
38% is Tone of Voice and Balance 7% of Total Communication is Verbal.
When you walk into an Interview room, walk with a little bounce, showing Enthusiasm
and Energy. Do not show Nervousness.
Stand tall and then walk into the room.
Keep right hand free, Interviewer may be interested to shake hand.
Keep your legs still and do not shake them.
Keep your legs together or close at ankles.
Men close at knees. No figure 4 posture. It depicts arrogance.
Do not clear your throat.
Try not to use “Yeah or Ya“ ---- Say "Yes".

BODY GESTURES TO BE AVOIDED:

Non Verbal:

NERVOUSNESS: Clearing the throat, fidgeting (arousing body or body parts), playing
with your clothes or hair, exhaling audibly, yawning etc.

SUPERIORITY: Hands on hips, looming stance.

INSECURITY: Chewing on fingernails or a pencil or pen, quick eye darts, playing with
clothes etc. looking down, not making eye contact.

DEFENSIVENESS: Crossed arms, looking sideways, rubbing eyes and nose.

ANGER: Short breath, clenched fists, tense jaws.

DOMINANCE: Leaning back on a chair with a slopping body, leaning back with both
hands behind the head or neck.

DISBELIEF: Raising one or both eyebrows.

DISCOMFORT: Going on one Hip, rocking, going back or forth on heels and toes.

DISAGREEMENT: Rubbing side of your neck, touching an ear and earlobe, holding
back of neck with open palm.

DISGUST: Narrowed Eyes and lowered Eyebrows, curled Upper Lips.

GROUP DISCUSSIONS can be on Current Politics, Social Events or Situations. In

Group Discussion generally, Contents of Discussion are not seen but the Leadership
Qualities. Are you a discussion hogger or shy discussing in a group. Interviewer look for
quite leaders not loud or pushy participants. If the group become too loud or with too
many aggressive people, try raising your hand to speak instead of shouting over the group
when you want to contribute your ideas to the discussion. Helping other Participants and
making a valuable contribution, should be done to create the right impression. If you lead
the group into discussion, try to close the discussion in the specified time given.
HOW TO HANDLE A GROUP DISCUSSION ?
• INITIATE THE DISCUSSION: The Observers mark you on this. If you start a
Group Discussion once the Topic is provided to you, you will earn points for
yourself.
• DON'T BREAK OTHERS' OPINIONS ABRUPTLY: Never directly interrupt
if the other person is presenting his/her point. Try to Politely interfare by saying,
"I agree with you to a certain extent, but I think...." or "You are right Mr. X but I
feel..."
• SUMMERIZE THE DISCUSSION: The Observers watch you for closing the
Discussion with a Proper Summary of the Outcome of the discussion. Summarize
the Discussion if you feel that there is no more discussion left on that topic. Be
the first one to do so, and get the points !
• DON'T TALK TO THE OBSERVERS: In a Group Discussion, always talk to
the others participating in the Group Discussion, and not the Observers.
TIPS FOR WALK-IN INTERVIEWS:
Walk-In Interviews are Tedious because of large number of Interviewees. So, Keep in
Mind the Following Things for Successful Walk-in Interview:
• Reach early because generally it is done on first come first interviewed bases. If
time is 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., reach by 8.00 p.m. You will have to wait little,
Interviewer will be fresh and will remember you better. In the late hours because
of fatique may miss the good candidates.
• All the credentials, they check.
• Your medical (height and weight) is done to check your body statistics fall within
the specified limits. Before going for an interview or writing your resume, get
your height and weight checked from 2 locations/places, otherwise if any mistake
is found, you may burst into tears and Interviewers won’t sympathise with you.
• When sent inside for the interview, most of the time 4 – 5 candidates are sent
together. Sit after you are asked to sit or seek their permission to sit. Do not grab
the first available chair. Remember to walk looking TALL. First impression
counts. Look friendly, not nervous or grim. Remember to sit properly, means legs
and feet together.
• When asked to speak about you speak about YOU only, in the allotted time.
Convey them you are dependable, flexible and have lots of patience. If you
worked or volunteered in any service industry or hosted any function. Highlight
that, tell them how you enjoy meeting people, tell them you can work for longer
hours (give example), tell them you enjoy get-togethers, tell them you take care
and enjoy taking care of your brothers, sisters and grand parents. Give examples
 of your tolerance and patience. The interviewer will not be able to pull out all
these informations from you. It is upto you to let them know, through examples,
every thing about YOU.
• No one wants to hear about your family tree. They want to know YOU.
• Prepare, Prepare and Prepare.
• If interviewer is writng something, do not lean to read, you will become more
nervous.
• Clear the first round by good appearance, good talk, good walk and SMILE.
• In the waiting hall, some time, their staff can be there, mixing with you as
interviewees to judge you. Do not speak bad about company, arrangements, infra
structure or don’t gossip there. Your behaviour there can be judged also.
• Before going to interviews, surf their website and know maximum about
company, key persons and related information and prepare how you will perform
well there.
• At the end your medical checkup will be conducted by company doctor. Be fare
and truthful always.

1-
Making an Impression in a Panel Interview
Panel interviews, which are becoming popular in many organizations, allow several of
the company’s
representatives to meet a job applicant at the same time in the same place. If you are job-
hunting,
you may eventually experience a panel interview. It can be an intimidating experience—a
number of
people sitting around a table, all looking at you expectantly—but it need not be. It can be
an excellent
opportunity for you to present yourself in the best light to some of the organization’s
decision makers
at one time. The key to a successful panel interview is your ability to remain composed
and confident.
Ask yourself:
• How can I prepare myself mentally for a panel interview?
• What are my major strengths as a potential employee?
• How can I best communicate these strengths to each panel member?
What You Need to Know
How do panel interviews fit into the overall hiring process?
Panel interviews are seen as way of using time efficiently for both interviewers and job
applicant. With
several representatives of the organization in the same place at the same time, you, the
applicant,
need not be escorted from office to office. In a sequential interviewing process, if one
interviewer
takes more time than has been scheduled for his or her part of the process, the entire
schedule can
be thrown off. This seldom happens in a panel interview.
Other benefits of a panel interview are that you, as the job applicant, only need to tell
your story once
and receive consistent information from the panel members. At the same time, all the
panel members
receive the same information from you on which to base their decision to hire you.
If I’m interviewed by a panel, it is wise to send a thank-you note
to each member?
Yes, you should send a thank-you note to each member of the panel individually, in the
same way
that you would to each person if you had interviewed with them one-on-one. So be sure
to get the
names and titles of everyone on the panel. It is not necessary to compose a completely
unique
note for each interviewer—a similar note is perfectly acceptable. You should, of course,
mail each
separately.
-2-
What to Do
Prepare Well
As with any interview, you will want to learn as much as you can about both the
organization and
the job you are applying for. The organization’s Web site is a good place to start: its
annual report
may be published there, as well as more detail about the job opening you are applying
for. Check
your local library for recent articles about the organization, and talk with people who are
familiar with
the organization and its business. Before you go to the interview get as much information
about the
following as you can:
• the size of the organization
• its structure
• its main business
• its major competitors
• its work culture
Being mentally prepared is also key for this type of interview. Visualization is a powerful
technique
that has been used successfully by many people. Jack Nicklaus claims that much of his
golf success
can be attributed to his mentally rehearsing each shot before he actually picks up a club.
You can use it just as effectively to mentally rehearse for a panel interview. It can help
you feel and
appear cool and confident. Before the interview, close your eyes and picture yourself in a
conference
room with several people sitting around a large table anticipating what you might say in
response
to their questions. See yourself relaxed and open, answering each question easily, relating
to each
interviewer, ending with smiles all around—knowing it was a success.
Answer Each Question Individually, Even If You Feel You Are
Being Bombarded
It may seem to you that everything is moving too fast during a panel interview. One
person may ask a
question, and before you have an opportunity to answer, another may ask a related
question or add
another layer to the first question. Try to answer each question in turn, taking the first and
building on
it to incorporate the second. Be sure to answer all the interviewers’ questions, so that
none leave the
room thinking you have ignored either them or their questions.
-3-
Ask for Clarification If Appropriate
If you do not fully understand a question, check that you have understood it correctly
before you
launch off on what could be completely the wrong tack. You don’t have to be elaborate: a
simple “Do I
understand you correctly? You want to know…” can be very helpful when you are
uncertain as to the
exact information the interviewers want from you.
On the other hand, you will need to know occasionally if your answers have been
understood. “Did
I answer your question?” directed at the panel member concerned will confirm that you
have replied
appropriately.
What to Avoid
You Do Not Prepare Mentally for a Possible Panel Interview
You may have heard that the organization has never done panel interviews. Prepare
anyway. You
have no way of knowing what they may choose to do in your case. Preparation for a
panel interview is
time well spent, as you will be well prepared for any interview.
You Let the Interviewers Do All the Talking
Resist the temptation to let the panel members do all the talking and thereby take the
pressure off
you to perform. This is an interview like any other interview; you have come to persuade
them to hire
you. While you do not want to interrupt panel members, you do need to find a way in
which to discuss
your strengths and all the other reasons for them to choose you for the job. If you fail to
do so, the
panel will compare notes after your meeting and be asking each other “What did we learn
about this
applicant?” They will discover they have learned that you are a good listener, nothing
more.
You Direct Your Comments to Only One Panel Member
As you speak, make meaningful eye contact with each member of the panel; catch the
gaze of a
particular member, hold it for about three seconds, and move to the next panel member.
This may
take some practice beforehand. It is not easy to catch someone’s eye, count to three, and
move on,
all while trying to impress the panel with your answer to a challenging question. But it is
a useful skill,
transferable to other situations such as meetings and public speaking, and will eventually
become
second nature.

CHECKLIST FOR AN INTERVIEW:

WOMEN:
• Decent grooming
• Matching Nail Polish
• Lip Shine
• Matching Dress as per the nature of Job
• A Spare Set of dress with you
MEN:
• Matching or White Socks
• Matching or White Hankerchief
• Matching Clean Dress, Washed and Ironed
• Check for Open/Broken Buttons
• Zip of Trousers
• No hanging thread
• No Coins/Keys in the pockets
• A Spare Set of dress with you if Possible
Make sure that You have Your Certificates and other Credentials, Originals neatly fixed
in a Good Quality folder/File cover and Xerox in a different file cover. Carry two Ball-
point Pens and two spiral pads with You !

Services » INTERVIEW STRATEGY

This section contains free interview advice, including interview techniques, interview
questions that interviewers may ask you, questions you may want to ask the interviewer,
general interview guidance, panel interview and group interview tests. We will teach you
how to handle interviews and hopefully improve your interview technique to improve
your chances of being the successful candidate that lands that all-important second
interview.

INTERVIEW SAMPLE :

1. Tell me a little about yourself?

You should take this opportunity to show your communication skills by speaking clearly
and concisely in an organized manner. Because there is no right or wrong answer for this
question, it is important to appear friendly.

Short Answers:

"I attended MIT where I majored in Electrical Engineering. My hobbies include

basketball, reading novels, and hiking."

"I grew up in Korea and studied accounting. I worked at an accounting firm for two years
and I enjoy bicycling and jogging."

"I’m an easy going person that works well with everyone. I enjoy being around different
types of people and I like to always challenge myself to improve at everything I do."

"I’m a hard worker and I like to take on a variety of challenges. I like pets, and in my
spare time, I like to relax and read the newspaper."

"I’ve always liked being balanced. When I work, I want to work hard. And outside of
work, I like to engage in my personal activities such as golfing and fishing."

Long Answer:

"I went to the University of Washington and majored in English Literature. I went to
graduate school because I really enjoyed learning. Afterwards, I started my career at
Boeing as a web content editor. I’ve been there for 3 years now. Although my emphasis
is in writing, I like numbers. I think solving logic problems and riddles are quite fun. I
also enjoy jogging, reading, and watching movies."

There is no right or wrong answer for this question. Most important thing you should
remember is how you deliver the message. The example above shows a short answer
telling a little bit about the person. The answer went from education to career, and then to
personal interests all in a smooth flow.

2. What are your strengths?

This is a popular interview question. They want to know what you think of yourself.
Although this is a general question, there is a wrong and right answer. The wrong answer
is a generic answer saying you are organized and friendly. Although it will not hurt you
during the interview, it will certainly not help you either. Answer this question based on
the type of job you are applying for.

Short Answers:

"I believe my strongest trait is my attention to detail. This trait has helped me
tremendously in this field of work."

"I’ve always been a great team player. I’m good at keeping a team together and
producing quality work in a team environment."

"After having worked for a couple of years, I realized my strength is accomplishing a

large amount of work within a short period of time. I get things done on time and my
manager always appreciated it."

"My strongest trait is in customer service. I listen and pay close attention to my
customer’s needs and I make sure they are more than satisfied."

Long Answers:

Let’s say I am interviewing for a management position. You should mention traits that
are important for managers.

"A couple strengths I have are planning and execution, and working with people. I’ve
always been very good at planning and detailing all the steps. Even in college, I would
spend time organizing my week and planning a strategy to tackle each class or
assignment. Executing a plan has always come easy for me as well. I believe it’s due to
proper planning. I also work with people very well in a way where I use the strengths of
each individual in a team to produce the best results. Because of my easy going
personality, I’ve been told by my directs that it’s easy to approach me."

If you are applying for an accounting position, you should mention strong traits an
accountant should have and claim them to be yours.

"I’m very detail oriented, good at managing time, and very honest. I always incorporate
managing time and being detailed together. By nature I’ve been detail oriented, and that
resulted in taking too much time on a particular task. After incorporating time
management into the mix, I found that my work and efficiency increased dramatically. I
plan better and produce higher quality work in a time constraint environment. Finally,
I’m a very honest person. When I was working as a valet attendant during college, a lady
gave me a twenty dollar bill to pay for the three dollar fee. She almost drove off the lot,
but I stopped her and said here is your change. My co-workers said I should have
considered the change as tip, but I know what I did was honest and right. You can fool
other people, but you can’t fool yourself. That’s what I believe."

The second example can seem a little wordy. But the power of an example is greater than
any great words you can string together. Everyone can claim they are honest, but with an
example, it is much more believable.

3. What are your weaknesses?

For this answer, you should display a weakness that can be seen as a strength. There are
many types of answers that will work. Some answers will be good answers for certain
jobs, while the same answer will be a bad answer for a different job. Select an answer
that will work for the position you are applying for. Here are a few examples.

Short Answers:

"This might be bad, but in college I found that I procrastinated a lot. I realized this
problem, and I’m working on it by finishing my work ahead of schedule."

"I feel my weakness is not being detail oriented enough. I’m a person that wants to
accomplish as much as possible. I realized this hurts the quality and I’m currently
working on finding a balance between quantity and quality."

"I feel my English ability is my weakest trait. I know this is only a temporary problem.
I’m definitely studying hard to communicate more effectively."

"The weakest trait I struggled with was not asking for help. I always try to solve my own
problems instead of asking a co-worker who might know the answer. This would save me
more time and I would be more efficient. I’m working on knowing when it would be
beneficial to ask for help."

Long Answers:

"I think my weakest trait is my impatience. Whenever I work in a team and a member is
not performing up to my expectations, I can get impatient and annoyed. I understand if
they are working hard and their portion is difficult, but sometimes a person can’t do the
assignment due to incompetence or laziness. A while back I would get frustrated and start
complaining, but I realized that I can help out by explaining things to some people and
encouraging lazy people by reminding them of deadlines. I know it’s bad to be impatient,
but I’m definitely working on it."

"I’m too detail oriented. I never want to leave anything out and I want everything to be
perfect. This is bad because it slows down my work. Initially, I tried to work faster to
compensate, but that only made me sloppy. So I decided to put more emphasis on priority
and planning. By doing so, I’m hoping that I can make the proper decisions on what to
work on and what to intentionally leave out."
Both of these examples show an answer that is acceptable. Although being impatient is
not good, it shows that you are a quick learner and that you like efficiency. The second
displays a person that is detail oriented, which can be seen as a good trait. Finally, both
answers identify the weakness and show the actions of correcting it.

4. What are your short term goals?

This question primarily depends on where you are in your career. A person with 5 years
of experience will have different short term goals than a person with no work experience.
I’ll give an example for both scenarios. But first, here are some short answers.

Short Answers:

"My short term goal is to find a position where I can use the knowledge and strengths that
I have. I want to partake in the growth and success of the company I work for."

"I’ve learned the basics of marketing during my first two years. I want to take the next
step by taking on challenging projects. My short term goal is to grow as a marketing
analyst."

"As a program manager, it’s important to understand all areas of the project. Although I
have the technical abilities to be successful in my job, I want to learn different software
applications that might help in work efficiency."

"My goal is to always perform at an exceptional level. But a short term goal I have set for
myself is to implement a process that increases work efficiency."

Long Answers:

"My short term goal is to learn everything I can about marketing. I want to find a position
where I can contribute what I’ve learned through education and to gain real life
experience. I believe the next couple of years will be very important to me and my
immediate goal is to learn and become skilled in all aspects of marketing."

"My short term goal is to get into a management position. The last five years of my
career, I’ve concentrated on learning and acquiring all the skills needed to perform
excellent work. Recently, I’ve taken more responsibilities in management because I
eventually want to become a sales manager. I’m excited about the last few assignments I
completed because it involved working with vendors and partners while managing a
small group of workers. So I hope to be in a management position within a year or two
and I feel I’m doing a diligent job by volunteering for extra work to gain more
experience."

The first example is a person straight out of school. Learning is a good short term goal to
have because it shows that you will be trying hard in your job. The second example is
more detailed because that person has several years of experience. Anybody can say they
want a management position, but this candidate is taking it a step further by showing the
steps he is taking to achieve the short term goal. Thus, it becomes a stronger answer.

5. What are your long term goals?

This question is asked to see how serious a candidate is about his or her career. Some
people might not know their long term goals, and some people might have long term
goals of becoming rich and retiring early. Those are incorrect answers for this question.
The type of answer you want to give is an ambitious answer that shows you really love
your career. A good interviewer will read between the lines and find out if a person is
going to be a hard worker or just a mediocre one. Being descriptive and shooting for a big
goal is something interviewers want to hear.

Short Answer:

"I would like to become a director or higher. This might be a little ambitious, but I know
I’m smart, and I’m willing to work hard."

"After a successful career, I would love to write a book on office efficiency. I think
working smart is important and I have many ideas. So after gaining more experience, I’m
going to try to write a book."

"I’ve always loved to teach. I like to grow newer employees and help co-workers where
ever I can. So in the future, I would love to be an instructor."

"I want to become a valued employee of a company. I want to make a difference and I’m
willing to work hard to achieve this goal. I don’t want a regular career, I want a special
career that I can be proud of."

Long Answer:

"My long term goal is to become a partner for a consulting firm. I know the hard work
involved in achieving this goal, and I know that many people fail to become a partner.
That’s not going to stop me from working hard, learning everything I can, and
contributing to a company where I’ll become a valuable asset. I know it’s not a
guarantee, but becoming a partner is a long term goal of mine, and I going to work
towards this goal throughout my career."

This example shows a candidate with a big goal. This person identifies the difficulty of
the goal and shows the steps required to achieve this goal. Despite the difficulty, this
candidate shows he or she will not get discouraged with difficult situations and will never
give up. It is a short answer that goes a long way.

6. What do you want to be doing five years from now?

This is a similar question to the short term question, but you should answer it a little
differently. Here are some examples.

Short Answers:

"In five years, I see myself as a valued employee of a company. I want to be an expert at
my position and start training to be a manager."

"In five years, I want to be a senior analyst. I want my expertise to directly impact the
company in a positive way."

"My goal is to become a lead in five years. Although not everyone gets promoted to this
level, I believe I can achieve this goal through hard work."

"Although I really enjoy working hands on as a mechanical engineer, I want to eventually

become a manager. I want to continue gaining experience, and after learning many
different aspects, I see myself in management."

Long Answers:

"Five years from now, I would like to see myself in a management position. I’m going to
be learning and gaining practical experience until then, but eventually, I want to become
a marketing manager. I know there are a lot of things to learn, but I’m going to be
working hard for the next five years. I believe opportunities come to great workers and
I’m going to try to be one of them."

"Five years from now, I want to be a senior sales manager. I’m currently training to
become a manager, and if I continue to work hard, I feel I’ll have a management position
soon. After gaining several years of experience as a sales manager, I want to be in a
position where I can train and provide my expertise to newer sales managers."

Both answers display characteristics of working hard. The second example also mentions
that he or she wants to train newer managers. This is a good answer because it targets one
good trait about upper management… the ability to train managers.

7. If you could change one thing about your personality, what would it be and why?

This question is another variation to the weakness question. You can provide a similar
type of question unless it is the same person asking them. To answer this question, think
of a person you respect and the trait they have that you really like. I used to have a
manager that was very patient and explained things very carefully. I really liked this trait,
so I’m going to provide the long answer by using this example. But first, let’s look at
some short answers.

Short Answers
"I get easily frustrated at people who don’t work very hard. But I know people have
different work styles and different work habits. So if I could change something, I would
like to be more understanding."

"I have high expectations and I have these expectations on others. I think if I was more
understanding, I could help other workers improve instead of being disappointed."

"I would like to be more of a risk taker. I always do my work and complete it at an
exceptional level, but sometimes taking a risk can make the work even better. I’m
working on this by thinking the issue through and weighing the pros and cons."

"I would like to be more of an extrovert. I’m a little quiet and a little closer to the
introvert side. I would like to change this because I would appear more friendly."

Long Answer

"I wish I was more patient with people. I remember a manager I had a couple of years
ago. He was very patient with everyone. Even workers that were not that smart and failed
to understand a concept to perform the job. I remember thinking how can this person who
can’t understand this concept continue to work here. My manager took a different
approach. He was understanding of this worker and explained the concept in a different
way. He even explained how to view problems from a different perspective. That helped
this worker and in time that worker became a strong contributor. So if I could change one
thing about me, I would like to be more patient and understanding. I’m taking the steps to
change for the better by remembering the actions of my past manager whenever I’m in a
similar situation."

This is a little long, but if you can speak smoothly, it shows off your communication
skills. Also, the content of the answer is not that bad. They want a personality problem,
and this answer is showing impatience while indicating that you understand difficult
concepts easily. It also shows that you are working on correcting the bad behavior.

8. What does success mean to you?

There are many things you can say. This type of question doesn’t have a wrong answer.
All answers will be correct. So the best answer is how good you can make the answer. A
mediocre answer will be something like completing a project on time. You can say this,
but add another twist to make the answer a little better. Here is an example.

Short Answers

"To me, success means to have a goal, plan the steps to achieve the goal, implement the
plan, and finally achieve the goal."

"Success means to achieve a goal I have set for myself."

"Success means to produce high quality work before the deadline."

"Success to me is knowing that my contributions positively impacted my company."

Long Answer

"Success to me means completing a task and when looking back, thinking I couldn’t have
done it better. To succeed is to complete a task or assignment on time in an excellent
manner. But that’s only half of it. The results should be good and the people involved
should gain a valuable lesson or experience. For example, if it was a group project, and
only two people out of four really did the work, I wouldn’t call that success. If everyone
participated and worked together providing a valuable deliverable then it’s a success. So I
think both the result and the process should be great to call something a success."

This answer is showing that you believe in delivering great quality work. Moreover, it is
implying how much you value team work. If you value teamwork highly, then it is safe to
assume that you would make a great team player.

If you need us to help you develop the interview strategy, please send your request to
vancouver@vhn-services.com or contact us.