tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308352532024-03-08T06:37:40.844-08:00HR InterviewsHR Interview Questions & Answers<br>
How to Answer The 64 Toughest Interview QuestionsIndian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152385172564542282006-07-08T11:59:00.000-07:002010-12-04T08:57:15.980-08:00IndexGeneral Guidelines in Answering Interview Questions#01 Tell me about yourself.#02 What are your greatest strengths?#03 What are your greatest weaknesses?#04 Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of.#05 Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position?<!-- a href="http://www.qksrv.net/click-2072063-10292999" target="_blank">#06 The “Silent Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152382676339873192006-07-08T11:12:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:48:08.943-07:00General Guidelines in Answering Interview QuestionsEveryone is nervous on interviews. If you simply allow yourself to feel nervous, you'll do much better. Remember also that it's difficult for the interviewer as well.In general, be upbeat and positive. Never be negative.Rehearse your answers and time them. Never talk for more than 2 minutes straight.Don't try to memorize answers word for word. Use the answers shown here as a guide only, and don'tIndian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381955811468842006-07-08T11:03:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:48:23.780-07:00#01: Tell me about yourself.TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal matters.BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to match Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381813515459312006-07-08T11:02:00.000-07:002011-05-24T22:09:20.402-07:00#02: What are your greatest strengths?TRAPS: This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't want to come across as egotistical or arrogant. Neither is this a time to be humble. BEST ANSWER: You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this. Prior to any interview, you should have a list Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381720561585772006-07-08T11:00:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:48:54.256-07:00#03: What are your greatest weaknesses?TRAPS: Beware - this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F” for the interview. PASSABLE ANSWER: Disguise a strength as a weakness. Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.”Drawback: This Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381619162351052006-07-08T10:58:00.000-07:002008-02-01T09:39:05.475-08:00#04: Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of.TRAPS: There are some questions your interviewer has no business asking, and this is one. But while you may feel like answering, “none of your business,” naturally you can’t. Some interviewers ask this question on the chance you admit to something, but if not, at least they’ll see how you think on your feet.Some unprepared candidates, flustered by this question, unburden themselves of guilt Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381507612746582006-07-08T10:57:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:58:27.613-07:00#05: Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position?TRAPS: Never badmouth your previous industry, company, board, boss, staff, employees or customers. This rule is inviolable: never be negative. Any mud you hurl will only soil your suit.Especially avoid words like “personality clash”, “didn’t get along”, or others which cast a shadow on your competence, integrity, or temperament.BEST ANSWER:(If you have a job presently)If you’re not yet 100% Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381426289235032006-07-08T10:55:00.000-07:002008-02-01T09:47:02.195-08:00#06: The “Silent Treatment”TRAPS: Beware – if you are unprepared for this question, you will probably not handle it right and possibly blow the interview. Thank goodness most interviewers don’t employ it. It’s normally used by those determined to see how you respond under stress. Here’s how it works:You answer an interviewer’s question and then, instead of asking another, he just stares at you in a deafening Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381354314013112006-07-08T10:54:00.000-07:002008-03-17T05:37:19.941-07:00#07: Why should I hire you?TRAPS: Believe it or not, this is a killer question because so many candidates are unprepared for it. If you stammer or adlib you’ve blown it.BEST ANSWER: By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall strategy of uncovering the employer’s needs before you answer questions. If you know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question will give you a big leg up over other Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381259291450632006-07-08T10:53:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:54:19.293-07:00#08: Aren’t you overqualified for this position?TRAPS: The employer may be concerned that you’ll grow dissatisfied and leave.BEST ANSWER: As with any objection, don’t view this as a sign of imminent defeat. It’s an invitation to teach the interviewer a new way to think about this situation, seeing advantages instead of drawbacks.Example: “I recognize the job market for what it is – a marketplace. Like any marketplace, it’s subject to the Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381177042236712006-07-08T10:52:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:49:20.369-07:00#09: Where do you see yourself five years from now?TRAPS: One reason interviewers ask this question is to see if you’re settling for this position, using it merely as a stopover until something better comes along. Or they could be trying to gauge your level of ambition.If you’re too specific, i.e., naming the promotions you someday hope to win, you’ll sound presumptuous. If you’re too vague, you’ll seem rudderless.BEST ANSWER: Reassure your Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381127228128192006-07-08T10:50:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:49:36.345-07:00#10: Describe your ideal company, location and job.TRAPS: This is often asked by an experienced interviewer who thinks you may be overqualified, but knows better than to show his hand by posing his objection directly. So he’ll use this question instead, which often gets a candidate to reveal that, indeed, he or she is looking for something other than the position at hand.BEST ANSWER: The only right answer is to describe what this company is Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152381014704713272006-07-08T10:49:00.000-07:002008-03-17T05:39:57.010-07:00#11: Why do you want to work at our company?TRAPS: This question tests whether you’ve done any homework about the firm. If you haven’t, you lose. If you have, you win big.BEST ANSWER: This question is your opportunity to hit the ball out of the park, thanks to the in-depth research you should do before any interview.Best sources for researching your target company: annual reports, the corporate newsletter, contacts you know at the Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380969780864222006-07-08T10:48:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:49:29.783-07:00#12: What are your career options right now?TRAPS: The interviewer is trying to find out, “How desperate are you?”BEST ANSWER: Prepare for this question by thinking of how you can position yourself as a desired commodity. If you are still working, describe the possibilities at your present firm and why, though you’re greatly appreciated there, you’re looking for something more (challenge, money, responsibility, etc.). Also mention thatIndian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380913350428862006-07-08T10:47:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:48:33.353-07:00#13: Why have you been out of work so long?TRAPS: A tough question if you’ve been on the beach a long time. You don’t want to seem like damaged goods.BEST ANSWER: You want to emphasize factors which have prolonged your job search by your own choice.Example: “After my job was terminated, I made a conscious decision not to jump on the first opportunities to come along. In my life, I’ve found out that you can always turn a negative into Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380852728526982006-07-08T10:46:00.001-07:002006-07-08T10:47:32.730-07:00#14: Tell me honestly about the strong points and weak points of your boss (company, management team, etc.)…TRAPS: Skillfull interviewers sometimes make it almost irresistible to open up and air a little dirty laundry from your previous position. DON’T BEST ANSWER: Remember the rule: Never be negative. Stress only the good points, no matter how charmingly you’re invited to be critical.Your interviewer doesn’t care a whit about your previous boss. He wants to find out how loyal and positive you Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380807463061532006-07-08T10:46:00.000-07:002008-05-26T10:43:18.844-07:00#15: What good books have you read lately?TRAPS: As in all matters of your interview, never fake familiarity you don’t have. Yet you don’t want to seem like a dullard who hasn’t read a book since Tom Sawyer.BEST ANSWER: Unless you’re up for a position in academia or as book critic for The New York Times, you’re not expected to be a literary lion. But it wouldn’t hurt to have read a handful of the most recent and influential books in Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380759021474982006-07-08T10:45:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:45:59.023-07:00#16: Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized.TRAPS: This is a tough question because it’s a more clever and subtle way to get you to admit to a weakness. You can’t dodge it by pretending you’ve never been criticized. Everybody has been. Yet it can be quite damaging to start admitting potential faults and failures that you’d just as soon leave buried.This question is also intended to probe how well you accept criticism and direction.BESTIndian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380695388743782006-07-08T10:44:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:44:55.390-07:00#17: What are your outside interests?TRAPS: You want to be a well-rounded, not a drone. But your potential employer would be even more turned off if he suspects that your heavy extracurricular load will interfere with your commitment to your work duties.BEST ANSWERS: Try to gauge how this company’s culture would look upon your favorite outside activities and be guided accordingly.You can also use this question to shatter any Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380620627145382006-07-08T10:42:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:43:40.626-07:00#18: The “Fatal Flaw” questionTRAPS: If an interviewer has read your resume carefully, he may try to zero in on a “fatal flaw” of your candidacy, perhaps that you don’t have a college degree…you’ve been out of the job market for some time…you never earned your CPA, etc.A fatal flaw question can be deadly, but usually only if you respond by being overly defensive.BEST ANSWERS: As every master salesperson knows, you will Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380558058811232006-07-08T10:41:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:42:38.060-07:00#19: How do you feel about reporting to a younger person (minority, woman, etc)?TRAPS: It’s a shame that some interviewers feel the need to ask this question, but many understand the reality that prejudices still exist among some job candidates, and it’s better to try to flush them out beforehand.The trap here is that in today’s politically sensitized environment, even a well-intentioned answer can result in planting your foot neatly in your mouth. Avoid anything which Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380480337909302006-07-08T10:39:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:41:20.340-07:00#20: On confidential matters…TRAPS: When an interviewer presses you to reveal confidential information about a present or former employer, you may feel it’s a no-win situation. If you cooperate, you could be judged untrustworthy. If you don’t, you may irritate the interviewer and seem obstinate, uncooperative or overly suspicious.BEST ANSWER: Your interviewer may press you for this information for two reasons.First, manyIndian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380380860374402006-07-08T10:38:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:39:40.860-07:00#21: Would you lie for the company?TRAPS: This another question that pits two values against one another, in this case loyalty against integrity.BEST ANSWER: Try to avoid choosing between two values, giving a positive statement which covers all bases instead.Example: “I would never do anything to hurt the company..”If aggressively pressed to choose between two competing values, always choose personal integrity. It is the most Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380318358151562006-07-08T10:37:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:38:38.360-07:00#22: Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?TRAPS: This question is usually asked to uncover any life-influencing mistakes, regrets, disappointments or problems that may continue to affect your personality and performance.You do not want to give the interviewer anything negative to remember you by, such as some great personal or career disappointment, even long ago, that you wish could have been avoided.Nor do you wish to give any answer Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835253.post-1152380244020867812006-07-08T10:36:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:37:24.023-07:00#23: Could you have done better in your last job?TRAPS: This is no time for true confessions of major or even minor problems.BEST ANSWER: Again never be negative.Example: “I suppose with the benefit of hindsight you can always find things to do better, of course, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything of major consequence.”(If more explanation seems necessary) Describer a situation that didn’t suffer because of you but from Indian Studenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15389020384259549484noreply@blogger.com1