Job Interview Questions and Answers

 

 Contents


1 Screening Questions
1.1. What directions to follow during an interview?
1.2. How can you create rapport with every interviewer?
1.3. How do you handle phone screen?
1.4. Do you have any questions?
1.5. Why did you leave your last job? Or, why do you want to leave your current job?
1.6. What is your greatest weakness?
1.7. You have a lot of experience. Why would you want this job?
1.8. Tell me something about yourself? What you have been doing in the last job?
1.9. What areas could use improvement?
1.10. Did you get along with your previous boss?
1.11. What matters most to you about your job?
1.12. Describe a time when you worked through a difficult situation.
1.13. What is the most challenging role you have had to date?
1.14. What interests you most about this position?
1.15. Why do you want to work for XX, etc.?
1.16. How have your education and training prepared you for the job?
1.17. How do you overcome a real weakness in your background when it comes up during the interview?
1.18. Why should we hire you?
1.19. Why do you want to work here?
1.20. What are your goals?
1.21. When were you most satisfied in your job?
1.22. What makes you unique?
1.23. What salary are you seeking?
1.24. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
1.25. How do you decline a job offer if it does not meet your standards?
1.26. Who is your role model?
1.27. What is your philosophy in a nutshell?
1.28. What do not you like?
1.29. Can we ask you to do anything but?
1.30. Do you feel you made the right career choice?
1.31. Why are you considering leaving your current position?
1.32. You list four employers in the last six years. To what do you attribute this mobility?
1.33. Why do you want this position?
1.34. What are your short- and long-term career objectives?
1.35. What two or three things are of importance to you in your next job?
1.36. Do you consider yourself a creative problem solver?
1.37. What motivates you?
1.38. Today we live in an era of constant change. How do you view change and deal effectively with it?
1.39. How do you define leadership and how would you rate yourself as a leader?
1.40. Would you consider yourself a risk taker or a play-it-safer?
1.41. How do you make decisions?
1.42. How well do you handle stress?
1.43. What is success to you? What is your definition of success?
1.44. If you could begin your career all over again, what would you do differently?
1.45. Can you identify three character traits that have made you successful?
1.46. You have been out of work for over six months. What have you done to remain current with our industry’s trends?
1.47. What is your greatest weakness?
1.48. What are your greatest strengths?
1.49. Specifically, what is it that makes you seek a position with our company?
1.50. Are you a team player, or do you prefer to work independently?
1.51. How important is job security in your next position?
1.52. How do you deal with criticism, and can you describe a time when you were criticized for poor performance?
1.53. How do you get along with your superiors?
1.54. What do you know about our company?
1.55. If we make an acceptable employment offer, when will you be able to start?
1.56. What do you know about the position we are looking to fill?
1.57. Do you feel that you might be overqualified for this position?
1.58. We require a good amount of overtime: late evenings and some week-ends. Will this pose a problem in your personal life?
1.59. You have worked for yourself for quite some time, and now you want to work for a company. Can you adjust and are you not a risk to return to your entrepreneurial ways?
1.60. What is the most difficult situation you ever had to face?
1.61. Can you give me two or three future trends that you envision occurring in our industry?
1.62. What one thing, above all else, do you feel excites people about our product line?
1.63. Specifically, in what ways will our organization benefit from hiring you?
1.64. Can you give me an account of one or two of your greatest accomplishments?
1.65. What did you like most about your previous job?
1.66. Describe one of your failures and how you handled it.
1.67. How would your former boss describe you?
1.68. Can you relate a time when an important project got way off track and what specific action you took to complete it successfully?
1.69. What is your most significant personal success?
1.70. Describe the best boss you ever had.
1.71. How strongly do your references support your work history and related accomplishments?
1.72. Why should our firm consider you over the many other qualified candidates available?
1.73. How do you think your subordinates view you as a manager or leader?
1.74. How do you vent your anger or frustration in the face of everyday stresses, problems, and challenges?
1.75. To this point, what would you think is your major contribution to your field?
1.76. How would you rate your communications skills?
1.77. Have you ever terminated an employee, and how did you go about it?
1.78. How do you rate your time management skills?
1.79. What types of people do you find it difficult or uncomfortable work with?
1.80. How are you at delegating responsibility?
1.81. You see a peer taking home small company-owned property such as staplers, tape, and pens and pencils. What do you do about it?
1.82. What decisions are most difficult for you to make?
1.83. What is the most foolish thing you have ever done?
1.84. Is there a time you can think of when you would seriously break company rules and regulations?
1.85. What are your long-term ambitions?
1.86. Why did you choose this profession?
1.87. What subjects did you enjoy most, and which did you enjoy least
1.88. How did you finance your education?
1.89. What were some of your greatest achievements in college?
1.90. How do you explain the gaps that appear on your resume?
1.91. Why has it taken so long for you to find work?
1.92. I see you have had many jobs over the last five years. What seems to be the problem?
1.93. Have you ever been fired?
1.94. Why should I hire someone from the outside when I can promote someone from within the company?
1.95. Why do you think you can do this job if you have not worked for over 15 years?
1.96. What do you anticipate to be a negative about working with us?
1.97. Have you always done your best?
1.98. How would you react if I informed you that your interviewing skills are terrible?
1.99. How would you evaluate me an interviewer?
1.100. How long do you expect it would take for you to make a significant contribution to our company?
1.101. To date, how many other positions have you applied for?
1.102. Do you own or rent your home?
1.103. Do you have a valid driver’s license?
1.104. If you could change anything in the world with the wave of a wand what would you change?
1.105. What are the leading challenges affecting businesses today?
2 Recruitment, Hiring and Retention
2.1. Tell me about yourself.
2.2. Why did you leave your last job?
2.3. What experience do you have in this field?
2.4. Do you consider yourself successful?
2.5. What do co-workers say about you?
2.6. What do you know about this organization?
2.7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
2.8. Are you applying for other jobs?
2.9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
2.10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
2.11. What kind of salary do you need?
2.12. Are you a team player?
2.13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
2.14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
2.15. What is your philosophy towards work?
2.16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
2.17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
2.18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization.
2.19. Why should we hire you?
2.20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
2.21. What irritates you about co-workers?
2.22. What is your greatest strength?
2.23. Tell me about your dream job. What are you looking for in a job?
2.24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
2.25. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
2.26. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
2.27. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
2.28. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor.
2.29. What has disappointed you about a job?
2.30. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
2.31. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
2.32. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
2.33. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
2.34. How would you know you were successful on this job?
2.35. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
2.36. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
2.37. Describe your management style.
2.38. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
2.39. Do you have any blind spots?
2.40. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
2.41. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
2.42. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
2.43. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
2.44. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
2.45. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
2.46. Describe your work ethic.
2.47. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
2.48. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
2.49. Do you have any questions for me?
2.50. Your 8 point resume checklist.
2.51. What do you know about our company?
2.52. Why do you want to work for this company? Why should we hire you?
2.53. Why are you looking for a new job?
2.54. Tell us about yourself or your background.
2.55. What are three major characteristics that you bring to the job?
2.56. Describe the “ideal” job... the “ideal” supervisor.
2.57. How would you handle a tough customer?
2.58. How would you handle working with a difficult co-worker?
2.59. How does this position match your career goals?
2.60. What are your career goals (a) 3 years from now; (b) 10 years from now?
2.61. What do you like to do in your spare time?
2.62. What motivates you to do a good job?
2.63. What two or three things are most important to you at work?
2.64. What qualities do you think are essential to be successful in this kind of work?
2.65. How does your previous work experience prepare you for this position?
2.66. How do you define “success?”
2.67. What has been your most significant accomplishment to date?
2.68. Describe a failure and how you dealt with it.
2.69. What leadership roles have you held?
2.70. Are you willing to travel?
2.71. What have you done in the past year to improve yourself?
2.72. In what areas do you feel you need further education and training to be successful?
2.73. What are your salary requirements?
2.74. On some jobs it is necessary to act strictly in accordance with policy. Give me an example when you were expected to act in accordance with policy even when it was not convenient. What did you do?
2.75. What types of experience have you had in managing situations that involve potentially high money loss situations to ensure your job effectiveness?
2.76. Describe a time when you found a policy or procedure challenging or difficult to adhere to. How did you handle it?
2.77. Describe a situation in which a crucial deadline was nearing, but you didn’t want to compromise quality. How did you deal with it?
2.78. Describe something you developed or coordinated that had to be exactly right. Exactly how did you test it?
2.79. Describe an effort you undertook to make product/service quality a fundamental priority in your business. Exactly what steps did you take to do this?
2.80. Describe a difficult situation in which you took full responsibility for actions and outcomes. How did you act on this?
2.81. Some people can be counted on to go the extra mile when their organization really needs it. Describe a time when you demonstrated dependability in trying circumstances.
2.82. Describe a time when you gave long hours to the job. For example, tell me about when you took work home, worked on weekends, or maintained long hours due to system maintenance.
2.83. Give me an example of a time when you demonstrated a sense of urgency about getting results.
2.84. Describe a situation that illustrates how well you manage multiple projects simultaneously.
2.85. Priorities can be set meaningfully based on ease of task, customer size, deadlines, or a number of other factors. Describe a time when it was challenging for you to prioritize.
2.86. Think of a project in which you skillfully coordinated people, tasks, and schedules. How did you do it?
2.87. Describe a time when you had to apply changes to a mission critical system. What did you do to insure the stability of the system? What actions did you take and what were the results?
2.88. Select an experience from you past, which illustrates your ability to be attentive to detail when monitoring the systems environment. Tell me, in detail, what happened.
2.89. How have you gone about ensuring accuracy and consistency in a document or data you were preparing? Tell me about a specific case in which your attention to detail paid off.
2.90. Tell me about your experience in dealing with routine work. What kinds of problems did you have to overcome in order to concentrate on the details of the job?
2.91. Give me an example that demonstrates your ability to organize and maintain a system of records.
2.92. Tell me about a situation in which you aggressively capitalized on an opportunity and converted something ordinary into something special
2.93. Describe something you’ve done that shows how you can respond to situations as they arise without supervision.
2.94. Describe a time when you voluntarily undertook a special project above and beyond your normal responsibilities.
2.95. Many people have good ideas, but few act on them. Tell me how you’ve transformed a good idea into a productive business outcome.
2.96. Do you think it is important for employees to work their way up in their chosen industry?
2.97. What personal traits do you look for in people when you are hiring?
2.98. What are the basic needs of all hiring managers?
2.99. What do you look for in a candidate when you hire?
2.100. What do the hiring managers like?
2.101. Do you hire persons who are more qualified or less qualified than you?
2.102. How can I make sure I hire the right person?
2.103. How can I determine what the requirements are for the jobs I have to fill?
2.104. What constitutes a well-written job description?
2.105. What can I do to make help-wanted ads more effective?
2.106. How do I best use Web ads to recruit people?
2.107. How can I effectively prescreen candidates?
2.108. What can I do to make a candidate feel more at ease?
2.109. What are the benefits of working with search firms?
2.110. How do I hire the best recruiting firm?
2.111. How can I increase the number of prospective candidates available?
2.112. What are the advantages of recruiting on the Web?
2.113. What are the ten most common interviewing questions that could cause legal problems?
2.114. What are “reasonable accommodations”?
2.115. How do I legally discuss accommodations with the applicant?
2.116. How can I probe for an applicant’s weaknesses?
2.117. What kinds of notes should I be taking during an interview and how should I use them?
2.118. How can I ensure that individuals hired fit into our corporate culture?
2.119. How can I conduct an effective reference check?
2.120. How do I decide between two good candidates?
2.121. What does it mean for an employee to be hired “at will”?
2.122. What do I do if I cannot hire anyone from my group of winners?
2.123. How can I make a new hire’s first day on the job productive?
2.124. What are the guidelines for selecting a buddy for the new hire?
2.125. What can I do to help a new hire succeed in the job from the first day?
2.126. When and how should I notify all the other applicants that the job has been filled?
2.127. Given the costs of recruitment, how do I reduce turnover?
2.128. How can I maximize the use of exit interviews?
3 Career and Life Skills
3.1. How can I improve my mindset about my job search?
3.2. What are the different ways one could make a bad first impression and how could you recover?
3.3. What should I do if an interviewer is rude?
3.4. How to keep the interviewer fully engaged?
3.5. Do you favor outsourcing?
3.6. What do you do if your interviewer asks about your experience working with, for example, Excel spreadsheets and you have none?
3.7. How do you respond when the interviewer says “You are over-qualified?” What do you do when the interviewee say that you are over-qualified?
3.8. I am graduating from college and the market looks bleak. What should I do?
3.9. I have received a job offer that is low on the pay scale, but includes more benefits than I need. Could I negotiate this?
3.10. List some strategies for job searching online. How do I figure out key words that will lead me to the right openings?
3.11. I have a lot of experience. I am afraid I am going to appear too experienced, should I show less background on my cover letter and resume?
3.12. Working Knowledge: How can I get inspired again in my work or career?
3.13. What are some of the hot tips for managing your career?
3.14. How can I reduce stress due to work?
3.15. How can I deal with workaholism?
3.16. I seem to work from crisis to crisis. What am I doing wrong?
3.17. How can I balance the demands of the workplace with my family obligations and personal interests?
3.18. How can I minimize intrusions on my personal time?
3.19. How can I ensure that I get credit for the work I do?
3.20. How can I ensure that ethics and integrity are not just values listed on a sheet of paper?
3.21. Do I have to suffer from all those interruptions during the day?
3.22. How can I eliminate procrastination?
3.23. How do I determine what to do first?
3.24. How can I better organize my workspace to maximize my productivity?
3.25. How can I build networking skills?
3.26. How do I try achieving layoff immunity?
3.27. What can I do if I expect termination?
3.28. What should I do to improve my relationships with my superiors?
3.29. How can I make traveling less stressful?
3.30. How can I start working from home?
3.31. What kind of handshake makes the best impression?
3.32. Would dating a colleague have a negative impact on my career?
3.33. How can I improve my general managerial skills?
3.34. How to get that raise?
3.35. What is your strategy for salary negotiation in this competitive job market?
3.36. How to get your resume seen by hiring managers?
3.37. How to write powerful executive resume summaries?
3.38. Is starting your own business the answer?
3.39. How to decide if you need a career change?
3.40. Are you ready to be your own boss?
3.41. How to change jobs without changing employers?
3.42. Is changing fields right for you?
3.43. Will a career change work for you?
3.44. What are the signs that you should keep your job?
3.45. How can you prevent burnout on the job?
3.46. What are some of the self-promotion tips that are not sleazy?
3.47. Why branding yourself is important?
4 Sample Job Descriptions
4.1. Chief Quality Officer - VP QA, Test and Integration
4.2. Sr. Director IT Applications Development
4.3. Director of Enterprise Application Engineering
4.4. Senior Manager - Enterprise Application Development
4.5. Senior Technical Program Manager

 
   

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