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Job Interview - Sample Questions and Answers 1.1. What do you know about our company? If the prospective employee has little or no knowledge about the company, then he will also have little idea about how he can benefit the company. A candidate who has not gone to the trouble of researching the organization may be after a job, any job. A candidate who has taken the time to explore the company will probably have specific ideas in mind about what he can bring to the organization. The initiative required by the candidate to research the company is a good sign that he is proactive and not passive dead weight. If the candidate has some knowledge of the company’s mission and function, this will also become apparent in the questions he asks you. He will already be thinking about how he can fit in and how his skills can be utilized. These are desirable traits of a problem-solver. 1.2. Why do you want to work for this company? Why should we hire you? The answer to this question can reveal whether the candidate is merely shopping for a job or has true interest in the company and the position. It is important that the candidate show some passion for the field. If he does not, he will probably never be creative in the work environment and he will not represent a solution for you. Does the candidate have a core belief that his particular set of skills can benefit you? Answers such as “I believe my experience can make a difference here,” or “I believe your company will provide an environment that more directly engages my interest,” or “Working for your company will provide challenges that excite me” are good starters. 1.3. Why are you looking for a new job? Typical reasons for seeking a new job include the desire to advance in the field and boredom in a job that offers few fresh challenges. These are positive motivations, but there can be negative ones as well. There may be personal conflicts between the candidate and other team members or management that have become so adversarial that the candidate is compelled to leave. While not necessarily eliminating a candidate from consideration, personal friction in the previous job does raise a red flag. It may be that the candidate is an unfortunate victim of backroom politics. However, if he confides in you regarding the shortcomings of his supervisors or fellow employees while taking no responsibility himself, consider yourself warned. 1.4. Tell us about yourself or your background. This is probably asked more than any other question in interviews. It is the main opportunity for the candidate to describe his experiences, motivations, and vision of himself as it relates to the company. The candidate should provide clear examples of how his abilities were used in the past to solve problems. If the candidate just repeats the information in the résumé, he is probably only going through the motions and has no clear vision of his role in the company. Even worse, if the candidate contradicts the résumé, there is evidence of a serious problem. 1.5. What are three major characteristics that you bring to the job? The candidate should offer specific skills or traits that he believes will be useful in the position. If the candidate is unable to relate these characteristics to the job, he has obviously not thought much about his role in the organization. You are interested in finding someone who has ideas about how he can hit the ground running and make a real difference to the company. 1.6. Describe the “ideal” job... the “ideal” supervisor. This question is not as open-ended as it may seem. If the candidate’s ideal job has little or nothing in common with the position he is interviewing for, he is unlikely to be a good fit. The candidate’s response should match fairly well with the requirements of the position. The candidate’s description of the ideal supervisor can provide clues about how well the candidate works with superiors. Beware the candidate who seizes this as an opportunity to denigrate past managers. 1.7. How would you handle a tough customer? Can the candidate provide examples of instances when difficult clients were won over? An effective communicator can strike a balance between meeting the needs of the customer and dealing with unrealistic expectations. Above all, the candidate should indicate that he understands the necessity of “going the extra mile” to alleviate the concerns of the customer. Providing service to the client or end user is fundamental to the success of any enterprise. 1.8. How would you handle working with a difficult co-worker? This is similar to the last question. The candidate should relate an example of a conflict with a co-worker or team member that was successfully resolved. What you are looking for is evidence that the candidate is able to facilitate communication and lead a difficult project to a successful conclusion. 1.9. How does this position match your career goals? This is an excellent question to ascertain whether the candidate truly sees the position as an integral part of his career path. Does the candidate believe the knowledge and experience he will gain from this job will move him to where he wants to be? A thorough answer to this question will lead into the next one. 1.10. What are your career goals (a) 3 years from now; (b) 10 years from now? The answer to this question will indicate the level of commitment the candidate feels towards the job and the company. If the candidate has a goal in mind, how well does it fit with the job he is applying for? When the candidate describes his goals, does he speak in terms of the skills and abilities he hopes to acquire that will prepare him for his eventual role, or does he simply want to be the CEO, with little thought of what it might take to get there? The interviewer may be surprised by how often the candidate will talk about goals that are unrelated to the position.
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