3.

ANSWERS TO COMMON INTERVIEW

QUESTIONS
Question 1: Tell me about yourself

Many job interviews start with this question, also known as the elevator pitch (the concept
that it reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver your summary in the time span
of an elevator ride in a way that interests others). It is primarily to serve as an ice-breaker
and ease the candidate into the interview without making the person feel nervous.
However, your answer can say a lot about your level of confidence and give an overall
feeling for how you could fare during the rest of your interview. So be confident your
interview is your chance to shine and sell yourself and is no time for modesty!

In your answer, the interviewer will want to ascertain your background, your
accomplishments, why you want the job and what your future goals are. Although the
question can be misinterpreted, it is always focused on your job history and is not a platform
to launch into your interests and hobbies! There is not a right or wrong if you do want to
mention a hobby at the end which you think is interesting to talk about briefly as it may
impress and gives an idea about your personality but dont bother if your hobbies include
topics such as socialising, cinema and family!

This question is not one to leave to chance on the day and does require preparation. Spend
some time writing down your top few personal experiences. Use your Personal Profile in
your CV to help you form the basis of this answer.

Think about the main things you want the interviewer to remember about you and whether
you have matched your goals to their needs. When you have finished answering the
question, the interviewer should know clearly where your strengths lie and your significant
accomplishments and most importantly, whether you are someone they should hire. It is
very important that you tailor your answer to suit the needs of the jobi.e. if you know that
the position you're applying for will involve managing others, and you have been working
towards a management qualification, pointing that out in your answer aligns your plans with
the company's goals.

Allow yourself approximately 2-3 mins for this question but no longer. You will either bore
them in the first instance or give away too much detail that should be reserved for other

questions. A good way to prepare for this is to write out your answer to gather your
thoughts. You will generally want to start with your education, unless that was a very long
time ago. The aim is to quickly launch into your job history, keeping in mind that you want to
highlight your top 3-5 experiences and not every last thing you did in each job. You should
conclude with what your future goals/motivations are and why this company will benefit
from your expertise in the position. These goals should match the opportunity presented by
this company.

Whilst it is recommended that you rehearse this answer, it is also important that you sound
natural, so remember to breathe and smile and not rush through it as you try to remember
all the points you want to make!

Example Answer (short version):

Im a highly motivated individual with 15 years project management experience acquired
mainly in the engineering industry. After completing my Masters in Engineering I started my
career in communication networks and have progressed to become Senior Project Manager
leading a team of ten design engineers.
I have been successful on delivering projects to the highest standards ensuring company
objectives are achieved whilst also maintaining a strong client focus. I enjoy being part of, as
well as managing, motivating, training and developing a successful and productive team and
in a recent employee satisfaction survey, I was the highest scoring manager in the
department.
I thrive in highly pressurised and challenging work environments in fact, a recent project I
was heading up which contributed to a 4M saving in migration costs, was one of the most
stressful because of the time pressures we had to fulfil, but because of our success, I was
able to negotiate a 5-year contract for our project team to do the same for other sites.
Im now keen to further my career by taking on increased management responsibility and
building on my technical expertise with a fast-moving, progressive company.

Question 2 (Part A): What attracts you to our organisation?

You will need to show that you have a clear understanding of the organisations values and
ethos and that they match yours. To demonstrate a genuine motivation to want to work for
them, you should thoroughly read their website as a starting point to understand any recent
developments and future plans. For many organisations offering graduate schemes, there is
a section dedicated to what their employees say about them so this can be useful in

understanding the culture of the organisation and types of people they generally employ (if
you already know someone who works for them, they could help to give you an idea about
this).
In addition, to further impress and stand out from the competition, you should aim to
research them through other sources, i.e. industry sector trade journals, press releases,
newspaper articles, etc. to find out how they are placed in the industry they are in.

Example Answer:
With your exceptional award success, including being named the Graduate Employer of the
Year for the last four years and being ranked No. 2 in the listings for the second consecutive
year for 100 Best Companies to Work for, according to The Guardian, affirms XXXs position
as one of the best companies to work for in the world.
XXX recruits over 300 graduates a year, so it will be fantastic to become part of a community
which shares the same goals and provides a supportive work environment, allowing me to be
the best I can.
There is a strong focus on career development at XXX, including the assignment of a
Personal Development Manager to oversee my career - providing me with advice about
progressing my career.
Besides this, training provided at XXX is world-class; I can develop my skills through the vast
number of courses available to me, which I can put into practice in commercial surroundings.
XXX provides the ideal environment for me to develop my financial skills.

Question 2 (Part B): What attracts you to this role/industry sector?

You should demonstrate a clear understanding of the job you are going for and that you
have carefully assessed that it suits your interests and motivations. With regards to the
industry sector, the employer wants to ascertain that you have a genuine interest for that
sector rather than just falling into it. You should be able to convince them that you have
made the right career choice and demonstrate how you are suited to it.
What does motivate you will depend on your background and work experiences, but try to
make your motivation relevant to what this job can provide. For example if the job is a fairly
isolated one do not give"working with other people" as a motivation! You can use this
preparation as an opportunity to think about whether this position is really suitable for you.

Example Answer:

A position in Strategic Marketing would give me the unique opportunity to work with
experts in the field, learn from them and become an expert marketing consultant
myself.
My masters degree has given me highly analytical problem-solving skills which are
perfect for a career in Development & Marketing; allowing me to combine strategic
business issues with innovative problem-solving solutions to help clients develop new
strategies and allow their business to flourish.
Focused on the key strategic issues businesses face, which are constantly changing, I
will be taking on a variety of work where each project requires a different solution. This
will greatly improve my commercial awareness, and give me a distinct edge in the
industry.
Lastly, I will be working with a wide range of clients (from FTSE 100 companies to startups, governments to financial institutions), on stimulating challenges in a vast array of
different industries. I believe this will be exceptional experience that would be difficult
to match elsewhere.

Question 3: What motivates you?

This question is more generic than those above but includes some of the same elements to
talk about which you can split into three different areas; the job, the company and the
industry. The interviewer wants to understand what you feel you need to be successful in the
job, and wants to ensure it is a good fit.
Consider, in advance of the interview, what actually does motivate you and come up with
some specific examples to share.
Your response will vary based on your background and experiences but try to include all
three aspects related to the job.
The role:
I was responsible for several projects where I directed development teams and implemented
streamlined processes. The teams achieved 100% on-time delivery of software products. I
was motivated both by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by
managing the teams that achieved our goals.

The company:
Working for an organisation that is placed in the Top 10 Best Employers is motivating for me.
I have a first-class Economics degree that I want to put to best use and to work for an
organisation that gives exciting learning opportunities to its employees besides the fantastic
global exposure which you offer is a very motivating factor. It is also very encouraging to
hear from previous graduates who have been through the process and speak so highly of the
early training in their career.

The industry:
I have spent my career in sales, typically in commission-based positions, and compensation
has always been a strong factor in motivating me to be the top salesperson at my previous
employers.

Note this last example is only applicable for commission/sales-based roles as it a genuine
factor for motivation in that sector. In any other role, money should not be presented as a
motivating factor. Instead, find another factor linked to the role, or if you are in an industry
where there are a lot of changes (eg medicine, law, accounting, finance, etc) you could talk
about the need to learn constantly.

Question 4: Why are you leaving your current position?

Do give some thought as to how to answer this question so that it doesnt put you in a bad
light. Of course, it may be a straightforward answer around looking for a new challenge and
out-growing your current position. However you should never badmouth your current
employer, or give out too much information about the poor management style even if you
know you could do your managers job better! (Interestingly, many people do cite poor
management as a common reason for leaving). However, you will not come across as
professional if you talk negatively about your employer and they would be right to wonder
what you would say about them to your future employer further down the line.
Neither should you address the issue that you are looking for an increase in salary as this
can make you seem only interested in money.
Some examples are:

I feel that I have reached a plateau at my current job so I am looking for new
challenges with an innovative company
With the new re-organisation in my company, there are not any posts which would
allow me to develop opportunities in the direction I would like to head in

To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, saw this job posting and was intrigued
by the position and the company; it sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal
match with my qualifications
I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and
experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new
challenge.
I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity
for advancement and my company will not be expanding in the near future

If you have already left your company and no longer working, you could offer this answer if
you asked about why you left without the offer of another job: I'm looking for a greater
challenge and to develop my career and I couldn't job hunt whilst working. I felt it to be
unethical to use my former employer's time

Question 5: What are you strengths / What can you contribute to this
post?
This is one of the most important questions asked and yet many people under-sell
themselves in their response and answer it in way that does not make them stand out from
other similarly qualified candidates. Think about the extra skills/advantage you have to
compete with others and therefore the ultimate results you can bring to the role or
company. It is best to stick to no more than 3 or 4 strengths as you will need to demonstrate
results for each point you make if you cant, dont bother mentioning it!
It goes without saying that your points should be relevant eg. there is no point explaining
how you are a great leader when you are applying for an administration role. Think carefully
about what the recruiter wants an individual to achieve in the job e.g. what would be the
significant bottom-line benefit to the organisation in hiring you? If you were to be hired
today and reviewed a year from now, what would be the most important measurements that
would determine your performance?
In considering your skills, you should look closely at the job description and its specifications
to find out what the recruiter is actually seeking. As you build this list, try to fit your skills to
the specifications in the Job Description. Also consider any other documents the recruiter
sends you which may help you to understand the role/organisation further.
Example:
I understand the main reason this role was developed was to bring in someone who could
manage the rapid process of change currently happening in your organisation. I am confident
I have the necessary skills as I was successful in my last post where I was doing just that in
the same industry sector so I understand the demands and pressures that the industry is
currently facing...

To back up the claim, this would need to be followed with stating what those skills are and
the clear achievements which verify your success. Where possible it is always useful to
quantify your successes which helps the recruiter to understand the impact you have made
i.e. increased revenue by 10%, negotiated a deal worth 1M.
When answering this question Why should we hire you? do not try and say that you are
the best qualified person for the job as you do not know the skills and experience of other
candidates. Instead, think about what differentiates you from other similar candidates in
your field and why you are unique.
If you are in the position whereby you are looking to change careers and therefore do not
match their exact requirements, please refer to the section on Inexperienced or
overexperienced where you can learn how to adapt your transferable skills to the job role.
Example answer 1:
I have the right combination of skills and experience for this job. I also bring the additional
quality of strong analytical and problem-solving ability as shown by my introduction of a
more efficient work flow system at XXX which decreased our departmental costs by
200,000 in the first year due to a reduction in use of agency staff
I am also qualified and have extensive experience in Project Management having
successfully managed remote teams across Europe. I was commended by my own Head of
Department for delivering solutions at least six months ahead of schedule and within budget
due to the fact that I was very hands-on throughout our activities and regularly travelled to
spend time with my team members. Because of my regular communication, I was able to
pick up on any problems early on which meant those issues didnt escalate further and I
could work collaboratively with my colleagues in finding solutions
I am a fast learner - I had to learn a totally new operating system in my last job and I was up
and running within a couple of weeks.

Example answer 2:
My abilities in sales are an excellent fit for this job. My success at XXX in achieving an annual
growth rate of 30% support this. I have worked with a similar product line and have an indepth understanding of the technical aspects and am currently training others on the more
complex areas of the job and recently two of my trainees were the quickest ever to have
been promoted because of their enhanced skills - the training they undertook normally takes
a year but they passed their exams in eight months. This meant they had acquired the
necessary skills to sell our more lucrative products so I was able to maximise productivity of
our department
Having successfully developed my own team, I am confident in managing and recruiting for
your existing team as I have always received excellent feedback through 360 appraisals. I
am very enthusiastic about the new challenges involved in this position and feel I am ready

for this next step in my career.

Be enthusiastic about why you want this job

I really would like this job selling unique craft items and I strongly believe that I flourish in an
environment where I am using my interpersonal skills. I enjoy talking to customers and
helping them find what they are looking for. I look forward to having regular hours, yet more
than happy to be flexible to cover holidays and I am very reliable. In fact, my reference
emphasizes that as one of my strong points.

An excellent reason to employ you is that you are a hard worker. Candidates tend to
underplay this quality when answering interview questions. Every employer wants a hard
worker and whatever job you are interviewing for, hard work is central to succeeding in it.
As I left school with minimum qualifications, one of the first things I learned early on was that
hard work is the key to success. Being someone who is very driven to achieve my goals, I
have put in the hours and effort to make sure that I do the job to the best of my ability and I
believe my numerous awards in Graphic Design are a testament to the creative flair of my
work

Question 6: Describe your greatest achievement/challenge

Your answer should focus on an achievement that is related to the position and is fairly
recent i.e. if you are applying for a Customer Service role it might be about how you won a
bonus in your last post for being the only person in the department not to have a single error
in an order over the past year.
Once you have chosen a specific achievement, you should give explicit detail about task; the
actions you took, the challenges that you overcame, the value you made to the
department/organisation and what you learnt from it. Interviewers are particularly keen to
hear about achievements that increased profit, decreased expenditure, solved major
problems, were innovative or improved a company's reputation.
Do ensure that you do focus on one task/situation only rather than a series of low-level
achievements which are trying to compensate for a lack of anything substantial. It can be
difficult to single out your best example so try to think of an achievement that required you
to use a combination of skills and strengths to create an impressive answer.
If you do not have any work experience or only very little, it is perfectly acceptable to draw
upon other achievements that you have faced in your personal life. For graduates, even if

you did receive a 1st as your grade which will most certainly have required hard work, it is far
more interesting to focus on non-academic related examples to prove you are a wellrounded individual i.e. if you chose to study abroad in a country where you did not know
anyone, you could draw on a number of skills you acquired such as risk-taking, using
initiative, communication skills, building relationships, learning independence, language
skills, flexibility and adapting to change.

Question 7: How would your colleagues describe you?

The interviewer wants to find out about your perception of yourself and how your behaviour
impacts on others. Your answer should also demonstrate an objective view of your strengths
by using feedback you have received from others which is also a more subtle way of selling
your attributes.
It is useful to have a few well-chosen adjectives to answer this question but do not the
mistake of listing them off which will only prove you have remembered some buzz words for
team work! Instead, pick out the words which you feel best describes you and bring it to
life by giving some anecdotal examples to explain further.

Example Answer:
I know my team consider me to be understanding and supportive as I am often thanked for
helping out others and recently received a very touching thank you card from a colleague
who had been really grateful for the regular updates I had given her about work after she had
returned following a long illness.
My colleagues would say that I am an optimist, a motivator and can cope well under
pressurised situations. I am a proactive person and will always seek to find solutions to
problems but am a firm believer of working in a collaborative way and encouraging input
from others. I try to organise regular social events as I think team bonding outside of the
workplace is equally important to build good relationships.

Question 8: What are your career plans for the next five years?
It would be difficult to predict exactly what you will be doing in a number of years. You can
answer in general terms about the type of situation you would like to be in and the way you
want to have developed but avoid giving specific time frames or job titles. Instead focus on

realistic career opportunities you could expect in your industry and what you hope to have
gained from these opportunities.
Your answer should relate to the job you are being interviewed for in some way and you
should indicate that you hope to remain with the company in a position with increased
responsibilities and a more developed set of skills. Dont sound over-ambitious and be
unrealistic as the role you could be doing as you may sound as though you lack maturity
(equally dont tell them you would like their position!)
Even if you have a hidden agenda, definitely do not tell them that you are thinking of
starting your own business once you have acquired the relevant skills, or look forward to
being a stay-at-home mum!
Example Answers:
I want to develop new skills and abilities and to have made the most of my opportunities.
This position will give me the opportunity to learn more about running a department, which is
a goal of mine. I would like to be recognised as an individual who has really added value to
the company

I want to develop within my speciality and to have increased my responsibilities and skills. I
want to be intellectually stretched and would like to know that I am constantly meeting new
challenges. My goal is to be the best at whatever level I am working at within the company

You should demonstrate how you understand that reward (salary, promotion, responsibility)
will be based on the quality and value of your contribution.
I want to make the most of my abilities and potential. By always doing my best I can ensure
that there will be opportunities to increase my value and to grow in ways that benefit both
the company and myself

Question 9: How do you handle pressure/stress?

This is a common interview question and should be answered in terms of how you handle
stress at work rather than merely giving a list of your hobbies. It is great if you have stressrelievers out of work so do mention them but playing the piano will not help you in a
pressurised work situation! You can use STAR to answer this to give a full example but ideas
could include:

A certain amount of pressure is important to me and I can find it motivating and in fact, work
more productively. I find the appropriate way to deal with stress is to recognise when
pressure tips over into negative stress i.e. I get short with others, I start getting headaches,
etc.

I react to situations, rather than to stress which helps as I am a very methodical person. That
way, the situation is handled in a logical manner and I can remain objective to it, stay calm
and work through step-by-step processes until a solution is found.

Prioritising my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has
helped me effectively manage pressure on the job. By being better organised, it has greatly
improved my time-management skills.

From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great
stress-reducer and helps me to switch off. Because my job requires intense concentration,
the adrenaline buzz I get from exercise allows me to energise and come in the next day with
a clear head.

Question 10: What do you like to do in your spare time?

For certain roles such as graduate schemes, this question is designed to assess two key
elements:

to assess transferable skills that you have attained through extra-curricular activities
your motivation to get involved in activities outside of your studies

Think about the skills that are involved in some of your activities which clearly demonstrate
your ability, i.e. captain of a football club which would show leadership skills, treasurer of a
society to demonstrate your financial acumen. However, do not assume that because you
have merely stated that you were a captain that this would suffice the recruiter in knowing
you can demonstrate leadership skills, it is essential that you can outline the contribution
you made and state what you gained from your involvement.
For other positions, you might talk about the contributions you make through voluntary work
or personal interests that are constructive or contribute to your own health or well-being (i.e.
reading, going to the gym, playing team sports, learning a musical instrument).

5. DEALING WITH NEGATIVE QUESTIONS

In any interview, it is quite possible that you will be faced with having to answer questions
that require you to give what seems to be a negative response. The trick in any situation like
this is to turn the potentially negative situation into a positive one, without being defensive
but making sure you stay calm and collected.
Often, an interviewer will be deliberately trying to expose you to this kind of question to see
just how well you respond to such pressure (similarly to stress questions but not as intense!)
Such questions can quickly separate out the stronger candidates from the weaker ones so it
is essential that you remain calm when the question is posed to you so that you can answer
with confidence and conviction. Some example questions and answers are given below:

1. What is your main weakness?

This is a popular interview question as it reveals a number of things - how well-prepared you
are for the interview, your self-awareness and honesty. These are actually the qualities the
interviewer is assessing, not really the actual weakness itself but many interviewees
unnecessarily panic about this question. Everyone has a weakness so to say you do not have
any would be untruthful and demonstrate lack of personal insight. This is not one of those
interview questions that you can tactfully avoid giving a direct answer but you should be
discriminatory about the weakness you to choose to reveal.
The weakness you mention should be a strength that is taken to an extreme level eg. always
wanting to help others and not being able to say no rather than stating you are a poor
communicator which is not a strength at all (in whichever profession you are applying). Of
course, it would not be wise to talk about a weakness which is essential for the job i.e. being
very disorganized for a secretarial role or saying you lack assertiveness for a managerial
role. Although it is important to be honest, you should also try and think of safe examples
which will not be contradictory to the requirements of the role.
The key aspect of your answer should lie in the fact that you have acknowledged the
weakness and have made adjustments to manage it better through appropriate behaviours.
In reality, our weaknesses are part of our personality so they cannot be totally eliminated
but they can be controlled.
And just when you think that you have got this question out of the way, they may respond
with Tell us about another weakness! Dont panic, just be prepared and have a second
example ready.

There are a number of different responses to this question the most overused is I am a
perfectionist and spend too long on detail or I am a perfectionist and expect the same of
others and am disappointed when they do not deliver. Although this would be true for
some people, because of its common use, it will not make your answer different and can be
deemed clich so ideally, best avoided.
You may want to use the STAR format to talk through this answer so that you can talk about
something very specific but it is not essential so practise this answer in a way which feels
most comfortable for you.

Some examples:

Procrastination
In the past I have procrastinated for too long particularly when confronted with large projects
which has caused last-minute panic to complete a major piece of work and can become quite
a stressful and impractical way to work. However, I have recognised this and have read books
on time-management which have been invaluable in learning to plan better. I now tackle a
large project by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable activities and set target
times and deadlines for completing each activity. I now feel much more in control of my work
and have gained a greater sense of satisfaction by working in a more structured way besides
producing work of higher quality.
Impatience
Being a very proactive person, I am someone who is highly focused when approaching a task
and I work to the best of my capability to complete it. However, although being this focused
ensures that I am someone who will get the job done, it has made me impatient with others
in the past but I have started to recognize that people have different work standards and
different levels of productivity. Im learning to take a step back and see things from others
point of view and accept that we are all different and Ive realised that it doesnt help in
building good relationships to become frustrated with colleagues. Instead I have learnt to
provide constructive feedback that is more positive and offer help to move projects forward. I
find I am now more relaxed at work and have really built on my teamwork skills and this was
confirmed by a recent appraisal I had where my manager had noticed a significant change in
my approach to working with colleagues.
Delegation
I have always found it hard to delegate to others as I like to be sure the level of work I
produce is done to the highest quality and have feared that others may not be able to do the
same and as a manager, it reflects on the department. There is also the time-element in
training others to do the tasks I normally do which I previously thought would take too long in
getting them up-to-scratch. However, since our company went through a process of reorganisation, I have been struggling to manage my workload and had to hand over some

duties to my team. Initially, this was really difficult as I had to double-check and over-see
everything and spend time in training them. However, it has now paid off and I have really
reaped the benefits of learning to delegate. I have found it has a two-fold effect; my team
members responsibility has been increased and this has definitely had an impact on a demotivated team as they are now dealing with new challenges in their jobs and without doubt,
it has eased my workload which means I can spend time on more managerial tasks rather
than trying to do a lot of the administration as well.
Assertiveness
Being the youngest in team of sales people, I was surrounded by confident, pushy individuals
who, I felt, took advantage of my age and asked me to do things that I felt werent fair. I had
a really busy role, yet they would tell me to go and make tea for everyone throughout the
day and I was often asked to get their lunches. I knew to some degree it was part of the work
culture so I accepted it but it was only when a new recruit started who was a university
graduate and a couple of years older than me that I felt inspired to make some changes as
this new girl was never asked to do menial tasks. I booked myself on an Assertiveness
course and started to read books on the subject and very slowly started to apply some of the
techniques. I was astounded at the impact of learning to stand up for myself and really
enjoyed learning the psychology behind it. My team were at first taken aback at my different
approach but soon adjusted which amazed me and I began to feel really confident in myself.
The best part of it was that we had a new starter recently who became the youngest member
of our team, and I actually taught him some techniques so that he didnt need to go through
the difficult time I had experienced and that really paid off for him. The great aspect of
learning assertiveness skills is that it has benefited every area of my life I now feel a lot
more confident and happy in myself generally.
Public speaking
I have always been very shy and dreaded giving presentations which has been an essential
part of my Business degree. After getting quite poor feedback at the end of my first year at
university, I decided that to be successful in the business world, I had to become confident at
talking to large audiences and had to overcome this weakness. I joined the Debating Society
and found this is a great way to talk to small groups at first which helped to build my
confidence. I also actively volunteered to present to my class during group work to further
my skills in public speaking. I cant say that even now I really enjoy speaking in front of large
groups and always feel nervous at the prospect, but the feedback I get is very good and
people are amazed when I tell them how I used to feel about it so I would definitely say that I
have conquered this weakness.

2. Why havent you achieved more in your career?

This question is a subtle form of criticism and although you can feel under attack, the
interviewer is more interest in how you handle the question rather than the actual reason
behind why you have not achieved more.
Do not make yourself vulnerable by admitting that you feel you should have achieved more;
instead focus on what you have achieved and talk proudly about your successes, therefore
drawing attention away from what you cannot offer them. You should also talk about how
you see your career plans developing over the next few years.
If though, there were legitimate reasons why have not achieved more in your career i.e. a
long period of ill health, then you should explain this but also make it clear that you are now
on-form, have been given the all-clear and ready to embrace new challenges.

Example:
I actually like the way my career has developed as Ive been able to gain a wider perspective
of the industry rather than having stayed doing the same role for a number of years. As Ive
progressed through my career, I have gained a great deal of sales and marketing experience
through the opportunities Ive had in each role. I have been responsible for a number of
significant achievements; in my current role I successfully established and managed a new
business arm specialising in the provision of telemarketing services bringing in an additional
revenue of 1.5M per year. My excellent communication and negotiation skills have been the
backbone of my success in winning high profile clients for the organisation, of which, I feel
very proud. I feel ready for the next challenge and am confident I would be successful in this
post.

3. How do you handle criticism?

This interview question is a fairly straightforward one to handle you need to demonstrate
that you take on board constructive criticism and are always striving to improve, yet are able
to decide whether it is valid or not. Criticism can arise from a number of reasons; it could be
jealousy of your success, someones doubt about your abilities, or a personal disliking to you
try to keep objective about the criticism and deal with the facts only.
You will also want to consider who is making the criticism, since it is likely to be more
professional than personal if coming from a client rather than a colleague.

The key is to show that that you can deal with the situation calmly and rationally, take
ownership of the problem and have used it to improve your work. If you are in a leadership
position, you will need to show that you are responsive to criticism by discussing it openly
and are able to work towards finding a solution.

Example:
I try to welcome constructive criticism as I am always striving to push myself to achieve high
standards in my own work and feel its important to take on board feedback from others,
especially those who may have a different perspective or possibly more experience than I do.
I was recently asked to work on an Induction presentation for new starters, but since I have
not had any experience of presenting before, I invited criticism from both my line manager
and from a more experienced colleague. Whilst they were largely impressed with my work
they certainly gave me constructive criticism on a number of different areas and this helped
me to perfect my presentation. Since I always give out feedback forms at the end of my
presentation, I take on board these comments and am able to decipher which of them are
helpful in updating my presentation to make it as valuable as possible for new starters.
Overall, I view criticism as a learning tool to continually improve.

4. What makes you angry?

Again, the interviewer is assessing how you handle pressure bear in mind you don't want
to come across either as someone too fiery or someone who doesnt assert themselves. Aim
to give an answer that is suited to both your personality and the management style of the
firm and the job role itself. Here, the background work you have done about the company
and its style can help in your choice of words.

Example A: If you are a quiet person and/or the corporate culture is reserved and
professional:

I'm a calm and positive person by nature, and I believe this helps me a great deal in keeping
my department running smoothly. I believe in communicating clearly what's expected,
getting peoples commitment to those goals, and then following up regularly to check
progress. If, for any reason, things are going off-track, I want to know about it early and
understand the problem. If there's no good reason, then I'll get impatient and take
appropriate steps from there. But if you hire good people, motivate them to achieve high

standards and then follow-up on a regular basis, it almost never gets to that state.

Example B: If you are feisty by nature and/or the position calls for a tough boss
I have legitimate reasons to get annoyed with people which can include those who are lazy,
shy away from responsibility, don't pull their own weight, are negative and try to spread their
negativity throughout the team, people who lie, etc. Of course, there may be underlying
reasons for some of these issues which I would want to investigate and support them with
but if there is no valid reason, I would seek to pull them up on their performance in relation
to the role they are carrying out and their attitude towards work
.

5. What reservations do you have about working for us?

Be careful with this question, as honesty may not be the best policy here! If you do have any
reservations, keep them for some later questions if the interview should progress further or
ask the recruitment agency to check out certain information if the role is through them. You
are perfectly justified in having reservations but it is best to steer clear of mentioning them
in a first interview.
Showing lack of enthusiasm for a job is often cited as a key reason as to why someone failed
to get an offer so keep your interview positive and upbeat and if your concerns are so
overriding, then you should question why you are applying in the first place.

Example:
After having done my research and knowing more about the company and the job on offer, I
dont have any reservations. I think the role is a perfect match to my skills and experience
and offers scope to develop in my chosen field. Furthermore, I think the growth and
expansion of your company over the last few years confirms my desire to want to work for a
dynamic and progressive organisation such as yours.

6. What sort of person do you find difficult to work with?

This question is seeking to find out about your interpersonal skills and how you deal with
conflict which will allow the interviewer to assess how you interrelate with others and how
you might fit in to the team.
Of course, this question is quite subjective as each person might find different qualities in
someone irritating or difficult to work with so it is your perception of a difficult colleague
that the interviewer is interested in hearing about.
Your answer should demonstrate that you are empathic and try to see others opinions, yet
are assertive enough to stand up for what you believe is right. You will need to show how
you able to work successfully with someone despite the difficulties and seek a way of finding
a resolution or compromise that works for both of you.

Example:
There isnt a specific type of person whom I find it difficult to work with but I am a firm
believer of fairness and open communication when faced with this situation. If someone is
being difficult because they are shying away from responsibility, is quick to blame others or
just hasnt done their fair share of the work, then I do not have issues in addressing this.
However, I think it is too easy to make assumptions about others and I have learnt that what
is important is to give the other person a chance to voice their opinions or explain
themselves before jumping in with why I think they are being difficult there may be a valid
reason that I am unaware of or sometimes it is simply a high-pressure situation that can raise
stress levels temporarily. I feel that certain issues can be overlooked if they arent really that
important but if I feel the situation has gone too far, I will try to resolve it through
communicating with that individual to reach a mutual understanding.

7. What is the worst mistake you have made at work/or failed to reach
a target?
As with many of these negative questions, you may feel under pressure to defend yourself,
but it would be wrong to say that you have never failed or made a mistake at work as few of
us are that perfect! This question warrants an answer that demonstrates humility, self
awareness, openness to learning and growth.
Be honest, but respond with a failure or mistake that allowed for a learning curve, not one
that was out of your hands as the interviewer is mainly interested in hearing about how you
reflected and learnt from the experience. It is also best to avoid extreme situations which
can raise serious questions for the recruiter i.e. how you failed to meet the needs of your

companys most important client who was forced to give their business to one of your
competitors resulting in major financial losses for the company!
Before your interview, ask yourself these questions:
-

What is an important lesson I have learnt and how did I learn it?
How has a recent mistake helped me to improve?
How have I taken a failure and turned it into an opportunity?
What have I specifically changed about myself since gaining awareness of this mistake?

Example:
My nature is such that I have always been very trusting of others. When I was an Account
Executive at my last job, I let my overly-trusting personality take over and found out a day
before the deadline that one of my subordinates actually did not do a portion of a project
that they had alleged was finished weeks before. What I learned from this experience as a
manager is the importance of following up on important tasks when they are delegated to
team members. Whether it is an individual or team task, as a manager, it is my job to ensure
that everyone completes their work in a timely manner. Because I have to travel a lot in my
role, it is difficult to keep on top of the day-to-day issues so I delegated this role to a trusted
colleague for those periods and also now make much more use of video conferencing with
my team. Since then, Ive not had a similar issue arise.

8. What would you do if you dont get offered this job?

The interviewer is seeking your response to handling rejection, and no one wants to appear
desperate so keep your cool and definitely avoid begging! They are also interested in finding
out what your alternative job plans might be and ideally, its best to be in a position where
you can talk about other interviews you have lined up or are waiting to hear back from
prospective employers. Use the question to reiterate your interest in the post.

Example:
I would, of course, be disappointed. I feel the job is an excellent fit to my skills and meets all
my requirements and I can also see myself fitting in well here. At the same time, I have also
applied for other positions and am awaiting feedback on one or two so I would stay positive
and continue to pursue my job search. However, this role is, by far, my first choice and I hope
that I have done everything I can to demonstrate that I would be your preferred candidate.

14 - BODY LANGUAGE - TWELVE TECHNIQUES TO

GUARANTEE A STRONG INTERVIEW
PERFORMANCE
Interview skills and communication skills are not just about speech techniques and
structures. You may have come across studies or statistics which state that up to 60% of the
impression that you make is through your body language. Whatever the reality behind this
statement, it is undoubtable that the way you dress and behave at an interview will strongly
influence the person who is looking at you, even if it is subconscious.
To make a strong impression, there are a number of rules regarding correct body language
that you need to reflect upon and adopt:
1.

Choose a good position within the room

At an interview, you will normally be directed to a specific seat (i.e. you will have no
choice). However, interviews can often be conducted in oversized environments (e.g. a
meeting room with a table for 8 when there are only 3 of you). Make sure you choose a
seat which enables you to see everyone involved without having to rotate your head
exaggeratedly. In most cases, it may be best to hover around to see which chairs the
interviewers are aiming for before making your selection.
If there is a window, choose a chair that faces it so that your face is lit from the front,
unless there is good lighting all-round. If you turn your back to the window, the
interviewers may see you in sepia!

2.

Maintain a good posture

If you are being interviewed at a table, make sure that you are not too close to the table.
As a rule of thumb, your body language should be such that if you let your arms fall
loosely on the table in front of you, they should fall with your elbows slightly outside of
the table. If you elbows are actually on the table then you are too close. If your elbows
are more than a few inches away (or you have to lean forward a lot to put your hands on
the table) then you are too far away. For most people, the ideal distance between chest
and table is about 4 inches.
Plant both feet onto the ground so that you remain stable; and put your hands on the
table (people who place their hands below the table come across as having something
to hide). Keep yourself upright, with a slight slant forward and relax your shoulders. If
there is no table (or only a low table) then simply rest your hands on your lap.

3.

Don't be afraid to 'own the space'

Just because you are under observation, it does not mean that you should recoil in a
corner. It is okay to stand or sit with your legs slightly apart, and in fact, it is a sign of
confident body language.

4.

Limit your hand and arm movement

It is perfectly okay in your body language to move your arms and hands around, and if
that is the way that you normally behave then don't try to become someone else. Your

personality and enthusiasm are as important as everything else. However make sure
that such movements do not become distracting and do not take the focus away from
your face. To achieve this, make sure that your movements are limited and never higher
than your chest, and not under the table. If there is no table, you can let your hands go
as far down as your lap.
If your hands go outside towards the left or right, your interviewers will follow them and
may stop concentrating on you. If your hands go over chest level, you will most likely
obscure your lips or eyes.
If you have a tendency to fidget in a very distracting manner, intertwine your fingers
and rest your hands on the table.
5.

Smile
A nervous smile is better than no smile at all - no one wants to employ a grumpy person
that looks miserable all of the time! Good interviewers will understand that you may be
nervous and will make attempts to put you at ease. Make sure that you reward their
efforts with an easy smile but don't overdo it - it is simply a reasonable attempt to
engage with them.
Smile lightly also when you are being introduced to other people in the interview room.
With this body language you can build a good rapport.
It is also perfectly acceptable to laugh if the situation warrants it (but avoid making
jokes just for the sake of introducing a laugh into the conversation. You'll probably end
up being the only one laughing which could be embarrassing!)

6.

Maintain eye contact

If you do not make eye contact, you will come across as evasive and insecure which is
poor body language. If you stare at people too much, you will make them insecure.
There are two situations here: either you are being interviewed by just one person, in
which case you will have no choice but to look at them all the time; or you are being
interviewed by more than one person. If this case, then look mostly at the person who is
asking you the question, and occasionally glance aside to involve the others (they will
be grateful that you are trying to involve them into the conversation even if they have
not asked that particular question).

7.

Beware of the props

If you have a pen with you, avoid fiddling with it as it may end up flying in the wrong
direction! Similarly, if they offer you a drink (tea, coffee, water, etc), make sure that you
can cope with it and that you won't need to go to the toilet or start crossing your legs
half-way through the interview. Other than the fact that it may end up down your shirt or
on your lap, the movement of the water in a glass that you have just picked up will
reveal just how nervous you are.

8.

Mirror the interviewer's behaviour

Mirroring (i.e. acting similarly) to someone is an indication that there is a connection
through body language. It should happen normally but you may be able to influence it
too, if only to give the interviewer the feeling that you are getting on well. For example,

if the interviewer is sitting back then you may want to sit back a little too; if he leans
forward, you may lean forward too. Be careful not to overdo it though and do not mirror
instantly, otherwise it will look like some kind of Laurel and Hardy sketch!
9.

Get the handshake right

Shake hands firmly - practice doing so if you are not sure what your handshake is like. If
you shake someone's hand too firmly it can imply arrogance and if you deliver a weak
handshake, it can suggest weakness, both of which are known to be a complete turn-off
for recruiters. Maintain eye contact whilst shaking the person's hand and saying "hello".

10.

Show an appropriate amount of enthusiasm

Whilst it is essential to show enthusiasm, do be careful of over-doing it so that you still
come across as behaving naturally. By not showing enough enthusiasm, you could
appear disinterested even though it could be nerves and shyness that make you appear
that way - ultimately, you won't be doing yourself any justice if you don't show
enthusiasm about the role and the organisation. Enthusiasm, motivation and confidence
are fairly easy to get right when well-prepared, all of which are traits which are
guaranteed to impress an interviewer.

11.

Adopt an appropriate tone of voice and pace

If you are feeling confident and enthusiastic about the job, this will be reflected in the
way you speak. Nerves, stress and pressure will have a negative impact, while
confidence, enthusiasm and energy will come across positively.
Interview nerves affect people in different ways. Some people speak very softly or too
fast, others become hesitant and leave long gaps between words. During the interview,
try to imagine that you talking to someone you know fairly well, and speak in a relaxed
and easy manner. If you need to pause to think about what you want to say next, it is
fine to do so (one interview technique is to accept the offer of a drink before the
interview which you can take a sip of whilst pausing to think about what to say next
without making it too obvious! As mentioned above, you would need to weigh this up
against the possibility of spills and a shaky hand!) It is preferable to take a pause than to
use "ums" and "ers" as long as the pauses are not excessively long, in which case an
interviewer may not realise when you have finished speaking.
Do also bear in mind that along with the positive image that you will give by smiling
appropriately during the interview, this will also come across in your tone of voice
further enhancing how you can appear confident and relaxed.

12.

And relax
You can't spend all of your energy focusing on body language so once you have
consciously tried to embed the key points, try to put it out of your mind. There is no
point displaying positive body language if your answers are terrible! Bearing in mind
that body language is a reflection of your level of confidence, it is important that you
build your confidence up first through good preparation and then go to the interview
relaxed. You will be surprised of how much of the above you can do naturally.

Finally
Below are a number of negative traits and how your body language can give them away:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Defensiveness: crossing your arms

Disinterested/Boredom: tapping feet, playing with your pen, looking down,
slouching, rubbing the back of your head or neck
Nervousness: fidgeting, twiddling thumbs, playing with your hair
Arrogance/overconfidence: brisk and erect walk, hands clasped behind head
Aggression: Postures such as hands on hips and pointing or wagging your index
finger
Doubt: rubbing eyes or nose
Too informal: Slouching in your chair and not sitting upright

15. QUESTIONS TO ASK AT THE END

It is very unlikely for an interview to conclude without the candidate being asked Do you
have any questions for us? Yet many people waste the opportunity to ask intelligent
questions at the end of the interview. Although there is a sense of relief that the worst is
over, you also are being assessed on the value of your questions so ensure you have
prepared a few. It will also demonstrate that you have done your homework, researched the
company and understand the market and environment in which they operate. Your questions
should show that you have a genuine interest in progressing with the company.
This means avoiding anything to do with money, benefits, hours of work, etc. as it makes
you look like you placing too much focus on what you are expecting from them rather than
what you are offering them. There is always the opportunity after a first interview to clarify
such details so wait for a more appropriate time to ask those questions.
Instead, you should choose questions which show you have initiative and are able to think
strategically (if going for a senior position). It is always useful to have a handful of questions
ready in case one of your prepared questions does get answered during the interview, so
you want to be able to think on your feet and choose another appropriate question.
Important Note Study their website/literature well, it will not do you any favours to ask a
question to which their answer is clearly published or something very obscure where the
interviewer is unlikely to know the answer!
What do you see as the priorities for this job in the first six months?
This allows the interviewer to go into more detail about what the post actually requires
within the first few months (sometimes this detail isnt always clear from a Job Spec which
may be outdated). Its a chance for you to fully understand what is immediately needed
from the role and if possible even explain why those priorities are ideally suited to your
experience.

If I was given the job, how do you see the role evolving over the next two to three
years?
This is a confident way of wording the question and helps the interviewer to envisage you
doing the role. It also allows you to gain a fuller picture of how your career may develop and
also expresses your keenness to progress in the role.

How do you think the company might develop over the next five years? Or You
have recently introduced a new product/service/division how will this benefit the
company?
These questions demonstrate that you are interested not just in the job but in the companys
future plans. It will be apparent that you have done some research and want to hear more
about their opportunities for growth. The first question also shows that you would like
longevity with the company and are keen on developing a career path. Interviewers
generally like to hire people who demonstrate commitment and can develop with the
company.

What training and professional development opportunities will be available?

This is a common question to ask as it highlights that you are keen to advance your skills
and add further value to their company.

Why has this job become available?

This gives you an opportunity to find out whether it is a new post that you can develop,
whether the company is looking to expand in a particular area or whether the previous
person left, and why.

How will you measure my performance and how often?

This question tells the interviewer that you are used to regular assessments and do not have
a problem being measured against organisational objectives. It also demonstrates that you
appreciate the importance of delivering tangible results.

How would you describe the team/work culture here?

This question demonstrates that you are a team-player and that you want to be able to
operate at your optimum and that to achieve this you require an environment which is
conducive to a positive work culture.

May I tell you a little more about my particular interest in developing technical
solutions/developing new business/implementing improved systems?
If you feel as though you havent been able to fully get across a point which you feel is very
relevant and important to the role, this is your last chance to blow your own trumpet and
maximise your opportunity to sell yourself.

Is there anything youd like me to clarify or explain in more detail?

Interviewers are often busy taking notes during the interview that can lead to them missing
something you have said earlier which is relevant for them. Asking this question gives them
a chance to clear up any questions or doubts they may have about you but you need to be
ready to address any reservations they may have as this will probably be your last chance to
do so.

What do you enjoy most about working here?

This is good question as it really gets the interviewer/s to think about the best aspects of the
company and gets them to do some work! Do remember, your interview is a two-way
process so they should be able to sell the reasons to you as to why they are a good company
and why you should want to work for them.

This may take some bravery

Do you have any doubts about my ability to do this job?
This is a more direct way of asking the above question and most people are wary of using it
but it can be useful if you know that you are lacking in a particular area. This question allows
the interviewer to bring that point to the surface so that it can be confronted and addressed.
Of course, you need to respond with an answer which states how you intend to overcome
this issue.

Closing the Interview

In the wrapping-up stage, it is acceptable to ask when you can expect to hear from them,
particularly if you have other interviews/offers to consider. And finally, remember to thank
the interviewers for their time before you leave.

Partner Interview
The PwC partner interview is 90 percent competency based and 10 percent based on
the specific area where you have applied for a position You will be asked about
communication skills, client service, self development, development of others,
relationship building and personal networks.
Typical questions arising from these competencies would be:

Why do you want to work for PwC? Why PwC instead of another Big 4 firm?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? At PwC, in 5 years you can
reasonably expect to finish 'Manager' position and be moving into managing staff
and clients on your own.

What recent events have affected PwC and the accounting industry? (This would
include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act).

What factors do you think are important to make a successful business?

If you were senior partner at PwC, what would keep you up at night?

Give me an example of a business you think is performing well/badly and explain

why you think this is so?

If you had 1 million, how would you invest it?

Tell me about a time when you have had to motivate someone?

Tell me when you learnt something new?

Tell me about a time when you have to resolve a disagreement diplomatically.

What/where do you expect to be in 5 years?

If you met the CEO of M&S and were asked for advice from an auditory point of
view, what would you say?

If you were unsuccessful with PwC what would you do?

Give two examples of when you've had to make and stick to a budget.

Tell me about a time you had to deal with rejection.

Tell me about a time when you convinced others with your point of view.

What do you consider to be your strengths?

What are your development areas?

How do you structure your time at university ensuring you balance your personal
life?

Tell me about a difficult experience at work and how you dealt with it.

What made you decide to join this Professional Service?

What do you know about our business?

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

What are your major achievements to date?

What do you do in your spare time?

Describe how you see the role of a graduate at PwC?

What is the biggest mistake you have made? What did you learn from this
mistake?

Tell me about a time when you have worked in a team? What was your role?

Have you applied for any other graduate jobs?

How does PwC add value to its clients?

How is PwC Assurance divided and in what division would you like to work?
(see PwC Audit & Assurance)

Tell me what you know about the qualification which you will be studying?

Explain when you have been in a situation where you were working towards a
deadline and the parameters have been changed? (i.e. you have been asked to
deliver something slightly different)

Give me 2 examples of when you have worked in a team to achieve a goal.

(Teamwork)

Give me 2 examples of where you have had to lead a team. (Teamwork

Give me 2 examples of where you have been in a situation of conflict, and

explain how you choose to do the right thing.

Can you discuss any recent developments which have strongly affected
PwC and the accounting industry? (Commercial Awareness)

What do you anticipate you will be doing in your first year at PwC?

What can you tell me about the (ACA) qualification to which you have applied?

What can you tell me about the line of work to which you have applied?

What do you think you will be doing in your first year at PwC?

Discuss a recent piece of financial news that has been in the press?

Tell me something about yourself

Why PwC?
How do you handle stress and pressure?
Recall a time that you shared technical expertise?
Busiest time this year?
OJT questions
JPIA positions
Short Term Goal
Long Term Goal

PWC CORE COMPETENCIES

Its playing a significant role in changing the way our people think, learn and develop
together during their time with us. It describes the capabilities we need - who we need
to be and the behaviours we need to adopt - in order to meet the expectations of our
clients, colleagues and communities in todays changing global marketplace. As PwC
professionals, it is important that we influence others constructively within and beyond
the workplace, by demonstrating different forms of leadership at various stages of our
careers.
Within the PwC Professional framework, there are five attributes:
Whole leadership, the ability to lead, to make a difference and deliver results
The ability to build genuine, trust-based relationships;
Business acumen, the ability to bring business knowledge and awareness
Technical capabilities, which create value for clients and PwC
Global acumen, transcending boundaries of geography, politics, race and
culture
The combination of these attributes helps our people bring their best self to work and
to inspire their colleagues and clients to do the same. It also means that PwC people
will be strongly and uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of the future wherever
their careers might lead them.

We need you to lead yourself and others, regardless of your grade, by making a real
difference in the work you do. This means delivering results in a responsible, authentic,
resilient, inclusive and passionate way.

Do you learn from your opportunities and take the time to develop your personal
approach to work?

Do you lead others to be the best they can be, whether youre part of a team or
leading one?

Do you act with integrity and uphold professional standards at all times?

Youll bring business knowledge and awareness, or have a willingness to learn about
business, and can bring innovation, and fresh thinking, to create distinctive value for
our clients and PwC.

How do you keep up-to-date with business and industry trends?

Do you consider all facts and think broadly about data when making
recommendations?

Do you see opportunities within changing business environments which can add
value?

In your role you apply a range of technical capabilities to deliver quality and value for
our clients and PwC.

Do you maintain professional standards and always produce high quality work?

How do you build and maintain your technical expertise and knowledge?

Do you share your knowledge, to deliver insights, with others?

In a continually complex and changing world, youll need to operate and collaborate
effectively, with a mind-set that transcends geographic and cultural boundaries.

Do you consider a broad range of perspectives in your thinking?

Do you embrace and see opportunity in change?

Can you bring fresh insights to our clients and PwC?

Youre skilled at building relationships of high value which are genuine and rooted in
trust.

Do you communicate with confidence?

Do you build and maintain strong and authentic relationships, within your
business network and develop new ones outside of it?

Are you passionate about providing exceptional services?