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Example Job Interview Questions and Answers Congratulations!

You have applied for a job and now you are getting ready for that important job interview. Your English is excellent and you are looking forward to making a good impression on your future (hopefully) boss. Now, you need to make sure that you also have the right type of English for that job interview. The job interview in English contains specific questions and appropriate answers. It also requires a certain flexibility in your usage of tenses. This feature provides tips on job interview questions and answers in English. When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer can have a great influence on the rest of the interview. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and are friendly. The first question is often a "breaking the ice" (establish a rapport) type of question. Don't be surprised if the interviewer asks you something like:

How are you today? Did you have any trouble finding us? What do you think of the weather lately?

Don't be surprised by the friendly tone. The interviewer wants to put you at ease (help you relax). Answer the question without going into too much detail. The language you use should be simple but polite, for example; How are you today? GOOD I'm fine thank you, and you? I'm well thank you. BAD So, so OK Not so well What is most important? Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most important part of any job interview. Your qualifications include your education from High School on and any special training you may have done in the past. Your experience is any work that you have done that is directly or indirectly related to the job you are applying for. Education Remember that your education took place in the past. Therefore you need to use the past tenses, for example:

I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993. I graduated with a degree in agricultural planning. Etc. If you are currently a student you should use the following present tenses: I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a degree in Economics in the spring. I am studying English at the Borough Community College. Etc. Remember to include any training you may have had when talking about your education. This includes any computer training, correspondence courses, etc. Make sure to mention your English studies. This is very important as English is not your first language and the employer may be concerned about this fact. Assure the employer that you are continuing to improve your English skills by any courses you may be taking, or by saying that you study a certain number of hours a week to improve your skills. Experience and Qualifications Work experience is by far the most important topic of any job interview (at least in the United States and Britain). Therefore, it is important to explain what experience you have in detail. Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest. Be confident, and talk freely about your accomplishments in past employment. The tenses you should use are the following: When talking about current employment be careful to use the present perfect or present perfect continuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job, for example: Smith and Co. have employed me for the last 3 years as a salesperson. I have been creating customer contacts for 6months. Etc. When talking about past employers use the past tenses to signal that you are no longer working for that company, for example: I was employed by Jackson's from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk. I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York. Etc. Talking about Responsibilities Most importantly, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications and skills, which are required for the job you are applying for. The job skills that you have acquired in the past may not have

been for the same exact job. Therefore, it is important to show how the capabilities you do have relate to the job you are applying for. I remember a wonderful example of adapting skills to fit the job desired. I had a student from Moscow who had worked as the manager of an important theater in Moscow. Unfortunately, he had to start from the beginning in New York and therefore wanted to get a job as a rodent exterminator (someone who kills rats!). When asked what kind of experience he had, he replied that, as the manager of the theater, he had had to make sure that the theater was always rodent free and was therefore capable of doing the job well! This is a fantastic example of the type of adaptability most employers in the United States are looking for. On the next page you will find a list of appropriate vocabulary to use in the job interviewing process. Good luck!
Use the Right Word Below is a list of great verbs to help you express just exactly what you did with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities and tasks performed: acted accomplished adapted administered advanced advised allocated analyzed applied approved arbitrated arranged assisted attained blended brought built carried out catalogued changed classified collaborated compared completed computed

conceived conducted constructed consulted contracted controlled cooperated coordinated corrected counseled created dealt decided decreased defined delegated derived designated detected developed devised directed discovered distributed documented doubled edited encouraged engineered enlarged escalated established estimated evaluated examined expanded experienced explored facilitated finalized formulated founded functioned governed

grouped guided handled harmonized harnessed headed identified implemented improved increased indexed initiated inspected installed instituted interpreted introduced invented investigated justified led localized located made managed maintained mechanized merged moderated motivated negotiated opened operated organized originated overcame perceived performed pioneered planned prepared presented presided processed

programmed promoted provided purchased raised recommended recorded recruited rectified redesigned repaired replaced restored reversed reviewed revised saved screened selected serviced set up solved sorted sparked specified started stimulated strengthened summarized supervised supported systematized tested trained transacted transcribed transformed tripled upgraded validated varied verified vitalized won

wrote To describe your skills the following adjectives are useful accurate active adaptable adept broad-minded competent conscientious creative dependable determined diplomatic discreet efficient energetic enterprising enthusiastic experienced fair firm genuine honest innovative logical loyal mature methodical motivated objective outgoing personable pleasant positive practical productive reliable resourceful self disciplined sense of humor sensitive sincere

successful tactful trustworthy Use these verbs and adjectives and really sell yourself. You only have a few minutes to show how good you really are. By using this precise vocabulary and being confident can help you make the best impression possible.

Tell me about yourself. My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become the very best _____ I can become. Let me tell you specifically how I've prepared myself . . . Why should I hire you? Because I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job--my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In _____ and _____ I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become by doing the following . . . What is your long-range objective? Where do you want to be 10 or 15 years from now? Although it's certainly difficult to predict things far into the future, I know what direction I want to develop toward. Within five years, I would like to become the very best _____ your company has. In fact, my personal career mission statement is to become a world-class _____ in the _____ industry. I will work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel I will be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities that might be presented in the long term. How has your education prepared you for your career? As you will note on my resume, I've taken not only the required core classes in the _____ field, I've also gone above and beyond. I've taken every class the college has to offer in the field and also completed an independent study project specifically in this area. But it's not just taking the classes to gain academic knowledge--I've taken each class, both inside and outside of my major, with this profession in mind. So when we're studying _____ in _____, I've viewed it from the perspective of _____. In addition, I've always tried to keep a practical view of how the information would apply to my job. Not just theory, but how it would actually apply. My capstone course project in my final semester involved developing a real-world model of _____, which is very similar to what might be used within your company. Let me tell you more about it . . . Are you a team player? Very much so. In fact, I've had opportunities in both athletics and academics to develop my skills as a team player. I was involved in _____ at the intramural level, including leading my team in assists during the past year--I always try to help others achieve their best. In academics, I've worked on several team projects, serving as both a member and team leader. I've seen the value of working together as a team to achieve a greater goal than any one of us could have achieved individually. As an example . . . Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved? Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but certainly there have been situations where there was a disagreement that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it's because of a failure to see both sides of the situation. Therefore, I

ask the other person to give me their perspective and at the same time ask that they allow me to fully explain my perspective. At that point, I would work with the person to find out if a compromise could be reached. If not, I would submit to their decision because they are my superior. In the end, you have to be willing to submit yourself to the directives of your superior, whether you're in full agreement or not. An example of this was when . . . What is your greatest weakness? I would say my greatest weakness has been my lack of proper planning in the past. I would overcommit myself with too many variant tasks, then not be able to fully accomplish each as I would like. However, since I've come to recognize that weakness, I've taken steps to correct it. For example, I now carry a planning calendar in my pocket so that I can plan all of my appointments and "to do" items. Here, let me show you how I have this week planned out . . . If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say? I believe they would say I'm a very energetic person, that I put my mind to the task at hand and see to it that it's accomplished. They would say that if they ever had something that needed to be done, I was the person who they could always depend on to see that it was accomplished. They would say that I always took a keen interest in the subjects I was studying and always sought ways to apply the knowledge in real world settings. Am I just guessing that they would say these things? No, in fact, I'm quite certain they would say those things because I have with me several letters of recommendation from my professors, and those are their very words. Let me show you . . . What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have? The key quality should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. A manager should also be a positive role model for others to follow. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you about a person who I consider to be a true leader . . . If you had to live your life over again, what would you change? That's a good question. I realize that it can be very easy to continually look back and wish that things had been different in the past. But I also realize that things in the past cannot be changed, that only things in the future can be changed. That's why I continually strive to improve myself each and every day and that's why I'm working hard to continually increase my knowledge in the _____ field. That's also the reason why I want to become the very best _____ your company has ever had. To make positive change. And all of that is still in the future. So in answer to your question, there isn't anything in my past that I would change. I look only to the future to make changes in my life.

Job Interview Questions About Yourself and Sample Answers


When the questions are "personal", about you, it can be a very slippery slope. The answers below are guidelines so you can write out your answers long before you go to the interview. Then, when the question is asked, you can take the few seconds (expected by the interviewer) to think about the question and how you will frame your answer (which you already know). What would you do differently if you could start your working life over? The interviewer is looking for a detour that continues to be a professional block in your career. Looking back over my career, I would have returned to school much earlier to complete my Masters degree. Even though I got my degree later than I had originally anticipated, I never lost sight of the goal.

How do you balance life and work? The interviewer wonders if you've made arrangements for the days when your child is too sick to go to school and/or daycare or if you're "out of there" as soon as it's quitting time. Best Answer: Being organized helps me balance my professional life and personal life. Consequently, I can be fully engaged while I'm at work. For those unexpected times, I have a good back-up system of child care for my children. What is your preferred way to communicate? This is a good opportunity to show you understand the importance of adjusting your preferences when necessary. At home, I enjoy talking on the phone and emails. At work, I follow the established pattern. Each of my bosses, in the past, has had a preferred method I've followed their lead. Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation? The interviewer is wondering whether they will always be able to find you. Best Answer: While on vacation, I can be reached for emergencies; however, I also know the people with whom I work are very capable of making good decisions while I'm away. I understand the importance of recharging my battery. What is your favorite book? How about your favorite movie? The interviewer wants to know whether you read to stay current and if you will you fit into the company culture. Best Answer (include your personal favorites): I read many different kinds of books. My current "favorite" book is The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. My favorite movie? Miracle on Ice. What historical figure do you admire and why? The interviewer wants to know whether you are well read and what characteristics you admire. Best Answer (include historical figures you personally admire): Personally, I most admire Abigail Adams, John Adam's wife; professionally I admired the leadership style of Ronald Reagan. What did you do during this six month gap in employment? Everyone, at some point, will probably have a gap in employment. Do not "waste it". Best Answer: For the first month, I worked on my "to do list" at home and accomplished a great deal. Then I began building a plan to reenter the workplace. While it took a little longer than I'd anticipated, I've learned a great deal about myself, am rested and looking forward to new challenges in the workplace. What led you to this point in your life? The interviewer wants to know if you are unhappy, frustrated, or lost? My "road of life" has been interesting, sometimes challenging and always rewarding. The steps along the way that have led to this point in my life are, in some ways, very different than I had imagined; however, I like who I am today in part because of my past. An example is when the second company on my resume suddenly closed their doors during a down-turn in the economy. For a very brief time, the road ahead was unknown; however, I discovered I had previously untapped strengths such as perseverance.

A typical interview question, asked to get a sense of how you handle on-the-job stress, is "How do you handle pressure?" Examples of good responses include:

Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive. I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful. I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment. From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great stress reducer. Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job. If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.

It's a good idea to give examples of how you have handled stress to your interviewer. That way, they get a clear picture how well you can work in stressful situations.

Sample answers to the interview question "Why did you leave your job?

I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellent employee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer. There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I'm ready to move on to a new challenge. I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job hunt part time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time. I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring. I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move. I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head. After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment. 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 recently received my degree and I want to utilize my educational background in my next position. I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge. I left my last position in order to spend more time with my family. Circumstances have changed and I'm more than ready for full-time employment again. I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for advancement.

I was commuting to the city and spending a significant amount of time each day on travel. I would prefer to be closer to home. To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I 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. This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am not able to fully utilize them in my present job. The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those eliminated. A typical interview question to discover how hiring you would benefit the company is "What can you contribute to this company?" The best way to answer questions about your contributions to the company is to give examples of what you have accomplished in the past, and to relate them to what you can achieve in the future. Describe specific examples of how effective you have been in your other positions, change you have implemented, and goals you have achieved. Talk about the depth and breadth of related experience that you have. Also, relate your abilities to the employer's goals. You will want to let the interviewer know that you have the skills necessary to do the job they are hiring for, the ability effectively meet challenges, and the flexibility and diplomacy to work well with other employees and with management.

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