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INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS: DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWERS?
By Heather Eagar |
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Things can go really against you despite your thorough preparation
for a just a couple of 'types' of interview questions. However, it
is possible to ignore or forget the other types of possible
interview questions. This brings us to different 'types' of
interview questions, along with traditional questions or questions
pertaining to your core skills.
Types Of Interview Questions
It is crucial for you to be able to anticipate different types of
questions that may come up in an interview. Let's categorize them
into three types:
1. 'Out of the box' questions and hardcore questions are the
traditionally asked ones that cannot be readily anticipated. They
may or may not be related to the job at hand, and are designed to
see how well you can 'think on your feet'.
2. Questions That Test Behavior And Problem Solving Abilities. These
aim to find how you have conducted yourself in difficult situations
and how will you do if the situation were to repeat itself.
Interviewers always want to test you for unexpected and accidental
circumstances.
3. Lastly, There Are Illegal Questions which are sometimes cleverly
framed. These are aimed to find out your nationality, religious or
ethnic background, marital status, etc. Illegal questions are not
always intentional, but sometimes they are. The world isn't fair,
and you may as well know this going in.
Sample Questions
Let's look at some samples from two categories:
Traditional Questions/Behavioral Questions
1. Tell us about yourself. In my humble opinion, the most overused
and overworked, and unfortunately the most likely first question in
any interview. This question can be manifested in any form. As there
is no right or wrong answer to this, this is an open-ended question,
most often used by inexperienced interviewers. However, if this
question does come up (and you should assume that it will), then
stick to answering strictly in business terms; NEVER volunteer
personal information.
2. Why do you want to join us? This is another question belonging to
the same category as the earlier one but usually follows it. As
such, it is routinely predictable and you should have your answer
ready. You need to list the benefits of your joining them from both
points of view (the employer's first, then yours).
3. How would you describe yourself? Adopt a realistic approach
towards this question and use adjectives like 'honest', 'hard
working', etc., instead of the overused/ambiguous answers like
'courageous' or 'results-oriented'.
4. 'Describe a situation which demanded working overtime' (or any
variations on this question). If you have been in the corporate
world for any length of time, you should have encountered this
scenario. This question is devised only to see how you will possibly
conduct yourself, as the new employer is probably anticipating
similar situations happening should you be hired.
5. 'Tell me about a decision that you made which was a bad one'.
This may well be a hypothetical question. But if you had had made a
bad decision, a 'positive you' will explain this in a structured
mixture of truth, admission, failure analysis and so on. In other
words, logically turn a potential negative answer into a positive
one - avoid making yourself look incompetent at all costs.
Let's take a look at some possible illegal questions. Employers know
they aren't supposed to ask them, but many do anyway (and some in
different variations, so as not to be overtly illegal):
Illegal Questions
6. Does your religion preclude you from working weekends? (overtly
illegal question)
7. Are you planning to have kids? (designed to reveal your family
status, or perhaps your sexual orientation)
8. When/Where were you born? (A clever way of finding out your age
or ethnicity)
9. Your last name sounds unusual; what's your origin? (designed to
reveal your ethnic background)
As a job seeker, you will invariable come across all types of
interview questions. There are as many different types of questions
as there are interviewers. It pays to be aware of the many types of
questions that you will encounter - doing so will ensure that you
handle such questions with confidence. |
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