Personal
What are your hobbies?
Provide answers that are honest, but be careful not to go into too much detail that will seem to threaten your commitment to the job.
Do you prefer to work alone or on a team.
Tell them what you prefer but mention you can do both.
Give an example of when you provided good customer service.
Use an example from work or volunteer positions when you went above the requirements to help a customer/neighbor, etc.
What is your work history?
Give the dates, employers and job titles and describe related jobs in a bit more detail.
What is the most difficult decision you had to make?
Talk about decisions that are hard to make and how you use research to find the best answer.
What is your greatest weakness?
Give an example of how you get around the weakness. Use something that was a challenge and how you reached your goal; or use an example of something unrelated to the job.
Example: Public Speaking
Have you had any trouble working with a manager?
Make sure you explain you can work with any manager. Keep it positive!
What experience do you have?
Talk about experiences you have related to the job.
EXAMPLE:
1.Talk about your accomplishments & skills obtained through prior jobs.
2. Talk about and highlight your professional abilities.
Have you ever been fired from a job?
If you have been fired, be honest. The interviewer wants to know how you cope with adversity and the issue is no longer a problem
EXAMPLE: "The job wasn't working out, so my boss and I agreed that it was time for me to move on to a position that better suit my qualifications & interests".
What have you learned from a mistake?
Talk about the mistake and how it was corrected or what you learned to prevent making the mistake again.
EXAMPLE: "I've learned persistence-not to give up too soon because the solution is probably right in front of me.
What is your greatest strength?
Give an example that can help you be successful on the job.
Example: "My greatest strength is my written communication skills".
How do you handle pressure or stress?
Give examples of what you do and how you are able to handle pressure and stress...
Example: "I try to react to situations rather than to stress. That way, I can handle the situation without becoming overly stressed.
Example: "I actually work better under pressure & have found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment."
Why are you the best person for this job?
Talk about skills you have that are a fit for the company that set you apart from other candidates; and that you are passionate about the company's mission.
How long do you want to work for this company?
Give a longer period of time. Employers want to hire people who will stay a while.
Give an example of when you had an angry customer (person).
Tell the interviewer how you resolved the problem for the customer.
EXAMPLE: "I stayed calm and made sure I listened to the angry customer's (person's) complaint. I showed empathy for their complaint by listening and nodding to assure I understood what they were saying. I thanked them for letting me know and explained the steps I would take to resolve the problem".
What are your career goals?
Mention how the position you are interviewing for helps you meet your career goals. They want to know if you plan on making a commitment to the company.
Examples: *Goals focused on Personal skills (communication, teamwork, leadership, etc) OR *Goals focused on productivity (producing results for the employer) ETC
How do you measure success?
Describe what success means to you:
EXAMPLE:
1. Setting goals for yourself
2. Reaching or surpassing your goals
3. Learning from your mistakes
Why do you want this job?
Talk about how this job matches your skills and goals.
What is your work style?
Do you like fast or slow-paced work? Are you organized? Do you like task lists or schedules?
Describe when you had too much work to do.
Describe how you prioritized the work for completion and are able to work under pressure.
EXAMPLE: " My job has multiple conflicting priorities where it can be difficult to know what is most important. I worked out an important/urgent scale for rating tasks so it is clear what takes highest priority.
Tell me about yourself.
Talk about where you live, where you went to school, what you like to do, your goals, and briefly discuss your experience.
What is your work pace?
Make sure to describe how you get things done.
EXAMPLE:
1. I work at a steady, consistent pace
2. I plan out and organize my work
3. I always complete my work ahead of time
What is your educational background?
Briefly describe degrees and classes and give details on related classes to the job.
Who was your best and worst boss?
Describe why your boss was good. Don't talk about a worst boss because it sounds negative. You can say you liked some management styles better than others.
What was a difficult experience you had at work?
The interviewer wants to know what kind of person you are & how you behave in different situations. Discuss the situation and how you solved the problem.
EXAMPLE: "As a new employee at a large retail store, I was told to check-in with my boss every morning. However, my boss was never around which was very stressful. I decided to check-in with HR and leave a note for my boss asking for a contact person when they weren't available & find another associated for guidance in the meantime."