How to Answer The 64 Toughest Interview Questions

64 Toughest Questions

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Table of Contents
General Guidelines in Answering Interview Questions......................................................................4 Question 1 Tell me about yourself. ..................................................................................6 Question 2 hat are your greatest strengths!................................................................." Question # hat are your greatest wea$nesses! ...........................................................% Question 4 Tell me about something you did & or failed to do & that you now feel a little ashamed of........................................................................................................% Question ' hy are you leaving (or did you leave) this *osition!....................................+ Question 6 The ,-ilent Treatment..................................................................................1/ Question " hy should I hire you!.................................................................................11 Question % Aren0t you over1ualified for this *osition!.....................................................11 Question + here do you see yourself five years from now!.........................................12 Question 1/ 2es3ribe your ideal 3om*any4 lo3ation and 5ob..........................................1# Question 11 hy do you want to wor$ at our 3om*any!................................................1# Question 12 hat are your 3areer o*tions right now!....................................................14 Question 1# hy have you been out of wor$ so long!...................................................14 Question 14 Tell me honestly about the strong *oints and wea$ *oints of your boss (3om*any4 management team4 et3.)6.............................................................14 Question 1' hat good boo$s have you read lately!....................................................1' Question 16 Tell me about a situation when your wor$ was 3riti3i7ed............................1' Question 1" hat are your outside interests!................................................................16 Question 1% The ,8atal 8law. 1uestion..........................................................................16 Question 1+ 9ow do you feel about re*orting to a younger *erson (minority4 woman4 et3)!................................................................................................................ 1" Question 2/ :n 3onfidential matters6...........................................................................1" Question 21 ould you lie for the 3om*any!.................................................................1% Question 22 ;oo$ing ba3$4 what would you do differently in your life!...........................1+ Question 2# <ould you have done better in your last 5ob!.............................................1+ Question 24 <an you wor$ under *ressure!..................................................................1+ Question 2' hat ma$es you angry!............................................................................2/ Question 26 hy aren0t you earning more money at this stage of your 3areer!............2/ Question 2" ho has ins*ired you in your life and why!...............................................2/ Question 2% hat was the toughest de3ision you ever had to ma$e!...........................21 Question 2+ Tell me about the most boring 5ob you0ve ever had....................................21 Question #/ 9ave you been absent from wor$ more than a few days in any *revious *osition!.......................................................................................................... 21 Question #1 hat 3hanges would you ma$e if you 3ame on board!.............................22 Question #2 I0m 3on3erned that you don0t have as mu3h e=*erien3e as we0d li$e in6. .22 Question ## 9ow do you feel about wor$ing nights and wee$ends!..............................2# Question #4 Are you willing to relo3ate or travel!..........................................................24 Question #' 2o you have the stoma3h to fire *eo*le! 9ave you had e=*erien3e firing many *eo*le!..................................................................................................2' Question #6 hy have you had so many 5obs!.............................................................2'

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Question #" hat do you see as the *ro*er role>mission of6 6a good (5ob title you0re see$ing)? 6a good manager? 6an e=e3utive in serving the 3ommunity? 6a leading 3om*any in our industry? et3.........................................................26 Question #% hat would you say to your boss if he0s 3ra7y about an idea4 but you thin$ it stin$s!............................................................................................................. 2" Question #+ 9ow 3ould you have im*roved your 3areer *rogress!...............................2" Question 4/ hat would you do if a fellow e=e3utive on your own 3or*orate level wasn0t *ulling his>her weight6and this was hurting your de*artment!.......................2% Question 41 @ou0ve been with your firm a long time. on0t it be hard swit3hing to a new 3om*any!........................................................................................................2% Question 42 Aay I 3onta3t your *resent em*loyer for a referen3e!...............................2+ Question 4# Give me an e=am*le of your 3reativity (analyti3al s$ill6managing ability4 et3.)................................................................................................................. 2+ Question 44 here 3ould you use some im*rovement!................................................2+ Question 4' hat do you worry about!.........................................................................2+ Question 46 9ow many hours a wee$ do you normally wor$!.......................................#/ Question 4" hat0s the most diffi3ult *art of being a (5ob title)!.....................................#/ Question 4% The ,9y*otheti3al Problem........................................................................#/ Question 4+ hat was the toughest 3hallenge you0ve ever fa3ed!................................#1 Question '/ 9ave you 3onsider starting your own business!........................................#1 Question '1 hat are your goals!.................................................................................#2 Question '2 hat do you for when you hire *eo*le!.....................................................#2 Question '# -ell me this sta*ler6(this *en3il6this 3lo3$6or some other ob5e3t on interviewer0s des$)...........................................................................................#2 Question '4 ,The -alary Question. & 9ow mu3h money do you want!.........................#4 Question '' The Illegal Question...................................................................................#4 Question '6 The ,-e3ret. Illegal Question.....................................................................#' Question '" hat was the toughest *art of your last 5ob!.............................................#6 Question '% 9ow do you define su33ess6and how do you measure u* to your own definition!........................................................................................................#6 Question '+ ,The :*inion Question. & hat do you thin$ about 6Abortion6The President6The 2eath Penalty6(or any other 3ontroversial sub5e3t)!............#" Question 6/ If you won B1/ million lottery4 would you still wor$!...................................#" Question 61 ;oo$ing ba3$ on your last *osition4 have you done your best wor$!..........#% Question 62 hy should I hire you from the outside when I 3ould *romote someone from within!............................................................................................................. #% Question 6# Tell me something negative you0ve heard about our 3om*any6...............#+ Question 64 :n a s3ale of one to ten4 rate me as an interviewer...................................#+

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General Guidelines in Answering Interview Questions

Cveryone is nervous on interviews. If you sim*ly allow yourself to feel nervous4 youDll do mu3h better. Eemember also that itDs diffi3ult for the interviewer as well. In general4 be u*beat and *ositive. Fever be negative. Eehearse your answers and time them. Fever tal$ for more than 2 minutes straight. 2onDt try to memori7e answers word for word. Gse the answers shown here as a guide only4 and donDt be afraid to in3lude your own thoughts and words. To hel* you remember $ey 3on3e*ts4 5ot down and review a few $ey words for ea3h answer. Eehearse your answers fre1uently4 and they will 3ome to you naturally in interviews. As you will read in the a33om*anying re*ort4 the single most im*ortant strategy in interviewing4 as in all *hases of your 5ob sear3h4 is what we 3allH "The Greatest Executive Job Finding Secret." And that is... Find out what people want, then show them how you can help them get it. 8ind out what an em*loyer wants most in his or her ideal 3andidate4 then show how you meet those 1ualifi3ations. In other words4 you must mat3h your abilities4 with the needs of the em*loyer. You must sell what the buyer is buying. To do that4 before you $now what to em*hasi7e in your answers4 you must find out what the buyer is buying... what he is loo$ing for. And the best way to do that is to as$ a few 1uestions yourself. @ou will see how to bring this off s$illfully as you read the first two 1uestions of this re*ort. Iut regardless of how you a33om*lish it4 you must remember this strategy above allH before blurting out your ualifications! you must get some idea of what the em"loyer wants most. :n3e you $now what he wants4 you 3an then *resent your 1ualifi3ations as the *erfe3t ,$ey. that fits the ,lo3$. of that *osition. :ther im*ortant interview strategiesH Turn wea$nesses into strengths (@ouDll see how to do this in a few moments.) Thin$ before you answer. A *ause to 3olle3t your thoughts is a hallmar$ of a thoughtful *erson.

As a daily e=er3ise4 *ra3ti3e being more o*timisti3. 8or e=am*le4 try *utting a *ositive s*in on events and situations you would normally regard as negative. This is not meant to turn you into a Pollyanna4 but to shar*en your selling s$ills. The best sales*eo*le4 as well as the best li$ed interview 3andidates4 3ome off as being naturally o*timisti34 J3an doJ *eo*le. @ou will dramati3ally raise your level of attra3tiveness by daily *ra3ti3ing to be more o*timisti3.

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Ie honest...never lie. Kee* an interview diary. Eight after ea3h interview note what you did right4 what 3ould have gone a little better4 and what ste*s you should ta$e ne=t with this 3onta3t. Then ta$e those ste*s. 2onDt be li$e the +'L of humanity who say they will follow u* on something4 but never do. About the 64 questions... @ou might feel that the answers to the following 1uestions are ,3anned.4 and that they will seldom mat3h u* with the e=a3t way you are as$ed the 1uestions in a3tual interviews. The 1uestions and answers are designed to be as s*e3ifi3 and realisti3 as *ossible. Iut no *re*aration 3an anti3i*ate thousands of *ossible variations on these 1uestions. hatDs im*ortant is that you thoroughly familiari7e yourself with the main strategies behind ea3h answer. And it will be invaluable to you if you 3ommit to memory a few $ey words that let you instantly 3all to mind your best answer to the various 1uestions. If you do this4 and follow the *rin3i*les of su33essful interviewing *resented here4 youDre going to do very well. Good lu3$...and good 5obMhuntingN

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Question 1

Tell me about yourself.

TRAP H Ieware4 about %/L of all interviews begin with this ,inno3ent. 1uestion. Aany 3andidates4 un*re*ared for the 1uestion4 s$ewer themselves by rambling4 re3a**ing their life story4 delving into an3ient wor$ history or *ersonal matters. !" T A# $"R% -tart with the *resent and tell why you are well 1ualified for the *osition. Eemember that the $ey to all su33essful interviewing is to mat3h your 1ualifi3ations to what the interviewer is loo$ing for. In other words you must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most im"ortant strategy in #ob hunting. -o4 before you answer this or any 1uestion itDs im*erative that you try to un3over your interviewerDs greatest need4 want4 *roblem or goal. To do so4 ma$e you ta$e these two ste*sH 1. 2o all the homewor$ you 3an before the interview to un3over this "erson$s wants and needs (not the generali7ed needs of the industry or 3om*any) 2. As early as you 3an in the interview4 as$ for a more 3om*lete des3ri*tion of what the *osition entails. @ou might sayH ,I have a number of a33om*lishments IDd li$e to tell you about4 but I want to ma$e the best use of our time together and tal$ dire3tly to your needs. To hel* me do4 that4 3ould you tell me more about the most im*ortant *riorities of this *osition! All I $now is what I (heard from the re3ruiter4 read in the 3lassified ad4 et3.). Then4 %&'%YS follow(u" with a second and "ossibly! third uestion4 to draw out his needs even more. -ur*risingly4 itDs usually this second or third 1uestion that unearths what the interviewer is most loo$ing for. @ou might as$ sim*ly4 JAnd in addition to that!...J or4 JIs there anything else you see as essential to su33ess in this *osition!H This *ro3ess will not feel easy or natural at first4 be3ause it is easier sim*ly to answer 1uestions4 but only if you un3over the em*loyerDs wants and needs will your answers ma$e the most sense. Pra3ti3e as$ing these $ey 1uestions before giving your answers4 the *ro3ess will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other #ob candidates you$re com"eting with. After un3overing what the em*loyer is loo$ing for4 des3ribe why the needs of this 5ob bear stri$ing *arallels to tas$s youDve su33eeded at before. Ie sure to illustrate with s*e3ifi3 e=am*les of your res*onsibilities and es*e3ially your a3hievements4 all of whi3h are geared to *resent yourself as a *erfe3t mat3h for the needs he has 5ust des3ribed.

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Question 2

'hat are your greatest strengths)

TRAP % This 1uestion seems li$e a softball lob4 but be *re*ared. @ou donDt want to 3ome a3ross as egotisti3al or arrogant. Feither is this a time to be humble. !" T A# $"R% @ou $now that your $ey strategy is to first un3over your interviewerDs greatest wants and needs before you answer 1uestions. And from Question 14 you $now how to do this. Prior to any interview4 you should have a list mentally *re*ared of your greatest strengths. @ou should also have4 a s*e3ifi3 e=am*le or two4 whi3h illustrates ea3h strength4 an e=am*le 3hosen from your most re3ent and most im*ressive a3hievements. @ou should4 have this list of your greatest strengths and 3orres*onding e=am*les from your a3hievements so well 3ommitted to memory that you 3an re3ite them 3old after being sha$en awa$e at 2H#/AA. Then4 on3e you un3over your interviewerDs greatest wants and needs4 you 3an 3hoose those a3hievements from your list that best mat3h u*. As a general guideline4 the 1/ most desirable traits that all em*loyers love to see in their em*loyees areH 1. 2. #. 4. '. 6. ". %. +. 1/. A *roven tra3$ re3ord as an a3hiever...es"ecially if your achievements match u" with the em"loyer$s greatest wants and needs. Intelligen3e...management JsavvyJ. 9onesty...integrity...a de3ent human being. Good fit with 3or*orate 3ulture...someone to feel 3omfortable with...a team *layer who meshes well with interviewerDs team. ;i$eability...*ositive attitude...sense of humor. Good 3ommuni3ation s$ills. 2edi3ation...willingness to wal$ the e=tra mile to a3hieve e=3ellen3e. 2efiniteness of *ur*ose...3lear goals. Cnthusiasm...high level of motivation. <onfident...healthy...a leader.

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Question 3

'hat are your greatest wea*nesses)

TRAP H Ieware M this is an eliminator 1uestion4 designed to shorten the 3andidate list. Any admission of a wea$ness or fault will earn you an ,A. for honesty4 but an ,8. for the interview. PA A!&" A# $"R% 2isguise a strength as a wea$ness.

Exam"le+ ,I sometimes *ush my *eo*le too hard. I li$e to wor$ with a sense of urgen3y and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.. ,rawbac*+ This strategy is better than admitting a flaw4 but itDs so widely used4 it is trans*arent to any e=*erien3ed interviewer. !" T A# $"RH (and another reason itDs so im*ortant to get a thorough des3ri*tion of your interviewerDs needs before you answer 1uestions)H Assure the interviewer that you 3an thin$ of nothing that would stand in the way of your *erforming in this *osition with e=3ellen3e. Then4 1ui3$ly review you strongest 1ualifi3ations. Exam"le+ ,FobodyDs *erfe3t4 but based on what youDve told me about this *osition4 I believe ID d ma$e an outstanding mat3h. I $now that when I hire *eo*le4 I loo$ for two things most of all. 2o they have the ualifications to do the 5ob well4 and the motivation to do it well! Cverything in my ba3$ground shows I have both the 1ualifi3ations and a strong desire to a3hieve e=3ellen3e in whatever I ta$e on. -o I 3an say in all honesty that I see nothing that would 3ause you even a small 3on3ern about my ability or my strong desire to *erform this 5ob with e=3ellen3e.. %lternate strategy (if you donDt yet $now enough about the *osition to tal$ about su3h a *erfe3t fit)H Instead of 3onfessing a wea$ness4 des3ribe what you li*e most and li*e least4 ma$ing sure that what you li$e most mat3hes u* with the most im*ortant 1ualifi3ation for su33ess in the *osition4 and what you li$e least is not essential. Exam"le+ ;etDs say youDre a**lying for a tea3hing *osition. ,If given a 3hoi3e4 I li$e to s*end as mu3h time as *ossible in front of my *ros*e3ts selling4 as o**osed to shuffling *a*erwor$ ba3$ at the offi3e. :f 3ourse4 I long ago learned the im*ortan3e of filing *a*erwor$ *ro*erly4 and I do it 3ons3ientiously. Iut what I really love to do is sell (if your interviewer were a sales manager4 this should be musi3 to his ears.)

Question 4

Tell me about something you did - or failed to do that you now feel a little ashamed of.

TRAP % There are some 1uestions your interviewer has no business as$ing4 and this is one. Iut while you may feel li$e answering4 ,none of your business!. naturally you 3an0t. -ome interviewers as$ this 1uestion on the 3han3e you admit to something4 but if not4 at least they0ll see how you thin$ on your feet.

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-ome un*re*ared 3andidates4 flustered by this 1uestion4 unburden themselves of guilt from their *ersonal life or 3areer4 *erha*s e=*ressing regrets regarding a *arent4 s*ouse4 3hild4 et3. All su3h answers 3an be disastrous. !" T A# $"R% As with faults and wea$nesses4 never confess a regret. Iut don0t seem as if you0re stonewalling either. /est strategy+ -ay you harbor no regrets4 then add a *rin3i*le or habit you *ra3ti3e regularly for healthy human relations. Exam"le+ Pause for refle3tion4 as if the 1uestion never o33urred to you. Then say4 ,@ou $now4 I really 3an0t thin$ of anything.. (Pause again4 then add)H ,I would add that as a general management *rin3i*le4 I0ve found that the best way to avoid regrets is to avoid 3ausing them in the first *la3e. I *ra3ti3e one habit that hel*s me a great deal in this regard. At the end of ea3h day4 I mentally review the day0s events and 3onversations to ta$e a se3ond loo$ at the *eo*le and develo*ments I0m involved with and do a double3he3$ of what they0re li$ely to be feeling. -ometimes I0ll see things that do need more followMu*4 whether a *at on the ba3$4 or maybe a five minute 3hat in someone0s offi3e to ma$e sure we0re 3lear on things6whatever.. ,I also li$e to ma$e ea3h *erson feel li$e a member of an elite team4 li$e the Ioston <elti3s or ;A ;a$ers in their *rime. I0ve found that if you let ea3h team member $now you e=*e3t e=3ellen3e in their *erforman3e6if you wor$ hard to set an e=am*le yourself6and if you let *eo*le $now you a**re3iate and res*e3t their feelings4 you wind u* with a highly motivated grou*4 a team that0s having fun at wor$ be3ause they0re striving for e=3ellen3e rather than brooding over slights or regrets..

Question 5

'hy are you leaving 0or did you leave1 this "osition)

TRAP % Fever badmouth your *revious industry4 3om*any4 board4 boss4 staff4 em*loyees or 3ustomers. This rule is inviolableH never be negative. Any mud you hurl will only soil your suit. Cs*e3ially avoid words li$e ,*ersonality 3lash.4 ,didn0t get along.4 or others whi3h 3ast a shadow on your 3om*eten3e4 integrity4 or tem*erament. !" T A# $"R% 02f you have a #ob "resently1 If you0re not yet 1//L 3ommitted to leaving your *resent *ost4 don0t be afraid to say so. -in3e you have a 5ob4 you are in a stronger *osition than someone who does not. Iut don0t be 3oy either. -tate honestly what you0d be ho*ing to find in a new s*ot. :f 3ourse4 as stated often before4 you answer will all the stronger if you have already un3overed what this *osition is all about and you mat3h your desires to it. 02f you do not "resently have a #ob.1 Fever lie about having been fired. It0s unethi3al & and too easily 3he3$ed. Iut do try to defle3t the reason from you *ersonally. If your firing was the result of a ta$eover4 merger4 division wide layoff4 et3.4 so mu3h the better.

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Iut you should also do something totally unnatural that will demonstrate 3onsummate *rofessionalism. Cven if it hurts 4 des3ribe your own firing & 3andidly4 su33in3tly and without a tra3e of bitterness & from the com"any3s *ointMofMview4 indi3ating that you 3ould understand why it ha**ened and you might have made the same de3ision yourself. @our stature will rise immensely and4 most im*ortant of all4 you will show you are healed from the wounds infli3ted by the firing. @ou will enhan3e your image as firstM3lass management material and stand head and shoulders above the legions of firing vi3tims who4 at the slightest *rovo3ation4 7i* o*en their shirts to e=*ose their battle s3ars and de3ry the unfairness of it all. For all "rior "ositions+ Aa$e sure you0ve *re*ared a brief reason for leaving. /est reasons+ more money4 o**ortunity4 res*onsibility or growth.

Question 6

The 4Silent Treatment.

TRAP % /eware & if you are un*re*ared for this 1uestion4 you will *robably not handle it right and *ossibly blow the interview. Than$ goodness most interviewers don0t em*loy it. It0s normally used by those determined to see how you res*ond under stress. 9ere0s how it wor$sH @ou answer an interviewer0s 1uestion and then4 instead of as$ing another4 he 5ust stares at you in a deafening silen3e. @ou wait4 growing a bit uneasy4 and there he sits4 silent as At. Eushmore4 as if he doesn0t believe what you0ve 5ust said4 or *erha*s ma$ing you feel that you0ve unwittingly violated some 3ardinal rule of interview eti1uette. hen you get this silent treatment after answering a *arti3ularly diffi3ult 1uestion 4 su3h as ,tell me about your wea$nesses.4 its intimidating effe3t 3an be most dis1uieting4 even to *olished 5ob hunters. Aost un*re*ared 3andidates rush in to fill the void of silen3e4 viewing *rolonged4 un3omfortable silen3es as an invitation to 3lear u* the *revious answer whi3h has obviously 3aused some *roblem. And that0s what they do & ramble on4 s*uttering more and more information4 sometimes irrelevant and often damaging4 be3ause they are suddenly *laying the role of someone who0s goofed and is now trying to re3ou*. Iut sin3e the 3andidate doesn0t $now where or how he goofed4 he 5ust $ee*s tal$ing4 showing how flustered and 3onfused he is by the interviewer0s unmovable silen3e. !" T A# $"R% ;i$e a *rimitive tribal mas$4 the -ilent Treatment loses all it *ower to frighten you on3e you refuse to be intimidated. If your interviewer *ulls it4 $ee* 1uiet yourself for a while and then as$4 with sin3ere *oliteness and not a tra3e of sar3asm4 42s there anything else 2 can fill in on that "oint). That0s all there is to it. hatever you do4 don0t let the -ilent Treatment intimidate you into tal$ing a blue strea$4 be3ause you 3ould easily tal$ yourself out of the *osition.

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Question 7

'hy should 2 hire you)

TRAP % Ielieve it or not4 this is a $iller 1uestion be3ause so many 3andidates are un*re*ared for it. If you stammer or adlib you0ve blown it. !" T A# $"R% Iy now you 3an see how 3riti3al it is to a**ly the overall strategy of un3overing the em*loyer0s needs before you answer 1uestions. If you $now the em*loyer0s greatest needs and desires4 this 1uestion will give you a big leg u* over other 3andidates be3ause you will give him better reasons for hiring you than anyone else is li$ely to6reasons tied dire3tly to his needs. hether your interviewer as$s you this 1uestion ex"licitly or not4 this is the most im*ortant 1uestion of your interview be3ause he must answer this 1uestion favorably in is own mind before you will be hired. So hel" him out5 al$ through ea3h of the *osition0s re1uirements as you understand them4 and follow ea3h with a reason why you meet that re1uirement so well. Exam"le+ ,As I understand your needs4 you are first and foremost loo$ing for someone who 3an manage the sales and mar$eting of your boo$ *ublishing division. As you0ve said you need someone with a strong ba3$ground in trade boo$ sales. This is where I0ve s*ent almost all of my 3areer4 so I0ve 3hal$ed u* 1% years of e=*erien3e e=a3tly in this area. I believe that I $now the right 3onta3ts4 methods4 *rin3i*les4 and su33essful management te3hni1ues as well as any *erson 3an in our industry.. ,@ou also need someone who 3an e=*and your boo$ distribution 3hannels. In my *rior *ost4 my innovative *romotional ideas doubled4 then tri*led4 the number of outlets selling our boo$s. I0m 3onfident I 3an do the same for you.. ,@ou need someone to give a new shot in the arm to your mail order sales4 someone who $nows how to sell in s*a3e and dire3t mail media. 9ere4 too4 I believe I have e=a3tly the e=*erien3e you need. In the last five years4 I0ve in3reased our mail order boo$ sales from B6//4/// to B24%//4///4 and now we0re the 3ountry0s se3ond leading mar$eter of s3ientifi3 and medi3al boo$s by mail.. Etc.! etc.! etc.! Cvery one of these selling ,3ou*lets. (his need mat3hed by your 1ualifi3ations) is a tou3hdown that runs u* your s3ore. IT is your best o**ortunity to outsell your 3om*etition.

Question 8

%ren3t you over ualified for this "osition)

TRAP % The em*loyer may be 3on3erned that you0ll grow dissatisfied and leave. !" T A# $"R% As with any ob5e3tion4 don0t view this as a sign of imminent defeat. It0s an invitation to tea3h the interviewer a new way to thin$ about this situation4 seeing advantages instead of drawba3$s. Exam"le+ ,I re3ogni7e the 5ob mar$et for what it is & a mar$et*la3e. ;i$e any mar$et*la3e4 it0s sub5e3t to the laws of su**ly and demand. -o Oover1ualified0 3an be a

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relative term4 de*ending on how tight the 5ob mar$et is. And right now4 it0s very tight. I understand and a33e*t that.. ,I also believe that there 3ould be very *ositive benefits for both of us in this mat3h.. ,Ie3ause of my unusually strong e=*erien3e in PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 4 I 3ould start to 3ontribute right away4 *erha*s mu3h faster than someone who0d have to be brought along more slowly.. ,There0s also the value of all the training and years of e=*erien3e that other 3om*anies have invested tens of thousands of dollars to give me. @ou0d be getting all the value of that without having to *ay an e=tra dime for it. ith someone who has yet to a31uire that e=*erien3e4 he0d have to gain it on your nic*el.. ,I 3ould also hel* you in many things they don0t tea3h at the 9arvard Iusiness -3hool. 8or e=am*le6(how to hire4 train4 motivate4 et3.) hen it 3omes to $nowing how to wor$ well with *eo*le and getting the most out of them4 there0s 5ust no substitute for what you learn over many years of frontMline e=*erien3e. @ou 3om*any would gain all this4 too.. ,8rom my side4 there are strong benefits4 as well. Eight now4 I am unem*loyed. I want to wor$4 very much4 and the *osition you have here is e=a3tly what I love to do and am best at. I0ll be ha**y doing this wor$ and that0s what matters most to me4 a lot more that money or title.. ,Aost im*ortant4 I0m loo$ing to ma$e a long term 3ommitment in my 3areer now. I0ve had enough of 5obMhunting and want a *ermanent s*ot at this *oint in my 3areer. I also $now that if I *erform this 5ob with e=3ellen3e4 other o**ortunities 3annot hel* but o*en u* for me right here. In time4 I0ll find many other ways to hel* this 3om*any and in so doing4 hel* myself. I really am loo$ing to ma$e a longMterm 3ommitment.. F:TCH The main 3on3ern behind the ,over1ualified. 1uestion is that you will leave your new em*loyer as soon as something better 3omes your way. Anything you 3an say to demonstrate the sin3erity of your 3ommitment to the em*loyer and reassure him that you0re loo$ing to stay for the longMterm will hel* you over3ome this ob5e3tion.

Question 9

'here do you see yourself five years from now)

TRAP % :ne reason interviewers as$ this 1uestion is to see if you0re settling for this *osition4 using it merely as a sto*over until something better 3omes along. :r they 3ould be trying to gauge your level of ambition. If you0re too s*e3ifi34 i.e.4 naming the *romotions you someday ho*e to win4 you0ll sound *resum*tuous. If you0re too vague4 you0ll seem rudderless. !" T A# $"R% Eeassure your interviewer that you0re loo$ing to ma$e a longMterm 3ommitment6that this *osition entails e=a3tly what you0re loo$ing to do and what you do e=tremely well. As for your future4 you believe that if you *erform ea3h 5ob at hand with e=3ellen3e4 future o**ortunities will ta$e 3are of themselves.

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Exam"le+ ,I am definitely interested in ma$ing a longMterm 3ommitment to my ne=t *osition. Qudging by what you0ve told me about this *osition4 it0s e=a3tly what I0m loo$ing for and what I am very well 1ualified to do. In terms of my future 3areer *ath4 I0m 3onfident that if I do my wor$ with e=3ellen3e4 o**ortunities will inevitable o*en u* for me. It0s always been that way in my 3areer4 and I0m 3onfident I0ll have similar o**ortunities here..

Question 1

,escribe your ideal com"any! location and #ob.

TRAP % This is often as$ed by an e=*erien3ed interviewer who thin$s you may be over1ualified4 but $nows better than to show his hand by *osing his ob5e3tion dire3tly. -o he0ll use this 1uestion instead4 whi3h often gets a 3andidate to reveal that4 indeed4 he or she is loo$ing for something other than the *osition at hand. !" T A# $"R% The only right answer is to des3ribe what this 3om*any is offering4 being sure to ma$e your answer believable with s*e3ifi3 reasons4 stated with sin3erity4 why ea3h 1uality re*resented by this o**ortunity is attra3tive to you. Eemember that if you0re 3oming from a 3om*any that0s the leader in its field or from a glamorous or mu3h admired 3om*any4 industry4 3ity or *osition4 your interviewer and his 3om*any may well have an ,Avis. 3om*le=. That is4 they may feel a bit defensive about being ,se3ond best. to the *la3e you0re 3oming from4 worried that you may 3onsider them bush league. This an=iety 3ould well be there even though you0ve done nothing to ins*ire it. @ou must go out of your way to assuage su3h an=iety4 even if it0s not e=*ressed4 by *utting their virtues high on the list of e=a3tly what you0re loo$ing for4 *roviding 3redible reason for wanting these 1ualities. If you do not e=*ress genuine enthusiasm for the firm4 its 3ulture4 lo3ation4 industry4 et3.4 you may fail to answer this ,Avis. 3om*le= ob5e3tion and4 as a result4 leave the interviewer sus*e3ting that a hot shot li$e you4 3oming from a 8ortune '// 3om*any in Few @or$4 5ust wouldn0t be ha**y at an un$nown manufa3turer based in To*e$a4 Kansas.

Question 11

'hy do you want to wor* at our com"any)

TRAP % This 1uestion tests whether you0ve done any homewor$ about the firm. If you haven0t4 you lose. If you have4 you win big. !" T A# $"R% This 1uestion is your o**ortunity to hit the ball out of the *ar$4 than$s to the inMde*th resear3h you should do before any interview. Iest sour3es for resear3hing your target 3om*anyH annual re*orts4 the 3or*orate newsletter4 3onta3ts you $now at the 3om*any or its su**liers4 advertisements4 arti3les about the 3om*any in the trade *ress.

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Question 12

'hat are your career o"tions right now)

TRAP % The interviewer is trying to find out4 46ow des"erate are you). !" T A# $"R% Pre*are for this 1uestion by thin$ing of how you 3an *osition yourself as a desired 3ommodity. If you are still wor$ing4 des3ribe the *ossibilities at your *resent firm and why4 though you0re greatly a**re3iated there4 you0re loo$ing for something more (3hallenge4 money4 res*onsibility4 et3.). Also mention that you0re seriously e=*loring o**ortunities with one or two other firms. If you0re not wor$ing4 you 3an tal$ about other em*loyment *ossibilities you0re a3tually e=*loring. Iut do this with a light tou3h4 s*ea$ing only in general terms. @ou don0t want to seem mani*ulative or 3oy.

Question 13

'hy have you been out of wor* so long)

TRAP % A tough 1uestion if you0ve been on the bea3h a long time. @ou don0t want to seem li$e damaged goods. !" T A# $"R% @ou want to em*hasi7e fa3tors whi3h have *rolonged your 5ob sear3h by your own 3hoi3e. Exam"le+ ,After my 5ob was terminated4 I made a 3ons3ious de3ision not to 5um* on the first o**ortunities to 3ome along. In my life4 I0ve found out that you 3an always turn a negative into a *ositive I8 you try hard enough. This is what I determined to do. I de3ided to ta$e whatever time I needed to thin$ through what I do best4 what I most want to do4 where I0d li$e to do it6and then identify those 3om*anies that 3ould offer su3h an o**ortunity.. ,Also4 in all honesty4 you have to fa3tor in the re3ession (3onsolidation4 stabili7ation4 et3.) in the (ban$ing4 finan3ial servi3es4 manufa3turing4 advertising4 et3.) industry.. ,-o between my being sele3tive and the 3om*anies in our industry downsi7ing4 the *ro3ess has ta$en time. Iut in the end4 I0m 3onvin3ed that when I do find the right mat3h4 all that 3areful evaluation from both sides of the des$ will have been well worthwhile for both the 3om*any that hires me and myself.

Question 14

Tell me honestly about the strong "oints and wea* "oints of your boss 0com"any! management team! etc.17

TRAP % -$illfull interviewers sometimes ma$e it almost irresistible to o*en u* and air a little dirty laundry from your *revious *osition. 2:F0T !" T A# $"R% Eemember the ruleH Fever be negative. -tress only the good *oints4 no matter how 3harmingly you0re invited to be 3riti3al.

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@our interviewer doesn0t 3are a whit about your *revious boss. 9e wants to find out how loyal and *ositive you are4 and whether you0ll 3riti3i7e him behind his ba3$ if *ressed to do so by someone in this own 3om*any. This 1uestion is your o**ortunity to demonstrate your loyalty to those you wor$ with.

Question 15

'hat good boo*s have you read lately)

TRAP % As in all matters of your interview4 never fa$e familiarity you don0t have. @et you don0t want to seem li$e a dullard who hasn0t read a boo$ sin3e Tom Sawyer. !" T A# $"R% Gnless you0re u* for a *osition in a3ademia or as boo$ 3riti3 for The 8ew Yor* Times4 you0re not e=*e3ted to be a literary lion. Iut it wouldn0t hurt to have read a handful of the most re3ent and influential boo$s in your *rofession and on management. <onsider it *art of the wor$ of your 5ob sear3h to read u* on a few of these leading boo$s. Iut ma$e sure they are uality boo$s that refle3t favorably u*on you4 nothing that 3ould even remotely be 3onsidered su*erfi3ial. 8inally4 add a re3ently *ublished bestselling wor$ of fi3tion by a worldM3lass author and you0ll *ass this 1uestion with flying 3olors.

Question 16

Tell me about a situation when your wor* was critici9ed.

TRAP % This is a tough 1uestion be3ause it0s a more 3lever and subtle way to get you to admit to a wea$ness. @ou 3an0t dodge it by *retending you0ve never been 3riti3i7ed. Cverybody has been. @et it 3an be 1uite damaging to start admitting *otential faults and failures that you0d 5ust as soon leave buried. This 1uestion is also intended to *robe how well you a33e*t 3riti3ism and dire3tion. !" T A# $"R % Iegin by em*hasi7ing the e=tremely *ositive feedba3$ you0ve gotten throughout your 3areer and (if it0s true) that your *erforman3e reviews have been uniformly e=3ellent. :f 3ourse4 no one is *erfe3t and you always wel3ome suggestions on how to im*rove your *erforman3e. Then4 give an e=am*le of a notMtooMdamaging learning e=*erien3e from early in your 3areer and relate the ways this lesson has sin3e hel*ed you. This demonstrates that you learned from the e=*erien3e and the lesson is now one of the strongest breast*lates in your suit of armor. If you are *ressed for a 3riti3ism from a recent *osition4 3hoose something fairly trivial that in no way is essential to your su33essful *erforman3e. Add that you0ve learned from this4 too4 and over the *ast several years>months4 it0s no longer an area of 3on3ern be3ause you now ma$e it a regular *ra3ti3e to6et3. Another way to answer this 1uestion would be to des3ribe your intention to broaden your master of an area of growing im*ortan3e in your field. 8or e=am*le4 this might be a 3om*uter *rogram you0ve been meaning to sit down and learn6 a new management 64 Toughest Questions Page 1'

te3hni1ue you0ve read about6or *erha*s attending a seminar on some 3uttingMedge bran3h of your *rofession. Again4 the $ey is to fo3us on something not essential to your brilliant *erforman3e but whi3h adds yet another dimension to your already im*ressive $nowledge base.

Question 17

'hat are your outside interests)

TRAP % @ou want to be a wellMrounded4 not a drone. Iut your *otential em*loyer would be even more turned off if he sus*e3ts that your heavy e=tra3urri3ular load will interfere with your 3ommitment to your wor$ duties. !" T A# $"R % Try to gauge how this 3om*any0s 3ulture would loo$ u*on your favorite outside a3tivities and be guided a33ordingly. @ou 3an also use this 1uestion to shatter any stereoty*es that 3ould limit your 3han3es. If you0re over '/4 for e=am*le4 des3ribe your a3tivities that demonstrate *hysi3al stamina. If you0re young4 mention an a3tivity that 3onnotes wisdom and institutional trust4 su3h as serving on the board of a *o*ular 3harity. Iut above all4 remember that your em*loyer is hiring your for what you 3an do for him4 not your family4 yourself or outside organi7ations4 no matter how admirable those a3tivities may be.

Question 18

The 4Fatal Flaw. uestion

TRAP % If an interviewer has read your resume 3arefully4 he may try to 7ero in on a ,fatal flaw. of your 3andida3y4 *erha*s that you don0t have a 3ollege degree6you0ve been out of the 5ob mar$et for some time6you never earned your <PA4 et3. A fatal flaw 1uestion 3an be deadly4 but usually only if you res*ond by being overly defensive. !" T A# $"R % As every master sales*erson $nows4 you will en3ounter ob5e3tions (whether stated or merely thought) in every sale. They0re *art and *ar3el of the buyer0s an=iety. The $ey is not to exacerbate the buyer0s an=iety but diminish it. 9ere0s how6 henever you 3ome u* against a fatal flaw 1uestionH 1. 2. Ie 3om*letely honest4 o*en and straightforward about admitting the short3oming. (-howing you have nothing to hide diminishes the buyer0s an=iety.) 2o not a*ologi7e or try to e=*lain it away. @ou $now that this su**osed flaw is nothing to be 3on3erned about4 and this is the attitude you want your interviewer to ado*t as well. Add that as desirable as su3h a 1ualifi3ation might be4 its la3$ has made you wor$ all the harder throughout your 3areer and has not *revented you from 3om*iling an outstanding ta3$ re3ord of a3hievements. @ou might even give Page 16

#.

64 Toughest Questions

e=am*les of how4 through a relentless 3ommitment to e=3ellen3e4 you have 3onsistently out*erformed those who do have this 1ualifi3ation. :f 3ourse4 the ultimate way to handle ,fatal flaw. 1uestions is to "revent them from arising in the first *la3e. @ou will do that by following the master strategy des3ribed in Question 14 i.e.4 un3overing the em*loyers needs and them mat3hing your 1ualifi3ations to those needs. :n3e you0ve gotten the em*loyer to start tal$ing about his most urgentlyMfelt wants and goals for the *osition4 and then hel* him see in ste*MbyMste* fashion how *erfe3tly your ba3$ground and a3hievements mat3h u* with those needs4 you0re going to have one very enthusiasti3 interviewer on your hands4 one who is no longer loo$ing for ,fatal flaws..

Question 19

6ow do you feel about re"orting to a younger "erson 0minority! woman! etc1)

TRAP % It0s a shame that some interviewers feel the need to as$ this 1uestion4 but many understand the reality that *re5udi3es still e=ist among some 5ob 3andidates4 and it0s better to try to flush them out beforehand. The tra* here is that in today0s *oliti3ally sensiti7ed environment4 even a well(intentioned answer 3an result in *lanting your foot neatly in your mouth. Avoid anything whi3h sma3$s of a *atroni7ing or an insensitive attitude4 su3h as ,I thin$ they ma$e terrifi3 bosses. or ,9ey4 some of my best friends are6. :f 3ourse4 sin3e almost anyone with an IQ above room tem*erature will at least try to steadfastly affirm the right answer here4 your interviewer will be 5udging your sincerity most of all. 4,o you really feel that way). is what he or she will be wondering. -o you must ma$e your answer believable and not 5ust automati3. If the firm is wise enough to have *romoted *eo*led on the basis of ability alone4 they0re li$ely 1uite *roud of it4 and *refer to hire others who will wholeheartedly share their strong sense of fair *lay. !" T A# $"R% @ou greatly admire a 3om*any that hires and *romotes on merit alone and you 3ouldn0t agree more with that *hiloso*hy. The age (gender4 ra3e4 et3.) of the *erson you re*ort to would certainly ma$e no differen3e to you. hoever has that *osition has obviously earned it and $nows their 5ob well. Ioth the *erson and the *osition are fully deserving of res*e3t. @ou believe that all *eo*le in a 3om*any4 from the re3e*tionist to the <hairman4 wor$ best when their abilities4 efforts and feelings are res*e3ted and rewarded fairly4 and that in3ludes you. That0s the best ty*e of wor$ environment you 3an ho*e to find.

Question 2

:n confidential matters7

TRAP % hen an interviewer *resses you to reveal 3onfidential information about a *resent or former em*loyer4 you may feel it0s a noMwin situation. If you 3oo*erate4 you 64 Toughest Questions Page 1"

3ould be 5udged untrustworthy. If you don0t4 you may irritate the interviewer and seem obstinate4 un3oo*erative or overly sus*i3ious. !" T A# $"R% @our interviewer may *ress you for this information for two reasons. 8irst4 many 3om*anies use interviews to resear3h the 3om*etition. It0s a *erfe3t setMu*. 9ere in their own lair4 is an insider from the enemy 3am* who 3an reveal *ri7ed information on the 3om*etition0s *lans4 resear3h4 finan3ial 3ondition4 et3. -e3ond4 the 3om*any may be testing your integrity to see if you 3an be 3a5oled or bullied into revealing 3onfidential data. hat to do! The answer here is easy. 8ever reveal anything truly 3onfidential about a *resent or former em*loyer. Iy all means4 e=*lain your reti3en3e di"lomatically. 8or e=am*le4 ,I 3ertainly want to be as o*en as I 3an about that. Iut I also wish to res*e3t the rights of those who have trusted me with their most sensitive information4 5ust as you would ho*e to be able to trust any of your $ey *eo*le when tal$ing with a 3om*etitor6. And 3ertainly you 3an allude to your finest a3hievements in s*e3ifi3 ways that don0t reveal the 3ombination to the 3om*any safe. Iut be guided by the golden rule. If you were the owner of your *resent 3om*any4 would you feel it ethi3ally wrong for the information to be given to your 3om*etitors! If so4 steadfastly refuse to reveal it. Eemember that this 1uestion *its your desire to be 3oo*erative against your integrity. 8a3ed with any su3h 3hoi3e4 always choose integrity. It is a far more valuable 3ommodity than whatever information the 3om*any may *ry from you. Aoreover4 on3e you surrender the information4 your sto3$ goes down. They will surely lose res*e3t for you. :ne President we $now always *resses 3andidates unmer3ifully for 3onfidential information. If he doesn0t get it4 he grows visibly annoyed4 relentlessly in1uisitive4 2t3s all an act. 9e 3ouldn0t 3are less about the information. This is his way of testing the 3andidate0s moral fiber. :nly those who hold fast are hired.

Question 21

'ould you lie for the com"any)

TRAP % This another 1uestion that *its two values against one another4 in this 3ase loyalty against integrity. !" T A# $"R% Try to avoid 3hoosing between two values4 giving a *ositive statement whi3h 3overs all bases instead. Exam"le+ ,I would never do anything to hurt the 3om*any... If aggressively *ressed to 3hoose between two 3om*eting values4 always choose "ersonal integrity. It is the most *ri7ed of all values.

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Question 22

&oo*ing bac*! what would you do differently in your life)

TRAP % This 1uestion is usually as$ed to un3over any lifeMinfluen3ing mista$es4 regrets4 disa**ointments or *roblems that may 3ontinue to affe3t your *ersonality and *erforman3e. @ou do not want to give the interviewer anything negative to remember you by4 su3h as some great *ersonal or 3areer disa**ointment4 even long ago4 that you wish 3ould have been avoided. For do you wish to give any answer whi3h may hint that your whole heart and soul will not be in your wor$. !" T A# $"R% Indi3ate that you are a ha**y4 fulfilled4 o*timisti3 *erson and that4 in general4 you wouldn0t 3hange a thing. Exam"le+ ,It0s been a good life4 ri3h in learning and e=*erien3e4 and the best it yet to 3ome. Cvery e=*erien3e in life is a lesson it its own way. I wouldn0t 3hange a thing..

Question 23

;ould you have done better in your last #ob)

TRAP % This is no time for true 3onfessions of ma5or or even minor *roblems. !" T A# $"R% Again never be negative. Exam"le+ ,I su**ose with the benefit of hindsight you 3an always find things to do better4 of 3ourse4 but off the to* of my head4 I 3an0t thin$ of anything of ma5or 3onse1uen3e.. 02f more ex"lanation seems necessary1 2es3riber a situation that didn0t suffer be3ause of you but from e=ternal 3onditions beyond your 3ontrol. 8or e=am*le4 des3ribe the disa**ointment you felt with a test 3am*aign4 new *rodu3t laun3h4 merger4 et3.4 whi3h loo$ed *romising at first4 but led to underwhelming results. ,I wish we 3ould have $nown at the start what we later found out (about the e3onomy turning4 the mar$et*la3e 3hanging4 et3.)4 but sin3e we 3ouldn0t4 we 5ust had to go for it. And we did learn from it6.

Question 24

;an you wor* under "ressure)

TRAP % An easy 1uestion4 but you want to ma$e your answer believable. !" T A# $"R% Absolutely6(then *rove it with a vivid e=am*le or two of a goal or *ro5e3t a33om*lished under severe *ressure.)

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Question 25

'hat ma*es you angry)

TRAP % @ou don0t want to 3ome a3ross either as a hothead or a wim*. !" T A# $"R% Give an answer that0s suited to both your *ersonality and the management style of the firm. 9ere4 the homewor$ you0ve done about the 3om*any and its style 3an hel* in your 3hoi3e of words. Exam"les+ 2f you are a reserved "erson and<or the cor"orate culture is coolly "rofessional+ ,I0m an evenMtem*ered and *ositive *erson by nature4 and I believe this hel*s me a great deal in $ee*ing my de*artment running smoothly4 harmoniously and with a genuine es"rit de cor"s. I believe in 3ommuni3ating 3learly what0s e=*e3ted4 getting *eo*le0s 3ommitment to those goals4 and then following u* 3ontinuously to 3he3$ *rogress.. ,If anyone or anything is going off tra3$4 I want to $now about it early. If4 after that $ind of o*en 3ommuni3ation and follow u*4 someone isn0t getting the 5ob done4 I0ll want to $now why. If there0s no good reason4 then I0ll get im*atient and angry6and ta$e a**ro*riate ste*s from there. Iut if you hire good *eo*le4 motivate them to strive for e=3ellen3e and then follow u* 3onstantly4 it almost never gets to that state.. 2f you are feisty by nature and<or the "osition calls for a tough straw boss. ,@ou $now what ma$es me angry! Peo*le who (the fill in the blan$s with the most ob5e3tionable traits for this ty*e of *osition)6*eo*le who don0t *ull their own weight4 who are negative4 *eo*le who lie6et3..

Question 26

'hy aren3t you earning more money at this stage of your career)

TRAP % @ou don0t want to give the im*ression that money is not im*ortant to you4 yet you want to e=*lain why your salary may be a little below industry standards. !" T A# $"R% @ou li$e to ma$e money4 but other fa3tors are even more im*ortant. Exam"le+ ,Aa$ing money is very im*ortant to me4 and one reason I0m here is be3ause I0m loo$ing to ma$e more. Throughout my 3areer4 what0s been even more im*ortant to me is doing wor$ I really li$e to do at the $ind of 3om*any I li$e and res*e3t. (Then be *re*ared to be s*e3ifi3 about what your ideal *osition and 3om*any would be li$e4 mat3hing them as 3losely as *ossible to the o**ortunity at hand.

Question 27

'ho has ins"ired you in your life and why)

TRAP % The two tra*s here are un*re*aredness and irrelevan3e. If you gro*e for an answer4 it seems you0ve never been ins*ired. If you ramble about your high s3hool

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bas$etball 3oa3h4 you0ve wasted an o**ortunity to *resent 1ualities of great value to the 3om*any. !" T A# $"R% 9ave a few heroes in mind4 from your mental ,Ioard of 2ire3tors. & ;eaders in your industry4 from history or anyone else who has been your mentor. Ie *re*ared to give e=am*les of how their words4 a3tions or tea3hings have hel*ed ins*ire your a3hievements. As always4 *re*are an answer whi3h highlights 1ualities that would be highly valuable in the *osition you are see$ing.

Question 28

'hat was the toughest decision you ever had to ma*e)

TRAP % Giving an un*re*ared or irrelevant answer. !" T A# $"R% Ie *re*ared with a good e=am*le4 e=*laining why the de3ision was diffi3ult6the *ro3ess you followed in rea3hing it6the 3ourageous or effe3tive way you 3arried it out6and the benefi3ial results.

Question 29

Tell me about the most boring #ob you3ve ever had.

TRAP % @ou give a very memorable des3ri*tion of a very boring 5ob. Eesult! @ou be3ome asso3iated with this boring 5ob in the interviewer0s mind. !" T A# $"R% @ou have never allowed yourself to grow bored with a 5ob and you 3an0t understand it when others let themselves fall into that rut. Exam"le+ 4Perha*s I0ve been fortunate4 but that I0ve never found myself bored with any 5ob I have ever held. I0ve always en5oyed hard wor$. As with a3tors who feel there are no small *arts4 I also believe that in every 3om*any or de*artment there are e=3iting 3hallenges and intriguing *roblems 3rying out for energeti3 and enthusiasti3 solutions. If you0re bored4 it0s *robably be3ause you0re not 3hallenging yourself to ta3$le those *roblems right under your nose..

Question 3

6ave you been absent from wor* more than a few days in any "revious "osition)

TRAP % If you0ve had a *roblem4 you 3an0t lie. @ou 3ould easily be found out. @et admitting an attendan3e *roblem 3ould raise many flags. !" T A# $"R% If you have had no *roblem4 em*hasi7e your e=3ellent and 3onsistent attendan3e re3ord throughout your 3areer. Also des3ribe how im*ortant you believe su3h 3onsistent attendan3e is for a $ey e=e3utive6why it0s u* to you to set an e=am*le of dedi3ation6and why there0s 5ust no substitute for being there with your *eo*le to $ee* the o*eration running smoothly4 answer 1uestions and handle *roblems and 3rises as they arise.

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If you do have a *ast attendan3e *roblem4 you want to minimi7e it4 ma$ing it 3lear that it was an e=3e*tional 3ir3umstan3e and that it0s 3ause has been 3orre3ted. To do this4 give the same answer as above but *refa3e it with something li$e4 ,:ther that being out last year (or whenever) be3ause of (your reason4 whi3h is now in the *ast)4 I have never had a *roblem and have en5oyed an e=3ellent attendan3e re3ord throughout my 3areer. 8urthermore4 I believe4 3onsistent attendan3e is im*ortant be3ause6. (Pi3$ u* the rest of the answer as outlined above.).

Question 31

'hat changes would you ma*e if you came on board)

TRAP % at3h outN This 1uestion 3an derail your 3andida3y faster than a bomb on the tra3$s & and #ust as you are about to be hired. =eason+ Fo matter how bright you are4 you 3annot $now the right a3tions to ta$e in a *osition before you settle in and get to $now the o*eration0s strengths4 wea$nesses $ey *eo*le4 finan3ial 3ondition4 methods of o*eration4 et3. If you lunge at this tem*tingly baited 1uestion4 you will *robably be seen as someone who shoots from the hi*. Aoreover4 no matter how 3omfortable you may feel with your interviewer4 you are still an outsider. Fo one4 in3luding your interviewer4 li$es to thin$ that a $nowMitMall outsider is going to 3ome in4 turn the *la3e u*side down and with swee*ing4 grand gestures4 *rom*tly demonstrate what 5er$s everybody0s been for years. !" T A# $"R% @ou4 of 3ourse4 will want to ta$e a good hard loo$ at everything the 3om*any is doing before ma$ing any re3ommendations. Exam"le+ , ell4 I wouldn0t be a very good do3tor if I gave my diagnosis before the e=amination. -hould you hire me4 as I ho*e you will4 I0d want to ta$e a good hard loo$ at everything you0re doing and understand why it0s being done that way. I0d li$e to have inM de*th meetings with you and the other $ey *eo*le to get a dee*er gras* of what you feel you0re doing right and what 3ould be im*roved. ,8rom what you0ve told me so far4 the areas of greatest 3on3ern to you are6. (name them. Then do two things. 8irst4 as$ if these are in fa3t his ma5or 3on3erns. If so then reaffirm how your e=*erien3e in meeting similar needs elsewhere might *rove very hel*ful).

Question 32

23m concerned that you don3t have as much ex"erience as we3d li*e in7

TRAP % This 3ould be a ma$eMorMbrea$ 1uestion. The interviewer mostly li$es what he sees4 but has doubts over one $ey area. If you 3an assure him on this *oint4 the 5ob may be yours. !" T A# $"R% This 1uestion is related to ,The 8atal 8law. (Question 1%)4 but here the 3on3ern is not that you are totally missing some 1ualifi3ations4 su3h as <PA 3ertifi3ation4 but rather that your e=*erien3e is light in one area.

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Iefore going into any interview4 try to identify the wea$est as*e3ts of your 3andida3y from this 3om*any0s *oint of view. Then *re*are the best answer you *ossible 3an to shore u* your defenses. To get *ast this 1uestion with flying 3olors4 you are going to rely on your master strategy of uncovering the em"loyer3s greatest wants and needs and then matching them with your strengths. -in3e you already $now how to do this from Question 14 you are in a mu3h stronger *osition. Aore s*e3ifi3ally4 when the interviewer *oses as ob5e3tion li$e this4 you should6 1. 2. #. Agree on the im*ortan3e of this 1ualifi3ation. C=*lain that your strength may be indeed be greater than your resume indi3ates be3ause6 hen this strength is added to your other strengths4 it0s really your combination of 1ualifi3ations that0s most im*ortant.

Then review the areas of your greatest strengths that mat3h u* most favorably with the 3om*any0s most urgentlyMfelt wants and needs. This is *owerful way to handle this 1uestion for two reasons. 8irst4 you0re giving your interviewer more ammunition in the area of his 3on3ern. Iut more im*ortantly4 you0re shifting his fo3us away from this one4 isolated area and *utting it on the uni ue combination of strengths you offer4 strengths whi3h tie in *erfe3tly with his greatest wants.

Question 33

6ow do you feel about wor*ing nights and wee*ends)

TRAP % Ilurt out ,no way4 Qose. and you 3an $iss the 5ob offer goodbye. Iut what if you have a family and want to wor$ a reasonably normal s3hedule! Is there a way to get both the 5ob and the s3hedule you want! !" T A# $"R% 8irst4 if you0re a 3onfirmed wor$aholi34 this 1uestion is a softball lob. ha3$ it out of the *ar$ on the first swing by saying this $ind of s3hedule is 5ust your style. Add that your family understands it. Indeed4 they0re ha**y for you4 as they $now you get your greatest satisfa3tion from your wor$. If however4 you *refer a more balan3ed lifestyle4 answer this 1uestion with anotherH ,'hat3s the norm for your best "eo"le here). If the hours still sound unrealisti3 for you4 as$4 ,2o you have any to* *eo*le who *erform e=3e*tionally for you4 but who also have families and li$e to get home in time to see them at night!. <han3es are this 3om*any does4 and this asso3iates you with this other ,to*M*erformersMwhoMleaveMnotMlaterMthanMsi=. grou*. 2e*ending on the answer4 be honest about how you would fit into the *i3ture. If all those e=tra hours ma$e you un3omfortable4 say so4 but *hrase your res*onse *ositively.

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Exam"le+ ,I love my wor$ and do it e=3e*tionally well. I thin$ the results s*ea$ for themselves4 es*e3ially in 6(mention your two or three 1ualifi3ations of greater interest to the em*loyer. Eemember4 this is what he wants most4 not a wor$aholi3 with wea* 3redentials). Fot only would I bring these 1ualities4 but I0ve built my whole 3areer on wor$ing not 5ust hard4 but smart. I thin$ you0ll find me one of the most "roductive *eo*le here. I do have a family who li$es to see me after wor$ and on wee$ends. They add balan3e and ri3hness to my life4 whi3h in turn hel*s me be ha**y and *rodu3tive at wor$. If I 3ould handle some of the e=tra wor$ at home in the evenings or on wee$ends4 that would be ideal. @ou0d be getting a *erson of e=3e*tional *rodu3tivity who meets your needs with strong 3redentials. And I0d be able to handle some of the heavy wor$load at home where I 3an be under the same roof as my family. Cverybody would win..

Question 34

%re you willing to relocate or travel)

TRAP % Answer with a flat ,no. and you may slam the door shut on this o**ortunity. Iut what if you0d really *refer not to relo3ate or travel4 yet wouldn0t want to lose the 5ob offer over it! !" T A# $"R% 8irst find out where you may have to relo3ate and how mu3h travel may be involved. Then res*ond to the 1uestion. If there0s no *roblem4 say so enthusiasti3ally. If you do have a reservation4 there are two s3hools of thought on how to handle it. :ne advises you to $ee* your o*tions o*en and your reservations to yourself in the early going4 by saying4 ,no *roblem.. @ou strategy here is to get the best offer you 3an4 then ma$e a 5udgment whether it0s worth it to you to relo3ate or travel. Also4 by the time the offer 3omes through4 you may have other offers and 3an ma$e a more informed de3ision. hy $ill of this o**ortunity before it has 3han3e to blossom into something really s*e3ial! And if you0re a little more des*erate three months from now4 you might wish you hadn0t slammed the door on relo3ating or traveling. The se3ond way to handle this 1uestion is to voi3e a reservation4 but assert that you0d be o*en to relo3ating (or traveling) for the right o**ortunity. The answering strategy you 3hoose de*ends on how eager you are for the 5ob. If you want to ta$e no 3han3es4 3hoose the first a**roa3h. If you want to *lay a little harderMtoMget in ho*es of generating a more enti3ing offer4 3hoose the se3ond.

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Question 35

,o you have the stomach to fire "eo"le) 6ave you had ex"erience firing many "eo"le)

TRAP % This ,inno3ent. 1uestion 3ould be a tra* door whi3h sends you down a 3hute and lands you in a hea* of dust outside the front door. hy! Ie3ause its real intent is not 5ust to see if you0ve got the stoma3h to fire4 but also to un3over "oor #udgment in hiring whi3h has 3aused you to fire so many. Also4 if you fire so often4 you 3ould be a tyrant. -o don0t rise to the bait by boasting how many you0ve fired4 unless you0ve *re*ared to e=*lain why it was beyond your 3ontrol4 and not the result of your *oor hiring *ro3edures or foul tem*erament. !" T A# $"R% 2es3ribe the rational and sensible management *ro3ess you follow in both hiring and firing. Exam"le+ ,Ay whole management a**roa3h is to hire the best *eo*le I 3an find4 train them thoroughly and well4 get them e=3ited and *roud to be *art of our team4 and then wor$ with them to a3hieve our goals together. If you do all of that right4 es*e3ially hiring the right *eo*le4 I0ve found you don0t have to fire very often. ,-o with me4 firing is a last resort. Iut when it0s got to be done4 it0s got to be done4 and the faster and 3leaner4 the better. A *oor em*loyee 3an wrea$ terrible damage in undermining the morale of an entire team of good *eo*le. hen there0s no other way4 I0ve found it0s better for all 3on3erned to a3t de3isively in getting rid of offenders who won0t 3hange their ways..

Question 36

'hy have you had so many #obs)

TRAP % @our interviewer fears you may leave this *osition 1ui3$ly4 as you have others. 9e0s 3on3erned you may be unstable4 or a ,*roblem *erson. who 3an0t get along with others. !" T A# $"R% 8irst4 before you even get to the interview stage4 you should try to minimi7e your image as 5ob ho**er. If there are several entries on your resume of less than one year4 3onsider eliminating the less im*ortant ones. Perha*s you 3an s*e3ify the time you s*ent at *revious *ositions in rounded years not in months and years. Exam"le+ Instead of showing three *ositions this wayH 6>1+%2 & #>1+%#4 Position A? 4>1+%# & 12>1+%#4 Position I? 1>1+%4 & %>1+%"4 Position <? 6it would be better to show sim*lyH 1+%2 & 1+%#4 Position A? 1+%4 & 1+%" Position <.

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In other words4 you would dro* Position I altogether. Foti3e what a differen3e this ma$es in redu3ing your image as a 5ob ho**er. :n3e in front of the interviewer and this 1uestion 3omes u*4 you must try to reassure him. 2es3ribe ea3h *osition as *art of an overall *attern of growth and 3areer destination. Ie 3areful not to blame other *eo*le for your fre1uent 3hanges. Iut you 3an and should attribute 3ertain 3hanges to 3onditions beyond your 3ontrol. Exam"le+ Than$s to an u*3oming merger4 you wanted to avoid an ensuing bloodbath4 so you made a good4 u*ward 3areer move before your de*artment 3ame under the a=e of the new owners. If *ossible4 also show that your 5ob 3hanges were more fre1uent in your younger days4 while you were establishing yourself4 rounding out your s$ills and loo$ing for the right 3areer *ath. At this stage in your 3areer4 you0re 3ertainly mu3h more interested in the best long(term o**ortunity. @ou might also 3ite the 5ob(s) where you stayed the longest and des3ribe that this ty*e of situation is what you0re loo$ing for now.

Question 37

'hat do you see as the "ro"er role<mission of7 7a good 0#ob title you3re see*ing1> 7a good manager> 7an executive in serving the community> 7a leading com"any in our industry> etc.

TRAP % These and other ,*ro*er role. 1uestions are designed to test your understanding of your *la3e in the bigger *i3ture of your de*artment4 3om*any4 3ommunity and *rofession6.as well as the *ro*er role ea3h of these entities should *lay in its bigger *i3ture. The 1uestion is most fre1uently as$ed by the most thoughtful individuals and 3om*anies6or by those 3on3erned that you0re 3oming from a *la3e with a radi3ally different 3or*orate 3ulture (su3h as from a big government bureau3ra3y to an aggressive small 3om*any). The most fre1uent mista$e e=e3utives ma$e in answering is sim*ly not being *re*ared (seeming as if they0ve never giving any of this a though.)6or in *hrasing an answer best suited to their "rior organi7ation0s 3ulture instead of the hiring 3om*any0s. !" T A# $"R% Thin$ of the most essential ingredients of su33ess for ea3h 3ategory above & your 5ob title4 your role as manager4 your firm0s role4 et3. Identify at least three but no more than si= 1ualities you feel are most im*ortant to su33ess in ea3h role. Then 3ommit your res*onse to memory.

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9ere4 again4 the more information you0ve already drawn out about the greatest wants and needs of the interviewer4 and the more homewor$ you0ve done to identify the 3ulture of the firm4 the more onMtarget your answer will be.

Question 38

'hat would you say to your boss if he3s cra9y about an idea! but you thin* it stin*s)

TRAP % This is another 1uestion that *its two values4 in this 3ase loyalty and honesty4 against one another. !" T A# $"R% Eemember the rule stated earlierH In any 3onfli3t between values4 always choose integrity. Exam"le+ I believe that when evaluating anything4 it0s im*ortant to em*hasi7e the *ositive. hat do I li$e about this idea!. ,Then4 if you have reservations4 I 3ertainly want to *oint them out4 as s*e3ifi3ally4 ob5e3tively and fa3tually as I 3an.. ,After all4 the most im*ortant thing I owe my boss is honesty. If he 3an0t 3ount on me for that4 then everything else I may do or say 3ould be 1uestionable in his eyes.. ,Iut I also want to e=*ress my thoughts in a 3onstru3tive way. -o my goal in this 3ase would be to see if my boss and I 3ould ma$e his idea even stronger and more a**ealing4 so that it effe3tively over3omes any initial reservation I or others may have about it.. ,:f 3ourse4 if he overrules me and says4 Ono4 let0s do it my way40 then I owe him my full and enthusiasti3 su**ort to ma$e it wor$ as best it 3an..

Question 39

6ow could you have im"roved your career "rogress)

TRAP % This is another variation on the 1uestion4 ,If you 3ould4 how would you live your life over!. Eemember4 you0re not going to fall for any su3h invitations to rewrite *erson history. @ou 3an0t win if you do. !" T A# $"R% @ou0re generally 1uite ha**y with your 3areer *rogress. Aaybe4 if you had $nown something earlier in life (im*ossible to $now at the time4 su3h as the booming growth in a bran3h in your industry6or the 3or*orate downsi7ing that would *hase out your last 5ob)4 you might have moved in a 3ertain dire3tion sooner. Iut all things 3onsidered4 you ta$e res*onsibility for where you are4 how you0ve gotten there4 where you are going6and you harbor no regrets.

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Question 4

'hat would you do if a fellow executive on your own cor"orate level wasn3t "ulling his<her weight7and this was hurting your de"artment)

TRAP % This 1uestion and other hy*otheti3al ones test your sense of human relations and how you might handle offi3e *oliti3s. !" T A# $"R% Try to gauge the *oliti3al style of the firm and be guided a33ordingly. In general4 fall ba3$ on universal *rin3i*les of effe3tive human relations & whi3h in the end4 embody the way you would li$e to be treated in a similar 3ir3umstan3e. Exam"le+ ,Good human relations would 3all for me to go dire3tly to the *erson and e=*lain the situation4 to try to enlist his hel* in a 3onstru3tive4 *ositive solution. If I sensed resistan3e4 I would be as *ersuasive as I $now how to e=*lain the benefits we 3an all gain from wor$ing together4 and the *roblems we4 the 3om*any and our 3ustomers will e=*erien3e if we don0t.. P' I!&" ('&&'$)*P Q*" TI'#% And what would you do if he still did not 3hange his ways! A# $"R% ,:ne thing I wouldn0t do is let the *roblem slide4 be3ause it would only get worse and overloo$ing it would set a bad *re3edent. I would try again and again and again4 in whatever way I 3ould4 to solve the *roblem4 involving wider and wider 3ir3les of *eo*le4 both above and below the offending e=e3utive and in3luding my own boss if ne3essary4 so that everyone involved 3an see the rewards for teamwor$ and the drawba3$s of nonM3oo*eration.. ,I might add that I0ve never yet 3ome a3ross a situation that 3ouldn0t be resolved by harnessing others in a determined4 3onstru3tive effort..

Question 41

You3ve been with your firm a long time. 'on3t it be hard switching to a new com"any)

TRAP % @our interviewer is worried that this old dog will find it hard to learn new tri3$s. !" T A# $"R% To over3ome this ob5e3tion4 you must *oint to the many ways you have grown and ada*ted to 3hanging 3onditions at your *resent firm. It has not been a stati3 situation. 9ighlight the different res*onsibilities you0ve held4 the wide array of new situations you0ve fa3ed and 3on1uered. As a result4 you0ve learned to ada*t 1ui3$ly to whatever is thrown at you4 and you thrive on the stimulation of new 3hallenges. To further assure the interviewer4 des3ribe the similarities between the new *osition and your *rior one. C=*lain that you should be 1uite 3omfortable wor$ing there4 sin3e their needs and your s$ills ma$e a *erfe3t mat3h.

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Question 42

?ay 2 contact your "resent em"loyer for a reference)

TRAP % If you0re trying to $ee* your 5ob sear3h *rivate4 this is the last thing you want. Iut if you don0t 3oo*erate4 won0t you seem as if you0re trying to hide something! !" T A# $"R% C=*ress your 3on3ern that you0d li$e to $ee* your 5ob sear3h *rivate4 but that in time4 it will be *erfe3tly o$ay. Exam"le+ ,Ay *resent em*loyer is not aware of my 5ob sear3h and4 for obvious reasons? I0d *refer to $ee* it that way. I0d be most a**re3iative if we $e*t our dis3ussion 3onfidential right now. :f 3ourse4 when we both agree the time is right4 then by all means you should 3onta3t them. I0m very *roud of my re3ord there.

Question 43

Give me an exam"le of your creativity 0analytical s*ill7managing ability! etc.1

TRAP % The worst offense here is sim*ly being un*re*ared. @our hesitation may seem as if you0re having a hard time remembering the last time you were 3reative4 analyti3al4 et3. !" T A# $"R% Eemember from Question 2 that you should 3ommit to memory a list of your greatest and most re3ent a3hievements4 ever ready on the ti* of your tongue. If you have su3h a list4 it0s easy to *resent any of your a3hievements in light of the 1uality the interviewer is as$ing about. 8or e=am*le4 the smashing su33ess you or3hestrated at last year0s trade show 3ould be used as an e=am*le of 3reativity4 or analyti3al ability4 or your ability to manage.

Question 44

'here could you use some im"rovement)

TRAP % Another tri3$y way to get you to admit wea$nesses. 2on0t fall for it. !" T A# $"R% Kee* this answer4 li$e all your answers4 *ositive. A good way to answer this 1uestion is to identify a 3uttingMedge bran3h of your *rofession (one that0s not essential to your em*loyer0s needs) as an area you0re very e=3ited about and want to e=*lore more fully over the ne=t si= months.

Question 45

'hat do you worry about)

TRAP % Admit to worrying and you 3ould sound li$e a loser. -aying you never worry doesn0t sound 3redible. !" T A# $"R% Eedefine the word Oworry0 so that it does not refle3t negatively on you. Exam"le+ ,I wouldn0t 3all it worry4 but I am a strongly goalMoriented *erson. -o I $ee* turning over in my mind anything that seems to be $ee*ing me from a3hieving those goals4 until I find a solution. That0s *art of my tena3ity4 I su**ose..

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Question 46

6ow many hours a wee* do you normally wor*)

TRAP % @ou don0t want to give a s*e3ifi3 number. Aa$e it to low4 and you may not measure u*. Too high4 and you0ll forever feel guilty about snea$ing out the door at 'H1'. !" T A# $"R% 2f you are in fact a wor*aholic and you sense this com"any would li*e that+ -ay you are a 3onfirmed wor$aholi34 that you often wor$ nights and wee$ends. @our family a33e*ts this be3ause it ma$es you fulfilled. 2f you are not a wor*aholic+ -ay you have always wor$ed hard and *ut in long hours. It goes with the territory. It one sense4 it0s hard to $ee* tra3$ of the hours be3ause your wor$ is a labor of love4 you en5oy nothing more than solving *roblems. -o you0re almost always thin$ing about your wor$4 in3luding times when you0re home4 while shaving in the morning4 while 3ommuting4 et3.

Question 47

'hat3s the most difficult "art of being a 0#ob title1)

TRAP % Gnless you *hrase your answer *ro*erly4 your interviewer may 3on3lude that whatever you identify as ,diffi3ult. is where you are wea$. !" T A# $"R% 8irst4 redefine ,diffi3ult. to be ,3hallenging. whi3h is more *ositive. Then4 identify an area everyone in your *rofession 3onsiders 3hallenging and in whi3h you e=3el. 2es3ribe the *ro3ess you follow that enables you to get s*lendid results6 and be s*e3ifi3 about those results. Exam"le+ ,I thin$ every sales manager finds it 3hallenging to motivate the troo*s in a re3ession. Iut that0s *robably the strongest test of a to* sales manager. I feel this is one area where I e=3el.. , hen I see the first sign that sales may sli* or that sales for3e motivation is flagging be3ause of a downturn in the e3onomy4 here0s the *lan I *ut into a3tion immediately6. (followed by a des3ri*tion of ea3h ste* in the *ro3ess6and most im"ortantly! the e=3e*tional results you0ve a3hieved.).

Question 48

The 46y"othetical @roblem.

TRAP % -ometimes an interviewer will des3ribe a diffi3ult situation and as$4 46ow would you handle this). -in3e it is virtually im*ossible to have all the fa3ts in front of you from su3h a short *resentation4 don0t fall into the tra* of trying to solve this *roblem and giving your verdi3t on the s*ot. It will ma$e your de3isionMma$ing *ro3ess seem woefully inade1uate. !" T A# $"R% Instead4 des3ribe the rational4 methodi3al *ro3ess you would follow in analy7ing this *roblem4 who you would 3onsult with4 generating *ossible solutions4 3hoosing the best 3ourse of a3tion4 and monitoring the results. Eemember4 in all su3h4 4'hat would you do). 1uestions4 always des3ribe your "rocess or wor*ing methods! and you0ll never go wrong.

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Question 49

'hat was the toughest challenge you3ve ever faced)

TRAP % Ieing un*re*ared or 3iting an e=am*le from so early in your life that it doesn0t s3ore many *oints for you at this stage of your 3areer. !" T A# $"R% This is an easy 1uestion if you0re *re*ared. 9ave a re3ent e=am*le ready that demonstrates eitherH 1. A 1uality most im*ortant to the 5ob at hand? or 2. A 1uality that is always in demand4 su3h as leadershi*4 initiative4 managerial s$ill4 *ersuasiveness4 3ourage4 *ersisten3e4 intelligen3e4 et3.

Question 5

6ave you consider starting your own business)

TRAP % If you say ,yes. and elaborate enthusiasti3ally4 you 3ould be *er3eived as a loose 3annon in a larger 3om*any4 too entre*reneurial to ma$e a good team *layer6or someone who had to settle for the 3or*orate life be3ause you 3ouldn0t ma$e a go of your own business. Also too mu3h enthusiasm in answering ,yes. 3ould rouse the *aranoia of a small 3om*any indi3ating that you may *lan to go out on your own soon4 *erha*s ta$ing some $ey a33ounts or trade se3rets with you. :n the other hand4 if you answer ,no4 never. you 3ould be *er3eived as a se3urityM minded drone who never dreamed a big dream. !" T A# $"R% Again it0s best toH 1. Gauge this 3om*any0s 3or*orate 3ulture before answering and6 2. Ie honest (whi3h doesn0t mean you have to vividly share your fantasy of the fran3hise or bedMandMbrea$fast you someday *lan to o*en). In general4 if the 3or*orate 3ulture is that of a large4 formal4 militaryMstyle stru3ture4 minimi7e any indi3ation that you0d love to have your own business. @ou might say4 ,:h4 I may have given it a thought on3e or twi3e4 but my whole 3areer has been in larger organi7ations. That0s where I have e=3elled and where I want to be.. If the 3or*orate 3ulture is 3loser to the freeMwheeling4 everybody0sMaMdealMma$er variety4 then em*hasi7e that in a firm li$e this4 you 3an virtually get the best of all worlds4 the e=3itement of seeing your own ideas and *lans ta$e sha*e63ombined with the resour3es and stability of a wellMestablished organi7ation. -ounds li$e the *erfe3t environment to you. In any 3ase4 no matter what the 3or*orate 3ulture4 be sure to indi3ate that any desires about running your own show are *art of your "ast4 not your *resent or future. The last thing you want to *ro5e3t is an image of either a dreamer who failed and is now settling for the 3or*orate 3o3oon6or the restless maveri3$ who will fly out the door with 64 Toughest Questions Page #1

$ey a33ounts4 3onta3ts and trade se3rets under his arms 5ust as soon as his ban$roll has gotten rebuilt. Always rememberH Aat3h what you want with what the *osition offers. The more information you0ve un3overed about the *osition4 the more believable you 3an ma$e your 3ase.

Question 51

'hat are your goals)

TRAP % Fot having any6or having only vague generalities4 not highly s"ecific goals. !" T A# $"R% Aany e=e3utives in a *osition to hire you are strong believers in goalM setting. (It0s one of the reason they0ve a3hieved so mu3h). They li$e to hire in $ind. If you0re vague about your 3areer and *ersonal goals4 it 3ould be a big turnoff to may *eo*le you will en3ounter in your 5ob sear3h. Ie ready to dis3uss your goals for ea3h ma5or area of your lifeH 3areer4 *ersonal develo*ment and learning4 family4 *hysi3al (health)4 3ommunity servi3e and (if your interviewer is 3learly a religious *erson) you 3ould briefly and generally allude to your s*iritual goals (showing you are a wellMrounded individual with your values in the right order). Ie *re*ared to des3ribe ea3h goal in terms of s*e3ifi3 milestones you wish to a33om*lish along the way4 time *eriods you0re allotting for a33om*lishment4 why the goal is im*ortant to you4 and the s*e3ifi3 ste*s you0re ta$ing to bring it about. Iut do this 3on3isely4 as you never want to tal$ more than two minutes straight before letting your interviewer ba3$ into the 3onversation.

Question 52

'hat do you for when you hire "eo"le)

TRAP % Ieing un*re*ared for the 1uestion. !" T A# $"R% -*ea$ your own thoughts here4 but for the best answer weave them around the three most im*ortant 1ualifi3ations for any *osition. 1. <an the *erson do the wor$ (1ualifi3ations)! 2. ill the *erson do the wor$ (motivation)! #. ill the *erson fit in (,our $ind of team *layer.)!

Question 53

Sell me this sta"ler70this "encil7this cloc*7or some other ob#ect on interviewer3s des*1.

TRAP % -ome interviewers4 es*e3ially business owners and hardM3hanging e=e3utives in mar$etingMdriven 3om*anies4 feel that good salesmanshi* is essential for any $ey *osition and as$ for an instant demonstration of your s$ill. Ie ready.

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!" T A# $"R% :f 3ourse4 you already $now the most im*ortant se3ret of all great salesmanshi* & ,find out what "eo"le want! then show them how to get it.. If your interviewer *i3$s u* his sta*ler and as$s4 ,sell this to me4. you are going to demonstrate this *roven master *rin3i*le. 6ere3s how+ , ell4 a good salesman must $now both his *rodu3t and his *ros*e3t before he sells anything. If I were selling this4 I0d first get to $now everything I 3ould about it4 all its features and benefits.. ,Then4 if my goal were to sell it you4 I would do some resear3h on how you might use a fine sta*ler li$e this. The best way to do that is by as$ing some 1uestions. Aay I as$ you a few 1uestions!. Then as$ a few 1uestions su3h as4 ,Qust out of 3uriosity4 if you didn0t already have a sta*ler li$e this4 why would you want one! And in addition to that! Any other reason! Anything else!. ,And would you want su3h a sta*ler to be reliable!...9old a good su**ly of sta*les!. (As$ more 1uestions that *oint to the features this sta*ler has.) :n3e you0ve as$ed these 1uestions4 ma$e your *resentation 3iting all the features and benefits of this sta*ler and why it0s e=a3tly what the interviewer 5ust told you he0s loo$ing for. Then 3lose with4 ,Qust out of 3uriosity4 what would you 3onsider a reasonable *ri3e for a 1uality sta*ler li$e this6a sta*ler you 3ould have right now and would (then re*eat all the *roblems the sta*ler would solve for him)! hatever he says4 (unless it0s 7ero)4 say4 ,:$ay4 we0ve got a deal.. F:TCH If your interviewer tests you by fighting every ste* of the way4 denying that he even wants su3h an item4 don3t fight him. Ta$e the *rodu3t away from him by saying4 ,Ar. Pros*e3t4 I0m delighted you0ve told me right u*front that there0s no way you0d ever want this sta*ler. As you well $now4 the first rule of the most *rodu3tive sales*eo*le in any field is to meet the needs of *eo*le who really need and want our *rodu3ts4 and it 5ust wastes everyone0s time if we try to for3e it on those who don0t. And I 3ertainly wouldn0t want to waste your time. Iut we sell many items. Is there any *rodu3t on this des$ you would very mu3h li$e to own65ust one item!. hen he *oints something out4 re*eat the *ro3ess above. If he $nows anything about selling4 he may give you a standing ovation.

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Question 54

4The Salary Auestion. - 6ow much money do you want)

TRAP % Aay also be *hrases as4 4'hat salary are you worth).6or4 46ow much are you ma*ing now). This is your most im*ortant negotiation. 9andle it wrong and you 3an blow the 5ob offer or go to wor$ at far less than you might have gotten. !" T A# $"R% 8or ma=imum salary negotiating *ower4 remember these five guidelinesH 1. Fever bring u* salary. ;et the interviewer do it first. Good sales*eo*le sell their *rodu3ts thoroughly before tal$ing *ri3e. So should you. Aa$e the interviewer want you first4 and your bargaining *osition will be mu3h stronger. 2. If your interviewer raises the salary 1uestion too early4 before you0ve had a 3han3e to 3reate desire for your 1ualifi3ations4 "ost"one the 1uestion4 saying something li$e4 ,Aoney is im*ortant to me4 but is not my main 3on3ern. :**ortunity and growth are far more im*ortant. hat I0d rather do4 if you don0t mind4 is e=*lore if I0m right for the *osition4 and then tal$ about money. ould that be o$ay!. #. The R1 rule of any negotiation isH the side with more information wins. After you0ve done a thorough 5ob of selling the interviewer and it0s time to tal$ salary4 the se3ret is to get the em*loyer tal$ing about what he0s willing to *ay before you reveal what you3re willing to a33e*t. -o4 when as$ed about salary4 res*ond by as$ing4 ,I0m sure the 3om*any has already established a salary range for this *osition. <ould you tell me what that is!. :r4 ,I want an in3ome 3ommensurate with my ability and 1ualifi3ations. I trust you0ll be fair with me. hat does the *osition *ay!. :r4 more sim*ly4 , hat does this *osition *ay!. 4. Know beforehand what you0d a33e*t. To $now what0s reasonable4 resear3h the 5ob mar$et and this *osition for any relevant salary information. Eemember that most e=e3utives loo$ for a 2/M2'LB *ay boost when they swit3h 5obs. If you0re grossly under*aid4 you may want more. '. Fever lie about what you 3urrently ma$e4 but feel free to in3lude the estimated 3ost of all your fringes4 whi3h 3ould well ta3$ on 2'M'/L more to your *resent ,3ashMonly. salary.

Question 55

The 2llegal Auestion

TRAP % Illegal 1uestions in3lude any regarding your age6number and ages of your 3hildren or other de*endents6marital status6maiden name6religion6*oliti3al affiliation6an3estry6national origin6birth*la3e6naturali7ation of your *arents4 s*ouse or 3hildren6diseases6disabilities63lubs6or s*ouse0s o33u*ation6unless any of the above are directly related to your "erformance of the #ob. @ou 3an0t even be as$ed about arrests4 though you 3an be as$ed about convictions.

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!" T A# $"R% Gnder the everM*resent threat of lawsuits4 most interviewers are well aware of these taboos. @et you may en3ounter4 usually on a se3ond or third interview4 a senior e=e3utive who doesn0t interview mu3h and forgets he 3an0t as$ su3h 1uestions. @ou 3an handle an illegal 1uestion in several ways. 8irst4 you 3an assert your legal right not to answer. Iut this will frighten or embarrass your interviewer and destroy any ra**ort you had. -e3ond4 you 3ould swallow your 3on3erns over *riva3y and answer the 1uestion straight forwardly if you feel the answer 3ould hel* you. 8or e=am*le4 your interviewer4 a devout Ia*tist4 re3ogni7es you from 3hur3h and mentions it. 9ere4 you 3ould gain by tal$ing about your 3hur3h. Third4 if you don0t want your *riva3y invaded4 you 3an di*lomati3ally answer the concern behind the 1uestion without answering the 1uestion itself. Exam"le+ If you are over '/ and are as$ed4 ,6ow old are you). you 3an answer with a friendly4 smiling 1uestion of your own on whether there0s a 3on3ern that your age my affe3t your *erforman3e. 8ollow this u* by reassuring the interviewer that there0s nothing in this 5ob you 3an0t do and4 in fa3t4 your age and e=*erien3e are the most im*ortant advantages you offer the em*loyer for the following reasons6 %nother exam"le+ If as$ed4 4,o you "lan to have children). you 3ould answer4 ,I am wholeheartedly dedi3ated to my 3areer,4 *erha*s adding4 ,I have no *lans regarding 3hildren.. (@ou needn0t fear you0ve *ledged eternal 3hildlessness. @ou have every right to 3hange your *lans later. Get the 5ob first and then en5oy all your o*tions.) Aost im*ortantly4 remember that illegal 1uestions arise from fear that you won0t *erform well. The best answer of all is to get the 5ob and *erform brilliantly. All 3on3erns and fears will then varnish4 re*la3ed by res*e3t and a**re3iation for your wor$.

Question 56

The 4Secret. 2llegal Auestion

TRAP % Au3h more fre1uent than the Illegal 1uestion 0see Auestion BB1 is the sec!et illegal 1uestion. It0s se3ret be3ause it0s as$ed only in the interviewer0s mind. -in3e it0s not even e=*ressed to you4 you have no way to res*ond to it4 and it 3an there be most damaging. Exam"le+ @ou0re *hysi3ally 3hallenged4 or a single mother returning to your *rofessional 3areer4 or over '/4 or a member of an ethni3 minority4 or fit any of a do7en other 3ategories that do not stri3tly 3onform to the ma5ority in a given 3om*any. @our interviewer wonders4 ,Is this *erson really able to handle the 5ob!.6.Is he or she a Ogood fit0 at a *la3e li$e ours!.6. ill the 3hemistry ever be right with someone li$e this!. Iut the interviewer never raises su3h 1uestions be3ause they0re illegal. -o what 3an you do!

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!" T A# $"R% Eemember that 5ust be3ause the interviewer doesn0t as$ an illegal 1uestion doesn0t mean he doesn0t have it. Aore than li$ely4 he is going to 3ome u* with his own answer. -o you might as well hel* him out. 9ow! ell4 you obviously 3an0t res*ond to an illegal 1uestion if he hasn0t even as$ed. This may well offend him. And there0s always the 3han3e he wasn0t even 3on3erned about the issue until you brought it u*4 and only then begins to wonder. -o you 3an0t address ,se3ret. illegal 1uestions head(on. Iut what you 3an do is ma$e sure there0s enough counterbalancing information to more than reassure him that there0s no *roblem in the area he may be doubtful about. 8or e=am*le4 let0s say you0re a sales re* who had *olio as a 3hild and you need a 3ane to wal$. @ou $now your 3ondition has never im*eded your *erforman3e4 yet you0re 3on3erned that your interviewer may se3retly be wondering about your stamina or ability to travel. ell4 ma$e sure that you hit these abilities very hard4 leaving no doubt about your 3a*a3ity to handle them well. -o4 too4 if you0re in any different from what *asses for ,normal.. Aa$e sure4 without in any way seeming defensive about yourself that you mention strengths4 a33om*lishments4 *referen3es and affiliations that strongly 3ounterbalan3e any uns*o$en 3on3ern your interviewer may have.

Question 57

'hat was the toughest "art of your last #ob)

TRAP % This is slightly different from the 1uestion raised earlier4 4'hat3s the most difficult "art of being a 0#ob title71. be3ause this as$s what you "ersonally have found most diffi3ult in your last *osition. This 1uestion is more diffi3ult to redefine into something *ositive. @our interviewer will assume that whatever you found toughest may give you a *roblem in your new *osition. !" T A# $"R% -tate that there was nothing in your *rior *osition that you found overly diffi3ult4 and let your answer go at that. If *ressed to e=*and your answer4 you 3ould des3ribe the as*e3ts of the *osition you en#oyed more than others4 ma$ing sure that you e=*ress ma=imum en5oyment for those tas$s most im*ortant to the o*en *osition4 and you en5oyed least those tas$s that are unim*ortant to the *osition at hand.

Question 58

6ow do you define success7and how do you measure u" to your own definition)

TRAP % -eems li$e an obvious enough 1uestion. @et many e=e3utives4 un*re*ared for it4 fumble the ball. !" T A# $"R% Give a wellMa33e*ted definition of su33ess that leads right into your own stellar 3olle3tion of a3hievements. Exam"le+ ,The best definition I0ve 3ome a3ross is that su33ess is the *rogressive reali7ation of a worthy goal..

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,As to how I would measure u* to that definition4 I would 3onsider myself both su33essful and fortunate6.(Then summari7e your 3areer goals and how your a3hievements have indeed re*resented a *rogressive *ath toward reali7ation of your goals.)

Question 59

4The :"inion Auestion. - 'hat do you thin* about 7 %bortion7The @resident7The ,eath @enalty70or any other controversial sub#ect1)

TRAP % :bviously4 these and other ,o*inion. 1uestions should never be as$ed. -ometimes they 3ome u* over a 3ombination dinner>interview when the interviewer has had a drin$ or two4 is feeling rela=ed4 and is s*outing off about something that bugged him in today0s news. If you give your o*inion and it0s the o**osite of his4 you won0t 3hange his o*inions4 but you 3ould easily lose the 5ob offer. !" T A# $"R% In all of these instan3es4 5ust remember the tale about student and the wise old rabbi. The s3ene is a seminary4 where an overly serious student is *ressing the rabbi to answer the ultimate 1uestions of suffering4 life and death. Iut no matter how hard he *resses4 the wise old rabbi will only answer ea3h diffi3ult 1uestion with a 1uestion of his own. In e=as*eration4 the seminary student demands4 4'hy! rabbi! do you always answer a uestion with another uestion). To whi3h the rabbi res*onds4 4%nd why not). If you are ever un3omfortable with any 1uestion4 as$ing a 1uestion in return is the greatest es3a*e hat3h ever invented. It throws the onus ba3$ on the other *erson4 sidetra3$s the dis3ussion from going into an area of ris$ to you4 and gives you time to thin$ of your answer or4 even better4 your next uestion5 In res*onse to any of the ,o*inion. 1uestions 3ited above4 merely res*onding4 4'hy do you as*). will usually be enough to dissi*ate any *ressure to give your o*inion. Iut if your interviewer again *resses you for an o*inion4 you 3an as$ another 1uestion. :r you 3ould assert a generality that almost everyone would agree with. 8or e=am*le4 if your interviewer is 3om*laining about *oliti3ians then suddenly turns to you and as$s if you0re a Ee*ubli3an or 2emo3rat4 you 3ould res*ond by saying4 ,A3tually4 I0m finding it hard to find any *oliti3ians I li$e these days.. (:f 3ourse4 your best 1uestion of all may be whether you want to wor$ for someone o*inionated.)

Question 6

2f you won CDE million lottery! would you still wor*)

TRAP % @our totally honest res*onse might be4 46ell! no! are you serious). That might be so4 but any answer whi3h shows you as fleeing wor$ if given the 3han3e 3ould ma$e you seem la7y. :n the other hand4 if you answer4 4:h! 23d want to *ee" doing exactly what 2 am doing! only doing it for your firm!. you 3ould easily ins*ire your interviewer to silently mutter to himself4 4Yeah! sure. Gimme a brea*..

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!" T A# $"R% This ty*e of 1uestion is aimed at getting at your bedro3$ attitude about wor$ and how you feel about what you do. @our best answer will fo3us on your *ositive feelings. Exam"le+ ,After I floated down from 3loud nine4 I thin$ I would still hold my basi3 belief that a3hievement and *ur*oseful wor$ are essential to a ha**y4 *rodu3tive life. After all4 if money alone bought ha**iness4 then all ri3h *eo*le would be all ha**y4 and that0s not true. ,I love the wor$ I do4 and I thin$ I0d always want to be involved in my 3areer in some fashion. inning the lottery would ma$e it more fun be3ause it would mean having more fle=ibility4 more o*tions...who $nows!. ,:f 3ourse4 sin3e I 3an0t 3ount on winning4 I0d 5ust as soon 3reate my own destiny by sti3$ing with what0s wor$ed for me4 meaning good old reliable hard wor$ and a desire to a3hieve. I thin$ those 1ualities have built many more fortunes that all the lotteries *ut together..

Question 61

&oo*ing bac* on your last "osition! have you done your best wor*)

TRAP % Tri3$y 1uestion. Answer 4absolutely. and it 3an seem li$e your best wor$ is behind you. Answer4 4no! my best wor* is ahead of me!. and it 3an seem as if you didn0t give it your all. !" T A# $"R% To 3over both *ossible *aths this 1uestion 3an ta$e4 your answer should state that you always try to do your best4 and the best of your 3areer is right now. ;i$e an athlete at the to* of his game4 you are 5ust hitting your 3areer stride than$s to several fa3tors. Then4 re3a* those fa3tors4 highlighting your strongest 1ualifi3ations.

Question 62

'hy should 2 hire you from the outside when 2 could "romote someone from within)

TRAP % This 1uestion isn0t as aggressive as it sounds. It re*resents the interviewer0s own dilemma over this 3ommon *roblem. 9e0s *robably leaning toward you already and for reassuran3e4 wants to hear what you have to say on the matter. !" T A# $"R% 9el* him see the 1ualifi3ations that only you 3an offer. Exam"le+ ,In general4 I thin$ it0s a good *oli3y to hire from within & to loo$ outside *robably means you0re not 3om*letely 3omfortable 3hoosing someone from inside. ,Faturally4 you want this de*artment to be as strong as it *ossibly 3an be4 so you want the strongest 3andidate. I feel that I 3an fill that bill be3ause6(then re3a* your strongest 1ualifi3ations that mat3h u* with his greatest needs)..

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Question 63

Tell me something negative you3ve heard about our com"any7

TRAP % This is a 3ommon fishing e=*edition to see what the industry gra*evine may be saying about the 3om*any. Iut it0s also a tra* be3ause as an outsider4 you never want to be the bearer of unflattering news or gossi* about the firm. It 3an only hurt your 3han3es and sidetra3$ the interviewer from getting sold on you. !" T A# $"R% Qust remember the rule & never be negative & and you0ll handle this one 5ust fine.

Question 64

:n a scale of one to ten! rate me as an interviewer.

TRAP % Give a *erfe3t ,1/4. and you0ll seem too easy to *lease. Give anything less than a *erfe3t 1/4 and he 3ould *ress you as to where you0re being 3riti3al4 and that road leads downhill for you. !" T A# $"R% :n3e again4 never be negative. The interviewer will only resent 3riti3ism 3oming from you. This is the time to show your *ositivism. 9owever4 don0t give a numeri3al rating. -im*ly *raise whatever interview style he0s been using. If he0s been tough4 say ,@ou have been thorough and toughMminded4 the very 1ualities needed to 3ondu3t a good interview.. If he0s been methodi3al4 say4 ,@ou have been very methodi3al and analyti3al4 and I0m sure that a**roa3h results in e=3ellent hires for your firm.. In other words4 *ay him a sin3ere 3om*liment that he can believe be3ause it0s an3hored in the behavior you0ve 5ust seen.

Good lu3$ in your 5ob sear3hN The Cditors

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