Nobody likes job interviews. They can be almost as stressful as tax audits. One of the primary keys to successful interviewing seems to be preparation. You need to know as much about the company and what they are looking for in an employee as possible. Behavioral interview questions have become commonplace. You can ace these interviews if you plan ahead.
Almost all interviewers today ask about how the applicant handles stressful situations. It is a waste of time to lie and say stress does not bother you. The interviewer knows that's a lie. A better idea is to relay an example of a workplace experience in which stress was a contributing factor. Instead of emphasizing the stress involved, what you learned from the experience, and how it helped you become a more effective employee, should be your focus.
Interviewers like to ask about the ways you address workplace challenges. The answer you give should incorporate aspects of the job you're applying for. For instance, if you're interviewing for a position where challenges need to be methodical and measured, you will answer one way. If the position is best filled by someone who plunges right in and takes a chance, you will answer another way.
Inevitably you will be asked what you do when you make mistakes in your professional life. You can't deny you've made mistakes, but you don't want to dwell on negatives either. The interviewer wants to understand where you are weak and how that affects you. Instead of making your narrative about the mistake, you can make it primarily about what you learned and how it improved your effectiveness with the company.
A lot of younger prospective employees are asked what their goals are and what they are doing to achieve them. Interviewers want to know how ambitious you are and what your plan is to get ahead. You could show that your goals align with the position they are filling and how you believe this company will play an integral part in your success.
You may be asked a question about working with others. In this case, the interviewer wants to get a sense of whether or not you are a team player and can get along with supervisors and co-workers. You need to emphasize the skill sets you have, like communicating, delegating, listening, and acknowledging the accomplishments of others. You don't have to restrict yourself to a work related experience. Club, classroom, or volunteer projects will work just as well.
When an interviewer asks about problems you have experienced in a work environment, it is not an invitation to discuss what a horrible boss you had. You need to come up with another problem and describe what you had to do to solve it. You can discuss your personal philosophy as it pertains to difficult people and the challenges you've faced because of them.
If you have to work, job interviews are probably going to be a fact of life. You will never look forward to them, but you can go in prepared. Over rehearsed responses to the questions you are asked won't impress the interviewer. You will have to practice hard enough to appear spontaneous.
Almost all interviewers today ask about how the applicant handles stressful situations. It is a waste of time to lie and say stress does not bother you. The interviewer knows that's a lie. A better idea is to relay an example of a workplace experience in which stress was a contributing factor. Instead of emphasizing the stress involved, what you learned from the experience, and how it helped you become a more effective employee, should be your focus.
Interviewers like to ask about the ways you address workplace challenges. The answer you give should incorporate aspects of the job you're applying for. For instance, if you're interviewing for a position where challenges need to be methodical and measured, you will answer one way. If the position is best filled by someone who plunges right in and takes a chance, you will answer another way.
Inevitably you will be asked what you do when you make mistakes in your professional life. You can't deny you've made mistakes, but you don't want to dwell on negatives either. The interviewer wants to understand where you are weak and how that affects you. Instead of making your narrative about the mistake, you can make it primarily about what you learned and how it improved your effectiveness with the company.
A lot of younger prospective employees are asked what their goals are and what they are doing to achieve them. Interviewers want to know how ambitious you are and what your plan is to get ahead. You could show that your goals align with the position they are filling and how you believe this company will play an integral part in your success.
You may be asked a question about working with others. In this case, the interviewer wants to get a sense of whether or not you are a team player and can get along with supervisors and co-workers. You need to emphasize the skill sets you have, like communicating, delegating, listening, and acknowledging the accomplishments of others. You don't have to restrict yourself to a work related experience. Club, classroom, or volunteer projects will work just as well.
When an interviewer asks about problems you have experienced in a work environment, it is not an invitation to discuss what a horrible boss you had. You need to come up with another problem and describe what you had to do to solve it. You can discuss your personal philosophy as it pertains to difficult people and the challenges you've faced because of them.
If you have to work, job interviews are probably going to be a fact of life. You will never look forward to them, but you can go in prepared. Over rehearsed responses to the questions you are asked won't impress the interviewer. You will have to practice hard enough to appear spontaneous.
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