Interview Questions 6

[ganeshbala]

What was the toughest challenge you've ever faced?

TRAPS: Being unprepared or citing an example from so early in your life that it doesn't score many points for you at this stage of your career.

BEST ANSWER: This is an easy question if you're prepared. Have a recent example ready that demonstrates either:

A quality most important to the job at hand; or

A quality that is always in demand, such as leadership, initiative, managerial skill, persuasiveness, courage, persistence, intelligence, etc.

What are your goals?

TRAPS: Not having any...or having only vague generalities, not highly specific goals.

BEST ANSWER: Many executives in a position to hire you are strong believers in goal-setting. (It's one of the reason they've achieved so much).  They like to hire in kind.

If you're vague about your career and personal goals, it could be a big turnoff to may people you will encounter in your job search.

Be ready to discuss your goals for each major area of your life:  career, personal development and learning, family, physical (health), community service and (if your interviewer is clearly a religious person) you could briefly and generally allude to your spiritual goals (showing you are a well-rounded individual with your values in the right order).

The Salary Question" – How much money do you want?

TRAPS: May also be phrases as, "What salary are you worth?"...or, "How much are you making now?"  This is your most important negotiation. Handle it wrong and you can blow the job offer or go to work at far less than you might have gotten.

BEST ANSWER: For maximum salary negotiating power, remember these five guidelines:

Never bring up salary. Let the interviewer do it first.  Good salespeople sell their products thoroughly before talking price.  So should you.  Make the interviewer want you first, and your bargaining position will be much stronger.

If your interviewer raises the salary question too early, before you've had a chance to create desire for your qualifications, postpone the question, saying something like, "Money is important to me, but is not my main concern.  Opportunity and growth are far more important.  What I'd rather do, if you don't mind, is explore if I'm right for the position, and then talk about money. Would that be okay?"

If you won $10 million lottery, would you still work?

TRAPS: Your totally honest response might be, "Hell, no, are you serious?"  That might be so, but any answer which shows you as fleeing work if given the chance could make you seem lazy.  On the other hand, if you answer, "Oh, I'd want to keep doing exactly what I am doing, only doing it for your firm," you could easily inspire your interviewer to silently mutter to himself, "Yeah, sure.  Gimme a break."

BEST ANSWER: This type of question is aimed at getting at your bedrock attitude about work and how you feel about what you do.  Your best answer will focus on your positive feelings.

Example: "After I floated down from cloud nine, I think I would still hold my basic belief that achievement and purposeful work are essential to a happy, productive life.  After all, if money alone bought happiness, then all rich people would be all happy, and that's not true.

"I love the work I do, and I think I'd always want to be involved in my career in some fashion.  Winning the lottery would make it more fun because it would mean having more flexibility, more options...who knows?"

"Of course, since I can't count on winning, I'd just as soon create my own destiny by sticking with what's worked for me, meaning good old reliable hard work and a desire to achieve.  I think those qualities have built many more fortunes that all the lotteries put together."

Tell me something negative you've heard about our company...

TRAPS: This is a common fishing expedition to see what the industry grapevine may be saying about the company.  But it's also a trap because as an outsider, you never want to be the bearer of unflattering news or gossip about the firm.  It can only hurt your chances and sidetrack the interviewer from getting sold on you.

BEST ANSWER: Just remember the rule – never be negative – and you'll handle this one just fine.