 |
|
 |
 |
Will You Do the Job?
The second type of question is concerned with your personal disposition and
approach to work. These questions are seeking to determine whether you are hard
working, motivated and committed; in short are you the kind of person who will
do more than just what is in the job contract.
You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information that
demonstrates what a positive and committed employee you have been. In preparing
for the interview, decide which areas of your work to date can be used to
illustrate your commitment and motivation. Here are
some examples of this category of question:
What was it like working for your previous employer?
Here, you could choose to answer the question in terms of their product
development, management style, use of new technology or any number of other
aspects.
However, by taking the initiative and answering it in terms of what the job
required of you and how you met these demands, emphasizing your flexibility,
long hours working when required, etc, you will begin to address the real issue
behind the question. Once again, stay alert and look for opportunities to sell
your benefits.
Have you done the best work you are capable of?
This is a deliberately tricky question. If you say yes, the interviewer may
determine that you have peaked, and that it is downhill from here. However,
saying no invites the question of why not? Perhaps you haven’t been fully
committed, or worse competent. The best response is to
recall some of your top achievements to date, to answer in a way that implies an
increasing performance trend. Follow this up by showing that you are looking
forward to bigger challenges and even better achievements in the future.
How long will it be before you make a net contribution to our organization?
Unless the job is very mundane or routine, you cannot realistically make a real
contribution until you have been through a significant learning curve. This
learning curve is one that is recognized by employers and generally the higher
the level of the position the more tolerant the organization will be about the
time needed for this. However, the upper limit for this is rarely more than 3 to
4 months and the longer the learning curve the more is expected from the
performance following it. Think about the realistic bedding in time and what
sort of contributions you might make during this period.
If you got this job, how long would you stay with us?
The best way to answer this question is to tailor your reply to fit the culture
of the organization and your own career path. For example, if the organization
is highly entrepreneurial then replying that you are looking for a retirement
home will not play well. However, if the culture is more paternal or family
centred then indicating that you are considering your final job move may be very
well received. Some people think that implying that you will be happy to stay as
long as you are developing new skills or facing new challenges is the best
approach. The down side of this can be that it implies the organization is
responsible for your nurturing, education and entertainment. Think carefully
about using these sort of explanations as you may give the impression that you
may leave as soon as you are faced with a dull project.
sample job interview questions - Will You ‘Fit In’?
In answering questions from the first two categories, you should be clearly
demonstrating your abilities and motivation. The third
basic question type is concerned with whether or not you will fit into the
organization. Most employers are looking for staff who are not only capable of,
and committed to, doing their job but who will fit the prevailing corporate
culture and image. Here, the more senior the role, the more important fitting in
becomes.
You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information that
demonstrates how you would fit in. In particular areas to consider are:
1. How the organization manages people.
2. How the organization devolves power.
3. How people interrelate.
4. How people are motivated.
5. How the organization competes in the marketplace.
It is your research into the organization, as discussed earlier that will equip
you to assess the organizational attitude to the fundamental issues that lie
behind this type of question. An important point here
is that if you find yourself at variance with your potential employer’s value
system then you would probably be advised to look elsewhere. It is almost
impossible to succeed in a culture that feels alien to you. Here are some
examples of this category of question:
How do you see yourself fitting into a new project team?
Interviewers will often seek reassurance that you can demonstrate a track record
of fitting in when you have been repositioned in a working environment. You will
need to illustrate times where you were placed in a new team or group. It
doesn’t matter how long or short term these placements were, rather that you can
show how you did fit in; how the group was not disrupted by your arrival and
that a clear improvement in overall performance resulted.
How will you be able to cope with a change in environment?
This sort of question is usually posed if you've spent a long time in one
particular job. It sounds like a negative but can be turned into a positive
especially if you're looking for a change, or a chance to develop. Avoid
sounding negative about your current environment, whilst stressing the
excitement you feel in seeking a new one.
How do you go about getting to know and understand new work colleagues?
Show that you understand the process of fitting in to a new working environment
and that you appreciate that the key to getting to know new colleagues is to
listen. Show that you appreciate that this will be an overhead on your normal
work duties and that you will invest your own time and efforts, for example in
coffee and lunch breaks and perhaps in extra curricular activities. By
demonstrating an understanding of the processes involved and a willingness to
commit to it, based on your past experiences, you will be creating a positive
picture for the interviewer.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
The obvious answer would be "part of the management team; or board of directors
within this organization". This may not necessarily be true, but the interviewer
needs to know that your intentions are to move up the career ladder within their
organization. Be careful not to sound overly ambitious, as the interviewer may
be your future boss. The safest option is to modestly express your desire to
grow and advance within the organization.
TOP
<PREVIOUS
NEXT>
All
Material - Copyright Interactive Training Technologies (2000 - 2005). All Rights
Reserved.