Bear in mind that employers think of your salary as their investment in your skills and attitude. They expect a valuable return from their investment in you.
Employers’ concerns are: [1] Do you have a serious desire for the job, or are you applying for it with a stopgap objective? [2] Do you have the skills for the job? [3] Will you be able to assimilate with their existing staff?
An Interviewer wants to know more than your capability to do the job. He also looks for whether your personality is acceptable, whether you are self-motivated, are you assertive or submissive, introverted or extroverted. Are you self-confident or not? These characteristics show whether you can cope with stress and how you relate to other people.
Good interviewers first establish rapport. They may ask you about the weather or your journey to their office. Do not be anxious to reach the main part of the interview; calmly deal with the rapport. Be Positive about yourself. Recall that your CV impressed him, so you are in front of him. Remain relaxed but not overconfident. Whatever you say should be the truth, but this does not mean you expose all negative points. Politely answer questions.
Some questions will emerge from your CV, and some from the nature of your job. Below are common questions which could be used for Role Play and to develop your own thoughts for likely questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you study what you studied?
3. How important do you think qualifications are?
4. What were your best subjects at school/college?
5. Have you had any training outside your education?
6. How do you feel about taking training outside working hours?
7. What did you find easiest/most difficult in your last job?
8. What is your experience in managing subordinates?
9. Tell me of an event when you took initiative in your job?
10. What do you enjoy most in your job?
11. What attracted you to this career?
12. How do you solve a problem if you are faced with it?
13. What computer applications have you used at work?
14. Do you enjoy working on your own or with a team?
15. How do you get along with your colleagues/boss?
16. Which newspapers do you like to read?
17. What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?
18. How many days' sick leave did you need last year?
19. Why do you want to leave your present job?
20. Tell me about your background and family.
SOME EXAMPLES OF ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
1. How would you deal with a difficult customer?
- Firstly, establish the facts and the sources of facts before coming to a decision. If possible, take the client to a secluded place away from the public if they make noise.
- Secondly, remove the stress, anxiety, doubt or any concerns he has so that he is in a receptive mood.
- Ask open questions to get to the root of the problem. Study his body language and do not use jargon.
- Show him empathy, but be firm to work out a mutually beneficial outcome. Admit if you are in the wrong.
2. How do you organise your work?
One should work smart to maximise profit or productivity and meet deadlines by keeping files physically or on a computer with labels in a logical fashion. This enables me to retrieve the information quickly. I keep a diary and plan my work.
3. Tell me about your communication skills.
I believe in effective communication, whether it is oral or written. It should be a two-way communication. This interaction is very important for career growth. It builds relationships and creates harmony. It can build collaboration.
4. What is your understanding of teamwork?
Teamwork means working with a group of people effectively to achieve a goal or an outcome.
5. How would you describe negotiating skills?
They are skills we use to satisfy our needs when the other person controls what we want. We use this skill whenever a business deal is involved or even when we want to select a restaurant for lunch. Negotiations are more successful when both parties feel that the negotiated agreement is a win-win situation for both.
6. How do you manage deadlines or work under pressure?
Maintain a diary and note down deadlines and targets. Prioritise critical tasks, for example, preparing financial figures for the management.
7. Why were you made redundant?
If it were a mass redundancy at work, state it. That is an acceptable explanation. If you were the only one who was made redundant, then clarify that it was not a dismissal.
Good luck.
