STEP 4: Answer Key Interview Questions with Ease
Many employers I've spoken with say that they would have hired someone if that person had just done a bit better in the interview. Spending a little time to learn how to answer the questions covered in this chapter can make an enormous difference to you in getting a job over other qualified applicants.
The 10 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions-and How to Answer Them
In this section, I use the Three-Step Process from Step 1 to answer the 10 questions you are most likely to be asked in an interview. The sample responses that follows each question demonstrates the basic techniques, which you can then apply to your own interview situation.
Question #1: "Why Don't You Tell Me About Yourself?"
It's the classic open-ended interview question. You could start telling your life's history in two hours or less, but that is not what the interviewer wants. Such a question tests your ability to select what is important and communicate it clearly and quickly. Your goal in answering is to relate your background to the position being considered. Try to quickly turn your response to focus on the skills, experience, and training that prepared you for the job.
Sample Answer
A person looking for a managerial position might say something like this: "I grew up in the Southwest. My parents both worked and I was active in sports growing up. I always did well in school, and by the time I graduated from high school I had taken a year's worth of business courses. I knew then that I wanted to work in a business setting. After high school I worked in a variety of jobs and learned a great deal about how various businesses run. For example, I was given complete responsibility for the daily operations of a wholesale distribution company that grossed over two million dollars a year. There I learned to supervise other people and solve problems under pressure. I also become more interested in the financial end of running a business and decided, after three years and three promotions, to seek a position where I could be more involved in key strategies and long-term management decisions."
Such an answer provides a few bits of positive personal history and then quickly turns the interviewer's attention to skills and experience that directly relate to the job itself.
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