Across The Interview Table!

Job interviews are easier for the interviewer or the interviewee if you plan and prepare and use proper interviewing techniques. On this page are job interview questions and purpose of each interview question, because there is a purpose behind each and everything that we do and similarly there should be a purpose behind each and every question that we ask in interview. Good job interviews processes and methods increase the quality of people in an organization. Poor job interviews methods result in poor selection, which undermines organizational capabilities, wastes management time, and increases staff turnover.

1). Introduce yourself. Or tell us about your self. Or Can I know about your professional and personal self?

Purpose: Just to create friendly and conducive environment to start the interview. The best thing a person can do is to discuss about himself or herself. Secondly, it is to judge, what according to the candidate is relevant or irrelevant information. Will also show whether applicant has self-awareness - a critical skill that not everyone possesses. Will also show if applicant can think and present a complex case clearly and to the point. Also shows confidence and security levels, and 'grown-up ness'.

2). What do you want to be doing in 2/5/10 years time?Or:Where do you want to be in 2/5/10 years time?

Purpose: This is a common question, and it commonly trips people up into making over-ambitious claims about their future potential and worth. It highlights feelings of delusion, and a need for security if they exist.The question encourages the interviewee to think and express their plans and aspirations, future direction, needs and wishes. Some people find it more difficult to answer than others, depending on their personality.Some people are able to plan and see clear steps along the way, which would be more commonly exhibited by people whose work involves this approach.Job roles, which require a higher level of adaptability and flexibility, are unlikely to attract candidates who are meticulous planners.The question is a powerful one because it prompts the interviewee to think and visualize about themselves and how they expect and want to change.

3). Give an example of when you had to settle a dispute between two individuals.

Purpose: The interviewer is testing the interviewee's experience and ability to diffuse conflict, and also to step back and take an objective view, rather than getting involved and taking sides, which is the natural temptation. Objectivity and facilitation are important skills of a good manager, and this question will identify whether the interviewee possesses them. This question will also put pressure on the interviewee's ability to manage people, because it provides a tricky people-management scenario.

4). What is your ideal job?

Purpose: This is a good question, and the answer would almost always trigger a more specific follow-up question, asking 'why?', and then probing the reasons for the choice. From the interviewer's standpoint, the question is open and vague, which for certain purposes (see the next Para re traps) is a good thing. If the question is intended to elicit meaningful information about the interviewee's career plans, then some timescale should be attached (i.e. 'what would be your ideal job in 3/5/10 years time?') The question exposes interviewees who seek only personal gratification ('outputs') from a role (money, status, esteem, excitement, glamour, security, etc) rather than seeking opportunities to make best possible use of their effort, skills and experience, in contributing to the performance/quality/results of the organization for which the role is performed ('inputs'). The question is a potential trap for people who are more concerned with what they get out of a job rather than what they put into it. Employers do not really want to recruit gratification-orientated people. These people are generally not self-starting nor self-motivating. The question also gives indications as to how realistically the interviewee sees himself or herself. Some people visualize highly fanciful and unrealistic jobs, which is a warning sign to a potential employer. Others visualize jobs that are clearly remote from the job being applied for, which indicates that some falsification or delusion is present.

5). Why do you want this job?

Purpose: Opportunity to sell yourself and show you understands what they're looking for in the role. Make sure you hit both of these hot buttons.

6) What did you achieve in your last job?

Purpose: Shows whether any achievements have been made, and what values are placed on work. Shows motive - whether process, results, accuracy, security, social, etc. Shows understanding of cause and effect, pro-active vs. passive.

7). How would you approach this job? How would you do it?

Purpose: Shows if you've thought about what job requires and entails. Role and situation needs to have been explained well to enable a good response. Exposes people who can't actually do the job.

8). What are your strengths?

Purpose: Shows whether candidate has self-awareness, and can identify what strengths are relevant to role. Shows if candidate has thought and planned. A glaring omission if not planned as this is such an obvious question that everyone should be prepared for.

9). What are your weaknesses?

Purpose: A trap for the unsuspecting or naive. Will show up those who've not prepared, as this is another obvious question to expect. Will also prompt follow-up questions probing what the candidate is doing to improve the weakness, which is worth preparing for also.

10) What would your references say about you?

Purpose: Potential trap to draw out weaknesses - don't fall for it.

11). How do you handle tension/stress?

Purpose: Exposes people who can't deal with pressure or don't recognize that lifestyle issues are important for good working. Exposes the misguided macho approach that stress can be good.

12). What was the last book you read and how did it affect you?

Purpose: Will provide another perspective of the interviewee's personality that may not otherwise surface. Opportunity to demonstrate skills, aptitudes, special interests, self-development, analytical ability, self-awareness. May expose feelings or issues that can be probed further.

13). What does/did your father does for a living?

Purpose: Exposes the over-protective and insecure. Can expose emotional hang-ups or triggers if any exist, which can then be probed further.

14). Tell me about a big challenge or difficulty you've faced; how did you deal with it?

Purpose: Can expose emotional raw nerves or sensitivities. Opportunity to show proof of being able to achieve results in the face of difficulty. Is this person actually experienced are they just saying they are? (Expert Credited - Trust one who has proved it)

15). Tell me about something recently that really annoyed you.

Purpose: Exposes hang-ups and style of management and communication. Exposes anyone who believes it's okay or even good to get cross with other people.

16). Give me some examples of how you have adapted your own communicating style to deal with different people and situations.

Purpose: Exposes single-style non-adaptive communicators, who don't understand or adapt to different people and situations.

17). Can we check your references?

Purpose: Exposes people who are not comfortable about having their references checked, in which case probe. Exposes people who've not had the foresight to organize an important controllable aspect of their job search, which is a bad sign.

18). What type of people do you get on with most/least? Exposes hang-ups and prejudices. May prompt issues to probe, in, which ask why.

Purpose: Excellent answer - now can you give me an example that wasn't so good? Will knock a lot of people off guard, and expose any tendencies to confront or argue.

19). Give me an example of when you've produced some poor work and how you've dealt with it.

Purpose: A trap - don't fall in it.

20). What do you find difficult in work/life/relationships (etc)?

Purpose: Another trap to expose weaknesses, and an opportunity to show strengths instead if played properly.

21). How do you plan and organize your work?

Purpose: A great opportunity to shine and show management potential. Planning and organizing is one of the keys to good work at any level so it's essential to acknowledge this. Exposes unreliable people who take pride in flying by the seat of their pants.

22). How much are you earning? /do you want to earn?

Purpose: Exposes unrealistic people. An opportunity to demonstrate you understands the basic principle that everyone needs to justify his or her cost. Extra pay should be based on extra performance or productivity.

23). How many hours a week do you work/prefer to work?

Purpose: Exposes the clock-watchers and those who attach some misplaced macho pride in burning the candle at both ends. Look for a sense of balance, with flexibility to go beyond the call of duty on occasions when really required.

24). Do you make mistakes?

Purpose: Anyone who says they don't make mistakes either isn't telling the truth, or never does anything at all. Whatever, a 'no' here is a big warning signal?

25). (Follow above question with) - Can you share your mistakes with others?

Purpose: Shows whether the person can take responsibility and guidance. A mature, positive approach to learning from mistakes is a great characteristic.

26).How to do measure your own effectiveness?

Purpose: Exposes people who are not results orientated - more concerned with process, relationships, airy-fairy intangibles.

27). How do you like to be managed /not like to be managed?

Purpose: Indicates ability to cooperate and manage upwards, also how management attention you'll need. Exposes potential awkwardness. Only the most experienced and capable managers will be seeking difficult dominant types, and only then for certain roles requiring a high level of independence and initiative.

28). What personal goals do you have and how are you going about achieving them?

Purpose: Exposes those with little or no initiative. People who don't plan or take steps to achieve their own personal progress will not be pro-active at work either. People who don't think and plan how to progress will tend to be reactive and passive, which is fine if the role calls for no more, but roles increasingly call for planning and action rather than waiting for instructions.

29). How do you balance work and family/social commitments?

Purpose: Can expose those with outside interests that may prevail over work commitments (keen sports-people, etc., who cannot put work first.) Indicates whether the interviewee has balanced approach to life. Obsession with work to the exclusion of most else is not generally a good sign.

30). Why should we appoint you?

Purpose: Pressure question - opportunity for interviewee to clearly and confidently stake their claim. Look again for the interviewee to state relevant strengths in behavior, experience and skills. Look also for good eye-contact when pledging hard work, loyalty, determination, etc.

31). What can you do for us that other people cannot?

Purpose: Pressure question, and one that enables the stars to shine. Look for awareness in the interviewee that they know what their relevant, even special, strengths are, and can link them to benefits that they would bring to the role.

32). What makes you mad?

Purpose: Exposes poor self-control or unreasonable aversions, fears, and insecurities. Exposes lack of tolerance and emotional triggers. Clever interviewers may infer or encourage a feeling in the way they ask the question that it's okay to get mad. Don't fall for it.

33). What do you think of your last boss/employer?

Purpose: Exposes back-biting, bitterness, grudges, inability to handle relationships. Exposes people who can't accept the company-line.

34) If you won a million on the lottery what would you do?

Purpose: Exposes the foolhardy, the irresponsible and the dreamers. Opportunity to demonstrate level-headedness, morality, work ethic, and intelligence to know that money doesn't buy happiness.

Looking forward to your comments and feedback.Have a great day and fantastic weekend.

Regards,

Sanjeev Sharma
E-mail: ss_himachali@yahoo.com; s070976@yahoo.co.in
Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com/
You can see my HR and ITES-BPO related articles at www.bpoindia.org/research/

You can read my Motivation, Inspiration and Dreams related articles at http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sanjeev_Sharma