INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Tell me about a time you didn't perform to your capabilities.

"The first time I had to give a presentation to our board, I failed to anticipate some of their questions. I was unprepared for anything other than what I wanted to report. Now my director and I brainstorm all the what-ifs in advance."

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS?

1) My strength is my flexibility to handle last minute changes and also the unexpected. Having to work with wealthy international clientele required flexibility in my working hours but in accommodating their last minutes requests. 2) I enjoy our diversity--not only foods from other cultures but also learning and understanding of what is acceptable and customary in other countries and societies. 2) Because I enjoy customer service, I am attentive to the needs of the the customer and I try help by being informative, supportive and staying with issue until it is resolved. I get a lot out of being part of the solution.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?

At one capacity or another, I've been providing excellent customer service for my entire professional career. My most recent experience has been working with the Cedar Park community to help establish an annual plan for a continuing education program for emergency response training. One reason I particularly enjoy customer service and the challenges that go along with it is the opportunity to connect with people. I formed some significant relationships with the community resulting in an 80% increase in enrollment and interest due to the outreach and publication of the annual plan. My real strength is attention to detail. I pride myself on following through and meeting deadlines. When I make a commitment to doing something, I make sure it gets done and on time. What I'm looking for now is an an organization that values community/customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact.

How do you regroup when things haven't gone as planned?

Describe a time when some obstacle forced you to change your original plan, but you were still able to achieve the desired result. Did you rally the support of others to make this happen? With hindsight, how might you have better predicted the obstacle? "I start by trying to imagine the worst possible outcome; then I back up and identify precautions I can take to avoid that scenario. In this way I usually end up with a result close to the original goal. The training example I described earlier is proof of that skill."

What type of people do you work with most effectively?

Focus on the positive here. What type of boss, employee, and colleague would you be? Keep in mind that the interviewer wants to find out how well you would fit in with the other personalities in the company-not how well the other personalities in the company would suit you. "I tend to work well with people who are confident and straightforward. It's more difficult for me to be around timid people, because I move quickly and am decisive."

What things impress you in colleagues?

I admire and work best with people who are of good character and have integrity. I also think confidence and enthusiasm is positive in any business environment."

HOW WOULD YOUR COLLEAGUES DESCRIBE YOU?

I am very curious and enjoy a challenge. If I do not know something, I will make the effort to research it and find out what I want to know about that subject. In that same regard, I have the heart of a teacher and I enjoy teaching others. Whether my audience are students, clients or associates, I like the art of teaching, training and sharing information.

WHAT IS MY DREAM JOB?

My dream job is less about an exact job or title and more about the qualities of the job. For me, a team environment and a supportive atmosphere is important but also a position with a company that allows for growth and fulfills my need for continued learning.

What type of decisions do you have difficulty making?

Show that you are generally decisive but mention that there are situations that give you time to pause or you are learning how to better make decisions. For example, "I sometimes have difficulty choosing between two equally good ideas." or "I used to have difficulty saying 'no' to people until I learned to better set priorities."

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY?

Specific to the job: I'm passionate about excellent customer service. This position would allow me to apply my skills, experience, and interest while expanding my knowledge since it is in an industry that I've never been employed. The company in general: I support our police officers and I can imagine how difficult it must be in a job that is stressful from minute 1. But I also believe in the goodness of people and i know they are there to help us in spite of what we see on the news day in and day out. Also, during my internship, I saw first hand how happy employees here are and I'd love to be a part of that happiness.

What personal characteristics add to your effectiveness?

Talk about what makes your personal style unique and effective. For example, how are you able to get cooperation from others? What specific skills and traits help you get results, and why? "I always stay in touch with my network. If I see an article that might be of interest to someone I know, I clip it and send it to that person. Then, when I need help and make a phone call to that person, the phone call gets returned promptly."

WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU FIND DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH?

That's a tough one. I can't remember working with someone that I've found truly difficult. Inevitably there are interpersonal challenges at work. None in particular come to mind, but as a general rule, I have found that when I'm not connecting with a person in a way that I think is positive, I go out of my way to find out something about them that they like, i.e., a hobby or interest and I try engage them from that vantage point. I've gotten to know a lot of people better using this method am grateful for it.

Tell me about an effective manager, supervisor, or other person in a leading role you've known.

The best professor I ever had always reviewed the most important points from our last class before he moved on to new material. He also watched our faces carefully and repeated information whenever he saw a blank stare. Sometimes he would just ask for feedback by saying, 'What are you having difficulty with?'" He never assumed too much or made us feel dumb for not grasping a concept quickly."

Are you most productive working alone or in a group?

The interviewer is looking for someone who can work in an environment without the environment disrupting the candidate's preferred way of getting work done. Be honest but communicate that you're a flexible and reasonably adaptable employee. "I need some privacy time for planning, but otherwise I like the activity and noise of people around me and the ability to share ideas.

What personal skill or work habit have you struggled to improve?

This question is similar to "Describe a professional skill you've developed in your most recent job." However, here you probably want to discuss an improvement from the earliest days of your career or from your relatively distant past. Make sure you convince the interviewer that this particular work habit is no longer an obstacle. "I had to learn to say no. I used to be helpful to the point that other staff abused my goodwill. Now I offer to help by countering with something I'd like help on in return. On balance I believe the trade-off is more equitable, and cooperation in our office has improved over time."

How do you manage your work week and make realistic deadlines?

To answer this question effectively, describe in detail how you establish priorities, set deadlines, and determine schedules. "I always reserve two hours of dead time every day to handle any unanticipated problems that may occur. I used to plan for eight or nine hours of project time, but now I find that I'm able to manage my own projects, as well as whatever my boss and staff need from me."

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT A GOOD WORK ETHIC MEANS TO YOU?

1) Being reliable. You can depend on me to do what I say I am going to do and when I'm going to do it. 2) Being dedicated. You can count on me to perform to the best of my abilities all tasks and assignments given to me. 3) Being productive. I get a lot of satisfaction when I meet deadlines and goals. Because of this character trait, I remain on task and stay with it until the job is complete. 4) Being cooperative. I know that cooperation and teamwork is required in any position. Cooperation among workers is vital In order to achieve team and personal goals. 5) Having strong character. I value self-discipline and am a self-starter and can get the job done without outside intervention. 6) Being trustworthy and honest: these are important to me and I strive to adhere to these qualities in all the I do.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE CAREER GOALS?

1) I have learned that long-term goals are best achieved when I break them into shorter goals. My short-term goal is to find a position within an organization whose mission I believe in (add something specific to who you are interviewing with, i.e., that id why Company X is a good fit for me because I respect what this organization provides to the community, people, etc.). As part of that team, I want to contribute, add value and continue to grow the organization. 2A) My long-term goal will depend on where the position leads me. goes. I do enjoy teaching others and perhaps over time I can move into a position that focuses on teaching and training. Fortunately, even if that doesn't happen, I have opportunities to teach others in everyday life situations. 2B) I enjoy teaching others, which is why this position is attractive to me. By interacting with clients and helping explain their account and the options available to them in handling it, I am able to create a win-win situation for both the client and our company, thus fostering a positive relationship between the client and the organization. 3) Looking ahead to the future, I am interested in working for a company that will give me the opportunity to learn, grow and develop my love for learning and training.

TELL ME ABOUT A WEAKNESS THAT YOU HAVE?

1) Specific to this job: Some might consider the fact that I have never worked in this specific environment before as a weakness; however, being highly trainable and open minded, I have no preconceived on how to perform the job. Working with your organization will give me the opportunity to learn the job the way you want it done; not the way I believe it should be done. 2) In general: I get nervous when speaking in front of large groups but I've taken a few Public Speaking and communication courses to help learn how to handle the nervousness. I know that the more I practice the more confident I become so for that reason and despite my nervousness, I never shy away from an opportunity to speak. 3) I feel that my time-management skills could be stronger, and I am constantly working to improve them. I create To Do lists, use Task Reminders and set alarms.

Who's the toughest employer you've ever had, and why?

Again, you should avoid making negative statements about your previous employers, at all costs. Turn the question around with a positive, upbeat response, as this candidate does. "That would be Ms. Henson at Franklin Associates. She'd push people to their limits when things got busy, and she was a stickler for detail. But she was always fair, and she rewarded good, hard work. I'd call her a tough boss, but a good boss."

Tell me about your least-favorite manager or professor.

Answering this question will be a bit like walking across a loaded minefield, so be aware! Keep in mind that the interviewer doesn't want to learn about your former supervisors; he or she does want to learn about the way you speak about them. Though the interviewer may bait you to make a negative statement about your former employer, doing so can create a host of problems. Even if your claim is completely true and justified, the recruiter may conclude either that you don't get along with other people or that you shift blame to others. The best way around this dilemma is to choose and example that's not too negative, touch upon it briefly, then focus the rest of your answer on what you learned from the experience. "Well I've been pretty fortunate as far as managers go, and I didn't have any problems with my professors. In my first job out of college I worked with a manager who was pretty inaccessible. If you walked into his office to ask a question, you got the sense that you were bothering him, so we just learned to get help from each other instead. I wouldn't say he was my least-favorite manager, because he was a good manager in a lot of ways, but I would have preferred that he'd made himself more available to us and given us more direction."

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate customer. How did you handle the situation?

How you react when others lose their temper or become upset is very important in most positions, especially those in service industries. The interviewer will be looking for evidence of your aptitude for work that involves a great deal of contact with the public. Give an example of a time when you were faced with a difficult person and how you handled it. Your answer should illustrate your maturity, diplomacy, and awareness of the needs and feelings of others. "My customer service position at the telephone company involved dealing occasionally with irate customers. When that happened, I'd try to talk in a calm, even voice, in order to get the person to respond in a businesslike manner and focus on trying to resolve the situation. Most times I was able to rectify the problem and pacify the customer, but I remember one incident in particular in which the caller became verbally abusive. I tried to remain calm and professional and not to let my personal feelings enter into the situation. I didn't respond to the abuse, I just made a not of it and continued to help he customer as best I could. When the abuse persisted, however, I politely asked him to call back and ask for my manager, because at that point I knew I shouldn't resolve the problem."

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

I am energized by challenges and problems. I strive to be as honest as possible in most situations. I admire people who can make a mistake and take ownership of it. Also, taking the corrective action to remedy the mistake/situation is also very important. I believe we can show compassion for others simply by putting ourselves in their shoes. I enjoy analyzing data and transforming it into useful information and application. I am a person who values other people's qualities and contributions. People would say I am fair and listen when they have something to say.

WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST JOB?

I enjoyed my last job and the people I worked with and leaving it was not an easy decision. I left because at the time, I had to make a difficult decision concerning my young children and my long-term education goals for them. Looking back, I made the right decision even though it was an easy decision at the time. To this day, I maintain a close relation with my boss at the time.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT YOUR LAST JOB?

I've given this question some considerable thought and overall, I've been very satisfied with all my previous jobs. I've been fortunate to have worked with some really smart, interesting and creative people. If there was a task that I enjoyed the least, it would have to be the inordinate amount of paperwork and duplicative documentation that was required. I completely understood why it was necessary; however, because working with people is my strength, the paperwork really bogged me down at times.

What's your most productive or ideal work setting?

The interviewer wants to know the impact that the candidate's working environment has on his or her job performance. How well would you fit the position, physical layout of the department, and attitudes of the particular work group? Emphasize your ability to work in a variety of settings and how you've managed to be productive in less-than-ideal work environments. "I like having at least one hour of uninterrupted time in the early morning to plan my day. I usually start around 7 a.m. Otherwise, I enjoy an office with open doors, constant feedback, and lots of energy and activity. It helps me work more productively when I sense how busy everyone else is, too."

Tell me about your most difficult work or personal experience.

The interviewer will want to know how you hold up under pressure. Describe a situation, either personal or professional, that involved a great deal of conflict and challenge and placed you under an unusual amount of stress. What, specifically, were the problems, and what did you do to resolve them? "One time my coworker went through rehab for six months after a wreck, and I picked up a lot of additional work to help him out. I know he would've done the same for me, and it's important for me to have that kind of trust along the members of my work group."

How do you organize and plan for major projects?

ive the interviewer a good idea of your general approach to mastering complex tasks. You may wish to include here how you decide time frames, set deadlines, determine priorities, delegate tasks, and decide what to do for yourself. "I love to brainstorm a best, worst, and most likely scenario. Then I set out a timetable that's realistic. What I usually find is that some combination of my best and worst cases evolves; I can adjust my schedule easily as these things unfold because I've already visualized what could happen and how I'd react."