example job interview questions and answers

8/2/2019 Example Job Interview Questions and Answers

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Example Job Interview Questions and Answers

Congratulations! You have applied for a job and now you are getting ready for that important jobinterview. Your English is excellent and you are looking forward to making a good impression onyour future (hopefully) boss. Now, you need to make sure that you also have the right type of

English for that job interview.

The job interview in English contains specific questions and appropriate answers. It also requires acertain flexibility in your usage of tenses. This feature provides tips on job interview questions andanswers in English.

When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer can have a greatinfluence on the rest of the interview. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, andare friendly. The first question is often a "breaking the ice" (establish a rapport) type of question.Don't be surprised if the interviewer asks you something like:

How are you today? Did you have any trouble finding us? What do you think of the weather lately?

Don't be surprised by the friendly tone. The interviewer wants to put you at ease (help you relax).Answer the question without going into too much detail. The language you use should be simple

but polite, for example;

How are you today?

GOOD

I'm fine thank you, and you?I'm well thank you.

BADSo, soOK

Not so wellWhat is most important?

Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most important part of any jobinterview. Your qualifications include your education from High School on and any special

training you may have done in the past. Your experience is any work that you have done that isdirectly or indirectly related to the job you are applying for.

Education

Remember that your education took place in the past. Therefore you need to use the past tenses, for example:


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I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993.I graduated with a degree in agricultural planning.Etc.

If you are currently a student you should use the following present tenses:

I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a degree inEconomics in the spring.I am studying English at the Borough Community College.Etc.

Remember to include any training you may have had when talking about your education. Thisincludes any computer training, correspondence courses, etc. Make sure to mention your Englishstudies. This is very important as English is not your first language and the employer may beconcerned about this fact. Assure the employer that you are continuing to improve your Englishskills by any courses you may be taking, or by saying that you study a certain number of hours a

week to improve your skills.

Experience and Qualifications

Work experience is by far the most important topic of any job interview (at least in the UnitedStates and Britain). Therefore, it is important to explain what experience you have in detail.Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest. Be confident, and talk freely about your accomplishmentsin past employment.

The tenses you should use are the following:

When talking about current employment be careful to use the present perfect or present perfectcontinuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job, for example:

Smith and Co. have employed me for the last 3 years as a salesperson.I have been creating customer contacts for 6months.Etc.

When talking about past employers use the past tenses to signal that you are no longer working for that company, for example:

I was employed by Jackson's from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.Etc.

Talking about Responsibilities

Most importantly, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications and skills, which are requiredfor the job you are applying for. The job skills that you have acquired in the past may not have


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been for the same exact job. Therefore, it is important to show how the capabilities you do haverelate to the job you are applying for.

I remember a wonderful example of adapting skills to fit the job desired. I had a student fromMoscow who had worked as the manager of an important theater in Moscow. Unfortunately, he

had to start from the beginning in New York and therefore wanted to get a job as a rodentexterminator (someone who kills rats!). When asked what kind of experience he had, he repliedthat, as the manager of the theater, he had had to make sure that the theater was always rodent freeand was therefore capable of doing the job well! This is a fantastic example of the type of adaptability most employers in the United States are looking for.

On the next page you will find a list of appropriate vocabulary to use in the job interviewing process. Good luck!

Use the Right Word

Below is a list of great verbs to help you express just exactly what you did withimpressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities and tasksperformed:

actedaccomplishedadaptedadministeredadvancedadvisedallocatedanalyzedappliedapprovedarbitratedarrangedassistedattainedblendedbroughtbuilt

carried outcataloguedchangedclassifiedcollaboratedcomparedcompletedcomputed


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conceivedconductedconstructedconsultedcontracted

controlledcooperatedcoordinatedcorrectedcounseledcreateddealtdecideddecreaseddefineddelegatedderiveddesignateddetecteddevelopeddeviseddirecteddiscovereddistributeddocumenteddoublededitedencouragedengineeredenlargedescalatedestablishedestimatedevaluatedexaminedexpanded

experiencedexploredfacilitatedfinalizedformulatedfoundedfunctionedgoverned


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groupedguidedhandledharmonizedharnessed

headedidentifiedimplementedimprovedincreasedindexedinitiatedinspectedinstalledinstitutedinterpretedintroducedinventedinvestigated

justifiedledlocalizedlocatedmademanagedmaintainedmechanizedmergedmoderatedmotivatednegotiatedopenedoperatedorganizedoriginatedovercame

perceivedperformedpioneeredplannedpreparedpresentedpresidedprocessed


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programmedpromotedprovidedpurchasedraised

recommendedrecordedrecruitedrectifiedredesignedrepairedreplacedrestoredreversedreviewedrevisedsavedscreenedselectedservicedset upsolvedsortedsparkedspecifiedstartedstimulatedstrengthenedsummarizedsupervisedsupportedsystematizedtestedtrainedtransactedtranscribed

transformedtripledupgradedvalidatedvariedverifiedvitalizedwon


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wrote

To describe your skills the following adjectives are useful

accurate

activeadaptableadeptbroad-mindedcompetentconscientiouscreativedependabledetermineddiplomaticdiscreetefficientenergeticenterprisingenthusiasticexperiencedfairfirmgenuinehonestinnovativelogicalloyalmaturemethodicalmotivatedobjectiveoutgoingpersonablepleasantpositive

practicalproductivereliableresourcefulself disciplinedsense of humorsensitivesincere


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ask the other person to give me their perspective and at the same time ask that they allowme to fully explain my perspective. At that point, I would work with the person to find out if a compromise could be reached. If not, I would submit to their decision because they aremy superior. In the end, you have to be willing to submit yourself to the directives of yoursuperior, whether you're in full agreement or not. An example of this was when . . .

What is your greatest weakness?

I would say my greatest weakness has been my lack of proper planning in the past. I wouldovercommit myself with too many variant tasks, then not be able to fully accomplish eachas I would like. However, since I've come to recognize that weakness, I've taken steps tocorrect it. For example, I now carry a planning calendar in my pocket so that I can plan allof my appointments and "to do" items. Here, let me show you how I have this week plannedout . . .

If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say? I believe they would say I'm a very energetic person, that I put my mind to the task athand and see to it that it's accomplished. They would say that if they ever had somethingthat needed to be done, I was the person who they could always depend on to see that itwas accomplished. They would say that I always took a keen interest in the subjects I wasstudying and always sought ways to apply the knowledge in real world settings. Am I justguessing that they would say these things? No, in fact, I'm quite certain they would saythose things because I have with me several letters of recommendation from my professors,and those are their very words. Let me show you . . .

What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have? The key quality should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who areworking under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. Amanager should also be a positive role model for others to follow. The highest calling of atrue leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you abouta person who I consider to be a true leader . . .

If you had to live your life over again, what would you change? That's a good question. I realize that it can be very easy to continually look back and wishthat things had been different in the past. But I also realize that things in the past cannotbe changed, that only things in the future can be changed. That's why I continually strive toimprove myself each and every day and that's why I'm working hard to continually increasemy knowledge in the _____ field. That's also the reason why I want to become the verybest _____ your company has ever had. To make positive change. And all of that is still inthe future. So in answer to your question, there isn't anything in my past that I wouldchange. I look only to the future to make changes in my life.

Job Interview Questions About Yourself and Sample Answers

When the questions are "personal", about you, it can be a very slippery slope. The answers beloware guidelines so you can write out your answers long before you go to the interview. Then, whenthe question is asked, you can take the few seconds (expected by the interviewer) to think about thequestion and how you will frame your answer (which you already know).

What would you do differently if you could start your working life over?The interviewer is looking for a detour that continues to be a professional block in your career.Looking back over my career, I would have returned to school much earlier to complete myMasters degree. Even though I got my degree later than I had originally anticipated, I never lostsight of the goal.


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How do you balance life and work?The interviewer wonders if you've made arrangements for the days when your child is too sick to

go to school and/or daycare or if you're "out of there" as soon as it's quitting time.Best Answer: Being organized helps me balance my professional life and personal life.Consequently, I can be fully engaged while I'm at work. For those unexpected times, I have a good

back-up system of child care for my children.

What is your preferred way to communicate?This is a good opportunity to show you understand the importance of adjusting your preferenceswhen necessary.At home, I enjoy talking on the phone and emails. At work, I follow the established pattern. Eachof my bosses, in the past, has had a preferred method I've followed their lead.

Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation?The interviewer is wondering whether they will always be able to find you.Best Answer: While on vacation, I can be reached for emergencies; however, I also know the

people with whom I work are very capable of making good decisions while I'm away. I understandthe importance of recharging my battery.

What is your favorite book? How about your favorite movie?The interviewer wants to know whether you read to stay current and if you will you fit into thecompany culture.Best Answer (include your personal favorites): I read many different kinds of books. My current"favorite" book is The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. My favorite movie? Miracle on Ice .

What historical figure do you admire and why?The interviewer wants to know whether you are well read and what characteristics you admire.

Best Answer (include historical figures you personally admire): Personally, I most admireAbigail Adams, John Adam's wife; professionally I admired the leadership style of Ronald Reagan.

What did you do during this six month gap in employment? Everyone, at some point, will probably have a gap in employment. Do not "waste it".Best Answer: For the first month, I worked on my "to do list" at home and accomplished a greatdeal. Then I began building a plan to reenter the workplace. While it took a little longer than I'danticipated, I've learned a great deal about myself, am rested and looking forward to newchallenges in the workplace.

What led you to this point in your life?

The interviewer wants to know if you are unhappy, frustrated, or lost?My "road of life" has been interesting, sometimes challenging and always rewarding. The stepsalong the way that have led to this point in my life are, in some ways, very different than I hadimagined; however, I like who I am today in part because of my past. An example is when thesecond company on my resume suddenly closed their doors during a down-turn in the economy.For a very brief time, the road ahead was unknown; however, I discovered I had previouslyuntapped strengths such as perseverance.


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A typical interview question, asked to get a sense of how you handle on-the-job stress, is "How doyou handle pressure?" Examples of good responses include:

Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The appropriate wayto deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad

stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive. I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful.

I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challengingenvironment.

From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a greatstress reducer.

Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, hashelped me effectively manage pressure on the job.

If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.

It's a good idea to give examples of how you have handled stress to your interviewer. That way,they get a clear picture how well you can work in stressful situations.

Sample answers to the interview question "Why did you leave your job?

I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellentemployee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.

There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I'm ready to move on to a newchallenge.

I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job hunt part timewhile working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time. I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate

restructuring. I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in

order to make the move. I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has

no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head. After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I can contribute

and grow in a team-oriented environment. I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and

experience in a different capacity than I have in the past. I recently received my degree and I want to utilize my educational background in my next position.

I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge. I left my last position in order to spend more time with my family. Circumstances have

changed and I'm more than ready for full-time employment again. I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for

advancement.


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I was commuting to the city and spending a significant amount of time each day on travel. Iwould prefer to be closer to home.

To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I saw this job posting and was intrigued bythe position and the company. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal matchwith my qualifications.

This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am notable to fully utilize them in my present job. The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those eliminated.

A typical interview question to discover how hiring you would benefit the company is"What can you contribute to this company?"

The best way to answer questions about your contributions to the company is to giveexamples of what you have accomplished in the past, and to relate them to what you canachieve in the future.

Describe specific examples of how effective you have been in your other positions, change

you have implemented, and goals you have achieved. Talk about the depth and breadth of related experience that you have. Also, relate your abilities to the employer's goals. You will want to let the interviewer

know that you have the skills necessary to do the job they are hiring for, the abilityeffectively meet challenges, and the flexibility and diplomacy to work well with other employees and with management.

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