Interviewing Tips and Skills Workshop

Sample Interview Questions

Remember, employers want to know how your experiences, personality,

skills, knowledge, and ideas are going to better their business. Keep this

in mind when answering questions.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Give an example of a time when you did something that saved your employer

money, improved or streamlined a process, or increased sales. If you cannot think

of an example like this, use an example from school, volunteering, or extra-

curricular activities that shows initiative, leadership, or decision making.

Why should we hire you?

The employer will most likely have several interviews planned for the position.

You have to make yourself stand out from the others. Talk about ways that your

previous experience, accomplishments, talents, or training and education have

prepared you for the job.

Why do you want to make a change now?

NEVER bring up negative information. Even if you are wishing to leave an

undesirable situation, don’t bring up negative information or opinions about your

current employer. Always answer this question in terms of developing your

potential or exploring new opportunities. If your company is downsizing, or you

have been notified of a pending layoff, be honest about that. This shows that you

have initiative and you are willing to get back to work as soon as possible.

Tell me about a problem you had in your last job and how you resolved it.

An employer asks this question to find out how well you solve problems and work

with a team. To prepare for this question, write out experiences at previous jobs

where you solved a problem that occurred, especially with the help and

cooperation of others. This may take some brainstorming, but remember,

sometimes even what seems like the smallest problems take a lot of cooperation

and planning to solve.

Why do you want to work for our company?

This is where your research comes in! Use examples from what you learned about

the company and your transferable skills to answer this question. For example:

“Customer Service is very important to me. As you can see by looking at my

resume, I’ve gone through extensive customer service training programs, and I

think it’s really the key to a successful business. When I read that your restaurant

won “The Best Customer Service Award” three years running in the Ruidoso News,

I was very impressed.”

What kind of person are you?

Again, employers want to know how you are going to use your personal qualities

to benefit their business. Go back to your list of Job Description traits and your

Transferable Skills. Refer to the keywords list, attached.

What interests you most about this position?

Be sincere about this question, and answer enthusiastically. If you can’t come up

with an answer to this question, evaluate whether you should be interviewing for

the position. You shouldn’t have to fake enthusiasm. Keep your key words in

mind. “I’m really interested in working with small children. I’m excited about the

opportunity to work for a day care center that has such a stellar reputation”.

What are your greatest strengths?

Again, the real question here is “What are your best qualities, and how can our

business can gain from them?” Use your key words as they pertain to past

experience and knowledge, especially if there is a particular training, experience,

or honor you’ve received. Try to use specific examples to back up your keywords.

For example: “I am very knowledgeable when it comes to safety training-I have

attended advanced CPR training for six years consecutively…………I’m very

dedicated to customer service--my performance reviews have been the highest in

the company for accuracy, sales, and customer service, for the last two

years…………I’m a team player—I helped with a major project involving three other

departments, which helped our company to increase sales by 25%”.

Can you name some of your weaknesses?

The employer doesn’t necessarily want to hear that you have an uncontrollable

weakness for chocolate cake, or that you hate getting up in the morning. Try to

turn this into a positive, as well. For example: “I sometimes take on too much

work—I need to learn to delegate.” Or, “Sometimes I get lost in the details of a

project and have a problem focusing on the big picture”. This is a tough question

(and an unfair one!) Beware of sounding “fake” when you are answering this

question. “I think I’m too good at my job. It sometimes can make people jealous”

is probably not a good answer to this one.

What do you know about our organization?

Again, this is the time to show off all the research you did. Use specific examples

and reiterate how the company’s best qualities align with yours.

What did you enjoy most about your last job? Least?

Keywords, again! Look for those keywords in the job description and describe your

favorite or least favorite previous job attributes in those terms. For example, “I

liked working with customers. It was very fulfilling to know that you’ve provided

great service to someone and have brightened your day.” Or, “I would have liked

a little more organization when it came to the staff’s daily duties. The

management sometimes discouraged task lists, and it sometimes caused

confusion among employees.”

Where do you see yourself in five years

“Living in Costa Rica, off of my lottery winnings.” Again, one of these unfair

questions that is very difficult to answer. Keep in mind that the employer is

always thinking of how hiring you will improve their business, and that you have

aspirations for personal and professional growth. If you don’t have a specific plan,

it’s okay. A good way to answer this question is: “I definitely will have advanced

in my career, whether it’s through a promotion or perhaps expanded

responsibilities. Ideally, I will have learned a great deal and will be in a position to

be performing to the best of my abilities and have the opportunity to mentor and

train new employees”.

Resume and Interviewing Key Words Communication and People Skills

Addressed Debated Interviewed Publicized

Advertised Defined Involved Reconciled

Arbitrated Developed Joined Recruited

Arranged Directed Judged Referred

Articulated Discussed Lectured Reinforced

Authored Drafted Listened Reported

Clarified Edited Marketed Resolved

Collaborated Elicited Mediated Responded

Communicated Enlisted Moderated Solicited

Composed Explained Negotiated Specified

Condensed Expressed Observed Spoke

Conferred Formulated Outlined Suggested

Consulted Furnished Participated Summarized

Contacted Incorporated Persuaded Synthesized

Conveyed Influenced Presented Translated

Convinced Interacted Promoted Wrote

Corresponded Interpreted Proposed

Creative Skills

Acted Customized Formulated Modified

Adapted Designed Founded Originated

Addressed Developed Illustrated Performed

Data/Financial Skills

Helping Skills

Began Directed Initiated Photographed

Cared for Displayed Instituted Planned

Combined Drew Integrated Revised

Composed Entertained Introduced Revitalized

Conceptualized Established Invented Shaped

Condensed Fashioned Modeled Solved

Created

Adjusted Budgeted Forecasted Programmed

Administered Calculated Managed Projected

Allocated Computed Marketed Qualified

Analyzed Conserved Measured Reconciled

Appraised Corrected Netted Reduced

Assessed Determined Planned Researched

Audited Developed Prepared Retrieved

Balanced Estimated

Adapted Collaborated Facilitated Provided

Advocated Contributed Familiarized Referred

Aided Cooperated Furthered Rehabilitated

Answered Counseled Guided Represented

Arranged Demonstrated Helped Resolved

Assessed Diagnosed Insured Simplified

Management/Leadership Skills

More Skills

Assisted Educated Intervened Supplied

Cared for Encouraged Mentored Supported

Clarified Ensured Motivated Volunteered

Coached Expedited Prevented

Administered Delegated Incorporated Presided

Analyzed Developed Increased Prioritized

Appointed Directed Initiated Produced

Approved Eliminated Inspected Recommended

Assigned Emphasized Instituted Reorganized

Attained Enforced Led Replaced

Authorized Enhanced Managed Restored

Chaired Established Merged Reviewed

Considered Executed Motivated Scheduled

Consolidated Generated Navigated Secured

Contracted Handled Organized Selected

Controlled Headed Originated Streamlined

Converted Hired Overhauled Strengthened

Coordinated Hosted Oversaw Supervised

Decided Improved Planned Terminated

Achieved Expanded Quoted Transferred

Completed Perfected Sparked Treated

Organization Skills

Research Skills

Effected Pioneered Spearheaded Unified

Electrified

Approved Executed Organized Scheduled

Arranged Filed Prepared Screened

Catalogued Generated Processed Set up

Categorized Implemented Provided Sorted

Charted Incorporated Purchased Standardized

Classified Inspected Recorded Submitted

Coded Logged Registered Supplied

Collected Maintained Reserved Systematized

Compiled Monitored Responded Updated

Corrected Obtained Reviewed Validated

Corresponded Operated Routed Verified

Distributed Ordered

Analyzed Diagnosed Identified Researched

Clarified Evaluated Inspected Reviewed

Collected Examined Interviewed Searched

Compared Experimented Invented Solved

Conducted Explored Investigated Summarized

Critiqued Extracted Located Surveyed

Detected Formulated Measured Systematized

Teaching Skills

Technical Skills

Determined Gathered Organized Tested

Adapted Developed Individualized Simulated

Advised Enabled Informed Stimulated

Clarified Encouraged Instilled Taught

Coached Evaluated Instructed Tested

Communicated Explained Motivated Trained

Conducted Facilitated Persuaded Transmitted

Coordinated Focused Set goals Tutored

Critiqued Guided

Adapted Debugged Operated Replaced

Applied Designed Overhauled Restored

Assembled Determined Printed Solved

Built Developed Programmed Specialized

Calculated Engineered Rectified Standardized

Computed Fabricated Regulated Studied

Conserved Fortified Remodeled Upgraded

Constructed Installed Repaired Utilized

Converted Maintained