testing interview questions
TRANSCRIPT
Testing Interview Questions from Accenture Software Testing Engineer Interview
First round was HR round : HR person who took my interview also asked few technical related questions apart from the usual HR general questions :
1. Explain your present role & responsibility.
2. Why are you looking for a job change ?
3. If given a chance will you lead a team & do you have any prior experience in that ?
4. What importance you think "Testing Engineer" & Testing Team plays ?
5. Were you interacting directly with the clients ? Were you required to interact with otherteams & teams spread across different geos ?
6. How were your experience in all the companies you worked previously ? What are theachivements you can mention & are there any excellence recognition you've got so far ?
7. Present Salary , Expected Salary, Notice period - can the notice period be shortened - can I join immediately within a week if required?
8. What are my hobbies & interests ?
9. What about my family background & Do I have any difficulty in relocating ?
10.What value addition will I bring If I was offered the job ? How can I prove that I will be associated with this company for a considerably longer period of time ?
11.What are the processes our company followed ? am I familiar with CMM or Six sigma or any other maturity model ?
Some of the questions asked in Accenture Software Testing Interview are :
1. Explain Traceability matrix & how is it used in your project? Who is responsible in your team to manage it & if you were assigned that task how will you be able to
1
manage it?
2. How was the regression testing done in your project what was the contribution of the regression test effort for the whole quality improvement?
3. Write or explain 15 testcases you executed recently with detailed descriptions ,steps to reproduce & explain what results they gave when you executed on a recent build?
4. Mention 5 testcases or a test component area which gave lots of bugs & had lots of difficulties in testing it ?
5. How is the Release Engineering process in your team? When codefreeze happens when you get a QA build & what are the factors considered before you start testing this build?
6. What are the SLA's(Service Level Agreements) Testing team has with Development team ?
7. How is the sustaining or Customer escalations team interacting with testing team ? How do you transition your projects to Sustaining team once you move to new release or new version testing?
8. What is Cyclomatic complexity ? Did you ever use it in your testing efforts ?
9. What are some of the tasks that you are handling which are transitioned to you by your lead?(Mean to ask what tasks of a lead are you performing , if any) [Intention of the question is whether you will be able to rise above your limits & take bigger initiatives when required]
10. How will you manage a critical projects when - Experienced Senior people are leaving- There is limited time to test a lot of scenarios & configurations - There are many hardware/infrastructure issues- The knowledge transfer from development team is not enough- The documentation is very minimal & the test plans are not very precise
Real Interview Tips, Questions and Answers Real Interview Tips, Questions & Answers
Job interview is an important step in the hiring process will need to go to get a job.
2
It is the first for your future employer, give a good first impression. Here are some
job interview tips that can be applied.
Collect as much information about the company as possible.
Do the intensive home work before appearing for the interview.
Dressed professionally and neatly to make good first impression.
Collect all the information about your background be it your family or the
education.
If the applicant is not sure about the questions he must politely admit that he
does not know the answer.
Keep all your documents, passport size pictures and other proofs at place.
Must keep a pleasant face in the interview and answer all the questions
confidently.
Never try to talk unnecessary and do not give the answers which you are not
aware of.
One must gather complete information about the venue of the interview and
he must reach their well before time.
Practice a mock interview to answer all the questions about your skills and
abilities.
Prepare a good and thoughtful answer about your career plan, strengths and
weaknesses.
Prepare for the interview style.
Understand the market in which the company is operating and gathering
some information about the senior management might also be useful.
Please share more with us, for this give comment below:
Real Interview Questions and Answers
it is necessary to brush up certain real interview questions before appearing for any
interview so that it becomes easier to procure the job. The very first question which
is common is also all the interview is “tell me about yourself”. This question is
routinely asked to almost every candidate so that the interviewer can get a brief
insight about the overall personality of the candidate. While answering this question
it is important to focus on your past achievements so that it becomes easier to
judge you for the job.
3
Another question which haunts candidates during the interview is the question
related to why should the company hire you. Through this question a candidate can
tell about his past work experience which can be considered relevant to current
applied job. You can also state about the responsibilities that you undertook at your
previous job, so that the interviewer can get information about your capacity as well
as capability. Questions regarding your strengths can be expected for a job
interview. Interviewers question about a person’s strength so that they can get to
know whether his skills is suitable for the job or not. All the answers related to your
strengths should be associated with an example so that your interviewer can
understand that you are giving real facts. After stating the strengths the interviewer
might also ask you about your weaknesses. This is one question which confuses
everybody because they feel that if their weaknesses are mentioned then they
might get rejected in the interview. Therefore one should pick out their weaknesses
in such a manner so that it displays their strengths. For example, when you are
asked about your weaknesses then you can tell that you are overtly dedicated to
your work. This will imply that you give your hundred percent to your work. Hence
your weaknesses should be mentioned in a manner through which positive aspects
about you get highlighted. Facts about career goals are often asked during the
interview, so that a candidate can be judged on the basis on his career plans. At
times, companies might look for candidates whom they can groom for senior level
positions, and it is important for them to know about their career plans so that they
can decipher whether they will be suitable for the position or not. For people who
are looking for a new job are always questioned as to why they had left their
previous job. It is better to give a diplomatic answer for this question so that you do
not need to reveal a lot of personal details for this question. It is also inappropriate
to badmouth your previous company because it leaves a wrong impression on the
interviewer.
It is better to prepare answers for these important real interview questions, but it is
also necessary to develop the quality of answering the right things on the spur of
the moment. There can be a lot of questions for which you might not have prepared
well in advAnce then you need to answer them through your wit and knowledge.
1. Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the state from which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate. You'll need to quiet the negative self chatter in your head through meditation or visualization prior to
4
sitting down in the meeting. You'll focus on the present moment and will be less apt to experience lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation.
1. Act spontaneous, but be well prepared. Be your authentic self, professional yet real. Engage in true conversation with your interviewer, resting on the preparation you did prior to coming to the meeting. Conduct several trial runs with another person simulating the interview before it actually occurs. It's the same as anticipating the questions you'll be asked on a final exam
3. Set goals for the interview. It is your job to leave the meeting feeling secure that the interviewer knows as much as he or she possibly can about your skills, abilities, experience and achievements. If you sense there are misconceptions, clear them up before leaving. If the interviewer doesn't get around to asking you important questions, pose them yourself (diplomatically) and answer them. Don't leave the meeting without getting your own questions answered so that you have a clear idea of what you would be getting yourself into. If possible, try to get further interviews, especially with other key players.
4. Know the question behind the question. Ultimately, every question boils down to, "Why should we hire you?" Be sure you answer that completely. If there is a question about your meeting deadlines, consider whether the interviewer is probing delicately about your personal life, careful not to ask you whether your family responsibilities will interfere with your work. Find away to address fears if you sense they are present.
5. Follow up with an effective "thank you" letter. Don't write this letter lightly. It is another opportunity to market yourself. Find some areas discussed in the meeting and expand upon them in your letter. Writing a letter after a meeting is a very minimum. Standing out among the other candidates will occur if you thoughtfully consider this follow up letter as an additional interview in which you get to do all the talking. Propose useful ideas that demonstrate your added value to the team.
6. Consider the interviewer's agenda. Much is on the shoulders of the interviewer. He or she has the responsibility of hiring the right candidate. Your ability to do the job will need to be justified. "Are there additional pluses here?" "Will this person fit the culture of this organization?" These as well as
5
other questions will be heavily on the interviewer's mind. Find ways to demonstrate your qualities above and beyond just doing the job.
7. Expect to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." This is a pet question of prepared and even unprepared interviewers. Everything you include should answer the question, "Why should we hire you?" Carefully prepare your answer to include examples of achievements from your work life that closely match the elements of the job before you. Obviously, you'll want to know as much about the job description as you can before you respond to the question.
8. Watch those nonverbal clues. Experts estimate that words express only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate; facial expressions and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you.
9. Be smart about money questions. Don't fall into the trap of telling the interviewer your financial expectations. You may be asking for too little or too much money and in each case ruin your chances of being offered the job. Instead, ask what salary range the job falls in. Attempt to postpone a money discussion until you have a better understanding of the scope of responsibilities of the job.
10. Don't hang out your dirty laundry. Be careful not to bare your soul and tell tales that are inappropriate or beyond the scope of the interview. State your previous experience in the most positive terms. Even if you disagreed with a former employer, express your enthusiasm for earlier situations as much as you can. Whenever you speak negatively about another person or situation in which you were directly involved, you run the risk (early in the relationship) of appearing like a troubled person who may have difficulty working with others.
Interview DOs
Dress appropriately for the industry; err on the side of being conservative to show you take the interview seriously. Your personal grooming and cleanliness should be impeccable.
Know the exact time and location of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, find a rest room to freshen up, etc.
6
Arrive early; 10 minutes prior to the interview start time. Treat other people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their
opinions of you might be solicited during hiring decisions. Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly
expression when you are greeted by your interviewer. Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer's name and the
correct pronunciation. Even when your interviewer gives you a first and last name, address
your interviewer by title (Ms., Mr., Dr.) and last name, until invited to do otherwise.
Maintain good eye contact during the interview. Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching. Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with
specific examples whenever possible. Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question. Be thorough in your responses, while being concise in your wording. Be honest and be yourself. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds
for withdrawing job offers and for firing. You want a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be unhappy.
Treat the interview seriously and as though you are truly interested in the employer and the opportunity presented.
Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential co-worker. Behave like someone you would want to work with.
Have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer. Having done your research about the employer in advance, ask questions which you did not find answered in your research.
Evaluate the interviewer and the organization s/he represents. An interview is a two-way street. Conduct yourself cordially and respectfully, while thinking critically about the way you are treated and the values and priorities of the organization.
Do expect to be treated appropriately. If you believe you were treated inappropriately or asked questions that were inappropriate or made you uncomfortable, discuss this with a Career Services advisor or the director.
Make sure you understand the employer's next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next. Know what action you are expected to take next, if any.
When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.
After the interview, make notes right away so you don't forget critical details.
Write a thank-you letter to your interviewer promptly.
7
Interview DON'Ts
Don't make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions.
Don't make negative comments about previous employers or professors (or others).
Don't falsify application materials or answers to interview questions. Don't treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping around or
doing the interview for practice. This is an insult to the interviewer and to the organization.
Don't give the impression that you are only interested in an organization because of its geographic location.
Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary; don't ask about salary and benefits issues until the subject is brought up by your interviewer.
Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment.
Don't make the interviewer guess what type of work you are interested in; it is not the interviewer's job to act as a career advisor to you.
Don't be unprepared for typical interview questions. You may not be asked all of them in every interview, but being unprepared looks foolish.
A job search can be hard work and involve frustrations; don't exhibit frustrations or a negative attitude in an interview.
Don't go to extremes with your posture; don't slouch, and don't sit rigidly on the edge of your chair.
Don't assume that a female interviewer is "Mrs." or "Miss." Address her as "Ms." unless told otherwise. Her marital status is irrelevant to the purpose of the interview.
Don't chew gum or smell like smoke. Don't allow your cell phone to sound during the interview. (If it does,
apologize quickly and ignore it.) Don't take a cell phone call. Don't take your parents, your pet (an assistance animal is not a pet in
this circumstance), spouse, fiance, friends or enemies to an interview. If you are not grown up and independent enough to attend an interview alone, you're insufficiently grown up and independent for a job. (They can certainly visit your new city, at their own expense, but cannot attend your interview.)
Here are the keys to successful phone interviewing. Follow these simple rules and you should achieve success in this important phase of job-hunting.
* Do give accurate and detailed contact information in your cover letter so your interviewers can easily connect with you.
8
* When in job-hunting mode, don't have a disproportionately silly or long greeting on your answering machine or voicemail.
* Do ensure that household members understand the importance of phone messages in your job search.
* Do know what job you are interviewing for.
* Do practice, if possible. Have a friend call you to do a mock phone interview so you get the feel of being interviewed over the phone.
* When being interviewed by phone, do make sure you are in a place where you can read notes, take notes, and concentrate.
* If you cannot devote enough time to a phone interview, do suggest a specific alternate time to the recruiter. It's often best to be the one who calls back so you can be mentally prepared.
* Do consider using a phone interview log.
* Do consider keeping some notecards or an outline in front of you to remind yourself of key points you want to cover with the interviewer. You don't want your responses to sound scripted, but you don't want to fumble for important points either. Do also have your resume in front of you so you can remember highlights of your experience and accomplishments.
* Do ensure that you can hear and are being clearly heard.
* Do consider standing when being interviewed on the phone. Some experts say you'll sound more professional than if you're slouching in an easy chair.
* Do consider dressing nicely for the phone interview. It may sound silly since the interviewer can't see you, but you really will project a more professional image if you're dressed for the part instead of wearing, for example, a ratty bathrobe.
* Don't feel you have to fill in the silences. If you've completed a response, but the interviewer hasn't asked his or her next question, don't start babbling just to fill in airtime. Instead, ask a question of your own related to
9
your last response.
* Do create a strong finish to your phone interview with thoughtful questions.
* Don't panic if you have special needs. If you are hearing-impaired, for example, phone interviews are still possible.
* Don't snuffle, sneeze or cough. If you can't avoid these behaviors, say “excuse me.”
* Don't chew gum or food, or drink anything noisy.
Job Interviewers' Trick QuestionsAbout to go on a job interview?
Good thing you took a minute to read this first. Because most interviewers booby trap the process with a few trick questions. Still, if you see them coming, you can turn trick questions to your advantage.
Here are some of the most common trick interview questions, and strategies for answering them:
"Tell us about yourself?" Many interviewers open with this query. It's vague, and potentially maddening. After all, who could possibly summarize themselves in an hour, much less in a minute -- which is all you should take to answer this question. The key is to cast yourself in terms of the job you're seeking. Filter down your life to the essentials that prepared you for this position. State them confidently and concisely.
"Can you tell us about your strengths?" This is a more challenging question than it would seem. Your job is to edit down your list of strong points to the ones that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Avoid clich�s ("I'm a people person") and offer concrete examples to back up the characteristics you list.
"What are your weak points?" Although this question seems to beg for a joke, take it seriously. Prepare a story about a minor weakness and how you overcame it in your last job. The key is to prove that you're in the habit of turning negatives into positives.
10
"Why did you quit your last position?" Resist the temptation to go negative about a former employer, even if the situation was dreadful. Explain, instead, that you are looking for a better opportunity for career growth. Be prepared to get specific about just what type of growth you're looking for and how it applies to the job you're interviewing for.
"What did you like least about your last job?" Your interviewers are fishing for information as to why not to hire you. Don't give them any. Prepare an answer about a problem task that you didn't like in your last job, but which wouldn't be part of your job at this company. Give the story a positive spin and relate how you overcame your dislike through perseverance.
"What are your career goals in the next five years?" Say that you'd like to be in a position a few steps up from the one your interviewing for. Don't go wide-eyed and babble about your far flung dreams. Be rational and realistic. Tell interviewers what they want to hear -- that you can see a future for yourself within their company
Samples Tips
1. Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent thought process.
2. Some of your questions may be answered during the course of the interview, before you are offered the opportunity to ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were interested in knowing about ..., but that was addressed during the interview. You could ask for additional clarification if applicable.
3. Do not ask questions that are clearly answered on the employer's web site and/or in any literature provided by the employer to you in advance. This would simply reveal that you did not prepare for the interview, and you are wasting the employer's time by asking these questions.
4. Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those subjects are raised by the employer.
If you are having trouble developing questions, consider the following samples as food for thought. However, don't ask a question if you are not truly interested in the answer; it will be obvious to the employer.
1. What are the company's strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
2. How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?
11
3. What is the organization's plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in?
4. Could you explain your organizational structure?5. How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured?
By whom?6. What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?7. Could you describe your company's management style and the type of
employee who fits well with it?8. What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to
succeed in this job?9. What is the company's policy on providing seminars, workshops, and
training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?10. What particular computer equipment and software do you use?11. What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?12. What percentage of routine, detailed work will I encounter?13. How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my
efforts?14. Who will review my performance? How often?15. How much guidance or assistance is made available to
individuals in developing career goals?16. How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first
assignment?17. Can you describe an ideal employee?18. What is your organization's policy on transfers to other cities?
BPO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The word “interview” itself makes a person tense and nervous who needs to appear in the interview. It is normal human behaviour to become confused or get tensed but such things can be overcome with practice, learning from seniors and elders, through own experience. These days Internet is a rich source of information. In this preppareinterview.com, you will find questions also along with answers which are frequently asked and questions pertaining to your requirement. Have a walk through in this site. It will improve you performance remarkably and infuse a high level of confidence in you. It will make you more frank and it will develope diplomatic qualities in you too. Overall, it will give an impetus to you personality development. FRESHER OFF-CAMPUS & MEGA JOB FAIRS - 2011
The following are some frequently asked questions and answers in an interview. They are just suggestions feel free to adjust them to your personality and qualifications.
You should have a prepared response to the frequently asked question Tell me about yourself. Your ability to recite your background in a brief 120-second format is vital to the interview process. The two-minute bio offers a quick peek into your
12
background, strengths, and career direction.
While every personal bio is unique, the traditional format looks something like this:
1. Begin with a brief remark about your background, such as your schooling, hometown, or other items of interest.
2. State your most recent employer, job title, and years with the company.
3. Offer one or two sentences about your job responsibilities.
4. Mention one or two special accomplishments in your most recent positions, including skill strengths.
5. Refer to prior positions to indicate career progression.
6. Indicate career goals.
Rehearse your 2-minute bio until it flows naturally according to the guidelines above.
WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
The employer wants to hear your interpretation of the important aspects of the job. If you spend your interview for a retail sales position extolling your virtues as a computer expert you aren't likely to convince the interviewer that you have the skills needed to sell merchandise.
This is an opportunity question: an opportunity to tell how well your skills match the company's needs. If the search is for a super salesperson, tell how well you have honed your skills in persuasion, communication, and perseverance. Give an example of a time that you made a successful sale, or that you convinced someone to do something, or when tenacity paid off.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR OUR COMPANY?
This is where your research of the company comes in. In today's world of instant information, we can no longer get away with going into an interview without first having researched the company. The company in turn wants to know if you have done your homework.
This question allows you to show off the research you have done on the organization. Tell the interviewer you like the company's size, location, aggressive market stance, competitive thinking and creative business policies. It is perfectly
13
acceptable to admit that you looked up the company on the Internet or in the reference section of the library. This shows that you know how to find answers to questions and arm yourself with information.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?
Occasionally an interviewer unearths some important information regarding a potential employee's longevity by asking this question. If you plan to go to graduate school, take a vacation tour, or move to a distant state, do not mention these plans to the interviewer under any circumstances. You will be considered a hiring risk no matter how strong your skills.
Remember that the main concern throughout the interview is to fill the open position with someone who will be successful in it. Say something like, First, I'd like to gain a solid foundation in the position you are considering me for, so that I am effective and successful in it. I'm sure that as I continue to grow, there will be opportunities within the company to offer me upward professional growth and new challenges.
WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESSES?
It is unlikely that most interviewers are straining their ears to hear your list of weaknesses. They simply want to see how you handle the question.
Some job candidates can get away with an answer like, While I certainly have weaknesses, I don't believe I have any that are significant to the position. As you've described the position to me, I think it would allow me to call upon my strengths.
If you don't feel you could pull that off, name a weakness that is first, not closely related to the position for which you are interviewing, and second, a technical skill that you can easily learn rather than a shortcoming in your personality, which is very difficult to change. Then tell the interviewer how you are working to improve your weak spot.
TELL ME ABOUT A PROBLEM YOU'VE FACED AND HOW YOU HANDLED IT
They want to assess your analytical skills as well as your ability to relate a delicate situation with tact and diplomacy.
To prevent yourself from stumbling and fumbling for a good response, prepare one before you set foot in the interview. Your answer should involve a clear presentation of the problem, the steps you took to correct the problem, and the results of your actions. Remember to keep it to less than two minutes.
14
WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS?The interviewer is hoping to hear that your strengths match the needs of the job. He or she also wants to know how you present yourself and will watch warily for overconfidence, boastfulness, dishonesty, and lack of assertiveness.
This is an opportunity to highlight your strong points, so make the most of it. Speak of one or two strengths and then offer examples of how you have used these strengths.
WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT THIS JOB?
The interviewer is looking for your areas of enthusiasm “ where you will put the most energy into the job. Make sure your strong areas match the needs of the company's needs.
Answer this question with a question. Ask the interviewer to clarify the position for you before you answer, so that I can be sure not miss any key aspects of the job. Then match your interest areas with the key components of the job.
How To face HR Interview
a) Are your work practices similar or different from ours? (If Experienced) 2) Describe our (products/services). 3) Describe our company for me. 4) Describe our corporate environment for me. 5) Describe your work (methods/processes) in comparison to ours? (If Experienced)
6. Do our competitors do things that we should be doing? 7o . Do you have any concerns about working here? 8o . Do you have any questions about (our/this) company? o 9. Do you know how long we have been in business?
How do you think our company determines success? 13. How does you present employer communicate with others in your
deprtment? (If experienced) 1 Tell me how you found out information about (our/this) company? Tell me what you know about (our/this) company? . Was there anything your company could have done to be more successful? . What about our company do you like best? What about your present employer (do/did) you like best? 1 . What advantages do you think our competitors have over us? . What advantages do you think we have over our competitors? 2 . What are the greatest challenges that this company faces?
15
. What concerns do you have about this company? 2 . What direction do you think this company is headed in? . What do you dislike about our company? What do you know about (our/this) company? . What do you know about (our/this) operation? . What do you know about our competitors? . What do you know about our customers? What do you know about our products? What do you know about our products or services? What do you know about our stock? . What do you know about our web site? What do you know about the way our company (works/operates)?
. What do you know about this position? . What do you think are the challenges facing this company? 3 What do you think are the greatest challenges facing this company in the
near future? . What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours? What do you think it takes to be successful in our company? 3 What do you think the atmosphere here is like? What is the financial stability of your last company? . What questions do you have about our organization? . What would make someone successful in our business? . What is the (best/worst) thing you have heard about (our/this) company?
. What is the (best/worst) thing you have heard about (our/this) department?
Tell me something about yourself.
This is the vital question of the interview. Before answering this question you must understand the purpose behind it. The answer to this question reflects what you think about yourself.
The answer should be in such a way that it should not be like you are reading your CV all over again. It can be something like - Sir , as you already know my name is XXXXx. Tell about your birth place, schooling details…..till college. Discuss the time from your birth till now…….There is no need to mention the percentage of marks you scored in the school. You can mention the percentage of marks you scored in college, if it is good.
In the end finish it with a question, for e.g., Is there any thing else you would like to know about me, sir?
Tell me something about your parents.
16
My father’s name is XXXXXX. Discuss his occupation along with his contribution to society and role played by him in society.
About your mother same as above if she is working.
If she is a house wife then never undermine her contribution by referring to her as a simple house wife. You should portray her as a house maker. Along with this, mention that she is doing her job since so many years consistently without any leave and any appreciation.
If you want to change any thing in your life, what will you change?
I am very much happy and satisfied with my life, this is the gift of god. But then also, if ever in life knowingly or unknowingly I have ever hurt my elders (parents, teachers), I just want to change that like it never happened and say sorry to them.
What is your weakness or what are you afraid of?
Most appropriate answer would be something like – Sir, I can make a presentation in front of hundreds of people but whenever it came to sing a song in the class, I really shivered and I couldn’t sing even a single line. Your weakness should be presented in such a manner that it doesn’t seem to be your weakness.
What package you are looking for?
For freshers:You are very lucky that you are sitting in an interview……you can’t be demanding. Your answer should be, sir as per company policy whatever package would be offered I’ll accept that. But this is a very casual answer.Your answer should be something like: “Sir, as you know I am a fresher and the only thing I can expect at this point of time is that I should get a job in a prestigious company like yours. Of course every one works for money I would be expecting something which is sufficient to make my living in a city and I should be able to support my family a bit.
Do you have a girl friend/Wife?
Always speak the truth in your interview, never tell lies. Your views about her should not be orthodox and you should always be supporting and encouraging towards her.
What is your Vision?
17
The answer for this question is to be decided by you. Before you start answering, you should understand the meaning of “vision”. Vision is a long term task/goal or long life commitment. Now this commitment can be with yourself, towards your society, wife, parents etc. e.g. I want to open an orphanage after finishing all family responsibilities.
What is the mission of your life?
This is same as vision but the only difference is that mission is for short terms. Like when you were in class XII your mission was to get admission in a good Engineering College. It keeps changing with time.
Where do you see yourself after 2-3 years from now?
The answer for this question varies from company to company and it depends on the hierarchy of the company. Your answer should be something like: Sir, initially I would be learning and knowing my work and company. In a year or after 1 year I expect from myself to be an expert in solving the issues on L1 level. And after that I would like to get a certification on the technology I am working. So within 2-3 yrs I expect myself to be a proficient engineer on L2 level.
What are your hobbies?
This is a very tricky question, I repeat very tricky question. You should mention your hobbies in which you have deep knowledge. Like cricket or playing cricket, by mentioning cricket you have given a wide scope to the interviewer as he can ask any thing from cricket infact he can ask any year also. But by mentioning playing cricket you have reduced the scope. Another e.g. is Music and Listening Music. Mentioning reading as your hobby is very risky because if you have read some books and the interviewer has also read it then he can ask a lot of questions related to it. You should be very cautious about it.
What kind of a person are you - Introvert/Extrovert?
Being totally introvert or extrovert is not right. You should be having a mixed behavior and behave as per the requirement of the situation. You can say something like- Sir, I behave according to the place and situation. Eg. Introvert personally and extrovert professionally.
Do you believe in competition or team work?
18
According to famous phrase “necessity is the mother of invention”. If there is no competition then there will not be any growth, the growth can be professional or personal. For any project or any work, team work is most important because a single person cannot do anything alone.
Competition and team work both are important.
If your manger has given you a task and your manager’s manger is saying not to do that work, what you will do? You will obey your manager or his manager?
I will obey my manager, as I believe that if my manager has assigned me a work he must have discussed it with his manager. I am his resource and my role is to obey him.
In a catastrophic situation like fire what you will do?
No heroic an answer is expected from you. They want to see how you would behave in such a situation. You can say something like – First, I would ensure my safety and then I will inform the fire department of company and city. If I am in a position of helping someone then I would definitely do that.
If you get a better package than here what will you do accept that offer or reject that?
This question means a lot. HR people want that the hired person should serve the company for longer period. You can say something like: Sir, as you know I am a fresher and if I switch the jobs very quickly then it will be a question mark on my stability, which will affect my career. Above all, I have to learn and increase my technical knowledge as well. Money comes with knowledge. So, I am here to learn and provide my best to the company.
1. Tell us something about yourself.
This is the first question, you can expect during any interview you face. This usually is a question to start the communication and set the ball rolling for the interview. You can answer this question by providing some information about your work experience, technologies you have worked upon, educational qualifications. If you are a fresh graduate, you can provide some information about your family also.
The trick is to put the full stop at the right place to provoke the next question you want. For e.g. “Recently I developed a website using Drupal. It was quite an interesting but challenging job which I enjoyed.”
19
2. Why do you consider yourself a suitable candidate for this position?
The answer to this question lies in the preparation you did before the interview. It is extremely important that you research the requirements of the position well and match them with your skills.
For e.g. if the position requires an Asp.net developer with good knowledge of health care domain, tell the interviewer about your technical skills and your domain knowledge.
Fresh graduates can talk about their technical skills, ability to learn and grasp things quickly.
3. Why do you want to leave your present job or company?
You may want to leave your present job for any reason but make sure that you do not talk bad about your manager, company or job. It reflects your complaining attitude.
Provide a sincere reason for e.g. “I think, I have grown up with my last employer as much as I could. I want to grow further and I believe that is possible with a new employer.”
4. You have stayed in your current job for quite a long time, why?
There are many people who do not change their jobs for years and when they go out looking for a new employer, this is one of the most important questions they are asked. Some people might look upon staying with the same employer for long as “lack of ambition”.
A good answer to this question can be something like, “Yes, you are right. I stayed with my last employer for almost 5 years but I was continuously growing in the company, doing new things, handling bigger challenges. So, I was quite happy working with them for these many years.” You can then talk about how you grew with your last employer.
5. What do you know about us?
Research the company and its business a bit before appearing for the interview. Also, find out a bit about the technologies they work upon. You don’t need to know everything inside out but having a fair idea about the company makes you appear interested in the position, to be taken seriously.
20
For e.g. I see that your company does a lot of projects based on OpenSource platforms like Joomla, Drupal, Magento which is quite interesting as I have a similar kind of experience.
6. What do you do to improve your knowledge?
The field of IT is very revolutionary. It is extremely important to keep yourself abreast with the new technological developments and this needs you to take some time out of your work schedule so that you can keep sharpening your saw.
To answer this question, you can tell the recruiter about the forums which you keep visiting, blogs which you keep reading. It will be an advantage if you are a member of some local user group.
7. Can you perform under pressure?
Most of the times, the job of software development is that of working under pressure. Sometimes, it will be the pressure of delivering on time while it can be that of a bug that has sprung all of a sudden in your code.
So, expect pressure in everything you do. It is important to maintain your performance and develop strategies to deliver under pressure. You can then go ahead an talk about your way of dealing with pressure and performing under it.
8. Tell us some of your strengths.
Again, it is important to study the requirements of the position before you appear for the interview. List out your strengths and offer the ones that this role demands.
For e.g. if you are appearing for the position of a Tech Lead – VB.net, talk about your VB.net skills, any extra knowledge which you have about coding with VB.net in comparison to other candidates, your team management skills etc.
9. Tell us some of your weaknesses.
You have to be careful while answering this question. Do not offer a weakness which will directly affect your selection but at the same time saying that you do not have any weakness will not be right too. Every human being has weaknesses, so it is perfectly OK for you to have some too.
21
The best way to answer this question will be to turn one of your strengths as a weakness and say that others accuse you of having this weakness but you think it is important to work in this manner. For e.g.: “My colleagues accuse me of paying to much attention to syntaxes but I believe it is important when you are writing the code to avoid spending too much time on finding and fixing the bugs later on.”
Another way to answer this question is to offer a totally un-related weakness for e.g. “I have been staying alone for so many years now but I still can’t cook independently.”
10. Are you comfortable working in a team?
The whole work of software development or IT is a team work. So, the only answer to this question can be: “Yes, I am comfortable working in a team.” If you have any problems in working as a team, it is important to work on them and develop yourself as a team player.
11. How do you rate your communication skills?
Again, IT is about dealing with people within and out of the company. So, it is important to have good communication skills. By good communication skills we mean, ability to understand and explain in a common language. So, if you believe that your communication skills are weaker, you need to work on them.
Anything less than average or good is not acceptable here.
12. You do not have all the experience we need for this position?
It is not possible for a candidate to have all the experience an employer requires. Even if you match yourself up to the expectations on technical front, there will be some difference in the work environment. And, it is absolutely fine.
The best way to deal with this question is to analyse the requirements of the position well and match your skills as close to them as possible. If something is still left untouched, offer your quick grasping power and ability to learn quickly as a solution & back it up with an example from the past.
13. How would you compensate for the lack of experience you have for this position?
22
As we discussed in the last question, your ability to understand and pick up new things quickly should be able to compensate for the lack of work experience you have.
14. If you were hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for in a potential candidate?
Closely understand the qualities and skills a person holding the position would need and match them with the qualities you have.
If you believe that you are missing a big quality required for the position under discussion, say that, “I understand that this is an important quality required in the person holding this position but given a chance, I will inculcate it in me.” Back it up with a confident body language.
15. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Offer some one’s name if they really know you well and can offer a positive feedback about you.
16. What is your style of management?
In today’s scenario, everything needs customization, so here also, one size can’t fit all i.e. one management style won’t work in all situations. So, offer “situational” as your style of management.
17. Have you ever fired anyone? How would you go about firing a person, if required?
The basic purpose of asking this question is to check your EQ and see if you have the guts to make tough decisions. If you have fired anyone in the past, discuss your experience and approach. If you have never done so in the past, discuss the approach you would take to make and implement such a decision. Keep the focus of your answer on the fact that you would try to do your best to ensure that your team performs to its best but if a particular member is not able to perform even after you taking all the steps to help him, you would make the tough decision to ensure that the project doesn’t suffer.
18. What irritates you about co-workers?
The purpose of this question is to see how well you can fit into a team. Basically, you should not have a problem with a person, although you can have a problem with the style of working.
23
So, to answer this question you can simply say, “I understand that IT is about team work, so we can’t afford to problems with co-workers but if someone is not serious about their work or does a low quality work affecting the whole project, I definitely do not like it”
19. Is there any particular kind of person you can not work with?
For the reason given in the above questions, the answer to this question should be a “No”. This is basically a different way of putting up the last question.
20. What qualities would you look for in your senior?
You can mention some generic qualities like intelligence, good sense of humour, dedicated to his team etc., which all the managers think that they have in abundance.
21. What motivates you at work?
To answer this question, you can mention things like – new challenges, good environment which all employers think that they offer.
22. Will you be happy to work in night shifts or over the weekends?
You need to answer this question taking into consideration what is suitable for you. Say that you can work in the night shifts, only if you can really do it.
23. Have you ever committed a mistake at work?
To err is human. So, it is perfectly OK if you committed a mistake at work but before answering the question analyse the magnitude of mistake you did and the effect it had on the company.
What is more important is – what did you do to rectify the mistake and make sure that you don’t do it again?
So, mention the mistake you committed and keep the focus of the answer on the steps you took to rectify it.
24. What position would you prefer while working on a project?
This question is for you to answer based on the skills and qualities you have. If you have the capability to handle different positions, discuss that also in the interview.
24
25. What are the most important things for you as a manager?
The two things which should be most important for a manager to succeed in his role are: a.) His team should be happy and keep performing b.) The project he is working on with his team is successfully finished with minimum problems.
26. Will you be happy to re-locate, if required?
Again, a question for you to answer based on your position. If you are anticipating this question in the interview, it is better to discuss this with your family also before you go to face the interview.
27. What kind of a salary are you looking for?
Try to put the ball back in interviewer’s court by asking him about the salary they offer for a position like this. Most of the big companies will have a fixed remuneration for each level.
However, if this is negotiable, you will have more negotiation power if you have some work experience. So, know your lower limit (amount below which you can’t go) and also know the maximum salary in the industry for the position then put forward a figure which is not very exact. It is better to mention a range. For e.g. if you are expecting something around 55 K, say that you expect something in mid fifties. Don’t keep the range to broad otherwise you will be offered something towards the lower end.
If you are a fresher, most of the times you will have to accept the company’s offering for the position. However, if you find it too less, you can definitely discuss that during the interview.
28. Do you have any questions for us?
This is usually the last question you can expect during an interview. It is extremely important to have some intelligent questions to ask the interviewer otherwise you may just sound dull and un-interested. Research the company a bit and discuss if they have been in news recently. You can also discuss about the growth prospects for you within the company etc.
BPO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
HR interview questions 1. Tell us something about yourself.
25
This is the first question, you can expect during any interview you face. This usually is a question to start the communication and set the ball rolling for the interview. You can answer this question by providing some information about your work experience, technologies you have worked upon, educational qualifications. If you are a fresh graduate, you can provide some information about your family also.
The trick is to put the full stop at the right place to provoke the next question you want. For e.g. “Recently I developed a website using Drupal. It was quite an interesting but challenging job which I enjoyed.”
2. Why do you consider yourself a suitable candidate for this position?
The answer to this question lies in the preparation you did before the interview. It is extremely important that you research the requirements of the position well and match them with your skills.
For e.g. if the position requires an Asp.net developer with good knowledge of health care domain, tell the interviewer about your technical skills and your domain knowledge.
Fresh graduates can talk about their technical skills, ability to learn and grasp things quickly.
3. Why do you want to leave your present job or company?
You may want to leave your present job for any reason but make sure that you do not talk bad about your manager, company or job. It reflects your complaining attitude.
Provide a sincere reason for e.g. “I think, I have grown up with my last employer as much as I could. I want to grow further and I believe that is possible with a new employer.”
4. You have stayed in your current job for quite a long time, why?
There are many people who do not change their jobs for years and when they go out looking for a new employer, this is one of the most important questions they are asked. Some people might look upon staying with the same employer for long as “lack of ambition”.
A good answer to this question can be something like, “Yes, you are right. I stayed with my last employer for almost 5 years but I was continuously
26
growing in the company, doing new things, handling bigger challenges. So, I was quite happy working with them for these many years.” You can then talk about how you grew with your last employer.
5. What do you know about us?
Research the company and its business a bit before appearing for the interview. Also, find out a bit about the technologies they work upon. You don’t need to know everything inside out but having a fair idea about the company makes you appear interested in the position, to be taken seriously.
For e.g. I see that your company does a lot of projects based on OpenSource platforms like Joomla, Drupal, Magento which is quite interesting as I have a similar kind of experience.
6. What do you do to improve your knowledge?
The field of IT is very revolutionary. It is extremely important to keep yourself abreast with the new technological developments and this needs you to take some time out of your work schedule so that you can keep sharpening your saw.
To answer this question, you can tell the recruiter about the forums which you keep visiting, blogs which you keep reading. It will be an advantage if you are a member of some local user group.
7. Can you perform under pressure?
Most of the times, the job of software development is that of working under pressure. Sometimes, it will be the pressure of delivering on time while it can be that of a bug that has sprung all of a sudden in your code.
So, expect pressure in everything you do. It is important to maintain your performance and develop strategies to deliver under pressure. You can then go ahead an talk about your way of dealing with pressure and performing under it.
8. Tell us some of your strengths.
Again, it is important to study the requirements of the position before you appear for the interview. List out your strengths and offer the ones that this role demands.
For e.g. if you are appearing for the position of a Tech Lead – VB.net, talk
27
about your VB.net skills, any extra knowledge which you have about coding with VB.net in comparison to other candidates, your team management skills etc.
9. Tell us some of your weaknesses.
You have to be careful while answering this question. Do not offer a weakness which will directly affect your selection but at the same time saying that you do not have any weakness will not be right too. Every human being has weaknesses, so it is perfectly OK for you to have some too.
The best way to answer this question will be to turn one of your strengths as a weakness and say that others accuse you of having this weakness but you think it is important to work in this manner. For e.g.: “My colleagues accuse me of paying to much attention to syntaxes but I believe it is important when you are writing the code to avoid spending too much time on finding and fixing the bugs later on.”
Another way to answer this question is to offer a totally un-related weakness for e.g. “I have been staying alone for so many years now but I still can’t cook independently.”
10. Are you comfortable working in a team?
The whole work of software development or IT is a team work. So, the only answer to this question can be: “Yes, I am comfortable working in a team.” If you have any problems in working as a team, it is important to work on them and develop yourself as a team player.
11. How do you rate your communication skills?
Again, IT is about dealing with people within and out of the company. So, it is important to have good communication skills. By good communication skills we mean, ability to understand and explain in a common language. So, if you believe that your communication skills are weaker, you need to work on them.
Anything less than average or good is not acceptable here.
12. You do not have all the experience we need for this position?
It is not possible for a candidate to have all the experience an employer
28
requires. Even if you match yourself up to the expectations on technical front, there will be some difference in the work environment. And, it is absolutely fine.
The best way to deal with this question is to analyse the requirements of the position well and match your skills as close to them as possible. If something is still left untouched, offer your quick grasping power and ability to learn quickly as a solution & back it up with an example from the past.
13. How would you compensate for the lack of experience you have for this position?
As we discussed in the last question, your ability to understand and pick up new things quickly should be able to compensate for the lack of work experience you have.
14. If you were hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for in a potential candidate?
Closely understand the qualities and skills a person holding the position would need and match them with the qualities you have.
If you believe that you are missing a big quality required for the position under discussion, say that, “I understand that this is an important quality required in the person holding this position but given a chance, I will inculcate it in me.” Back it up with a confident body language.
15. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Offer some one’s name if they really know you well and can offer a positive feedback about you.
16. What is your style of management?
In today’s scenario, everything needs customization, so here also, one size can’t fit all i.e. one management style won’t work in all situations. So, offer “situational” as your style of management.
17. Have you ever fired anyone? How would you go about firing a person, if required?
The basic purpose of asking this question is to check your EQ and see if you have the guts to make tough decisions. If you have fired anyone in the past, discuss your experience and approach. If you have never done so in the past,
29
discuss the approach you would take to make and implement such a decision. Keep the focus of your answer on the fact that you would try to do your best to ensure that your team performs to its best but if a particular member is not able to perform even after you taking all the steps to help him, you would make the tough decision to ensure that the project doesn’t suffer.
18. What irritates you about co-workers?
The purpose of this question is to see how well you can fit into a team. Basically, you should not have a problem with a person, although you can have a problem with the style of working.
So, to answer this question you can simply say, “I understand that IT is about team work, so we can’t afford to problems with co-workers but if someone is not serious about their work or does a low quality work affecting the whole project, I definitely do not like it”
19. Is there any particular kind of person you can not work with?
For the reason given in the above questions, the answer to this question should be a “No”. This is basically a different way of putting up the last question.
20. What qualities would you look for in your senior?
You can mention some generic qualities like intelligence, good sense of humour, dedicated to his team etc., which all the managers think that they have in abundance.
21. What motivates you at work?
To answer this question, you can mention things like – new challenges, good environment which all employers think that they offer.
22. Will you be happy to work in night shifts or over the weekends?
You need to answer this question taking into consideration what is suitable for you. Say that you can work in the night shifts, only if you can really do it.
23. Have you ever committed a mistake at work?
To err is human. So, it is perfectly OK if you committed a mistake at work but before answering the question analyse the magnitude of mistake you did and
30
the effect it had on the company.
What is more important is – what did you do to rectify the mistake and make sure that you don’t do it again?
So, mention the mistake you committed and keep the focus of the answer on the steps you took to rectify it.
24. What position would you prefer while working on a project?
This question is for you to answer based on the skills and qualities you have. If you have the capability to handle different positions, discuss that also in the interview.
25. What are the most important things for you as a manager?
The two things which should be most important for a manager to succeed in his role are: a.) His team should be happy and keep performing b.) The project he is working on with his team is successfully finished with minimum problems.
26. Will you be happy to re-locate, if required?
Again, a question for you to answer based on your position. If you are anticipating this question in the interview, it is better to discuss this with your family also before you go to face the interview.
27. What kind of a salary are you looking for?
Try to put the ball back in interviewer’s court by asking him about the salary they offer for a position like this. Most of the big companies will have a fixed remuneration for each level.
However, if this is negotiable, you will have more negotiation power if you have some work experience. So, know your lower limit (amount below which you can’t go) and also know the maximum salary in the industry for the position then put forward a figure which is not very exact. It is better to mention a range. For e.g. if you are expecting something around 55 K, say that you expect something in mid fifties. Don’t keep the range to broad otherwise you will be offered something towards the lower end.
If you are a fresher, most of the times you will have to accept the company’s offering for the position. However, if you find it too less, you can definitely
31
discuss that during the interview.
28. Do you have any questions for us?
This is usually the last question you can expect during an interview. It is extremely important to have some intelligent questions to ask the interviewer otherwise you may just sound dull and un-interested. Research the company a bit and discuss if they have been in news recently. You can also discuss about the growth prospects for you within the company etc.
Best Answers to Tough HR Interview Questions :
1. Tell me about yourself:
just introuduce your self like your Educatonal back ground and the your working Experiance and what roles and responiplities done that company and what is your achivemnt and ambitoin and your family backgroud
Tell about your skills and experience and shows why you are qualified for the job: I attended ABC University, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Information Science three years ago. I started working as a junior IT technician right after I graduated, and after a year I was promoted to IT technician.
Good morning sir?! I am Arun currently pursuing my Third year BE computer science engineering in Srinivasa technology near poonamallee. I did my schooling in Avichi Hr secondary school located at virukambakkam and passed out with 80% marks. My strengths are I can easily mingle with people and can communicate easily with others. I am an organized and self motivated person. I have enough confidence and will power to do any kind of functions that are assigned to me. I have potential to grasp things easily. I learn new information and data easily. My weakness is that I am a very short-tempered person and nowadays I am practicing yoga to overcome that. My hobbies are?(If u have any hobbies please mention here). (Please mention if u are really interested in a particular game or sports?) I love traveling and visiting different kinds of people. I like people who are really dedicated to their tasks and I hate people who deny
32
opportunities.
After telling all these things just relax yourself and say ? I believe that A good name is better than riches (it?s a proverb it may attract the HR) so wherever I go I will do my level best to get a good name?Hi all! there's no hr round without this question... So,juz kool n be prepared with few points about yourself covering ur educational background,your goals, your strengths n weaknesss, ur hobbies n try to put a word that ur capable to be in teams , quick learner, hard working, is potential to get wid tasks n all...Be crisp n precise! More over, be confident in what u say... Dats enuf i hope! :)
Iam himanshu pusruing final year B.E. in computers. After completing my XII from kms i joined nsit. My biggest strength is dat iam a quick learner, i am adaptive to changes and easily get adjustd with the changing circumstances. i hav strong will power and also wants to acheive new heights....my weakness is dat i asily blieve people and impatient wen it comes to completing sum work....i love travelling and making frds,,... i blong to a less educated family ..my father is a businessman and ma mother is housewife nd a very gud cook. my elder sister is handling my fathers business work,,...nd my philosophy towards life is dat always hav a desire nd never get satisfied......you all need to do is to relate your profile with company's job requirement.say more about your other activities( like NCC, sports, competitions, in plant training.} other than studies.since they will ask technical question separately to know about your knowledge. be bold. even if u make mistake be bold to acknowledge. don't worry u will get a job even though not this job.be in this mentality to be brave in interview. I am Vinay Kumar Singh, a commerce graduate from Umeshchandra College under CU.I have worked for Pepsi Co India Holdings Pvt. Ltd.(Fritolay-Division)as an Packaging Machine Operator for more than 4 yrs. My father is a service man and mother is a housewife.I have two elder brothers both are service man.My name is M.V.N.S.Ramakrishna.I am native of Nunki which is presented at 20 kilometers away from Vijayawada.I completed my schooling In Z.P.H.school.I completed my Intermediate in Gothart Junior College.I Completed my B.Tech.in V.R.Siddhartha Engineering College with aggregate of 70% with C.S.E.Stream.playing Cricket,listening music are my hobbies.telling your self should finish in 3 steps1.ur personal details( name,education,current working details)
33
2.ur family background3.your achievements( if any in ur educational career)my name is shyammurari mishra. i have completed B.A. from DDU University, and certification in Hardware & Networking from Jet-king.I am form Navi Mumbai. listening music and net surfing are my hobbies You should always start from your name, Educational back ground, Experiance with role and responsibilities in ur current and previous organisations. Your intrest and hobbies, Strenghths and weekness and finally about your family background like parents occupation and sibblings details.My name is ujwala currently pursuing my final year B.tech .I hav completed my intermediate in sri chitanya and i did my schooling in sree barathi.my strengths are i'm quick learner and i can easily mingle with others and i love making friends .I can fulfill any task in stipulated time and you can check anyone who are associated with me.Firstly we can talk about the educational background than about our work experience and how it is related to the present work and what would be the benefit if they hire.In case of a fresher the candidate can talk about the strengths and what is can posses to the company and why the company has to hire as a fresher,Finally about the hobbies,strength & weaknessDon't feel nervous while going to hr round. just answer very freely. Don't add your percentage in your educational background. speak anything but after a proper rehearsals. Coming to weakness, you can add mad of clothes, mad of jewels like this. but don't tell that i am short tempered etc.
This is really more of a request than a question. But these few words can put you on the spot in a way no question can. Many quickly lose control of the interview during the most critical time- the first five minutes. Consider your response to this question as a commercial that sells your autobiography. Provide an answer that includes, what you are getting a degree in, your major, a few highlights from your resume such as projects or classes that relate to the position you are interviewing for, any work experience, leadership experience, and finally include why you are interested in this particular employer. Take, for example, the following response, which emphasizes computers. Since I was a teenager, I enjoyed working with computers. It was my hobby, my passion, and my way of learning. Like most kids I enjoyed computer games. When my parents gave me a computer as a reward for making honor roll my sophomore year, I mastered DOS, Windows, and WordPerfect within six months. I then went on to teach myself programming basics. By the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to study programming. From that point on, everything fell into place. My life revolved around computing. By my junior year at Syracuse, I decided I wanted to work for a major software
34
manufacturer. That is why I had an internship last summer at FastTrack Software. I have also completed several great projects including…[list a few here]…I am involved on campus in several organizations such as Beta Beta Fraternity and intramural sports teams. I am interested in working for COMPANY NAME so I can be at the forefront of breaking trends and new technology. When my collegeroommate told me about his start in your department, I was persistent in asking him for details until he helped me get a referral, which brought me here today. I feel like this position is a great fit between my accomplishments and strengths and what you are looking for. I am prepared to answer any questions you may have about my education and experience.
2. We're considering two other candidates for this position. Why should we hire you rather than someone else?
Do not be distracted by the mention of two other candidates, you don't know anything about them and they could be fictitious. Focus on what strengths you bring to the table. These should be consistent with the four things most employers are looking for in candidates during the job interview: competence, professionalism, enthusiasm, and likeability. Be prepared to summarize in 60 seconds why you are the best candidate for the job. Also, let the employer know you want the job and you will enjoy working with them.
3. Why do you want to work in this industry?
Tell a story about how you first became interested in this type of work. Point out any similarities between the job you're interviewing for and your current or most recent job.
"I've always wanted to work in an industry that makes tools. One of my hobbies is home-improvement projects, so I've collected a number of saws manufactured by your company. I could be an accountant anywhere, but I'd rather work for a company whose products I trust."
4. Why should I hire you?
Don't repeat your resume or employment history. Offer one or two examples to explain why you're talking to this particular company. What's the most compelling example you can give to prove your interest?.
"My uncle had a company that was a small-scale manufacturer in the industry, and although he later sold the business, I worked there for five summers doing all sorts of odd jobs. For that reason I believe I know this business from the ground up, and you can be assured that I know what I'd be getting into as a plant manager here."
35
5. Tell me about a time you didn't perform to your capabilities.
This question forces the candidate to describe a negative situation. Do so in the context of an early career mistake based on inexperience; then demonstrate the better judgment you now have as a result of that learning experience.
"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."
6. Tell me about an effective manager, supervisor, or other person in a leading role you've known.
Talk about a supervisor's management style and interpersonal skills. Focus on the positive-how the person worked rather than what type of work he or she did. How was the person able to accomplish so much and get your support?
"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."
7. What's your greatest achievement to date?
Be sure that the achievement you describe here is relevant to the job you're interviewing for. Also, be careful that your answer doesn't sound as if the best is behind you.
"I'm proud of the fact that I graduated on time with a solid GPA while I played varsity basketball for four years. A lot of women on my team either took a reduced course load or let their grades suffer. I believe the reason I got through it all was sheer determination; I never even let myself visualize anything but finishing on time and with good grades. So I firmly believe, as a professional counselor, in the importance of a positive outlook."
8. Give an example of a time when you were asked to accomplish a task but weren't given enough information. How did you resolve this problem?
36
Although this example may seem trivial, the candidate demonstrates maturity and an ability to approach work conceptually. The interviewer will want to know that you understand that just getting the job done isn't enough.
"At my last internship, my supervisor, an account executive, asked me to assemble five hundred press kits for a mailing. I wasn't sure in what order the pages and press releases should go, but my supervisor had already left for a client meeting. Afraid of putting the information together in the wrong order, I managed to track down her cell phone number and called her in her car. She explained the order of the materials over the phone, and in the end I managed to prevent a mistake that would have cost hours of work and a delay in the mailing-not to mention a few headaches."
9. What is your biggest weakness?
This is a great example of what is known as a negative question. Negative questions are a favorite among interviewers, because they're effective for uncovering problems or weaknesses. The key to answering negative questions is to give them a positive spin. Whatever you do, don't answer this question with a copout like "I can't think of any," or even worse, "I don't really have any major weaknesses." This kind of a response is likely to eliminate you from contention.
"I admit to being a bit of a perfectionist. I take a great deal of pride in my work and am committed to producing the highest-quality work I can. Sometimes if I'm not careful, thought, I can go a bit overboard. I've learned that it's not always possible or even practical to try and perfect your work-sometimes you have to decide what's important and ignore the rest in order to be productive. It's a question of tradeoffs. I also pay a lot of attention to pacing my work, so that I don't get too caught up in perfecting every last detail."
10. Why weren't your grades better.
The recruiter is probably trying to judge here how well the candidate handles adversity. It's important not to get defensive or to place blame. Instead, try to put a positive spin on the question-for example, by concentrating on what you learned and the extra effort you put in, rather than on the grades you received.
"School was a wonderful experience for me. I really enjoyed learning new ideas, I studied consistently, and I was attentive in class. But I never believed in cramming before the night of an exam just to get a higher grade or staying up all night to finish a term paper. I really believe I learned just as much as many students who went for the grades."
37
11. Why didn't you participate more in extracurricular activities?
The interviewer may be worried that if you don't have many outside interests, you may eventually suffer from burnout. Employers like candidates who are well rounded and have interests outside of work. If you didn't participate in formal extracurricular activities in college, you still may want to talk about some of your interests, such as reading or exercising, that you may have a passion for running even if you weren't on the college track team.
"I wanted to give as much effort as possible to my studies. I came from a high school in a very small town, where I received a lot of A's, but this didn't prepare me well for college. So I studied hard. I have, however, found time to explore the city and make new friends, and I do socialize formally on the weekends."
WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST JOB?
1. 1)As its natural that every human kind need growth & stability for that some time it become important to change the atmosphere and society.
2.[1.] my previous company company gave me excellent working conditions but unfortunately i did"nt provide any opportunites for carrier growth. iwant to face new chellanges'
3.[2.] Nothing is permanent in this world, not even troubles.Our nature itself is following the same principles. So moving out of company for better prospects and growth is mandatory,and thats the reason I am looking for a change.
4.[3.] There must be change then only we can gain more konwledge,experience,capability,to improve our selves. More over when there is better salary comparing to previous job.
5.[4.] actually my company would be shift. so it is not possible to do continue so leave my last job
38