Plan your answers to job interview questions ahead of time so you’ll be ready to deliver them with confidence. Too many job seekers stumble through interviews as if the questions are coming out of left field. You can almost count on many of these job interview questions to be asked at your interview.

What Are Your Weaknesses?

This is the most dreaded question of all. Handle it by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate on professional traits: “I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters, which I find very helpful.”

Why Should We Hire You?

Summarize your experiences: “With five years’ experience working in the financial industry and my proven record of saving the company money, I could make a big difference in your company. I’m confident I would be a great addition to your team.”

Why Do You Want to Work Here?

It is important that you answer with a statement that indicates you’ve given this some thought and are not sending out resumes just because there is a job opening. The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought. For example, “I’ve selected key companies whose mission statements are in line with my values, where I know I could be excited about what the company does, and this company is very high on my list of desirable choices.”

What Are Your Goals?

Sometimes it’s best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future. For example, “My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility.”

Why Did You Leave (Or Why Are You Leaving) Your Job?

If you’re unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context: “I managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 20 percent reduction in the workforce, which included me.”

If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: “After two years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-focused, where I can add my experience.”

When Were You Most Satisfied in Your Job?

The interviewer wants to know what motivates you. If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. “I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the customers and their problems; that is an important part of the job for me.”

What Can You Do for Us That Other Candidates Can’t?

What makes you unique? This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills and traits. Summarize concisely: “I have a unique combination of strong technical skills, and the ability to build strong customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge and break down information to be more user-friendly.”

What Are Three Positive Things Your Last Boss Would Say About You?

It’s time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss’s quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else’s words: “My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor.”

What Salary Are You Seeking?

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point. One possible answer would be: “I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. What is the salary range you typically pay someone with my skills and background?”

If You Were an Animal, Which One Would You Want to Be?

Interviewers use this type of psychological question to see if you can think quickly. If you answer “a bunny,” you will make a soft, passive impression. If you answer “a lion,” you will be seen as aggressive. What type of personality would it take to get the job done? What impression do you want to make?

By: Carole Martin

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The secret to being able to answer job interview questions is simply a matter of understanding the process. The interviewers are essentially looking for evidence that the people that they are interviewing have the skills and experience. All you have to do to make sure that you get hired ahead of your competitors is to provide that evidence.

The first thing you need to do then in order to answer interview questions, prior to the interview itself, is to find out as much about the job as possible. Read the job description, if it is available, to make sure that you fully understand how the role fits into the organization and what specific tasks are involved. In particular, you need to think through how you can demonstrate you have the skills and experience required for the job. Remember that the skills, knowledge and experience that you have accumulated may transferred to a variety of situations. For example, think about working within a team. You may have experiences of working within a team that is vastly different from the position you are applying for, but nevertheless it is working within a team. Therefore, the issues of team working are the same.

Within the interview itself, in order to effectively answer interview questions you should talk about real, practical examples of your work and experiences. For example, when asked about how you might deal with a particular situation, try not be drawn into talking about hypothetical situations. Instead you should talk about actual real examples where you have dealt with similar situations.

You should be positive, and do not be afraid to talk about your achievements. However, do not go overboard and claim to have done more than you have and that the company you are currently working for would go under without you. So, be realistic and talk about your actual real useful talents.

By: Mark Daymond

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So you’re looking to land your first Federal job and are just about to start working on your resume. Stop right there. Before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keys), you should know that applying for Federal employment is different than the private sector.

Federal guidelines require that you provide very specific and detailed information to apply for a job by way of the OF-612 form or Federal resume (along with a KSA). Since the Federal resume carries the greatest influence of the two, let’s take a look at ways to create one that will help you get the job you want.

What You Need to Know

When applying for a Federal job, there are certain details that you must provide in order to be considered by a recruiter. They include job information (announcement number, title and grade), personal information (full name, address, phone, social security number, and country of citizenship), veteran’s preference or reinstatement eligibility (if applicable), education (chronological listing of high school and colleges with degree types, dates of acquisitions, major subjects, GPAs and total credits earned), and extensive work experience (with previous salaries included).

When detailing your work experience, you should keep the specific position you’re applying for in mind. The Federal government is strict about ensuring that applicants’ skills match the listed qualifications. So go into as much detail as possible regarding how you are qualified. This process will get you that much closer to getting hired.

Don’t Forget Your KSA

The KSA is also known as Knowledge, Skills and Abilities and is a series of statements written in a narrative format that you must include with your Federal resume. It is written in first person and is meant to showcase in greater detail how you are qualified for the job you’re applying for.

Jobs that require a KSA will usually list between three and five statements in the posting that you need to provide answers for. You want your answers to be as thorough as possible by disclosing your knowledge, skills or abilities that relate to each statement, as well as when, how and why you acquired them giving concrete examples. In other words, use up to a page to sell yourself for this position with each answer. Don’t make your KSA a carbon copy of your resume – make it original. And don’t forget to type your full name and sign it before sending it off.

Adding the Extras

As mentioned previously, acquiring a Federal job requires putting in some extra effort, which includes disclosing any information that will help showcase your ability to perform. If you have additional work experience that relates to the position, provide plenty of details (including salary info and who to contact to learn more about your work experience). Also, remember to list any software, training courses, certificates, professional memberships, or awards that might help tip the scale in your favor.

Knowing the rules of writing a Federal resume can get your foot in the door. But taking extra steps to focus specifically on the job position, and include a thorough KSA will get you one step closer to securing a great Federal job.

By: Heather Eagar

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Nearly everyone has had to go on a job interview at least once in their lives. But not
everyone knows what to answer to questions fired at them during the interview. This
article lists sample answers to the top ten questions interviewers are known to ask
during a job interview.

But first, you have to realize that your job interview unofficially starts the moment
you answer that call from the organization you are applying to. Thus, you have to make
a good impression on whoever is calling even if they turn out to be just a secretary or
assistant. Treat the caller as though he or she is a VIP at the organization because you
never know if that person will help determine if you get the job or not.

• The top interview question interviewers are likely to ask is: what are your weaknesses?

You must remember to put less emphasis on your weaknesses and stress your strengths when
answering this question. Also, try to emphasize your professional rather than personal
traits. You could say: I recently took short courses in word processing for computers
since I felt I was lacking in that respect.

• Another leading question is: why should we hire you?

You must consolidate all your years of experience into your answer, which might go something like this: I have been working as a freelance writer for many years and have a track record for meeting my deadlines. I am confident I can be a valuable contribution to your organization.

• You could be asked: why do you want to work here?

This means the interviewer wants to know that you have thought carefully about your reason for joining his organization rather than having randomly selected it. You might say: I have chosen key organizations with mission statements that coincide with my own values, whose activities are appealing to me, and this company ranks highly on that list of organizations.

• What are your goals?

This question requires you to divide your answer into short-term goals and intermediate goals instead of just pointing towards the distant future. You could answer: My short-term goal is to get hired by a growth-oriented organization. My long-term goal will hinge on whether the organization will let me grow into a position of responsibility someday.

• Why did you leave your job? Or: why are you leaving your present position?

You must place your departure in a positive light by stating: I felt that I had reached my peak at my past job and wanted to move into another position that had growth possibilities.

• The interviewer is probing into what motivates you when he asks: When did you feel the most satisfaction from your work?

You could say: I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my work as a freelance writer because I was able to practice what I learned through all my years as an amateur writer in my college newspaper.

• Try to summarize your skills, traits and experiences to show your uniqueness when you answer this question: What makes you stand out from the other candidates for this
position?

Answer: I have a strong background in writing about politics due to my years as
a reporter for my college newspaper and I am good at conducting in-depth interviews. This
combination permits me to create strong writing that truly digs deep into the heart of the
topic.

• Name three positive things your previous employer would comment about you.

This is your opportunity to promote yourself using quotes from your old boss: The editor I had at the Daily Inquirer, a leading daily, said that my writing is excellent, that she can depend on me to meet deadlines, and that I get along well with my colleagues at the paper.

• You need to prepare in advance for this question (What salary would you like to be paid?)

by asking around for the going rate in your locale, and by being aware of your walk-away
point or bottom line. If the employer gives you a range first, well and good. But if not,
you might reply: I am sure you will pay me a reasonable amount when the time comes to
determine that. Into what price range would you put me, considering my background?

• The last possible question you could be asked is: If you could choose, what animal would you like to be?

This is the type of psychological question that determines whether you can
think quickly. The answer to this depends on the impression you would like to leave with
your interviewer because you have to determine what kind of personality would get the work
done at this position.

By no means are these all the possible questions you could be asked by your interviewer.
However, it is always best to be prepared so study these questions carefully and try to be
ready with your answers before the big day comes.

By: Dave Poon

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Answer Interview Questions