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Getting The Most Out Of Linkedin

admin — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:49:01 +0000

As a recruiter I can testify that Linkedin is a wonderful tool.

Linkedin has slashed my advertising costs, enables me to easily find people I would never have previously found, and market my self and services at almost zero cost (my time to set up Linkedin initially, and brief daily management).

However as Linkedin evolves, and the worlds business population becomes more comfortable with online media and social services, I know I am barely scratching the surface of what Linkedin can do for me.

Aside from my recruitment business, I have also started helping friends promote their businesses using the Internet; combining websites, blogging, Google Places, Linkedin, You Tube, Facebook and Twitter.

Though I still class this as a hobby I find in fascinating how most small business owners are reluctant to invest much time in the marketing of their businesses via the net, this soon changes when they see the potential, and unbeatable ROI this form of marketing offers.

Linkedin can be central in this marketing approach whether marketing yourself and your skills, or your company and services offered. If you are looking for a job Linkedin enables so much more than an on line CV / resume, as you can showcase your abilities in your Linkedin profile, summary and experience sections, and back this up with proof of achievements, through Linkedin recommendations provided to you by bosses, colleagues, and friends. Add in the ability to show videos, slide presentations, white papers, and links to other social / business media you might have.

A good Linkedin profile could become your most powerful sales tool.

Anyway whilst Linkedin remains a free service for the majority of people and businesses, I feel it is a service well worth investing a few hours to evaluate how much it will help you.

However the purpose of this article is to tell you about a Linkedin training course I recently bought. Linkedin Influence is a video and ebook training course on how to make the most out of linkedin. I felt I knew most of the recruitment tricks for Linkedin, and bought the course to help me better understand how small businesses could best promote themselves, develop their brand, reputation, and bring more leads to their door.

This course has been put together by author and Linkedin expert Lewis Howes, who demonstrates how to set up Linkedin so that you get out of it whatever you need, be it more business, job opportunities, potential partners or investors.

The course comprises 25 videos broken down into 4 modules, two pdf ebooks covering basic Linkedin set up and advanced Linkedin strategies, and a excellent bonus course for Twitter called Twixplode (Twitter and Linkedin can be the perfect marketing combo, and this bonus shows you how).

Linkedin Influence will be ideal for those who are familiar with Linkedin, but are unsure of how to turn its potential into the value you are looking for.

So if you think you or your business could benefit from Linkedin look take a look at Linkedin Influence by Lewis Howes.

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LinkedIn Profile Optimisation – How To Get Found By Recruiters

admin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:16:08 +0000

Linkedin Profile Optimisation – It’s All About Keywords

If you are looking to get headhunted or found by recruiters on LinkedIn, the trick is to understand the keywords that recruiters will be using to find you.

What I mean is what are the keywords that describe the work you do, identify them and then make sure that they are sprinkled throughout your LinkedIn profile, this is what I mean by Linkedin profile optimisation.

I’m a recruiter and as an example if I were looking for a risk management consultant to to work out of London, I would simple type in the keywords risk management, as this would bring me up all the Linkedin profiles well optimised for my keyword in the world, I would go over to the advanced search parameters on the left of the window and add London, to narrow my search.

In reality I would add more keywords and maybe company names to really pinpoint what I want, but the principal is simple; understand what keywords you need to be found for and optimise you profile accordingly.

The other thing that will hamper you ability to be found by recruiters and in house talent acquisition teams is if your network is too small. Because LinkedIn works to 3 degrees of separation, you do really need to have at least a few hundred connections.

In fact the bigger your network the better, as it means the more people can find you and therefore possibly approach you with employment opportunities.

And finally you need to make sure your Linkedin Profile is also compelling. If you have keyword optimised your Linkedin profile, built a reasonable sized Linkedin network, your profile will be found by recruiters (assuming your role is in demand).

So your profile needs to demonstrate to your readers, that you have the skills and ability their client is after.

To make all this easy I have put together a free guide “Linkedin How To Get Headhunted” which will expose the secret to getting prominent placement for your chosen keywords, how to ensure the profile is compelling, and how to easily build a powerful LinkedIn network in double quick time.

Please follow this link and let me show you how to use Linkedin to get found by recruiters.

Filed : LinkedIn Profile Optimisation.

LinkedIn Profile Optimisation – How To Get Found By Recruiters is a post from: Interviewing Answers

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Self Evalution For Job Interview Success

admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 13:04:44 +0000

Self Evaluation for Job Interview Success

I am going to ask you to keep an open mind over this next paragraph, because as the title suggests this next section is about taking inventory of all the skills and abilities you offer your target employer. And most people when I introduce the topic, say they know everything they need to about themselves, and ask me to get on with it.

Well I’ve interviewed; and myself been unhappy in a job I thought I was suited to. So I am not going to let this stage go without making a couple of what I see as critical points.

Firstly to re-establish that for the employer; hiring somebody is a buying decision based on logical and emotional criteria, weighed on the scales of risk (miss hiring is a really expensive, and common mistake for employers).

For you to win the job offer you have to demonstrate and PROVE that you have the logical and emotional attributes they are looking for. The amount of proof you can supply reduces the risk in the employer’s eyes.

Therefore taking an accurate and professional inventory of you is essential. If you get your “ducks in a row” at this point it will really help you to structure your marketing messages. The outcomes will be honest and compelling for your target, rather than relying on injecting the usual “power words” which often come over as hype and spin.

This stage can also help you avoid terrible career decisions. I’ll use myself as an example of this point. Early career I was in sales. I thought I liked it, and was suited to it, but I did not realise that I had to adapt some of my natural behaviour to succeed. Adapting ones natural behave by a wide margin, makes for stress, de-motivation, unhappiness, more stress, you can see were this is leading…

It wasn’t until I started taking these new fangled (they were at the time) personality and motivational assessments that I realised, how off track I was.

Anyway the whole exercise is made simple and quick by a great free internet service (there is a paid version if you really like the self analysis stuff – but the free service is sufficient for most). Take a free online free motivational assessment test.

Wandering off into the wilderness used to be the preferred method of “finding oneself”, but with responsibilities and time constraints as they are, completing one of these online assessments with give you “fast food” solution, that is really very, very good.

If you want to know more, I’ve reviewed the MAPP Motivational Assessment service in detail here

Otherwise sign up and take the MAPP test here

This will take you about 40 minutes and will give you:-

What tasks motivate you and what tasks don’t – this may surprise you!
Really professional and honest wording to describe yourself in your marketing materials – can be inspiring!
You may face one of these tests as part of your interview, so why not have a practice run before the big day.

Once you’ve completed your test, you can get it sent to your email, or leave it on the MAPP website where you retain password access to it.

I suggest downloading it and printing it out.

MAPP themselves give a lot of information regarding how best to interpret the report. And I will add more information if requested (leave comments at the bottom of the page). But the principals are straight forward, ideally you want to work in areas that are motivational to you, avoid work that scores high negative motivational points. I realise most jobs have elements within them that you may strongly dislike, which you cannot avoid, but you may be able to delegate, or structure your day to get this work done when your fresh and full of life.

The results here often surprise people; I know some of this stuff surprised me.

The big WARNING sign here is if the work you’re doing or considering is mostly made up of negative motivational aspects. I know we have bills to pay, but extensive exposure to this sort of work will eventually suck the life out of you.

The point in asking you to complete a MAPP test or review similar tests you may have recently completed is two fold. Firstly as a checkpoint that career direction is on track and secondly for ideas and inspiration for developing your marketing messages.

As the words you choose to describe yourself are vital, both in print and spoken, we are trying to get the perfect balance, of using the most compelling words to appeal to your target, without over hyping or spinning things away from reality.

Yes; over hyping yourself at interview can on occasion win you jobs, but roles won based on misrepresentation don’t often end well.

As most of us are not great actors it’s also much easier to be confident and outgoing, when our script is based on the truth.

Right next step is to start filling in your side of the Target Employer Profile using both your own information and experience and where appropriate input from the MAPP assessment.

Input video.

Our next major task is to build your marketing silver bullet, your offer employers can’t refuse, but before doing that I want to plan an idea your mind, so the next page is about the skills and attributes that all employers want, and how we can use this information to our offer winning advantage…

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Tough Interview Questions – How Best to Answer Them

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:51:28 +0000

I remember whenever I’ve had to Interview for a position in the past the bit I always looked least forward to was the stage where the Interviewer asks me questions. The majority of which were easy to answer as its very clear what information the Interviewer was looking for, but there were always the odd tough Interview Questions thrown in to throw me out.

Those coupe of tough Interview questions were always difficult to answer as it was never clear what information the Interviewer was looking for.

I’ve since been working in recruitment for some time and have been the Interviewer asking those tough Interview questions on many occasions. Its clear that many candidates still don’t know what I’m looking to hear from them. So I thought I’d cover some of the tough Interview Questions and ways to answer them.

How to answer them

What are your weaknesses?
State a weakness but turn it into a positive: “At times I’ve been considered too much of a perfectionist, I use to get irritated if I felt someone else’s work on the project was below company standard, I’ve since learned that I can’t affect other peoples work so channel my energies into making my work as high a standard as possible”

How have you managed to attend an Interview in works time?
“I didn’t want to deceive my current employers, so I asked them if I could take an unpaid day of leave to attend to a personal matter”

How do you feel about carrying out repetitive or mundane work?
“I appreciate every position has an element of repetitiveness but I take all aspects of my job seriously whether they are repetitive or not and always give 100%.”

How do you handle Criticism?
“At some point we all make mistakes, I’m always happy to take on constructive criticism as this will help me perform better.”

How long would it be before you would expect to be promoted?
“I couldn’t give a time scale, I would want to prove myself and demonstrate my value to the company, I appreciate that promotion is a reward, not a right”

What sort of people do you find it difficult to work with?
“I am a very amiable person and very team orientated, If I were to find it difficult to work with someone, it would be someone whose standards doesn’t reach that of the team.

What do you think of your existing employers?
“I have really enjoyed working for xxx and am thankful for the some, training and career progression that they have provided to date.”

Answering Tough Interview Questions well, will set you apart from other candidates applying for the same position.

By: James P Grant

About the Author:

For further advice and help answering Tough Interview Questions take a look at our site: Land That Job and join our free job seekers course, which has a whole section dedicated to Tough Interview Questions.

Learn the secrets to land the job you desire: http://www.land-that-job.com.

Create a video blog…instantly.

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10 Killer Job Interview Questions and Answers

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:52:14 +0000

Behind every interview question there is a concern or another question. Your job is to process the question thinking about what the interviewer’s concern might be. In other words, why is the interviewer asking you this question?

Q#1 – How long have you been looking for a job? (Concern – is there something wrong with you that other employers have picked up?)

A#1 – “After I was laid off from my last job, I took the opportunity to take some time out to examine my career goals and where I was going with my life. I have just begun my search in the last few weeks. I have a definite goal in mind and have been selective about the positions I consider. Your company and this position are of great interest to me.”

Q#2 – How did you prepare for this interview? (Concern – are you interested enough to do some research, or are you going to “wing it”?)

A#2 – “When I found this position posted on the internet (monster.com) I was immediately interested. I checked out the company website and mission statement, looked at the bios of company founders and executives, and was impressed. Once I had the interview appointment, I talked with friends and acquaintances in the industry. And, I’m sure I’ll find out a lot more in today’s meetings.”

Q#3 – What is your salary expectation for this job? (Concern – Can we afford you? Can we get you for less than budgeted?)

A#3 – “I’ll need more information about the job and the responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for this position?”

Q#4 – How do you keep current and informed about your job and the industries that you have worked in? (Concern – Once you get the job do you continue to learn and grow – stay challenged and motivated?)

A#4 – “I pride myself on my ability to stay on top of what is happening in my industry. I do a lot of reading – the business section of the newspapers and magazines. I belong to a couple of professional organizations and network with colleagues at the meetings. I take classes and seminars whenever they are of interest, or offer new information or technology.”

Q#5 – Tell me about a time when you had to plan and coordinate a project from start to finish. (Concern – behavioral questions – seeking an example of specific past behavior)

A#5 – ” I headed up a project which involved customer service personnel and technicians. I organized a meeting to get everyone together to brainstorm and get his or her input. From this meeting I drew up a plan, taking the best of the ideas. I organized teams, balancing the mixture of technical and non-technical people. We had a deadline to meet, so I did periodic checks with the teams. After three weeks, we were exceeding expectations, and were able to begin implementation of the plan. It was a great team effort, and a big success. I was commended by management for my leadership, but I was most proud of the team spirit and cooperation which it took to pull it off.”

Q#6 – What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with? (Concern – ability to be flexible and work in a diverse environment?)

A#6 – “In my last three jobs I have worked with men and women from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. The only time I had difficulty was with people who were dishonest about work issues. I worked with one woman who was taking credit for work that her team accomplished. I had an opportunity to talk with her one day and explained how she was affecting the morale. She became very upset that others saw her that way, and said she was unaware of her behavior or the reactions of others. Her behavior changed after our talk. What I learned from that experience is that sometimes what we perceive about others is not always the case if we check it out.”

Q#7 – We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day. Do you have a problem with that? (Concern – are you a work-aholic or a person who requires balance?)

A#7 – “I have no problem working long hours. I have worked 12 or 14 hour days. What I have found works for me is to work smarter, not necessarily longer. My goal is to get the job done, whatever that takes, in the most efficient manner.”

Q#8 – When have you been most satisfied in your career? (Concern – what motivates you? Or demotivates you?)

A#8 – “The job before the one I am currently at, was my most rewarding experience for me. I worked in a wonderful team environment. There was a lot of camaraderie. I worked with a team of four people and we did some really original thinking. It is that kind of environment I want to be involved in again.”

Q#9 – Why do you want this job? (Concern – are you using the shot-gun approach to job search or do you really know what you want?)

A#9 – “I’ve been very careful about the companies where I have applied. When I saw the ad for this position, I knew I found what I was looking for. What I can bring to this job is my seven years of experience, and knowledge of the industry, plus my ability to communicate and build customer relationships. That, along with my flexibility and organizational skills, makes me a perfect match for this position. I see some challenges ahead of me here, and that’s what I thrive on. I have what you need, and you have what I want.”

Q#10 – We are ready to make an offer. Are you ready to accept today? (Concern – we don’t want you to go away and think about it and change your mind – we want you.)

A#10 – “Based on my research and the information I have gathered during the interview process, I feel I am in a position to consider an offer. I do, however, have a personal policy that I give myself at least 24 hours to make major life decisions. I could let you know by tomorrow.”

There is no way you can accurately predict the questions that will be asked in an interview, but you can be ready and prepared by thinking about the factors that might concern an interviewer or employer before the interview.

By: Carole Martin

About the Author:

Carole Martin, America’s #1 Interview Coach, is a celebrated author, trainer, and mentor. Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy of her FREE 9-part “Interview Success Tips” report by visiting Carole on the web at The Interview Coach

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The Easy Way to Answer Job Interview Questions

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:43:28 +0000

Don’t you just hate job interviews? Or perhaps you don’t! I know I do. Well, it’s not so, much the interview itself as the fear of the unknown questions they have prepared. I bought a book once on how to answer job interview questions and although it was a useful confidence booster, it did little to improve my chances of getting job offers. A one-to-one interview is a lot less daunting than a panel of interviewers, and for the type of jobs I go for these days, it’s the panel brigade that I’m confronted by, and trying to answer job interview questions from a pack of high flyers is no easy task.

The book I bought was aimed more at these person to person interviews and I needed more experience with panel type interrogations (for want of a better word!), or so I thought anyway. That was until I went on a 3 day skills development course. Here I learnt a shed load of useful techniques on how to relax, and answer job interview questions. There were even tricks on how to avoid answering questions specifically, but giving the impression of a good answer overall.

At its most simplistic approach, any dialogue between humans relies on 3 core components. We ask questions, give answers, and make statements, but even a statement usually warrants a response. That’s it! The hard part regarding how to answer job interview questions, is knowing how to answer but not necessarily knowing the answer. There is a difference here.

Another skill is learning to listen carefully to the interviewer. By careful listening you are better prepared to make an informed response to the question. There’s nothing wrong with putting a few legs onto you answers, as in order to make and impression, you need to tell them what they want to hear, to a degree, but be careful not to let an exaggeration turn into a blatant lie as you may need to back up your claims at a later date.

No two interviews are ever the same. Different interviewers have differing techniques, some common and some exclusive to them, but there were some practical guidelines which I learnt on my course which are very useful for anyone preparing for that job they want so much.

To best be able to answer job interview questions, it would be great to know what those questions are to start with. Although that’s impossible, there are plenty of websites which will give you heaps of examples of the most commonly asked job interview questions. As someone who has both failed and succeeded at job interviews, I have my own list of 7 most asked questions for the types of jobs I’ve applied for. The actual list is exhaustive but you may find some of these worth noting down:

1. Why do you want this job in particular?

2. What do you know about our organization? (A little research here is imperative)

4. Do you describe yourself as a good team player? (Be prepared to expand)

5. What do you expect to be doing in 5/10 years time from now?

6. What are your weaknesses/strengths?

7. If you are already in employment, why are you leaving? (Try not to be negative here)

Never before has there been more help available to help prepare applicants for important interviews in a competitive workplace. The best ever resource is right here at your finger tips. The internet. So, the easy way to answer job interview questions is to do a little online preparation beforehand. Good luck!

By: Andy Maingam

About the Author:

Andy Maingam is a proficient writer and webmaster for Enoughjobs dot com where he has pieces on The Highest Paying Jobs Going and Part time job opportunities. He also has many other employment related pieces on the site.

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Common Answers To Job Interview Questions

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:41:13 +0000

Interviews can be the most daunting part of the job application process for most job seekers. For those job hunters that have encountered many arduous interviews, the best way to reduce stress is to be well prepared and confident of your skills and abilities.

How To Prepare For A Job Interview

A good way to prepare yourself for a job interview is to gain knowledge through research and to think of as many questions as possible that may be asked. It is advisable to go through the most commonly asked questions, as the chances of these questions springing up during the interview are strong. It is also wise for you to research and collect any information you can about the history of the company. In doing so, you are preparing yourself to come up with smart and intellectual answers for any question that might be asked.

Most Commonly Asked Questions In An Interview

To give you an idea of some of the most commonly asked questions, here are a few standard interview questions along with some of the most appropriate answers:

· The first standard question will always involve the interviewer asking you to give some information about yourself. This includes your name, your address, past experience, position title in previous companies and job description. You should always give the exact details about your previous company and position.

· Next, the interviewer will generally ask you about your job expectations and what you have to offer to the company. You should be prepared with an answer about your expectations for the job and what you plan on doing for the company if you are hired. Always be confident when answering and try not to sound like you have memorized the answer.

· You might be asked about salary and how much you expect to be offered. You should never be the first to discuss numbers. If they want a range, simply say that you are open to negotiate and wait for them to bring up a number first.

· You will be asked about your roles and responsibilities with your present or previous company. You should always be positive and precise when it comes to describing your former employer and work duties. You might also want to describe your previous work experience and explain how it relates to the position that you are applying for.

· Many companies are extremely particular when it comes to your abilities and how well you handle challenges and problems. You may be asked to answer certain situational problems just to test how you resolve issues and how effective you are at coming up with solutions to problems.

There are plenty of questions that you may be asked about yourself as well as your expectations. Always make sure that you are well prepared. More importantly, show the interviewers that you are confident and knowledgeable. Always make it a point to be positive during the interview. An optimistic attitude will ultimately help you land the job.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online – http://www.sixsigmaonline.org, offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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How To Answer Difficult Interview Questions

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:38:35 +0000

You should keep in mind that a judgment will be made immediately by your outward appearance. A clean, neat, and professional appearance is a must. Never dress casually. If you are dressed your best, your demeanor will follow suit.

Also, the more applicants there are, the more competition you will have. Below are some tips that will help you ace any interview.

Do your homework

The interviewer, it may appear has the upper hand, but you should approach each question as an opportunity. First and foremost you must know something about the company. The information you obtain can be crucial to your success and can determine if you will remain in the running for the position.

Check out the company’s website. The most pertinent and useful facts will be found on the company’s website. You should know the name of the CEO and their basic infrastructure.

What other facts are important? Well, you should know what products and/or services they offer. Find out where the company headquarters are located. Learn the locations of independent branches and who operates them. This information gives you leveraging power and it is wise to use it to your advantage. Once the interviewer learns that you have researched their company, they know that you have invested your time and that should serve you both well if you are hired.

Your research will help to answer the “Why do you want to work here” question that every applicant dreads. The information that you have learned about the company can be used to link their needs of their company and your skills together.

This is one of the most effective ways you can let the interviewer know you have done your homework.

Offer Compliments

At the right time during the interview offer compliments for the company’s accomplishments. Be careful and don’t overdo it. Subtle compliments at key points in the interviewing process can set you apart from your fellow interviewees.

Use Your Wits

While you want your interviewer to know that you are genuinely interested in the position, you don’t want to reveal everything about yourself. After all, the goal is to make the interviewer curious enough to want to give you a closer look and not scare him/her off.

Never tell the interviewer that you are looking to change jobs to increase your salary. Such revelations only give the impression that you are fickle and are always on the prowl for more money. Employers want to know that you will return the investment that they will be making by hiring you.

Be Honest

It is pointless to try and convince the interviewer that you have skills you cannot deliver. If you don’t have experience in a particular area then say that you are not familiar with that area but you are more than willing to learn. Doing so tells the interviewer that you are honest and willing to learn new things.

Think before you speak! If you present yourself confidently then others will see that too. Remember: a healthy dose of confidence can go a long way.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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The 10 Worst Answers to Job Interview Questions

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:48:26 +0000

Let me start by saying that these might not be the ten worst answers to job interview questions of all time. They are, however, among the ten worst responses that I have ever heard. That’s right – these are all true.

Some of these responses I heard from students in career development classes and others actually came from people who were interviewing with me for real jobs. Hopefully you won’t recognize yourself in any of these examples.

1. What interests you in this job?

Answer: I don’t know. I couldn’t possibly afford to work here for the amount of money you are paying.

2. How would you respond if a student asked you XYZ?

Answer: You’ve got to be kidding. No one would ever ask me anything that stupid.

3. Why are you interested in working in sales? (Note: It was a sales job.)

Answer: Oh, I’m not. I hate sales. I would never work in sales.

4. Are the hours of this job convenient for you?

Answer: Oh yes. I’ll just get my boyfriend to drop the kids off here when he picks them up after school.

5. Why did you leave your last job?

Answer: Everybody there hated me. They accused me of stealing and I got sick of it so I walked out and never went back.

6. How would your last boss describe you?

Answer: Lazy

7. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Answer: I don’t understand the question.

8. What did you like best about your last job?

Answer: It sure wasn’t my boss. I hated her. I don’t know who she thought she was, firing me.

9. How would you handle an irate customer?

Answer: Come get you to deal with it. Stuff like that isn’t my job.

10. What’s the most important thing to you in a job:

Answer: Plenty of sick time. I’ve got three kids who are always sick and nobody to help me.

While this list may make you chuckle, the point here is that people actually chose to answer job interview questions in this manner. It really isn’t funny when people don’t know better than to talk themselves out of even being considered for jobs they might otherwise be qualified for.

The people who were my students just kept answering the same questions over again until they came up with acceptable responses. The other ones? I hope that at some point they figured out better ways to respond in job interview situations.

By: Mary Gormandy White

About the Author:

Mary Gormandy White is a career and training expert who specializes in customer service, management, communication, and career development training at Mobile Technical Institute http://www.mobiletechwebsite.com She also works with MTI Business Solutions, providing corporate training, public speaking, marketing, writing, and SEO consulting services to a wide variety of clients. Stop by http://www.dailycareerconnection.com regularly for useful professional development tips.

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How to Give Good Answers to Common Interview Questions

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:43:17 +0000

Do not rehearse these answers, lest you sound mechanical in front of the interviewer. This article is just to give you an idea of how you can change the usual answers to something better.

Tell Me About Yourself

The interviewer wants to know about your skills, education and previous experience – not about your personal life or other things. Be smart and give a brief synopsis about yourself, your education and your past work record.

For example: “Hello I am Rosy Brown and I am an MBA graduate with 3 years experience in the HR field. I have been working with the “XYZ” company for 2 years and have handled the recruitment department.”

Ponder on the skills required for the position you are applying. If you have achieved something notable for your previous company, then mention it. However, do not narrate your entire life history.

Tell Us About Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Many jobseekers find this a tough question to answer. If you know yourself well, you can answer it easily. Looking blank or taking too long to answer will make the interviewer feel that you are unsure about yourself.

Before going for the interview make sure you write down your strengths and weaknesses.

Interviewers want a person who will be committed, result oriented, patient and who can handle pressure. If these are covered in your strengths, you are sure to be considered for the position.

When talking about your strengths, always support your words with data and facts. Talking about weaknesses can be difficult. However, the interviewer does expect a truthful answer, and you should mention the efforts that you are making to improve them. If you are not good with time management, mention what steps you are taking to improve on this.

Reason for Leaving Your Last Job

This question is tricky, and you have to be honest and smart in answering it. If you have left the previous job for better prospects and growth say so without fear, but be prepared to answer a few more questions that will be connected.

However, if you have left the job due to unethical issues, you can let the interviewer know, but in a smart way.

For example, you can tell them you were asked to leave the job, as you did not follow company policy, of which you were unaware. However, do mention that you have learned from this mistake and that you are sure that it will not be repeated.

Generally, depending upon the position you are applying for, you will also be asked a problem-solving question.

To test your skills and ability to think on your feet, you will probably be asked a question or given a situation to tackle. Do not be in a hurry to answer. Understand the question being asked, think and then tell the interviewer how you would tackle the situation.

You can ask for 2 -3 minutes to think about the situation before answering appropriately.

If you are prepared for these common interview questions, you are sure to come out on top.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online (http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Answer Interview Questions

How to Give Good Answers to Common Interview Questions is a post from: Interviewing Answers

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