Job Interview Preparation: Job Interview Tips and Sample Job Interview Questions that You Should Prepare For

Initial Tips to Remember When in a Job Interview

• Concise answers with examples
• Ask questions
• Do not ramble
• Do not dwell on negatives

Possible Job Interview Questions to Prepare For. Preparing for these now may help you avoid embarrassment, decrease your response time and help you avoid being surprised.

One of the Most Important Questions an Employer May Ask in an Interview: Be Prepared for this One

This first question has been described as the most important questions an employer can ask in an interview to really determine the type of person you are - both in work and personally. Think about how you would answer it:

Please think about your most significant accomplishment. Now, could you tell me all about it?

Your response to this question will tell an employer a lot about you. For one, they will get an idea about the projects you've worked on, and how well you worked with others to accomplish the goal. Your work ethic and style, and your planning and communication skills will become apparent. Again, be detailed and complete, but don't ramble. Be proud, but not cocky. Be sure to give credit to others who may have helped. Make it relevant to the job you're applying to.

Other Important Questions you May Face:

• Describe the exact scope of your responsibilities?
• How have you improved work procedures or processes? Achievements? Specific Contributions? Made money? Saved money? How? What has been gained? Why? What would you do differently? (innovations, cost reductions, contributions to profits, productivity improvements, value added, task, action, result)
• What is most important to you in a Position? Company? Opportunity? Why? (work content, reporting relationships, company philosophy, advancement opportunity, income-gross vs. net)
• What are your career goals? Does your current position provide the opportunity to achieve your career goals? Rapidly?
• What would you like to change or improve that would accelerate achievement of your career goals? How? What?
• What would you like to duplicate? (work content, reporting relationships, company philosophy, advancement opportunity, income-gross vs. net)
• What are your weaknesses?
• What additional skills would enhance your ability and performance?
• What have you done to acquire these skills? (Schooling? Short courses? Degrees? Certifications? Experience? Mentors? Exposure? )
• What factors influenced you most to take your current position? How? What? Why? (location, salary/money, cost of living, opportunity, stability/security, family, company, hours/commute, friends/relatives)
• Why should we hire you?
• Why would you consider leaving your current employer? Why did you leave your last employer?
• For what positions are you best suited? Why?
• How do you address and correct poor performance by contractors or other employees? Example?
• Give an example of a crisis situation and how you handled it? Why?
• How would you handle it differently the next time this were to occur?
• When you have a difference of opinion with someone, how do you handle it? Example?
• How do you implement an unpopular decision? Example?
• What specific improvements can you make in the first 90 days? (safety, productivity, reliability, etc.)
• Any other comments?
• References?

Tell Me About...

• A project you recently managed
• A program you recently developed
• An improvement you made in maintenance, reliability and / or productivity
• A difficult situation you had at work
• A difficult /underperforming employee you had/have
• An account you recently established

When Addressing a Topic be Prepared to Discuss

• What were the circumstances when you first got involved

• What steps you took to address the situation

• What happened as a result of what you did

And remember ..... when the interview is complete, thank he/she/them for their time!

For more job interview tips and additional career development and job search information, see our Career Development Articles: Tips on Resume building, job transition, evaluating job offers, sample resume, job interviewing, salary negotiation, how to resign, and more.