Candidates

Three Reasons Employers Hire You. An employer only wants the answers to three questions in an interview. But funny enough, they don’t ask them outright. They disguise them with other questions. No more guessing, here are the three platinum questions.

• Do you have the skills? You already know this. All questions must be answered with an example from your past. Past performance predicts future behavior. So when they ask: “What is your leadership style?” they are actually saying: “Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership.” Even the weakest question must be answered with an example from your past where you demonstrated improvement.
• Do you like the skills? It’s not enough to have the skills to do the job. Many people have the skills. The next step in your interview evolution is to tell the employer that you also enjoy or are passionate about the skill. When you enjoy the skill you are more likely to remain with the company and make a contribution. Have you been doing this?
• Why do you love our company? Instead they ask: “What do you know about our company?” or “Why do you want to work for our company?” Remember: You are not hired by a company. You are hired by a person who is proud of their department and they want you to want them…genuinely.

Next step: Memorize this perfect answer: “I have these skills. I have used them in this setting. I love the work. I look forward to applying them at your firm because I admire your company.”

Hot tip: Combine your business and personal personality. If you do this, they will feel more connected to you as a person and more likely to hire you.

Can’t think of anything to write down
about what you do in your job?

Answer 20 or 30 Of These Questions.

We guarantee that you will come up with some new ideas about your job responsibilities and skills.

• What experience, skills, aptitudes, or traits do you have, or think you might have, that could be of some use to some employer?
• What skills have you developed, at least to some degree, that you have never used at work?
• Do others, at work or elsewhere, come to you for any particular kind of help? What kind?
• Do you have military experience (include Coast Guard and Merchant Marine)? Branch, grade, specialty? Active duty, reserves, National Guard? Discharge? Duties? Accomplishments? Medals, citations, commendations? Promotions ahead of schedule? You can treat military experience as general background, or list each position as an employer in the Resume Questionnaire. Don’t forget, military training can be particularly useful in private industry if it is relevant to your objective.
• Have you ever published an article, report, or anything, even as a volunteer, even in your company professional association newsletter?
• Have you ever given a talk, speech, or presentation, or provided training to anyone at work or elsewhere? Give the specifics.
• Computer literacy and related skills: What platforms can you use (PC, Apple, Unix, etc.)? Which ones are you most comfortable with? What operating systems are you familiar with (DOS; Windows; Unix; Apple; other)? If you program, which languages do you know, and what is your level of ability or experience? What programs, or kinds of programs, have you designed or helped design or debug? What Internet research tools are you familiar with? What programs are you familiar with (word processors; spread sheets; data bases; groupware or PIM’s, such as Lotus Notes, Groupwise, Ecco; graphics, desk-top publishing, etc.); office suites (Suite; Microsoft Office; Word Perfect Office); LAN or WAN system software? (If you know the latest version, mention it, as in “Photoshop CS ” If you’re not familiar with the latest version, give only program’s name.)
• What foreign languages do you know at least somewhat, and what is your level of skill in each? (i.e. native speaker; fluent; moderate; phrase-book; write easily for professional purposes.)
• What planning or analytical tools are you familiar with (e.g. critical path, PERT, quality function deployment, etc.) ?
• What experience have you had as a manager of or participant in TQM? CQI? Business process reengineering (which version: general structure/function analysis or computer systems analysis)?
• Do you have any special travel experience, domestic or foreign? If you studied, lived, or worked in a foreign country, how long were you there? Did you live in an American enclave?

Responsibilities, Activities:

• How many people did you supervise? Orient? Hire? Train?
• How large a budget did you manage?
• To whom did you report ?
• What was the highest level in the company that you reported to or communicated with directly?
• Did you coordinate anything?
• Serve as liaison between groups or key individuals?
• Mediate between groups or individuals? Resolve any conflicts? Serve as mentor to anyone?
• Did you do, or participate in, strategic planning?
• Did you set or evaluate or participate in the setting or evaluation of policy?
• Did you evaluate any individual or group performance, or any task or project research?
• How did you relate to the product or service?
• Did you communicate with customers? How?
• Were you on any proposal teams, in-house or with a customer or subcontractor? Did the proposal succeed?
• What was your function on the team, or your contribution to winning? Your team’s percentage of wins?
• Did you communicate with suppliers or subcontractors? How?
• Did you purchase services or supplies for the office, unit, department?
• Ever serve as a troubleshooter? In what area?
• Did you back up someone? Who?
• Did you do any surveys or other research or studies? Determine requirements?
• Prepare recommendations?
• Design or manage any processes, systems, or projects?
• Organize any events, conferences, meetings? How many?
• Did you administer anything?
• Consult for anyone, inside or outside the organization?
• Did you gain experience in any special use software?
• What kind of writing did you do, for yourself or someone else (e-mail, correspondence, memos, reports, concept papers, plans, proposals, office newsletter, etc.)? What did you write about? Did you write anything that was delivered to a customer as a product, or part of one?

Achievements, Accomplishments:

• How much reduction in costs or increase in profits did you contribute to?
• What did you do?
• Did you add any smoothness, quality, or economy of operation that noticeably improved the way things were before you assumed responsibility?
• Any concrete or specific signs of the gain you achieved?
• Did you propose, suggest, or initiate any programs, changes, or improvements that were implemented at least partly because of your initiative?
• What positive results occurred?
• What did you do as a volunteer, beyond the regular duties of your position?
• Whether you were paid for it or not, what were you particularly good at that made a difference in how the office (job, project, assignment) progressed from day to day?

Awards, Recognition:

• Were you praised, recognized, or given a pat on the back for anything a particular assignment, a method of working, a trait of character? How? By whom?
• Were you promoted ahead of schedule?
• Selected for any special responsibilities or programs?