The Interview Expert Toronto, Ontario Canada http://www.interviewexpert.ca
Phone: (416) 239-4406 Fax: (416) 239-5056 E-mail:
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SPECIAL REPORT:
ACE YOUR NEXT JOB INTERVIEW BY MASTERING 3 KEY QUESTIONS
REPORT
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Ace Your Next Job Interview By Mastering 3 Key Questions FEEL CONFIDENT AND FOCUSED AT YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW BY MASTERING THESE THREE KEY QUESTIONS: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. What's your greatest weakness? 3. What's the one question you don't want to be asked? This Special Report provides you with guidelines, practical tips and real-life examples to help you handle each of these typical interview questions with ease and self-assurance. Here's what not to say - and tips on how to improve your answers to these crucial questions.
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Tell me about yourself. During an interview, the question you really, really want to be asked is, "Tell me about yourself." Why is this such an important question? Typically, interviewers make a decision about you within the first 10 minutes and often, "Tell me about yourself" is an effective way to get to know you quickly. Although the question offers a powerful opportunity to position yourself effectively, you also risk leaving an inadequate impression with the wrong answer. Most people reply: "I'm a [such and such] professional with [so many] years' experience in the [such and such] industry". This response offers no news; interviewers already have this information from your resume. To make a stronger impression, be direct. Talk about the benefits you can bring to the organization and how you can help solve the company's problems. To do this, you need to know the current challenges facing the organization and its industry - the ones you can solve using your expertise. Do your research by talking with people in the industry; check the newspapers and trade journals; and talk to the people who are part of your network - they may have industry knowledge or know someone who does. When you've identified the company's most critical need and how you can help solve it, write it down. Review it. Edit it. Say it out loud. Test it out on friends and colleagues. Practice it every day.
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Here's how to answer Interview Question #1: "I help organizations with their [such and such a problem] by providing [such and such a solution]." Once you've caught their attention with this answer, capture their interest by providing two or three succinct examples of how you can do this. Take no more than five minutes. Once you're done, stop. Wait a few seconds. Let your answer sink in. Then, ask the interviewer if you should expand on anything. If not, ask if it would be helpful to spend a few minutes reviewing your career highlights. Follow these simple steps and you'll ace the interview within the first few crucial minutes. Remember, first impressions count!
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What's your greatest weakness? It's human nature to make mistakes. But, should you really confess your weaknesses? Yes. Interviewers ask this question because they want to gauge your level of self-awareness and your commitment to self-improvement. But instead of falling into the trap of turning a strength into a weakness - for example, "I work too hard" - here's what I suggest:
Be honest and sincere. State your weakness succinctly to show how selfaware you are.
Tell them what you've done to overcome or compensate for your weakness.
Include the specific steps you took to improve. For example, taking a course to change or modify a specific behavior pattern.
Tell them about the results you've achieved so far.
When you've finished answering the question, stop. Just stop. Be comfortable with the silence. If you do have the urge to say something, ask the interviewer if they'd like you to elaborate on anything. If not, ask an appropriate follow-on question.
Here's how to answer Interview Question #2: "I excel at creating overall strategies and bringing a program to life by focusing on the tactical details. There are times, however, when those details consume me. Fully absorbed in the problem, hours seem like minutes while I try to make things "fit" or when some key part of the process is missing. I became aware of this weakness when a junior staff member working with me on an assignment suddenly asked, "Heather, do you mind if I quickly run to the bathroom?". At first, I thought this was odd. But, when I realized the problem, I made a conscious effort to take regular breaks and asked the staff to please remind me if I forgot. And when I suspect I might be totally absorbed when working alone, I set an alarm clock. My breakthrough came one day when I had been working alone on a problem 4
for hours. At one point, I decided to take a walk outside. By the time I got back, I had solved the problem without consciously focusing on it during the walk. That really taught me a lesson. Now, I take breaks regularly. I think better, and my work has really improved." Now that you know exactly what to tell an interviewer about your weakness and specifically how you managed it, you'll be remembered as a genuine person, not just a well-prepared candidate who's practiced standard answers. Appearing real to the interviewer will help you ace your next interview.
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What's the question you don't want to be asked? Being confident is key to acing your next interview. No matter what that taboo question might be - Why has it taken you so long to find a job? What would your boss say about you? Why were you fired? Tell me about the worst conflict you've experienced in the workplace - if you can answer that question with confidence, you've got it made. Suddenly, your nervousness disappears and you seem confident right from the start of your next interview. To build your confidence before your next interview, we recommend that you prepare, write down and regularly practice your response to this question.
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In your next job interview, even if you're not asked any of these questions, it doesn't matter because:
By knowing how to respond to, "Tell me about Yourself", you've become focused on presenting yourself as a solution
By mastering your answer to, "What's your greatest weakness?", you feel comfortable answering questions with the directness of a real person
By knowing what you'll say when asked the one question you dread, you're confident right from the start.
Remember, interview skills, like all skills we learn, are mastered with practice. That’s the only way to be confident sound natural – not scripted – and ready to ace your next interview.
Free E-Mail Assessment To learn how to truly master these questions before your next interview, develop your responses using the guidelines, tips and examples contained in this Special Report. Once you've done that, receive a SPECIAL GIFT from the Interview Expert – your Free E-mail Assessment of your responses to the 3 Key Questions. Here's what's included:
We'll analyze your responses to these 3 key questions.
Within 24 hours, we'll send you our suggestions on how you can improve your responses.
To receive your Free E-mail Assessment before your next interview, just e-mail your completed responses to:
[email protected] using the subject line - Free E-Mail Assessment. You may wish to attach a copy of your resume so we understand the context of your responses. We always treat all information we receive as strictly confidential.
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Want To Learn How To Answer Another 10 Most-Asked Interview Questions? We guide you step-by-step through answering an additional 10 most-asked job interview questions in our Ebook: What Top Professionals Need To Know About Answering Job Interview Questions. Just click this link to find out how you can get your copy today: http://www.interviewexpert.ca/guidetojobinterviews.html
If You A Highly Qualified Business Professional Looking For The Job You Know You Deserve, we can help you. The Interview Expert.ca teaches you how to sell yourself as the solution by providing you with personalized, professional, one-on-one coaching so you can land the job your really want! Call us at 416-239-4406 to learn how you can improve your job interview skills or visit us on the web at http://www.interviewexpert.ca.
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