10 Steps for Conducting Effective Interviews

In many ways, interviewers have the odds stacked against them before they even sit down with the ideal candidate. Picture this. A job opens up and needs to be filled yesterday. The job description is sketchy at best. The organization wants someone who can do double duty, that job and possibly others. The ad results in thousands of resumes, and there are a lot that fill the requirements.

The first interview which is a phone interview eliminates some, but still leaves a lot that are "ideal." There is no set guideline in place to assist in setting up the interviews, so the interviewer starts booking 10 interviews per day. There are no interview questions or tests in place to help vet the candidates and, by the end of the first day, the interviewer has no idea who was even in the interview with her. So before she even starts, she is in trouble. Here are some suggestions that could have made her interviews more organized and fruitful.

Know what you are interviewing for. Make sure the job description is current and has enough detail in it.

Don't be pressured to fill the position right away, take the time to prepare for the interview by writing up an ad that vets folks who are applying for every job available. The ad should state the salary, job expectations, and educational requirements.

Organize the resumes by salary needed, job experience, interests and by professionalism.

Create an interview guide of behavioural interview questions based on job competencies. The guide should cover at least six areas including integrity. Each competency should have three questions with room to write under each question. Each question should have a number of follow-up questions to probe deeper.

Book no more than five interviews per day. Allow one hour per interview and time to write follow-up thoughts and, of course, time to eat.

If interviewing for a web designer ask them to create something, if interviewing for a bus driver have them drive through a set up driving course, if interviewing for a trainer have them conduct a short course. Test the candidates in the skills they have to perform on the job.

Once the final five or so candidates have been chosen have those people go through a second interview with another interviewer or take part in a panel interview. More and different behavioural interview questions are asked and this process will identify the perfect person to fill that job.

Another idea is to invite the team they will be working with to meet them and to conduct final interview questions.

If everything in the reference checks match up, and the interviewers all agree, offer the candidate the job.

Keep all interview guides of all the people interviewed to avoid problems down the road.

Top 5 Typical Interview Questions and How to Answer Them Quickly

When you go for a job interview, at whatever company, you know there are some things that come up again and again, those typical interview questions. Or you should know that! If you haven't thought about how you are going to deal with these, your chances of landing the job you want have greatly decreased.

1) How do you react to criticism? Can you describe a situation where your work or idea was criticized? What sorts of things do you criticize in other people?

Dangerous typical interview questions! Be careful, because this sort of questions simultaneously check your weaknesses and your ability to handle criticism. Do not describe poor job, because it costs money and the employer won't like such example! Invoke your fancy. You may forget about your past and to create a new way you handle the criticism "on-the-fly" If nothing comes in your mind, tell that you always separate the feelings from the idea and you are trying to get the most from the person who criticized you. I believe you may tell that criticism is invaluable source for self-improvement.

2)Can you take instructions without feeling upset?

A standard manageability question. According to Martin Yate, "if you take offense easily or bristle when your mistakes are pointed out, you won't last long with any company." Answer that you "can take constructive criticism without feeling hurt."

3) Will you fight to get ahead?

Again, this is a good question and, as such, quite dangerous. You should take your time and ask what does the interviewer mean, professional interests or career. In either case, this question is more likely to be asked for team leading positions. Sometimes, it may be asked to test your manageability, team-playing skills and self-confidence.

4)What motivates you the most?

Cooperative management, steady team of strong professionals and encouraging the positive results. You may also mention the challenging task/job is a motivating factor.

5) Just what does success mean to you? How would you judge it?

Success is an ability to perform the given task in time with high quality. Successful accomplishment of the task is a huge stimulating factor by itself. With clearly defined task, there is no problem to judge the success.

Think about some of these areas and have your responses in mind. Making a card with bullet points on and taking it to the interview to read through beforehand is a good idea that has worked for me. Get there early and run through it.

These are just some starting points and remember there are many other typical interview questions.

Questions For Job Interview Success

Job interviews are meant to be tricky and with the economy in the state it is in a lot of people are looking for new work. Giving the right answers to questions during that short interview can make the difference between employment and hardship.

The decision to hire or not usually comes down to how you perform with the general interview questions that are sure to be asked. Some of these standard interview questions for the job are:

    Why did you leave your last job?

    Why have you had so many jobs in the past few years?

    Can you explain this gap in your working history?

    What are your long term career goals?

    What do when dealing with people you dislike?

Once a collection of these type of questions start, you are really past the friendly chit chat stage that failed to put you at your ease. You can feel the temperature of the room increase to boiling point and your palms start to sweat.

Even though you thought up good answers when you were at home, under the pressure of the interviewer you mind most likely will go blank. You open your dry mouth and start to mumble answers that fail to make much sense to you and even less to your inquisitor.

In panic you begin to talk even faster, churning out half baked answers and you can feel the sweat start to trickle down you back. Your heart pounds in your chest and you long for it to be over. It's a vain hope, like wishing the dentist would finally put away that drill but they enjoy the torture too much and more questions follow. Your answers fail to impress.

After what seems like hours they finally jot down some notes, peer over their glasses and thank you for your time. Drained and exhausted you un-stick your dehydrated body from the soaked chair, forget to wipe your sweating palm and press it into their outstretched hand.

You can almost feel the steam rising from your collar as you unhurriedly rush for the door and freedom. You glimpse the interviewer holding his head in is hands as you leave without the prospect of a new job.

How to Answers The Tough Interviewing Questions: Prepare Yourself Before Time

"What will my answers the tough interviewing questions be"? This dilemma is the one common source of anxiety shared by every job seeker who ever lived. The solution, however, to the dilemma does not start with trying to memorize every conceivable interview question and response. This concern is so pervasive that it should be addressed beginning at the most basic point. That point is actually the answer to yet another question which is, "how well do I know the product that I am selling?" Right now, you are probably wondering "what in the world are they asking? What is this product that you are talking about and who is selling anything? I am not a sales person!"

Yes, You Are A Sales Person

The simple and direct truth is that you are both the salesperson and the product. If you are not a sales professional by trade, you have to become one to execute a successful job search. You, as the interviewee are selling you, the product, to your potential buyer, the interviewer. As any good sales person knows, you have to know your product inside and out and be able to explain the product features that deliver the benefits sought by the potential buyer. Knowing yourself intimately will help you deliver the answers to the tough interviewing questions.

Personal Career Data File

So, just how well do you know yourself? In order to experience a successful job search, don't leave the answer to this question to chance. Prepare yourself by creating a Personal Career Data File consisting of individual information sheets for every job that you have ever held regardless of the tenure. This includes summer jobs and internships. Your performance and experience in every job yields information about your native abilities, people skills, resourcefulness, leadership talents, subject matter knowledge and more. Take the time to get a detailed look at yourself by recording and analyzing your employment/service history and experiences. If you prepare the data file in a thoughtful, comprehensive manner, it will make you an expert on your most important product...YOU.

Once completed, the file will be a resource for your use in:

Creating a general resume

Creating position specific resumes

Providing as a source of information to professional resume writers

Preparing for every conceivable type of employment interview

How to Answer Tough Interview Questions About Team Leadership

All interviewers are looking for the next leader for their organization. They are not keen in investing their time recruiting and training someone who wants to come in and watch the clock all day. A team leader possesses a number of key attributes and they expect you to know what these are.

So what are the job interview questions about team leadership?

Job interview questions on communication skills

How do you communicate with your team? Communication is key to any job and in particular as a leader, you need to be able to set out the strategy and the execution of it. Your team members will need to be clear on what is expected from them. The more they know, the better they can perform. They must also have a channel to communicate with you. Also, you will need to be able communicate your team's progress to your senior management.

Job interview questions on planning skills

Every team needs a plan and as a leader you will be ultimately responsible for devising a plan with your team and executing it. A good plan is only possible if all the requirements are understood. You should always ensure that your plans are realistic and not too aggressive. Make sure that your team under your leadership preempts as many as the risks as possible up front. Have a few points ready for the interview on your approach.

How to answer interview questions on motivation skills

All good leaders need to be able to motivate their staff. It is important that you encourage the team in their daily tasks and their long term careers. The team should want to work for you. At the interview, the interviewer will be very keen to know how you execute on this and how successful you have been to date.

Job Interview Preparation: The Key To Getting The Job Offer!

Job interview preparation is common sense. We know the value of preparing the used car or boat so it will sell for the highest possible price. We clean it up, polish the chrome, replace broken parts and research the prices of similar vehicles. All to make sure we get the highest price and quickest sale.

Why then do so many think they can go into a job interview with little or no preparation? Getting the right job and working at it for over 20 years could mean a million or more dollars in additional income compared to getting the wrong job. Why wouldn't you spend the time and effort in interview preparation to possibility generate thousands in additional income in a job you love?

Interview preparation is not just considering how to answer a series of tough questions. It ranges from your appearance, to company and industry research to a well written thank-you letter after the interview to proper job interview follow-up.

To often the job hunter is so elated at getting the job interview that they neglect the preparation. The interview will be about their qualifications, and who knows more about that than the candidate, they reason. So they go into the interview and get beat out by the more prepared competitor who has less job related skills and qualifications.

Don't let this happen to you. Here are some ideas to become the best prepared among all the candidates.

1. Research the employer's needs. Carefully read the job announcement. Search for others working at the prospective employer to get a better feel for the internal work climate. Talk to others working in a similar job at other employers and find out what key requirements make others successful in the job.

Plan to ask questions in the interview to increase your understanding of needs of the position. All will help you in answering questions so you frame the answers to provide assurance to the interviewer that you are the one who can do the job. Further, this will provide the necessary empathy to help you connect with the interviewer.

2. You must have a high level of interest in the job. A keen interest in the position will leave no doubt in the interviewers mind that you are excited about the prospect of getting the job.

Ask for the job at the end of the interview and in your thank-you letter express additional interest in the job. Enthusiasm in doing the job, you are looking forward to the challenges involved will many times push you ahead of the candidate who neglects this vital step.

3. Practice, practice and then practice your answering a series of tough interview questions. With today's technology, it's no excuse not to be able to tape you answers and your overall interview presentation. How you sit, how often you smile, how you listen, your appearance, the tone of your voice, your interest in the job and possible bad habits will all be revealed in the mock interview.

If you have gap in the required skills or qualifications develop an answer that will bridge the gap. You either have another matching skill, you are learning the skill, or a combination of the two.

Have others critique your performance. Keep doing the mock interviews until you're satisfied with your performance.

4. The interviewer is looking for someone who is confident of their abilities. How you answer the questions is important. Can you tell a compelling story of a relevant accomplishment? Does the story sparkle, can the interviewer feel your confidence of a job well done and obstacles you overcame?

If so, you just gained more points by your intensity and your quiet confidence of your abilities.

5. You are on the interviewer's turf and many times the interview is scheduled for a set period of time. So in answering open-ended questions you could go on for ten minutes or longer. This could be the kiss of death in an interview.

In answering an open-ended question like, "tell me about the biggest problem you had to overcome," a good strategy is to respond that you'll give them a short answer and if they want to go into greater depth you'll be happy to provide them with the longer version.

How to Answer Interview Questions - Keys for Success

If you've landed the interview that you've been hoping for, then you've already cleared the first hurdle towards employment. But while your resume has brought you this far, you're going to need to rely on your communication skills and knowledge to have a great interview.

The days leading up to your interview can be stressful as you try to plan out just what to say when you sit down with the interviewer. But if you understand the basics of how to answer interview questions as well as the best responses for some of the most common ones, you really have nothing to worry about.

Here are three quick tips to help you create that strong impression during your interview.

Tip #1 - The first thing to keep in mind when trying to understand how to answer interview questions is simply to be confident. If you stammer, mumble, don't make eye contact, and otherwise project a lack of confidence then it really doesn't matter how you answer any question - you've already defeated yourself. Be sure that you don't chew over each question for several minutes, either. Companies are looking for quick thinkers who possess the skills needed to solve problems at the drop of a hat. Answer quickly and confidently, and you'll be sure to make a great impression.

Tip #2 - Another thing to keep in mind when planning out how to answer interview questions is that your experience must come into play. Don't hesitate to cite examples from previous jobs or from your education background that apply to the question being asked.

Tip #3 - Finally, never badmouth a previous employer, even if you're asked to describe the worst boss you've ever had. It's almost a trick question and is best answered with a simple explanation along the lines of "None of my bosses have been terrible, but I've learned more from some than I have from others." Nobody wants to hire someone who spends five minutes complaining about a boss they've had in the past.

There are countless questions that you may be asked in an interview, so many that it's really impossible to guess which ones you'll be faced with. Instead, you should realize that the key to how to answer interview questions lies more in your attitude than in your answers.

Confidence, creativity, and a positive attitude are more often than not exactly what employers are on the lookout for and as long as you can answer your interview questions with these factors in mind you should have nothing to worry about in the least.

Top 10 Interview Questions

If you are looking to appear for an interview, then given below are top 10 interview questions that can help you prepare for the interview. Suitable answers are also given below:

1. Tell me something about yourself?

So as you answer this question, talk about what you've done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate for the position. Use suitable examples to tell them about yourself.

2. Why should we hire you?

Just point out how your assets meet what the organization requires. Never compare yourself with other candidates. Comparisons can certainly work against you.

3. What is your greatest strength?

A number of answers are good, just try and stay positive and as cool as possible. A few good examples: your problem solving skills, leadership skills or positive attitude.

4. What do you really look for in a job?

I simply look for an opportunity to use my skills, to perform well and be recognized.

5. How long would you stay with us?

I would love to work with you as long as we both feel that I am contributing, achieving and growing enough.

6. What do you know about our company?

Do enough research before going for the Interview! Spend some time reading or researching for the company. Tell them about the current status of the company.

7. What is your greatest weakness?

You should always select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. Always talk about a true weakness and also tell them how you are trying to overcome it.

8. What qualities you feel an effective manager should have?

You can say leadership and vision are the two main qualities that a manager must possess. You can give suitable examples.

9. What is more important to you money or work?

Money is always important, but work is more important. You cannot give a better answer than this one.

10. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure?

You may say that you thrive under different types of pressures. Also give suitable examples.

Top Strategy For Technical Interview Questions

Technical interview questions are bound to come up when your job involves some technical content and because that includes so many different subjects, what we can only do here is show you HOW to deal with technical interview questions.

If you really know your subject from practical experience, then in any particular area, you should also be able to say what could go wrong. Other interview candidates who don't have your experience or if they had only done a course on the subject, wouldn't be able to answer any questions on what might go wrong. If they had only been slightly exposed to the technical subject then their replies to such technical interview questions would probably be very limited.

But if you had genuine and extensive experience of a technical area, then you could probably give a lengthy answer about the possible problems and their solutions.

From an interviewer's point of view, someone who knows what can go wrong demonstrates knowledge more effectively than giving someone a technical test. Knowing what can go wrong and the ways of avoiding it is the way to produce a successful outcome to any technical task.

So if your interviewer does not ask technical interview questions like that, you should aim to turn the interview round so that you are able to bring out your knowledge of the particular technical area or skill that they need to know about.

Before you go to the interview, think about all the things that may go wrong in this area or when applying this particular skill. Also think about how you have solved these problems to make them right.

So, when you go to the interview, be determined to get this across; that you know what the issues are and how you can solve them. Don't just passively sit there and answer the questions they ask. It should be quite straightforward to bring up the topic of the problems that occur and the solutions you have come up with.

If it doesn't come out readily during the interview, when they ask if you have any questions you should immediately ask them about the main problems that they have had at their site, and then discuss how they are solving them. You can then go on to talk about similar problems that you have had and what you have done to correct them. If they haven't come across some of these issues yet, they might be very keen to have you on board for when they do.

But even if they have come across the problems, by bringing them up you will show your understanding of the subject and that you are able to sort out problems that can occur.

If you are an interview candidate, make sure that you have prepared a list of technical interview questions about what can go wrong and prepare some statements about how you would put it right; go to the interview determined that you are going to make this point.

6 Steps to Success in Competency Based Interviews

Competency based interviews are intended to get the best from you, the candidate, whilst also fulfilling the needs of the organization to get the very best person for the job. There are some easy steps to make the most of yourself and have a much better chance of success.

1. Prepare well, but keep it sensible As long as you know the job you are going for, ask for details of what you will be measured against. Ask for a set of competencies. Ask for a job description. This sets you up to succeed, not just because you are better informed, but also because you have asked - which will impress the decision-makers, before you even get there!

2. Get Creative Here is the time to use your own experiences to create 'stories' which you can use in the actual interview. These 'stories' are real scenarios that you have been a part of, which over a period of days and weeks beforehand, you write up. Maybe you will have 20+ initial ideas.

3. Leverage! Take the very best scenarios and write them out, bullet points first. Then flesh them out, whilst referring carefully to the competencies you've been given. It is amazing how you can 'tune-in' your scenario to include many, if not all of the competencies. And if you can't fit them all in, there will be a use for them - later!

4. Practice By reading through your scenarios (and by now you should not have more than six or seven) you will familiarize yourself with the contents, so well, that they will become second nature - even in the scary experience of an interview.

5. In the Interview There are some tactics in here too!

• Using your scenarios make just three key points about what you've been asked. Make them relevant and the right 'weight'. Not too long or too short.

• After that, leave space for them to ask more - that's what they are listening for.

• Say 'I' a lot - they want to know what your personal involvement and experience was, not 'the team' or 'they'.

• Have fun - whilst not contrived, smile and make some simple jokes, if you feel comfortable with that - they want to employ happy as well as capable people.

• Can't answer? That's fine. Make sure that you reflect on your shortcomings by saying things like, 'It's one of the first things I want to develop in my next job - if you did your stuff on your scenarios and your competencies well enough, you will have covered 90% of the bases well and you'll be forgiven for not being 'perfect'. If you are really stumped - say so!

• Ask questions - relevant, about their culture, focus on developing you, opportunities - the positive 'peopley' things (remember it's your chance to see if you want to work with them!).

• Also ask about current issues they may be facing - you did do your homework on them, didn't you?

6. Strong Ending! Keep the whole thing light, even as you leave at the end. Have a conversation in general terms - about anything! Do make sure that you ask them some things that are about them -

Remember that competencies are there to help you and they provide a guide-map for your competency based interview success!

Avoid Destroying Your Career With These Common Interview Mistakes

Whether you are shifting for a new career of just trying your luck to apply for a job for the first time, it is highly important to learn the basics of an interview before you go on your actual interview with your future employer. Knowing the basics will help you avoid the usual interview mistakes that are often committed by first time of over confident applicants. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid if you wish to establish a good impression and achieve successful interview.

One of the most common interview mistakes is by dressing unprofessionally. This proves that you don't make any effort to make yourself presentable with your future employer. Never believe in what other people say that interview is just a formal part of your application process. Put in mind that every interview is a "make it or break it" moment of your career. It is the gateway to enter your desired company and your interviewer holds its key. Don't let the first impression destroy everything you have dreamed of. Dress properly and show that you are really interested to get the job.

Another interview mistakes that you should not do during the interview is talking too much or being too modest. Interview is a process used by employers to know the characteristic of their candidates better. It is obviously a question and answer moment where you are really need to talk, but you should also be careful on things you will say. Never speak about things that have nothing to do with you or the job you wish to have. You might unconsciously say something that might destruct your interviewer and lose your chance for the job. In the same way, don't be too modest. Make your interview lively by talking something about yourself and other things that you can do which could contribute to the growth of the company.

Other interview mistakes that could destroy your career are, talking about money or your previous salary too much or saying hateful words about your previous employer. Talking about money during the interview is a very bad idea and a big turn off for every employer. The discussion about salaries will definitely come, but you have to wait for the right time. You need to make yourself into the company first before you start talking about funds. No matter how much you hate your previous boss, you should not say anything bad about them. Job interview is not the time to express your grievances and your interviewer may find this action as unprofessional that may disqualify you for the position.

How to Give Great Answers to Job Interview Questions About Education

Here's some ideas of how to answer job interview questions about your past education, whether it be school or industry related training. Your interviewer will want to know if you have the skills and ability to complete the work, so giving the best and most appropriate interview answers is crucial to landing the job.

Your education, to whatever level you have taken it - high school, degrees, or professional qualifications - is always something that employers are interested in and will ask about. Their depth of interest is determined by how recent and how relevant your education is to the position for which you are applying.

If you are fairly new to employment, just out of school or college, questions about your education are likely to form a substantial part of the interview. Potential employers will want to know something about your education - something more than the factual information you have provided on your resume or application form.

Why did you choose the subject/course/university or college that you attended?

What were you good at and what did you find more difficult?

Above all, what did you gain from your studies that will be useful to your employer?

Here is an example of questions and some model answers to consider and adapt to your own situation. Many of these questions are equally relevant if you have just completed a professional training or practical/technical course of some kind. Again, the interviewer's emphasis is likely to be on how you made your choice, how committed you are to it and whether it is something of specific use to their organization.

This question is followed by a model answer and a quick analysis of what makes that answer a success.

Job Interview Question:

If someone who had just finished school asked you whether they should go into employment or carry on with education, how would you advise them?

Job Interview Answer:

I would really like to find out more about their own ideas before giving advice, but if I were put on the spot I think I would advise them to carry on with education. Despite the difficulties of financing your studies and the competitive graduate job market (even with all the job search and job listing services), I feel I have learned so much, particularly about taking responsibility for myself and about working with very different groups of people.

These are real gains that I believe gave me a good start in my career. People often promise themselves that they will go back and complete their education later on, but I saw how hard this was for some of the students on my course.

Why this interview answer works:

You immediately let the interviewer know that you take other people's opinions into account and don't just dole out advice regardless of whether it is wanted.

The Tough Interview Question: "Why Should We Hire You?"

The tough interview question: why should we hire you? is often the most dreaded question by most job seekers. The question many people need to have answered is how on earth do you answer that question adequately?

Frame your response to this question in a way that you are selling yourself, as this question truly opens up the opportunity to do so!

In an interview situation, your tone and body language is particularly important. When you answer this particular question you need to watch your tone. Where so many people fail is that their tone changes when they are asked a question that they have been dreading or anxious about answering. This could potentially be devastating to your chances of success. Pay particular attention to your tone when you respond to this question.

The key to a successful tone is being positive and show enthusiasm. Whatever you say, say it with a smile on your face. A smile will instinctively affect the tone of your voice. So what ever you say - say it with a smile and with a sense of confidence.

It is also important not to let your enthusiasm drop when you are asked this question. Try and keep your tone consistently enthusiastic.

But enough on tone. What should you actually say when you are asked this question?

The key to answering the tough interview question of why should we hire you? is preparation: you need to know what your transferable skills are.

Transferable skills are those skills that you pick up in a work or personal environment that you take with you where ever you go. For example, if you have developed a high level of knowledge regarding computing and IT issues, then this is a skill that your next employer will benefit from. Take some time and establish in your head what skills you have in your personal arsenal. These skills make you a valuable asset to any company. The more developed and polished your transferable skills are, the more valuable you are to a company.

The other side to your answer comes in the form of relevant experience. Essentially you need to be able to demonstrate that your previous roles have given you the experience to prove you are more than capable of doing the job you are applying for.

You don't need to try and say you have previously held the same job with another company; rather you can draw on your career history in order to cover the different aspects of your perspective role. So if your perspective job role includes managing an office and dealing with the public, then you should be pulling from your career history a role where you have worked with the public, and a different role where you were in charge of an office.

Finally, you need to remember that as important as this single question is, it is not everything. Think of this question as an opportunity to sell yourself by discussing the above mentioned items. When you think about it in this way you may actually look forward the being asked this very tough interview question!

Preparing Your Interview Questions and Answers - A 6 Step Guide to Successful Job Interviewing

Interview questions and answers are only part of the overall preparation for the interview. The interview is the big event. All of your time spent completing job applications, submitting resumes, tailoring cover letters and responding to job advertisements have led you to this. Over the next several posts, I am blogging on information that will provide you with key steps to perform at your best and put you in the optimal position for a job offer.

Step 1: Knowing the audience interviewing (as well as the company) always helps your interview questions and answers preparation. What type of interview will you be in? Will it be conducted by a panel or an individual? If it is a panel, how large a panel and what is the makeup? Are you being interviewed by the HR department or the person who will be supervising you, or maybe future colleagues?

Step 2: Anticipate and respond to their interview questions and answers. The typical interview lasts a good 60 minutes. During the first few minutes, the interviewer will usually set the tone by providing information on the company and the position. They will then refer to your resume, cover letter, portfolio, and any other information you provided, and begin asking you questions.

Step 3: Prepare penetrating interview questions for your audience. If it is a panel, make sure you have enough copies of your resume, cover letter, portfolio, etc, for each person. My standard rule of thumb is to have 20 questions ready to go. During the conversation, many of your questions will get covered, so by having 20, you are bound to have a few remaining to demonstrate your interest and critical thinking skills. 

Step 4: First impressions: Again, preparing for interview questions and answers is only part of the equation. You have a single shot at making a dynamite first impression. Your audience is obviously eager to meet with you or else they would not have scheduled the interview. Capitalize on their enthusiasm.

Step 5: Communicate effectively. Nonverbal communication accounts for 93% all messages (38% tone and 55% body language). Leaving less than 7% of communication being the result of the actual words we say. To truly communicate effectively, your non-verbal communication has to be in agreement with what you are saying. Nod your head during the interview questions to communicate that you follow. Maintain eye contact. Sit facing your audience. Keep your arms and hands pointed toward your audience. Smile often and show enthusiasm to win them over.

Step 6: Follow up is critical. Make sure you collect business cards from everyone in the interview as well as everyone you interacted with along the way. This includes the person scheduling the interview, the receptionist you spoke with on the phone, etc. Everyone gets a hand written thank you note. Make sure all names and titles are spelled correctly and get the notes mailed within 24 hours. In the message, add something compelling in the message to confirm your personal skills and desire for the position.

6 Common Teacher Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

When you get a call from a school administrator inviting you to interview for a teaching job, how do you feel? Happy? Elated? Excited? Nervous? Scared stiff?

You don't need to worry about the interview if you're a well-prepared, qualified candidate. Preparing for a teaching interview is a lot like studying for a test. You can review commonly asked questions, think about what you'll say beforehand, and go in to do your best. If you prepare beforehand, the interview questions will seem routine and familiar. You'll have answers on the tip of your tongue, ready-to-go.

Below is a list of six commonly asked teacher interview questions from my eBook, Guide to Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams. How would you answer each question?

1. Tell us about yourself.

This will be the first question at almost every interview. Just give a brief background in about three sentences. Tell them what colleges you graduated from, what you're certified to teach, what your teaching & working experiences are, and why you'd love the job.

2. How do you teach to the state standards?

If you interview in the United States, school administrators love to talk about state, local, or national standards! Reassure your interviewer that everything you do ties into standards. Be sure the lesson plans in your portfolio have the state standards typed right on them. When they ask about them, pull out your lesson and show them the close ties between your teaching and the standards.

3. How will you prepare students for standardized assessments?

There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level. Be sure you know the names of the tests. Talk about your experiences preparing students. You'll get bonus points if you know and describe the format of the test because that will prove your familiarity.

4. Describe your discipline philosophy.

You use lots of positive reinforcement. You are firm, but you don't yell. You have appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior. You have your classroom rules posted clearly on the walls. You set common routines that students follow. You adhere to the school's discipline guidelines. Also, emphasize that you suspect discipline problems will be minimal because your lessons are very interesting and engaging to students. Don't tell the interviewer that you "send kids to the principal's office" whenever there is a problem. You should be able to handle most discipline problems on your own. Only students who have committed very serious behavior problems should be sent to the office.

5. How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?

An IEP is an "individualized education plan." Students with special needs will be given an IEP, or a list of things that you must do when teaching the child. An IEP might include anything from "additional time for testing" to "needs all test questions read aloud" to "needs to use braille textbook." How do you ensure you're meeting the needs of a student with an IEP? First, read the IEP carefully. If you have questions, consult a special education teacher, counselor, or other staff member who can help you. Then, you just make sure you follow the requirements on the IEP word for word. When necessary, you may be asked to attend a meeting in which you can make suggestions for updating the IEP. Your goal, and the goal of the IEP, is to make sure the student has whatever he or she needs to be successful in your class.

6. How do you communicate with parents?

This question will come up at almost every elementary school interview. It's fairly common in the middle school and high school as well. You might have a weekly parent newsletter that you send home each week. For grades 3 and up, you may require students to have an assignment book that has to be signed each night. This way, parents know what assignments are given and when projects are due. When there are discipline problems you call home and talk to parents. It's important to have an open-door policy and invite parents to share their concerns at any time.

2 Simple Steps to Beat Your Competition During Your Job Interview

Want to land your dream job? It all comes down to how you answer the questions you're asked during your interview. Just as there are identifiable phases to any job interview, there are a few easy steps to come up with the best answer to any interview question. Let's be clear here. I'm not talking about a pretty good answer, or a rather good answer.

I'm talking about the kind of amazingly, astoundingly good answer that causes interviewers to think, "Can I hire this person right this minute? No, I have to finish the interview first!"

Here's the best news: I can teach you to transform any old mundane, lackluster, half-hearted answer that you might come up with, into that amazing answer. All you have to do is use my special formula, which I'll tell you about in a moment. Very simply, there are only 2 steps in answering any interview question that you may encounter. They are:

1) Identify the type of question
2) Use my Special Formula to create an answer

Identify the Type of Question

It may seem that there are an infinite variety of questions in interviews. In reality, there are only 6 types of questions that routinely occur in interviewers. And, all 6 usually occur in each and every interview.

In fact, I would hazard a guess that if you encounter an interview without all 6 types of questions, you are dealing with a very inexperienced interviewer. That's actually to your advantage, since you are rapidly becoming VERY skilled at interviewing.

The 6 major types of questions are:

1. Personality questions
2. Strength questions
3. Weakness questions
4. Motivation questions
5. Education and Experience Questions
6. Work Habits questions

By the way, the questions are listed in this order, because that is the order in which they are most commonly asked. Work Habits questions may occur at any point during the interview, but the other types of questions occur in a fairly predictable order. In the sample questions, we'll discuss each type of question in detail. If you can effectively answer those 6 types of questions, you can ace any interview.

My Special Formula

Once you have identified the type of question; create an answer using my special formula. This formula is guaranteed to help you successfully answer any question.

Over my decades of experience as an interviewer, I gradually began to notice that the best answers had a common format. I refined that format into an easy to use, foolproof formula. By keeping this formula in mind during the interview, you can react to any question thrown at you, no matter how challenging or unusual.

Positive Attribute + Elaboration = The Best Answer

In this equation, P stands for a Positive Attribute. Be sure that your initial statement frames the answer in a positive way. For Strength and Work Habit questions, P should always equal one of the skills you identified in your preparation. For the other types of questions, simply frame the answer in a positive way, instead of a negative one.

The E stands for an Elaboration. For a skill, this is one of your short anecdotes illustrating how you handled a specific challenge at a previous job. If you're a student or recent graduate, use an example from volunteer work or your personal life.

For other answers, E equals an illustration, supporting detail or an example of what you mean. For a highly theoretical or unusual question, this may explain the "why" of your answer.

To review, here's the simple 2-step system to answer any interview question:

1. Figure out what type of question this is
2. Use my special formula to create the BEST answer!

Different Types of Interview: Becareful Before Stress Interview

Interview:

An interview is generally a face-to-face conversation between interviewer and interviewee (it can be two or more people) where interviewer ask/asks questions to obtain required information about interviewee.

Here we shall be talking about job interview. If the interviewee get to know the type of interview it would be easy for him to go through. Government jobs in India or private jobs whether it is fresher jobs in India or jobs for experienced professionals these all requires an interview to get the job.

Face-to-Face interview:

This is most common and traditional type of interview. Generally one to one conversation is there. The interviewee should maintain eye contact, and his answer must lead to prove that his qualifications are best suited for that job.

Panel Interview:

Generally more three to ten members can be in the panel of interviewer interviewing the candidate. Candidate need to adjust with the personalities of the panel as soon as possible maintaining proper eye contact to all the interviewees.

Behavioral Interview:

The interviewer asks questions to predict your behavior. It can be related to your history, all you need to do is to give answers based on facts not only hypothetical activities.

Case Interview:

The interviewer wants to know your problem solving potential. He/They may give you a situation or a case and you are supposed to give a logical solution to that. It should be noted that only solution does not matters but the approach, how you apply your knowledge is important.

Telephonic Interview:

This is conducted for screening purpose or we may call it a preliminary interview. In case when the interviewer can not conduct face to face interview for all the applicants short listed for an interview due to some limitations. For this kind of interview one must ready for any time interview and the phone on which call is to be received must be trouble free (No call drops, network problem or call waiting kind of problems). Preferably one should choose a land line.

Group Interview:

It is an informal discussion type of interview. The employer judges the leadership potential of the employee and the way he interacts with the group.

Mealtime Interview:

This is conducted for the jobs which require interpersonal activities. The interviewer judges that how you would react in a social gathering. You need to be confident, well mannered, and follow the lead of the interviewer.

Stress Interview:

In some professions you need to tackle a lot of stress and thus stress interview becomes important for this kind of job. The employer wants to know your reaction in stress. The interviewer may be sarcastic, he may open challenge you believes or may ask you to do any insulting activity etc. So you have to be calm and tactic and do not take questions personally, it is a game. Try to answer logically in a positive manner.

Job Interview Skills Training - Top Ten Interview Questions For College Graduates

Now that you have graduated from college, you must be proud of your achievement. How on earth did you manage to pass your exams with flying colors? You anticipate what were the questions asked in the exam right? The same goes to job interviews.

As part of the job interview skills, you would need to know what the questions that could be asked. This is because knowing is winning half the battle.

1) Tell me about yourself

This question does not permit you to tell everything about yourself. You don't need to tell the interviewer how you were born but the best qualities that make you the cream of the crop. Just outline the key points that are relevant to your personal characteristics like being committed, enthusiastic, team worker and use personal life examples like your sports or hobbies, or social charity interest to demonstrate your personal attributes.

2) Why should I hire you?

Reply by asserting that you are the best person for this job and give reasons to back up this claim. Show your passion and enthusiasm when answering this question. Give examples of where you achieved your goals and or contributed to the success of a team or organizational activity.

3) Please tell me about your future objectives.

Most people are caught off guard here because not everyone has fully planned out their career path. But it is important that you show that you have thought out your life goals enough to at least know what you would like to be working at in 5 years time

4) Has your education prepared you for your career?

State how your education has trained you towards the necessary skills needed for the job and give examples to support this claim. Give examples of how your training has been applied in practical experience within an organization you worked in or volunteered in.

5) Have you been a team player?

Everyone will reply yes but lack the proof needed to back it up. Tell the interviewer how you helped your team during your college years on winning a certain competition or other examples that emphasizes your quality as a team player.

6) Did you encounter any conflict with your previous professors or employer? What are the steps that

you have taken to resolve this issue?

This is a classic question that you need to be well rehearsed for with a coach to learn excellent job interview skills. When posed with this question, do not reply that you never had a conflict because this is a blatant lie. Instead give an example of a conflict that you have encountered and give solutions that you have taken to solve it

7) What is your biggest weakness?

Do not say the trite "I am a workaholic" because it will not impress your interviewer, who will see through the answer, unless you genuinely are a workaholic and can prove it to them

8) How would your professors describe you?

This question requires a bit of planning as you never know whether the interviewer will ask for a reference from the professor you have just quoted. So, prepare a game plan by approaching a professor with whom you are in good terms with and get a reference letter to support your quotation. Do this in advance.

9) What are the qualities that a manager should possess?

Remember the two key points which are Leadership and Vision. Elaborate on these two points by giving solid points to back it up. You can also tell the interviewer your idol or mentor who have contributed in imparting his/her skills to you.

10) If you can turn back time, what would you like to see change?

Try to prepare something that relates to your career or vocation. Don't be negative. It is not an opportunity to talk about all the regrets of your life or love-life. If the interviewer wishes to press further, be careful not to divulge too much in your personal life. Just keep it professional and positive in outlook.

How to answer tough interview questions

There's no worse feeling than when you're in an interview and the interviewer asks you a question to which you don't know the answer.

The best way to handle this dreaded debacle is to go into the interview prepared. Familiarize yourself with a few common difficult questions and arm yourself with answers prepared ahead of time.

Check out these tough interview questions and some suggested responses in order to avoid an interview disaster:

Tough question No. 1: "Tell me about yourself."

This is usually the opening question in an interview and it's the perfect moment for you to toot your own horn -- not to tell your life history. Your answers should be a quick rundown of your qualifications and experience. Talk about your education, work history, recent career experience and future goals.

Suggested answer: "I graduated from University X and since then, I have been working in public relations with an agency where I have generated millions of PR hits for my clients. While I've enjoyed working on the agency side, I'm looking to expand my horizons and start doing PR for corporate companies such as this one."

Tough question No. 2: "Why did you leave your last job?"

This is your chance to talk about your experience and your career goals, not to badmouth a former boss or give a laundry list of reasons for your exit. Instead, focus on what you learned in your previous position and how you are ready to use those skills in a new position.

Suggested answer: "The company just wasn't a good fit for my creativity, but I learned that organizations have distinct personalities just like people do. Now I know where I'll be a better fit."

Tough question No. 3: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Let the employer know that you're stable and you want to be with this company for the long haul. Keep your aspirations to take over the firm with which you are interviewing, own your own company, retire at 40 or be married with five children to yourself.

Suggested answer: "I want to secure a civil engineering position with a national firm that concentrates on retail development. Ideally, I would like to work for a young company, such as this one, so I can get in on the ground floor and take advantage of all the opportunities a growing firm has to offer."

Tough question No. 4: "What are your weaknesses?"

The key to answering this age-old question is not to respond literally. Your future employer most likely won't care if your weak spot is that you can't cook, nor do they want to hear the generic responses, like you're "too detail oriented" or "work too hard."

Respond to this query by identifying areas in your work where you can improve and figure out how they can be assets to a future employer. If you didn't have the opportunity to develop certain skills at your previous job, explain how eager you are to gain that skill in a new position.

Suggested answer: "In my last position, I wasn't able to develop my public-speaking skills. I'd really like to be able to work in a place that will help me get better at giving presentations and talking in front of others."

Tough question No. 5: "Why were you laid off?"

This question will become more common as the economy continues to slow down. It's a tough question, however, especially because many workers aren't told exactly why they were laid off. The best way to tackle this question is to answer as honestly as possible.

Suggested answer: "As I'm sure you're aware, the economy is tough right now and my company felt the effects of it. I was part of a large staff reduction and that's really all I know. I am confident, however, that it had nothing to do with my job performance, as exemplified by my accomplishments. For example..."

Interview Questions to Ask Employer - A Very Good Strategy to Show What You've Got

During an interview there are instances when an interviewer runs blank, a long pause will stir up a gut feeling you should never ignore, the interviewer who could very well be your boss if you nailed the job will ask you, "Do you have any questions?" Always remember that an interview is a communication process where the people involved give and take information from each other.

When this instance happens, your interviewer is practically giving you a chance to assess and to know the possibilities of you being happy or being challenged in the company. Oftentimes an interviewee gets so nervous during his interview that he practically forgets his part in the interaction process and that is to communicate or to prepare interview questions to ask the employer.

An interviewer will basically introduce the company to you so you will have an idea on what you are getting in to. If you tend to understand everything he said and pose no questions then that's a bad point for you.

Here is an advice to keep in mind, ALWAYS prepare series of questions to ask. Just make sure you ask questions that were not answered or were not clearly emphasized by the interviewer during the talk. You may as well ask for additional or further clarification on some matters discussed.

Here are some questions for you to consider:

1. What do you take into account to be your establishments' most important assets?

2. What happened to the last person who handled this job? Is this a new position I am taking in?

3. What were the main strengths and drawbacks of the last person who handled this job?

4. What would you consider to be the primary aspects of this job?

5. Where have previous employees who held this position progressed to within the company?

6. Could you please give a scenario of a regular day or week in this position? The particular client I would be dealing with?

7. What is your organization's policy or stand for projects held in other cities?

8. What particular kind of work can I expect to master for the first year?

9. What is the expected extent of guidance or assistance made to individuals in developing career goals?

10. Could you describe your company's management approach and the characters of employee who fits well with it?

11. Does your company provide seminars, workshops and training to employees that could enhance their skills?

12. What particular computer equipment and software do you use?

Doing a job interview is not merely answering questions thrown by the interviewer but your potential employer is also eager to answer questions from you. Learn as much as you can about the position and the people you will be working with, always prepare interview questions to ask employer.