In the book “How to find a job in 30 days“, I wrote a chapter about how to prepare for a job interview.
I presented a long list of questions that are usually asked by recruiters and explained what is being evaluated in each answer you give.
This article complements the text of that chapter.
What do you know about our company?
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What did you do to prepare for this interview?
Take a look at this video from Suzy Welch: “The single best question to ask in a job interview“.
When you last changed jobs, what was your reason for doing so?
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Why have you been unemployed for so long?
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Why are you leaving your current job? (a question for candidates currently in work)
Here are a few little gems I have heard over the years in reply to this question.
– “I can’t stand my boss anymore! I have to do everything and he’s never satisfied with the way I do it.”
– “I’m frightened of enclosed spaces. I’m pregnant and… I have to think of my daughter above all else!”
– “My boss is an old bore who can’t even use RAR to compact files”
Don’t you think you are over-qualified for this job?
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Do you remember a time when you knew you were right, but your superior asked you to do the exact opposite? How did you react?
Careful how you answer this one!
Have you ever looked at your watch and suddenly realised you had completely lost track of time? What were you doing when this happened?
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Would you like to run your own business one day? What kind of business?
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How much do you expect to earn?
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Is there anything you would like to ask?
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As well the questions I gave you earlier, some recruiters like to see how fast you can think on your feet and might throw in an odd question or two to test you out.
Have a look at these examples, which I often use to close an interview:
How many months have 28 days?
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After midday, at what time do the hands of a clock meet up again?
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I’m thinking of a number between 0 and 100. What number am I thinking of?
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Think about your answers to all the questions in the sections above.
There are thousands of variations on the same theme, but the end goal is always to test people’s confidence, speed of thought and whether not a candidate will create conflict if chosen for a position on the team.
At the end of the job interview…
… ask one of these 32 smart questions presented by Rachel Gillett on Business Insider. Remember that “every interview is a two-way street”.
What should you do on your first day at work?
In the book “How to find a job in 30 days”, I wrote a chapter about the way you should behave on your first day in a new job to make a really good first impression.
I also suggest that you see this video, shared on the Business Insider YouTube channel. It gives a few tips on what not to say on the first day in a new job. Somethings you should NEVER say!
