50 Tough Interview Questions

Front 1

Tell me a little about yourself.

Back 1

Because this is often the opening question, be careful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two, and consider four topics: early years, education, work history, recent career experience.

Front 2

What can you do for us that someone else can't?

Back 2

Here you have every right and perhaps obligation to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done. Mention specifics from your resume or inventory of accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with history of getting things done, makes you valuable. Mention ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and ability to solve them.

Front 3

Why should we hire you?

Back 3

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience and your energy. What sets you apart from others? Almost like asking what can you do for us that someone else can't.

Front 4

What do you look for in a job?

Back 4

Keep your answer oriented toward the opportunities at the organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for contributions. Orient your answer toward opportunities rather than personal security.

Front 5

How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Back 5

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs enough to make a major contribution.

Front 6

Did you change the nature of your job?

Back 6

Tell how you improved it.

Front 7

Can you work under pressure and deal with deadlines?

Back 7

Observe that both are facts of business life. Take examples from your list of accomplishments to show how you have dealt successfully with pressure and deadlines in the past.

Front 8

In your present (last) position, what problems did you identify that had previously been overlooked?

Back 8

Be brief and don't brag. Indicate the positive changes your suggestions or leadership resulted in.

Front 9

If you could start your career over again what would you do differently?

Back 9

The best answer is, "Not a thing." You should try to present yourself as a person who is happy with is or her life. You've enjoyed its ups and learned from its downs. You would not, as a result, want to change things that brought you to where you are today. Mention that it is the past, after all, that has prepared you for this position.

Front 10

What career options do you have at this moment?

Back 10

You should try to identify three areas of interest, one of which includes this company and job. The other two should be in related fields.

Front 11

How would you define success?

Back 11

Think in terms of a sense of well-being. Consider opportunity and responsibility as components of success.

Front 12

How successful do you think you've been so far?

Back 12

Say that, all in all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed. Given the normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done quite well and expect to continue to succeed in the future. Present a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. An answer like, "Everything is wonderful; I'm overjoyed!" is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying to fool him or yourself. The most convincing confidence is quiet confidence.

Front 13

What do you know about our organization?

Back 13

You should be able to discuss the following: production services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, management style, people, history. However, don't act as if you know everything about the place. Let answers show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer. Make it clear that you wish to learn more.

Front 14

Tell us why you want to work for us?

Back 14

The deadliest answer you can give is "because I like people." What else would you like - animals? Here and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so you can speak in terms of the company's need. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's been doing them in ways that interest you. If the company is known for strong management, and you'd like to be part of that team. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers. **If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question, then you probably shouldn't be taking the interview.**

Front 15

Please give me the definition of (the position for which you are being interviewed).

Back 15

Keep answers brief and task oriented. Think in terms of responsibility and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you aren't sure, ask the interviewer, he or she may answer the question for you.

Front 16

Do yo prefer staff or line work?

Back 16

Say that it depends on the job and its challenge.

Front 17

Don't you think you might be better suited for a different size company? To a different type company?

Back 17

Tailor your answer to the job being discussed. Say that your preferences for the size or type of company generally depend on the job in question. Note that your research has shown you that this organization and this job meet your criteria.

Front 18

If you could choose any company, where would you go?

Back 18

Talk about the job and company for which you're being interviewed.

Front 19

What other jobs are you considering?

Back 19

restrict your answer to fields similar to the one in which this company operates.

Front 20

What are your long-range goals?

Back 20

refer back to the self-assessment phase of your career continuation efforts. Don't answer, "I want the job you advertised." Relate your goals to the company you're interviewing for: "In a firm like yours, I would like to..."

Front 21

What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?

Back 21

List three or four attractive features of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item.

Front 22

In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?

Back 22

Be careful and positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don't site personality problems.

Front 23

In your current (last) position, what have been (were) your five most significant accomplishments?

Back 23

Have specific examples ready. Don't cite more than five. If you want to show that you were responsible for more than five achievements, you can say, "I've given you five that seem the most important to me. There are others, if you'd like to hear about some other areas of my work."

Front 24

How long will you stay with us?

Back 24

Say that you're interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with an organization. Think in terms of, "As long as we both feel achievement oriented."

Front 25

Your resume suggests that you may be overqualified or too experienced for this position. What do you think?

Back 25

Emphasize your interest in establishing a long term association with the organization, and say that you assume if you perform well in this job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that individuals are always at a premium. Suggest that be3cause you are so well-qualified, the company will get a fast return on its investment. Say that a growing company can never have too much talent.

Front 26

What is your management style?

Back 26

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management style will compliment it. Possible styles include: task oriented (problem solving), results oriented (effect on bottom line), participative style (open-door method motivating people and delegating).

Front 27

Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top management potential?

Back 27

Keep your answer achievement and task-oriented. Rely on examples from your career to support your statements. Stress your experience and your energy.

Front 28

What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or an executive?

Back 28

Mention planning, execution and cost control. The most difficult task may be to motivate and manage employees to get tasks routinely planned and completed on time and within budget.

Front 29

Do you consider yourself a leader?

Back 29

Take examples from your work experience.

Front 30

What do you look for when you hire people?

Back 30

Think in terms of skills, initiative and adaptability to work comfortably and productively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in an organization.

Front 31

Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?

Back 31

Admit that the situation wasn't easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company, and you think for the individual and individuals involved. Show that, like anyone else, you don't enjoy unpleasant tasks, but that you can resolve them efficiently and, in the case of firing someone, humanely.

Front 32

What important trends do you see in our industry?

Back 32

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, current competitive situation or regulatory demands related to the direction in which your business is heading.

Front 33

What are the frontier or cutting-edge issues in our industry?

Back 33

Be prepared with two or three key issues.

Front 34

Why are you leaving (did leave) you present (last) position?

Back 34

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search, where you considered this topic as you thought about reference statements. If you were laid off in a staff reduction, say so. Otherwise indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your desire to advance your career. Don't mention personality conflicts. The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it's clear you were terminated. Be as positive and as honest as you can. The "we agreed to disagree" approach suggested may be useful. Don't fabricate a story for an interview.

Front 35

Why haven't you found a job before now?

Back 35

Say that finding a job isn't difficult, but that finding the right job deserves time and demands careful planning.

Front 36

Did you think of leaving your present position before? If so, what do you think held you there?

Back 36

You might say that the challenge of the job held you in the past but, as that seemed to diminish, you reached the decision to investigate new opportunities.

Front 37

What do you think of your (former) boss?

Back 37

Be as positive as you can. A potential boss will anticipate that you might talk about him or her in similar terms at some point in the future.

Front 38

Will you be out to take your boss's job?

Back 38

Say that while you certainly hope to win additional responsibility in the organization, you've always focused on getting the current job done.

Front 39

Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?

Back 39

Be specific. don't be emotional. think in terms of constructive criticism. Show that you responded and benefited from that criticism.

Front 40

If I spoke with your (former) boss, what would he or she say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Back 40

Name three or four strengths and only one weakness. Be honest but not negative.

Front 41

What are your strong points?

Back 41

Present at least three. Use concrete, work-related examples to illustrate them. Try to relate your answer to the interviewing organization and job opening.

Front 42

What are your weak points?

Back 42

Don't say you have none. But try to make a negative sound like a strength carried a bit too far. "I sometimes get impatient and become deeply involved when a project is running late." Show that you're working to correct your weakness. If the interviewer is persistent for a second, have a second. For a third, say politely you really can't think of anything else.

Front 43

Why aren't you earning more at your age?

Back 43

Say that is one reason you're conducting this job search. Don't be defensive.

Front 44

What do you feel this position should pay?

Back 44

This is a delicate topic. We suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure for as long as you can do so politely. Perhaps answering a question with a question, "Perhaps you can help me on this one. Can you tell me if there is a range for similar jobs in the organization?" Say as little as you can about salary until you reach the final stage of the interviewing process.

Front 45

Do you have any objection to psychological tests?

Back 45

Say you would feel comfortable taking them.

Front 46

Do you speak to others before they speak to you?

Back 46

The interviewer is probably trying to determine your ability to deal with unstable or unanticipated situations. Say that your actions depend on specific circumstances. While you wouldn't normally start a conversation with a stranger on the street, you feel comfortable initiating discussions with people you don't know in normal business or social settings.

Front 47

What was the last book you read? Movie you saw? Sporting event you attended?

Back 47

try to show that you lead a balanced life when answering questions about outside activities.

Front 48

Are you creative?

Back 48

Be prepared with work related examples of creativity.

Front 49

How would you describe your own personality?

Back 49

It may be wise to say you are the proud owner of a balanced personality.

Front 50

When could you start?

Back 50

Be prepared to give a date or commit to a time and date that you can commit to a start date. "Are you offering the position to me now?" might be a good response if an offer has not yet been made.