ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN, RATE ME AS AN INTERVIEWER?

Question 64 On a scale of one to ten, rate me as an interviewer. TRAPS: Give a perfect “10,” and you’ll seem too easy to please. Give anything less than a perfect 10, and he could press you as to where you’re being critical, and that road leads downhill for you. BEST ANSWER: Once again, never be negative. The interviewer will only resent criticism coming from you. This is the time to show your...

TELL ME SOMETHING NEGATIVE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT OUR COMPANY?

Question 63 Tell me something negative you’ve heard about our company… TRAPS: This is a common fishing expedition to see what the industry grapevine may be saying about the company. But it’s also a trap because as an outsider, you never want to be the bearer of unflattering news or gossip about the firm. It can only hurt your chances and sidetrack the interviewer from getting sold on you. BEST...

WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN I COULD PROMOTE SOMEONE FROM WITHIN?

Question 62 Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from within? TRAPS: This question isn’t as aggressive as it sounds. It represents the interviewer’s own dilemma over this common problem. He’s probably leaning toward you already and for reassurance, wants to hear what you have to say on the matter. BEST ANSWER: Help him see the qualifications that only you can offer. Example:...

LOOKING BACK ON YOUR LAST POSITION, HAVE YOU DONE YOUR BEST WORK?

Question 61 Looking back on your last position, have you done your best work? TRAPS: Tricky question. Answer “absolutely” and it can seem like your best work is behind you. Answer, “no, my best work is ahead of me,” and it can seem as if you didn’t give it your all. BEST ANSWER: To cover both possible paths this question can take, your answer should state that you always try to do your best,...

IF YOU WON $10 MILLION LOTTERY, WOULD YOU STILL WORK?

Question 60 If you won $10 million lottery, would you still work? TRAPS: Your totally honest response might be, “Hell, no, are you serious?” That might be so, but any answer which shows you as fleeing work if given the chance could make you seem lazy. On the other hand, if you answer, “Oh, I’d want to keep doing exactly what I am doing, only doing it for your firm,” you could easily inspire your...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ABORTION THE PRESIDENT THE DEATH PENALTY?

Question 59 “The Opinion Question” – What do you think about …Abortion…The President…The Death Penalty…(or any other controversial subject)? TRAPS: Obviously, these and other “opinion” questions should never be asked. Sometimes they come up over a combination dinner/interview when the interviewer has had a drink or two, is feeling relaxed, and is spouting off about something that bugged him in...

HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP TO YOUR OWN DEFINITION?

Question 58 How do you define success…and how do you measure up to your own definition? TRAPS: Seems like an obvious enough question. Yet many executives, unprepared for it, fumble the ball. BEST ANSWER: Give a well-accepted definition of success that leads right into your own stellar collection of achievements. Example: “The best definition I’ve come across is that success is the progressive...

WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST PART OF YOUR LAST JOB?

Question 57 What was the toughest part of your last job? TRAPS: This is slightly different from the question raised earlier, “What’s the most difficult part of being a (job title…)” because this asks what you personally have found most difficult in your last position. This question is more difficult to redefine into something positive. Your interviewer will assume that whatever you found toughest...

THE SECRET ILLEGAL QUESTION?

Question 56 The “Secret” Illegal Question TRAPS: Much more frequent than the Illegal question (see Question 55) is the secret illegal question. It’s secret because it’s asked only in the interviewer’s mind. Since it’s not even expressed to you, you have no way to respond to it, and it can there be most damaging. Example: You’re physically challenged, or a single mother returning to your professional...

THE ILLEGAL QUESTION?

Question 55 The Illegal Question TRAPS: Illegal questions include any regarding your age…number and ages of your children or other dependents…marital status…maiden name…religion…political affiliation…ancestry…national origin…birthplace…naturalization of your parents, spouse or children…diseases…disabilities…clubs…or spouse’s occupation…unless any of the above are directly related to your performance...

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU WANT?

Question 54 “The Salary Question” – How much money do you want? TRAPS: May also be phrases as, “What salary are you worth?”…or, “How much are you making now?” This is your most important negotiation. Handle it wrong and you can blow the job offer or go to work at far less than you might have gotten. BEST ANSWER: For maximum salary negotiating power, remember these five guidelines: 1. Never bring...

SELL ME THIS STAPLER?

Question 53 Sell me this stapler…(this pencil…this clock…or some other object on interviewer’s desk). TRAPS: Some interviewers, especially business owners and hard-changing executives in marketing-driven companies, feel that good salesmanship is essential for any key position and ask for an instant demonstration of your skill. Be ready. BEST ANSWER: Of course, you already know the most important...

WHAT DO YOU FOR WHEN YOU HIRE PEOPLE?

Question 52 What do you for when you hire people? TRAPS: Being unprepared for the question. BEST ANSWER: Speak your own thoughts here, but for the best answer weave them around the three most important qualifications for any position. 1. Can the person do the work (qualifications)? 2. Will the person do the work (motivation)? 3. Will the person fit in (“our kind of team player”)?...

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Question 51 What are your goals? TRAPS: Not having any…or having only vague generalities, not highly specific goals. BEST ANSWER: Many executives in a position to hire you are strong believers in goal-setting. (It’s one of the reason they’ve achieved so much). They like to hire in kind. If you’re vague about your career and personal goals, it could be a big turnoff to may people you will encounter...

HAVE YOU CONSIDER STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

Question 50 Have you consider starting your own business? TRAPS: If you say “yes” and elaborate enthusiastically, you could be perceived as a loose cannon in a larger company, too entrepreneurial to make a good team player…or someone who had to settle for the corporate life because you couldn’t make a go of your own business. Also too much enthusiasm in answering “yes” could rouse the paranoia of...

WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YOU'VE EVER FACED?

Question 49 What was the toughest challenge you’ve ever faced? TRAPS: Being unprepared or citing an example from so early in your life that it doesn’t score many points for you at this stage of your career. BEST ANSWER: This is an easy question if you’re prepared. Have a recent example ready that demonstrates either: 1. A quality most important to the job at hand; or 2. A quality that is always...

THE HYPOTHETICAL PROBLEM

Question 48 The “Hypothetical Problem” TRAPS: Sometimes an interviewer will describe a difficult situation and ask, “How would you handle this?” Since it is virtually impossible to have all the facts in front of you from such a short presentation, don’t fall into the trap of trying to solve this problem and giving your verdict on the spot. It will make your decision-making process seem woefully...

WHAT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF BEING A (JOB TITLE)?

Question 47 What’s the most difficult part of being a (job title)? TRAPS: Unless you phrase your answer properly, your interviewer may conclude that whatever you identify as “difficult” is where you are weak. BEST ANSWER: First, redefine “difficult” to be “challenging” which is more positive. Then, identify an area everyone in your profession considers challenging and in which you excel. Describe...

HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK DO YOU NORMALLY WORK?

Question 46 How many hours a week do you normally work? TRAPS: You don’t want to give a specific number. Make it to low, and you may not measure up. Too high, and you’ll forever feel guilty about sneaking out the door at 5:15. BEST ANSWER: If you are in fact a workaholic and you sense this company would like that: Say you are a confirmed workaholic, that you often work nights and weekends....

WHAT DO YOU WORRY ABOUT?

Question 45 What do you worry about? TRAPS: Admit to worrying and you could sound like a loser. Saying you never worry doesn’t sound credible. BEST ANSWER: Redefine the word ‘worry’ so that it does not reflect negatively on you. Example: “I wouldn’t call it worry, but I am a strongly goal-oriented person. So I keep turning over in my mind anything that seems to be keeping me from achieving...

WHERE COULD YOU USE SOME IMPROVEMENT?

Question 44 Where could you use some improvement? TRAPS: Another tricky way to get you to admit weaknesses. Don’t fall for it. BEST ANSWER: Keep this answer, like all your answers, positive. A good way to answer this question is to identify a cutting-edge branch of your profession (one that’s not essential to your employer’s needs) as an area you’re very excited about and want to explore more...

GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR CREATIVITY?

Question 43 Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skill…managing ability, etc.) TRAPS: The worst offense here is simply being unprepared. Your hesitation may seem as if you’re having a hard time remembering the last time you were creative, analytical, etc. BEST ANSWER: Remember from Question 2 that you should commit to memory a list of your greatest and most recent achievements, ever...

MAY I CONTACT YOUR PRESENT EMPLOYER FOR A REFERENCE?

Question 42 May I contact your present employer for a reference? TRAPS: If you’re trying to keep your job search private, this is the last thing you want. But if you don’t cooperate, won’t you seem as if you’re trying to hide something? BEST ANSWER: Express your concern that you’d like to keep your job search private, but that in time, it will be perfectly okay. Example: “My present employer...

YOU'VE BEEN WITH YOUR FIRM A LONG TIME. WON'T IT BE HARD SWITCHING TO A NEW COMPANY?

Question 41 You’ve been with your firm a long time. Won’t it be hard switching to a new company? TRAPS: Your interviewer is worried that this old dog will find it hard to learn new tricks. BEST ANSWER: To overcome this objection, you must point to the many ways you have grown and adapted to changing conditions at your present firm. It has not been a static situation. Highlight the different...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF A FELLOW EXECUTIVE ON YOUR OWN CORPORATE LEVEL WASN'T PULLING HIS/HER WEIGHT & THIS WAS HURTING YOUR DEPARTMENT?

Question 40 What would you do if a fellow executive on your own corporate level wasn’t pulling his/her weight…and this was hurting your department? TRAPS: This question and other hypothetical ones test your sense of human relations and how you might handle office politics. BEST ANSWER: Try to gauge the political style of the firm and be guided accordingly. In general, fall back on universal principles...

HOW WOULD YOU HAVE IMPROVED YOUR CAREER PROGRESS?

Question 39 How could you have improved your career progress? TRAPS: This is another variation on the question, “If you could, how would you live your life over?” Remember, you’re not going to fall for any such invitations to rewrite person history. You can’t win if you do. BEST ANSWER: You’re generally quite happy with your career progress. Maybe, if you had known something earlier in life...

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUR BOSS IF HE'S CRAZY ABOUT AN IDEA, BUT YOU THINK IT STINKS?

Question 38 What would you say to your boss if he’s crazy about an idea, but you think it stinks? TRAPS: This is another question that pits two values, in this case loyalty and honesty, against one another. BEST ANSWER: Remember the rule stated earlier: In any conflict between values, always choose integrity. Example: I believe that when evaluating anything, it’s important to emphasize the...

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE PROPER ROLE/MISSION OF?

Question 37 What do you see as the proper role/mission of… …a good (job title you’re seeking); …a good manager; …an executive in serving the community; …a leading company in our industry; etc. TRAPS: These and other “proper role” questions are designed to test your understanding of your place in the bigger picture of your department, company, community and profession….as well as the proper role...

WHY HAVE YOU HAD SO MANY JOBS?

Question 36 Why have you had so many jobs? TRAPS: Your interviewer fears you may leave this position quickly, as you have others. He’s concerned you may be unstable, or a “problem person” who can’t get along with others. BEST ANSWER: First, before you even get to the interview stage, you should try to minimize your image as job hopper. If there are several entries on your resume of less than...

DO YOU HAVE THE STOMACH TO FIRE PEOPLE?

Question 35 Do you have the stomach to fire people? Have you had experience firing many people? TRAPS: This “innocent” question could be a trap door which sends you down a chute and lands you in a heap of dust outside the front door. Why? Because its real intent is not just to see if you’ve got the stomach to fire, but also to uncover poor judgment in hiring which has caused you to fire so many....

ARE YOU WILLING TO RELOCATE OR TRAVEL?

Question 34 Are you willing to relocate or travel? TRAPS: Answer with a flat “no” and you may slam the door shut on this opportunity. But what if you’d really prefer not to relocate or travel, yet wouldn’t want to lose the job offer over it? BEST ANSWER: First find out where you may have to relocate and how much travel may be involved. Then respond to the question. If there’s no problem, say...

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS?

Question 33 How do you feel about working nights and weekends? TRAPS: Blurt out “no way, Jose” and you can kiss the job offer goodbye. But what if you have a family and want to work a reasonably normal schedule? Is there a way to get both the job and the schedule you want? BEST ANSWER: First, if you’re a confirmed workaholic, this question is a softball lob. Whack it out of the park on the...

I'M CONCERNED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS WE'D LIKE IN?

Question 32 I’m concerned that you don’t have as much experience as we’d like in… TRAPS: This could be a make-or-break question. The interviewer mostly likes what he sees, but has doubts over one key area. If you can assure him on this point, the job may be yours. BEST ANSWER: This question is related to “The Fatal Flaw” (Question 18), but here the concern is not that you are totally missing...

WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE IF YOU CAME ON BOARD?

Question 31 What changes would you make if you came on board? TRAPS: Watch out! This question can derail your candidacy faster than a bomb on the tracks – and just as you are about to be hired. Reason: No matter how bright you are, you cannot know the right actions to take in a position before you settle in and get to know the operation’s strengths, weaknesses key people, financial condition,...

HAVE YOU BEEN ABSENT FROM WORK MORE THAN A FEW DAYS IN ANY PREVIOUS POSITION?

Question 30 Have you been absent from work more than a few days in any previous position? TRAPS: If you’ve had a problem, you can’t lie. You could easily be found out. Yet admitting an attendance problem could raise many flags. BEST ANSWER: If you have had no problem, emphasize your excellent and consistent attendance record throughout your career. Also describe how important you believe such...

TELL ME ABOUT THE MOST BORING JOB YOU'VE EVER HAD?

Question 29 Tell me about the most boring job you’ve ever had. TRAPS: You give a very memorable description of a very boring job. Result? You become associated with this boring job in the interviewer’s mind. BEST ANSWER: You have never allowed yourself to grow bored with a job and you can’t understand it when others let themselves fall into that rut. Example: “Perhaps I’ve been fortunate, but...

WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST DECISION YOU EVER HAD TO MAKE?

Question 28 What was the toughest decision you ever had to make? TRAPS: Giving an unprepared or irrelevant answer. BEST ANSWER: Be prepared with a good example, explaining why the decision was difficult…the process you followed in reaching it…the courageous or effective way you carried it out…and the beneficial results....

WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND WHY?

Question 27 Who has inspired you in your life and why? TRAPS: The two traps here are unpreparedness and irrelevance. If you grope for an answer, it seems you’ve never been inspired. If you ramble about your high school basketball coach, you’ve wasted an opportunity to present qualities of great value to the company. BEST ANSWER: Have a few heroes in mind, from your mental “Board of Directors”...

WHY AREN'T YOU EARNING MORE MONEY AT THIS STAGE OF YOUR CAREER?

Question 26 Why aren’t you earning more money at this stage of your career? TRAPS: You don’t want to give the impression that money is not important to you, yet you want to explain why your salary may be a little below industry standards. BEST ANSWER: You like to make money, but other factors are even more important. Example: “Making money is very important to me, and one reason I’m here is because...

WHAT MAKES YOU ANGRY?

Question 25 What makes you angry? TRAPS: You don’t want to come across either as a hothead or a wimp. BEST ANSWER: Give an answer that’s suited to both your personality and the management style of the firm. Here, the homework you’ve done about the company and its style can help in your choice of words. Examples: If you are a reserved person and/or the corporate culture is coolly professional: “I’m...

CAN YOU WORK UNDER PRESSURE?

Question 24 Can you work under pressure? TRAPS: An easy question, but you want to make your answer believable. BEST ANSWER: Absolutely…(then prove it with a vivid example or two of a goal or project accomplished under severe pressure.)...

COULD YOU HAVE DONE BETTER IN YOUR LAST JOB?

Question 23 Could you have done better in your last job? TRAPS: This is no time for true confessions of major or even minor problems. BEST ANSWER: Again never be negative. Example: “I suppose with the benefit of hindsight you can always find things to do better, of course, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything of major consequence.” (If more explanation seems necessary) Describer...

LOOKING BACK, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR LIFE?

Question 22 Looking back, what would you do differently in your life? TRAPS: This question is usually asked to uncover any life-influencing mistakes, regrets, disappointments or problems that may continue to affect your personality and performance. You do not want to give the interviewer anything negative to remember you by, such as some great personal or career disappointment, even long ago, that...

WOULD YOU LIE FOR THE COMPANY?

Question 21 Would you lie for the company? TRAPS: This another question that pits two values against one another, in this case loyalty against integrity. BEST ANSWER: Try to avoid choosing between two values, giving a positive statement which covers all bases instead. Example: “I would never do anything to hurt the company..” If aggressively pressed to choose between two competing values, always...

ON CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS?

Question 20 On confidential matters… TRAPS: When an interviewer presses you to reveal confidential information about a present or former employer, you may feel it’s a no-win situation. If you cooperate, you could be judged untrustworthy. If you don’t, you may irritate the interviewer and seem obstinate, uncooperative or overly suspicious. BEST ANSWER: Your interviewer may press you for this...

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT REPORTING TO A YOUNGER PERSON?

Question 19 How do you feel about reporting to a younger person (minority, woman, etc)? TRAPS: It’s a shame that some interviewers feel the need to ask this question, but many understand the reality that prejudices still exist among some job candidates, and it’s better to try to flush them out beforehand. The trap here is that in today’s politically sensitized environment, even a well-intentioned...

THE FATAL FLAW QUESTION?

Question 18 The “Fatal Flaw” question TRAPS: If an interviewer has read your resume carefully, he may try to zero in on a “fatal flaw” of your candidacy, perhaps that you don’t have a college degree…you’ve been out of the job market for some time…you never earned your CPA, etc. A fatal flaw question can be deadly, but usually only if you respond by being overly defensive. BEST ANSWERS: As every...

WHAT ARE YOUR OUTSIDE INTERESTS?

Question 17 What are your outside interests? TRAPS: You want to be a well-rounded, not a drone. But your potential employer would be even more turned off if he suspects that your heavy extracurricular load will interfere with your commitment to your work duties. BEST ANSWERS: Try to gauge how this company’s culture would look upon your favorite outside activities and be guided accordingly. You...

TELL ME ABOUT A SITUATION WHEN YOUR WORK WAS CRITICIZED?

Question 16 Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized. TRAPS: This is a tough question because it’s a more clever and subtle way to get you to admit to a weakness. You can’t dodge it by pretending you’ve never been criticized. Everybody has been. Yet it can be quite damaging to start admitting potential faults and failures that you’d just as soon leave buried. This question is also...

WHAT GOOD BOOKS HAVE YOU READ LATELY?

Question 15 What good books have you read lately? TRAPS: As in all matters of your interview, never fake familiarity you don’t have. Yet you don’t want to seem like a dullard who hasn’t read a book since Tom Sawyer. BEST ANSWER: Unless you’re up for a position in academia or as book critic for The New York Times, you’re not expected to be a literary lion. But it wouldn’t hurt to have read a...

TELL ME HONESTLY ABOUT THE STRONG POINTS & WEAK POINTS OF YOUR BOSS?

Question 14 Tell me honestly about the strong points and weak points of your boss (company, management team, etc.)… TRAPS: Skillfull interviewers sometimes make it almost irresistible to open up and air a little dirty laundry from your previous position. DON’T BEST ANSWER: Remember the rule: Never be negative. Stress only the good points, no matter how charmingly you’re invited to be critical. Your...

WHY HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF WORK SO LONG?

Question 13 Why have you been out of work so long? TRAPS: A tough question if you’ve been on the beach a long time. You don’t want to seem like damaged goods. BEST ANSWER: You want to emphasize factors which have prolonged your job search by your own choice. Example: “After my job was terminated, I made a conscious decision not to jump on the first opportunities to come along. In my life, I’ve...

WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER OPTIONS RIGHT NOW?

Question 12 What are your career options right now? TRAPS: The interviewer is trying to find out, “How desperate are you?” BEST ANSWER: Prepare for this question by thinking of how you can position yourself as a desired commodity. If you are still working, describe the possibilities at your present firm and why, though you’re greatly appreciated there, you’re looking for something more (challenge,...

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK AT OUR COMPANY?

Question 11 Why do you want to work at our company? TRAPS: This question tests whether you’ve done any homework about the firm. If you haven’t, you lose. If you have, you win big. BEST ANSWER: This question is your opportunity to hit the ball out of the park, thanks to the in-depth research you should do before any interview. Best sources for researching your target company: annual reports,...

DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL COMPANY, LOCATION & JOB?

Question 10 Describe your ideal company, location and job. TRAPS: This is often asked by an experienced interviewer who thinks you may be overqualified, but knows better than to show his hand by posing his objection directly. So he’ll use this question instead, which often gets a candidate to reveal that, indeed, he or she is looking for something other than the position at hand. BEST ANSWER:...

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?

Question 9 Where do you see yourself five years from now? TRAPS: One reason interviewers ask this question is to see if you’re settling for this position, using it merely as a stopover until something better comes along. Or they could be trying to gauge your level of ambition. If you’re too specific, i.e., naming the promotions you someday hope to win, you’ll sound presumptuous. If you’re too...

AREN'T YOU OVERQUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION?

Question 8 Aren’t you overqualified for this position? TRAPS: The employer may be concerned that you’ll grow dissatisfied and leave. BEST ANSWER: As with any objection, don’t view this as a sign of imminent defeat. It’s an invitation to teach the interviewer a new way to think about this situation, seeing advantages instead of drawbacks. Example: “I recognize the job market for what it is –...

WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?

Question 7 Why should I hire you? TRAPS: Believe it or not, this is a killer question because so many candidates are unprepared for it. If you stammer or adlib you’ve blown it. BEST ANSWER: By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall strategy of uncovering the employer’s needs before you answer questions. If you know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question will...

THE SILENT TREATMENT?

Question 6 The “Silent Treatment” TRAPS: Beware – if you are unprepared for this question, you will probably not handle it right and possibly blow the interview. Thank goodness most interviewers don’t employ it. It’s normally used by those determined to see how you respond under stress. Here’s how it works: You answer an interviewer’s question and then, instead of asking another, he just stares...

WHY ARE YOU LEAVING (OR DID YOU LEAVE) THIS POSITION?

Question 5 Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position? TRAPS: Never badmouth your previous industry, company, board, boss, staff, employees or customers. This rule is inviolable: never be negative. Any mud you hurl will only soil your suit. Especially avoid words like “personality clash”, “didn’t get along”, or others which cast a shadow on your competence, integrity, or temperament. BEST...

TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DID - OR FAILED TO DO - THAT YOU NOW FEEL A LITTLE ASHAMED OF?

Question 4 Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of. TRAPS: There are some questions your interviewer has no business asking, and this is one. But while you may feel like answering, “none of your business,” naturally you can’t. Some interviewers ask this question on the chance you admit to something, but if not, at least they’ll see how you think...

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?

Question 3 What are your greatest weaknesses? TRAPS: Beware - this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F” for the interview. PASSABLE ANSWER: Disguise a strength as a weakness. Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not...

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH?

Question 2 What are your greatest strengths? TRAPS: This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't want to come across as egotistical or arrogant. Neither is this a time to be humble. BEST ANSWER: You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this. Prior...

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?

Question 1 Tell me about yourself. TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal matters. BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all successful...