COMMON JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS and HOW TO ANSWER THEM Maret McCoy, Executive Coach for Women Helping Professional Women Land and Succeed in their Dream Job www.maretmccoy.com Maret@MaretMcCoy.com Getting ready for a job interview can be challenging. To help make the process much easier, I ve developed a list of common interview questions and how to answer them. Review these questions and organize your customized responses ahead of time. That way, you ll feel well-prepared and confident in the interview meeting. Tell me about yourself. This is a soft ball question because you can answer it any way you d like. Take advantage of this opportunity by tailoring your response to the specifics of what the hiring manager is looking for. Keep it short and to the point. A brief, organized statement of your education, professional achievements and goals is what they want. Briefly describe your qualifications for the job and the contributions you ll make to the organization. What do you know about our company? This is your chance to demonstrate you ve done your homework and thoroughly researched the organization. Based on your findings, give a brief overview of the company. Include elements such as the employer s: Organizational Mission History Target Customer Base Past Successes, Existing Challenges and Current Initiatives 1
Why do you want to work here? / What about our company interests you? Show the interviewer your enthusiastic interest in the company. Share what you learned when you researched the organization and its industry. Talk about how your professional skills will benefit the company. The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you ve given this some thought. They want to know that you applied for the position because you truly want to work for that organization, rather than simply because there is a job opening. You could say for example, I ve selected key companies whose mission statements are in line with my professional passions and values and this company is very high on my list of desirable choices. What are your best skills? Discuss your top professional competencies as they relate to the position. Provide on-the-job examples of how you have demonstrated these skills. What is your major weakness? Be positive and turn a weakness into a strength. For example, you might say: I often worry too much over my work. Sometimes I work late or take on too much responsibility to make sure the job is done well and on time. What are your career goals? The interviewer wants to know if your career vision and the company s goals are compatible. Show that you are ambitious enough to plan ahead. Talk about your desire to learn more and improve your performance. Be specific about how you will meet the goals you have set for yourself. Why did you leave (are you leaving) your job? If you are unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context. For example: I managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 20 percent reduction in the workforce, which unfortunately included me. 2
If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: After three years of successfully serving in my current role, I made the decision to look for a position in which I can contribute my skills and experience to take on even more leadership responsibility. When were you most satisfied in your job? The interviewer wants to know what motivates you. Relate an example of a project you were excited about to give the interviewer an idea of your preferences. For example: I was very satisfied in my last position because I worked directly with clients to solve their challenges. This is an important part of the job for me. Why should we hire you? Summarize your skills and experience as it relates to the job. Discuss what makes you unique. For example: I possess a unique combination of strong technical skills and the ability to relate well with clients. This allows me to convey information in a user-friendly fashion while building positive working relationships. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you? It s time to pull out your old performance evaluations and manager quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else s words. For example: In my last performance appraisal, my manager stated that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me to get the job done on time and within budget. What salary are you seeking? It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the salary range first. Prepare for this discussion by knowing the average salaries in your industry as well as your salary goals and bottom line walk-away point. One possible answer would be: I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. What is the typical salary range for this position? 3
MARET MCCOY, EXECUTIVE COACH FOR WOMEN As an experienced executive coach, Maret helps professional women discover their authentic career fit - a job that offers fulfillment and is a match with their greatest skills and interests. She knows all too well the struggles of working in the wrong job, having experienced it firsthand. Now, after a decade of working in the corporate world and over seven years of owning her own coaching firm, she works in her dream job and helps other women achieve that same level of career fulfillment and satisfaction for themselves. Maret has coached hundreds of professional women from a wide variety of backgrounds including technology, communications, finance, law, education and health care. She has worked with women from corporations such as Accenture, Fidelity and BAE Systems; major philanthropic organizations such as the Red Cross and the World Wildlife Federation; and federal agencies such as the Justice and Treasury Departments. Maret has also coached women attorneys at ten of the top 100 law firms in the nation. She has coached an attorney at The White House who said: Maret is a cut-above in the coaching profession. I highly recommend her services to others who want to achieve results now! Maret s diverse professional background having worked in the private, government and nonprofit sectors provides her with a depth and breadth of career experience that she freely shares with her coaching clients. Her education includes a Master s degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor s degree in Economics as well as coach training credentials. 4
She loves being a coach and thrives on helping women achieve true career and personal satisfaction. Her role as an executive coach and businesswoman is in perfect alignment with her greatest strengths and passions and she is dedicated to helping other women find the same level of professional fulfillment. Prior to launching her coaching business, Maret worked for over a decade in both business and politics. In the private sector, she held several managerial positions in which she played an integral role during rapid growth and expansion phases - contributing to business strategy, systems development and operational optimization. Maret has also held staff appointments within the United States Congress and the New York State Senate. Maret holds a Master s degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor s degree in Economics as well as extensive coach training credentials. She lives on the gorgeous island of Maui in Hawaii. Maret McCoy Enterprises. All rights reserved. To request reprinting permission, send an email to Maret@MaretMcCoy.com. 5