Interview Questions

A list of common questions asked in interviews and how to answer them.

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What are your greatest weaknesses?
• Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of.
• Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position?
• The “Silent Treatment”
• Why should I hire you?
• Aren’t you overqualified for this position?
• Where do you see yourself five years from now?
• Describe your ideal company, location and job.
• Why do you want to work at our company?
• What are your career options right now?
• Why have you been out of work so long?
• Tell me honestly about the strong points and weak points of your boss (company, management team, etc.)…
• What good books have you read lately?
• Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized.
• What are your outside interest?
• The “Fatal Flaw” question
• How do you feel about reporting to a younger person (minority, woman, etc)?
• On confidential matters…
• Would you lie for the company?
• Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?
• Could you have done better in your last job?
• Can you work under pressure?
• What makes you angry?
• Why aren’t you earning more money at this stage of your career?
• Who has inspired you in your life and why?
• What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
• Tell me about the most boring job you’ve ever had.
• Have you been absent from work more than a few days in any previous position?
• What changes would you make if you came on board?
• I’m concerned that you don’t have as much experience as we’d like in…
• How do you feel about working nights and weekends?
• Are you willing to relocate or travel?
• Do you have the stomach to fire people? Have you had experience firing many people?
• Why have you had so many jobs?
• 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.
• What would you say to your boss if he’s crazy about an idea, but you think it stinks?
• How could you have improved your career progress?
• 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?
• You’ve been with your firm a long time. Won’t it be hard switching to a new company?
• May I contact your present employer for a reference?
• Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skill…managing ability, etc.)
• Where could you use some improvement?
• What do you worry about?
• How many hours a week do you normally work?
• What’s the most difficult part of being a (job title)?
• The “Hypothetical Problem”
• What was the toughest challenge you’ve ever faced?
• Have you consider starting your own business?
• What are your goals?
• What do you for when you hire people?
• Sell me this stapler…(this pencil…this clock…or some other object on interviewer’s desk).
• “The Salary Question” – How much money do you want?
• The Illegal Question
• The “Secret” Illegal Question
• What was the toughest part of your last job?
• How do you define success…and how do you measure up to your own definition?.
• “The Opinion Question” – What do you think about …Abortion…The President…The Death Penalty…(or any other controversial subject)?
• If you won $10 million lottery, would you still work?
• Looking back on your last position, have you done your best work?
• Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from within?
• Tell me something negative you’ve heard about our company…
• On a scale of one to ten, rate me as an interviewer.

Question: 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 positivism.

However, don’t give a numerical rating. Simply praise whatever interview style he’s been using.
If he’s been tough, say “You have been thorough and tough-minded, the very qualities needed to conduct a good interview.”

If he’s been methodical, say, “You have been very methodical and analytical, and I’m sure that approach results in excellent hires for your firm.”

In other words, pay him a sincere compliment that he can believe because it’s anchored in the behavior you’ve just seen.

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Question: 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: “In general, I think it’s a good policy to hire from within – to look outside probably means you’re not completely comfortable choosing someone from inside.

“Naturally, you want this department to be as strong as it possibly can be, so you want the strongest candidate. I feel that I can fill that bill because…(then recap your strongest qualifications that match up with his greatest needs).”

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Question: 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, and the best of your career is right now. Like an athlete at the top of his game, you are just hitting your career stride thanks to several factors. Then, recap those factors, highlighting your strongest qualifications.

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Question: 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 interviewer to silently mutter to himself, “Yeah, sure. Gimme a break.”

BEST ANSWER: This type of question is aimed at getting at your bedrock attitude about work and how you feel about what you do. Your best answer will focus on your positive feelings.
Example: “After I floated down from cloud nine, I think I would still hold my basic belief that achievement and purposeful work are essential to a happy, productive life. After all, if money alone bought happiness, then all rich people would be all happy, and that’s not true.

“I love the work I do, and I think I’d always want to be involved in my career in some fashion. Winning the lottery would make it more fun because it would mean having more flexibility, more options...who knows?”

“Of course, since I can’t count on winning, I’d just as soon create my own destiny by sticking with what’s worked for me, meaning good old reliable hard work and a desire to achieve. I think those qualities have built many more fortunes that all the lotteries put together.”

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Question: 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 realization of a worthy goal.”

“As to how I would measure up to that definition, I would consider myself both successful and fortunate…”(Then summarize your career goals and how your achievements have indeed represented a progressive path toward realization of your goals.)

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Question: “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:
Never bring up salary. Let the interviewer do it first. Good salespeople sell their products thoroughly before talking price. So should you. Make the interviewer want you first, and your bargaining position will be much stronger.

If your interviewer raises the salary question too early, before you’ve had a chance to create desire for your qualifications, postpone the question, saying something like, “Money is important to me, but is not my main concern. Opportunity and growth are far more important. What I’d rather do, if you don’t mind, is explore if I’m right for the position, and then talk about money. Would that be okay?”

The #1 rule of any negotiation is: the side with more information wins. After you’ve done a thorough job of selling the interviewer and it’s time to talk salary, the secret is to get the employer talking about what he’s willing to pay before you reveal what you’re willing to accept. So, when asked about salary, respond by asking, “I’m sure the company has already established a salary range for this position. Could you tell me what that is?” Or, “I want an income commensurate with my ability and qualifications. I trust you’ll be fair with me. What does the position pay?” Or, more simply, “What does this position pay?”

Know beforehand what you’d accept. To know what’s reasonable, research the job market and this position for any relevant salary information. Remember that most executives look for a 20-25%$ pay boost when they switch jobs. If you’re grossly underpaid, you may want more.
Never lie about what you currently make, but feel free to include the estimated cost of all your fringes, which could well tack on 25-50% more to your present “cash-only” salary.