By Martin Yate Questions at job interviews are meant to address your ability to do the work. Questions that delve into your personal life are deemed illegal. In the
future, in SOME locations (the state of Massachusetts and the city of Philadelphia, for example), asking you about your previous salary will be an illegal question, too. We'll provide more information about those laws as they are implemented.
Nevertheless, illegal questions do get asked. They can make you uncomfortable and can negatively impact your interview performance. That is something you want to avoid because your ability to turn interviews into offers
is probably not one of your greatest strengths. From an objective point-of-view, you should always go to a job interview with the goal of getting the job offer. Whether you want the job or not is irrelevant. Getting job offers means you are developing those interviewing skills -- you know, the ones that put food on your table. Learning how to successfully manage illegal questions is an important skill to develop.
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By Jeff Lipschultz For successful job interviews, words are
nice; stories are better! When I prepare my candidates for their job interviews, we always talk about "the checklist." This checklist is the list of examples from their experience that directly addresses the qualifications they to need to cover during the interview. These might include: - Key projects
- Closing big deals
- Huge contributions to operational savings
- Demonstration of industry knowledge
The checklist varies, of course, based on the person and the job they are seeking. My advice is to always prepare stories you are going to tell during the interview
that address the job description.
Often, the job requirements include the intangibles -- the "soft skills."
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By Susan P. Joyce Interviewers seem to have favorite questions that they always ask every job candidate. The best way to impress interviewers is to have thought about the question and prepared to answer it in advance. Some of these questions will also be asked while networking or just talking with family and friends. Get comfortable answering them. Smart job seekers
prepare in advance for those questions so they can answer them effectively, impressing the listener and moving closer to a job offer. Some people find it helpful to write out their answers. Others just make notes. Which ever method you choose, take the time to prepare. If you can, have a friend or family member ask you the questions, and then answer them without looking at your notes. Or, practice in front of a mirror. Whatever works best for
you. Why Employers Ask These Questions The questions asked in a job interview may seem random and weird to you as a candidate. Often the interviewers are not trained or experienced in job interviews, so, for some employers, a job interview can be very weird.
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Often the opening question, it is not an invitation to ramble on about your life history, your favorite baseball team (unless you are interviewing for a job on the team), your car (unless you are interviewing for a car-related job), your school, your family, etc. As with most other job interview questions, your answer should focus on why you are a good fit for this
job. The interviewer is looking for an overview of your qualifications for their job and also why you are interested. The best way to avoid taking a job you will hate (resulting in another job hunt too soon) is to learn as much as you can about the job, the employer, your boss, your coworkers, and the environment before you accept the job offer. Job interviews should be as great a source of information for you, as
they are for employers. When you have your own questions ready, you can often divert the interviewer's attention in uncomfortable situations (like after you have answered why you were fired). This question can make the most seasoned interviewee squirm a little because of the first word; why. A question starting with "why" immediately places you on the defensive. If there is anything that is dissatisfying about your current position, this is where you might unwittingly share that information and unintentionally emit a negative vibe -- a very bad impression to make. Unless you are part of a well-publicized
corporate implosion (e.g. Enron) or reorganization, stay positive in your response. Start by responding with “What I really like about this job and company that is different from my current one is…”
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