1. What would your previous employer say is your greatest strength?
Be prepared for this question. If you have to sit and think about it it's going to appear as if you're not sure or that you've never identified your own value in the work place - not good. You don't have to have a complex response. Keep it simple and honest. For example, several possibilities could be Leadership, Problem solving ability, Initiative, Energy, Work ethic, Innovative, etc., etc.
2. What do you consider to be your greatest strength?
There isn't any right answer. Just make sure to make your response positive and true. A few good examples include: Your ability to solve complex problems, Your ability to work well on a team, Your ability to shine under pressure, Your ability to focus in chaotic situations, Your ability to prioritize and organize, Your ability to cut through the fluff to identify the real issues, Your ability to influence other positively. If your strength relates to the position in question that will be more beneficial - but again be honest, don't create a strength for yourself just because you think it will sound good.
By maintaining proper routine every day. Putting my strongest points with my weakness. High priority always comes first In PAF.
4. What are your greatest professional strengths In PAF?
When answering this question, we recommends being accurate (share your true strengths, not those you think the interviewer wants to hear); relevant (choose your strengths that are most targeted to this particular position In PAF); and specific (for example, instead of “people skills,” choose “persuasive communication” or “relationship building”). Then, follow up with an example of how you've demonstrated these traits in a professional setting.
5. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes to this question. Briefly explain why without going on and on. If you communicate that you're more successful than you really are you may come off as arrogant or unrealistic. A goof explanation is that you have set professional goals and that you have met some of these goals and are on track to meet more in the near future.
6. How does your present position differ from past ones?
Describe the difference with regards to responsibilities, culture, team, career opportunity, and the work itself.
7. What did you like least about your last (or current) job In PAF?
Don't vent or focus on the negative with brutally honest answers such as "My boss was a jerk," or "The company culture was too politically correct," or "They just weren't giving me the opportunity to take my career to the next level." Instead, keep the emphasis on the positive, even though there are sure to be things you weren't happy about.
8. You notice there are too many non productive internal meetings being held, what do you do?
Reach out to your boss and let him know that first you value his leadership and organization but that you are being overwhelmed with the amount of non productive internal meetings.
9. What would you do if you won the lottery?
The interviewer is asking this question to find out what your true passion is. Ideally it aligns to the type of work you're interviewing for. If not, tie it back in terms of how it relates to the job, for example, "I believe I'll learn the necessary skills in this job to pursue my passion later on in life."
10. Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it?
Show that you set great goals and the process and steps you took to achieve it. Details really matter here.
11. What would you like to avoid completely in your next job In PAF?
Bad business ethics, teammates / managers that are disrespectful / inconsiderate. But of course, this job wouldn't have things like this right?
12. What are your weaknesses for PAF position?
Try not to be too critical when answering this question. Instead, pick one of your weaknesses and try to turn it into a positive.
For example, you could be a perfectionist, which means that you sometimes take longer on tasks, but you make sure that they are completed to a high quality. It is important to make a negative into a positive as it doesn't make you appear overly critical and shows you can reflect on your own performance.
13. Your client is upset with you for a mistake you made, how do you react?
Acknowledge their pain - empathize with them. Then apologize and offer a solution to fix the mistake.
14. Why do you want to work for this company?
Again be honest. The interviewer will be able to sense very quickly if you're be disingenuous. Your answer should be base on your person reasons, career aspirations as well as research you've performed on the company. The most important thing you should do is make sure to relate your answer to your long-term career goals.
15. What is your greatest professional achievement?
Nothing says “hire me” better than a track record of achieving amazing results in past jobs In PAF, so don't be shy when answering this interview question! A great way to do so is by using the S-T-A-R method: Set up the situation and the task that you were required to complete to provide the interviewer with background context (e.g., “In my last job as a PAF, it was my role to manage the invoicing process”), but spend the bulk of your time describing what you actually did (the action) and what you achieved (the result). For example, “In one month, I streamlined the process, which saved my group 10 man-hours each month and reduced errors on invoices by 25%.”
16. In your last job what kinds of pressure did you encounter and how did you react In PAF?
Do not show your fear or uneasiness in handling pressure. Everyone likes to have a worker who can handle pressure calmly and with a clear train of thought. Show how you would logically come to a conclusion in a pressure filled situation.
17. Do you have any blind spots?
This question is often meant to trick candidates since acknowledgment of blind spots would indicate they were aware of them. Also, do not disclose bad habits or other personal concerns. Let the interviewer find out about your personal flaws through the course of the interview without directly stating these flaws.
18. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
Friends would typically use attributes like (assuming you have these): Trustworthy, honest, hardworking, friendly, courageous, nice, diligent, organized and so forth. Not saying you have all of these, but the best way for you to find out is to survey your friends by asking them what they consider your brand to be.
19. Think about the changes you have seen and tell me how you handle change?
You can cite personal life changes, work place changes, career changes, technology change, industry change. The key is to discuss how seeing or experiencing that change has helped your development. For example, the recent changes in social media has broadened my horizons and helped me learn new forms of efficient marketing.
20. Explain yourself in one line?
When you respond, keep in mind the type of position you are interviewing for like PAF based job, the company culture, and the work environment. Your answer should help show the interviewer why you're a match for the job and for the company.
Sample answers are:
☛ I'm a people person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different people.
☛ I'm a perfectionist. I pay attention to all the details, and like to be sure that everything is just right.
☛ I'm a creative thinker. I like to explore alternative solutions to problems and have an open mind about what will work best.
☛ I'm efficient and highly organized. This enables me to be as productive as possible on the job.
☛ I enjoy solving problems, troubleshooting issues, and coming up with solutions in a timely manner.
21. What is your biggest weakness In PAF?
No one likes to answer this question because it requires a very delicate balance. You simply can't lie and say you don't have one; you can't trick the interviewer by offering up a personal weakness In PAF that is really a strength (“Sometimes, I work too much and don't maintain a work-life balance.”); and you shouldn't be so honest that you throw yourself under the bus (“I'm not a morning person so I'm working on getting to the office on time.”)
22. What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
"He/She wouldn't say anything bad, but he/she may point out I could improve in a certain area, and I've taken steps to become better at those skills"
23. What are your thoughts on failure?
Failure happens. It's a part of life. The key is understanding that you can't be perfect at everything and more importantly you're going to learn from failures to come out stronger.
24. What does success mean to you?
I am punctual, I always have excellent attendance on any job In PAF, I have a keen eye for both large and small details, and I am always finding ways to improve a process and shorten the length of time it takes to complete a project.
Discuss your aspirations for the near, immediate and long term. You want to show them you are thinking of making an impact now as well as the future.
26. What are your lifelong dreams?
If your dreams don't relate to the job closely, make sure you highlight aspects of the job that will help develop the skills that will help you with your dreams. Ideally, you want your dreams to relate strongly to the career path you're interviewing for though.
27. What skills do you bring to the table?
Think of your skill sets with regards to: analytical skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, computer skills, presentation skills, management skills, sales skills and so forth.
28. How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
It's good to be persistent, but not overbearing. Everyone will face rejection at some point in their life, so at some point you'll have to take no for an answer but then learn why you were turned down.
29. How do you feel about taking on repetitive tasks In PAF?
This answer depends on whether or not the job has a lot of repetitive tasks with no variation. If it does, then you would need to be okay with the idea of doing the same task over and over again. If you feel you can offer more than repetitive work, then describe how you would be able to do so.
30. If someone had to say something negative to you, what would they say?
Again, be honest about sharing a story here about someone who may not have gotten along with you in the office here and explain how you were able to fix that relationship or change your attitude/action to be a better person / coworker.
OK, if you get the admittedly much tougher follow-up question as to why you were let go (and the truth isn't exactly pretty), your best bet is to be honest (the job-seeking world is small, after all). But it doesn't have to be a deal-breaker. Share how you've grown and how you approach your job and life now as a result. If you can position the learning experience as an advantage for this next job, even better.
32. What is your biggest fear?
Don't try to sugarcoat the answer by listing something ambitious as a fear, unless you truly mean it (for example: I fear being a great leader) - Share your real fears but discuss how you would overcome them.
33. What types of books or magazines do you typically read?
Describe both your personal and professional favorites. If you happen to like professional books / magazines that relate to the industry of the company you're applying for - that's definitely worth highlighting.
34. How do you feel about technology at the workplace in general?
It's a great enabler for us to collaborate better as a team, for us to reach customers more efficiently and frequently and I believe it can help any company become more efficient, leaner, and more productive.
35. How do you continue learning on a daily basis? Why is continuous improvement necessary In PAF?
You can learn on the job, through books and magazines, through social networks, blogs, seminars, mentors and so on. Continuous improvement is important because the one thing in life that is constant is change. And you have to continue to push yourself day in and day out to be the best.
36. How would you describe your approach to PAF?
In more general terms, a question such as this gives a candidate the opportunity to talk about their professional philosophy and skills. While the question is general in nature, the best answers are usually quite specific, picking one or two points and exemplifying them with instances from personal history.
37. What makes you a good manager?
Describe how you manage people, time, money and energy in the most effective manner to achieve the best return of that investment.
38. What is your perception of taking on risk?
You answer depends on the type of company you're interviewing for. If it's a start up, you need to be much more open to taking on risk. If it's a more established company, calculated risks to increase / improve the business or minimal risks would typically be more in line.
39. Why do you feel you will excel at rhis job?
This question presents an excellent opportunity for you to discuss your education, qualifications and personal traits. You might say something like “I studied property management as well as behavior during my college years and I have two years' experience in real estate.
I can gauge the homes or apartments in which clients will be interested based solely upon the needs of their families. Finally, my organizational skills will allow me to schedule appointments or showings confidently and arrive for them punctually.” This shows your interviewer that you have all of the skills necessary to become successful not only for yourself, but also for your employer.
40. What classes did you enjoy most in college and why?
Think back to the classes that either resonated with your passion or truly helped you to develop skills that you believe will help you in your career. Talk about those.
41. What types of situations do you consider "unfixable"?
Most situations are "fixable" - the ones that are not are typically related to business ethics (someone is cheating the company, someone is stealing, etc)
42. What is your biggest regret to date and why?
Describe honestly the regretful action / situation you were in but then discuss how you proactively fixed / improved it and how that helped you to improve as a person/worker.
43. Tell me the difference between good and exceptional?
Good gets the job done on time and is high quality. Exceptional is a game changer - it stands out, it's creative, it's above and beyond expectations. Tell the interviewer a story about how you were exceptional.
44. How do you handle stressful situations?
By remaining calm, weighing out all my options and executing a plan to get the situation resolve .
45. Explain an occasion when you had to adapt in the face of a difficult situation?
One of the most useful interview tactics is to remain positive about your work and achievements. This question lets the candidate draw on their own personal history to show how they have been positive and successful in the face of difficulties. Choose a specific occasion to describe, rather than dealing with generic platitudes.
46. What was the most important task you ever had?
There are two common answers to this question that do little to impress recruiters:
☛ ‘I got a 2.1'
☛ ‘I passed my driving test'
No matter how proud you are of these achievements, they don't say anything exciting about you. When you're going for a graduate job, having a degree is hardly going to make you stand out from the crowd and neither is having a driving licence, which is a requirement of many jobs.
47. Does your boss know you're here today?
Usually, you probably haven't told your boss for obvious reasons. So it's ok to say that they do not. You don't want to upset the balance at your current job after all and nothing is guaranteed in an interview. The interviewer should understand this stance.
48. Are you planning to continue your studies and training In PAF?
If asked about plans for continued education, companies typically look for applicants to tie independent goals with the aims of the employer. Interviewers consistently want to see motivation to learn and improve. Continuing education shows such desires, especially when potentials display interests in academia potentially benefiting the company.
Answering in terms of “I plan on continuing my studies in the technology field,” when offered a question from a technology firm makes sense. Tailor answers about continued studies specific to desired job fields. Show interest in the industry and a desire to work long-term in said industry. Keep answers short and to the point, avoiding diatribes causing candidates to appear insincere.
49. How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
I think you did fine. I'm sure you've conducted a lot of interviews, and it's probably second nature for you now. Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. I'm sure you have a lot of things you have to juggle every day.
I'd say you rate at least ten out of ten. The questions you asked seemed spot on. I can tell you guys are working hard to find the perfect applicant for the job. I'm glad I could meet with you.
50. How have you changed in the last five years?
All in a nutshell. But I think I've attained a level of personal comfort in many ways and although I will change even more in the next 5-6 years I'm content with the past 6 and what has come of them.
51. How much time do you need to join the organization In PAF?
You should be able to join it right away, barring plans you've already made (family travel, vacation, other obligations). The key is to simply be open in communication of what's already committed on your schedule. Most companies are accommodating. If they are not, weight the importance of joining that company vs. your plans.
52. Do you like to start personal relationships with other employees?
Well, the right answer is yes and no. Good personal relations can improve the overall performance of a team. But on the other hand, you should not let your emotions to affect your decisions in work.
53. What do you expect to be earning in 5 years In PAF?
Discuss how you expect yourself to be excellent at your job. Thus, it would be reasonable to expect pay that is based on the merit of your work.
54. What kind of salary do you need In PAF?
This is a loaded question and a nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, that's a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
55. What were the responsibilities of your last position In PAF?
If you want to show your ambition, you can discuss how you haven't reached all of your goals yet and in that sense aren't satisfied. However, if you want to discuss satisfaction from your job discuss an experience in which you achieved something.
56. What was the biggest professional risk you have taken and what was the outcome?
First discuss how you weighed the pros and cons of the risk and the results you'd believe you could achieve. Then discuss the action plan you put into place for it and outline that step by step. Then discuss the outcome and if it wasn't optimal talk about what you would do differently in hindsight.
57. What's your salary history?
When you are interviewing for a new job, it is common practice for the company to ask you about your salary history. I typically want to know what the candidate's base salary is, if they receive any bonus, the average bonus amount, and any additional compensation or perks, such as 500k matching, stock grants or stock options, paid time off and how much they are required to pay towards their medical premiums.
58. What is your greatest weakness In PAF? What are you doing to improve it?
I believe my biggest weakness In PAF is wanting to help anyone I can help. What I mean is I am willing to take on task that are not my job. I want to learn all I can. However, that has helped me get promoted or even asked to help in times of need in other department. I have been know as the "go to person" when help is needed.
59. What do you know about this department?
One good way to find out about the department is to try to "informally" interview the existing employees over coffee (outside of the office) if possible. It's hard if you don't have any connections there, but if you do a great way to learn about it. Other than that, it's often hard to learn about the department so you can turn the table back on them by asking questions to learn about it.
60. Give an example of a time you successfully worked In PAF on a team?
On the whole I prefer to stick to doing what I'm told rather than setting myself up to fail by doing things off my own bat. But there was this one time when I suggested to my boss at the pizza parlor that she try offering an ‘all you can eat' deal to students to boost trade on Mondays. She thought it was an interesting idea but nothing ever came of it.
61. What schedule do you hope to work? Are you willing to work extra hours?
Be honest. If you really want the job and are willing to work any schedule needed, say so. If, however, you have no intention of working late hours or weekends, simply let the interviewer know the hours that you are available to work. The same applies to extra hours. You are more likely to be hired if you are willing to work any time you are needed. However, saying that you are willing and then complaining about the hours once you start working is a recipe for disaster.
62. What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial?
A good answer is to discuss the importance of having both elements in a company In PAF. Structure is good to maintain a focus on priorities and making sure people are productive but having an entrepreneurial spirit can help cultivate new ideas that can truly help the company.
63. Give me an example of an emergency situation that you faced. How did you handle it?
There was a time when one of my employers faced the quitting of a manager in another country. I was asked to go fill in for him while they found a replacement and stay to train that person. I would be at least 30 days. I quickly accepted because I knew that my department couldn't function without me.
64. Where do you see yourself professionally five years from now In PAF?
Demonstrate both loyalty and ambition in the answer to this question. After sharing your personal ambition, it may be a good time to ask the interviewer if your ambitions match those of the company.
65. What general trends do you see in our industry?
Examine what's happened in the industry in the last 5 - 10 years and how it's evolved and then look at what both the company and analysts are saying about the future of that industry in which that company competes in. Read trade magazines / online sources in that industry as well to make sure you stay up to date on trends.
