1. Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision?
Not every decision is popular. In fact, almost every decision is bound to make someone unhappy at some point. The key is to demonstrate how it impacted others positively and why you chose it.
This would be the first question asked in any interview. Therefore, it is important that you give a proper reply to the question regarding your education. You should have all the documents and certificates pertaining to your education and/or training, although time may not allow the interviewer to review all of them.
3. What have you learned from mistakes on this job?
Candidates without specific examples often do not seem credible. However, the example shared should be fairly inconsequential, unintentional, and a learned lesson should be gleaned from it. Moving ahead without group assistance while assigned to a group project meant to be collaborative is a good example.
Discuss qualities you possess required to successfully complete the job duties.
5. Why are you leaving last job?
Although this would seem like a simple question, it can easily become tricky. You shouldn't mention salary being a factor at this point Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal. If you're currently employed, your response can focus on developing and expanding your career and even yourself. If you're current employer is downsizing, remain positive and brief. If your employer fired you, prepare a solid reason. Under no circumstance should you discuss any drama or negativity, always remain positive.
6. 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.
Ideally you want to able to type quickly, have the ability to effectively use Microsoft Office, and more importantly be able to quickly adapt to computer / technology skills. More and more it's become an integral part of work. If the job doesn't require technology skills - then this question shouldn't be asked!
8. 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.
9. If you had enough money to retire would you?
Just be honest. If you would retire then say so. But since you can't retire, and the interviewer already knows this, simply answer that since you can't this is type of work you prefer doing. However, if you wouldn't retire if you had the money then explain why. Work is an important element of happiness for most people and many won't retire even when they can.
Sometimes people want a job a little too bad - and they may fudge their credentials and experience a bit.
If you've run into this problem, are worried about it, or have credentials and experience that are absolutely essential, you may need to ask a few verification questions.
If you are a candidate, you should review your resume and make sure you know all the key points, and that nothing has been misconstrued.
1. What grades did you get in college?
2. What were your responsibilities when you worked in job x?
3. How many people were on your team at your last job?
4. What will your previous manager/supervisor say when I ask where you needed to improve?
5. What was your beginning and ending salary at job x?
6. What were your beginning and ending titles at job x?
7. Are you eligible for rehire at job x?
8. What tools are necessary for performing job x?
9. Describe to me how you would perform [x typical job task].
10. What was the focus of your thesis?
11. When did you leave company x?
11. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
When discussing a professional disappointment, make sure to discuss a scenario you could not control. Be positive about the experience and accept personal responsibility where applicable.
12. What do you do in your spare time?
If you want to show your fun side, discuss your extracurricular activities. If you want to show your ambition, discuss the work / school projects you do in your spare time.
13. Tell me about a time you failed?
Everyone has failed, so don't play dumb or claim you've never messed up Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal. Think of a time when a work-related situation didn't turn out quite as you had hoped. An interviewer is interested in seeing how you took responsibility for your failure, what you learned from it, and how you would prevent similar failures from happening again.
14. Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures?
The key here is to show that you were proactive. How did you find out about the potential problems? How did you address it quickly?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.
16. What type of salary are you looking for?
This can be a very tricky question as the individual asking it is probably digging for something other than a simple answer to the question. We recommend that you don't immediately respond to the question directly. Instead, say something like, “That a difficult question. What is range for this position?” More often than not the interviewer will tell you. If the interviewer insists on direct answer you may want say that it depends on the details of the job - then give a wide salary range.
First, find out which skills are the ones that you're currently lacking. Then identify what the steps would be to acquire/build those skills. Then take action to do so.
18. What are your weaknesses for Furnace Operator Reheating Metal 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.
19. What is your greatest achievement outside of work Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
This is a great opportunity for you to discuss how you've given back to the community, how you've achieved in a competitive extracurricular activity (think sports or clubs), how you've mentored others, and so forth.
20. Top 13 Situational Interview Questions Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal:
Situational interviews Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal are similar to behavioral interview questions - but they are focused on the future, and ask hypothetical questions, whereas behavioral interview questions look at the past.
The advantage is that employers can put all candidates in the same hypothetical situations, and compare their answers.
1. What would you do if you made a strong recommendation in a meeting, but your colleagues decided against it?
2. How you would handle it if your team resisted a new idea or policy you introduced?
3. How would you handle it if the priorities for a project you were working on were suddenly changed?
4. What would you do if the work of an employee you managed didn't meet expectations?
5. What would you do if an important task was not up to standard, but the deadline to complete it had passed?
6. What steps would you take to make an important decision on the job Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
7. How would you handle a colleague you were unable to form a positive relationship with?
8. What would you do if you disagreed with the way a manager wanted you to handle a problem?
9. What would you do if you were assigned to work with a difficult client Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
10. What would you do if you worked hard on a solution to a problem, and your solution was criticized by your team?
11. How would you handle working closely with a colleague who was very different from you?
12. You're working on a key project that you can't complete, because you're waiting on work from a colleague. What do you do?
13. You realize that an early mistake in a project is going to put you behind deadline. What do you do?
21. What is your greatest strength Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
This is your time to shine. Just remember the interviewer is looking for work related strengths Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal. Mention a number of them such as being a good motivator, problem solver, performing well under pressure, being loyal, having a positive attitude, eager to learn, taking initiative, and attention to detail. Whichever you go for, be prepared to give examples that illustrate this particular skill.
22. If hired, how do you intend on making a difference with our company?
Dedicate myself to learn everything about the new company that I can, look for ways and ideas that could improve, processes, safety, removing obstacles from the associates, I want to advance within the company.
23. How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
Choose an answer that shows that you can meet a stressful situation head-on in a productive, positive manner and let nothing stop you from accomplishing your goals. A great approach is to talk through your go-to stress-reduction tactics (making the world's greatest to-do list, stopping to take 10 deep breaths), and then share an example of a stressful situation you navigated with ease.
24. Why did you choose your major in college or tech school?
People usually choose their major based on their passions or the career path they want to head towards.
25. What's been your biggest failure to date?
Describe your biggest failure and discuss what you've learned from it and ideally how you've been successful since because of that lesson.
26. Describe yourself in three words?
Pick three adjectives but then back up each with a real life story that demonstrates those characteristics.
27. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
Seemingly random personality-test type questions like these come up in interviews generally because hiring managers want to see how you can think on your feet. There's no wrong answer here, but you'll immediately gain bonus points if your answer helps you share your strengths or personality or connect with the hiring manager. Pro tip: Come up with a stalling tactic to buy yourself some thinking time, such as saying, “Now, that is a great question. I think I would have to say… ”
Use your knowledge of the job description to demonstrate how you are a suitable match for the role.
29. Tell me about a time when you were held accountable for a problem that you hadn't caused?
If someone puts the blame on you (incorrectly), the best thing you can do is NOT to retaliate. You want to make it known that you were not to blame (explain all the facts) and then focus on fixing the problem in the best way possible.
30. 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.
31. Where do you see yourself in five years Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
If asked this question, be honest and specific about your future goals, but consider this:
A hiring manager wants to know
☛ a) if you've set realistic expectations for your career,
☛ b) if you have ambition (a.k.a., this interview isn't the first time you're considering the question), and
☛ c) if the position aligns with your goals and growth. Your best bet is to think realistically about where this position could take you and answer along those lines. And if the position isn't necessarily a one-way ticket to your aspirations?
It's OK to say that you're not quite sure what the future holds, but that you see this experience playing an important role in helping you make that decision.
32. How do you handle repetitive tasks?
Some people enjoy it, others don't. Which are you? If you don't like it, can you at least do it well? And if you don't like it, be ready to explain why in a positive way (i.e. your potential is to do much more than simply be repetitive)
33. What do you know about our competition?
Make sure you do your research on their competitors. You can find this by going to yahoo finance and click on their competitors (if they are public). From there research the news on them and go to their websites to understand their positioning on solutions and vision. You can also research local regional companies that are their competition (if it's a smaller private company on a regional scale) by simply typing in similar product offerings in the Google search followed by the city. Make sure you know their competitor's vision, products, culture, and how they are differentiated against their competition (and if they're not, how they could be)
34. What type of mentors do you seek out and why?
Think of your top 3 mentors and what attributes they exhibit that you want to emulate. Common attributes include passion, desire, will, leadership, ability to influence others, intelligence.
35. How do you deal with conflict in the workplace Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
When people work together, conflict is often unavoidable because of differences in work goals and personal styles. Follow these guidelines for handling conflict in the workplace.
☛ 1. Talk with the other person.
☛ 2. Focus on behavior and events, not on personalities.
☛ 3. Listen carefully.
☛ 4. Identify points of agreement and disagreement.
☛ 5. Prioritize the areas of conflict.
☛ 6. Develop a plan to work on each conflict.
☛ 7. Follow through on your plan.
☛ 8. Build on your success.
36. 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.
37. Who was your favorite manager and why?
Describe the attributes you liked about your favorite manager, typically attributes discussed are: Great at coaching, inspiring, motivating, empowering, trusting, delegating, leading, etc.
38. What is the most important quality a supervisor should have?
The ability to inspire / lead a team towards one common vision.
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.
40. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
If you can't think of one, you need to get a mentor QUICKLY! Mentors can come in the form of peers, family members, co-workers, management / leaders at a company and so on.
41. Explain a time when you did not get along with your coworker?
I used to lock heads with a fellows. We disagreed over a lot of things – from the care of civilians to who got what shifts to how to speak with a victim's family. Our personalities just didn't mesh. After three months of arguing, I pulled her aside and asked her to lunch. At lunch, we talked about our differences and why we weren't getting along. It turns out, it was all about communication. We communicated differently and once we knew that, we began to work well together. I really believe that talking a problem through with someone can help solve any issue.
42. How do you prioritize your work initiatives Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
Discuss how you prioritize your work initiatives based on the company initiatives. For example, if you're in customer service discuss how you're focused on providing the best customer experience.
43. Do you have any questions for me?
Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.
44. What types of personalities do you work with best?
In the past, I have found it difficult to work with others who see themselves as better than others, who can take criticism, and who refuse to work with others. I have found it challenging to work with them b/c I am a team oriented person who feels the importance of working together over the needs of the individual especially in a learning environment.
I would weigh the offer and consider it, however, this company and this role is my first choice.
46. Why should the we hire you as this position Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
This is the part where you link your skills, experience, education and your personality to the job itself. This is why you need to be utterly familiar with the job description as well as the company culture. Remember though, it's best to back them up with actual examples of say, how you are a good team player.
47. What does "thinking outside the box" mean to you?
It means not doing things exactly the same way as everyone else. You've got to challenge the status quo and bring something new to the business.
48. What is your desired salary Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
Bad Answer: Candidates who are unable to answer the question, or give an answer that is far above market. Shows that they have not done research on the market rate, or have unreasonable expectations.
Good answer: A number or range that falls within the market rate and matches their level of mastery of skills required to do the job.
49. 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.
50. What problems have you encountered at work?
Wow, do we have problems! Where do I begin? Well, most of the problems are internal, just people not working well with each other. I have one person on our team who is a real problem, but it seems like management is afraid to do anything about it. So we all end up having to do extra work to cover for this person, who just doesn't work. We all say that he's retired in place. I think he's just holding on until retirement in a couple years. But he's a real problem. I complain about it--a lot--but nothing ever seems to get done. I've even written negative reviews about the person, hoping he will get canned, but it doesn't happen. I can't wait for him to retire.
It should say the same thing - after all - if you think this salary is fair then it should suit the responsibilities!
52. How do you evaluate your ability to handle conflict?
I pride myself on being a good problem solver. Through my previous job and management positions I have faced numerous conflicts in different situations, and my experiences have helped me to hone my issue resolution skills. I believe that it is important to get to and address the root of the issue, in a respectable manner.
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.
54. Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
Liked. You want to work harder for people that inspire and motivate you. Fear only lasts for so long.
55. Have you got any questions?
This is your final opportunity to persuade the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job. Now is not the time to ask questions about holidays, pay or pensions – all these things can be asked later when you get an offer of employment. Now is the time to ask about any reservations that the interviewer may have about your suitability for the role. You will then give yourself one last chance to persuade the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job.
Example Thank you. I think we have covered everything. Before we finish the interview I would like to take the opportunity to ask if you have any reservations about my suitability for this role?
Show that you were communicative with that person and that you were able to collaborate effectively in sharing ideas and work tasks. They want to see that you can be a team player.
57. How do you keep each member of the team involved and motivated?
Many managers mistakenly think that money is the prime motivator for their employees. However, according to surveys by several different companies, money is consistently ranked five or lower by most employees. So if money is not the best way to motivate your team, what is?
Employees' three most important issues according to employees are:
☛ Respect
☛ A sense of accomplishment
☛ Recognition
58. What were the responsibilities of your last position Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal?
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.
59. What do you think is your greatest weakness?
Don't say anything that could eliminate you from consideration for the job. For instance, "I'm slow in adapting to change" is not a wise answer, since change is par for the course in most work environments. Avoid calling attention to any weakness that's one of the critical qualities the hiring manager is looking for. And don't try the old "I'm a workaholic," or "I'm a perfectionist.
60. Describe to me the position Regarding Furnace Operator Reheating Metal you're applying for?
This is a “homework” question, too, but it also gives some clues as to the perspective the person brings to the table. The best preparation you can do is to read the job description and repeat it to yourself in your own words so that you can do this smoothly at the interview.
61. Explain an idea that you have had and have then implemented in practice?
Often an interview guide will outline the so-called ‘STAR' approach for answering such questions; Structure the answer as a situation, task, action, and result: what the context was, what you needed to achieve, what you did, and what the outcome was as a result of your actions.
62. 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.
63. What do you think we could do better or differently?
This is a common one at startups. Hiring managers want to know that you not only have some background on the company, but that you're able to think critically about it and come to the table with new ideas. So, come with new ideas! What new features would you love to see? How could the company increase conversions? How could customer service be improved? You don't need to have the company's four-year strategy figured out, but do share your thoughts, and more importantly, show how your interests and expertise would lend themselves to the job.
