Interview Questions

33 Questions Employers Ask At Interviews
The current economic climate and changing job market has

started to alter the types of questions employers ask in an
interview.
RELATED: Have an interview coming up? Watch these
tutorials!
With hundreds of Internet pages dedicated to types

of interview questions and all listing the same
general type questions (what are your strengths,
where do you see yourself in 10 years, etc.),
employers are now steering away from these types
of questions and introducing a new set of questions
that test your creativity and flair.
Below is a list of questions employers ask at

interviews that you may not have thought about
previously. Think about how you would answer these
questions for homework:
If you had the option, would you change your college

career?
How do you go about deciding what to do first when

given a project?
What are the most important rewards you expect in

your business career?
Provide an example of how you are a risk taker.
If you could have any job in the world, what would it

be?
Why do you want to work for us and not for our

competitor?
What did you think of your previous

manager/supervisor?
What did you do in your last job to increase value?
What are some of the things that bother you?
Tell me about the last time you felt anger on the job.
Do you need other people around to stimulate you or

are you self-motivated?
What management style gets the best results out of

you?
How can our company offer you what your previous

company could not offer?
How long do you think it would take before you were

making a significant contribution to our business?
How ambitious are you? Would you compete for my

job?
What do you like and dislike about the job we are

discussing?
Why did you choose a career in ?
What do you think is the most important dilemma

facing our business today?
How much does your last job resemble the one you
are applying for? What are the differences?
Why did you decide to join your previous company?

Did the job live up to your expectations? Why are
you leaving now?
Explain the organizational structure and hierarchy in

your last company and how you fitted into it. Did this
suit you?
Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large

company?
What interests you about our company, product or

service?
You have not done this sort of job before. How will
you cope/succeed?
Do you consider yourself successful in your career to

date?
What was your greatest success in your professional

career? How did you achieve it?
What has been your biggest failure in your

professional career?
Did you feel you advanced and progressed in your

last job?
How do you handle criticism?
What would you like to avoid in your next job?
How did you get on with your previous manager,

supervisor, co-workers, and subordinates?
What will your references say about you?

Fantasy question what would you do if you won the
lottery? Would you come to work tomorrow?
Stress Interview: Questions and Answers onHow Do You Handle Stress?

Stress interviews are typically conducted by panels or
professionals with years of interviewing experience. This can
be a very difficult interview.
The Stress Interview
Individuals conducting stress interviews utilize an array of
psychological assessments to determine how individuals
react under pressure. During these types of interviews, the
individual conducting the interview utilizes numerous
strategies to make the interview difficult for the job
candidate.
Interviewers typically do not notify job candidates that they
will be participating in a stress interview since these
interviews are used to determine how people react during
uncomfortable, stressful, and unexpected circumstances.
Many interviewers do this to see how people react without
adequate preparation.
Stress interviews are usually conducted when filling stressful
jobs requiring constant adaption to new circumstances.
Most Common Stress Interview Tactics
A common type of stress interview tactic is to

employ painful or aggressive questioning. For example,
an interviewer may ask an interviewee a direct, and
often unexpected question, such as "why were you fired
from your last job?" Or, "Was the stress of your last job
too much for you to handle?" This tactic, and line of
questioning, is designed to test your interviewing skills
and assess your ability to calming address issues that
are uncomfortable or somewhat painful to talk about.
Another common interviewing tactic is for the

interviewer to adopt an aggressive attitude or behavior.
This tactic is sometimes used to gauge how well you
deal with aggression and fault finding behaviors.
It's not uncommon for interviewers to try and throw

you off by exhibiting unexpected behaviors. For
example, the interviewer may ask the same question
again and again, pretending not to fully understand your
prior answer. This tactic is used to see how patient your
are or if you quickly become exasperated and impatient
with the interviewer.
More and more interviewers are beginning to

conduct brainteaser or puzzle interviews. In fact, this is
one of the favorite interview techniques among
management consulting firms looking to hire recent
college graduates. A puzzle question may look like "How
many tires are produced in the United States each year."
While you're not expected to know the answer to this
question, you are expected to have the ability to
produce a logical and accurate estimate. This interview
technique is designed to test your thought processing,
analytical skills and ability to reason.
Last, but by no means least, are case interviews. In

the case interview you are presented a made up or real-
world business situation, or dilemma. It's your job to

come up with a solution and explain to the interviewer
interview.
how you would arrive at the solution. Case interviews 1.
Interviewer: "Assume you're a cell phone salesman and I'm a
test your analytical and quantitative skills, logic,
goat herder in Spain. How would you convince me I need to
knowledge of relevant business issues and concepts,
buy one of your cell phoones? Also, please do so in Spanish."
ability to prioritize and your overall ability to effective
(Real questions asked by a Goldman Sachs executive to a
communicate.
recent MBA graduate -- me. My resume mentioned that I
Other Stress Interview Techniques

Interviewers typically utilize numerous strategies to
2.
determine how a job candidate will react when faced with 3.
unfamiliar and stressful situations.
4.
Often, interviewers act strangely or unorthodox while
conducting stress interviews. The following are common
5.
behaviors exhibited by interviewers during stress interviews:
Acting hostile toward candidates

6.
Appearing uninterested
Purposely refraining from eye contact with

7.
candidates
8.
Constantly interrupting candidates
Refusing to listen closely

9.
Excessive note taking

10.
Arguing with candidates
Pausing for extended periods of time following

11.
responses
12.
Asking uncomfortable questions

13.
Asking similar questions

14.
Purposely delaying interviews
Asking candidates whether they have anything to 15.

add following responses
16.
Frequently, during panel interviews, an interviewer may act
unusually while other participants act professionally.
17.
18.
How to Respond to Stress Interview Questions 19.
Keep your calm and respond to an irritating question as you20.
would any other, and you will demonstrate the ability to
remain calm and handle stressful situations.
Rely on these strategies to effectively respond to questions:
Refrain from being offended. Interviewers are interested to
see how you handle criticism.
Always act professionally, and keep your cool.
Answer questions clearly and do not backtrack on

responses if it appears you did not provide the right
answer.
You can by time by clarifying the question asked the

nature of the answer desired.
You don't necessarily need to focus on the "right"

answer, rather way you go about solving the problem.
Be open, honest, direct and polite, but don't every

allow the interviewer to emotionally intimidate you.
Ask for information when it's lacking, and state any

assumptions you use.
How do you hand stress at work?

Interviewers frequently ask job candidates how they manage
stress in their personal lives or respond to being assigned
additional tasks when they are extremely busy or being
overworked.
The following are strategies for response:
Express interest in working under stressful

circumstances that will push you to excel
Discuss how you've prioritized work responsibilities

in the past
Demonstrate how you've solved problems at work
Explain how you effectively manage multiple

projects simultaneously
Discuss how you will anticipate problems before they

become major
Common Stress Interview Questions

The following are common stress interview questions and
types of stress interview you may encounter. Answering and
role playing each of these will prepare you for your next
speak Spanish conversationally -- so I was told upon arriving

for the interview that it would be conducted in Spanish!)
See that paperclip on the table? Sell it to me.
Please provide us an example of a work situation that really
stressed you out to the max.
Please give an example of when you worked with a team
that faced a very stressful problem?
Give us a work related example of how you've handled
rejection?
What is the worst thing you've heard about working with our
company?
How did you handle being fired from your last job?
Is that the best answer you can give? (following your answer
to a recently asked question)
Interviewer: "I'm sorry but I don't know that I completely
understand your answer. Could you please clarify?"
Could you answer that question again? I don't feel like you're
answer the question I asked.
How well do you deal with stress?
Do you enjoy working under stress?
How many truck tires are there in the United States?
How would you evaluate me as an interviewer?
Why should I hire an outsider like you when I could fill this
position with someone in our company who is familiar with
our culture and products?
Can you please explain why you've been unemployed so
long?
Why are manhole covers round?
What kind of people do you struggle to work with?
What kind of people struggle to work with you?
Do you think you're more qualified than your boss?
Five best questions to ask during a job interview

When you are being interviewed, you are NOT in control of
the situation. The only time you gain control is when you ask
questions.
QUESTIONS CAN REVEAL THE FOLLOWING:
* Important information about your credentials that did not
come up in the interview
* The priorities of the person interviewing you
* More detail about the opportunity
* Where they are in the hiring process
* If you will be considered for this opportunity
*
If the interviewer does not ask you if you have any
questions, you need to ask them if you could ask a few
questions! When you ask well thought out questions, it
impresses the interviewer and helps you ace out your
competition for the job.
THREE RULES ABOUT QUESTIONS:
1. Dont ask questions that could be answered by reviewing
their
website.
2. Avoid self serving questions about hours, benefits, time
off etc.
3. Use your questions to learn more about the priorities of
this hiring
authority and to show them how you HAVE what they NEED!
TOP FIVE QUESTIONS:
1. Would you tell me the most important traits you are
looking for in
the person you hire for this position?
2. What do you see as the greatest challenge the person will
face who you hire for this position?
3. What has been missing from the individuals youve

interviewed for
this position?
4. Can you inform me where you are in the hiring process?
5. I want you to know Im extremely interested in your
position and
feel confident I could do the job. What is more important
however,
is what you think. Do you feel I have the experience and
skills
youre looking for in the person you hire for this position?
You then dont say ONE WORD. Listen very carefully to their
answer.
If they use the word BUT, whatever follows that word are
the reasons they might screen you out for this position. If
you are interested in this job, you must now overcome these
objections!
You could say, I totally understand why you are concerned,
but let me explain why that would not be a problem.
It is often the person who asks the best questions who GETS
HIRED!

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33 Questions Employers Ask At Interviews

The current economic climate and changing job market has

With hundreds of Internet pages dedicated to types

Below is a list of questions employers ask at

If you had the option, would you change your college

How do you go about deciding what to do first when

What are the most important rewards you expect in

Provide an example of how you are a risk taker.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it

Why do you want to work for us and not for our

What did you think of your previous

What did you do in your last job to increase value?

What are some of the things that bother you?

Do you need other people around to stimulate you or

What management style gets the best results out of

How can our company offer you what your previous

How long do you think it would take before you were

How ambitious are you? Would you compete for my

What do you like and dislike about the job we are

Why did you choose a career in ?

What do you think is the most important dilemma

Why did you decide to join your previous company?

Explain the organizational structure and hierarchy in

Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large

What interests you about our company, product or

Do you consider yourself successful in your career to

What was your greatest success in your professional

What has been your biggest failure in your

Did you feel you advanced and progressed in your

How do you handle criticism?

What would you like to avoid in your next job?

How did you get on with your previous manager,

What will your references say about you?

Stress Interview: Questions and Answers onHow Do You Handle Stress?

Most Common Stress Interview Tactics

A common type of stress interview tactic is to

Another common interviewing tactic is for the

It's not uncommon for interviewers to try and throw

More and more interviewers are beginning to

Last, but by no means least, are case interviews. In

world business situation, or dilemma. It's your job to

how you would arrive at the solution. Case interviews 1.

Interviewer: "Assume you're a cell phone salesman and I'm a

test your analytical and quantitative skills, logic,

goat herder in Spain. How would you convince me I need to

knowledge of relevant business issues and concepts,

buy one of your cell phoones? Also, please do so in Spanish."

ability to prioritize and your overall ability to effective

(Real questions asked by a Goldman Sachs executive to a

recent MBA graduate -- me. My resume mentioned that I

Other Stress Interview Techniques

Acting hostile toward candidates

Purposely refraining from eye contact with

Constantly interrupting candidates

Refusing to listen closely

Excessive note taking

Arguing with candidates

Pausing for extended periods of time following

Asking uncomfortable questions