Preparing for a Job Interview

Preparing for a Job Interview, 1 of 5

Small Talk:

.be polite

.keep it short

Practice:

How are you doing?

I’m great, thanks you.

And you?

I’m doing really well. It’s such a nice day out there.

It’s. It was perfect weather all weekend.

It was.

Did you do anything interesting over the weekend?

Yes. I went to the park with my family for a picnic.

That sounds nice.

It was. And you?

I worked this weekend. But I got a lot done, so that was good.

It does feel good to get work done.

Tell me a little bit about youraelf.

Focus on education and work history.

I studied at Harvard University and graduated in 2012 with a degree in Business.

I’ve been working at Smith, Inc. for 10 years as a manager.

I have 12 years of experience in graphic design.

Because of my time at Verizon, I have a lot of experience in providing customer service.

TK: So, to get started, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself.

RS: Sure. I studied at the University of Florida and graduated in 2010 with a Masters Degree in Toy Design. After graduation, I was hired at Happy Kid’s Creative. I’ve been there for the past five years and am currently the Director of Toy Production. During that time sales have grown steadily. It’s been a great experience, but I’ve run out of room to grow with HKC and I’m looking for new opportunities. I have a lot of experience leading teams in the creative process and finding new markets for the products that we create.

Preparing for a Job Interview, 2 of 5

Can you tell me how you heard about this position ?

I heard about the position from one of your current employees, Bob Greene.

I heard about the position from friend Liz Miller, who works in Accounting.

I saw this position on Linkedln.

I read about the position on your website.

TK: That’s great. Can you tell me how you heard about this position?
RS: Of course. A friend of mine saw the position listed on LinkedIn and forwarded it to me, so I spent some time on your website learning about the position and the company. I also read an article in Business Weekly about your work that really got me interested.

What attracted you to our company?

I was reallyinpressed with your commitiment to renewable energy.

I was very excited to learn that you support your research department sp strongly.

I read that you encourage employees to spend time with each other outside the work place.

……and that’s something I really appreciate.

TK: What attracted you to our company?
RS: To be honest, what really caught my eye was your focus on growth. I was really impressed with your ambitious goals and the clear plan you have for achieving those goals. I also like the support you provide for your employees. I love your continuing education initiatives, where you pay for employees to educate themselves in new techniques and skill sets. I think that really helps to build employee satisfaction and loyalty.

What would you say is your greatest strength ?

My greatest strength is:______________

I find that is very important when I: ____________

My greatest strength is:___________

flexibility.I find that this is very important when I’m working with lots of different people and opinions.

TK: What would you say is your greatest strength?
RS: I would say, my greatest strength is a combination of enthusiasm and persistence. My work ethic won’t let me settle for less than my best. I’m able to persevere through challenges and setbacks without falling into frustration or anger. I’ve noticed that this tends to keep those around me in good spirits as well, which is a plus.
TK: That’s very good.

Preparing for a Job Interview, 3 of 5

TK: Can you tell me about a time where you suffered a setback and had to maintain your enthusiasm?

Example:

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult client or coworker.

Tell me about a time when you had to respond to a crisis.

Tell me about a time when you had to give difficult feedback.

How would you handle a situation where you and your supervisor disagreed about an issue or course of action?

RS: Sure. One definitely comes to mind. Last year a project for a new toy was in its final stages after two years of work. As we were looking at the branding and working up a final marketing plan, a competitor launched a version of the exact same toy that we were launching. As the leader of the project, I knew that my reaction would set the tone for the group. I acknowledged that it was a setback, but challenged the group to think of this as a blessing in disguise. I asked them to go out and buy the competitor’s product and make a list of anything they wished the toy could do that it didn’t. It turned out that the list was pretty long. We added these items to our toy, and launched a far superior product 6 months later. So, in many ways, the competitor’s product became the key to our success.

What do you consider to be your greatest weakness?

My greatest weakness is ___.

It shows up in my work when __.

The ways I’ve worked to improve in this area are __.

Preparing for a Job Interview, 4 of 5
Preparing for a Job Interview, 5 of 5