This important job interview question has a way of making candidates blurt out their life stories. But that isn't what potential employers want to hear.
It's one of the most frequently asked interview questions: "Tell me about yourself." Your response will set the tone for the rest of the interview—no pressure! This question can be paralyzing, leaving you wondering what it is the interviewer really wants to know. Do they want to know what you did at your last gig? Your soft skills? How you named your cat? Actually, none of the above.
Here's a little secret: When an interviewer says, "Tell me about yourself," he or she really wants to know how your experience is pertinent to the job you're interviewing for.
Responding to this free-form request successfully comes down to three things: focus, script and practice. You cannot afford to wing this answer.
Focus:
Define what you do as it relates to the job, think about three to five past experiences that are relevant to the job at hand and try to quantify in terms of time, money or people. Then list three to five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits, skills, etc.). All of this adds up to the message you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave.
Eleanor is strong in communications and connecting with people. She has a strong background and proven success with customer relationships. Her real strength is her follow-through. She prides herself on her reputation for meeting deadlines.
Script:
Write out a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success:
"I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months."
Next, mention your strengths and abilities:
"My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time."
Conclude with a statement about your current situation:
"What I am looking for now is a company that values customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention and sales."
Practice:
Practice with your script until you feel confident about what you want to emphasize in your statement. Your script should help you stay on track, but you shouldn't memorize it—you don't want to sound like a broadcast news announcer or a robot. You want to sound natural, like a real person that people would like to have in the next cubicle or talk to at the happy hour.
Even if you're not asked this type of question to begin the interview, this preparation will help you focus on what you have to offer. You will also find that you can use the information in this exercise to assist you in answering other questions. The more you can talk about your product—you!—the better chance you will have at selling it.
Prepare additional answers:
It doesn't matter what industry you're in or what stage of your career you're at—the job interview is nerve racking every single time. The secret to keeping your anxiety at bay is crafting answers in advance.
What are the key messages you're delivering in your job search campaign? Identify them by focusing on your best assets.
What do you have to offer an employer? Why should that employer choose you over someone else? What will make interviewers remember you after they're done with their first round of meeting potential candidates?
It's about matching their problems and needs with your qualifications, skills and traits. Your mission is to convince interviewers that you are the solution they've been seeking.
Make your case
Concentrating on your five best strengths will help you focus during the interview and will make it easier for them to remember you. You can begin before the interview by identifying your five key strengths and matching them up with the job requirements. Once you've done that, determine ways to bring up these matches during the interview.
Susan Croce Kelly of Kirkpatrick International in Houston is a communication specialist who writes speeches for executives. She advises telling your audience what you are going to say early in your presentation and then repeating your points throughout. “It is not unusual for people to say ‘What a wonderful speech,' and then five minutes later can't remember what it was about,” says Kelly. “If they remember two ideas from a speech, that is scoring high. Repetition is really important, because they might miss it the first time. Keep going back to the main point.”
You can actually use the speech model to prepare your presentation. Think of ways to present your key qualities throughout the interview. For example, let's say you're interviewing for a position that requires strong organizational skills.
The first interview question the interviewer asks is, "Tell me about yourself.” Part of your answer should include a statement about your organizational skills. “One of my key strengths is being organized. If you were to ask my coworkers, they would tell you I am the ultimate planner.”
Later in the interview, you could repeat your strength in a story format: “One project I worked on was very complex and detailed. It required a lot of forethought and planning on my part. I was able to do this using Microsoft Project software for tracking and scheduling.”
The interviewer asks, "“Why should we hire you?” Your interview answer should repeat information about being organized. “From what I have heard throughout the interview, it sounds like you're looking for someone to come in and bring order to projects here. Since I am known for my organizational skills, I know I would be a real asset.”
By the time you leave the interview, the interviewer should have a strong sense that you're a very organized person. Since this is important for the job, you will probably receive serious consideration as the solution to the company's problem.
What are your strong points?
Identifying your five strengths and matching them to the job is an important step in preparing for your interview. Read through the description and identify the key factors needed to do the job. Be sure to read between the lines. For example:
Will interact with accounting, engineering and manufacturing departments.
What will it take to perform this task? What kind of person is this company looking for?
It will require good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with a diverse group of people and levels. If these are your areas of strength, focus on letting the interviewer know that you have the ability and experience to interface well with many different groups.
Like the speechwriter, you want your audience to remember the important points you have made. By concentrating on a handful of strengths, you will find that you are more focused and succinct about telling what you have to offer. More importantly, the folks you meet are more likely to remember you for your strengths.
You're in a job interview and asked to discuss your biggest weakness. Here's how recruiting experts recommend you should answer without sounding phony.
Be up front:
There are times when I ask job candidates this question. It's not that I want to nitpick or make people feel uncomfortable, but rather I want to see in which areas they feel they need to improve and what they are doing about it. In order to advance professionally, we all need to be able to honestly identify not just our strengths but also our weaknesses and how we can upgrade in these areas.
I recommend that job candidates be up front during interviews. Don't say you have "no weaknesses" or "work too hard." Instead, tell hiring managers what you are working on improving and what you've done to build your skills in these areas.
One thing to keep in mind: If one of your weaknesses is directly related to the position and could potentially take you out of the running, the opportunity may not be right for you.
Let the job description guide you:
First, make sure you truly understand the job duties before the interview starts. Match the job duties with your strengths. What is a strength you have that someone may consider as a weakness?
For example, if you apply to a sales job, your weakness could be "not quick to close": "I really take a lot of time to listen to a customer before I provide recommendations. A lot of sales people are quick to answer, but I spend time making sure I understand the customer's needs." Salespeople need to be good listeners although they don't always come across that way.
Another example is if you applied to a very detail-oriented job, your weakness is you are a perfectionist. The hiring manager needs someone that pays close attention to the little things.
In summary, a weakness on one hand is a strength on the other.
Will it match your references?
The importance of this question is often not the candidate's answer per se, but whether or not the candidate's references respond in a similar manner. In short, it is a way for employers to assess the candidate's awareness of his or her own strengths and weaknesses.
Choose wisely:
This is definitely a popular question that we often ask, and a lot of our clients also like to include when interviewing candidates. While "weakness" is a harsh word, remember that nobody is perfect, and we all have areas of development that we need to work on.
Employers are cognizant of this and ask the question for two reasons—first, to make sure your weakness isn't a skill they need someone to have mastery of immediately, and second, to see how you handle yourself under pressure and when asked tough questions.
We advise our candidates to be honest and focus on a weakness that is not one of the top three qualities required for the job. Also, be sure to describe how you've already taken steps and made strides in strengthening this skill, showing your ability and desire to constantly learn and grow.
Hone your strengths:
Talking about your weak spots is one of the most common trip-ups that plagues job candidates. But the more you can anticipate what questions will be thrown in your direction, the better you can prepare smart replies.
Give an honest answer that shows you’ll get the job done and not be a buzzkill at happy hour.
Curtis Peterson was recently interviewing for a digital marketing manager position at SmartFile, an Indianapolis company that provides secure file sharing services, when his interviewer asked him what he knew was a make-or-break question: “Why do you want this job?”
Here’s how Peterson responded:
“I want this job because I've always loved building and marketing websites—even as a kid. I built websites when they were using frames and AltaVista was a decent search engine. I was 10 or 11. I've always been passionate about digital marketing, but I just didn't know I could make a career out of trying to get people to a website.”
He got the job.
When asked in an interview, "Why do you want this job?" you can answer using the following steps as a guide:
Peterson's answer illustrates what hiring managers really want to get when they pose this question: a sense of who you really as well as a sense of how you’d fit and add value to the organization.
The three ingredients below will help you craft a perfect answer that will keep you in the game. Word to the wise: One thing you should not say in response to this question is “Because I need a job.” That shows a lack of passion, and suggests you might not stick around if something better comes along.
Show how your skills match
At every point of the interview, you need to show your skills and ability to solve problems are a good fit for the company.
Go back to the job description and your earlier conversations with hiring managers to get a review what they’re looking for and craft your answer around that.
You say: “You’re looking for someone who can manage big software projects from across functions, and that’s exactly what I was doing when I worked at Company X. I managed a budget of $2 million, and a cross-department teams of 10 people that included developers, engineers, and creatives to bring 15 software products to market.”
Show your enthusiasm for the job
Your answer should show that you’ll be able to use or learn key skills in the position that are important to you, says Dawn C. Reid, owner of Reid Ready Life Coaching in Clementon, New Jersey.
While the question seems to ask about what you want, remember that it’s really about the employer. So even as you talk about what has you excited, put it into the context of how this will make you an asset to the organization.
Find a way to mention your long-term prospects at the company, and you can also quell the employer’s concerns about retention or edge out another candidate who might be a flight risk.
You say: “I’m excited to see there’s a lot of opportunity to use advanced computer skills in this position. Being able to build my skills and continue to develop in a growing company is important to me, and there seems to be long-term opportunities here.”
Show how you fit into the culture
The company isn’t just interviewing you to find out about your skills. They want to know if you’ll be a decent coworker. So your answer needs to prove that your goals and values are similar to the organization’s, says A.P. Grow, associate professor of leadership at City University of Seattle.
Your research for the interview—grilling friends you know who work there and reading up on the latest news about the company—should give you a sense of the firm’s mission and values. Find spots where they overlap with your story and present them in your answer.
You say: “This organization's priorities for ethics, teamwork and effectiveness match my own. What's most important to me is finding a place where individuals want to work together, as a true team. I see that reflected here. The match of what you need with what I can do is clear, and the additional benefit of having the same values and community interests lead me to want to be here more than anywhere else.”
When an interviewer asks you, “Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?” they are testing your level of ambition. Joseph Wessner, assistant general manager of Coughlin Printing Group in Watertown, New York, says despite its ambiguity, this question, when asked, does have a definitive answer.
“I can tell by your resume and cover letter if you have the skills and education necessary to fill the position —that is why I am talking to you,” he says. “What I need to know is, do you fit in with our company’s team, vision, and culture?”
These guidelines will help you develop a winning answer to this common job interview question.
Explain how your goals align with the company’s
You should’ve already done your research on the company, so you can easily pick out some points from the company’s mission statement that resonate with you and your goals, and mention how you hope to expand on those in the coming years.
“We want to know these people want to work and not outgrow us,” says Curtis Boyd, co-founder and CEO of Future Solutions Media, a Los Angeles-based agency specializing in online reputation management. “We want to know our employees are striving to grow within the company.”
You say: “I respect how this company develops its employees, and I hope that in five years, I’ll be managing my own team and helping to expand my department.”
Show the right amount of ambition
Employers want to know their employees have some desire to grow in their careers, says Helen Chalmers, a career counselor with Dallas-based Thoughtful Therapy. You can include an interest in management training or a desire to work your way into a specific position you have your eye on.
Don’t go overboard, though. “The temptation for job seekers is to be too ambitious about their plans,” Wessner says. “I do not want to hear about how you will be a CEO or working for my competition in five years.”
You say: “I want to explore management training opportunities and also learn the finer points of this industry, so I can eventually become a company leader.”
Show an interest in learning
Let’s face it: A lot of people don’t know exactly what they want to be doing in five years, but you can always express a desire to learn and grow more in a certain area.
Talk about some aspect of your work life that you’d like to improve. Maybe there’s an area of the business you don’t understand and would like to learn more about. Or, maybe there’s a new language you’d like to learn or a class you’d like to take. Show them you’re interested in knowing more than you do right now.
Keep in mind that this question can also offer a jumping off point for you to find out where others who started in this position five years ago are now, Chalmers says. “Just make sure your tone of voice is conversational and curious.”
You say: “I hope to take an accounting class, so I can learn more about the financial aspects of this industry and gain a better understanding of how the business, as a whole, works. But actually, could you tell me where the last person who held this position ended up?”
Hint: Give an answer that aligns your ideal workplace with the employer you’re talking to.
When a job interviewer asks, “What is your ideal company?” you may think to yourself, “Hmm, one that pays six figures, offers unlimited vacation, and has a four-day workweek.”
But while that may be your fantasy, you need to remember that the hiring manager is looking for an answer that’s more grounded in reality.
“They are interested in finding a match for the position and the company,” says Michele Jennae, executive career coach and owner of Perpetual Career Management in Sacramento, California. “A match doesn’t just consist of qualifications, but motivation, attitude, potential, culture, and more.”
These suggestions can help you find a way to describe your ideal company and provide an answer that will impress your interviewer.
Be sincere
To avoid giving a canned, predictable response, you need to know what you really want in a workplace—and understand that isn’t the same as what others may want.
“Think about what an ideal company really does look like for you,” says John J. Brady, executive director of Protem Partners in Philadelphia. “When you know what it looks like, you can answer truthfully, which will also come across more convincingly.”
You need to have a clear idea of the type of environment that enables you to do your best work, says Marilyn Santiesteban, assistant director of career services at the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. “Do you work best in a collaborative team, or is a solo practitioner more your style? Do you like fast-paced, innovative environments or more hierarchical if-it-isn't-broke-don’t-fix-it ones? Be clear about how these elements enable your top performance.”
You say: “My ideal company is one that values individual employees and encourages them to speak up and share ideas, but that also has a commitment to sustainability”
Demonstrate alignment
Giving an answer based on how your own values overlap with the company’s values is key to positioning yourself well, Jennae says. And here’s where doing your homework on the company pays off. “Use a specific value or two that resonated with you and provide direct evidence as to why it represents your ideal,” she says. This shows both alignment and preparation.
You say: “I know sustainability is part of your mission and something you consider in every project the company undertakes.”
Focus on what you can offer
Your ideal company should help make you an ideal employee—and you want to show that.
“A response that focuses exclusively on perks and benefits to employees probably won’t go over very well,” Brady notes. “It suggests you’re only interested in what you get, rather than what you contribute to the corporate community.”
Your answer should show you’ve researched the company and the challenges it faces, Jennae says. In your ideal company, you will be part of the solution to those problems.
You say: “My ideal company would present exciting challenges that allow me to use my interest in and experience with growing sustainability efforts, and I see how my experience developing metrics could be useful here to propel the business forward”
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The interviewer catches you off guard with the simple question: Why do you want to work here? Learn how to tailor your answer and stand out.
The hiring manager asks a rather simple interview question, yet it catches you off guard: "Why do you want to work for this company?" The obvious answer that comes to mind is, "Because you have an opening, and I need a job." While this may be true, it won't earn you any points in a job interview.
The interviewer is looking for an answer that indicates you've thought about where you want to work—that you're not just sending your resume to any company with a job opening.
Do your homework
Researching the company and industry before your interview will make you stand out as a more informed and competent applicant. Search company websites for mission statements, product and service information, principals' backgrounds, and contact information. Check company financials through the US Securities and Exchange Commission. By reviewing the company’s website and social media accounts, and reading news articles about the firm, you’ll be able to draw conclusions about the value you can bring to the position, whether it’s because the company’s mission matches yours, its culture is a good fit or you have a skill that the company needs.
After you've done your research, come up with two or three reasons you want to work for the company. Also think of at least two reasons this job is a good match for your skills, strengths, experience and background. What can you bring to the company? Write down your thoughts and rehearse them as part of your script.
Show what you know
When an interviewer asks you “Why do you want to work here?” you should use this opportunity to show that you've done your homework on the company and how you might fit into the open role.
For instance, Annette is the first candidate interviewed for an HR manager position. When she is asked why she wants to work there, she replies, "I have always wanted to work for this company. I love your product, and I have used it for many years. And it seems that this job would be perfect for me, a real opportunity for me to grow and develop."
Annette's answer begins well, but then shifts to what she can get out of the experience instead of what she has to offer. Her answer would be stronger if she proved she had researched the industry and company, and therefore could discuss more than her own experience with the product. You may think this question is all about you, but like other questions in your job interview, it’s still really about what you can do for the employer.
Demonstrate your value
“Most candidates fall into answers related to culture or a lifelong dream to do this work. But the candidate that can move beyond an attractive culture or lifelong dream and put their skills into the context of a deliverable to the employer will move beyond other candidates,” says workplace culture consultant Steve Langerud, who is based in Grinnell, Iowa. “Drill down on a key skill or deliverable that the employer needs and that you love to do. It is less important to the employer that you will love working there than the fact that you will get juiced by helping them improve their performance.”
James is another candidate, and he answers more directly: "Based on the research I've done, this company is an industry leader. When I visited your website, I found some impressive information about future projects you have planned. I was also impressed with the founders' backgrounds and the current financial statements. This is the company I've been looking for, a place where my background, experience and skills can be put to use and make things happen."
James's answer demonstrates his interest in and enthusiasm for the company and what it stands for. He also demonstrates how he envisions he could be a member of the team.
Keep up with current events
Don't forget to read the "press releases" section of a company's website—that's where you'll learn about the latest happenings and changes. Jennifer Malach, founder of 20/20 Career Solutions in New York City, says one candidate she interviewed for an accounting manager position stood out by noting the company’s recent announcement that it was going public and would need a new set of accounting skills. The candidate then highlighted her applicable certifications and skills. “This demonstrated that she knew what value she could add to the existing accounting team during the company's transition,” Malach says.
There are no right or wrong answers to this question. Your answer should reflect that you have thought about what you want and have researched the company. Let the interviewer know you are being selective about where you want to work and you're not just going to take any job offered to you. Demonstrate that this is the company you want to work for—a little flattery will go a long way.
To get a job, you must position yourself as the answer to a proverbial question. This is how to match your experience with an employer’s needs.
From the moment you enter the room for a job interview, the hiring manager is assessing one thing: Are you the best person for the job? And at some point during the interview, you can expect to be asked straight up, “Why should we hire you?”
Obviously, you can’t respond, “Because I need a job.” Granted, it’s a loaded question, says Los Angeles executive coach Libby Gill, “but you need to ace it.”
Basically, your answer needs to demonstrate that you are the solution to the employer’s problem (a vacancy on their team), and no other candidate could possibly do the job better than you.
So why should they choose you over anybody else? Take these steps to prepare a well-crafted response.
Focus on the employer’s needs (not yours)
Though the question “Why should we hire you” seems like the focus is on you and your wants, it’s really not. Your personal career goals are certainly important, but this question is an opportunity to explain how you’ll bring value to the company.
To prepare, research everything you can about the business’ agenda—read its website, social media, quarterly reports, company profiles on Monster, press releases, and recent news stories about the company. What are their goals? Where do they see themselves headed in the future? How can your talents help get them there? (“This company wants to be an industry leader in xyz. My background has given me valuable experience in that realm, and I have a lot of ideas as to how we can make that happen together.”)
Reflect on the job itself
You can also learn a lot from a job posting, says Priscilla Claman, president of Career Strategies Incorporated. Most job descriptions outline not only the job responsibilities and qualifications, but also what core skills are required to be successful in the position.
Tim Cole, owner at career coaching firm The Compass Alliance, says the best strategy is to target three to four skills and explain how you’ve demonstrated them in the past. (“I know that business acumen is one of the crucial skills for this position. Let me give you a few examples of how I’ve applied this skill in my career thus far.”)
Where possible, weave in language from the job posting, says Gill. “You can use some of the company’s buzzwords without sounding overly rehearsed,” she advises.
Address cultural fit
About eight in 10 employers said they measure for cultural fit when hiring job candidates, one survey by international development firm Cubiks found. Read: Part of your answer to “Why should we hire you” should indicate why you’ll be a good match for the company’s environment. (“This isn’t a traditional company, which is wonderful because I don’t consider myself a traditional worker. Like you, I thrive on innovation.”)
Avoid clichés
Using trite words or phrases to articulate your value is one of the biggest mistakes job candidates make, says Claman. Indeed, you’re not going blow hiring managers away with your originality by using lines they’ve heard over and over again. “Don’t just sit there and say, ‘Hire me because I’m a hard worker,’ or ‘I’m self-motivated,’” Claman says.
Rather than telling an interviewer you’re a self-starter, back it up with an anecdote that shows how you’ve collaborated well with co-workers in the past. (“I'm a team player. I know you've probably heard that before, so let me give you an example.”)
Don’t hold back
To impress a hiring manager, you have to show confidence, says Julie Jansen, career coach and author of You Want Me to Work With Who? “Employers like to see that you know what your strengths are and that you know you bring value,” Jansen says.
Look at past performance reviews to see what managers praised you for and talk to former co-workers about your contributions—then highlight those skills or achievements. And, lead with a power statement: “If you want someone who can walk in and start managing a project without a lot of direction, or someone who already has a black belt in this sector, then I’m the person you should hire.”
Feeling fearless? Jansen recommends this unconventional response: “If you want someone who will maintain status quo, then I’m not the person you should hire.”
If asked what you hated most at your previous job, think twice before ranting about an old boss who made your life difficult.
"What did you like least about your last job?" can be something of a trap when it comes to interview questions, because your interviewer is asking for a negative answer. If you haven't given the subject some thought, you may accidentally talk yourself out of a job.
If you're asked this question—or its close cousins “What was the worst part of your last job?” or "Why didn't you like your last job?"—in an interview, you'll want to keep your answer honest while trying to incorporate a positive angle. One of the purposes of this interview question is to find out if you're going to be satisfied in the job for which you're interviewing. If you were dissatisfied before, you may be dissatisfied again if the circumstances are similar. Here's how three different candidates might answer this question:
Answer No. 1: "I didn't have enough challenges. After a while, all the projects became repetitive. I thrive on challenge."
Interviewer's thoughts: A lot of the tasks here are repetitive. What makes this candidate think he will like it here any better? Will we be able to keep him challenged?
Answer No. 2: "Lack of stability. After three company acquisitions, I had five bosses in three years. I couldn't take it any longer. What I am looking for is stability in a job and company."
Interviewer's thoughts: While our company is stable now, there are no guarantees about the future. This woman sounds like she may have some burnout and flexibility issues.
Answer No. 3: "In my last job, my boss was overbearing and wouldn't let me do my job. If she didn't like the way I was doing something, she'd criticize me."
Interviewer's thoughts: Could he work with me as a supervisor? How would he react if I had to critique his work? He sounds like he could be a problem to supervise.
Don't make the same mistakes these candidates made. Instead, use this three-step strategy to leave the recruiter feeling positively after this negative question.
Start on the right foot
While this is a negative question in search of a negative answer, you want to begin your answer with something upbeat that shows you're generally not a negative person, that shows you generally look for the good in situations. You'll probably want to note your overall satisfaction with your job, and even give one specific thing you've found valuable about the job.
You say: "I've given this question some thought, and overall I've been very satisfied with my job. I've been able to work with some really interesting people."
Stay on tasks
When you get to the meat of this question, you'll benefit by doing some advance planning, as you'll likely get some iteration of this question (it might sound something more like "Why are you looking to leave your current job?"). Create a list of those things responsible for your dissatisfaction. Spend some time looking at your list for patterns. Are there some projects that recur on your list? Are there some situations you don't want to get into again? This exercise will help you identify things to watch for and to ask questions about during the interview.
As you look for the answer to the question you're being asked, try to focus on an element of the work itself rather than company politics (which may be messy if your interviewer knows people at your company) or people (the recruiter may translate this answer into your being difficult). Try to limit yourself to one issue, such as workload, lack of growth or lack of flexibility.
You say: "I have to say that I did have a job where there was an inordinate amount of paperwork." Notice the word "inordinate." Not a normal load paperwork, but an unusually large amount.
End with a strength
Use your closing sentence to acknowledge how this particular negative situation hampered you from deploying one of your key skills, so that the interviewer sees you as someone who wants to be able to work to their best potential.
You say: "The paperwork has bogged me down, and prevented me from doing what I do best, which is working with people."
Practicing the answer to this question can be duly helpful for you: Not only does it get you ready for the interview, it gets you ready to decide whether you'll want the job. When you can identify the factors that give you job satisfaction, as well as the factors that were unpleasant or tedious for you, you can more easily determine if a job is the right job for you. Remember that this interview goes both ways!
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These answers will help show hiring managers that you’re no quitter.
There are many reasons for leaving a job without having a new one lined up, and not all of them are created equal. Some of your resulting resume gaps can be explained away by having “good” or “acceptable” reasons, like taking time off to raise a family or going back to school. Coming out of a tough economy, even getting laid off doesn’t have the stigma attached to it that it once did. But what if you were the one who decided on quitting your job?
“Additional responsibility, increased pay, and relocation are often ‘good excuses’ for leaving a job,” says Kyle Elliott, a San Francisco–based career coach and founder of CaffeinatedKyle.com, a career advice site. However, many people quit for more personal reasons—because they couldn’t deal with a boss from hell, they felt stuck in a dead-end position, or they were tired of enduring poor treatment. In those cases, you’ll have to find a way to put a positive spin on why you decided to say, “I quit!” when you go on your next job interview.
That’s because the last thing you want to risk is having your interviewer thinking that you’re a quitter who couldn’t hack it, wasn’t a team player, or who was hard to manage. This is how can you explain in an honest way why you quit your last job without scaring off recruiters.
You left a demanding job because you were feeling burned out
Don’t launch into a tirade about how you were expected to work 80 hours a week or how your supervisor expected you to answer 11 p.m. emails. Instead, say something along the lines of: “I’m looking for an opportunity where I can leverage my skills and experience, while also balancing time with family and friends. I believe we perform our best when we have a healthy balance between work and life.”
“Many companies are embracing—and even demanding—work/life blend,” says Elliott, “so focus on the type of work environment you thrive in.”
If you have no other gaps on your resume and have a track record of working with companies for big chunks of time, an interviewer should be satisfied with that response.
You left to take care of a family member or health issue
Of all the good reasons for leaving a job, your duty to your health and your loved ones is at the top. While you certainly don’t have to get into the specifics if you went out on Family and Medical Leave Act and then just didn’t return to the job after your 12 weeks were up, you might want to at least give the interviewer some key information.
“You can address that this was a very specific and one-time issue that is now resolved, and assure them the situation isn’t part of a pattern,” says Michael Sunderland, managing director of Tampa-based Full Stack Talent, a technology staffing agency. That way, a hiring manager won't be worried that they’ll bring you on board only to lose you in a few months.
You needed a change
If you’re making a career change, is it because you simply reached the point where you couldn’t stand what you were doing anymore? If so, that’s not necessarily the best way to put it to a prospective employer. Instead, say something like: “I’m seeking out opportunities that will allow me to make full use of my newly acquired web design skills” (or whatever new passion or old interest you want to tap into), says Elliot.
Again, prospective employers are looking for stability, so do your best to demonstrate that you’re not just seeking this position on a whim, but that you’ve taken steps to prepare yourself and done industry research to make sure this is what you want.
You didn’t click with your former company’s ethics
There are times when resigning from a job might have been the smartest thing you could’ve done. That said, whether you felt uncomfortable about the way management treated young hires or you found out about some shady financial practices, bashing your former employer will not go over well (even if it’s well deserved).
Instead, try to turn the conversation onto the values you share with this new potential employer. “I think it’s fine to bring up legitimate high-level disagreements between you and management,” says Sunderland, “but you should present their train of thought and why you fundamentally disagreed.”
Then, make the shift to describe what you admire about the company you’re interviewing with, such as how they focus on diversity and inclusion or strive to be environmentally conscious. This will also give you the opportunity to show that you did your homework.
You’re looking for more money or a promotion
You might have felt justified at leaving a job because you didn’t get a raise or title change in four years, but there’s a way to express that in an interview without coming off as bitter. “Instead, explain that you’d reached the growth ceiling in your position and you are ready for your next challenge,” says Sunderland. “This puts a positive spin on your departure and the ‘challenge’ portion implies that you will be a hard worker.”
No matter your reason for resigning from a job, here are a few more of Elliot’s general tips to keep in mind:
Less is more. Provide just enough information to explain your reason for leaving without going into too much detail.
Stay on point. Stick with sharing relevant information that relates to the company and position you’re applying to.
Be honest. While you can certainly frame how you quit in a positive way, you should never flat out lie about how things went down.
Show off your strengths
Though you may feel a bit tripped up on this question, remember it's not the only thing a hiring manager will take into consideration with regards to your candidacy. One way to start off on a good foot is with a strong resume that highlights your achievements. If an employer is impressed by your resume, it could help draw the focus toward the stuff you want to talk about: your skills and experience.
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Always answer this one with a yes. After a little preparation, you'll be able to ask the right questions at the right time.
Surprisingly, the most common answer to the interview question, "Do you have any questions?" is no. Not only is this the wrong answer, but it's also a missed opportunity to find out information about the company. It is important for you to ask questions—not just any questions, but those relating to the job, the company and the industry.
Consider this: Two candidates are interviewing for an inside sales position.
Henry asks, "I was wondering about benefits, and when they would become effective. Also, what is the yearly vacation allowance? And, does the company match the 401k plan?"
Assuming this is the first interview, it is premature to ask about benefits. "What's in it for me?" questions can be interpreted as self-centered and a sign of your lack of interest in the job.
The next candidate, Chris, says, "No, I think you just about covered everything I wanted to know. I'm sure I'll have more questions if I get the job."
This is a very passive response that doesn't demonstrate interest or imagination. Once you get the job—if you get it—may be too late to ask questions.
It is important to ask questions to learn about the company and the job's challenges. In some cases, the interviewer will be listening for the types of questions you ask. The best questions will come as a result of listening to the questions the interviewer asks you.
A good response to the interviewer asking, "Do you have any questions?" would be: "Yes, I do. From what you've been asking during the interview, it sounds like you have a problem with customer retention. Can you tell me a little more about the current situation and what the first challenges would be for the new person?"
This answer shows interest in what the problem is and how you could be the possible solution. It is also an opportunity to get a sense of what will be expected.
Be prepared
What information do you need to decide whether to work at this company? Make a list of at least 10 questions to take with you to the interview. Depending on who is interviewing you, your questions should vary.
If you are interviewing with the hiring manager, ask questions about the job, the desired qualities and the challenges.
If you are interviewing with the human resources manager, ask about the company and the department.
If you are interviewing with management, ask about the industry and future projections. This is your chance to demonstrate your industry knowledge.
Timing is important
You will have to use your judgment about the number of questions you ask and when to ask them. Think of this as a conversation. There will be an appropriate time to ask certain types of questions, like those about benefits and vacation. To be on the safe side, concentrate on questions about the job's responsibilities and how you fit the position until you get the actual offer.
When you begin to think of the interview as a two-way process, you will see it is important for you to find out as much as possible about the company. Questions will give you the opportunity to find out if this is a good place for you to work before you say yes.
Questions on leadership may come up in a job interview. Use this formula to prove to the interviewer that you’re up to any management challenge.
It’s common to discuss your work history and experience in an interview, but some employers want more detail than others. In particular, some may ask you to dig into the last project you led.
There are many things interviewers might gauge from your response to this question. “The interviewer may want to know if you were able to collaborate with and lead a team,” says Jennifer Malach, founder of 20/20 Career Solutions, a career and leadership coaching business in Westchester, New York. “Or, was there a major client issue that you resolved without specific direction or much information from others?”
Here are a few pointers for preparing your answer.
Choose the right example
Select a project you worked on recently, not one from several years ago, says Dylan Kissane, a content manager who hires consultants and freelancers for DOZ.com, a marketing software company based in San Francisco and Lyon, France.
You should choose a project that was successful, adds Karin Hurt, former Verizon Wireless executive and CEO of Let’s Grow Leaders, a leadership consulting business in Baltimore, unless you’re going to explain how you turned around a negative outcome. “I’ve been amazed how many times people I’ve interviewed get halfway into this story and realize they’ve picked a bad example where the outcome was a disaster.”
Kissane adds that he wants the answer to be honest. “I’m less worried about whether the project succeeded—though success is good—and whether the candidate can explain why it succeeded or failed.”
Interviewers don’t only want to know that you led a project, but also how you led. Again, the project didn’t necessarily need to be a total success—though that helps—but you’ll need to demonstrate the specific ways in which you organized and motivated your team.
You say: “I recently led a team that prepared a series of presentations for clients at my company’s annual conference.”
Show your leadership skills
After you’ve established a solid example of a time you were thrust into the lead role, you’ll need to go into detail about what you did when you got there. Explain your processes, meeting schedules and the tools you used to stay organized. Be specific. The interviewer is trying to gauge how you may lead projects in your new role.
For example, if you were tasked with creating and presenting a new marketing campaign or organizing an internal client database, you’ll want to describe the employees on your team, their roles, how you handled delegating responsibilities and how you reported the group’s workflow to your superiors. Through this, you’ll be able to paint a full picture of what you did to accomplish the task.
You say: “I was charged with assigning specific presentations to the team members, setting deadlines and editing their material.”
Provide proof of success
It’s easy to say that the project was a success, but you should give details that will prove it to the interviewer.
“A good candidate will understand that their personal assessment of the project is one thing, but that I am likely interested in something more objective,” Kissane says. Explain how your team determined that the project was a success, and detail goals that were met.
You should also include details about what you learned from the project—both the success and the problems.
“If the project did not end well, then it’s OK to share that,” Malach says. “But, you must be able to also share what you learned from that experience and how it helped you in your next lead role.”
Kissane adds: “The best responses will explain what was learned from the project. The very best will link this learning to the position they are interviewing for.”
You say: “Two colleagues missed their deadlines, but we all pulled together to help them, and after the conference our client feedback was 100% positive. I even received an email from one client who said this year’s was the best yet.”
Learn to say the right things
Every interview question is an opportunity to put your skills and experience front and center in order to impress hiring managers, but you have to choose your words carefully for maximum impact.
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Get this job interview question right, and maybe you’ll find yourself in a new job with less annoying co-workers.
It may sound like a question from an online dating profile, but when job interviewers ask what irritates you about others, they’re trying to assess how you will get along with your colleagues and clients, and how your personality will fit in with the company culture.
Think about it. Almost every company has that one worker who types like their fingers are hammers. Or who is a chatterbox. Or who’s excruciatingly perky and chipper at all hours. Or who argues with their significant other on the phone loud enough for the entire floor to hear—daily.
Annoying co-workers are a fact of life. They mean no harm, but they can drive you batty, which can make doing your actual job a lot more difficult than it needs to be. Still, you have to push through the annoyance and get your work done.
Interviewers want to know you won’t let a little thing like a loud chewer sabotage your duties as an employee.
“This is not a trick question,” says Stephen Gibson, a director and hiring manager at San Francisco-based JotForm, a company that creates customizable online forms. “[Hiring managers are] trying to determine first, if you’re easily irritated, and second, if you’re irritated by the habits of their existing staff. They want to know if you’re adaptable and a good fit for their organization.”
Makes sense, no? But to ensure you don’t answer this question by unloading every habit you find annoying in others, you need to do some preparation. Use the following tips to focus your answer on something that won’t scare off a prospective employer.
Be upfront about what bothers you
Think of all the different types of personalities that exist in a single workplace. Then consider that everyone is annoyed by something, and when the pressures of work begin to mount, the irritations can start to interfere with teamwork and productivity.
Don’t play dumb and tell the interviewer you never get annoyed with anyone. Even the most patient people will find themselves frustrated with co-workers at one point or another, so you need to describe a moment when you’ve been legitimately annoyed at work. (It likely won’t take you too long to come up with something.)
“You can cite some things that are genuinely irritating, for example employees taking credit for your work,” Gibson suggests.
You say: “It doesn’t happen often, but I really get irritated when one person hogs all the glory on something that was a group effort. I believe in giving credit where it is due and fairness within a team dynamic.”
Show you aren’t bothered by the little stuff
Legitimate grievances are different from personal peeves; in the grand scheme of things, someone who bites their nails is less of an issue than someone who misses every single deadline given to them. Employers don’t want to hire people who are going to be irritated by every little thing, so you need to give an answer that shows the little stuff won’t get to you.
“Working with others is challenging,” Gibson says. “People who are easily irritated are difficult to work with, and people who don’t deal with their concerns with others create more issues down the road.”
Also, you want to avoid sounding like you aren’t able to work with people who operate differently than you do, says Tali Raphaely, president of Armour Settlement Services, a title company based in Owings Mills, Maryland. “It’s way too easy to fall into the trap of answering this question by showing a lack of patience or understanding toward others.”
Maybe you’re most productive in the mornings, but your co-worker really picks up in the afternoon. This shouldn’t derail the team. You need to adapt to different working styles, otherwise you’re the annoying one.
You say: “I’m bothered by big mistakes or problems that have team impact. For example, it would bother me greatly if a co-worker were to miss an important deadline on a team project. It’s unfair to the people in the group who made their deadlines.”
Demonstrate your patience when handling an annoyance
Lastly, you must demonstrate that you handle your annoyances in a calm and productive manner. Nobody likes a complainer who doesn’t take any action to fix the situation.
“Most interviewers are seeking to understand if the person being interviewed is positive and solutions-based, as well as a strong communicator,” says Kerry Preston, co-author of You Did What? The Biggest Mistakes Professional Make. “It is important not to be too harsh or too much of a people pleaser.”
Meaning, shouting or putting down someone is both rude and unhelpful, no matter how annoying they are. Instead, it’s best to explain how you listen to others when there’s a misunderstanding, Preston suggests. Give an answer that shows you prefer to discuss your irritations and find a point of agreement with others, rather than simply remaining annoyed or running to the boss to whine without first attempting to solve the issue yourself.
“Describe a healthy way to handle that situation,” Gibson adds, “such as, confronting the employee and only alerting your supervisor if needed.”
You say: “Because I know I get irritated when co-workers miss deadlines, I try to always make sure goals are clearly communicated to everyone on the team. I also like to implement regular check-ins to make sure we’re all on the same page, rather than waiting until the end to see if there’s a problem. If the deadline is missed anyway, I try to find out what I can do differently next time so the problem doesn’t repeat itself.”
Smile—you're not done yet
It's not easy to get along with difficult people, but in the workplace, you have no choice if you want to keep—or in this case get—a job. Showing hiring managers that you're good natured is a step in the right direction, and you want your other answers to back up that claim.
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Talking too openly about your salary early in the hiring process may eliminate you. Don't say too much too soon.
Asking someone, "How much money do you make?" is considered a rude question in most circumstances. Normally, the answer would be, "None of your business." But when applying for a job, especially one you are interested in, you should prepare for questions about salary.
Recent changes have made it unlawful for employers to ask candidates about their salary history during the screening and interview processes. Massachusetts adopted a salary history ban in 2016 (it will go into effect July 2018); and in 2017, California (in effect January 2018), Oregon (in effect January 2019), Delaware (December 2017), and Puerto Rico (in effect March 2018) did the same, along with the cities of New York, Pittsburgh (for city employees only), and New Orleans (for city employees only). Other states and cities are expected to follow suit sooner rather than later.
The best way to deal with the question in a job interview is to defer the subject of your salary history until you have more facts. Take these two examples:
Arlene is applying for a position as director of community relations at a major hospital. The ad asks applicants to include a salary history with their queries. Arlene dutifully adds a salary history to her resume and sends it off.
Debra is applying for the same job. She takes a different approach and writes on the bottom of the cover letter, "Salary history is confidential information to be supplied in the interview."
In Arlene's case, her letter and salary history will be opened by the receptionist, picked up by the HR coordinator, copied and then sent to the hiring manager for review. The hiring manager will make a judgment based on appropriate experience and salary expectations. If he decides Arlene is not the right fit for the job, he will tell HR he is not interested. By this time, three people will have viewed Arlene's salary history, and she will not even get an interview.
Debra's letter will be handled in the same manner, but the salary history will be missing. Now the hiring manager will have to judge Debra based on her experience and background. He may call Debra and ask for her salary requirements, but she can still postpone the discussion and inquire about the salary range budgeted for the position.
Consider this first
What does your resume project?
Your resume can be a powerful tool in conveying your expected salary range—even without explicitly stating how much you make. Make sure your skills, experience, and accomplishments are presented in such a way that a hiring manager could get a fairly reasonable idea of what someone with your background earns per year.
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“What’s your work style?” is a frequent interview stumper. But asking yourself these five bite-sized questions makes answering it a breeze.
There are a number of job interview questions where the answer the hiring manager’s looking for should be pretty obvious. “Are you a team player?” “Yes.” “How do you handle pressure?” “Fantastically.” “Why should we hire you?” “Because I’m awesome.”
“How would you describe your work style?” is not one of those questions.
First of all, what does work style even mean? The interviewer’s not asking if you like to kick back at your desk in a pair of wraparound shades and Beats. Rather, they’re trying to discern how you’ll fit into an existing work culture, carefully gauging your response for hints about how you’ll mesh with potential co-workers and whether you’re well suited to the demands of the role.
In other words, it’s kind of an important question.
But don’t let it intimidate you or get you tongue-tied. You can figure out your work style with five smaller, far more straightforward questions. By asking yourself each of them, you can learn a lot about both how you work and how to frame yourself in an interview.
1. Do you like to work autonomously or collaboratively?
The vast majority of jobs won’t have you working in a vacuum. Instead, you’ll be part of a larger group that must—get this—collaborate in order to achieve a common goal.
Understandably, many interviewers will expect you to describe yourself in terms of working as part of a team. But if you really do consider yourself a strong, independent worker, don’t worry—there’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you mention the importance of external feedback from both bosses and peers when it comes to being your best professional self.
2. How do you like to work with your boss?
We all have an idea of the kind of working relationship we’d like with our superiors, but it doesn’t always take shape beyond some vague notion of cordiality. But how you work with your boss truly does speak to how you’ll perform on the job, and you’ll need to consider this carefully.
Do you like receiving a set of clear-cut directions, so that your goals as a worker are never in doubt? Or do you feel comfortable doing a bit of creative interpretation in terms of what your boss actually wants from you, giving you a bit of leeway to do your own thing?
However you define it, it never hurts to mention that you appreciate the importance of the routine check-in, ensuring you and your boss are on the same page and that your work’s consistently up to spec.
3. How do you prefer to communicate?
In decades past, this particular question would’ve been a whole lot simpler. After all, it doesn’t take much effort to determine if a workplace’s dominant mode of communication involves writing emails or simply yelling, “Watch your six!” across a factory floor.
But organizations that communicate electronically now go a lot further than simply relying on email alone, and this question gives you a chance to prove you’re comfortable with the full range of technologies on hand.
Do you tend to communicate over chat clients like Slack or Gchat? Do you work best within a project management framework, like Basecamp? Whatever your preference, it’s always worth bringing the conversation back around to the necessity of in-person communication—always an underrated asset in our increasingly digitized workplace.
4. What hours do you work?
No, your interviewer’s not looking for you to simply spit back the hours required for the position—they already know it’s a nine-to-fiver, or whatever the case may be. What they want is a sense of whether you’re the kind of person who likes to show up early or won’t sweat staying a little bit late, should the job require it.
Later, down the road in the hiring process, you can go further into the particulars of your schedule, like the afternoons you need to leave 30 minutes early to pick up the kids from daycare or volunteer at the local iguana rescue.
For now, you can focus on projecting your commitment to the job and your flexibility to stick around as long as it takes to get the work done.
5. How do you plan your day?
For an interviewer, this offers one of the best windows into how you conduct yourself at work. Maybe you’re the kind of person who creates a daily action plan, organizes it by priority, and then unwaveringly stays the course. Or maybe you spend your mornings knocking out a few easy tasks or emails, and then dedicate your afternoon to larger projects on the docket.
Either way, sharing how you structure your day gives you an opportunity to demonstrate how you’ll take a purposeful approach to your work—even, as the case may be, if you like to sport a sweet pair of wraparound shades. We’ll defer to your target employer’s attire policy on that one.
When hiring managers ask about your ideal work environment, they're trying to figure out if you'll be a good fit for the job and the organization. Here's what they want to hear.
People are happiest and most productive when they work in an environment that suits them. By the same token, companies have different personalities, so it’s important for them to hire people who will fit in.
Many job seekers stumble when asked in an interview to describe their ideal work environment. Remember, when you’re interviewing, you are being screened for a certain skill set and cultural fit. Here are some tips on how to formulate your answer to this job interview question.
Small vs. large companies
A very common question is whether you are most productive and comfortable in a small or large company. Both have benefits, so you need to think about which environment best suits you and your work style. If you like small companies, you might say, “I want to work for a small company because you get exposed to more things faster.” However, if you like the greater resources and more formalized training of a large organization, you should communicate that when interviewing.
Your preference may also depend on where you are in your career. If you’re just starting out, a large company may be the place to learn processes. If that’s how you feel, say, “I want to own my own company someday and want to learn the best methodologies for running a business.”
If you have a number of years under your belt and believe you already know how to manage all or part of a business successfully, then a small company might be the place for you. In your answer, you might say, “I’ve had great training from large companies and want to import those practices into a small company, so I can have a greater impact.”
Typical interview questions like small company versus large company are designed to determine where you will be best-suited to perform and contribute. Let the interviewer know why you prefer one environment over another.
Formal vs. informal
Of the most typical interview questions, this one is designed to illuminate the environment in which you like to work. Everyone has a preferred way of working. Some people like the formality of processes. If that’s you, say, “I like when processes are in place, so I know what steps to take.”
Others may prefer a more informal work environment in which there is less structure in the way the company operates. If that’s your preferred environment, you might say you like extemporaneous meetings in hallways and business decisions made over a casual lunch.
Work-life balance
How you respond to this question may be a litmus test for how well you’ll fit into the organization. For some people, the ideal work environment has set hours, with people arriving at 9 a.m. and leaving at 5 p.m. For those with family responsibilities, this may represent the ideal environment. If this is what you want to convey, you could say, “I think it’s important to be productive by 9 a.m., so I can feel good about leaving at 5 p.m.”
For others, work is their life, so their ideal environment is one in which most of the other employees feel the same way. If that’s you, you might say, “When I’m on a roll, I like to work late, so I like it when there are other people around.”
Many people like an environment where they can work remotely, while others prefer the interactions that can happen only at the office. Work-life balance is a typical interview question, so you should give it a great deal of thought because your work environment will have many implications for your long-term happiness.
Mission statement
Some companies look for people who share their values and may expect you to address that in your interview. Review the company’s mission statement to understand how it addresses its long-term goals and the way it does business. Let the interviewer know how the company’s mission reflects your values. You might say, “I want to work for a company that cares about the environment, and that’s why I’m so interested in this opportunity.”
We all spend the bulk of our day at work, so making sure the work environment is right for you is critical. When interviewing, spend a few minutes describing your ideal environment, so both sides can make an informed decision.
Know what you want
The perfect job looks different for every single person, so knowing what you're looking for in an employer will go a long way in helping you find a satisfying job.
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Your answer could show you’re a team player—or a back stabber.
When applying for jobs, you already have your references—people who you know will sing your praises—lined up. But in an interview, sometimes you’ll be the one asked to give perspective on your current or most recent boss.
As it turns out, most job seekers don’t exactly have the best things to say about them—to us, at least. In a 2018 Monster poll, the majority (76%) of U.S. respondents said they currently have or recently had a toxic boss. That’s compared to the minority (5%) of respondents who are BFFs with their boss and 19% who described their boss as a mentor, or someone they can learn from and know has their back. The bad bosses, however, can best be described by our respondents as power-hungry (26%), micromanager (18%), incompetent (17%), or just never around (15%).
But regardless of whether your previous boss was your best friend or your worst enemy, talking about him or her to a prospective employer takes a little tact.
“How you describe past relationships speaks volumes about you, not the boss, which is why interviewers pose the question,” says Elaine Stirling, a Toronto-based communications consultant and author of The Corporate Storyteller: A Writing Manual & Style Guide for the Brave New Business Leader.
Interviewers are looking for a few different things when they ask this question: how well you handle being put on the spot, how well you play with others, and how you like to be managed. Come prepared to answer, so you don’t get caught off-guard and say something you’ll regret.
Be positive—even if it’s difficult
The experts agree that saying something positive about your former boss is the only way to answer this question—regardless of your true feelings.
“If a candidate rants negatively about a prior manager, the interviewer often considers the employee the problem and will be hesitant to make the hire,” says Lynne Sarikas, executive director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University in Boston.
Obviously if you had a great manager, acknowledge that and specify what made them so great, Sarikas says. “If, on the other hand, you had a more challenging relationship with you manager, proceed cautiously.”
You want to highlight positive aspects of your manager’s leadership style and what you learned from him or her, says Marti Benjamin, a Nevada-based certified career management coach and former health care executive. If the interviewer pushes for some sort of criticism, say something that ends on a positive note.
“You may want to acknowledge that while you had very different styles, you found a way to work together to deliver results or meet customer needs,” Sarikas suggests. “Be prepared to give a specific example that can be shared in a positive way.”
You say: “My boss was strong-willed, which sometimes made it difficult to communicate new ideas; however, we always managed to talk it out and find solutions that were best for the company.”
Bring it back to your strengths
Your answer to this question can indicate how you like—or don’t like—to be managed, says Cheri Farmer, a sales trainer for the Grace Bay Group in South Carolina, who has interviewed countless people over the course of her career. “How does that mesh with my own management style? Would this be a relationship that works?”
The interviewer may also be testing to see what you’ll be like to work with, Farmer adds. Will you make a positive contribution to the company’s culture, or will you need to be refereed?
Whatever the reason, remember they are interviewing you, not your former boss, Sarikas says. “Keep the focus on what skills and experience you bring to this position. Let your strengths show in your answer and move the interview onto more important questions.”
You say: “She was so effective at advocating for our department. I learned a lot from her about how to diplomatically manage people, keep communication lines open between departments and how to advocate for the team.”
Demonstrate discretion and loyalty
By asking this question, an interviewer might also be testing you to see how you would handle sensitive inquiries from customers, colleagues or others.
“I’m not necessarily looking for loyalty to the boss, but how loyal are they to the organization?” Farmer says. “When they leave our company will they talk smack about our organization?”
Many applicants fail to realize that their criticism of their boss is often perceived as their unwillingness to accept accountability for their own actions, Benjamin says. “I never asked candidates about their former bosses, but far too many felt it was reasonable to offer their assessment anyway. I always believed that if they’d criticize their former manager in an interview, they’d probably also criticize me or their co-workers were I to hire them.”
You say: “We had our differences, but I thought it was important to stay focused on our goals and to set up my manager—and my team—for success.”
Know what to leave out
While you should always be honest in a job interview, there are certainly details that don't need to be shared, especially if they have the potential to cast you in an unflattering light.
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Remember, when this job interview question about secrets comes up: You’re not talking to a friend, you’re talking to a potential boss.
You thought your job interview was going very well—until your interviewer and dropped a bomb and asks: “What is one thing about yourself that you wouldn’t want me to know?”
All sorts of inappropriate—no, really inappropriate—answers may pop into your ahead.
Do not blurt them out! Take a moment, inhale slowly and then smile, because you’ve done your research and you know what this question is really about.
“Interviewers are looking to hear how something in your past has changed you for the better,” says Lynda McKay, vice president of human resource consulting at Bagnall, an employee benefits and HR consulting firm based in Phoenix. A good answer to this question “demonstrates your adaptability to learn, grow and possibly be flexible.”
One thing is certain: You have to give a response. Here’s how to pick the right one.
Bring up your younger years
Start out by outlining a problem you faced in your past work life—or even something interesting from your high school or college years, McKay says. Those are prime mistake-making years—and you’ve come a long way since then. Just make sure you pick an example that you’ve learned something from. Don’t overdo it with sordid details; simply describe the challenge you were facing and what was at stake.
You say: “I was an overachiever in college and there were a couple of semesters when I tried to do it all with classes and tons of extracurriculars. My grades were slipping and I was burning out quickly.”
Describe your reaction
Then, follow up with how you overcame the problem, says Joseph Wessner, who had a long history of hiring in the restaurant industry before becoming assistant general manager at Coughlin Printing Group in Lowville, New York.
A spotless career is rare, and as long as you can show you aren’t afraid of dealing with adversity, even talking about a challenge that puts you in a bad light shouldn’t hurt your chances. “Answering the question humanizes you to the interviewer,” Wessner says.
You say: “So, I took a semester off to clear my mind, did some traveling—mostly some soul searching—and came back ready to finish my degree, which I did, with honors.”
Share the lesson
Finally, talk about the key takeaways from your experience. This may be something you learned about yourself, such as how you prefer to work or your career interests. If you can include information about ensuing successes or how it brought you to the current interview, add that as well.
You say: "Coming so close to burning out and giving up entirely helped me understand my own limits while also strengthening my resolve to succeed. Traveling also made me realize that any career I took would have to have international opportunities, which is why I’m interested in this position."
Get more wisdom under your belt
Hiring managers are going to throw some curveballs in your direction—after all, it's their job to be sure you can take a little heat and come out without getting completely burned. Prepare your answers in advance and you'll feel more equipped to step up to the plate.
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Yes, this classic question still comes up in 21st-century job interviews—particularly those for sales roles.
You’re sitting in a job interview ready to answer any question the hiring manager has about your qualifications and why you’re a great fit for the job. Then he holds up his writing instrument and says, “Sell me this pencil.”
This request is nearly as old as the job interview itself. It’s a simple question—typically geared toward candidates for sales positions—but it can be difficult to answer. And you might be surprised to learn what the interviewer is hoping to hear.
“Most interviewers are screening for confidence and cogency,” says Brett Cenkus, a Texas-based business consultant and lawyer who has trained sales professionals. In general, interviewers use ts question to get a feel for your sales style and experience, he adds.
There are a few guidelines pros like Cenkus suggest you follow when crafting your response:
Ask questions—lots and lots of questions
The answer made famous in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street—in which stockbroker Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) asks a friend to sell him a pen. The friend takes the pen and asks Belfort to write his name down on a napkin. Belfort says he can’t, he doesn’t have a pen, and the friend says, “exactly”—is actually not the best approach in this real-life situation.
In fact, Belfort told Piers Morgan on CNN in 2014 that the best salespeople will ask questions before they try to sell anything.
Other experts agree the best response is one that starts with plenty of questions.
“An ideal response to a question like this would be for the sales rep to start asking penetrating questions about me and my business that would help them identify whether or not I really need a pencil in the first place,” says Christopher Searles, president of New York–based Searles Media, who interviews sales candidates on a weekly basis. “Being able to successfully identify a prospect’s needs is the single most important, and often most overlooked, aspect of being a good salesperson.”
By asking questions, you can sell the pencil, not as a commodity, but as a solution to the buyer’s problem.
You say: “I’d like to understand your needs surrounding pencils. What are you currently using to write with? Where do you most often use this writing instrument and what types of things do you normally write? Are you happy with your current writing tools? If you were to consider another vendor for your writing implements, what would be important to you?”
Understand their needs and pivot if necessary
You’re selling the pencil, and you ask the interviewer, “What are you currently using to write with?” His response is, “Nothing, I never write.”
What do you do next?
“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘Oh, sounds like you’re not in the market for the pencil I’m selling. Do you know anyone who is?’” Cenkus says. “Don’t waste time pitching to people who don’t have any use for what you’re selling.”
Unless you’re hoping to irritate someone into buying your pencil, don’t keep pushing when the buyer says he doesn’t need one.
You say: Since you have no use for this pencil I’m selling, is there someone else in your company who might need one?
Keep the conversation going
Plan your conversation to avoid dead ends. One common trap: Starting your sales pitch by rattling off all wonderful qualities of the pencil. “The worst thing you could do in response to this question is to start selling me first without determining if you have something of value to offer me,” Searles says.
Plus, after you list all the good things about the pencil, ask the interviewer if he wants to buy it, and he says no, you’ve run out of things to say, Cenkus says. Most applicants fizzle after this happens.
It’s OK to fake your confidence a bit to keep the conversation flowing. That beats sitting in silence. “The worst thing an interviewee can do is not try,” Cenkus says.
Farmer agrees. “The interviewer would see that as someone who is easily rattled and has the potential to fall apart in an unexpected situation."
You say: “Well, I’m sure we can find the right product to meet your needs. Would you like to review this pen? It’s actually an upgrade from the pencil.”
Sell more of your smarts
In every interview, regardless of whether you're asked to sell a pencil or not, you're actually selling yourself. So you need to be prepared with the smartest answers, quickest replies, and the best way to close the deal.
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