One of the things that make most job seekers uncomfortable is
salary negotiation. You may be asking for too little, or too much
or worse wreck your chances of getting the best possible salary
deal. Negotiations will be smoother if you know what to ask.
Mentioned below are 6 questions that job hunters should ask during
salary negotiation.
1. Is this negotiable?- You have been short listed and the offer
letter has been sent across. This is when you politely ask if the
salary is negotiable. Asking this will make it clear to you if your
recruiters are ready to put more money on the table. If the answer
is a blunt no, move on to negotiating other things.2. Is this base
only? You should be aware if the amount offered to you is just the
base compensation or total compensation. When you ask is this base
only? it portrays that you have done your homework and are
interested in details of bonus and increments. This will also open
up opportunities for you to ask about annual hikes and the likes.3.
How will I be evaluated? Will it affect my raise? Though these are
two separate questions they are usually liked because in most
organizations a raise is given on the basis of evaluation of
performance. There is a chance that your company may have a
different policy, so to be on the safe side, ask.4. When do the
benefits start?Could you provide me with the details? Benefits like
life insurance and medical claims are offered by organizations. If
your insurance or the likes are going to expire and need to be
renewed you can ask your new employers to find a solution to it.5.
May I have a job description? This is just to verify the job
description discussed with you during the interview. It will give
you a clear view of the list of duties you are expected to do. If
some of the pointers were not mentioned to you previously you can
use them to persuade your employer to pay you more.6. When would
you like an answer? We live in a society where being thoughtful is
appreciated more than being impulsive. Therefore, you should never
accept any job offer immediately. When you say I think this a great
opportunity but I will need to think about it and get back to you
it buys you time which you can use to strategise your salary
negotiation further. You should also avoid mentioning that you need
to discuss the opportunity with your parents or spouse. This makes
you seem incapable of taking decisions all by yourself.When you ask
these questions you make your prospect employers aware of your
capabilities as a good negotiator. It also brings across that you
have done your homework and people cannot trick you into doing
something you dont want to. After all, you want the recruiter to
know that they are making a wise decision by hiring you and that
you are not going to come inexpensive.In Pictures: How to Prepare
for Common Interview QuestionsHow to prepare for common job
interview questions:Do your homework. One of the biggest complaints
ofhiring managers is that many job interview candidates know very
little about thecompany theyre interviewing for, saysAndy Teach,
author ofFrom Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to
Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time, and host of the
YouTube channelFromGradToCorp. Google the company youre
interviewing with and read some of the articles that pop up; study
the companys website; know the companys mission, its products and
services,its locations, and who their top executives are. Goto the
Public Relations tab ontheir website and print out some of their
latest press releases. Study them so thatyou can talk in the
interview about whats going on with the company now, he
says.Preparea list of likely questions.Shweta Khare, acareer and
job search expertsays getting a list of common questions for an
interview is easier than ever before. Youcannever underestimate
theimportanceof preparation. Its the first step and the most
important, she says.Identify what the organization wants and
needs.While the focus of Why should we hire you? (and other similar
interview questions) is on you, the interviewee, its important to
remember the answer isnt all about you, says Miriam Salpeter, job
search coach, owner ofKeppie Careersand author ofSocial Networking
for Career Successand100 Conversations for Career Success.The
Forbes eBook: Find And Keep Your Dream JobThe Definitive Careers
Guide From Forbesencompasses every aspect of the job hunt, from
interview to promotion. Discover how to get ahead today.The most
successful interview responses focus on the hiring managers needs.
Framing replies that demonstrate you understand their problems, or
pain points, makes a big difference when competing with many other
qualified candidates.Prepare by identifying the skills employers
are looking for. Use their in-depth job descriptions, view videos
the employers post about their organization, and visit
theirFacebookpage and Twitter feeds, she suggests.Google
yourself.Findout what the company knows about you, Teach adds. See
what they see. If theres anything negative about you, have a
response ready as to why its negative but dont get too defensive.
Respond and then move on.Interview yourself for the position.Before
every interview, ask yourself: Why am I a good fit for this job?I
tell my clients to post the question, Why should we hire you? on
their bathroom mirror, refrigerator or anyplace they will see it
during the day, Salpeter says. I instruct them to answer, out loud,
keeping different companies in mind each time. Rehearsing this way
will help you hone in on what you have to offer.Identify what is
unique or special about you. How have you gone above and beyond the
call of duty? What did you accomplish that no one else managed to
do? Did you volunteer to tackle a problem and solve it? Dont
underestimate the value of looking at yourself, your skills and
your accomplishments and outlining the key points you will want to
share with a prospective employer.Practice and plan.Role play
answering typical interview questions with a friend, colleague, or
coach, saysAnita Attridge, a Five OClock Club career and executive
coach.Be prepared for the typical interview questions by thinking
about what your response would be to them before the interview, she
adds.If you are a college student, set up an appointment with your
career center and have them conduct a mock interview with you. Even
if youre a recent graduate, many college career centers will
conduct mock interviews to help alumni, Tech says. Request that
your interview is filmed so that they can critique you and youcan
study the film.Dont worry if youre nervous or you screw up. Youre
much betteroffscrewing up in a mock interview than in the real
thing.You dont necessarily want to memorize responsesbut try to
have a general strategy for answering common interview
questions.Today many organizations are using behavioral interview
questions to better understand what you have done, Attridge says.
They usually begin with, Tell me about a time when She suggests
briefly describing what the situation was; how you handled the
situation; and what the result was.To prepare for these, youll want
to think about workplaceexperiencestories that describe your
accomplishments or show how you dealt with a tough situation, Khare
says. If you dont have any stories that you can recall now, set
aside a few hours to think and write down at least two or three
stories. A simple question like, Tell me about a time you made a
mistake, can take you off-guard and it is not easy to recall
unrehearsed. Having a repository of work experience stories written
down before aninterviewwill make it easier to recall.Reflect on
previous interviews.Keep a computer or paper record of your
interviews, Teach says.Keep a record of the time of your
interviews, how long they are,your impressions of the hiring
manager, and perhapsmost importantly,what questions were asked of
you, what answers you gave, and record any questions they asked you
that you felt could have been answered differently. Study these
elements and your interview skills will improve, he says.Figure out
how to articulate your goals. Most of the commonly asked questions
during an interview either dig into your previous experience or
want to explore your future goals, Khare says. Prepareandarticulate
your goals, and remain honest here. Inconsistent answers wont get
you the respect and credibility that is a must to impress an
interviewer.Be positive.When preparing for an interview and
anticipating likely questions, plan to answer all questions
positively. Even if you were in a bad situation, think about how
you can talk about the situation positively, Attridge says. You
always have a choice. It is much better to talk about a glass being
half full then to talk about it being half empty. Its all about
your perspective, and in an interview being positive counts.Never
say anything negative about your prior employers or bosses,
eitherno matter how bad the situation may have been. A negative
answer actually is a reflection about your judgment and business
acumen, and not about the employer or manager.Get
comfortable.Preparationand practice aside, the most important tip I
would like to suggest to job seekers is to feel comfortable with
the interview process, Khare says. You can read all the advice in
the world about acing the interview, but none of the tactics will
work out of you are not yourself during the process.Feeling
comfortable and relaxed positively influences your confidence. And
interviewers always appreciate a relaxed and confident candidate,
as opposed to a heavy promoter and edgy one, she adds. Practice
calming your nerves, and focus on how you can prove youd be a
valuable asset to the company.How to answer 7 of the most common
interview questions:Tell me about yourself.While this isnt exactly
a question, answering this the wrong way could really hurt your
chances of getting a job, Teach says. I was once told by an HR
executive that this can actually be a trick question. Hiring
managers cant ask you certain questions legallybut if you go off on
a tangent when answering, you may tell them some things about you
thatare better left unsaid. The worst way to approach this request
is to tell them your life story, which is something theyre
definitely not interested in. The best way to approach this is to
only discuss what your interests are relating to the job and why
your background makes you a great candidate.What are your strengths
and weaknesses?Its easy to talk about your strengths; youre detail
oriented, hard working, a team player, etc.but its alsoeasy to get
tripped up when discussing your weaknesses, Teach says. Never talk
about a real weakness unless its something youve defeated. Many
hiring managers are hip to the overused responses, such as, Well,
my biggest weakness is that I work too hard so I need try to take
it easy once in a while. The best answer is to discuss a weakness
that youve turned around, such as, you used to come in late to work
a lot but after your supervisor explained why it was necessary for
youto come in on time, you were never late again.Where do you want
to be five yearsfrom now?What employers are really asking is, Is
this job even close to your presumed career path? Are you just
applying to this job because you need something? Are your long-term
career plans similar to what we see for this role? How realistic
are your expectations for your career? Have you even thought about
your career long-term? Are you going to quit after a year or two?
says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder ofFlexJobs.Show them that
youve done some self-assessment and career planning. Let them know
that you hope to develop professionally and take on additional
responsibilities at that particular company. Dont say something
ridiculous like, I dont know, or I wantyourjob, she says.Teach says
no one can possibly know where theyll be in their career five years
from now but hiring managers want to get a sense of your commitment
to the job, the company, and the industry. In fact, I would even
mention that its hard for you to know what jobtitle you may hold
five years from nowbutideally, youd like to have moved up the
ladder at this company based on your performance. Youre hopeful to
be in some management position and your goal is to help the company
any way you can. If you give the impression that this job is just a
stepping stone for you, its unlikely the hiring manager will be
interested in you.Please give me an example of a time when you had
a problem with a supervisor/co-worker and how you approached the
problem.I think that the hardest thing about work isnt the work,
its the people at work, Teach says. Most employees have a problem
with a supervisor or co-worker at some point in their career.How
they handle that problem says a lot about their people skills. If
you can explain to the interviewer that you were able to overcome a
people problem at work, this will definitely help your chances of
getting the job, he says.What are your salary requirements? What
employers are really asking is, Do you have realistic expectations
when it comes to salary? Are we on the same page or are you going
to want way more than we can give? Are you flexible on this point
or is your expectation set in stone? Sutton Fell says.Try to avoid
answering this question in the first interview because you may
shortchange yourself by doingso, Teach says.Tell the hiring manager
that if you are seriously beingconsidered, you could give them a
salary rangebut if possible, let them make the first offer. Study
websites like Salary.com andGlassdoor.com to get an idea of what
the position should pay.Dont necessarily accepttheir first offer,
he adds. Theremay be room to negotiate.When itistime to give a
number, be sure to take your experience and education levels into
consideration, Sutton Fell says. Also, your geographic region,
since salary varies by location. Speak in ranges when giving
figures, and mention that you are flexible in this area and that
youre open to benefits, as well. Be brief and to the point, and be
comfortable with the silence that may come after.Why areyou leaving
your current job?Hiring managers want to know your motivation for
wanting to leave your current job. Are you an opportunist just
looking for more money or are you looking for a job that you hope
will turn into a career? If youre leaving because you dont like
your boss, dont talk negatively about your bossjust say you have
different work philosophies, Teach says. If the work was boring to
you, just mention that youre looking for a more challenging
position. Discuss the positives that came out of your most recent
job and focus on why you think this new position is ideal for you
and why youll be a great fit for their company.If youve already
left your previous job (or you were fired), Sutton Fell suggests
the following: If you got fired:Do not trash your last boss or
company. Tell them that you were unfortunately let go, that you
understand their reasoning and youve recognized areas that you need
to improve in, and then tell them how you will be a better employee
because of it. If you got laid off:Again, do not trash your last
boss or company. Tell them that you were let go, and that you
understand the circumstances behind their decision; that you are
committed to your future and not dwelling on the past; and that you
are ready to apply everything that you learned in your last role to
a new company. If you quit:Do not go into details about your
unhappiness or dissatisfaction. Instead, tell them that while you
valued the experience and education that you received, you felt
that the time had come to seek out a new opportunity, to expand
your skills and knowledge, and to find a company with which you
could grow.Why should I hire you?A hiring manager may not ask you
this question directly but every question you answer in the
interview should contribute to helping them understand why youre
the best person for the job. Stay focused on why your background
makes you an ideal candidate and tell them how you are going to
contribute to that department and that company, Teach says. Letthe
interviewer know thatone of your goals is to make their job easier
by taking on as much responsibilityas possibleand that you will be
excited about this job starting on day one.Salpeter suggests you
print and highlight the job description, looking for the top three
or four most important details. Do they include terms such as,
cross-functional team, team work, and team player several times? If
so, your answer to, Why should we hire you? (asked directly or as
an underlying question) should mention and focus on your abilities
as they relate to teams.What are the ten most common questions
asked at graduate interviews?At the University of Kent we asked
students what questions they were asked at graduate selection
interviews by a variety of employers and for a range of jobs.
Whereas we doubt if this survey is very reliable it does give an
idea of the key questions to watch out for, and to prepare answers
to, at interview.You can find an excellent inforgraphic of this
page produced by Headway RecruitmenthereOf course questions were
sometimes asked in slightly different formats. For example,"Why do
you want this job?" was sometimes phrased "Why do you want to be an
accountant/social worker/journalist?"1. Why do you want this
job?One of the most predictable questions and very important! You
need todemonstrate that you have researched the employerand tie
your knowledge of them into theskillsandintereststhat led you to
apply. For example, an interviewee with a smallpublic relations
agencymight say:"I'm always ready to take on responsibility and
feel this will come more quickly with a firm of this size. A small
firm also gives the chance to build closer working relationships
with clients and colleagues and I've found through my past work
experience that this makes an organisation more effective as well
as more satisfying to work in."Try tofind some specific feature on
which the employer prides themselves:their training, their client
base, their individuality, their public image, etc. This may not
always be possible withvery small organisationsbut you may be able
to pick up something of this nature from the interviewer.See
ourCommercial Awareness pagefor more help with this2.Have you got
any questions?At the end of the interview, it is likely that you
will be given the chance to put your own questions to the
interviewer. Keep them brief: there may be other interviewees
waiting. Ask about the work itself, training and career
development:not about holidays, pensions, and season ticket loans!
Prepare some questions in advance:it is OK to write these down and
to refer to your notes to remind yourself of what you wanted to
ask.It often happens that, during the interview, all the points
that you had noted down to ask about will be covered before you get
to this stage. In this situation, you can respond as
follows:Interviewer:Well, that seems to have covered everything: is
there anything you would like to ask me?Interviewee:Thank you: I'd
made a note to ask about your appraisal system and the study
arrangements for professional exams, but we went over those earlier
and I really feel you've covered everything that I need to know at
this moment.You can also use this opportunity totell the
interviewer anything about yourself that they have not raisedduring
the interview but which you feel is important to your
application:Don't feel you have to wait until this point to ask
questions - if the chance to ask a question seems to arise
naturally in the course of the interview, take it! Remember that a
traditional interview is a conversation - with a purpose.Examples
of questions you can ask the interviewerThese are just a few ideas
- you should certainly not attempt to ask them all and indeed it's
best to formulate your own questions tailored to your circumstances
and the job you are being interviewed for! Make sure you have
researched the employer carefully, so that you are not asking for
information which you should be expected to know already. Is there
a fixed period of training for graduates? I see it is possible to
switch job functions - how often does this happen? Do you send your
managers on external training courses? Where would I be based - is
this job function located only in ...? How easy is it for new
graduates to find accommodation in this area? How often is a
graduate's performance appraised? What is a typical career path in
this job function? Can you give me more details of your training
programme? Will I be working in ateam? If so, what is the make-up
of these teams? What is the turnover of graduates in this company?
What are the possibilities of using mylanguages? What are the
travel/mobility requirements of this job? How would you see this
company developing over the next five years? How would you describe
the atmosphere in this company? What is your personal experience of
working for this organisation?3.Describe a situation in which you
led a team.This is an example of acompetency-based question. Many
graduate positions involve people management, where you will be
expected toplan, organise and guide the work of others as well
asmotivating themto complete tasks. The interviewer needs to assess
how well you relate to other people, what role you take in a group
and whether you are able to focus on goals and targets.Outline the
situation, your role and the task of the group overall.Describe any
problems which arose and how they were tackled. Say what
theresultwas and what you learned from it. Examples could include
putting on a drama or music production; a group project at
university; a business game or Young Enterprise scheme or being
team leader in a fast-food restaurant.This, and other skills which
the employer considers essential for effective performance in the
job, should have been highlighted in the job description or
graduate brochure - so always be prepared to give examples of
situations where you have demonstrated these qualities! While your
example should indicate the nature of the team and the task, you
need to focus on your own role as leader and on the personal
qualities that led you to take on/be nominated for this role and
which helped you to succeed in it. Leadership involves many
skills:planning,decision-making,persuading,
motivating,listening,co-ordinating- but not dictating!See
ourLeadership Styles pagefor more help with this4.Describe a
situation where you worked in a teamAnothercompetency-based
question. Most jobs will involve a degree of teamwork. The
interviewer needs to assess how well you relate other people,what
role you take in a groupand whether you are able to focus on goals
and targets.Outline the situation, your particular role and the
task of the group overall. Describe any problems which arose and
how they were tackled. Say what the result was and what you learned
from it.Examples could include putting on a drama or music
production; a group project at university; a business game or
"Young Enterprise" scheme or working in a fast-food restaurant.See
ourTeamworking pagefor more help with this5. What do you expect to
be doing in 5 years time?Try to avoid vague or general answers such
asI would hope to grow with the responsibility I am offered and to
develop myskillsas far as I am ableorI would expect to be in a
management role by then.Be specific, but flexible: recruiters want
to know you know what you want. Hiring, training and developing
staff costs a lot of money, something like 7,000 to recruit a new
graduate, so they want to make sure that you are committed to
staying with the organisation."I'd like to gradually take more and
more responsibility and perhaps by then be a brand manager for a
major product."Talk about your interest in the industry in which
the company with operates. Emphasise the value you can bring to the
organisation and what you can do for it.You need to show that you
are ambitious but also your goals must be realistic - saying you
expect to be a senior manager after two years is unlikely to go
down well! Use the employer's website or LinkedIn profiles to gain
an idea of the career paths followed by past graduates. You may be
able to supplement this by showing your knowledge of professional
bodies and the steps you will need to take to gain their
qualifications, e.g. in areas such asmarketingorHR.This question
allows you to demonstrate that you have done your research on the
career routes open to you within the organisation and so you should
try to be more specific - not necessarily tying yourself down to a
particular route, but showing that you have at least a general idea
of where you want to go.
Talk about responsibilities you would like to have and expected
achievements rather than how much you would expect to be earning in
five year time as this will make an employer think you're more
interested in the material benefits than the career itself. Talk
about your career development: skills you'd like to acquire or
you'd like to be using, and professional qualifications you'd like
to get.See ourCommercial Awareness pagefor more help with this6.
What are your weaknesses?One interviewee, asked about her
weaknesses, thought briefly and then replied"Wine, chocolate and
men - though not necessarily in that order."She got the job!
The classic answer here is to statea strength which is disguised
as a weakness, such as "I'm too much of a perfectionist" or "I push
myself too hard". This approach has been used so often that, even
if these answers really are true they sound clichd.
Also,interviewers will know this trick. If you feel they really
apply to you, give examples: you could say that your attention to
detail and perfectionism make you very single-minded when at work,
often blotting out others in your need to get the task done.A
better strategy, is tochoose a weakness that you have worked on to
improveand describe what action you are taking to remedy the
weakness. For example: "I'm not a very self-confident person and
used to find it very difficult to talk to people I didn't know
well, but my Saturday job in the local library meant that I had to
help people with all kinds of queries and that helped me a lot. Now
I'm perfectly happy talking to anybody on a one-to-one basis and
I've joined the debating society this year to give me experience
ofspeaking in front of an audience."Don't deny that you have any
weaknesses- everyone has weaknesses and if you refuse to admit to
them the interviewer will mark you down as arrogant, untruthful or
lacking in self-awarenessThis question may be phrased in other
ways, such as "How would your worst enemy describe you?"7.Who else
have you applied to/got interviews with?You are being asked to
demonstrate theconsistency of your career aimsas well as
yourinterest in the jobfor which you are being interviewed. So if
you have applied to one largeaccountancy firmit is reasonable to
assume you will be applying to them all.What you can certainly say
in your favour, however, is thatthe present employer is your first
choice. You may even answer the question by explaining you have yet
to apply to any other organisations for this very reason. Perhaps
your application to the other firms is imminent, depending on the
stage you are at in the recruitment cycle.Give examples that are:
Relevant- related to the business you are presently being
interviewed for Prestigious. They will reflect well on the firm
interviewing you Consistent. Not from lots of different job areas
or employment groups of less interest to you than the present
opportunity Successful so far. Do not list those firms who have
rejected you.
See ourCommercial Awareness pagefor more help with this8. Why
did you choose your university and what factors influenced your
choice?If you had, in fact, no real choice in where you went to
University - e.g. if you had to study close to home for financial
or family reasons - you can talk about the more general issues you
had to consider in coming to University and perhaps lead the
question round to your choice of course rather than
institution.Your actual answer is less important than theevidence
ofdecision-making,planningand logical reasoning skillsthat it
should demonstrate. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate
thesekey skills.9. What are your strengths?This allows you to put
across your"Unique Selling Points" - three or four of your key
strengths. Try to back these points up withexamples of where you
have had to use them.
Consider the requirements of the job and compare these with all
your own attributes - yourpersonality,skills, abilities or
experience. Where they match you should consider these to be your
major strengths. The employer certainly will.
For example,team work,interpersonal skills,creative problem
solving, dependability, reliability,originality,leadershipetc.,
could all be cited as strengths. Work out which is most important
for the particular job in question and make sure you illustrate
your answer with examples from as many parts of your experience,
not just university, as you can.
This question may be phrased in other ways, such as "Tell me
about yourself" or "How would a friend describe you?"And some less
common questions which have been asked in interviews Why aren't you
in a more interesting business? Does your health insurance cover
pets? Does your company have a policy regarding concealed weapons?
Do you think the company would be willing to lower my pay? What are
the zodiac signs of the board members? What is it that you people
do in this company? What is the company motto?
10. What has been your greatest achievement?To say that your
greatest achievement was getting to University, or getting your
degree, will do nothing todistinguish you from all the other
candidates. Unless you have had to contend with exceptional
difficulties to gain your academic qualifications - such as illness
or major family problems - try to say something different that will
make you stand out.This doesn't have to be an Olympic medal or an
act of heroism. Ideally, it should giveevidence of skills relevant
to the jobsuch
ascommunication,initiative,teamwork,organisingordetermination: Duke
of Edinburgh's gold award - especially the expedition and community
service parts Organising a sports or fund-raising event "Overcoming
my fear of heights and learning to abseil" "Learning enough Spanish
in three months to make myself understood when I traveled around
Mexico" Training for and completing a marathon .. or even a 5
Kilometre raceOther common questions (in rough order of popularity)
were: Why do you want to join our organisation? What would you do
if ........ happened? (hypothetical questions) Describe a situation
in which you dealt with confrontation (for example a difficult
customer). Describe a situation in which youinfluenced or motivated
people. What other careers have you considered/applied for? Why did
you choose your degree subject? Describe yourself (in one word).
Are you prepared to be mobile? Describe a situation in which you
usedinitiative. Describe a situation in which yousolved a problem.
Describe a situation in which you took responsibility. What are
your hobbies? What was your biggest setback? (How do you deal with
adversity?) Tell me about yourproject Describe a situation where
you had toplan or organisesomething. Whatcomputing skillsdo you
have? What is your usual role in a team? Describe a situation where
you had a difficult decision to make.How to perform well in a
telephone or Skype interview What are they? Who uses telephone
interviews? How long do they last? Advantages of telephone
interviews Disadvantages of telephone interviews Tips What
questions will I be asked? Will I be given any tests? Skype
interviews Video interviews and robotic interviews Tips from Kent
students who have had telephone interviewsWhat are they?They
arereal interviewsheld over the phone rather than face-to-face. You
will usually be interviewed by a member of the graduate recruitment
or HR team.A telephone interview will usually be given to
candidates who have passedthe online applicationand/orpsychometric
teststage of the graduate recruitment process and is used to sift
out applicants to be invited to a face-to-face interview or
assessment centre.Who uses telephone interviews?One company had
telephone screening interviews with 10 graduates and not one had
done any research into the company, leading to every single one
being rejected! See ourcommercial awareness page
You are more likely to have a telephone interview with one of
the large corporate recruiters than with a small or medium sized
company. Telephone interviews are used by all kinds of employers
banks, accountancy and law firms, consultancies, retailers,
manufacturing companies etcCompanies that use telephone interviews
include Tesco, HSBC, Corus, BT, Lloyds of London, Shell,
GlaxoSmithKline, Vodaphone, BSkyB and many others.They are
especially common forsales-related jobs, such as recruitment
consultancy and particularly (surprise!) telesales, where verbal
communication skills are paramount.You may also expect a telephone
interview if you are applying forjobs abroad in which case calls
may come in at all hours of the day or night!How long do they
last?Based on a small sample of 14 Kent students who have had
telephone interviews recently, they varied in length from 20
minutes to 1 hour, with the average length being half an hour: see
the pie chart on the right for details.Advantages of telephone
interviewsFor the employer: They aretime and cost-effective- most
last about 20-25 minutes. Theytest your verbal communication
skillsand telephonetechnique.For you:A survey by Shortlister.com
found that the most popular location for telephone interviews was
the candidate's bedroom (29%) or living room (25%), but 9% of job
seekers have been interviewed whilst in the bath and one candidate
whilst riding a horse! 60% of under 34 years old had had a phone
interview, compared to 32% aged 45 to 50.
You can refer (quickly!) to your application form, take notes
even hold on to your teddy bear for moral support. You don't need
to dress upor smarten up. You don't need to spend time travelingto
interview or wonder if the employer will pay your
expenses.Disadvantages of telephone interviews (for you) You can't
see the interviewerto gauge their response. Tension you never know
when an employer might call to interview you. They can seem to go
very quickly, without giving you much time to think about your
answers - so be well prepared! According toa survey of 2,500 office
employees"Very distant and cold style of interview: no chitchat.
They only want to know if you can fill their criteria. High rate of
questions. Not at all easy but a good experience. "Kent graduate
commenting on their telephone interview.
by Jurys Inn Hotels and CrossCountry trains,almost 40% of 18-24
year olds said they were nervous of using the phone in the
workplacewhile one in twenty said they are terrified of using the
phone, with 94% claiming to prefer email communication to the
phone.The advertisement may ask you to 'phone the company. This
gives you totalcontrolover the time and place of the interview
although means that you will have to pay for the call. At the time
arranged, make sure you are in a quiet location and that you will
not be disturbed during the call.. . or they may phone you in
response to your CV/application formYou will normally be advised
when the telephone call will be made so always be prepared for
this: Keep your mobile with you, charged, topped up and switched on
at the appropriate time! Make sure that the reception is OK. If you
have given a landline number, and share a house with other
students/graduates or live in the family home, try andprepare other
people in the housefor these calls and prevent replies such as:Lo.
Uh? Who? Oh, right OI! DAVE! ITS FOR YOU! Try and take the phone to
asquiet and private a locationas possible.One student had a fire
alarm go off in the middle of their telephone interview!
If the call does come unexpectedly and you are not preparedsay
"Thank you for calling, do you mind waiting for a minute while I
close the door/turn off the radio/take the phone to a quieter
room?". This will give you a little time to compose yourself. If it
really is a bad time,offer to call back, fix a time and stick to
it. Check your answerphone message:is it one that you would want a
prospective employer to hear? Does it give a professional
impression? If not, change it just in case you do miss a call for
any reason.Tips Keep a copy of your applicationand information on
the company handy, plus a pen and notepad to take notes. Have
yourlaptop turned onif your application is on this. Before the
call, make a list of your USP's (unique selling points): the things
that make you better in some ways than most of the other people who
will be applying. Don't just read out your notesas this will sound
stilted. Its useful to have a glass of water to hand during a phone
interview(but move the phone away from your mouth when you swallow
). You will be doing a lot of talking and you dont want your mouth
to dry up at a crucial moment! Smile when you dial!(and, more
importantly, when you speak): it really does make a difference to
your tone of voice. Although the interviewer cant see you,you may
find it easier to come over in a professional mannerif you are
sitting at a desk or table rather than lounging in bed. In a face
to face interview, youshow that you are listening vianon-verbal
signalssuch as nodding your head. Over the phone you have to show
this by the occasional"OK", "uh-huh", "I see", "I understand",
"yes"or similar interjections. Listen very carefullyto the
interviewer and try to answer with alively tone of voice. Speak
clearly and not too fast. Reflect back what the speaker is saying
in other words. This shows you're listening carefully and checks
you are understanding. It is often the most useful way of giving
positive feedback to someone: "I hear what you're saying and take
it seriously". You can't keep saying "uh-huh" or "yes" for too long
without it sounding false. Immediately after the interview,write
down the questions you were askedand any ways in which you could
have improved your responses.What questions will I be asked?These
will be identical to those asked in aface to face interview!Here
are some questions that Kent students have been asked at telephone
interviews. How you choose your university degree? Why do you want
to work for our organisation? Why do you want to work in the job
you have applied for? What qualities are important to work in the
role you are applying for? What evidence can you give to show you
possess these qualities? What do we do? Are you willing to be
mobile on the job? Tell me a time you have demonstrated
teamwork/communication. Tell me about a time when you have had to
cope with pressure Tell me about a challenge you have faced. How
did you conduct the challenge? What were the advantages and
disadvantages of your method? The steps you took? The results?
Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer?
When have you used your initiative to achieve a goal? Can you
mention a time when you have used your leadership skills? When have
you set yourself a goal? What challenges did you face? Describe a
time when you have exceeded a customer's expectations Describe when
you had to motivate others? What do you think is important when
communicating with people? What skills do you have to offer to a
team? What is your greatest strength? Why shouldn't we hire you?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? What do you think your
job would involve doing? Commercial awareness what has been in news
recently that would affect our organisation? Do you have any
questions for us?For help with these see ouranswers to 150
interview questions
Will I be given any tests?"The telephone is such an important
invention that one day every town will have one"Alexander Graham
Bell
Perhaps tests can quite easily be administered over the phone.
The interviewer may read out a series of statements and you will be
asked to say if you agree or disagree. Sometimes this can be done
by pressing the telephone keys.The tests involved aremore likely to
be personality-type questions than reasoning tests. For example,
you may be asked to rate the extent to which you felt the following
activities reflect your personal style, from 1 (not at all) to 5 (a
lot): Meeting new people Setting yourself targets to achieve
Working on your own Repairing mechanical equipmentSkype
interviewsConducting interviews via Skype offers employers allthe
advantages of a telephone interview in terms of cost-effectiveness
with the bonus of being able to see the candidate. While they are
still not as widely used as telephone interviews, they
areparticularly helpful for international recruitment when
interviewing the candidate in another country e.g. for TEFL
teachers. Universities often use them when interviewing candidates
for postgraduate study and research.As the candidate, you are
likely to find that face-to-face contact with the interviewer helps
to make the interview a slightly less unnatural experience. The
disadvantage is thatyou will have to dress as smartlyas you would
for a real-life interview (at least from the waist up!) and itwont
be quite as easy to refer to your notesor application form during
the interview.A Skype interview will be more like a real-life
interview than a telephone interview, but the following points are
worth keeping in mind: When preparing for the interview,choose your
location carefully. Use a private room(not a study area) and put a
Do Not Disturb Interview in Progress sign on the door. Sitting at a
desk or table, rather than in an armchair or on the bed, will help
you feel more professional as you will be sitting up straight. Make
sure that the interviewer is not going to be distracted by anything
in the background tatty posters, lamps, unmade bed, piles of
unwashed laundry, etc.According to a survey by OfficeTeammore than
six out of 10 HR managersin the United States now use video to
interview job applicants.Many British firms are now doing the
same.
If you live on the ground floorit may be a good idea to pull
down the blinds to avoid any of your so-called friends pulling
faces through the window, but make sure that thelighting is bright
enoughfor the interviewer to see you clearly. Ask a friend to Skype
you before the interviewto check that everything is working, that
the background is clear and that any notes or crib sheets are out
of view of the camera. Turn off any other programs running on your
computer you dont want to be distracted by an email suddenly
popping up while you are speaking. Dress smartlyas you would for a
normal interview as this will make you feel more confident.You can
however wear your pyjama bottoms if these are out of view of the
camera! Look at the cameraso it looks like you are talking directly
to the employer and smile! Make sure thewebcam aligns on your face
and shoulders. Sit up straight with a good posture rather than
slouching. Speak clearly into the microphone.Avoid speaking at the
same time as other people as this can make it difficult to hear
what is being said on Skype, so you must to allow people to finish
speaking to avoid missing information.Asurvey by Right
Managementfound that 18% of candidates have had a video interview
in the past year more than twice the number a year ago. 82% of
hiring managers have used Skype, and 6% used pre-recorded
platforms.Nineteen percent used video interviews and more than
two-thirds expect video interviews to be used more in the next
three years. (SeeVideo Interviewsbelow).
Consider turning off your own picturein the top right corner as
this can be distracting. Make sure that you have a phone number
and/or email for your interviewer, so that you can contact them in
the case of any technical problems.For further advice, see:
Skypewww.skype.com/intl/en-gb/home Skype interview
advicewww.grb.uk.com/interview-advice-skype.0.html Skype
interviewswww.jobs.ac.uk/career-tools-and-advice/interview-tips/1252/job-interviews-by-skype
BBC Article: skype interviews: Is it more tricky to be grilled by
video?www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21334710 Businesses wasting time
and money on face-to-face interviewsVideo interviewsThe use of
recorded video interviews is increasing. These started with
technology companies, but have now spread to mainstream
employers.These differ from Skype interviews in that all candidates
are usually asked the same questionswhich can be tailored to the
specific job the employer is recruiting for.Recruiters have the
opportunity to replay, review, and rate the interviews online, so
they can compare candidates without having to remember who said
what.In a recentsurvey of employersin the US9.4% currently accepted
video CVs7.1% planned to accept video CVs in the future28.2% wished
to research the implications of video CVs before accepting
them55.3% did not accept video CVs and probably would not in the
future.A structure used by one company is as follows Arrangements
for an interview are scheduled at a company office or via the
applicant's laptop or tablet. A tutorial will provide instructions
on the webcam and the interview. The applicant will have 30 seconds
to read the question and two minutes to respond.How to get prepare.
Many of the tips for Skype interviews above also apply Ask for help
(available online or by phone) if you don't know how the webcam
works or if you have questions. Follow the directions carefully
Dress just like you would for a face to face interview. Practice -
record yourself to see how you appear on camera. Be aware of your
surroundings and the lighting. Look at the camera, not down at the
desk or table. A video interview is a "real" interview, just like
when you interview in an office. Given that the interview can be
scored and reviewed, it can be even more important than a typical
first round phone interviewRobotic interviews!Some companies are
now using virtual interviewers using life-like avatars to ask the
questions normally asked by an interviewer via online video
interview software. It helps companies to save money and improves
the candidates interview experience. The average cost per hire in
the UK is about 5,000, and this software may save 43% of the
screening cost by reducing the time involved in the process.The
avatar keeps interviewees engaged via visual, audio and text
prompts and is visible during the whole process so that the
interviewee has something to focus on. Avatars are consistent,
asking each question in the same way to each interviewee. SeeNew
software replaces recruiters with avatars(HR Grapevine)
Tips from Kent students who have had telephone interviews Shut
yourself away in a quiet place. Have a glass of water by the phone.
Be positive and articulate.Initial presentation is vital: you
phoning them means first impressions really count. It's actually
good fun though, provided you're prepared. (graduate sales
interview) Supply good examples.Talk slowly!(Smith and Williamson
Accountants) Relax, speak confidently(Accenture) Interviewer was
very nice and didn't mind if you took a few minutes to think. Their
call centre is very noisy so you have to speak quite loud for them
to hear you properly(HP) The structure of the interview was
explained well and the interviewer seemed friendly.(Logica) If you
do your research and follow the advice on the careers website you
should have no problemswith the telephone interview. I was notified
of passing the interview after five days. When first contacted to
arrange time for interview, the HR person made a point of stating
that no knowledge would be needed of SAS for the telephone
interview. I ignored this and read their website, their Wikipedia
page and any other information that Google produced.
Unsurprisingly, the first question asked was about my knowledge of
SAS! After about five minutes the interviewer moved on to other
questions, soalways do your research on the company.The rest of the
interview questions were the standard; tell me a time when style of
question, although one I was not expecting was tell me about a time
when you had to persuade someone to change their mind and how did
you achieve this?(SAS) Read your applicationand give strong
examples. They seemed friendly: treat it as a chat and relax as
they are quite people-focused and pride themselves on their open
approach.(Grant Thornton Accountants) Calm down and be
prepared.Think of examples when you demonstrated
thecompetenciesthat they are looking for.(Mercer Investment
Consulting) Prior to the telephone interview there were online
numerical and verbal tests.Take your time. Keep your answers to a
reasonable length. Eachcompetency questionwas covering a key area.
Make sure you read through your application answers beforehand.(3M
) When on the phone, make sure you have a copy of your application
form in front of you - and notes! (Cable & Wireless) Prior to
the telephone interview there was verbal tests.Make sure you read
through your application answers beforehand. Interview is entirely
on soft skills. No need to worry about time limit , you'll even be
asked if you wish to add to an earlier statement.(Orange) Prepare
for interviews byresearching the company(including recent press
releases) and re-reading your original application.Personality
testtook about 10 minutes. Questions were describing a situation
and asking which course of action you would take (multiple choice
answers)(Barratt Homes) Just be yourself, try to relax and dont
panic when they fire the questions at you. The questions seem to be
based on your application and your knowledge of BT.They are
checking if you fit in with their business. Asked a lot of
questions, and they kept asking similar questions again to check
you were telling the truth. They appeared to be checking what you
had written on your application form and CV, and were trying to
ensure it was true. This was certainly a verbal reasoning test and
a test to see if you could think on the spot. It was hard not to
repeat yourself.(BT) It was a telephone based interviewconsists of
a role play and competency questions.Just prepare answers for all
the common questionsand you should ace the interview. The telephone
interview can be tricky and the interviewer will be difficult
during the role, so just stay calm and think
practically.(Centrica)
For details oftelephone interviews with a range of companiessee
ourInterview ReportsHow to Answer 23 of the Most Common Interview
QuestionsByPaul Michaelon 4 October 2007 (Updated 19 November
2013)274 comments396
Photo:Marco Bellucci / FlickrWise Bread Picks Travel Rewards
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Cards[Editor's note: If you recently lost your job, take a look at
Wise Bread's collection oftips and resources for the recently laid
off.]Let's face it; no one likes the interview process. Well,
certainly not the people being interviewed anyway. You have to be
on your best behavior, you only get one chance to get it right, and
it's like taking your driving test all over again. Over the years
I've been to countless interviews. To get my first job out of
college I attended some 15-20 interviews a week. Whether it was in
Britain or over here in the States, the questions never really
seemed to change from job to job. Not only that, but the answers to
them are usually the same, with your own personal interpretation of
course. Here I present 23 questions you're likely to be asked, and
how I have learned to answer them. Why 23? Because I had more than
20 and less than 25. Remember, being interviewed is a skill, and if
you do the preparation you should ace it every time. (See also:12
Unique Ways to Score a Job Interview)1. So, tell me a little about
yourself.I'd be very surprised if you haven't been asked this one
at every interview. It's probably the most asked question because
it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking. Be
careful not to give the interviewer your life story here. You don't
need to explain everything from birth to present day. Relevant
facts about education, your career and your current life situation
are fine.2. Why are you looking (or why did you leave you last
job)?This should be a straightforward question to answer, but it
can trip you up. Presumably you are looking for a new job (or any
job) because you want toadvance your careerand get a position that
allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It's not a good
idea to mention money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if
you are in the unfortunate situation of having been downsized, stay
positive and be as brief as possible about it. If you were fired,
you'll need a good explanation. But once again, stay positive.3.
Tell me what you know about this company.Do your homework before
you go to any interview. Whether it's being the VP of marketing or
the mailroom clerk, you should know about the company or business
you're going to work for. Has this company been in the news lately?
Who are the people in the company you should know about? Do the
background work, it will make you stand out as someone who comes
prepared, and is genuinely interested in the company and the job.4.
Why do you want to work at X Company?This should be directly
related to the last question. Any research you've done on the
company should have led you to the conclusion that you'd want to
work there. After all, you're at the interview, right? Put some
thought into this answer before you have your interview, mention
your career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and career
plans.5. What relevant experience do you have?Hopefully if you're
applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and
if that's the case you should mention it all. But if you're
switching careers or trying something a little different, your
experience may initially not look like it's matching up. That's
when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences
required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills
after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can
apply to internal management positions, and so on.6. If your
previous co-workers were here, what would they say about you?Ok,
this is not the time for full disclosure. If some people from your
past are going to say you're a boring A-hole, you don't need to
bring that up. Stay positive, always, and maybe have a few specific
quotes in mind. "They'd say I was a hard worker" or even better
"John Doe has always said I was the most reliable, creative
problem-solver he'd ever met."7. Have you done anything to further
your experience?This could include anything from night classes to
hobbies and sports. If it's related, it's worth mentioning.
Obviously anything to do with further education is great, but maybe
you're spending time on a home improvement project to work on
skills such as self-sufficiency, time management and motivation.8.
Where else have you applied?This is a good way to hint that you're
in demand, without sounding like you're whoring yourself all over
town. So, be honest and mention a few other companies but don't go
into detail. The fact that you're seriously looking and keeping
your options open is what the interviewer is driving at.9. How are
you when you're working under pressure?Once again, there are a few
ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work
well under pressure, you may thrive under pressure, and you may
actually PREFER working under pressure. If you say you crumble like
aged blue cheese, this is not going to help you get your foot in
the door.10. What motivates you to do a good job?The answer to this
one is not money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life's
noble pursuits. You want recognition for a job well done. You want
to become better at your job. You want to help others or be a
leader in your field.11. What's your greatest strength?This is your
chance to shine. You're being asked to explain why you are a great
employee, so don't hold back and stay do stay positive. You could
be someone who thrives under pressure, a great motivator, an
amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention to
detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone
under the table or get a top score on Mario Kart, keep it to
yourself. The interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.12.
What's your biggest weakness?If you're completely honest, you may
be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don't have one,
you're obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that
politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like
"I'm perhaps too committed to my work and don't spend enough time
with my family." Oh, there's a fireable offense. I've even heard "I
think I'm too good at my job, it can often make people jealous."
Please, let's keep our feet on the ground. If you're asked this
question, give a small, work-related flaw that you're working hard
to improve. Example: "I've been told I occasionally focus on
details and miss the bigger picture, so I've been spending time
laying out the complete project every day to see my overall
progress."13. Let's talk about salary. What are you looking for?Run
for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an interview. Even if
you know the salary range for the job, if you answer first you're
already showing all your cards. You want as much as possible, the
employer wants you for as little as you're willing to take. Before
you apply, take a look at salary.com for a good idea of what
someone with your specific experience should be paid. You may want
to say, "well, that's something I've thought long and hard about
and I think someone with my experience should get between X &
Y." Or, you could be sly and say, "right now, I'm more interested
in talking more about what the position can offer my career." That
could at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation.
But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident
that you can get it, I'd say go for it. I have on many occasions,
and every time I got very close to that figure (both below and
sometimes above).14. Are you good at working in a team?Unless you
have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you'll always answer YES to this
one. It's the only answer. How can anyone function inside an
organization if they are a loner? You may want to mention what part
you like to play in a team though; it's a great chance to explain
that you're a natural leader.15. Tell me a suggestion you have made
that was implemented.It's important here to focus on the word
"implemented." There's nothing wrong with having a thousand great
ideas, but if the only place they live is on your notepad what's
the point? Better still, you need a good ending. If your previous
company took your advice and ended up going bankrupt, that's not
such a great example either. Be prepared with a story about an idea
of yours that was taken from idea to implementation, and considered
successful.16. Has anything ever irritated you about people you've
worked with?Of course, you have a list as long as your arm. But you
can't say that, it shows you as being negative and difficult to
work with. The best way to answer this one is to think for a while
and then say something like "I've always got on just fine with my
co-workers actually."17. Is there anyone you just could not work
with?No. Well, unless you're talking about murderers, racists,
rapists, thieves or other dastardly characters, you can work with
anyone. Otherwise you could be flagged as someone who's picky and
difficult if you say, "I can't work with anyone who's a Bronco's
fan. Sorry."18. Tell me about any issues you've had with a previous
boss.Arrgh! If you fall for this one you shouldn't be hired anyway.
The interviewer is testing you to see if you'll speak badly about
your previous supervisor. Simply answer this question with extreme
tact, diplomacy and if necessary, a big fat loss of memory. In
short, you've never had any issues.19. Would you rather work for
money or job satisfaction?It's not a very fair question is it? We'd
all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but
that's rare indeed. It's fine to say money is important, but
remember that NOTHING is more important to you than the job.
Otherwise, you're just someone looking for a bigger paycheck.20.
Would you rather be liked or feared?I have been asked this a lot,
in various incarnations. The first time I just drew a blank and
said, "I don't know." That went over badly, but it was right at the
start of my career when I had little to no experience. Since then
I've realized that my genuine answer is "Neither, I'd rather be
respected." You don't want to be feared because fear is no way to
motivate a team. You may got the job done but at what cost?
Similarly, if you're everyone's best friend you'll find it
difficult to make tough decisions or hit deadlines. But when you're
respected, you don't have to be a complete bastard or a lame duck
to get the job done.21. Are you willing to put the interests of X
Company ahead of your own?Again, another nasty question. If you say
yes, you're a corporate whore who doesn't care about family. If you
say no, you're disloyal to the company. I'm afraid that you'll
probably have to say yes to this one though, because you're trying
to be the perfect employee at this point, and perfect employees
don't cut out early for Jimmy's baseball game.22. So, explain why I
should hire you.As I'm sure you know, "because I'm great" or "I
really need a job" are not good answers here. This is a time to
give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just
so happen to match the job description. It's also good to avoid
taking potshots at other potential candidates here. Focus on
yourself and your talents, not other people's flaws.23. Finally, do
you have any questions to ask me?I'll finish the way I started,
with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This
directly relates to the research you've done on the company and
also gives you a chance to show how eager and prepared you are.
You'll probably want to ask about benefits if they haven't been
covered already. A good generic one is "how soon could I start, if
I were offered the job of course." You may also ask what you'd be
working on. Specifically, in the role you're applying for and how
that affects the rest of the company. Always have questions ready,
greeting this one with a blank stare is a rotten way to finish your
interview. Good luck and happy job hunting.