Interview PREPARATION

Let’s Kick off

18 mOST fREQUENTLY aSKED QUESTIONS IN AN iNTERVIEW

1. Tell me about yourself / Tell me about something that's not on your

resume/ Could I have your brief introduction/ How would you describe
yourself?
2. What are your interest & hobbies?
3. What are your key strengths?
4. What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”
5. What are your career goals / Your Goals for the Future / where do you see
yourself five years from now?
6. Why Should We Hire You?/ Why are you the best candidate for the job?/
Why are you the right fit for the position? /What would you bring to the
position?
7. Why Shouldn't I Hire You?
8. Why do you want this job? OR What about this job interests you?
9. Have you ever had a conflict with anyone? How did you handle it?
10.What are your salary expectations?
11.When Was The Last Time You Were Angry? What Happened?
12.What can we expect from you in the First 30/ 60 days/ What do you look
to accomplish in the First 30/ 60 days?
 13.Are you willing to relocate?
14.Will you sign a bond of 1 year or 2 year with us?
15.Where Else Are You Interviewing?
16.Are You Easy to Talk To?
17.What Are Your Pet Peeves?
18.Do you have any questions?

Before you ever go to an interview, you need to KNOW YOURSELF in terms of

qualifications for the job and match for the company.

To know this you should:

1. Research the company;

2. Identify, catalog, list, and review your expertise, strengths, and unique
value; and

3. Practice, practice, practice so you sound natural and confident.

An interview might start with a customary question:

Q: Hello, how are you today?

This is more of a “make you comfortable” statements. Answer with a pleasant

smile. If you had any trouble during the day, don’t hesitate to mention it. But
make sure you express it in a positive note.

Examples ANSWERS:

o “I am very well today sir, thank you”.

o “I am very well today sir, just that the traffic here is bit of a hassle. But I made
sure, I start a bit early to beat it.”

Q1: Tell me about yourself / Tell me about something that's not on your resume/
Could I have your brief introduction/ How would you describe yourself?
The secret to responding to this free-form request successfully is to:
 1. Focus:
List five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits,
skills, etc.). What do you want the interviewer to know about you.

2. Scripting:

Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by
talking about past experiences and proven success.

3. Be brief!

Keep this answer to 30-45 seconds max or you will lose the employers

attention very quickly. Remember, ‘tell me about yourself’ doesn’t mean

they want your life story. Summarize your skills and experience in a way that

make you stand out and show why you are the best person for the job.

4. 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 stiff and rehearsed. It should
sound natural and conversational.

Next time you’re faced with the dreaded, “Tell me about yourself…” question, try
these:
1. “I can summarize who I am in three words.”
- Grabs their attention immediately. Demonstrates your ability to be
concise, creative and compelling.
2. “The quotation I live my life by is…”
- Proves that personal development is an essential part of your growth
plan. Also shows your ability to motivate yourself.
3. “My personal philosophy is…”
- Companies hire athletes – not shortstops. This line indicates your
position as a thinker, not just an employee.
4. “People who know me best say that I’m…”
- This response offers insight into your own level of self-awareness.
5. “Well, I googled I this morning and here’s what I found…”
 - Tech-savvy, fun, cool people would say this. Unexpected and
memorable.
6. “My passion is…”
- People don’t care what you do – people care who you are. And what
you’re passionate about is who you are. Plus, passion unearths
enthusiasm.
7. “When I was seven years old, I always wanted to be…”
- An answer like this shows that you’ve been preparing for this job your
whole life, not just the night before.
8. “If Hollywood made a move about my life, it would be called…”
- Engaging, interesting and entertaining.
9. “Can I show you, instead of tell you?”
- Then, pull something out of your pocket that represents who you are.
Who could resist this answer? Who could forget this answer?
10.“The compliment people give me most frequently is…”
- Almost like a testimonial, this response also indicates self-awareness
and openness to feedback.
**Ultimately it’s about answering quickly, it’s about
speaking creatively and it’s about breaking people’s
patterns.
SAMPLE ANSWERS:

“Tell Me Something about Yourself” is a common interview question and it

is very important that one should answer this question impressively.

I have composed some sample answers; you can customize these answers
to suit your profile in an interview.

EXAMPLE 1:

Good Morning Sir/Ma’am!!

1. My name is XYZ. I would like to introduce myself as a self-motivated,
enthusiastic, self-confident person who believes in doing a task with sheer
commitment & dedication. A team-oriented person with good technical skills
required for the profile i have come for. Thus i feel that I can work best in this
 field. I am willing to input my efforts with your company and ready to kick off
my career with an esteemed organization like yours.

My name is ……………….
2. Well, I believe I mingle with people very easily and have strong interpersonal
skills. I am currently pursuing my graduation from Chandigarh University. I
am a team player and love to be a part of a team. I possess these technical
skills which I consider will be useful in fulfilling my responsibilities towards
this job profile. I’m looking forward to start my career with a
prestigious/people driven organization of repute like yours. In coming years I
wish to see myself at a good position with more knowledge, skills & aptitude.
Thank you Sir.

3. I am always ready to face challenges and get along with people very well. I
believe in vision and action. I learn from my mistakes. The tests conducted by
you will increase my aptitude and attitude towards job. I am pursuing/doing
B.Tech with EC as my major subject from CU.. I enjoy everything that I do.
4. Good morning Sir! I believe I am a self-confident, goal driven & an organized
person. Also I am team oriented & passionate. Well, these are a few words that
describe my personality. I am fascinated with this job and I am sure I’ll be able to
perform really well with all my interest and determination towards it.
5. My name is ABC. I am from Delhi and the youngest of three siblings. All of my
older siblings are professionals in the fields of Accounting, Law and Medicine. I
have decided to pursue a career in Information Technology, having graduated
with a degree in IT. This is also the ideal career path for me since I have always
been interested and good at database management and systems development.
6. Conscientious, dedicated, excellent planner, innovative, goal-driven are a
few words that describes me. Good morning my name is XYZ. I love outdoor
sports, specifically athletics and was a member of college athletic team.”

7. I helped my younger sister a lot with her studies. I used to teach her all the
difficult subjects and topics and helped her to do her homework without
making it boring. It gave me lot of satisfaction to see her marks improving.
 This taught me that rewards can come in any way and one should do the
work with full patience and determination.

8. I'm a people person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of
different people, and am known for being a great listener and clear
communicator, whether I’m engaging with colleagues or employers.

9. I'm the kind of person who knows how to execute difficult tasks with
precision. I pay attention to all the details of a project. I make sure that
every task is just right, but is also completed in a timely manner.

10.I'm a creative thinker. I like to explore alternative solutions to problems and

have an open mind about what will work best. My creativity has made me
an effective team leader because I can anticipate problems and innovative
solutions.
11.I'm an extremely organized person who is focused on producing results.
While I am always realistic when setting goals, I consistently develop ways
to efficiently achieve, and often exceed, those goals.

12.I enjoy solving problems, troubleshooting issues, and coming up with

solutions in a timely manner. I thrive in team settings, and I think my ability
to effectively communicate with others is what drives my ability to solve a
variety of problems.

13. I am an extrovert who interacts well with people. I like to set goals for
myself and accomplish them. I am very persistent. These qualities have got
me particularly well noticed during my college years. I have had a good
academic record so far and scored above average in my 10th, 12th and
college years.
Questions that can come out of your answer:
~ What goals have you set for yourself?
~ Can you give a concrete instance where you have displayed persistence?
~ Can you give a demonstrative example of your interpersonal skills?

14.Professionally speaking, I am a hard working and an ambitious person. I

appreciate dedicated and sincere people and enjoy working (and learning)
 from them. Personally, I have a few but wonderful friends and we meet
regularly and share our life’s experiences. I also come from a very close knit
family that respects individuality and encourages each member to carve his/
her own path.
15. My focus to date has been centered on preparing myself to become the
very best I can. I show complete sincerity in whatever I am involved in, be it
studies, my family, friends, or my extra-curricular activities. People around
me say that my optimism and the way that I deal with situations helps me
stay calm and collected.
16. My academic career has been characterized by my ability to work well with
diverse teams and on diverse projects. I seek out opportunities to involve
others in the decision-making process. This collaboration and
communication is what has enabled me to achieve success in my college
years. Substantiate with an example.
17. I am a person who does not fear mistakes and have used my past
experiences as stepping stones for my growth. This is also reflected in the
consistent progress that i have shown in my academic grades over the past
years. Along with doing well in academics, I also believe that for holistic
growth it is very important that we have diverse interests besides
academics. Some of the diverse interests that I have include (GIVE
EXAMPLE).

***Be ready to answer follow-up questions about anything you might have said.

Q2: What are your interest & hobbies?

I like to collect sports items and love to search online deals. I also visit different
sales to increase my collection with interesting things. Now I have a good
collection with lots of items whom I value a lot and it has also improved my
negotiating skills.

Mix Personal and Professional Pursuits

Overall, the best approach to this question is to mix in these types of personal
items with more professional or work-related pursuits. This combination will
enhance the believability of your response, and when you're discussing your
hobbies, always make sure you speak with enthusiasm - and a smile.
Q3: What are your key strengths?
Sample Answers:

 “Sir, my greatest strength is my ability to learn things quickly. For example, I had
to represent my college in an inter college science exhibition, and
was introduced to the team at the very last minute. I was able to understand
our exhibits and artifacts and present them with great success”.
 “I think my greatest strength is my positive attitude, even during the most
hardest of times. During my college project, there has been couple of occasions,
when our idea was not falling in place and the results were negative. I had to
believe and think positively and keep my team motivated to persist on our idea,
and finally we got the desired result.”
 “My best skill would be my verbal ability and articulation skill. I have worked as
editor for our college magazine and have been involved with various
literary forums during my school and college days.
 I have an extremely strong work ethic. When I'm working on a project, I don't
want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead
of schedule. Last year, I even earned a bonus for completing my three most
recent reports one week ahead of time.
 My greatest strength is my ability to work effectively with many different
people. My strong communication skills have made me an effective project
manager on dozens of projects over the past five years. Because this job
involves a lot of team projects, I know that my communication and
interpersonal skills and make me an ideal fit for the position.

 My greatest strength is my ability to stay focused on my work and finish tasks

earlier than they are due. I'm not easily distracted, and this means that my
performance is very high, even in a busy office like this one.

 My organizational skills are my greatest strength. I'm capable of keeping many

projects on track at the same time. At my last job, I was typically assigned to be
project manager on any team assignments, due to my ability to stick to
deadlines and keep track of our team’s progress. These organizational skills
would allow me to effectively juggle all of the day-to-day operations of the
 office as office manager.

 My greatest strength is my listening ability. I pay careful attention to what

I’m being told about everything, from specific information relating to
current projects, to future projects, even to what my colleagues did over the
weekend. By being a good listener, I am more effective at completing
projects efficiently. My listening skills also help me effectively motivate
others, which would be a large part of my job as head of the department.
 Possible solutions:

* I think I have excellent leadership skills which I have acquired through a

combination of effective communication, delegation, and personal
interaction.

* My greatest strength includes my analytical approach, my strong logic, and

my patience.

* I have good co-ordination skills.

* I can persuade people to see my point of view, and get the work done.

* My greatest asset is my ability to motivate people.

* Even during emergencies, I do not lose my cool.

* I have good entrepreneurial skills.

* I have consistently met my deadlines and targets.

* Can say “no” to people when required to do so.

* I am very co-operative with my juniors, and would like to see them

Q3: What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

It’s not exactly your weakness, if you are a person of caliber & determination you
should better call it an improvement area.
DO’s:
 Mention Skills You Have Improved

 Turn a Negative into a Positive

 Remember: 1) A great candidate is always looking for ways to learn and grow
2) A fabulous candidate then takes the initiative to improve

SAMPLE ANSWERS:

 When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I
prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule.
 Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I implemented a time
management system that really helped my organization skills.
 I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little too
much time checking it. However, I've come to a good balance by setting up a
system to ensure everything is done correctly the first time.
 I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week,
but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense.
 Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or take on tasks
personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I've never
missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the
next task, and to be confident when assigning others works.
 I had difficulty with calculus during college, but I persevered with tutoring
assistance and extra effort and completed 2 levels with a B minus average.
 I've learned to make my perfectionism work to my advantage at work. I am
excellent at meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my
work is correct.
 I used to like to work on one project to its completion before starting on
another, but I've learned to work on many projects at the same time, and I
think it allows me to be more creative and effective in each one.
 Currently/Right now, I lack professional experience but I am hopeful that I will
be able to resolve this in the near future.
 One of my greatest weaknesses has been my difficulty in saying no. Sometimes
I tend to over commit myself with too many variant tasks, and then am not able
to fully accomplish each as I would like However, since I have come to
recognize this weakness; I have taken steps to correct it. For example, I now
have a planner so that I can plan all of my appointments and I also make a
check list every day.
  Elaborately you might say:
“Sometimes I can be a bit too honest when I provide feedback to coworkers. My
personality is naturally very straightforward and to the point, and most of my
colleagues really value that, but I have learned that there are times on the job
when more diplomacy is required.
I took a training class on conflict management and it really opened my eyes to the
need to communicate differently with different people. So now I am much better at
providing constructive feedback, even if it doesn’t always come naturally.”

Why It Works: This weakness is described well. The candidate notes how
directness has been a weakness while also making it clear that he is not a raging
jerk to his coworkers.
In the second part, he talks about concrete steps that he has taken and how he has
improved.
 Honestly, I would say that public speaking is an area that I could work on. I

tend to get nervous when asked to present to a large group of people. In

small team meetings, I’m the first one to stand up and present. But put me
in front of a big group and I can get flustered.
I actually spoke to my manager about this and we set it as one of my
development goals for this year. I took an internal presentation skills class
and attended some meetings of Toastmasters, a networking group for
people who want to practice public speaking. With some practice, I started
to feel more comfortable. Last month, I even volunteered to represent our
team at a division-wide town hall. I only had to present for 10 minutes, but I
did it and got great feedback! It was actually kind of fun, so I plan on
continuing to seek out opportunities to improve in this area.”
Why It Works: Fear of public speaking is a common fear. In this sample answer,
the candidate makes it clear that she has no trouble communicating in general
(which could be a red flag). It’s just getting up in front of a big group that scares
her.
She goes on to describe how she identified the weakness, spoke with her manager
about it, and then took proactive steps to improve. She even has a little triumph at
the end.
 Q: Why Should We Hire You?/ Why are you the best candidate for the job?/ Why

are you the right fit for the position? /What would you bring to the position?

When an employer asks you, “Why should we hire you?” she is really asking,

“What makes you the best fit for this position?

**Match Your Qualifications to the Job Listing

Sample Answers

“Well, I have all of the skills and experience that you’re looking for and I’m

confident that I would be a good fit in this project management role. It’s not just

my educational qualification— or my people skills, but also I’m also passionate

about this industry and I’m driven to deliver high-quality work.”

 “I believe in my capability, knowledge & skills. Also I have the essential

education that is require for the job. Furthermore I possess technical skills &

the other behavioral traits vital to fulfill the role & responsibility of this job

profile. I wish to join your esteemed organization & I am truly excited about

the prospect of getting started.”

 “I have the required education and the attitude to excel in this production
assistant position. I have two summers interning at _________, where I was
exposed to all aspects of _______ and worked so hard the first summer that
 they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more
responsibilities.
I have a reputation for getting things done — and with a smile on my face.
I have chosen this stream as I have interest in this industry and am excited to
learn and get experience in every way possible.”

o Because I sincerely believe that I am well qualified for the job. I realize that

there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. Along

with that ability, I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best

person for the job--my thirst for excellence. Not just striving for excellence, but

putting every part of myself into achieving it.

o ***Note: BACK UP WITH EXAMPLE OF A PREVIOUS PROJECT/EXPERIENCE

WHERE YOU DISPLAYED EXCELLENCE

 I truly believe that I am well suited for this job. I realize there are other college

students who have the ability to do this job but it will be difficult to find

someone with the degree of work ethic I have (EXAMPLE). While attending

classes, my study schedule demanded a lot of organization and positive

attitude. Both are additional qualities I can and will bring to this position.

Consistently, I have reached for becoming the very best; an excellent example

of that is...... (GIVE EXAMPLES).

Q : Why Shouldn't I Hire You?

This question is a more vicious version of the familiar “What’s your biggest

weakness?” As with that question, the key strategy is to use it to highlight one of

your potential strengths without sounding ridiculously arrogant. It’s also

reasonable to acknowledge the oddness of the question, pointing out that you’ve

applied because you believe you’re a good fit.

Sample Answers

 Well, I believe in positive thinking and as I mentioned that I possess the right

kind of attitude & other traits besides the essential qualification required to

fulfill the role & responsibilities of this job profile so I wish to get hired in

your prestigious organization.

 I know this company is creating life-sustaining systems, so your bar for

quality is really high. I take quality seriously, but I've always worked in less

critical projects where an acceptable level of quality was much lower. I'll

have a lot to learn about your quality control processes, and that's a really

exciting facet of this job for me. But I can see that if you're comparing my

resume with someone who's worked in this industry before that may be a

reason not to hire me.

 Well, I would say that I am a dedicated, passionate & hard working person.

And I will put in best of my endeavors to fulfill every task that I take up with
 efficiency & effectiveness. I can only tell you why I think am fit for the

profile. Because I believe in my strength rest hiring decision will be taken

best by you.

Q: What are your career goals / Your Goals for the Future / where do you see

yourself five years from now?

The key here is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to

reach those objectives.

Sample Answers:

 “Within 5 years, I would like to become the very best mechanic your

company has on staff. I want to work toward becoming the expert that

others rely on. Hopefully, this will allow me to take on greater

responsibilities with the company if the opportunity arises. I am also

working towards additional certifications in the field to enhance my career

potential.”

 My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to

learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I
can.
 I see myself as a top performing employee in a well-established organization,
like this one. I plan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in
(related).
 Once I gain additional experience, I would like to move on from a technical
position to management.
 In the XYZ Corporation, what is a typical career path for someone with my skills
and experiences?
 Although it is difficult to predict things far into the future, I know the directions I
want to develop towards. Within five years, I would like to become the very best
(TALK ABOUT THE POSITION THAT YOU WANT TO BE JOINING IN AS) your
company has. My goal is to become an expert that others can rely upon. In
making the most of the position (POSITION OF INTEREST FOR YOU), my hope is
that I will be fully prepared to take on any challenges with greater
responsibilities that might be presented in the long term.

 I am looking to make a long term commitment at this stage in my career. As

for my own growth, I am positive that opportunities will open up when I do

my job very well and I am sure this company will have growth opportunities

for me.

TO BE CONTINUED…….