KEY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND HOW TO ANSWER THEM

1. What are your reasons for your success in this

profession?
What makes you tick? Why are you successful?

I attribute my success to 3 reasons:

• Support from my team
• Pride in my work
• Finding an economical solution to a problem
Think of examples

2. What is your energy level like? Describe a typical day.

How well do you work under
pressure?
What is your time management like? Can you organize yourself?

Describe how you prepare for each day, monitor your work
closely and review your performance at the end of each day.
I work until 7.00 pm most days and often at weekends if the
project demands it, but I always clear my desk at the end of
each day. I find pressure stimulating but avoidable if correct
preparation is taken to meet deadlines.

3. Why do you want to work here? What interests you most

about this job?
How much do you know about our company? What research
have you done?

Good opportunity to list company’s attributes and requirements,

and then match your key qualities to each requirement. Finish
with “I want to develop my career and your company has the
best training, support and products. Our goals are the same.”
Find out the biggest requirement or challenge, and say this is
what interests you. Display the traits that will satisfy the need.

4. What experience do you have for this job?

How quickly can you contribute to our current projects?

Think of what the company most needs and ask the interviewer
what he most wants and what the most urgent projects are.
Then answer with specific qualifications and examples.
5. What did you like / dislike about your last job?
What did you learn and what did you want to learn?

Don’t criticize your last company. Point out all the things you
learnt and then stress one negative which is something that the
interviewer’s company is better at. The interviewer will want to
hear that.

6. How do you feel about your career to date?

How do you feel about your progress? How would you rate
yourself? Have you done the best work you are capable of doing?

Be positive but stress that the best is to come. “When you think
you are ripe you rot”. Stress that you know your work and
understand its importance within company operations. You can
make a significant contribution.

7. How long would you stay with this company?

This is a closing signal.

“I would like to settle down with this company. As long I am

growing professionally there is no reason to make a move. How
long do you think I could be happy here?

8. How long would it take you to make a contribution to our

company?
Qualify and close.

“What do you anticipate my responsibilities will be for the first

six months?” – get the interviewer to concentrate on images of
you working for him – “ Do you have a special project in mind for
me? When would you like me to start?”

9. What would you like to be doing in 5 years?

Looking for research and loyalty.

Show you are a true professional and team player, and say: “I
would like to be making a contribution at a more senior level”.
Ask about career opportunities and answer with what the
interviewer wants to hear.
10. What are your greatest achievements?
What successful projects have you been involved in?

Emphasise your work with sales as it is profit –oriented. Team

work, professionalism, hard work and economy should be
highlighted in your examples. Don’t exaggerate.

11. What is your greatest strength? Why should I hire

you?
What is the single most important quality that you can offer me?

Think of the answer before you go to the interview. Think of the

most important requirement, state a relevant personal quality
and illustrate with a job-related example.

12. How much money do you want?

How much do you think you are worth?

Ask what the salary range is, and say: “I am very keen on
working for you and will consider any reasonable offer”

13. What are you looking in your next job?

What contribution will you make?

Say what you will give the company; do not ask what the
company will give you. “I am looking for a company which will
provide the environment for me to contribute even more than I
did at my last job.”

14. Describe a difficult problem that you have had to

deal with?
Describe and give an example of your analytical skills.

“I always follow a five step format:

• I stand back and examine the problem;
• I recognize the problem as a symptom of other factors;
• I list possible solutions;
• I evaluate the consequences and costs of each solution;
 • I go to my superiors, outline the problem, make my
recommendations and ask my superiors for advice and
approach.”

15. In what ways has your job prepared you to take on a

greater responsibility?
Give me examples of your professional growth.

“I used to see my manager every day for a briefing – now I see

him once a month for direction”

THE TWENTY MOST COMMON REASONS WHY CANDIDATES FAIL

AT INTERVIEWS

1. Poor personal appearance

2. Overbearing, over – aggressive, too confident

3. Inability to express themselves clearly

4. Lack of career planning, no purpose and no goals

5. Unenthusiastic

6. Lack of confidence and poor poise, i.e. slouching in the chair

7. Too much emphasis on money

8. Evasive and excuse – making

9. Interrupting the interviewer and not listening

10. Critisises former employers

11. Fails to look interviewer in the eye

12. Poor first impression – limp hand- shake

13. Appearing indecisive

14. No sports, hobbies or activities

15. No interest in the company or marketplace

16. Intolerant – strong prejudices or dogmatic

17. Late to interview

18. Ask no questions about the job

19. Very long, tortuous answers

20. Failure to be polite and thank the interviewer for their time