‘have You Ever Stolen A Pen From Work’
The thing is, we’ve all taken a pen or two, so if you say that you haven’t, then they might think you’re a liar. But if you say that you do it all the time and act like it’s no big deal, then that could be problematic, too.
Reed writes in his book that saying something like “I have once or twice taken a pen from the office in an emergency but I have always returned it the next day or the day after” is a terrible response. Why? The interviewer knows that pen is still on your desk at home and might challenge you.
He suggests going with something more realistic, like:
“Well, I’d be lying to say I haven’t ever absentmindedly slipped a ballpoint into my jacket pocket, but it usually ends up back on my desk the following day, unless I leave it at home. I haven’t got a spare room full of paperclips and staplers, though, if that’s what you mean.”
Do You Work Well With Others
Working on a team is essential to almost every job, and the interviewer wants to know you can get along with others. When you respond, you need to give an answer that goes deeper than just saying that you like working with other people.
Interviewers want to know how youd interact with your coworkers and if youd fit into the company culture. People usually say that they enjoy working with other people, but dont give any details to back up their response.
Even if your job doesnt require a lot of collaboration, its still important to be able to engage with your coworkers in a friendly and professional manner.
Example Answer:
I enjoy working as a part of a team because Ive found that its much easier to come up with creative ideas and avoid pitfalls when theres more than one perspective involved in a project.
Ive also learned that the people are what makes a place great to work in, and Ive loved getting to know all of the coworkers Ive worked with over the years.
Because were human, though, we have had our disagreements and conflicts, so when this happens, Ive learned that being kind and direct to try to clear up the situation is generally the most effective way to restore peace. Even if it doesnt work perfectly, its definitely much better than gossiping about it or just carrying a grudge.
Read more:Do you work well with others?
‘what Is Your Dream Job’
Reed explains that the real question here is, “Can we help you on your way, or is this the wrong job for you? Do you really want to work here at all?”
His suggestion is to “play down the dream,” and to “play up the things your dreams are made of.”
Reed says whatever you do, don’t take this questions too seriously. Don’t go on and on about how you’ve always wanted to be a ballerina. Answer it quickly focusing on what job characteristics you’re attracted to, or what skills you’d like to exercise and move on.
For instance, you could try something like:
“My dream job would be one where I communicate with customers, use my expertise to solve their problems, and make everyone who meets me go home happy.”
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Why Are You Interested In This Position
Why are you interested in this position? can be a deceptively tough question to answer if you havent given it the proper level of thought and preparation.
Its easy to get so caught up in worrying about making a good first impression that you start talking about the one thing you know the most about yourself.
But while your personality and your interests are part of the answer, theyre not all of it, and focusing too much on the ways that the job might benefit you can leave your hiring manager with a sour taste in their mouth.
This question takes some significant forethought about who you are and what kind of company youre applying to, especially when it comes to the projects the company is actively working on or the corporate culture youd be entering.
Read more:Why are you interested in this position?
Create A Core Values Action Plan
Now its time to take action! You wont get clarity on how to live your values just by writing them down or thinking about them you have to put them into action.
Start with your intention: what do you want more of in your life? What will you do to stay in alignment with your values?
From there, think about one action you can do for each of your values that will help you live each value more fully. It can be as simple or as dynamic as you want!
For example, if one of your core values is Balance, you could choose an action like exercising for 20 minutes 3 times per week, or you can choose to start a job search to look for a job that will give you more flexibility to work from home.
Or, if one of your core values is Service, you could choose a simple action like finding an opportunity to volunteer in your community or a more complex action like starting a side hustle where you can help others or meet a need in the world.
The action you choose is up to you, but the important thing is consistency. Choose actions that youll be able to follow through on or keep up with. Choose actions that make you feel excited over actions that youll dread. Consider starting with something small that you can do each day, then build up to bigger actions over time.
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Values You Should Communicate In Every Job Interview
Ive had three unsolicited job offers in the past week, Bridgette told us last week. I wasnt expecting any of this. And, I havent updated my resume in nearly five years. And, I dont know what to say in an interview. Am I basically thanking them for considering me?
Those are great questionsespecially when a company is trying to entice you to leave your current role. However, even though theres a talent shortage, now isnt the time to slack and assume companies will hire just anyone. Sure, they may have heard great things about you from a former coworker. They might have culled through your LinkedIn profile. And, they might already be sold on your existing resume and experience. But, they still want to know if you align on values.
When and if you respond to these recruiters or hiring managers, its still worth your effort to shine. Here are the top eight values weve found hiring managers are looking to find in new employees.
What’s The Difference Between Core Values And Values
Values that tend to support an organization’s goal, represent its actual values, and define its culture are known as core values. The ideas, concepts, and philosophy that underpin your organization’s core values are defined by your core values. You should attempt to keep your core values to a maximum of five.
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Elaborate On The Values Rather Than Just Enumerate
Research the company to find its mission statement and values. Decide which of them you most identify with and why while preparing a well-thought answer to this interview question.
You dont have to limit them to their list. Still, be sure to pick something to elaborate on.
Avoid plain enumeration of the values. Instead, provide real-life examples illustrating the way each value functions in your life.
Want to mention building long-term relationships, honesty, growth, effective communication, and empathy as your core values? Good idea. Even better if supported by facts.
Below you can find some suggestions to inspire you:
I value long-term relationships, which shows both in my private and professional life. I have had the same friends since high school and am still in touch with colleagues from my first job.
Honesty. I have proven to be the one who can always provide honest feedback, and thanks to it, people often get to ask me for my opinion. They just know that I will tell them the truth.
I genuinely believe that we should put ourselves in the other persons shoes more often. Empathy is a key to understanding each other better and communicating effectively. It also makes a workplace brighter as we feel more secure and less stressed knowing we are seen and understood.
Why Is It Important To Pay Attention To Core Values
Core values should always play a major role in any of your job searches. When you find an organization whose work values are in synergy with yours, youll be far more likely to enjoy job satisfaction, stability, and productivity.There are many reasons for this, but the most important one is this: Your core values serve as the guide to your behavior and when your core work values align with those of your employer, youll be able to arrive at work each day with a strong feeling that youre doing something beneficial for yourself, your community, and the world also.
Here are some common samples of core work values that you may see on a job posting or on an organizations website. As you go through this list, take some time with each one to pause, reflect, and ask yourself: How much does this matter to me, to my own life, and to my personal career goals?
IntegrityHaving integrity in your workplace means you try to do the proper thing, even if nobody is looking. You value honesty, transparency and you have a commitment to do whats best for your clients, teammates, and company.
InnovationThe ability to think of creative ways to solve difficult problems and take calculated risks. Find new ways to move the organization you work with forward.
ServiceBeing service-minded means that you care about providing a quality/meaningful experience to the people you serve and support. This value includes supporting your community and your team.
Acceptance
Wisdom
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‘is It Acceptable To Lie In Business’
Reed explains in his book that the interviewer is trying to understand what your core values are when they ask this question.
He says you’ll want to “show that you leave lying to people who are content to win that way.”
He suggests answering with something like this:
“It’s never OK to lie. People do, of course, usually for some short-term gain, but I don’t think it’s ever worth it in the long run. It’s easy to make bad choices under pressure, and some businesses are even run in such a way that people don’t know they’re lying. I prefer to treat people the way I want to be treated myself, and nobody wants to be lied to. Life’s much simpler if you always tell the truth. And more people will forgive you for making a mistake, but they’ll never forgive a lie.”
Do A Personal Values Exercise
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Your Answer Will Only Be Valuable If It Aligns With The Companys Values
It is quite a common question, which is why it would help to have an answer for it beforehand.
There is no fixed answer, and it should definitely not be one copied from the internet.
- Your values are determined by what you prioritize in life.
- Your values come from the decisions you make in the most difficult dilemmas.
All the reasons for your happiness and sadness stem from your values. You might need to sit down and list down what you consider to be your values.
It is essential to know the values of the company you are interviewing at. Your answer will only be valuable if your values align with the companys and the job title.
For example, your value might be integrity or honesty. Such a quality is considered important for those who would be managing teams. You will need to narrate an incident in which this value helped you achieve something as well.
Greg P. Modd, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Principal Consultant, Penultimate People Consulting
Walk Me Through Your Resume
Like tell me about yourself, but a little more focused. The best advice for this prompt is to know a coherent, natural story of your career. The end of your story should be your explanation of how this position fits in perfectly with your career goals.
This question allows you the freedom to speak about elements of your resume that you wish you couldve put in 32-pt font with flashing neon signs. Emphasize your relevant skills and experience to show why youre the ideal candidate for the job.
Example Answer:
Read more:Walk me through your resume
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Be Prepared To Answer Follow
The interviewer may ask you some follow-up questions about your values.
Be prepared to answer them honestly and concisely.
You may want to have a few examples ready that will help to illustrate why those values are important to you.
See also:
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When Have You Demonstrated Leadership Skills
This question is more common for supervisory roles, but it may come up in an interview for any position. The key is to think about what leadership means to you and how you try to embody those qualities when the situation calls for it.
Think of a story that shows these traits off. Like many interview questions about the past, its a behavioral question, so the recruiter is hoping to learn what your future actions might be based on your past behaviors.
Think about the rest of your selling-points youve been building throughout the interview and try to highlight them again when talking about your leadership skills.
For instance, if youre a problem-solver with great communication skills, tell a story where you fixed a situation quickly by communicating each team members responsibility in a clear way.
Example Answer:
Read more:Leadership Skills
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Social And Environmental Responsibility
Social and environmental responsibility is becoming a more important value to have in the workplace. Most companies want to hire employees who share the same values. Interview questions to determine this may include:
-
Why is social and environmental responsibility important to you?
-
How can our company be more socially and environmentally responsible?
-
In what ways have you demonstrated social and environmental responsibility?
Here’s an example of a good answer to an interview question about social and environmental responsibility:
Example:’I try to be as socially and environmentally responsible as I can. I’ve cut out single-use plastic bags, buy more environmentally friendly products and recycle as much as possible.’
Related:
How Did You Hear About The Position
Out of all the questions youre going to be asked during a job interview, this one is one of the easiest to answer and hardest to screw up. This question usually comes at the beginning of an interview and is meant to be an icebreaker, not a trick question.
Even though this question seems to be a no-brainer, some people do somehow still manage to screw it up. Dont be one of those people. Icebreakers can determine how the rest of your interview goes. You should look like you actually want this position with their company, instead of just looking like the least-bad option.
Read more:How did you hear about the position
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Answer With Clarity And Confidence
Our values guide our path on our journey in life. It helps us stay grounded and focused on our goals and what matters to us.
Our values dictate:
- how we behave, and
- how we connect and interact with others day in and day out.
In a recent podcast interview, the host asked me to share my entrepreneurial identity. I paused a moment and replied with:
I find my identity through my values.
I followed up with my top three:
- Connection to be mindfully present with others and engage fully in whatever I am doing,
- Challenge it is important that I keep challenging myself to learn, grow and improve, and
- Authenticity to be genuine and always true to myself.
Instead of telling the host what I do, I answered with my values to show them who I am.
In a job interview, when asked, What are your values? it is best to answer with clarity and confidence because this can determine whether your work ethics, behavior, and personality align with the companys work culture.
