At Times You Will Be Asked To Do Many Things At Once How Do You Prioritise Your Tasks
Why employers ask this: This question aims to reveal your time management and decision-making skills, Shepard says. Employers want to understand how you prioritise things and the way you engage with people during that process.
How to respond well: Be prepared to give an example of how you prioritised things in a previous role, Shepard says. Can you talk about how you schedule your day to ensure the most important things get done? Or a time where you were able to handle an urgent priority by reorganising other tasks? Its also worth considering how you communicate with others about deadlines or how you keep track of your workload via to-do lists or other organisational tools.
What Are Your Greatest Strengths To A Company
The ability of a candidate to talk about their strengths and still maintain their humility is a strong indicator of a winning personality.
This also gives the interviewee a chance to explain and align their strengths with the position they are interviewing for demonstrating attributes that will contribute to the companys goals.
Questions To Ask The Interviewer
One of the questions you may be asked during a job interview for a retail position is, “Do you have any questions for me?” Remember that interviewing works both ways, and asking questions is an opportunity to be sure the job is a good fit for you.
Have a list of questions ready to ask that will clarify the job requirements, your schedule, the flexibility of the position, and anything else that would help you decide whether you would want the job if it were offered to you. Only ask questions that have not already been addressed during the interview.
- How many hours per week do you expect that I would work?
- Do you schedule people for primarily the same hours every week, or do they vary greatly?
- How many sales associates are on the floor during a shift?
- Will I be part of a team or be working primarily independently?
- Can you describe for me a typical day in this position?
- What do you like best about working here and least about working here?
- When should I expect to hear from you?
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Are You Planning On Having Children
Questions about your family status, gender , nationality , religion, or age are illegalbut they still get asked . Of course, not always with ill intentthe interviewer might just be trying to make conversation and might not realize these are off-limitsbut you should definitely tie any questions about your personal life back to the job at hand. For this question, think: You know, Im not quite there yet. But I am very interested in the career paths at your company. Can you tell me more about that?
Why Was There A Gap In Your Employment
Maybe you were taking care of children or aging parents, dealing with health issues, or traveling the world. Maybe it just took you a long time to land the right job. Whatever the reason, you should be prepared to discuss the gap on your resume. Seriously, practice saying your answer out loud. The key is to be honest, though that doesnt mean you have to share more details than youre comfortable with. If there are skills or qualities you honed or gained in your time away from the workforcewhether through volunteer work, running a home, or responding to a personal crisisyou can also talk about how those would help you excel in this role.
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Where Do You See Yourself In The Next 5 Years
An ambitious professional with a clear set of goals for the short, medium, and long term, is an invaluable asset to the company. This is true especially if they parallel their career growth with the company they are interviewing at.
As they grow professionally and financially, the company grows and expands too.
During the interview, confident job seekers will discuss that they seek a company with upward mobility as they help the company prosper.
Why Are You Leaving Or Have Left Your Job
What They Want to Know: There are many different reasons for leaving a job. You could be moving on because you want more opportunities for growth, you may be looking for a salary increase, perhaps you’re relocating, or you have another reason you’re leaving your job. Be consistent in your answer when meeting with representatives of a prospective employer, because they may compare notes.
Our business was sold and, although I was invited to transition to the acquiring company, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity for me to explore new career opportunities.
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What Are Your Biggest Weaknesses
Every candidate knows how to answer this question: Just pick a theoretical weakness and magically transform that flaw into a strength in disguise!
For example: “My biggest weakness is getting so absorbed in my work that I lose all track of time. Every day I look up and realize everyone has gone home! I know I should be more aware of the clock, but when I love what I’m doing I just can’t think of anything else.”
So your “biggest weakness” is that you’ll put in more hours than everyone else? Great.
A better approach is to choose an actual weakness, but one you’re working to improve. Share what you’re doing to overcome that weakness. No one is perfect, but showing you’re willing to honestly self-assess and then seek ways to improve comes pretty darned close.
Questions To Learn About The Job
Ask questions that will help you determine if you would actually like the job, and be able to do it well.
- Why is this position open? Is it a new position? Or is it a replacement for someone?
- How long does someone typically stay in this job?
- How many hours a week does someone in this job typically work? Is overtime accepted or expected?
- Do most employees check email over the weekends and stay in touch while on vacation? Is that required for this job?
- Do employees sometimes work from home or telecommute in this job? How many people telecommute? How many hours a week?
- Who does the person in this job report to? What is the bosss job title, and where are they located?
- What is the salary grade for this job? Where does this job salary grade rank in your salary grades?
- What can you tell me about this job that isnt in the description?
- What are your future plans for this job?
- What are the prospects for growth for the person in this job?
- How long do people stay in this job?
- How often is this job open?
- Who does the person in this job report to?
- How often are performance reviews provided? Do employees receive feedback from their managers?
- Is travel to meet with clients or suppliers or to represent this organization required for this job? If so, where, how long, how far, and how often?
- Where is this job located?
Ask about anything else in your preparation that raised questions for you. Read for leveraging Google before the interview.
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Questions To Ask When The Interview Is Being Set Up
Usually the first person you speak with is the recruiter or a member of the Human Resources staff. In some typically small organizations, the hiring manager will be the first person who interviews you.
The best question to ask is Who will be interviewing me, and how does your hiring process work?
Ask for the names and job titles of the people who are interviewing you so that you can do some research about them before the interview. Hopefully they will have LinkedIn Profiles you can review to see if you find any common ground among them or with you to help you understand more about the organization.
Research the interviewers to help you find ways to build rapport with the interviewers during the interview same school or degree, same professional organization, etc.
Dont be surprised if the first interview is a remote interview. The first interview in many organizations is often a phone interview, a Video interview, or a one-way video interview.
During this initial screening interview, employers ask questions to determine if you are a qualified candidate who should be invited to a face-to-face interview. You may not have an opportunity to ask many questions, but do have questions ready to demonstrate your interest in the organization and the job.
Regardless of who that first person is, ask these questions of both the HR/recruiting staff member and the hiring manager to learn important details about the job and to compare the facts presented.
What Do You Know About The Company Example Answer:
I read on your website that youre one of the top data security companies in the US, and that you serve more than 40 Fortune 500 companies including some of the biggest tech companies like Microsoft and IBM. I also read a recent news article that mentioned youre looking to expand into providing these services for financial institutions as well. Is that right? And can you tell me more about that?
This is a great sample answer for, what do you know about this company? because it shows you did research and are able to name specific facts about their company. Youre also going to stand out by ending your answer with a question for the interviewer.
This turns the interview into more of a back-and-forth conversation which will help the hiring manager see you as a colleague and someone they should hire!
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Top Questions To Ask In Interviews
So, youve been looking for a new role, youve sent in your application, and your prospective employer has asked to interview you now what?
How do you feel? Are you nervous? Excited? Feeling confident?
All of the above are completely normal. I would be worried if you didnt feel a little nervous about an upcoming interview it suggests that you want to do well and that it means something to you. However, one aspect of the interview process that candidates tend to forget about is having questions prepared. I would argue that having questions for your interviewer is one of, if not the most important thing to be prepared for when interviewing.
When you are faced with the inevitable: Do you have any questions for us?, what do you say?
DONT say: No, I think youve just about answered everything.
Use this opportunity to get to know your potential employer what DO you want to know?
Here are some questions that are really useful to have up your sleeve in a pinch:
This is a good question because you can get a sense of what the long-term goals of the business are. Where they plan on expanding, what role you could play in the expansion, and how you could help to add to that progression. It will also give you a sense of job security.
What Is Your Greatest Weakness
What They Want to Know: There are different ways to tackle questions about weaknesses. One is to turn a negative into a positive by sharing an example of how something you considered to be a weakness actually helped you on the job. The other is to speak about additional skills you now have because you worked on those that needed an upgrade.
Im an introvert, which I used to regard as being a weakness because I was always shy about reaching out to people. However, part of being an introvert is that Im a great listener, and I find this has really helped me as a Help Desk Technician. Im able to focus on our customers issues, ask the right questions to elicit information, and resolve their tech issues.
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Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job
This is a toughie, but one you can be sure youll be asked. Definitely keep things positiveyou have nothing to gain by being negative about your current employer. Instead, frame things in a way that shows that youre eager to take on new opportunities and that the role youre interviewing for is a better fit for you. For example, Id really love to be part of product development from beginning to end, and I know Id have that opportunity here. And if you were let go from your most recent job? Keep it simple: Unfortunately, I was let go, is a totally acceptable answer.
What Is Your Teaching Philosophy
This isnt a question solely for those applying to teaching positions. Employers may ask this of anyone who might be leading or teaching others. Your response will allow employers to gauge your personal skills and if you would be a good culture add. A good answer will concisely identify what you think teaching should achieve and include concrete examples to illustrate your ideas.
Example answer:When it comes to managing people, my teaching philosophy is to start by asking questions that hopefully get the person to come to a new conclusion on their own. This way, they feel ownership over the learning rather than feeling micromanaged. For example, in my last role, I was editing an article written by a copywriter I managed. The story didnt have a clear focus or hook.
In a one-on-one meeting, I asked her what she thought was the main point of the article if she had to sum it up in a sentence. From there, I asked if she thought the focus was clear in the article. She didnt think it was clear and instead thought she should rework her introduction and conclusion. As a result, the article improved and my direct report learned a valuable writing lesson that she carried into her future work.
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Why Are You Looking For Jobs
Employers might ask this question during your phone interview to see if there are any red flags about your employment situation. If you are currently employed but are looking for new jobs, simply explain why. You should make your answer focused on your career instead of personal reasons or small preferences like hours or commute time. For example, you might be looking for new jobs because there are few opportunities for growth or movement in your current role.
If youve been let go for some reason, explain in a positive way that you and your employer decided it would be best for you to find a better fitting opportunity. You should address the ways youve been using your time to improve your skills and work styles.
Example answer:Im looking for opportunities to start my career as a project coordinator. Working as an executive assistant has given me abundant experience in managing and organizing schedules, so Im ready to take the next step in my career. I feel especially qualified for this particular position because Ive worked in the retail industry in my last two administrative roles. Im more than ready to start my project coordination career and would be excited for it to be with your company.
Do You Have Any Interests Outside Of Work
If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!
It means that they liked your professional background, and now theyre just trying to get to know you and see if youre a good fit for the company culture.
Its pretty hard to go wrong here, unless youre going to answer something like:
I have literally no hobbies.
or…
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What Are Your Salary Expectations
The number one rule of answering this question is: Figure out your salary requirements ahead of time. Do your research on what similar roles pay by using sites like PayScale and reaching out to your network. Be sure to take your experience, education, skills, and personal needs into account, too! From there, Muse career coach Jennifer Fink suggests choosing from one of three strategies:
- Give a salary range: But keep the bottom of your stated range toward the mid-to-high point of what youre actually hoping for, Fink says.
- Flip the question: Try something like That’s a great questionit would be helpful if you could share what the range is for this role, Fink says.
- Delay answering: Tell your interviewer that youd like to learn more about the role or the rest of the compensation package before discussing pay.
Are You A Risk
This ones pretty tricky, as the answer here depends on your profession and field.
Ask yourself – is risk-taking a valuable skill for the job?
If youre a pilot, for example, the answer should be a strict No!
If, on the other hand, youre a day trader, then risk is an essential part of your job.
So, depending on how valuable risk is for your job, answer accordingly.
You could also give a more strategic answer. Lets say, for example, you work in investment banking. You need to be a risk taker to an extent, but being too risk-friendly might make the entire company go bankrupt.
The strategy in such a case would be to show that youre all about calculated risk. Youre willing to take chances, but only when the odds are in your favor.
As with most interview questions, you should give examples of situations where you had to take risks, and what the end-results were.
Possible answers:
- Sample Answer 1:
Yes, Im a risk-taker. I believe that to achieve real results, you always need to be willing to take a certain level of risk.
Pretty much any marketing initiative you launch is tied to risk. You can plan everything from beginning till the end, but no matter how well you plan it out, things might just not work out.
Its just part of the job – in order to succeed, you need to take launch risky campaigns on a regular basis, and hopefully, one in every 5 is going to bring you massive results.
- Sample Answer 2:
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