Examples of Interviewing Questions
While every interview is different, the following are some questions that are typically asked.  On review, they appear hard to answer.  But, with careful thought and preparation, they can be answered properly.

• What do you look for in a job?  
• Why are you leaving your present job?
• What is the hardest thing you have ever done? 
• Why should we hire you?
• What can you do for us that someone else can't? 
• Why were you out of work so long?
• Why have you changed jobs so frequently? 
• What is your philosophy of management?
• Do you prefer staff or line work?  Why? 
• What is the most boring job you ever had?
• What do you do when you have trouble solving a problem?
• How do you rate yourself as a manager?
• What were your five greatest accomplishments in your present job?
• How would you evaluate your present firm?
• What were your five greatest accomplishments in your career?
• Will you be out to take your boss's job?
• What is your greatest strength?  What is your greatest weakness?
• Have you fired people before?  Why?
• What interests you most about the position we have?
• What do you think of your boss?
• Have you hired people before?  What do you look for?
• What do your subordinates think of you?
• How long would it take for you to make a contribution to our company?
• Are you a leader?
• What new goals or objectives have you established recently?  Why?
• How would you describe your personality?
• Have you helped increase profits?  reduce costs?
• What are your short-range objectives?
• What features of your previous jobs have you liked?  disliked?
• What are your long-range objectives?
• Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?
• Can you work under pressure?
  
  
  Some examples of questions you might ask:
  - What about the company convinced you to join it and stay through the years?
  - What is there about the position that has not been mentioned to me that could cause me to decline a job offer?
  - What happened to the last person in this job?
  - How would you define the management philosophy of the company?
  - If you were I, and an offer were made, what would you do and why?

 

Some Sample Answers to Interviewing Questions

Why do you want to change jobs?  State that you are in a dead-end position that is void of learning experiences.  Do not say that you are bored, underpaid or hate your boss.

Why were you out of work so long?  Explain the gap between jobs as positively as possible, such as "I used this time to re-examine my goals and reached the following conclusions ...."

What is your biggest weakness?  I really don't feel I have a weakness which affects my working ability. I guess, at times, I have a tendency to be impatient and occasionally push people too hard to get a job done.

Why have you changed jobs so frequently?  Be open and honest.  Convince the interviewer that your job-hunting days are over!

Why should I hire you?  Do not rehash your resume.  Use this opportunity to sell yourself, sharing information about specific accomplishments and talents that relate to the employer's needs.

What do you think of your boss?  He/she is an outstanding person. I have a great deal of respect for him/her and I have enjoyed working with him very much.

Would you like your boss's job?  Of course, answer Yes!  There is nothing wrong with being ambitious.  If you sense a threat to the interviewer, however, add "when I gain the experience and am qualified."

How long would it take you to make a contribution to our firm?   I hope to be able to make a contribution in a very short time. Obviously it will take some time to get my feet wet and get used to certain operating procedures. There are a number of things which I have accomplished before that I may be able to institute once I gain a better understanding of your organization.

What is the most boring job you ever had?  I have not found any of my work in my adult career boring.  I have always been too busy to be bored.  Perhaps as a teenager …

What do you do when you have trouble solving a problem?  One thing I do not do is ignore it and hope it will go away.  I am not afraid to ask questions or look for the answers myself.