Over the years, Penny’s career on data entry and customer service projects has led her through multiple companies and countless interviews. She goes into each interview expecting to be hired because, usually, she is. But lately, times have been tough. Penny is burned out on interviewing and finds herself getting tongue-tied. “I know what they’re going to ask me,” she says, “but I never have a really good answer.” Build interviewing confidence by visiting the other side of the equation: what do these managers really want to know? Understanding the motivation behind common interview questions can lead to better – memorable and professional – answers.
Why are you looking for work? Uh, because I need money? Wrong answer. What interviewers are asking for here is quick insight into what went wrong on your last job. Can you Twitter? Formulate an upbeat and positive statement that answers this question in 140 words or less.
Why are you interested in this position? This question comes up a lot in data entry and customer service job interviews because these positions can be mundane and are often stressful. The question behind this question is: What’s in this for you? Don’t act as if you’re above the job you are applying for. Instead, reach into yourself and figure out what you get out of this kind of work; it might be satisfaction with a job well done, opportunity to contribute or your drive to help customers solve problems. You’ll think of something.
How do you react when faced with a challenge? The real question here is, Can I trust you? Are you going to cut corners or quit when the job gets tough? Are you going to argue with your co-workers or cover for them if they steal things? This question aims at your character; one recruiter calls it the Get-naked Question because it forces you to reveal the person you are on the inside. To respond, think of a very specific challenge you have faced in work or in life, and tell a brief, true story about how you handled that situation. Outline it this way: this was the challenge, this was my response, this was the outcome. Practice telling your story to friends or into your own voicemail until it sounds comfortable and feels genuine.
Preparation and practice make all the difference in an interview. When you have these three keys in your pocket, the rest of the conversation will fall into place.
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Insight News
Thursday
Feb 09th
Interviewing confidence: Build yours by knowing what managers really want to know
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