= All you need to confidently interview in English and land the job you desire JOB INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Luck is when preparation meets opportunityHOW TO MASTER YOUR JOB INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH 20 DIFFICULT INTERVIEW 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO HELP YOU GET THEJOB OF YOUR DREAM el ‘THIS HOOK IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION ON ‘THE SUNJECT COVERED, HOWEVER IT IS DONE WITH THE, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNT DR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF JONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED. FESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BI ‘SOUGHT. ANY NAMES USED IN "TARE FICTITIOUS AND FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONL PERSONS OR COMPANIES IS Pt UNINT {ESEMBLANCETO ACTUAL {OINCIDENTAL AND. o1About the author am Natasha and | am passionate about helping you improve your Business English so you can pursue the life of your dreams with confidence. Tmoved to Rome 3 years ago, from beautiful Southern California, USA! After a very successful career in Los Angeles, as Director of Merchandising, I decided to shift my focus and found great interest in teaching English. Twant to help my clients in amore effective, Nlexible.and independent way than traditional schools offered. [also believe that knowledge is power and that once you can express yourself loquently in English you will see your career and opportunities ent level! reach a differ Long story short, in 2015 I met the most amazing guy, fell in love, moved to Italy, married the guy, and | ‘am now living the happiest life in this amazing country Like you, I learned to speak another language, Italian (although it’s not perfect yet and I've been through the struggles of trying to put together all that grammar and words into a correct sentence. I've always loved learning. In fact, I spent around 30 years in school. I know ~crazy, right! Thave a Masters Degree in Communications Management, a Maters Degree is Executive Leadership, and an MBA Degree. Ofcourse once I discovered my love for teaching I went on to get a teaching certificate TESOL. Lama nerd, what ean I say In my free time. [love traveling, spending time with my hushand Francesco and my baby Sophia, and doing activities like going to the beach and yoga, and running back to the US every chance 1 get. 02General Guidelines Introduction to Answering Interview Questions You'll be glad to know that interviewing is a skill that can be learned and mastered like any other. Maybe you are applying for jobs and want to get ready for interviews, or you have something scheduled already and need to practice as soon as possible. Either way, this book will be a great resource for you because it has a comprehensive list of common and difficult questions, and the possible answers. The answers provided are ideas that might help you to raft your own version based on your experience and background. You should know that most interviews don't go well. This is because the candidates are not prepared and they just show up hoping for the best. However itis important to keep in mind that hiring managers don’t want you to fail. They are not looking for reasons not to hire you! Remember that they have taken out the time out of their schedule to talk to you because they think that you could be the right candidate. Of course, interviewing in your own native language is very challenging and difficult. Interviewing in a English as your second language is even more so! My goal is to help you to answer every question with confidence, to teach you how to express yourself effectively in English and to get the best job. 05BUSINESS Asa general rule I would encourage you to: 1. Always be energetic, upbeat, and positive. 2, Rehearse your answers and time them. Never talk for more than 2 minutes 3. Don't try to memorize answer word for word. Use the answers shown here as aguide only, and don't be afraid to include your own thoughts and words. 4. Tohelp you remember key concepts, write down and review a few key words for each answer. Rehearse your answers frequently, and they will come to you naturally in interviews. Preparing for the Interview The strategic approach to this interview is the most important part. First you have to know that the interviewer is excited to meet you. They are hoping to find the right candidate and before every interview they think I hope this is the one”. So the interviewer doesn't want you to fail. They are not looking for what's wrong with you, rather they are trying to see your qualities and match them with the needs of the role. Find out what the hiring managers want, than show them how you can help them get it. Find out what an employer wants most in his or her ideal candidate, then show how you meet those qualifications. In other words, you must match your abilities, with the needs of the employer. 04How do you find out what they want? Read the job description! Everything is listed there, you just have to see itand really understand what they are looking for. Employers will tell you what they are looking for in the job description. You need to practice your answers and highlight your skills that match those criteria. You must remember this strategy above all: before listing your qualifications, you must get some idea of what the employer wants most. Once you know what he wants, you can then present your qualifications as the perfect “key” that fits that position. Keep an inter Write down what position you are applying for, what are the requirements, and what you can offer that matches those requirements. Right after each interview note what you did right, what could have gone alittle better, and what steps you should take next with this contact. This is the only way to get a really good job on your own. Don't be like the 95% of people who say they will follow up on something but never do.STRATEGY. Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for the question, ruin their chances by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history of personal matters. Start with the most recent or current role and describe why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. This is the single most important strategy in job hunting. So before you answer this or any question it’s imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer's greatest need, want, problem or goal. To do so, make sure you take these two steps: 1. Doall the homework you can before the interview to uncover this person's wants and needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or company) 2. Asearly as you can in the interview, ask fora more complete description of what the position entails. You might say: “Ihave a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make the best use of your time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do, that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities ofthis position? 06Then ALWAYS follow up with a second and possibly, third question, to draw out his needs even more. Surprisingly. i’s usually this second or third question that reveals what the interviewer is most looking for. You might ask simply, “And in addition to that?” or, “Is there anything else you see as essential in this position? This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if you uncover the employer's wants and needs will your answer make the most sense. Practice asking these key questions before giving your answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with. After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of this job match with tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, Remember, if you don’t do well on this first question it will be very hard to recover. Since you've already researched the job description, you know exactly what the interviewe! s looking for. Example (for an experienced candidate):“I have always been passionate about finding creative solutions to challenging problems. I enjoy being a part of a top design team. I worked as a designer at Company X for the past 4 years. In U is role I was in charge of 4 designers who delivered over 100 client projects a year. Before that I worked at Company Y where I was a part of the team that handled big projects for accounts such as Nike, Adidas, etc. I've had a great learning experience in the two roles and Lam ready to take on a more demanding role ata high-end firm like Company Z Example (fora non experienced candidate): "I'm good at building relationships. As you can see from my CY Ihave a degree in Business and Management. After graduation I found great interest in sales. My internship at Company X has. allowed me to gain experience where Ihave achieved success as the top 10 % sales representative for the brand and have been promoted to Associate Sales Representative. Now I am looking fora role with more responsibility fora broader line of products, and to build relationships with customers.”QUESTION 2- WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS? STRATEGY: You don't want to come across as egoistical or arrogant. Neither is thisa time to be humble. You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question1, you know how to do this. Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths, an example chosen from your most recent and most impres achievements. You should have this list of your greatest strengths and corresponding examples from your achievements so well committed to memory that you can recite them in the middle of the night. ive ‘Then, once you uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that best match up. Asa general guideline, the most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are: 1. Aproven track record as an achiever... especially if your achievements match up the employer's greatest wants and needs. 2. Intelligence..management “savvy” 3. Honesty...Integrity..a decent human being. 4, Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable with, player who mixes \ 5. Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor. 6. Good communication skills. team 1 with interviewer's team, 7. Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence. 8. Definiteness of purpose and clear goals. 9. Enthusiasm...high level of motivation. 08Example: * My greatest strengths are my writing skills and the ability to work ‘well under pressure. For example, I was once asked to complete a project when my editor needed help 2 hours before the deadline. The piece had to be perfect. 1 remained calm and focused, sat down and wrote, and asa result the article was on time and well received” Ifyou cant think of any strengths for yourself, these are some of the good examples: 1. Creative thinking 2. Prioritizing 3. Analytical thinking 4. Communication skills 5. Interpersonal skills 6. Organizational skills 7. Ability to multi-task Remember, when presenting an example you should always use the STAR method. If the question starts with: “tell me about the time when you..” you should remember to use the STAR method. This stands for Situation-Task- Action- Result) 09Example: "Last year, a colleague of mine went on maternity leave unexpectedly early and I was tasked with finishing her project with just a few days remaining before the deadline. I hadn't been involved in the early stages of this project so 1 had very little knowledge about what was needed. | asked her fora brief rundown of the work she had already done and what I still needed to do. Then, 1 created a plan to work overtime without putting too many responsibilities on anyone else's plate. I managed to finish the project on time, and the client was very happy with the end result”. STRATEGY: Beware ~ this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F” for the interview. 41. One of the best ways to handle this question is to describe an overused strength asa weakness. Example:*I sometimes push my people too hard, [ike to work with a sense of urgency and not everyone works the same way, so there is a risk that people on. my team end up being frustrated.” ehOr “I tend to be very focused on the quality of my work (or whatever your output i), so at times it can take longer to deliver the results because I want to ensure that everything is done with the greatest attention to detail. !am aware of U weakness and over time I have learned to manage it so that I don't hold back the other departments or risk delivering my work late. “The method that has been working well for me is to do a first draft of the reports in a short period of time, where I can inform the others of the most important information or point out any problem areas. Then after that I typically take few more days to complete the entire report with 100% accuracy.” Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it’s so widely used, it is transparent to any experienced interviewer. 2. Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and like least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is not essential. Example: Let's say you're applying for a sales position. “If given a choice, Ilike to spend as much time as possible in front of my clients selling, as opposed to organizing and filing paperwork back at the office. Of course, I long ago learned the importance of filing paperwork properly, and I do it consistently, But what I really love to do is sell (if your interviewer were a sales manager, this should be music to his ears). unQUESTION 4 - HOW WOULD SOMEONE ELSE DESCRIBE YOU? The question could be about your coworkers or your boss. ‘The most important rule here is to never say bad things about either one. A good answer to this, question will not only show off'a positive personality trait but will also explain to the interviewer how t IY personality trait will allow you to excel at the position to which you are applying. Example: "My boss is great- he/she has really taken the time to help me to understand the various aspects of my job over the years. assume that he/she would say that am curious and willing to go an extra mile to get the work done’, Example:"My coworkers have been a great support at my last job. We made a highly efficient team and I think that they would say that I am fair, hard working, and ‘compassionate. I pride myself on having a great sense of urgency which is something that has helped us prioritize tasks and projects. This is something that I have been praised for within my team so I believe that is something that they would point out.” Example: 've been told that I am both a strong leader and a team player. In fact.ny boss offered to write mea personal letter of reference at one point because of my strong team leadership. He was impressed by my ability to effectively lead a group of colleagues while also listening to and considering everyone's input as we determined the best plan of action for this new company initiative". 2ESTION 5 — WHY ARE YOU LEAVING (OR DID YOU LEAVE) YOUR LAST POSITION?? Never hadmouth your previous industry, company, boss, staff, employees, or customers. Remember: never be negative. Focus on your competence, integrity or temperament, and never on talking bad about others or the company you worked for. STRATEGY: 1. Ifyou have a job presently: If you're not yet 100% committed to leaving your present job, don't be afraid to say so. Since you have a job, you are ina her. State honestly what you'd be hoping to find a new spot. Of course, as stated often stronger position than someone who does not, But don't be coy e before, you answer will be stronger if you have already uncovered what this position is all about and you match your desires to it. Example: Vhave had a great experience and have achieved good results in my current job. lam very grateful for all the opportunities that they gave me over the years. Right now I believe that | am ready for new challenges and I'd like to take the next step in my career. 2. Ifyou don't have a job presently: Never lie about having been fired. It's unethical ~ and too easily checked. But do try to describe the reason. If your firing was a result ofa takeover, merger, di ion wide layoff, etc,, that is easy to explain. 3. [Fit was a result of your behavior, you should appear professional and describe your own firing from the company’s point of view, indicating that you could understand why it happened and you might have made same decision yourself. 15,4. Foralll prior positions: Make sure you've had prepared a brief reason for leaving. Example: | found a better opportunity at company X, I was offered a higher position with more responsibility or opportunity for growth. 5. Or if you want to change careers: “I have had 3 different jobs in the past, several years (or since graduation from university). My last job was a great learning experience and it helped me realize what I would like to do in my career long term (here mention what is it that you would like to do). | am now ready to take that next step and make the change.” QUESTION 6— WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU? STRATEGY. Believe or not this is a killer question because so many candidates are unprepared for it. By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall strategy uncovering the employer's needs before you answer questions. If you know the employer's greatest needs and desires, this question will give you a big leg up over other candidates because you will give him better reasons for hiring you than anyone else. Whether your interviewer asks you this question explicitly or not, this is the ‘most important question of your interview because he must answer this question favorably in his own mind before you will be hired. So help him out! Walk through each of the position’s requirements as you understand them, and follow each with a reason why you meet that requirement so well. Examples: “As Lunderstand your needs, you are looking for someone who can manage the sales and marketing of your book publishing division. As you've said you need someone with a strong background in trade book sales. This is where I've spentalmostall of my so I've gained up 18 years of experience exactly in this area. I believe that I know the right contacts, method. principles, and successful management techniques as well as any person can in our industry”. ree 4“You also need someone who ca n expand your book distribution channels, in my prior job, my innovative promotional ideas doubled, then tripled, the number of outlets selling our books. I'm confident I can do the same for you", “You need someone to give a boost to your digital marketing campaigns, and who is familiar with that space. Here too, I believe | have exactly the experience you need. In the last two years, I've increased our ROI on digital marketing efforts on multiple platforms, which resulted in the overall increase in sales by 7%. QUESTION 7- WHAT WOULD YOU WANT FROM THIS JOB? Ifyou have done your research, this should be an easy question to answer. They want to know if'you want the job that they are offering. Sometimes people have an idea that a job isabout one thing, but in reality its something completely different. So if'you do, you answer should include whatis listed in the job description. For example if you are applying for a tax accountant position, and the job descriptio: includes the following: - preparing tax returns meeting with clients to discuss tax matters - conducting training programs for tax regulations Example:"Tve always been passionate about training people. In my current role, 1am responsible for preparing tax returns, and 1 train new hires on how to use that software. Going forward I would like to continue training, and also to apply my knowledge to help everyone in the department understand that tax matters. Pd like to contribute to creating high performing team’. We used the exact words that the job description listed and the interviewer would be happy to hear this type of an answer. Also you want to add that you want to learn new skills and that this new job would open that opportunity for you 15,JUESTION 8- WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELE 5 YEARS? One reason interviewers ask this question is to see if you're settling for this position, using it merely asa stopover until something better comes along. Or they could be trying to understand your level of ambition. STRATEGY. Reassure your interviewer that you're looking to make a long-term commitment..that this position entails exactly what you're looking to do and what you do extremely well. As for your future, you believe that if you perform each job athand with excellence, future opportunities will take care of themselves Example- entry level: I plan to spend the next 5 years learning the ins and outs of this position, the company, and the core business. During that time I would like to work with my supervisor on selecting the path for my future in this company that will allow me to use my skills and contribute to the future growth. Once I prove myself I would like to take the next step and become a long-term ember of this company. Example- mid level: “Lam definitely interested in making a long-term commitment to my next position. Judging by what you've told me about this position, it's exactly what I'm looking for and what | am very well qualified to do. I would strive to lead a high performing team in this company so I would focus on building trust, empowering team members, and delivering results. In terms of my future career path, I'm confident that if do my work with excellence. opportunities for growth will open up for me. It's always been that way in my career, and I'm confident I'll have similar opportunities here” Example- Executive Management level: "Over the next 5 years I'd like to accomplish the following: First, that our sales have increased by 5-5% annually based on the plan that I will put in place if join your company. Secondly, that I will have fully embraced the culture of this company, ensuring that each employee is empowered, motivated, and committed to our vision. And finally, 1 would strive to accomplish the big goal of achieving 100% clean green energy efficiency (or take the company public, etc.)" 16QUESTION 9- WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK AT OUR COMPANY? This question tests whether you've done any homework about the firm. If you haven't, you lose. If you have, you win big. ‘This question is your opportunity to hit the ball out of the park, thanks to the in- depth research you should do before any interview Best sources for researching your target company: annual reports, the corporate newsletter, contacts you know at the company or its suppliers, advertisements, articles about the company in the trade press. Example: "I have been following the industry and the contribution that your company has made over the past year, and I'd like to bea part of this great organization. I believe in the type of work that your company does (here you have to insert something specific) and the direction it's going. lam ready for new challenges and I think that I would be a good fit for what you need”. Example: "The main reason I want to work for your company is that italigns perfectly with why I became a lawyer in the first place: to make sure that someone was leading ethical standards in this field. I personally admire that you have been able to balance ethics and winning so successfully’ v7QUESTION 10— WHY HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF WORK? You want to emphasize factors that have prolonged your job search by your own choice. You don't want to sound like you are applying to random jobs out of desperation because you have been unemployed for a long period of time. Don't forget to stay positive and answer the question confidently. Employers are more understanding of employment gaps in a down economy. So you can factor in the recession (consolidation, stabilization, etc.) in the (banking, ing, ete.) industry financial services, manufacturing, adverti ‘Tips to keep in mind: | + You are not alone! 90% of working | people have been unemployed at some point in their working lives. * Be honest- You want to be truthful without going into unnecessary detail. A basic template for your answer could be: “I [reason you were not employed]. During that time, [what you did during the gap]. Returning to work was top of mind during that period and I'm ready Example: "Between my being selective and the companies in our industry ing, the process has taken time, During this time T have taken opportunity to further my education and improve my skills in order to contribute more fully to the company 1 will work fo: down: Example if you were laid off: My former employer underwent a restructuring that resulted in my position being eliminated. To be honest, it was a difficult time. But Ileft with the confidence that 1 had developed important skills there and built strong relationships with my managers and colleagues. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to apply those experiences in my next job.” 18.QUESTION H- TELL ME ABOUT A SITUATION WHEN YOUR WORK WAS CRITICIZED? is is a tough question because it’s a more clever and subtle way to get you to admit toa weakness. You can't dodge it by pretending you've never be criticized. Everybody has been. This question is also intended to probe how well you accept criticism and direction, Remember: You must emphasize your ability to handle criticism in a calm, cool, and collected manner STRATEGY. Begin by emphasizing the extremely positive feedback you've gotten throughout your career (ifit’s true). and you always welcome suggestions on how to Ofcourse, no one is perfe improve your performance. Then, give an example from early in your career and relate the ways this lesson has since helped you. This demonstrates that you learned from the experience and the lesson is now one of the strongest breastplates in your suit of armor. Ifyou're pressed for a criticism from a recent position, choose something yur successful performance. Add fairly trivial that in no way is essential to that you've learned from this, too, and over the past several years/months, it's no longer an area of concern because you now make ita regular practice to..ete. Example: | see criticism as an opportunity to improve something in my work. I of course would want to first evaluate if the criticism is justified or not. rs and my peers, and I Generally speaking I value the opinion of my superi would take itas feedback and see what can I improve in my performance as I am always willing to expand my growth and personal development. Example: Recently I was asked to do some major revisions on the project that I was responsible for. After listening carefully to the reasoning behind the changes requested, I saw how I could make changes that would strengthen the finished product. I welcome criticism that can help me grow in my career, and strengthen my skill set.” 19QUESTION 12—- CAN YOU WORK UNDER PRESSURE? An easy question but you have to make your answer believable. STRATEGY. Absolutely...(then prove it with a vivid example or two ofa goal or project accomplished under severe pressure). Being able to work under pressure isa good strength to have so make sure you illustrate this well. Also keep in mind what kind of role you are interviewing for. Ifyou say that you get very stressed when you are handling multiple projects, and the role requires you to wok on many projects ata time, you are probably not going to be the right fit for the company. Example: [handle working under pressure by being super organized, I prior what Ineed to accomplish and as I do it I cross it off my list. When I maintain a to-do list for projects it gives me a sense of control which helps me to stay calm and to focus on getting the job done. For example, few months ago my boss was getting ready to go to a meeting and needed some additional information and data about our business. The problem is he needed it in 30 minutes and he asked me to provide that for him. In that moment, I was busy with something else that was also tied to a deadline that same day. I was definitely under pressure but I managed to quickly send an email to the other team listing all the progress of the project I was working on, ‘and advised that | would continue shortly. immediately turned to looking for data for my boss, which was all saved and organized in my files. I remained calm. provided the necessary information in due time, and continued working on my {first project, and delivered on time as well. Being organized and prioritizing my work has always helped me to bea valuable support to my team and my superiors. 20JUESTION 13— WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST JECISION YOU'VE EVER HAD TO MAKE ? STRATEGY. The interviewer wants to know how you'd handle challenging and stressful situations and how strong your critical thinking skills are. Be prepared with a good example, explaining why the decision was difficult; the process you followed in reaching it: the courageous or effective way you carried it out:and the beneficial results. Example: In my previous position, was in charge of selecting vendors to print our promotional materials. We have a long-time vendor we've been working with for over a decade. However, for one of our biggest print jobs of the year, another vendor came in with a lower price. | didn’t want to take the work away from a vendor with whom we did so much business with, but I needed to make the best business decision. I decided to be honest out of loyalty, and to tell our old vendor that someone was offering a lower price. As result, our long-time vendor was able to bring down their bid. They actually did the job for less than the new vendor would have, so we ended up saving some money. a1QUESTION 14— WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE IF YOU CAME ON BOARD? Watch out! This question can ruin your chances faster than a bomb on the tracks ~ and justas you are about to be hired. No matter how bright you are, you cannot know the right actions to take in a position before you settle in get to know the operation's strengths, weaknesses key people, financial condition, methods of operation, etc. You also don't want to come across asa know-it-all outsider who is going to come in, turn the place upside down STRATEGY. You, of course, will want to take a good hard look at everything the company is doing before making any recommendations. This is why doing some research beforehand is so important. You can always Google things about the industry and the company, but you can also take a look at the Linked in profiles of some of the employees and see what are the specific thing they have been working on, or their accomplishments. Example:* Should you hire me, as I hope you will, I'd want to take a good hard look at everything you're doing and understand why it’s being done that way. Td like to have in-depth meetings with you and the other key people to get a deeper grasp of what you feel you're doing right and what could be improved. Example:*From what you've told me so far, the areas of greatest concern to you are..” (First, ask if these are in fact his major concerns. Ifso then repeat how your experience in meeting similar needs elsewhere might prove very helpful) 22,QUESTION 15— 'M CONCERNED THAT YOU DON’T HAVE AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS WE’D LIKE IN...? This could be a make-or-break question. The interviewer mostly likes what he sees, but has doubts over one key area. If you can assure him on this point, the job may be yours. STRATEGY. The concern is not that you are totally missing some qualifications, such as CPA certification, but rather that your experience is light in one ar Before going into any interview, try to identify the weakest aspects of your candidacy from this company's point of view. Then prepare the best answer you possible can to shore up your defenses. ‘To get past this question, you are going to rely on your master strategy of uncovering the employer's greatest wants and needs and then matching them with your strengths. Since you already know how to do this from Question 1, you're in a much stronger position. EIN oes — More specifically, when the interviewer poses as objection like this, you should... TAKE CONTROL OF THE CONVERSATION A etter tactic is to try to direct the conversation towards the positive, drawing on your understanding of the role and how they align with your own strengths. Mention transferable skills as well as achievements from previous roles that, bear similarities to the position you're applying for. 23,Fxample: “understand that the experience is important for this position but me walk you through my background as it relates to the requirements of this role. In my last job I was responsible for product development and that included organization, planning, and coordination with multiple departments, such as the design team, the buyers, the marketing department, the production team, etc. I believe that having experience is navigating complex project of developing products and participating in the process of launching products to the market is similar to what you are looking for in this position.” JUESTION 16-ARE YOU WILLING TO RELOCATE OR TRAVEL? Answer with a flat “no” and you may slam the door shut on this opportunity. But what if you'd really prefer not to relocate or travel, yet wouldn't want to lose the job offer over it? STRATEGY. First find out where you may have to relocate and how much travel may be involved. Then r pond to the question. Ifthere'’s no problem, say no enthusiastically. Ifyou do have a reservation, there are two ways to handl One advises you to keep your options open and your reservations to yourself'in the early going, by saying, “no problem”. Your strategy here is to get the best, offer you can, then make a judgment whether it’s worth it to you to relocate or travel Also, by the time the offer comes through, you may have other offers and can make a more informed decis on. Why kill of this opportunity before it has chance to blossom into something really special? And if you're a little more desperate three months from now, you might wish you hadn't slammed the door on relocating or traveling. ‘The second way to handle this question is to voice a reservation, but assert that you'd be open to relocating (or traveling) for the right opportunity. ‘The answering strategy you choose depends on how eager you are for the job. If you want to take no chances, choose the first approach. Ifyou want to play a little harder-to-get in hopes of generating a more enticing offer, choose the second.QUESTION 17-WHY HAVE YOU HAD SO MANY JOBS? Your inte -wer fears you may leave this position quickly, as you have others. He's concerned you may be unstable, or a “problem person” who can't get along with others. STRATEGY. First before you even get to the interview stage, you should try to ize your image as job hopper. If there are several entries on your resume of less than one year, consider eliminating the less important ones. Perhaps you can specify the time you spent at previous positions in rounded years not in months and years. kane Example: Instead of showing three positions this way: 6/1982 — 3/1983 Pos 4/1983 ~ 12/1985 Position B 1/1984 — 8/1987 Position C It would better to show simply: 1982 ~ 1983 Position A 1984 ~ 1987 Position C Here you would drop Position B altogether be juse it's too short and irrelevant, Once in front of the interviewer and this question comes up, you must try to reassure him. Describe each position as part of an overall pattern of growth and career destination Be careful not to blame other people for your frequent changes. But you can and should attribute certain changes to condition beyond your controlQUESTION 18-PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR CREATIVITY (ANALYTICAL SKILL... MANAGING ABILITY, ETC.)? ‘The worst thing that can happen here is simply being unprepared. Your hesitation may seem as if you're having a hard time remembering the last time you were creative, analytical, etc. STRATEGY. Remember from Question 2 that you should commit to memory a list of your greatest and most recentachievements, ready on the tip of your tongue. Ifyou have such a list, it's easy to present any of your achievements in light of the quality the interviewer is asking about. Example: Last year's trade show the you organized could be used as an example of creativity, or analytical ability, or your ab Example: "Iwas assigned to do marketing research for a local business. After I collected all of the data, [ had to analyze them ina meaningful way for the business and report the results. ‘Through detailed analysis 1 found that the business had heen targeting the wrong market all along and were able to show the owner the market, segment that the business should be targeting.” or Example: Talk about an event that you organized- this could be used as an example of 3S creativity, or analytical abi or your ability to manage Ys 26QUESTION 19-THE “HYPOTHETICAL PROBLEM”? Sometimes an interviewer will describe a difficult situation and ask, “How would you handle this?” Since itis virtually i impossible to have all the facts in front of you from such a short presentation, don’t fall into the trap of trying to solve this problem and giving your verdict on the spot. It will make your decision-making process seem sadly inadequate. Remember that 99% of the time they want to see how you would approach the problem, what would you analyze and take into consideration. They are not expecting you to give the solution on the spot. STRATEGY. Instead, describe the rational, methodical process you would follow in analyzing this problem, who you would consult with, generating possible solutions, choosing the best course of action, and monitoring the results. Here is an example Question:I see that you worked for Procter & Gamble in product management ‘or Pampers Premium. Can you describe the market position of your product for me? What was the most significant contribution you made to the product? Assume you were VP of marketing for Huggies, the biggest competitor of Pampers, how would you respond? Answer: While I was at P&G, I helped assess a targeted consumer promotion in the midwestern United States. Focusing on maternity hospitals, the promotion included free samples and coupons for Pampers Premium packaged in a small diaper bag emblazoned with the slogan []fhe Best Way to PamperYour Baby.[] ‘These bags were given to all departing maternity patients over a 6-month period in ten Midwestern cities. | was responsible for determining the effectiveness of this campaign by determining the [Jift{](the increase in sales) in the ten targeted markets during and after the promotion. 27My analysis showed that this targeted promotional campaign provided significant increase (5 to 15 %). My field research suggested that new mothers will purchase the products they believe their doctors and hospitals endorse. Both the quantitative and qualitative research proved the effectiveness of this promotion, and I recommended that it be rolled out in more cities as soon as possible. “Ifyou are interviewing for a consulting firm then you might need to discuss an actuall business case with a hiring manager. This is a specific interviewing technique called “casing”, Send me an email if you need help with this. QUESTION 20-THE SALARY QUESTION? ‘This is your most important negotiation. STRATEGY. For maximum salary negotiation power, remember these five guidelines: 1. Never bring up salary. Let the interviewer do it first. Good salespeople sell their products before talking prices. So should you. Make the interviewer want, you first, and you bargaining position will be much stronger. 2. your interviewer raise the salaries question too early, before you've had a chance to create desire for your qualifications, postpone the question, saying something like, “Money is important to me, but it is not my main concern. Opportunity and growth are far more important, What I rather do, ifyou don't mind is explore if I'm right for the position, and then talk about money. Would that be okay? 3. ‘The secret is to get the employer talking about what he's willing to pay before you reveal what you're willing to accept. So, when asked about salary, respond by asking, “I'm sure the company has already established a salary range for this position. Could you tell me what it is? * Or.simply, "What does this position pay?” Know beforehand what you'd accept. 284, To know what's reasonable, research the job market and this position for any relevant salary information. 5. Know beforehand what you'd accept. To know what's reasonable, research the job market and this position for any relevant salary information. 6. Neverlie out what you currently make, but feel free to include the estimated cost of all your benefits, such as the retirement, medical insurance, which could add on 25-50% more to your present take home salary. BONUS -ASKING QUESTIONS AT THE END OF AN INTERVIEW? Do not say: No I think you have answered all of my question: You want to have some questions ready. .and not just anything but something that will show that you are interested in being successful in this position. Another good tip is to ask questions about the specific department and not the entire company. Here are some examples: 1.What is the one trait that you believe will make the right candidate successful in this position? 2, What are some of the challenges that you foresee in the next 6 months for this position? 3. What is your favorite part about working for this company? 4.Is there anything that's leaving you with hesitation in hiring me for this position? 29Thawke You ad, good, (uch! Contact: wwwenglishwithnat.net Email:englishwithnateo@gmail.com Instagram:englishwithnat_ LinkedIn:Natasha Pennacchietti with Mol