Tips for Stress Free Life

October 15th, 2008 Posted in good life | 1 Comment »

No matter how hard you try but there are still very fair chances that you’ll end-up your day with stress. The stress walks into our life with different nature. The inflation, the share market bubble burst, fears of layoff.

Not only IT and banking companies but many other industries are asking their people to leave. These companies are not even hiring new employees. The American market downtime is creating problem for almost all countries.

People who have invested in share market are having a very hard time to gain profits. People are getting very confused, tensed, irritated and stressful.

Here are few tips that could help you in living a stress free life.

1. Eat Healthy Food: The more your body gets the healthy food the tougher you’ll become in handling the stress. Eating junk food with high fat volume and that too not in proper intervals of the day would not be helpful. If your mind and body get the healthy and refreshing food it will help you get over the situation easily.

2. Breathe the stress down: Stress makes us breathe unconventionally; it makes us breathe fast and while you breathe fast your mind and body would never get relaxed. Calm down your mind and body and breathe slowly and don’t panic. This strategy would be very helpful while you try to beat down the stress.

3. Workout – Exercise: Working out a bit everyday would not only make you take better control of stress but it will also help you in handling pressure calmly and with more control. Finding time for exercise would be a problem for majority of people but you’ll have to find time yourself, believe it would be really helpful.

4. Fight stress while you sleep: Sleep at least 8-10 hours a day. Sleeping would calm your mind give relax to your body so that your body would get prepared for the next day pressure Throw away your laptop, listen to some music and sleep. Maintain a regular sleeping time.

5. Stick to your plan: You should never get annoyed by the way things are not going according to our plans. Don’t waste your time in tasks that are not important. If you have plans stick to your plan and don’t dump it. Think of the big picture and keep moving ahead. People used to move off track when things are not going accordingly, but when the time changes they have already wasted much time, so they have to start it again. So stick to your plan.

6. No Alcohol or drugs: Never drink alcohol or take drugs as they will destroy you emotionally and make you loose your confidence in yourself. Take healthy food and drink healthy drinks. The bad time would fade away.

How to Handle Group Discussions

September 11th, 2008 Posted in Group Discussions | No Comments »

Many companies conduct group discussion after the written test so as to check on your interactive skills and how good you are at communicating with other people. The GD is to check how you behave, participate and contibute in a group, how much importance do you give to the group objective as well as your own, how well do you listen to viewpoints of others and how open-minded are you in accepting views contrary to your own. The aspects which make up a GD are verbal communication, non-verbal behaviour, conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as true as possible to these aspects.

General Tips for Group Discussion

A good level of general awareness will come in handy so that you aren’t at a loss of words on certain issues. Understand the topic and analyse it mentally before speaking. Be clear about the purpose and content of your viewpoint.
One should be able to communicate his views in an effective manner to everyone. Be clear in speech, audible but not too loud and above all remain confident.

Remember the six C’s of effective communication — Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness, Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy. You should mantain eye contact with all others in the group and not focus on a particular person for he may benefit from that. Be responsive to ideas from other people and seem to be very receptive and open-minded but don’t allow others to change your own
viewpoint..

Starting the discussion is considered to be good however it isn’t that important; what is important is that you speak for a period long enough for you to be able to communicate your viewpoint. Always mantain your calm and never get aggresive. If you haven’t been able to talk then one can cut in saying “Excuse me, but what I think is ……….” or something of that sort.

Never lose your temper and never attack anyone on a personal front.
Your attitude should be one of cooperation and not one of conflict.
Don’t lose sight of the goal of the discussion.
Listen to any criticisms and give them a thought before trying to defend your views.

How is Evaluation Done in a Group Discussion

Winners’ skills Group discussion is an important dimension of the selection process. Any institute requires students to work with others for effective functioning. Therefore, people skills are an important aspect of any MBA program.

In today’s context, the educational institutes and organizations are interested in team players rather than individual contributors. During the Group Discussion, the panel essentially evaluates the candidate’s potential to be a leader and also his/her ability to work in teams. Remember that institutes are typically on the look out for candidates who will inspire to lead and succeed and for that you need to be a good team player.

Here is a sample list of skills assessed during a group discussion:

Leadership skills:
Ability to take leadership roles and ability to lead, inspire and carry the team along to help them achieve group’s objectives. http://www.ChetanaS.com
Example: To be able to initiate the group discussion, or to be able to guide the group especially when the discussion begins losing relevance or try to encourage all members to participate in the discussion.

Communication skills:
The participating candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others views.
Example: To be able to use simple language and explain concepts clearly so that it is easily understood by all. You actually get negative marks for using esoteric jargons in an attempt to show-off your knowledge.

Interpersonal skills:
Is reflected in the ability of the individual to interact with other members of the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.
Example: To remain cool even when someone provokes you by with personal comment, ability to remain objective, ability to empathize, non-threatening and more of a team player.

Persuasive skills:
Ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives without hurting the group members.
Example: While appreciating someone else’s point of view, you should be able to effectively communicate your view without overtly hurting the other person.

Problem solving skills:
Ability to come out with divergent and offbeat solutions and use one’s own creativity.
Example: While thinking of solutions, don’t be afraid to think of novel solutions. This is a high- risk high-return strategy.

Conceptualizing skills:
The ability to grasp the situation, take it from the day to day mundane problem level and apply it to a macro level.
Example: At the end of the discussion, you could probably summarize the findings in a few sentences that present the overall

Frequently Asked Questions / Doubts on GD

September 11th, 2008 Posted in Group Discussions | No Comments »

What is the normal duration of a GD?
A GD is generally of 15-20 minutes duration.

How many panel members are there to evaluate?
There are usually 3-4 panel members to evaluate.

Is there time given for preparation after the topic is given and before starting the GD?
Usually some time (2-5 minutes) is given to collect one’s thoughts, but there could be instances when this does not happen, so it is best not to bank on this.

Should I address the panel or the group members?
Don’t ever make the mistake of addressing the panel members. The GD is between you and the other members, not the panel members. You must avoid even looking at the panel members while the GD is in progress. Just ignore their existence.

What is the seating arrangement like?
It could be semi-circular, or circular, or seating along side a rectangular table, depending upon the venue. It is best not to bother about trivial issues like this, which you have no control over.

How should I address the other group members?
If you are initiating the discussion, you could do so by collectively addressing the group as “Friends”. Subsequently, you could use names (if the group has had a round of self-introduction prior to starting the discussion and you remember the names) or simply use pronouns like “he” or “she”.

Suppose I have a lot to say on the topic, should I say all of it?
You would not be looked upon favourably if you kept speaking all the time and did not listen to anyone else. Contrary to the misconception, the person who talks the most is not necessarily the one who is judged the best. The quality and not the quantity of your contribution is the success factor.

Should I encourage others to speak up?
Do not directly put someone who is consistently silent on the spot by asking him/her to speak up. If someone has been trying to speak and has a good point but is cut off constantly, you may encourage him/her to continue with her point as you would like to hear her out.

Are the group members supposed to keep track of the time or will the panel keep track?
It would be good if you are conscious of the time, but not to the point of getting so distracted looking at your watch that you do not contribute to the discussion.

Dos & Donts of Group Discussion

September 11th, 2008 Posted in Group Discussions | No Comments »

Be as natural as possible. Do not try and be someone you are not. Be yourself.

A group discussion is your chance to be more vocal. The evaluator wants to hear you speak.

Take time to organize your thoughts. Think of what you are going to say.

Seek clarification if you have any doubts regarding the subject.

Don’t start speaking until you have clearly understood and analyzed the subject.
Work out various strategies to help you make an entry: initiate the discussion or agree with someone else’s point and then move onto express your views.

Opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain.

Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.

Language skills are important only to the effect as to how you get your points across clearly and fluently.

Be assertive not dominating; try to maintain a balanced tone in your discussion and analysis.

Don’t lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don’t take the discussion personally.

Always be polite: Try to avoid using extreme phrases like: ‘I strongly object’ or ‘I disagree’. Instead try phrases like: ‘I would like to share my views on…’ or ‘One difference between your point and mine…’ or “I beg to differ with you” Ch etanaS

Brush up on your leadership skills; motivate the other members of the team to speak (this surely does not mean that the only thing that you do in the GD is to say “let us hear what the young lady with the blue scarf has to say,” or “Raghu, let us hear your views” - Essentially be subtle), and listen to their views. Be receptive to others’ opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive.

If you have a group of like-minded friends, you can have a mock group discussion where you can learn from each other through giving and receiving feedback.

Apart from the above points, the panel will also judge team members for their alertness and presence of mind, problem-solving abilities, ability to work as a team without alienating certain members, and creativity

Common Mistakes in a Group Discussion

September 11th, 2008 Posted in Group Discussions | No Comments »

Wise men learn from others mistakes, while the less fortunate, from their own.
Here’s a list of the most common mistakes made at group discussions:

Emotional outburst
Rashmi was offended when one of the male participants in a group discussion made a statement on women generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Rashmi finally got an opportunity to speak, instead of focussing on the topic, she vented her anger by accusing the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on to defend women in general. What Rashmi essentially did was to
* Deviate from the subject
* Treat the discussion as a forum to air her own views.
* Lose objectivity and make personal attacks.
Her behaviour would have been perceived as immature and demotivating to the rest of the team.

Quality Vs Quantity
Gautam believed that the more he talked, the more likely he was to get through the GD. So, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. He did this so often that the other candidates got together to prevent him from participating in the rest of the discussion.
* Assessment is not only on your communication skills but also on your ability to be a team player.
* Evaluation is based on quality, and not on quantity. Your contribution must be relevant.
* The mantra is “Contributing meaningfully to the team’s success.” Domination is frowned upon.

Egotism Showing off
Krishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. So, he took pains to project his vast knowledge of the topic. Every other sentence of his contained statistical data - “20% of companies; 24.27% of parliamentarians felt that; I recently read in a Jupiter Report that…” and so on so forth. Soon, the rest of the team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that he was cooking up the data.
* Exercise restraint in anything. You will end up being frowned upon if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.
* Facts and figures need not validate all your statements.
* Its your analysis and interpretation that are equally important - not just facts and figures.
* You might be appreciated for your in-depth knowledge. But you will fail miserably in your people skills.
Such a behavior indicates how self-centered you are and highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where different opinions are expressed.

Get noticed - But for the right reasons
Srikumar knew that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the topic - “Discuss the negative effects of India joining the WTO” - was read out, he began talking. In his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word “negative” in the topic. He began discussing the ways in which the country had benefited by joining WTO, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then corrected his mistake. Che tanaS
* False starts are extremely expensive. They cost you your admission. It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions.
* Spending a little time analyzing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about. Use a pen and paper to jot down your ideas.
* Listen! It gives you the time to conceptualize and present the information in a better manner. Some mistakes are irreparable. Starting off the group discussion with a mistake is one such mistake, unless you have a great sense of humor.

Managing one’s insecurities
Sumati was very nervous. She thought that some of the other candidates were exceptionally good. Thanks to her insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to remain silent. http://www.ChetanaSinterview.com
* Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read.
* Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion.
* Your confidence level is being evaluated. Decent communication skills with good confidence is a must to crack the GDs.

Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.

Words That Weaken Your Resume

September 3rd, 2008 Posted in Resume Tips | 2 Comments »

More than just your accomplishments make your resume stand out. How you communicate them matters too.

A strong resume gives potential employers a concise, clear picture of your skills and experience. And, it’s the crucial first step in securing an interview and hopefully a job offer.

For maximum impact, keep your resume as concise as you can. You need to include all your achievements in only one to two pages, so don’t waste space on meaningless words. Plus, an employer doesn’t want to spend time trying to understand vague phrases or decipher confusing jargon.

‘Assist,’ ‘Contribute’ and ‘Support’

An employer won’t know what you did if the wording on your resume is too vague. Words like “assist,” “contribute” and “support” all say (or don’t say) the same thing. They say you helped, but they don’t say how. They beg the question: Exactly how did you assist, contribute or support a person or project?

Use these words sparingly and always follow them with a description of your role and responsibilities. Let an employer know the part you played and how you affected the outcome.

‘Successfully’

Of course you want to show all that you’ve accomplished on your resume. But your achievements will be more impressive if you give concrete examples of what you’ve done and how you’re been successful.

You don’t need to use words like “successfully” or effectively” to show an employer that you’re a good worker; your experience should speak for itself.

Instead of explicitly saying that a project was successful, state your achievements clearly and factually. Then give examples of how or why the project was a success.

‘Responsible For’

The phrase “responsible for” can make your resume feel like a laundry list. Instead of just listing your responsibilities, try to stress your accomplishments.

Your resume will also have more of an impact if you quantify your accomplishments. Use figures to show how you affected growth, reduced costs or streamlined a process. Provide the number of people you managed, the amount of the budget you oversaw or the revenue you saved the company.

‘Interface’ and Other Buzzwords

Don’t flower your resume with fancy words.

By trying to sound intelligent or qualified, you may end up annoying or confusing your reader. You don’t want an employer to need a dictionary to discover what you really did at your last job.

Avoid buzzwords that have become cliche and words that are unnecessarily sophisticated. “Synergy” and “liaise” are examples of buzzwords that have been overused and abused.

Say what you mean plainly and simply. For example, instead of “interface,” say “work.” Instead of “impact,” say “affect.” Instead of “utilize,” say “use.”

Here’s what you always SHOULD include in your resume: Keywords. Recruiters use keywords to search for resumes. So choose some of the basic, important keywords in your field and pepper them throughout your resume.

Words Every Resume Should Include

September 3rd, 2008 Posted in Resume Tips | No Comments »

Every word on your resume counts in today’s competitive job market. But some words count more than others — especially those that refer to soft skills.

Soft skills are increasingly important in the workplace. In fact, 86 percent of employers considered soft skills to be among their most important hiring criteria in a recent survey by two University of Massachusetts economists.

‘Teamwork’

Teamwork is more important than ever in the workplace.

The ability to work well with others to accomplish a common goal is vital for a harmonious workplace.

Employees are often organized into teams to manage projects. And many employers believe collaboration increases the quality of work and improves productivity.

A team player is an attentive listener, a cooperative colleague and is willing to help others.

‘Flexibility’

Employers value workers who are flexible and able to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. In other words, it’s sometimes just as important to be a jack-of-all-trades as a master of one.

You can show that you’re flexible by demonstrating a willingness to take on new and varied projects and an ability to handle changing priorities and deadlines.

Ultimately, being flexible doesn’t only increase the odds that you’ll get a job — it also improves your chances of keeping it should layoffs occur.

‘Detail-Oriented’

Employers want to know that they can trust workers to handle a project down to the last detail.

Being “detail-oriented” means being organized and meticulous about your work. It also implies that you can work without constant supervision and act independently.

‘Self-Motivated’

Employers value employees who are self-starters. These workers can generate their own ideas and follow them through to fruition.

A self-motivated worker goes the extra mile. She regularly takes on tasks that may not be part of her job description. She’s inspired to work hard not just to reap rewards but also for personal satisfaction.

Call Center Interview Tips

September 2nd, 2008 Posted in Interview Tips | No Comments »

There are typical call center interview questions when you apply for the call center interview, and here you will find 5 most common questions and how to crack them. But first a quick overview of the call centers jobs available…

A call center is a firm that takes upon itself the responsibility of handling telephone calls of a big company that has a huge customer database but doesn’t want to invest in the staff required to handle customer calls. For example, when you call up for airline reservations, directory assistance or PC breakdown help, the calls will most likely be handled by a call center.

A call center is staffed with both technical and non-technical personnel and the youth generally find it fun and entertaining to take a job in a call center. However, every call center screens its employees during the interview process and grills them with questions.

Here are the top 5 call center interview questions and how you must prepare for them:

1. Question: Tell us about your previous call center work experience and describe the manner in which you serviced the customers?

This question may be thrown at you in the middle of the interview and you must be prepared for it. Before heading for any call center job interview, you must always review your past work experience and note down the highlights.

Also, call centers look for team players, so focus on the successes you achieved with a team and talk about the achievements as being part of a team effort, not as your personal achievements. As far as the customer service part goes, you have to lay it down straight – tell your prospective employers about how you handled customers without any fiction thrown in.

2. Question: Are you proficient in using different software? What are your computer skills?

All call centers use net telephony because it is cheaper than using land lines. Next, all call centers have a customer database and you must figure out what software is used for maintaining a customer database across different call centers.

Then there are the log files, which have to be created after every call is answered. Finally, there are the usual applications such as MS Word, Excel, etc. Figure out all these software before you go for the interview.

3. Question: This is not really a question, but the interviewer/s will be judging you by your communication skills, the way you deliver your lines and by your grammar.

So, when you are speaking in the interview, remember to speak in a clear and concise way and pick and choose your words. Use short sentences and deliver them in a slow, patient manner.

4. Question: What does a call center mean to you?

This question may seem harmless, but its connotations are huge. The interviewer is trying to gauge your seriousness and commitment to the job and this question is a standard call center interview question.

Remember, you have to reply to this question in all seriousness and earnestness – never ever give the impression to the interviewer that you are taking the job just until you get a better one or for fun and profit. Be serious and say in a formal voice that you want to make a career out of working in a call center.

5. Question: Describe the importance of teamwork and team spirit?

All call centers thrive on team spirit and if they get a whiff that you are a loner and will turn hostile while working in a team, they won’t hire you. So, go ahead and pick up some management books that expound the virtues of teamwork and lay it on thick during the interview.

These are the top 5 call center interview questions you can expect to be asked. If you have applied for a technical job, then expect the questions to focus on the technical subject with all the others questions being mainly fluff.

A call center manager’s interview questions will mostly focus on team building, team spirit and man-management skills. So, whatever job it is that you have applied for: prepare in the manner we have advised you and you will come up trumps.

Toughest HR Interview Questions - Part 4

August 26th, 2008 Posted in Interview Tips | No Comments »

Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?

Indicate that you are a happy, fulfilled, optimistic person and that, in general, you wouldn’t change a thing.

Example: “It’s been a good life, rich in learning and experience, and the best it yet to come. Every experience in life is a lesson it its own way. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Could you have done better in your last job?

Again never be negative.

Example: “I suppose with the benefit of hindsight you can always find things to do better, of course, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything of major consequence.”

(If more explanation seems necessary)

Describer a situation that didn’t suffer because of you but from external conditions beyond your control?

For example, describe the disappointment you felt with a test campaign, new product launch, merger, etc., which looked promising at first, but led to underwhelming results. “I wish we could have known at the start what we later found out (about the economy turning, the marketplace changing, etc.), but since we couldn’t, we just had to go for it. And we did learn from it…”

Can you work under pressure?

Absolutely…(then prove it with a vivid example or two of a goal or project accomplished under severe pressure.)

What makes you angry?

Give an answer that’s suited to both your personality and the management style of the firm. Here, the homework you’ve done about the company and its style can help in your choice of words.

Examples: If you are a reserved person and/or the corporate culture is coolly professional:

“I’m an even-tempered and positive person by nature, and I believe this helps me a great deal in keeping my department running smoothly, harmoniously and with a genuine esprit de corps. I believe in communicating clearly what’s expected, getting people’s commitment to those goals, and then following up continuously to check progress.”

“If anyone or anything is going off track, I want to know about it early. If, after that kind of open communication and follow up, someone isn’t getting the job done, I’ll want to know why. If there’s no good reason, then I’ll get impatient and angry…and take appropriate steps from there. But if you hire good people, motivate them to strive for excellence and then follow up constantly, it almost never gets to that state.”

If you are feisty by nature and/or the position calls for a tough straw boss.

“You know what makes me angry? People who (the fill in the blanks with the most objectionable traits for this type of position)…people who don’t pull their own weight, who are negative, people who lie…etc.”

Why aren’t you earning more money at this stage of your career?

You like to make money, but other factors are even more important.

Example: “Making money is very important to me, and one reason I’m here is because I’m looking to make more. Throughout my career, what’s been even more important to me is doing work I really like to do at the kind of company I like and respect.

(Then be prepared to be specific about what your ideal position and company would be like, matching them as closely as possible to the opportunity at hand.

Who has inspired you in your life and why?

Have a few heroes in mind, from your mental “Board of Directors” – Leaders in your industry, from history or anyone else who has been your mentor.

Be prepared to give examples of how their words, actions or teachings have helped inspire your achievements. As always, prepare an answer which highlights qualities that would be highly valuable in the position you are seeking.

What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?

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.

Tell me about the most boring job you’ve ever had.

You have never allowed yourself to grow bored with a job and you can’t understand it when others let themselves fall into that rut.

Example: “Perhaps I’ve been fortunate, but that I’ve never found myself bored with any job I have ever held. I’ve always enjoyed hard work. As with actors who feel there are no small parts, I also believe that in every company or department there are exciting challenges and intriguing problems crying out for energetic and enthusiastic solutions. If you’re bored, it’s probably because you’re not challenging yourself to tackle those problems right under your nose.”

Have you been absent from work more than a few days in any previous position?

If you have had no problem, emphasize your excellent and consistent attendance record throughout your career.

Also describe how important you believe such consistent attendance is for a key executive…why it’s up to you to set an example of dedication…and why there’s just no substitute for being there with your people to keep the operation running smoothly, answer questions and handle problems and crises as they arise.

If you do have a past attendance problem, you want to minimize it, making it clear that it was an exceptional circumstance and that it’s cause has been corrected.

To do this, give the same answer as above but preface it with something like, “Other that being out last year (or whenever) because of (your reason, which is now in the past), I have never had a problem and have enjoyed an excellent attendance record throughout my career. Furthermore, I believe, consistent attendance is important because…” (Pick up the rest of the answer as outlined above.).

What changes would you make if you came on board?

You, of course, will want to take a good hard look at everything the company is doing before making any recommendations.

Example: “Well, I wouldn’t be a very good doctor if I gave my diagnosis before the examination. 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. I’d 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.

“From what you’ve told me so far, the areas of greatest concern to you are…” (name them. Then do two things. First, ask if these are in fact his major concerns. If so then reaffirm how your experience in meeting similar needs elsewhere might prove very helpful).

How many hours a week does you normally work?

If you are in fact a workaholic and you sense this company would like that: Say you are a confirmed workaholic, that you often work nights and weekends. Your family accepts this because it makes you fulfilled.

If you are not a workaholic: Say you have always worked hard and put in long hours. It goes with the territory. It one sense, it’s hard to keep track of the hours because your work is a labor of love, you enjoy nothing more than solving problems. So you’re almost always thinking about your work, including times when you’re home, while shaving in the morning, while commuting, etc.

Toughest HR Interview Questions - Part 3

August 26th, 2008 Posted in Interview Tips | No Comments »

May I contact your present employer for a reference?

Express your concern that you’d like to keep your job search private, but that in time, it will be perfectly okay.

Example: “My present employer is not aware of my job search and, for obvious reasons; I’d prefer to keep it that way. I’d be most appreciative if we kept our discussion confidential right now. Of course, when we both agree the time is right, then by all means you should contact them. I’m very proud of my record there.

Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skill…managing ability, etc.)

Remember from Question 2 that you should commit to memory a list of your greatest and most recent achievements, ever ready on the tip of your tongue.

If you have such a list, it’s easy to present any of your achievements in light of the quality the interviewer is asking about. For example, the smashing success you orchestrated at last year’s trade show could be used as an example of creativity, or analytical ability, or your ability to manage.

Where could you use some improvement?

Keep this answer, like all your answers, positive. A good way to answer this question is to identify a cutting-edge branch of your profession (one that’s not essential to your employer’s needs) as an area you’re very excited about and want to explore more fully over the next six months.

What do you worry about?

Redefine the word ‘worry’ so that it does not reflect negatively on you.

Example: “I wouldn’t call it worry, but I am a strongly goal-oriented person. So I keep turning over in my mind anything that seems to be keeping me from achieving those goals, until I find a solution. That’s part of my tenacity, I suppose.”

I’m concerned that you don’t have as much experience as we’d like in…

This question is related to “The Fatal Flaw” , but here the concern is not that you are totally missing some qualifications, such as CPA certification, but rather that your experience is light in one area.

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 with flying colors, 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 are in a much stronger position.

More specifically, when the interviewer poses as objection like this, you should…

Agree on the importance of this qualification.

Explain that your strength may be indeed be greater than your resume indicates because…

When this strength is added to your other strengths, it’s really your combination of qualifications that’s most important.

Then review the areas of your greatest strengths that match up most favorably with the company’s most urgently-felt wants and needs.

This is powerful way to handle this question for two reasons. First, you’re giving your interviewer more ammunition in the area of his concern. But more importantly, you’re shifting his focus away from this one, isolated area and putting it on the unique combination of strengths you offer, strengths which tie in perfectly with his greatest wants.

How do you feel about working nights and weekends?

First, if you’re a confirmed workaholic, this question is a softball lob. Whack it out of the park on the first swing by saying this kind of schedule is just your style. Add that your family understands it. Indeed, they’re happy for you, as they know you get your greatest satisfaction from your work.

If however, you prefer a more balanced lifestyle, answer this question with another: “What’s the norm for your best people here?”

If the hours still sound unrealistic for you, ask, “Do you have any top people who perform exceptionally for you, but who also have families and like to get home in time to see them at night?” Chances are this company does, and this associates you with this other “top-performers-who-leave-not-later-than-six” group.

Depending on the answer, be honest about how you would fit into the picture. If all those extra hours make you uncomfortable, say so, but phrase your response positively.

Example: “I love my work and do it exceptionally well. I think the results speak for themselves, especially in …(mention your two or three qualifications of greater interest to the employer. Remember, this is what he wants most, not a workaholic with weak credentials). Not only would I bring these qualities, but I’ve built my whole career on working not just hard, but smart. I think you’ll find me one of the most productive people here.

I do have a family who likes to see me after work and on weekends. They add balance and richness to my life, which in turn helps me be happy and productive at work. If I could handle some of the extra work at home in the evenings or on weekends, that would be ideal. You’d be getting a person of exceptional productivity who meets your needs with strong credentials. And I’d be able to handle some of the heavy workload at home where I can be under the same roof as my family. Everybody would win.”

Are you willing to relocate or travel?

First find out where you may have to relocate and how much travel may be involved. Then respond to the question.

If there’s no problem, say so enthusiastically.

If you do have a reservation, there are two schools of thought on how to handle it.

One advises you to keep your options open and your reservations to yourself in the early going, by saying, “no problem”. You 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 decision. 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.

If you want to play a little harder-to-get in hopes of generating a more enticing offer, choose the second.

Do you have the stomach to fire people? Have you had experience firing many people?

Describe the rational and sensible management process you follow in both hiring and firing.

Example: “My whole management approach is to hire the best people I can find, train them thoroughly and well, get them excited and proud to be part of our team, and then work with them to achieve our goals together. If you do all of that right, especially hiring the right people, I’ve found you don’t have to fire very often.

“So with me, firing is a last resort. But when it’s got to be done, it’s got to be done, and the faster and cleaner, the better. A poor employee can wreak terrible damage in undermining the morale of an entire team of good people. When there’s no other way, I’ve found it’s better for all concerned to act decisively in getting rid of offenders who won’t change their ways.”

Why have you had so many jobs?

First, before you even get to the interview stage, you should try to minimize 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.

Example: Instead of showing three positions this way:

6/1982 – 3/1983, Position A;

4/1983 – 12/1983, Position B;

1/1984 – 8/1987, Position C;

…it would be better to show simply:

1982 – 1983, Position A;

1984 – 1987 Position C.

In other words, you would drop Position B altogether. Notice what a difference this makes in reducing your image as a job hopper.

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 conditions beyond your control.

Example: Thanks to an upcoming merger, you wanted to avoid an ensuing bloodbath, so you made a good, upward career move before your department came under the axe of the new owners.

If possible, also show that your job changes were more frequent in your younger days, while you were establishing yourself, rounding out your skills and looking for the right career path. At this stage in your career, you’re certainly much more interested in the best long-term opportunity.

You might also cite the job where you stayed the longest and describe that this type of situation is what you’re looking for now.

What do you see as the proper role/mission of…

…a good (job title you’re seeking);

…a good manager;

…an executive in serving the community;

…a leading company in our industry; etc.

Think of the most essential ingredients of success for each category above – your job title, your role as manager, your firm’s role, etc.

Identify at least three but no more than six qualities you feel are most important to success in each role. Then commit your response to memory.

Here, again, the more information you’ve already drawn out about the greatest wants and needs of the interviewer, and the more homework you’ve done to identify the culture of the firm, the more on-target your answer will be.

Would you lie for the company?

Try to avoid choosing between two values, giving a positive statement which covers all bases instead.

Example: “I would never do anything to hurt the company..”

If aggressively pressed to choose between two competing values, always choose personal integrity. It is the most prized of all values.