Blog Archives - Variety Mesh

Top Interview Questions - 5. Why are you leaving or have left your job?

10/23/2016

Welcome back to my 10 part blog on the most commonly asked interview questions! Hope my past 4 topics have given you good tips on how to prepare and ace your next interview. Today I have a look at another tricky one - 'Why are you leaving or have left your job?'

When asked about why you are moving on, stick with the facts, be direct and focus your interview answer on the future, especially if your leaving wasn't under the best of circumstances. Also if you portray you are very happy with your current job, then the panel might ask you this question. I was in a similar position when asked why I was leaving a wonderful role and team. Since then I have tried different answers based on my circumstances.

Hiring managers are just people, and people are naturally curious. That means at some point during the interview, you’re going to get the question, “So, why are you leaving your current job?” Obviously, you want to be honest in an interview. You’re leaving your job for a reason. But you should really try your best to refrain from being negative. Focus on what you have to look forward to, not what you’re leaving behind.

Short Answers

* I like the work I am doing and I get along very well with everyone in my team, but I have a strong desire to learn other skills that I cannot learn in my current role.

* I have been in my current role for over 3 years and I want to now gain experience in other areas. I love the job, but I want to grow more professionally.

* I love to learn new things and after several years in this current role, I have realised I was doing the same thing repeatedly. So the only reason I want to leave is to broaden my knowledge and add to my skills repertoire by gaining other experiences.

* I want to take on a management position and unfortunately my current position cannot offer me that opportunity. Hence, I have decided to seek a new role that will allow me to gain management experience.

Long Answer

I have been with my previous team for more than 4 years. I was doing the same tasks on a regular basis. Although we received different projects from time to time, it was very repetitive. So I have a desire to gain new experiences and learn new skills. I believe having a variety of experience and skills is good for my career so I made the decision to leave my current job.

This is simple and direct. It answers the question without including unnecessary excuses. It also shows your desire to grow, learn more, and improve yourself. This is a good indication of a good employee - one who is curious to learn and has not stagnated.

For some more examples and tips, have a read of this article - Why Are You Leaving Your Job?

We are halfway through my 10 part blog. In my next post I will delve into the extremely tricky - 'What are your salary expectations?'. Look forward to having you next time!

Top Interview Questions - 3. Tell us about yourself

10/4/2016

Talking about yourself should be the easiest thing to do. Right? Who knows you better than…You?

But for some strange reason, nearly every interviewer can agree that giving a good answer to the question “Tell Us About Yourself” during a job interview can be one of the toughest and most stressful things to do. But what is it about this seemingly simple question that is such a thorn in your side? You might be wondering...

* Why are they asking this?
* What are they looking for in my answer?
* What is the best strategy for giving them what they want?

As these questions start to mount inside your brain, it’s likely that your level of stress is growing along with them, and that doesn’t make for the most comfortable of job interviews. And if you aren’t comfortable, chances are the panel can sense it and we all know what that means…there goes the job offer!

Today's blog addresses this critical interview question and gives you some handy answers that you can use for your interviews. You need to answer this question without giving out too much or too little personal information. One good approach is to start sharing some of your personal interests which don't relate directly to work.

Want some suggestions? Well next time you are faced with this rather intimidating question, try one of the following:

* I can summarize who I am in three words: this response grabs their attention immediately. and demonstrates your ability to be concise, creative and compelling.
* The quotation I live my life by is: this proves that personal development is an essential part of your growth plan and also shows your ability to motivate yourself.
* My personal philosophy is: companies hire athletes and not shortstops. This line indicates your position as a thinker, not just an employee.
* People who know me best say that I’m: this offers insight into your own level of self-awareness.
* Well, I googled myself this morning, and here’s what I found: this show you are tech-savvy, fun, cool, unexpected and memorable.
* My passion is: remember people don’t care what you do – people care who you are and what you’re passionate about is who you are. Additionally, passion unearths enthusiasm.
* When I was seven years old, I always wanted to be: this demonstrates that you’ve been preparing for this job your whole life, not just the night before.
* If Hollywood made a movie about my life, it would be called: once more an engaging, interesting and entertaining answer.
* Can I show you, instead of tell you: then, pull something out of your pocket that represents who you are. This will make your answer unforgettable and memorable.
* The compliment people give me most frequently is: while this is almost like a testimonial, this response also indicates self-awareness and openness to feedback.

You’re hireable because of your answers. When people ask you to tell them about yourself, make them glad they asked.

Here is another article which provides you guidance and some smart responses to have in your pocket for that next interview when you have to answer this question - Tell Me About Yourself Job Interview Question.

My next blog will delve into the 4th of the most commonly asked interview questions - Why should we hire you. This is all about selling yourself - that marketing pitch that will set you apart from the other candidates. So you better get this one right!

Top Interview Questions - 4. Why should we hire you?

10/4/2016

Are you the best candidate for the job? Be prepared to say why. Make your response a concise sales pitch that explains what you have to offer the employer, and why you should get the job.

Welcome back! This is the 4th instalment of my 10 part look into the most common interview questions. So the panel poses this tricky question and you know your answer can make it or break it. How do you give it your best shot?

When an employer asks you, “Why should we hire you?” he/she is really asking, “What makes you the best fit for this position?”.

Here are some tips:

Match your qualifications to the job listing
To prepare an answer to this question, look at the job listing. Make a list of the requirements for the position, including personality traits, skills, and qualifications. Then, make a list of the qualities you have that fit these requirements. For each quality, think of a specific time that you used that trait to achieve something at work. For example, if you list that you are a “team player,” think of a time in which your ability to work well on a team resulted in a successfully completed project.

Keep it concise
You want your answer to be brief no more than a minute or two long. Therefore, select one or two specific qualities from the list you created to emphasize in your “sales pitch.” Begin by explaining what you believe the employer is looking for, and how you fulfill that need.

Focus on your uniqueness
The interviewer wants to know how you stand out among the other applicants. Therefore, focus on one or two qualities you possess that might be unique, or more difficult to find, in other interviewees. For example, if you are very experienced with a certain skill that the job requires, say so. This is your chance to tell the interviewer why you would be an invaluable employee.

6 Examples of the Best Answers:

1. I think that my experience in the (widget) industry and my ability to work autonomously make me a good match for this position.

2. I have the savvy, experience, and superior communication ability to be an asset to your company.

3. Your company provides many services that I have had experience with, in a variety of capacities. I believe that my familiarity with the industry would make me a good fit for this position.

4. You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees. In my fifteen years of experience as a sales manager, I have developed strong motivational and team-building skills. I was twice awarded manager-of-the-year for my innovative strategies for motivating employees to meet and surpass quarterly deadlines. If hired, I will bring my leadership abilities and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position.

5. I have top-notch administrative skills and I believe I'd be an asset for the office. My skill set seems to be a perfect match for what you're looking for. In addition, I enjoy working with people, and would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your team.

6. You describe in the job listing that you are looking for a special education assistant teacher with an abundance of patience and compassion. Having served as a tutor at a summer school for dyslexic children for the past two years, I have developed my ability to be extremely patient while still achieving academic gains with my students. My experience teaching phonics to children ages 6 to 18 has taught me strategies for working with children of all ages and abilities, always with a smile. My previous employer often placed me with the students with the most severe learning disabilities because of my history of success. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position.

For more insight and tips, check out this article from the Business Insider - What to say when the interviewer asks, 'Why should we hire you?’

My next blog will discuss the 5th most common question - 'Why are you leaving or have left your job?'. See you next time!

Top Interview Questions - 2. What is your greatest weakness?

10/1/2016

Time to talk about this rather intimidating question that often catches interviewees off guard. It is a tough one and even for a seasoned person like myself, when asked this question it is unnerving.

So your interview was going well. Then you get asked this dreaded question. Answering this question can be a challenge, even harrowing. But the rewards if you get it right are worth it! If you get it right you would have considerably boosted your chances of landing the role. Interviewers ask this question to find out how self-aware you are. Knowing your areas of personal strength and weakness allows you to build on them and identify areas you can improve. There is no perfect answer. It’s about how you handle yourself.

The worst answers are trying to dress strengths up as weaknesses. It will make you appear deliberately insincere and your panel might even think you’re lying. The following are all examples of bad answers:

* I’m a workaholic
* I’m a perfectionist
* I don’t have any weaknesses

In my experience the following 3 are the best answers because they all show self awareness:

* I’m scared of public speaking
* I’m quite self-critical
* I don’t delegate enough.

These answers are even better if you can explain what you’ve done to overcome you’re weaknesses. For example:

* I’ve joined Toastmasters and am learning to love speaking to audiences.
* I’m working with a life coach to solve the problem of being self-critical. She/he has given me these strategies, which have proved useful.
* I have signed up for a leadership course to learn how to delegate effectively

It’s critical to show that you have emotional intelligence and that you are working on your weakness. Be aware of the role. “I don’t delegate enough” might not be a good choice if your role relies on delegation. If you’re just moving into this area and show you are willing to learn it could be an ideal choice.

Also think about how you word your weakness. “I’m no good at managing people” sounds better as “I sometimes don’t give my team sufficient encouragement.”

I have found this article particularly helpful - What Is Your Greatest Weakness Job Interview Question. There are more examples of good answers in here and further tips.

My next blog will delve into the 3rd most important question commonly used in interviews - 'Tell us about yourself'. This can often be a very open ended and tricky question. Once more, how you handle yourself will be the key to impressing the panel and landing the role.