Archive for the 'Interview' Category
Monday, July 7th, 2008
Interview Snippet - Show an example of when…
The question “Give an example of when…” is used in every interview I have been to. It’s often used to look for examples of teamwork, communication and other key skills.
“Give us an example of when you worked in a team?”
“Show an example of when you dealt with a difficult customer?”
The question isn’t as simple as it seems however - it’s also testing your ability to talk, and to draw on pertinent experience from your past.
In answering the question:
- Make sure your example is relavent, and that it shows the skills you are being questioned on.
- Explain the background to the example, and talk through it stage by stage in a logical order.
- Show other skills besides the one focussed on by the question
Avoid:
- Simple answers such as “I used teamwork at University.” It shows very little about your experience!
- Digressing to much from the question!
Example
“Give an example of when you worked in a team?”
“During my time at University I worked on several projects as part of a larger group, sometimes physically seperated. In my final year I led a team that created a new Widget for my design module, as part of a team of five.”
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008
Interview Snippet - What is your greatest weakness?
This is one of the most typical and most talking about interview questions that you are likely to meet. It tends to be used by novice interviewers, as it’s easy for a candidate to deliver a prepared answer!
So “What is your greatest weakness?”
The crucial point here is not to give a negative answer - it would be unwise to say “My greatest weakness is my tendency to only put in 90% effort.” for example. The question is also not just asking what the weakness is, it’s giving you the perfect chance to say how you deal with it.
We also don’t want to give an answer that us obviously untrue, or attempting to impress. My advice is to pick something that us a genuine weakness and show it in a positive light.
If you do present a problem - always present a solution - explain how you overcome the weakness that you have described.
Examples
“I am more motivated when I have variety in my work, this can make doing one repitive job hard for me, however with the work this role entails, I wouldn’t see it being an issue”
“I have a tendancy to become very involved with a project, I counter this my routintley stepping back and looking at the bigger picture.”
Examples to avoid!
“I’m a perfectionist!”
“I take on to much work, and struggle to manage myself and my time”