All about jobs interview

Remember that for the first 90 days you will be under microscope, so if they ask you what they expect from you or not you must focus on doing these steps ;

·        You'll work hard to determine how your job creates value , you won't just stay busy, you'll stay busy doing the right things.

·        You'll learn how to serve all your constituents ,your boss, your employees, your peers, your customers, and your suppliers and vendors.

·        You'll focus on doing what you do best , you'll be hired because you bring certain skills, and you'll apply those skills to make things happen.

You'll make a difference , with customers, with other employees, to bring enthusiasm and focus and a sense of commitment and teamwork

Tricky Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Whether you are changing jobs or starting a new career abroad, you will have to face an interview. To properly handle tricky questions during this interview you must prepare yourself thoroughly so that you can answer well and make a good impression.

This means that first, you must clearly understand your own skills to be able to speak with confidence, and secondly, you must do some homework on your future employer’s business so that you can match it with your own experience or skills to convince the interviewer to believe that you can fit in perfectly in the new job. Always follow the golden rule - don’t be in a hurry and take time to understand the real question behind the spoken one.

Here are some typical tricky questions that you may expect, and suggestions on how to handle them:

“Give us your background”

Please understand that when the interviewer asks this, he does not want a detailed history of your life, so don’t get entangled in your personal history. Your answer should lead to your desired career abroad, so briefly mention your family background, highest education, experience or training. Only explain your role in your last employment in greater details. The goal of an interview is to determine whether the candidate will be outstanding in the job, and that means evaluating the skills and attitude required for that job. Does she need to be an empathetic leader? Ask about that. Does she need to take your company public? Ask about that.

If you're the candidate, talk about why you took certain jobs. Explain why you left. Explain why you chose a certain school. Share why you decided to go to grad school. Discuss why you took a year off to backpack through Europe, and what you got out of the experience.

When you answer this question, connect the dots on your resume so the interviewer understands not just what you've done, but also why.

Do you know who we are, and why do you want to work with us?

Do not get trapped by not knowing much background information about the organization. You need to make enquiries and find out all you can about their business, their history, market reputation and management culture beforehand.

Make the interviewer pleased by your effort of doing some background study on the company which you can easily do by looking up their website. You may also mention that you have checked out several other companies and have chosen this one for your future overseas career.

“What do you know about this organization and your future role in the position that you applied for?”

The interviewer wants to confirm whether you have fully understood what the job demands. Make sure that you are clear about the nature of the job you have applied for; it’s requirements and possible problems, so that you can speak confidently. There is no harm if you ask for clarifications and then answer this question. This will also give you a chance to discover more information about the organization.

Where do you see your self few years from now? Answers to this question go one of two basic ways. Candidates try to show their incredible ambition (because that's what they think you want) by providing an extremely optimistic answer: "I want your job!" Or they try to show their humility (because that's what they think you want) by providing a meek, self-deprecating answer: "There are so many talented people here. I just want to do a great job and see where my talents take me

 Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision. What did you do?

No one agrees with every decision. Disagreements are fine; it's what you do when you disagree that matters. (We all know people who love to have the "meeting after the meeting," where they've supported a decision in the meeting but they then go out and undermine it.)

Show that you were professional. Show that you raised your concerns in a productive way. If you have an example that proves you can effect change, great -- and if you don't, show that you can support a decision even though you think it's wrong (as long as it's not unethical, immoral, etc.).

Every company wants employees willing to be honest and forthright, to share concerns and issues, but to also get behind a decision and support it as if they agreed, even if they didn't.

Why do you feel that you are better than other candidates?

Here, the interviewer wants to know how well you know your job and how confident you are of your own capabilities. The correct way to handle this question is to be humble in comparing yourself with others and admit that though skill-sets may be the same as with others, it is your ability to get on with others and your unique way in applying such skills that give you the edge because you have a proven track record of successes in the your past jobs.

Since a candidate cannot compare himself with people he doesn't know, all he can do is describe his incredible passion and desire and commitment and ... well, basically beg for the job. (Way too many interviewers ask the question and then sit back, arms folded, as if to say, "Go ahead. I'm listening. Try to convince me.")

Here's a better question: "What do you feel I need to know that we haven't discussed?" Or even "If you could get a do-over on one of my questions, how would you answer it now?"

Rarely do candidates come to the end of an interview feeling they've done their best. Maybe the conversation went in an unexpected direction. Maybe the interviewer focused on one aspect of their skills and totally ignored other key attributes. Or maybe candidates started the interview nervous and hesitant, and now wish they could go back and better describe their qualifications and experience.

Plus, think of it this way: Your goal as an interviewer is to learn as much as you possibly can about every candidate, so don't you want to give them the chance to ensure you do?

What do you consider to be your biggest professional achievement?

Here's an interview question that definitely requires an answer relevant to the job. If you say your biggest achievement was improving throughput by 18 percent in six months but you're interviewing for a leadership role in human resources, that answer is interesting but ultimately irrelevant.

Instead, talk about an underperforming employee you "rescued," or how you overcame infighting between departments, or how so many of your direct reports have been promoted.

The goal is to share achievements that let the interviewer imagine you in the position and see you succeeding.

“What is your past performance record, and how soon can you show results?”

Here is your chance to tell them in brief detail about your past achievements. You should answer the second part without making unrealistic promises. Explain that because jobs differ from organization to organization, it would be premature to predict your future contributions till a reasonable time after joining.

Assure the interviewer that since you already know the overall job requirements based on your past successes, you are confident that you will easily adapt to the new requirements at the earliest and justify your selection.

What is your leadership style?

This is a tough question to answer without dipping into platitudes. Try sharing leadership examples instead. Say, "The best way for me to answer that is to give you a few examples of leadership challenges I've faced," and then share situations where you dealt with a problem, motivated a team, worked through a crisis. Explain what you did and that will give the interviewer a great sense of how you lead. And, of course, it lets you highlight a few of your successes.

what features do you like and dislike about your job/this position?

The interviewer is enquiring about what factors motivate you in your job. If you have thought them out in advance, as you should, try to match them with what you expect in your new job. Avoid being negative on any work aspect that you don’t like, and willingly accept it as being part of the overall role.

Tell me about a time you failed in some task at your job, what is your positive and negative issues in your job, what is your like or dislike, strength and weakness etc.

Here, the interviewer is asking about your weaknesses, so be alert. You have no option but to admit some past weaknesses or failures, which is natural. Everyone fails in some task sometimes. But you can turn this to your advantage by answering that though you’ve failed in the past, you’ve since learned how to overcome this weakness and can now handle such situations comfortably.

Think of any weakness that can be turned into strength and prepare your answer in advance. You can say Difficulty in managing stress from multi-tasking, something that you’ve learnt to handle over time with good time management.

Focus on being efficient as in time you notice that the difference between effectiveness and efficiency is the time factor, so now you are doing your task with quality work on time. Every candidate knows how to answer this question: Just pick a theoretical weakness and magically transform that flow into strength in disguise!

For example: "My biggest weakness is getting so absorbed in my work that I lose all track of time. Every day I look up and realize everyone has gone home! I know I should be more aware of the clock, but when I love what I'm doing I just can't think of anything else." if you're asked about your strength , provide a sharp, on-point answer. Be clear and precise. If you're a great problem solver, don't just say that: Provide a few examples, pertinent to the opening, that prove you're a great problem solver. If you're an emotionally intelligent leader, don't just say that: Provide a few examples that prove it. In short, don't just claim to have certain attributes -- prove you have those attributes.

Tell me about the last time a co-worker or customer got angry with you. What happened?

Conflict is inevitable when a company works hard to get things done. Mistakes happen. Sure, strengths come to the fore, but weaknesses also rear their heads. And that's OK. No one is perfect.

But a person who tends to push the blame and the responsibility for rectifying the situation, onto someone else is a candidate to avoid. Hiring managers would much rather choose candidates who focus not on blame but on addressing and fixing the problem.

Every business needs employees who willingly admit when they are wrong, step up to take ownership for fixing the problem, and, most important, learn from the experience.

“What was your last boss like?”

Be sincere and respectful of your last superior and mention only his positive traits in your appreciation. Never reveal any conflicts that may have been there, and highlight his success in leading the department through difficult times.

But let face it people do not leave a good company but they leave bad management you can tell them if the company is practicing illegal ways and employees are leaving due to low morale, no room for growth and promotion, they hire unqualified people to pay less, have no benefits and cuts corners, and you gave them many years but you reach a point where the change is good for your growth, learning new thing and be with positive team that focus on teamwork and growth.

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Let's start with what you shouldn't say (or, if you're the interviewer, what are definite red flags).

Don't talk about how your boss is difficult. Don't talk about how you can't get along with other employees. Don't bad-mouth your company.

Instead, focus on the positives a move will bring. Talk about what you want to achieve. Talk about what you want to learn. Talk about ways you want to grow, about things you want to accomplish; explain how a move will be great for you and for your new company.

Complaining about your current employer is a little like people who gossip: If you're willing to speak badly of someone else, you'll probably do the same to me.

Make an honest but tactful confession about changing jobs. More money by working abroad is the usual answer or whether it was by lay-off, stagnation, or lack of new challenges. Avoid making any reference to past personal conflict, if any. Remain positive about your last job and highlight its good aspects without mentioning too many negative features that may have caused you to seek change.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Many companies feel cultural fit is extremely important, and they use outside interests as a way to determine how you will fit into a team.

Even so, don't be tempted to fib and claim to enjoy hobbies you don't. Focus on activities that indicate some sort of growth: skills you're trying to learn, goals you're trying to accomplish. Weave those in with personal details. For example, "I'm raising a family, so a lot of my time is focused on that, but I'm using my commute time to learn other language"

Tell me about the toughest decision you had to make in the last six months."

The goal of this question is to evaluate the candidate's reasoning ability, problem-solving skills, judgment, and possibly even willingness to take intelligent risks.

Having no answer is a definite warning sign. Everyone makes tough decisions, regardless of their position. My daughter worked part-time as a server at a local restaurant and made difficult decisions all the time -- like the best way to deal with a regular customer whose behavior constituted borderline harassment.

A good answer proves you can make a difficult analytical or reasoning-based decision -- for example, wading through reams of data to determine the best solution to a problem.

A great answer proves you can make a difficult interpersonal decision, or better yet a difficult data-driven decision that includes interpersonal considerations and ramifications.

Making decisions based on data is important, but almost every decision has an impact on people as well. The best candidates naturally weigh all sides of an issue, not just the business or human side exclusively.

“How long do you plan to work with us?”

The interviewer wants to know if you are a job hopper. You should maintain that you are looking to build a long term career and say that if given opportunities for growth, you hope to eventually lead a team.

A mouse is at the bottom of a 30-foot well. Each day he climbs up three feet, but at night he slips back two feet. How many days will it take him to climb out of the well?

Questions like these have become a lot more popular (thanks, Google) in recent years. The interviewer isn't necessarily looking for the right answer but instead a little insight into your reasoning abilities. All you can do is talk through your logic as you try to solve the problem. Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself if you get it wrong, sometimes the interviewer is merely trying to assess how you deal with failure. I was asked almost similar question, my answer was zero day, of course it was wrong but they ask how I came to this conclusion, I Told them that at the first day the snail was eaten up by a snake in the well.

What questions do you have for me?

Don't waste this opportunity. Ask smart questions, not just as a way to show you're a great candidate but also to see if the company is a good fit for you, after all, you're being interviewed, but you're also interviewing the company. You can ask about the company expectation from you, especially in the first 90 days.

All salary negotiations center around what you are worth to the employer and what the employer is willing to pay for you.

As such, there is no standard industry practice in settling salary. Some companies are known to steamroller candidates into accepting the job before revealing any salary structure.

This is not good for you as you cannot back out once the offer is accepted and you may not get the salary you expect.

So it’s best to delay the aspect of salary fixing till later when everything about the job is better known. If the recruiter asks how much you expect when you do not know enough about what the job entails, it’s best to buy time.

You should enquire about the employer’s budgeted range, always giving the feeling of having the final say in fitting you into an appropriate range as long it is reasonable and commensurate with the job responsibilities.

The most common errors about “desired salary” that job seekers who want to work abroad make are:

- Not researching comparable salary in advance

- Being overly keen to please the recruiter at your own loss

- Lowering your self-worth by accepting what is offered too easily

Therefore, to negotiate the best salary, you should observe the following rules for greater success in negotiating the best deal possible under prevailing circumstances:

Assess your true value. Evaluate your education, certifications, skills, experience and management exposure. Before starting a negotiation, mentally clarify what alternatives and trade-offs you might be willing to consider e.g. extra benefits like bonuses, longer annual leave or other allowances. Only then will you feel stronger and able to drive away fear of the negotiation process.

Evaluate the company. Take into consideration the industry segment, status and size of the organization, its management culture and financial reputation. Think about the job content on offer. Consider if you will enjoy the job and whether you will be able to use your strengths to the full. Examine if the job can stimulate and challenge your skills and intellect to make you grow. Verify if the designation and rank match your expectations.

Consider all growth opportunity that you will have. Take into account the practicalities of the location of the job.

Research your competition. Before you start negotiating for a higher salary, it would definitely help if you can find out how many candidates you are competing with for that particular position.

Be sure you qualify. Your negotiating position will either be strong or weak depending on the extent of how well you fit the role. Nevertheless, you need to believe that you qualify for the position to be able to convince the recruiters that you are indeed the right candidate.

Prompt for their offer before you state your price. Remember that every buyer in any market has a budget and they would certainly have a predetermined salary range. So don’t undercut yourself. Always try to get the employer to make the first offer before you reveal your own expectations. If this is not possible, state that you expect a fair pay package for your skills based on the job’s market worth.

Previous salary. Many employers base their salary offer on your present/last earnings. Since you are going to be working abroad, this comparison is not fair. If you don’t want to reveal this information and you cannot refuse a direct question or make a false statement, you can divert the question by asking what their budget is.

Wait for the right opportunity to negotiate. First salary offers from employers are sometimes provisional and negotiable within a range and not a last offer unless they already have a candidate. Choose the ideal moment to counter their offer depending on the mood of the interview, for instance, when they make their offer and pause for you to accept. If they don’t pause, you may take a cue to bring it up yourself and ask whether there is any room for negotiations.

Have a logical counter-offer. Never show desperation in grabbing the job by accepting a lower salary than your expectation. Many employers expect any self respecting professional to make a counter offer. Remember to go beyond basic pay, bonuses and work schedule. Always be prepared with a step-down itemized figure so you can negotiate on each item separately, if and when necessary.

Avoid a face-to-face negotiation. Try as much as possible to put off a face-to-face negotiation as you will be in a much better position to negotiate for a higher salary over the phone or via email.

Highlight what they get from you, not the opposite. Always negotiate by pointing out what benefits you are offering the company and not what the employer can provide you to advance your career.

Don’t make it personal. Remember this is about business and nothing personal. So don’t feel offended by any rudeness and detach your emotions from all negotiations to sell yourself as a deserving professional. Keep your manner absolutely professional.

Even if you have to disagree or argue at any point, always maintain a professional manner. Give a firm look into the eyes of the recruiter which helps when negotiating a deal.

Don’t turn negative yet. It’s a mistake to reject a job offer with a good organization because of a much lower salary than expected is offered. Just hold it. Take time to consider the offer and request them likewise to review their offer.

Convert all benefits to cash to get to the real salary. Consider all possible scenarios, long and short term, including a promotion to a better future job, if the employer’s brand reputation is high.

It all depends on the stakes, and which side wants what, and how much. It’s a brain game to be played cleverly so that true opportunities are not lost due to judgment error arising from two primary human emotions – greed and fear.

What To Wear To an Interview

The first impression you make at a job interview is when the interviewer looks at you. The moment he sees you, he has already formed an impression of the type of person you are. It is therefore very important for you to look professional enough to be employed for the job in question.  Of course if you are going for a truck driver, a farmer, or construction jobs you are not going to put three piece suit so common sense is at hand here ,the best is to be modest, clean, neat, professional and dress for the occasion.

In a survey of hiring managers, 33% claimed that they know within the first 90 seconds of an interview whether they will hire someone. 65% of hiring managers say clothes can be the deciding factor between two similar candidates and most employers claim they don’t want applicants to be too fashionable or trendy.

When the chance of an interview is presented to you for a job overseas, don’t blow it by dressing inappropriately as this is your first handshake with the potential employer before you actually touch anybody or speak a word.

The key is to know the difference between a social and professional image, and to remember that you are there to sell yourself for a specific professional role and not to attend a party. So take stock of your existing wardrobe and decide what kind of dresser you want to be for the coming interview.

Here are some dress guidelines for both male and female candidates attending an interview for a job abroad:

Male:

1. Suit – choose a 2-piece suit. Stick with conservative colours – navy or dark grey. If you do not have a suit, wear a matching coat and pant.

2. Shirt – wear a long-sleeve shirt in white, light blue or a conservative colour or pattern.

3. Ties – choose ties that are made of high quality silk in either a solid colour or a subtle pattern. Be sure your tie is knotted up to the top button of your shirt which should not be left open but buttoned up to the top. If you don't wear a tie, your shirt should be buttoned with only the top button unbuttoned.

4. Belt & Jewelry - belt and shoes should match or be closely coordinated. Keep any jewelry to a minimum. A wristwatch is usually the best choice. No earrings or gold chains showing on your neck. Avoid wearing more than one simple ring if you must.

5. Shoes & Socks - Leather lace-up or slip-on shoes with socks that coordinate with the color of your clothes are a must – no gym shoes or white athletic socks.

6. Candidates, with long hair should consider getting a shorter cut with short sideburns - not longer than the level of the middle of the ears - at least until you receive a job offer from abroad.

7. Your nails should be short and clean. Don’t try and be fancy by using shiny lacquer on your nails.

8. Clean shaven is preferred or with neatly trimmed moustache or beard and no strong cologne.

9. Nose hair should not be visible.

Female:

1. A dress and jacket, a skirt and jacket or a skirted suit are all appropriate interview attire for women. Matching pants suits are also acceptable.

2. Stick with conservative shades and patterns.

3. Shoes should have a modest heel. If you want to appear taller, wear higher heels but not so high that you look as though you are off balance or are going to fall.

4. Necklines and hemlines should be modest; no short skirts and skimpy tops!

5. Perfume or cologne used should not be overpowering.

6. Long hair styles which fall past the shoulder, should be neatly styled – preferably put into a bun or pony tail without loose hair on cheeks, neck and back of shoulder.

7. Light makeup and lipstick complimenting the skin complexion should be worn.

8. Nails can be short or reasonably long, clean and well presented. If you use nail polish, use a decent color not something too loud. Once your nail polish chips, remove it immediately or reapply. Chipped nail polish shows you do not pay attention to detail.

Here’s something that you should never wear to an interview:

- Jeans

- Shorts

- Trendy or Loud Shirts

- Big, Crazy Hair

- Loud Jewelry

- Sandals/Slippers

- Very Heavy Make-up (Female)

- Outrageous Ties (Male)

Fresh breath is a must for all candidates!

Image is everything. Good grooming is how you look and how you present yourself. How you look accounts for 55% of impact or impression the employer has of you. As such, it’s always safer to be traditional, rather than trendy and put off interviewers.

Let your clothes be conservative and focus on your primary objective at an interview for a job abroad - coming across effectively in respect of the 3 Ps in presentation - polish, preparedness and professionalism. That way, chances are you’ll be offered a job or be recalled for the next round of interviews rather than be set aside because you just didn’t wear proper clothes or were badly groomed.

Steve Ramsey