Job Interview Questions & Answers

How do you go about making important decisions?

This is another common interview question that you may encounter. The interviewer genuinely wants to understand more about the steps that you undertaken when approaching a problem and making a decision. When you answer this question you need to make sure that you demonstrate your ability to carefully analyze the problem and thoughtfully arrive at a decision that is based on relevant information and all of the choices that are possible. This will show that you do not make rash decisions and also that you take all of the information into account before making a decision.

Actually, using models for problem solving may be able to help you in formulating a response to this question. For example, you would first need to define the problem and the type of decision that would need to be made. The next step would be to gather relevant information that is necessary in order to arrive at a decision. You would then consider all of the possible choices and consider the outcomes for each of those possible choices. You would also consider how each of those choices relate to your own personal values and priorities. Based on the possibilities you would then choose an option that is aligned with your values and priorities and commit yourself to ensuring the success of that decision. Finally, you would evaluate the decision that you have made and if necessary you might change that decision if you see that it is not effective or is not working out as you thought.

Remember that there is no real right or wrong answer to this question. This is a behavioral type question that is designed to find out how you handle different situations, in this case how you make decisions. In providing your answer you might also give some concrete examples of prior work situations in which you had to make a decision and the process that you used for arriving at the final decision. Always make sure that your answer remains positive. When preparing your answer to this type of question you may find it helpful to make bulleted lists to ensure that everything is covered fully. This process will ensure that the interviewer receives the information they need while also demonstrating your ability to make a sound decision based on the available information and in accordance to your own values and ethics.
Tell me about a time you had to work according to a policy you disagreed with?

This is not one of the more common interview questions that you may encounter but it is one that you should be prepared to answer. The purpose of this type of interview question is to find out more information about your ethics as well as how you would handle a situation you did not agree with. This is important as this is the type of situation that you could very easily encounter in the workplace so you should be fully prepared to effectively answer this question.

If you have experienced this type of situation in the past in a prior job then you will be better prepared to develop an answer to this question. On the other hand, if you have not experienced this type of situation then you would need to formulate your answer based on how you think you would react if you were asked to work under a policy that you did not agree with.

There are different ways in which this type of situation can be handled. One way would be to say that you would not work under a policy that you disagreed with. There are certainly many employees that would take this approach if they were faced with a situation where they needed to work with a policy they did not condone. The problem with this type of answer is that it shows that you may not be flexible and could be difficult to work with. Instead of taking this type of approach you might instead talk about a situation in which you sought to learn more about the policy so that you could understand it better. You might still disagree with the policy, but at least you would understand more about it which may help you to feel better about the situation. Your answer might also be based upon the specific situation. For example, if the policy in question was something that was truly unethical then it very well might be something that you could not continue to work under.

In answering this question you need to make sure that you are completely honest but you also need to demonstrate that you are able to be flexible when working in a situation that you do not entirely agree with as compromise is an important part of the workplace.
Tell me about a time an idea or task of yours was criticized?

There are many common questions that you may encounter when you are searching for a job and going to interviews. This is a question that is actually fairly common. This is because the employer wants to find out how you respond to criticism and also if you may have a problem with receiving criticism in a working environment. Keep in mind when developing an answer for this question that everyone experiences criticism from time to time. That is a natural part of life, particularly in the workplace. To pretend otherwise would be disingenuous. When answering this question you need to make sure you provide an answer that sounds credible but also one that demonstrates you are able to handle criticism well and that you are able to use it constructively and learn from it.

For example, suppose that you answer by stating that you did not feel as though the person who criticized you was in a position to offer criticism. This may sound like a realistic answer, but the problem with it is that it sounds disrespectful and will give the impression that you have a problem with authority. On the opposite end of the spectrum you might say that criticism does not bother you. This type of answer does not sound very credible but very few people are not bothered by criticism. The most effective answer to this question would be to state that you view criticism as an important part of your continued professional growth and that you welcome the opportunity to receive criticism when it is constructive in order to learn how to be more effective and productive.

As you can see, there are vast differences in the various ways that this question can be answered. Rather than giving the impression that you are being dishonest or that you have a problem with receiving criticism, the most effective answer shows that you understand that criticism is occasionally part of the professional growth process and that you understand how to take criticism and turn it into positive.

You should take the time to practice answering this question as it is likely that you will encounter it if you interview for enough jobs. Therefore you should be fully prepared to discuss how you view criticism and how you can utilize it for something positive.
How would you define a good working atmosphere?

When answering this question you need to make sure that you remain generic in your answer. Keep in mind that the reason the interviewer is asking this question is because they want to find out whether you will be a good fit for that department or that working environment. If you go into too much detail you run the risk of describing an environment that is the exact opposite of the type of environment in which you would be working if you are hired for the job you are interviewing for. Of course, that is something you do not want.

As you describe the working atmosphere in which you would feel comfortable you may describe an environment in which you would be able to function as a contributing member. You might also mention that you would like to work in an environment that would allow you to hone your existing skills and gain experience to facilitate your career growth. This type of description is positive while at the same time remains generic enough that you do not have to worry that your answer will alienate the employer if it does not match the environment associated with the job you are applying for.

As you interview for various jobs you will find that you will commonly run into several questions of this nature that require you to describe your ideal working environment, ideal boss, ideal job, etc. All of these questions are really designed to find out more about you, whether you will be easy to work with and whether you would be a good match for that particular job and working environment. Always remember that going into too much detail when answering these types of questions places you in danger of describing a situation that would not compliment the prospective job.

When preparing for an interview it is always a good idea to practice answering several of these types of questions as it is quite likely that you will encounter at least one question of this type from time to time while searching for a job. Taking the time to practice these answers will help you to gain confidence and give you the ability to answer questions that can otherwise be difficult when they are posed to you during an interview.
Tell me about a situation that got out of control. How did you handle it?

This is another of those questions that can easily throw a job applicant if they are not prepared in advance. If you have not given any thought in advance to this type of question you may find yourself floundering for an answer and as a result you may begin to ramble. This is something that should be avoided. Taking the time to prepare your answer for this type of question ahead of time well help you to deliver an answer that is thought out and demonstrates your ability to handle anything that might come your way in a future job.

The problem with this type of question is that in order to answer it you will have to admit that a situation got out of control in the first place. This is naturally something that you do not want to discuss with someone who may be a future employer. The key to making this answer successful is to ensure that you focus on what you did in order to effectively handle the situation. You should not emphasize how the situation grew out of control.

When asking this question the interviewer is looking to obtain information regarding how you would get a situation back under control and if you would be able to effectively cope with a situation if it should get out of control. Keep in mind when answering this question that no matter what type of industry you are involved in, any situation has the potential to get out of control.

Your answer to the question should demonstrate that you have the experience and the ability to take a situation that may have gotten out of control and bring it back under control in the most effective manner possible and preferably in the shortest amount of time possible. In addition, you must also discuss the steps that you would take to help ensure this type of situation does not occur in the future.

By giving thought and consideration to this question in advance you will be fully prepared to provide an answer to this interview question and will not find yourself floundering to come up with an answer that you think will satisfy the interviewer. Preparation is critical to effectively answering any interview question, especially those that have the potential for causing you difficulty during an interview.

This is another of those questions that can easily throw a job applicant if they are not prepared in advance. If you have not given any thought in advance to this type of question you may find yourself floundering for an answer and as a result you may begin to ramble. This is something that should be avoided. Taking the time to prepare your answer for this type of question ahead of time well help you to deliver an answer that is thought out and demonstrates your ability to handle anything that might come your way in a future job.

The problem with this type of question is that in order to answer it you will have to admit that a situation got out of control in the first place. This is naturally something that you do not want to discuss with someone who may be a future employer. The key to making this answer successful is to ensure that you focus on what you did in order to effectively handle the situation. You should not emphasize how the situation grew out of control.

When asking this question the interviewer is looking to obtain information regarding how you would get a situation back under control and if you would be able to effectively cope with a situation if it should get out of control. Keep in mind when answering this question that no matter what type of industry you are involved in, any situation has the potential to get out of control.

Your answer to the question should demonstrate that you have the experience and the ability to take a situation that may have gotten out of control and bring it back under control in the most effective manner possible and preferably in the shortest amount of time possible. In addition, you must also discuss the steps that you would take to help ensure this type of situation does not occur in the future.

By giving thought and consideration to this question in advance you will be fully prepared to provide an answer to this interview question and will not find yourself floundering to come up with an answer that you think will satisfy the interviewer. Preparation is critical to effectively answering any interview question, especially those that have the potential for causing you difficulty during an interview.
Describe a creative solution that you have developed to solve a problem?

This type of question is designed to find out how resourceful you can be and whether you are able to demonstrate initiative. In order to effectively answer this question you should make a point to discus how your skills in leadership have assisted you in accomplishing your goals during your career. It is important that you provide concrete examples of how you used an approach that was unusual, new or creative in order to accomplish your goals. You might also relate how you developed a creative solution in order to make your work more productive or more effective in a past position.

If you are a new college graduate and you have not yet had any professional positions then you may find that it is more difficult to answer this question, but it certainly is not impossible. You could easily relate how you developed a creative solution to a problem while in college or while working your way through college. The key is to make sure that the answer you provide to this question demonstrates your ability to lead, to be creative and to be resourceful. This is what the interviewer is looking to uncover when posing this form of question.

When answering this question you will need to ensure that you answer provides enough information to satisfy what the interviewer is seeking, but at the same time you will want to make sure that you do not go into so much detail that you begin to ramble. This is an excellent opportunity to practice your interviewing skills as this is a question that is commonly asked during interviews regardless of the type of job. It is also a question that you can easily prepare to answer by preparing ahead of time.

This type of question can carry a lot of weight when interviewing for many positions, especially if the job you are applying for would require you to work independently a good percentage of the time. If that is the case you may not have a lot of support and will need to find solutions on your own and learn how to be quite creative in order to get the job accomplished. Demonstrating that you already possess the ability to do this can provide you with a competitive edge over other candidates who may be applying for the job.
Evaluate the worst supervisor you’ve ever had?

This question is very similar to the question that asks you to describe the best supervisor you have ever had. Both questions are quite common when interviewing, regardless of the type of job you are interviewing for. The interviewer is attempting to find out whether you are the type of employee who would blame others or who might carry a grudge when they ask this type of question.

There are many different ways in which this question can be answered, but your answer should not focus on discussing the supervisor in a negative fashion. That is not the goal in answering this question. While you very well might be able to ramble on about how your worst supervisor was and precisely why he or she was such a bad boss, this is not the correct way to answer this question. Instead of focusing on why your boss was unsatisfactory, you should instead focus on what you learned from that experience. Even when a supervisor is not the best, there is still something that can be learned. This is what you need to demonstrate when answering this type of question.

If you go into too many negative details about previous managers, it is going to alert the interviewer that you may have a problem with supervision and authority. This could be interpreted to mean that you might be a difficult employee. Keep in mind that even if there was something negative about a prior boss, you should always try to find something positive to focus your answer on. Also, remember that you answer should be based in fact and should not be based on just your own opinion.

For example, you might state that your prior supervisor preferred for staff to be able to work in an independent manner. As a result, this meant that you needed to learn how to work independently quickly and learn how to find solutions on your own. This type of answer demonstrates positive facts about your supervisor. In addition, while those facts could have been negative, you are turning them into something positive while also demonstrating what you learned from that experience. Through this answer you have not criticized your supervisor but at the same time you have utilized the opportunity to focus on your own abilities and how you used that situation to grow professionally.

This question is very similar to the question that asks you to describe the best supervisor you have ever had. Both questions are quite common when interviewing, regardless of the type of job you are interviewing for. The interviewer is attempting to find out whether you are the type of employee who would blame others or who might carry a grudge when they ask this type of question.

There are many different ways in which this question can be answered, but your answer should not focus on discussing the supervisor in a negative fashion. That is not the goal in answering this question. While you very well might be able to ramble on about how your worst supervisor was and precisely why he or she was such a bad boss, this is not the correct way to answer this question. Instead of focusing on why your boss was unsatisfactory, you should instead focus on what you learned from that experience. Even when a supervisor is not the best, there is still something that can be learned. This is what you need to demonstrate when answering this type of question.

If you go into too many negative details about previous managers, it is going to alert the interviewer that you may have a problem with supervision and authority. This could be interpreted to mean that you might be a difficult employee. Keep in mind that even if there was something negative about a prior boss, you should always try to find something positive to focus your answer on. Also, remember that you answer should be based in fact and should not be based on just your own opinion.

For example, you might state that your prior supervisor preferred for staff to be able to work in an independent manner. As a result, this meant that you needed to learn how to work independently quickly and learn how to find solutions on your own. This type of answer demonstrates positive facts about your supervisor. In addition, while those facts could have been negative, you are turning them into something positive while also demonstrating what you learned from that experience. Through this answer you have not criticized your supervisor but at the same time you have utilized the opportunity to focus on your own abilities and how you used that situation to grow professionally.
Evaluate the best supervisor you’ve ever had?

This is a question that you must be extremely careful with. The person who is interviewing you for the current job may very well be your future supervisor so they are looking for some critical information in your response to this question.

Your answer needs to demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of what makes a good supervisor. By asking this question the interviewer is attempting to discover how you respond to supervision and what they can expect if they should hire you for the open position.

Therefore, it is critical to carefully prepare an answer to this type of question. Remember that you never want to say anything negative about a former supervisor because the interviewer will naturally assume that if you are willing to discuss a former boss negatively that you might do the same to them if they should hire you for the job. Instead, you want to focus on discussing the good qualities of a former supervisor that you performed well under. For example, you might say that he or she was a good supervisor because they had an open door policy and supervised staff with a balanced and fair approach.

It can be difficult to know what the supervisory policy is in the company where you are interviewing and exactly what they are looking for in your response, so to some degree your response to this question should be somewhat generic. You should not go into a lot of details when you are answering this question because becoming too detailed in your response can lead you into trouble.

Instead, focus on describing a supervisor that you felt was fair and supportive. Keep in mind that you never want to leave the impression with your response that you carry a grudge or that you assess blame in any way. The key is to make sure that you indicate what you were able to learn from a supervisor. This reflects well on you and demonstrates to the employer that you are willing to listen and have a desire to learn in order to improve your abilities. Ultimately, the interviewer is not seeking information about your former bosses but more importantly information about you. Keep this in mind and you will be able to handle this question without any problems.
In your last job, how many times were you promoted and why?

This is a very straightforward question. While there is no way to provide a generic answer to this question and you will need to provide an answer that is honest, it does give you the opportunity to really play up your skills and experience and what you can do for the company if they should decide to hire you.

The biggest problem with this question occurs when you were never promoted in your prior position and you feel the need to explain that. If that is the case you must be extremely careful in how you respond to this question. Under no circumstances should you talk in a negative fashion about your prior supervisors or lay the blame for a lack of promotion at your old job. This will provide the prospective employer with a bad impression and make it seem as though you have a habit of bad mouthing your supervisors.

Instead, if you were not promoted during your prior position you can simply state that there was not an opportunity for advancement, which is something that you look forward to if you should be hired for the position that you are interviewing for. At that point you should then go on to correlate how your skills and experience relate to the required qualifications for that job.

Of course, if you were promoted in your last job, this is a golden opportunity because it allows you to discuss your skills and experience as well as achievements that you may not have been able to fit on your resume. This is an opportunity that you should never pass up but should instead make the best use of in order to make the best impression possible during the interview.

Remember that when you respond to this type of question you should never give any information that is not absolutely true. With this form of question it is too easy for the employer to check up on your answer when checking references and find out if you were indeed telling the truth. The best policy is to always tell the truth and try to put it in the best light possible in order to highlight your skills and experience and how they relate to the requirements of the job that you are interviewing for.
What do you know about our company?

While it may be surprising to learn, many applicants never take the time to find out what they can about a company they are interviewing with. This is becoming a standard interview question which you should fully expect to receive, so it makes sense that you really should make an attempt to find out as much as you can about the company prior to the interview. There are several important reasons for this.

One reason that the employer may ask this question is to find out whether you are willing to take initiative to do things on your own. This can be quite important to many employers who do not want to feel as though they need to babysit or hand hold a new employee. If they feel that you have the initiative to do things on your own they may feel that you are better suited for the job than someone who is not willing to put forth the effort to do research on their own prior to the interview.

In addition, the employer may also want to ensure that you have educated yourself about the company and feel you will be a good fit. If you have not taken the time to find out some basic information about the company it can be hard to know whether you will be a suitable match.

There are many ways that you can find out information about a company prior to an interview. Begin by researching the business online and review their website, including the About Us section that most sites have. You should also research other information about the company online, if it is available, in blogs, social networking sites and discussion boards. If you know anyone who works for or who has worked for the company in the past you might also make a point of meeting with them prior to the interview. This will give you an insider’s view of the company and the ability to obtain information that you might not be able to access anywhere else.

Before the interview, compile all of the information you have uncovered and be sure to review it carefully. This will help you to make an excellent impression when the time for the interview arrives.