Job Interview Questions and Answers

Tag: most

  • What were your three most important responsibilities in your last job?

    Once again the employer is going to be interested in finding out more about your last position because that can help them to understand how you may function and operate in the new job if they should offer it to you. As a result, it should not surprise you if you are presented with a question about your prior responsibilities. With this question, the interviewer is also likely seeking out information that will help them to understand what you deem to be important in terms of your responsibilities on the job.

    In answering any questions that relate to your prior position you should make sure that you are specific as well as positive. Do not take advantage of the opportunity to speak negatively about your former job as it will not serve you well in an interview for a new job. The best way to handle this question is to make a strong effort to describe the responsibilities which you held in your past job, going briefly into detail about those responsibilities, and then show how those responsibilities are linked to the requirements of the job you are interviewing for. Through this method you will be able to demonstrate to the employer that you definitely have the qualifications and skills that are necessary to perform the job for which you are applying.

    Of course, you should also always be honest in answering any question that relates to your prior responsibilities at your previous job. You should not embellish upon your responsibilities in order to make yourself sound more qualified. Such tactics can easily cause you problems if the employer checks references and has a talk with a former supervisor and discovers that you have been less than honest regarding your responsibilities at your last job.

    This question is one that is asked fairly frequently so it is a good idea to spend some time thinking about how you will respond and then practicing that response so that you will be prepared when you are called in for an interview. It does not matter what type of position that you are applying for or even whether you are applying for a management position or not, this is a question that is routinely asked so you should take advantage of the opportunity to prepare to answer it in an effective manner.

  • What entices you most about the possibility of this job?

    When you are asked why you are interested in the position for which you are interviewing, the best way to answer is to refer back to the qualifications requested in the job posting and then show how those qualifications are related to your own experience and skills. This will allow the employer to clearly see that you understand the job, which is not something that can be said about all applicants. In addition, it also demonstrates that you have the required qualifications for the job.

    For example, suppose that you are applying of a job in human resources where you would be the manager and be responsible for recruiting as well as training and orientation. In that case, you would want to make certain that you discuss your responsibilities in prior positions that relate to those duties and why you would like to continue developing your experience in the field of human resources.

    Along the same lines, if you were interviewing for a position as a programmer, you would want to be sure that you discuss your interest in learning more about new technologies as well as your experience related to programming and how much you enjoy problem solving.

    Regardless of the type of position the job entails it is critical to make sure you demonstrate your enthusiasm for the opportunity along with your ability to perform the job. This will be very important as the employer will not only want to be assured that you have the skills and abilities to perform the job well but also that you have an interest in the job as well. This is because smart employers know that employees who have a genuine interest in the work they perform tend to perform their jobs better and are more productive. They also tend to remain with their jobs longer than employees who have no real interest in the work they are performing. Therefore, it is quite important that you not only relay your experience and skills when discussing what interests you about the job but also your enthusiasm for that type of work as well. Finally, make sure that you stick to how you can benefit the company and avoid any mention of being interested in the job because of the perks, benefits, salary, etc. This can be a distraction that could cost you the job.