Job Interview Question And Answer

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1.Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult person :-

All of us have had to deal with difficult people at some point in our lives. They may have been at work, at school, or even in our own families. How you deal with such people says a lot about you to potential employers and whether or not you will fit into a particular organisation’s culture.

Conflict is never desirable in the workplace, so employers are looking for someone who generally gets along with others. Still, difficult people or situations can be encountered anywhere, so employers look for someone who demonstrates diplomacy and calmness when dealing with difficult people – someone who is not argumentative or oversensitive, and who is good at defusing tense situations and knows when to compromise.

People who are natural diplomats and mediators are valuable assets to any company, so if you can think of a situation where you were faced with a difficult or angry person and were able to calm them down, talk them through the situation and turn them around with your delicate powers of persuasion, then that will surely impress your interviewer.

It’s not necessary to be a doormat and there are times when it’s important to assert yourself and stand up for what you believe in – but it’s always important to remain calm, rational and reasonable, and respect other people’s views. An employee who displays such qualities is worth their weight in gold and will be much sought after.

2.Describe A Situation Where You Demonstrated Flexibility :-

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to different people and circumstances, and handle unforeseen events with grace. It’s a valuable trait in any employee and an essential quality in certain occupations and industries, so be sure you can demonstrate it to your interviewer with concrete examples.

Are you the kind of person who easily adapts to different professional and social environments? If so, describe these environments and how you smoothly move between them. Perhaps in the past you worked as a temp and constantly changed locations, environments and cultures, working in a large insurance company one week, a government office the next and a small family-owned business the week after. Look back on your employment history and see if you can identify significant differences between your various employers while demonstrating how you thrived in each situation.

Also think about specific situations where you demonstrated flexibility. Perhaps you were managing a large project at work and had to deal with very different personalities, adapting your style and approach to get the most out of every team member, or while managing that project an unforeseen circumstance arose or your client suddenly changed their mind about something that required you to quickly change tack. Describe how you were able to swiftly accommodate the new condition while maintaining your good humour – this will show your facility for rolling with the punches and thinking on your feet without getting rattled.

Don’t be afraid to use an example from outside work if it seems appropriate – like the time you planned a large outdoor birthday party for your child but were faced on the day with torrential rain, gale-force winds and a power outage. Yet, thanks to your positive attitude and resourcefulness, you were able to successfully entertain a houseful of boisterous, cupcake-fuelled kids with your sanity intact – no small feat, and one that would impress even the most hardened interviewer.

3.Describe a situation where you demonstrated negotiation skills :-

The ability to negotiate is an art that is highly valued by many employers. Negotiation is about using your powers of persuasion, diplomacy and ability to come up with creative solutions and compromises to achieve, as far as possible, a win–win outcome or resolve a conflict.

Think of a specific situation that required you to use your negotiation skills and describe the situation, how you approached it and what result you achieved. What you are hoping to demonstrate is an ability to be persuasive and assertive and get a positive result, while also being able to make compromises and maintain relationships. Effective negotiation requires you to be able to communicate effectively, listen, read your audience, and be flexible and diplomatic.

Examples from your professional life could include the time you had to negotiate a new contract, deal with a difficult or demanding client or colleague, or close a tricky sale.

You could also choose to use examples from your personal life, such as the time you had to mediate between two feuding friends, or negotiate a crucial issue with your partner or children.

4.Describe A Time When You Have Worked As Part Of A Successful Team. What Do You Think Contributed To Your Team’s Overall Success ? :-

This behavioural-based interview question is quite commonly asked in the application for graduate, vacation or internship programs. The ability for a team to work together effectively is a critical factor in the smooth running of a business, whether you like it or not. Recruiters want to know that you have experience working in cohesive and successful team environments – outside of work as well as at work.

Give an example of a time you have worked in a team and your reflection of the experience. You may choose to discuss a work assignment or an extra-curricular activity. Paint the interviewer a picture by describing the scenario and the details of your team.

When you discuss your team, talk about the role that you played and the contribution you made to the team’s success. You will need to find the balance between portraying yourself as doing too much and doing too little, in order to avoid the unwanted labels of slacker or control freak. Be sure to mention the qualities and strengths that you drew on to accomplish the task. Don’t be afraid to mention any weaknesses you faced and how you worked through them.

It is essential that you discuss the methods that your team put in place in order to work together effectively and achieve success. Did you allocate one person as the leader? Or perhaps you were each in charge of a different task. Feel free to mention any challenges or obstacles that you had along the way and how you worked together to overcome them.

Sum up your answer by saying what you learnt form the experience. This is more important than the quantifiable success of your team. Showing the interviewer that you have reflected and learnt from this experience shows that you are a mature and adaptable worker and hopefully just the applicant they are looking for.

5.Tell Us About A Goal That You Have Set Yourself And Worked Towards, Of Which You Feel Truly Proud Or Satisfied. What Did You Learn About Yourself?

This question is likely to come up if you are applying for a graduate internship or vacation program. It’s best not to get caught out unprepared for this question, as it requires some thinking and reflection.

Firstly, choose a goal that you have achieved or are working towards. Your goal could be from any area of your life, be it personal or work related, but try to choose one from the recent past. Having a goal that you have set and reached shows the interviewer that you have determination, drive and can finish what you set out to do.

Tell the interviewer how you have worked towards your goal, and what you did to ensure you reached it. Keep this section brief, as they are more interested in finding out what you have learnt from the process and how you will use this in your career. A great way of approaching this part of the question is by recognising the skills and strengths that you drew upon to reach your goal. There is a good chance that these qualities will match the values and qualities that the company is looking for.

Finally, talk about what you have learnt from this process and how you have applied these lessons in your life. This will show the interviewer that you have reflected and drawn from your experience.

For example, you could say, ‘This year, I set out to achieve [X goal]. While I worked on it, I found that I needed to concentrate on my time management skills in order to finish within the time limit I had set. I also learnt that by writing down and prioritising each step I needed to take, I was able to better visualise the journey, which helped me manage my time more effectively. As a result, I was able to complete my goal, while refining my time management skills in the process.’

You also need to address how you will apply the lessons you have learnt to the work you will do if you are hired. Talk about how achieving your goal has been a journey of self-discovery and made you more aware of your strengths and weakness, giving you a better understanding of how to approach your work assignments.