201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions: The Ultimate Guide to Handling the New Competency-Based Interview Style
Linda Matias
Language: English
Pages: 224
ISBN: 2:00104285
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Increasingly, employers today are using a tough new kind of interview to evaluate candidates and determine how well they think on their feet. To be successful in these new competency-based interviews, job seekers must be prepared with situation-specific examples that highlight the accomplishments, knowledge, and abilities they have that employers need. Featuring a plethora of sample questions and winning answers. This indispensable guide features fill-in-the-blank exercises readers can use to prepare themselves to demonstrate sought-after competencies and wow potential employers. It's a powerful book no job seeker should be without.
experience, not your shortcomings or seeming lack of direct experience. You don’t want to leave the interviewer with a negative impression. A Negative Mind-Set If you have a downbeat attitude regarding the job search, that attitude seeps into your interviews and minimizes your appeal. Before the interview, make a conscious decision to think positively, no matter what direction the meeting takes. Your mind-set or attitude shows up in a number of ways. For example, appearing to give up in the
Advanced preparation will also allow you to stand out from the crowd—to differentiate yourself from all the other applicants, most of whom won’t have done their homework. For instance, with a little preparation before the interview, you can determine your personal brand, find ways to control your anxiety, fine-tune your speaking voice to remove kinks or inflections that make you sound unprofessional, choose words in advance that will convey your message while also avoiding words that could sabotage
that their positions were in jeopardy, many co-workers embarked on job searches. Ultimately, a third of them offered their resignations within three months. Action: On the other hand, I reaffirmed my commitment to the organization, and instead of looking for a new opportunity, I concentrated my efforts on ensuring that the company stayed afloat. This meant that I managed my tasks as well as took over the work of ex-employees. Without protesting, I tackled each assignment, bringing work home and
spoke with the technician and explained the situation while complimenting his hard skills. Result: His work continued to be stellar, and at the same time the number of complaints I received decreased tremendously. Employee Motivation Employees are an organization’s richest resource. Motivated teams lead to better results in the marketplace. As such, interviewers will ask quesAmerican Management Association www.amanet.org C OMPETENCY #2—M ANAGERIAL /L EADERSHIP S KILLS 101 tions to determine
Why Candidates Do Not Get Hired 47 When Examples Go Wrong 47 A Negative Mind-Set 49 A Potpourri of Other Interview Mistakes 50 Chapter 5: Seven Ways to Stand Out During the Interview 52 Write a Personal Brand Statement 53 Reduce Your Anxiety 54 Improve Your Speaking Voice 55 Be Concise 56 Common Words and Phrases to Avoid 56 Make Specific Statements 58 Script or Outline Your Responses 59 PART II: COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 61 Chapter 6: Competency #1—Individual Responsibility 63