Hi, over the next few weeks I will be publishing regular advice on how to ace your job / university / MBA, or PhD interview. If you would like to book a lesson with me, I will provide you with a 28 page document that I have written with some sample questions and advice on how to answer them. In these articles that I am publishing, you will find a group of questions and the appropriate advice on how to answer them, and in some cases you will even find some sample answers. During a lesson, I will go through the questions with you, let you answer as if you were in an interview environment and then I will check, and if necessary, correct the content of your answer. I hope you find the following information useful and I really look forward to seeing you online if you choose a class with me! I am also offering a 20% discount for any new students for ANY of my lessons. 

Lesson link:

https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=11273&key=ec0e3f840eb8c5a75b04f6306f25dd66

·       How do you plan to achieve those goals?

Try to emphasise self-development and how you have achieved this in previous roles. State that you are committed, ambitious, tenacious and that you understand that achieving goals is not just about being handed goals by your manager and reaching those objectives. It is good to have personal goals with a relevant plan as to how you will achieve them by yourself. Of course, it is ok to mention that you would expect the company to give you the support you require in terms of training or investment to help you along the way, but do not say that is your manager’s responsibility alone to develop you.

·       What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term?

If you applied for the job through an advertisement you saw in the media then it may state a salary range, and the range may be quite narrow or wide depending on the role. When switching jobs, most people will expect some kind of salary increase (unless you are applying for a more junior position because of a lifestyle choice). Be realistic as to how your profile matches the job requirements and to how quickly you will be ‘up and running’ in the new post. If you are applying for a post the same as your current level and you believe that your training will be minimal, you would be perfectly justified in asking for a salary that is 10-20% higher than your current one. If on the other hand, you are applying for a more senior position where you know the ‘learning curve will be quite steep’, then maybe you should settle for a salary at the lower end of the range on offer. You can always state that you would expect to be compensated for your performance, and so you are ‘ok’ with a lower initial salary, but with the expectation of a substantial increase should you prove yourself within the first 12-24 months. Do not over-sell yourself, conversely do not under-sell yourself and always remember that the earning potential in the long term may be far superior to your current role!

·       What will you do if you don't get this position?

The interviewer would expect you to have a ‘plan B’ if you are not offered this job. However, it is probably not a good idea to say that you will be applying (or have applied!) to one of their major competitors. Instead, state that you will be highly disappointed if you are not offered this position because this role suits you very well but of course you will be looking at similar positions in other companies. Do not state that you will change your career and diversify into a completely different sector as this will show a lack of direction in your career and life in general.

TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- FOR SITUATIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

Questions About Co-Workers and Supervisors

In answering any interview question, it is always better to give real life examples to back up your answer. This is much better than giving hypothetical answers that may be unbelievable or difficult to conceive in the first place. The following questions REQUIRE answers that relate to past situations you have actually encountered and should not be answered hypothetically!

·       Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a co-worker who wasn't doing his/her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?

The interviewer will want to know how you handled a potentially conflictual situation in the workplace. Your appropriate behaviour will be measured in your answer so make sure your answer is one that reflects professional behaviour with a positive outcome. Do not highlight any acts of aggression or underhandedness on your part, and leave out any personal issues you may have had with the person involved. An example answer is given below which demonstrates the interviewees professionalism and culminates in a positive outcome which are the two most important factors when answering:

“I worked closely with Ann who, for the most part, always carried her fair share of the workload. During a stressful time, working on a project with a deadline, I realised Ann's contributions to the project were almost minimal. I made the decision to wait until after the project to speak with her. I'm glad I did, because I learned she'd been going through a very tough time in her personal life and she appreciated my willingness to go the extra mile so the project was completed on time. As a result, she felt better for explaining her uncharacteristic lack of effort and our ability to work well together from that point on significantly increased”.