15. What for you are the most important factors of an employee’s responsibility towards the organization?
These include constantly bringing your best abilities to do the work at hand, putting your time to productive use, being loyal to the company, being a good team player, valuing the work relationship, and being passionate about the products and services the company is offering.
16. Why do you want to leave your current job and join us?
You may have to answer this question either in the company’s application form or at the interview. Be ready with a good answer. You might say something like this: “This company is known all over the country/world and I would like to work for you.” Whenever possible, it is a good idea to come to a consensus with your current employer as to your reasons for leaving, as the new company might approach them to enquire about you. Again put the information you have gathered by research to good use. Your effort should be to show how your skills and talents match with the company. If you can impress on the interviewer that this is just the opportunity you have been looking for, great. Give several points as to how you can add value to the company. Do not give downgrade the previous employer if asked your reasons for leaving the job. This reflects badly on you. You should come across as a positive, and enthusiastic individual who can be of value to the organization for many years to come. Ideally, you should put across a sincere, long-term interest in the company- this creates the impression that you are not just job-hopping.
17. Tell us about what motivates you.
This is something only you can frame an answer to. It is helpful to look into your past. What were the times and occasions when you were highly charged? When was the time when you were not motivated? Looking into these situations helps to bring forth a concrete answer.
18. What are the essential qualities that make a good team player?
It is better to answer this question taking the work context. What is the overall environment of the organization- what kind of work does it do? Is the organization framework very strong? Is the work atmosphere informal? Are the teams permanent or temporary? A person’s individual idea of a good team member might be different from what the organization needs. Your aim is to present yourself as a good team member who meets the specific parameters of the organization. A lot also depends on where you are in the structure- are you a new member, a team leader or in a support position? Consider all these factors before you answer this question. Also study what are the specific problems the company is facing in its team building and how you can contribute to solve them. You need to make yourself into a good fit into the team and ensure cooperation from others.
19. Why should we hire you for this position?
The answer to this question must be ready in your mind even before you submit your resume and prepare the cover letter. Do your homework by researching into the organization and the job. What are the requirements. Next, take stock of your own skills, experiences and interests. Which of these are matching with what the company needs? In other words, how can you add value to the company? Now form a strategy as to how you will prove that you are suitable for the job. Have concrete examples of your contributions to the previous employers and show enthusiasm for the job you are interviewing for. Remember that you are at the interview to offer solutions to some specific problems/requirements of the organization.
20. What is your salary now?
This is a tricky question. The good side is that you have come to a stage where the company is going to make an offer to you. This is a good opportunity to discuss salary. In case you are pressed to disclose your current salary, it is better to mention ranges or a total package rather than go for an exact figure. You can say something like the current package is on the higher side of five figures. Some employers might ask to see your salary slip or some such proof, therefore be sure not to lie. This punctures your credibility. It is better to show that you are willing to take a step back as an investment in this new career. This is an area where you should market yourself well. It is important to show why you like the job and how you are suited for it- the compensation is important, but not your first consideration.
21. What do you consider as a reasonable starting salary with us?
Ideally you should stay away from talking about compensation till the company makes an offer. However this does not happen in many situations and the company tries to figure out your price tag, so to say. This question might be used as a filter, so you need to give a response. Research can help you here. How is the general pay rate for this job? Have you checked out other ads for similar jobs? Now consider your experience level and see if your experience matches this pay range. This can work as an indicator to calculate how much you can ask for.
It is also important to present your estimate in the right manner. If you don’t have all the relevant information about the job so that you can present a reasonable range, say it and ask for what you need to know. “Before we can talk about salary, I would like to know how many people will be reporting to me and what their experience and skill levels are”. It is also possible to ask in a straightforward manner how other people in the same position are paid in this organization. Try to get as much information as possible, and then present your quote in the form of a range. “Based on the information I have got now, I feel that a range of – to – would be appropriate for this position. However I am quoting this outside of your standard benefits package”. Peg this in such a way that there is some possibility of negotiation.
22. If you got a chance to get into a merry-go-round, what song would you like to play? What animal would you choose?
This is one of those off-the-beaten-track questions. The first step towards answering this is not to feel embarrassed. This means just that the interviewer is creatively oriented. Moreover this question is very much appropriate if you are interviewing for a creatively oriented job like an advertising copy writer. Enjoy the situation and go with the flow. Try to give an answer that comes from within and reflects your real personality. Be ready to explain why you chose a particular song/tune or animal. An anecdote from your experience would be a good idea. If you can’t come up with any such stories, at least give a song you have always liked and held a special meaning for you. A brief and interesting narration is what the interviewer is looking forward to. The same is true for the choice of animal. You can choose an animal you like and tell them why. It does not really matter which song or animal you choose- your explanation of your choice is what makes all the difference.
A Final Round of Tips
Okay, so now we saw some popular interview questions and some ways to tackle them. Let us finish off this session with a few general tips that help you towards success in interviews. Here are the tips.
Be punctual. Arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before the appointed time. You can in fact arrive just in time, but it is always better to reach a little early to avoid last minute tensions. This also gives you some time to relax and collect yourself.
Be courteous from the word go. This applies to the way you interact with the reception, other people who have come for the interview as well as the interview board itself.
It is very common for the company to leave some of their material like in-house magazines in the lobby where you wait. Use your waiting time to read them.
Go for a firm handshake. However this does not mean that you have to break bones! Firm and not hard is the word.
Listen before you speak. It is very important to understand the question properly.
Use appropriate and moderate body language. This makes you appear natural and shows interest.
Do not hesitate to smile when needed. Also use nods and other non verbal feedback whenever needed.
Get your queries about the next step clarified before you leave.
Thank the interviewer before leaving.
Send a thank- you letter or email after the interview as a follow up.
Research These
There are the important aspects you need to research before appearing for an interview. These include the important products and services of the company, size (sales volumes, number of employees and turnover), geographical locations where the company has its presence, the organizational structure and major competitors. It is great if you can get to see the perspectives of the company’s clients, suppliers and competition. Another major area is recent news about the company and news reports about events that affect the company.
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