5 rules for asking better interview questions

Wow, fantastic weblog structure! How lengthy have you been blogging for? you made running a blog look easy. The total look of your site is excellent, let alone the content material!

I have been trying to get a job with the Department of Human Services (DHS) as a case manager type position. I have the 4-year degree, however no actual work experience in the field, however I have prior law enforcement experience, which I can see goes hand in hand with the type of work I would be doing. I have had a couple interviews with DHS, where the interviews are a "group" interview, multiple applicants interviewing for 1 or 2 positions. All the other applicants have actual experience working in the DHS/case manager field. How do I stand out more with lack of experience, but strong knowledge from the law enforcement side, and my degree?

"I know that international sales are important, so how much of the company’s revenues are derived from overseas, is that percentage growing, declining or stable, do international tariffs present difficulties, and how will currency fluctuations impact the mix?"

No interviewer should be expected to take on such a complicated question
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Sorry to disagree. I can agree that it's a multiple questions but should not be complicated or difficult for the interviewer. If the interviewer does not know, it shows the company hired incompetence to do the job hiring. That's red flag! There is a saying 'What management say is not what it does". The greater the gap, the greater the perception of poor management and low morale.You don't want to work for such company. Interviews should be a two way inquiry. Be smart. Ending up in a lousy company will end in a lousy job and eventually lead to where it started - searching for another job b/cos of job dissatisfaction, company on decline and restructure to layoff, dead end job,low morale, etc.

Suggestions: When inquiring about the job, think like a lawyer. Ask one question at a time. Ask leading questions. If you don't like what you hear, that's a red flag! Be yourself. You are looking for a career, not a job. That means long term commitment and one that you like, enjoy and good at. You do better and work well under that conditions. If you are looking for a job, the interviewer can smell your scent a mile away b/cos s(he) does this "everyday". If you take the interview like an examination and pass, you may still not like the job and find yourself in a vicious cycle to repeat the process all over again. Be careful for you wish for, you may not like it. Interviewers are employees, not god. They look to hire the cheapest with maximum productive output, They also make mistakes and play office politics too. It's inevitable. As a job seeker, you don't want to fall into this trap and get caught in a vicious cycle. Many job seekers develop loss of confidence, despair and desperate. Don't let interviewer gets under you skin, destroy your confidence and infected you with their office politics. Bottom line: There are good and bad interviewers, like evrything else.

Seriously, this Susan Jones from northport, al is suffering worst karma ever bc of her worst, unacceptable behavior as an adult as she should know better to not do! She unnecessarily screaming at trivial things, complaining about everyone and posing as a trusted person when she herself openly maliciously gossips of others, makes illegal demands, outright lies and breaks promises and is utmost ungrateful no matter what good is offered to her. She remembered as the worst delinquent, delusional female who full of major issues herself as to why she sickly blames others for utmost minor, trivial things clearly and is very erratic, childish! The world must and shall be a better pplace without worst, unacceptable pillars of evil like her who are not worth being around anything or anyone in life! It is a must nobody ever regards her or stoops to her lowest level as she is remembered as a rotten-one sided sociopath like Amy Bishop, Loughner! Swear it is such a misfortune ever meeting or regarding anyone like Susan Jones who shows no respect to begin with and clearly doesn't want to listen or cooperate to begin with with her usual way of talking or actions overtly and also her signs of shadiness! Why the hell would anyone ever hire a girl like this w/ no sensitivity, people skills, ethics and who is full of extreme obsessive, rigidity and ego who extreemly nit-picky and at worst has no regard for laws when off-site from work and openy gossips in the workplace! Swear to god she herself taints her image and destroys her credibility from her clear worst unacceptable and indecent acts and qualities as an adult in her late 20s! How to always avoid the clear worst terrorist like enemy like her who doesn't want to make peace or is full of irrational hate with words not aligning with her actions, gestures or body language!~!!!!!!!!!!!!! In life it is never worth regarding or knowing such adverse like these who don't cooperate, try to bring down and do bad no matter how much nice, good one is to them or tries to cooperate!

Susan Jones from Nortport, Alabama who attended UA-Tuscaloosa, Huntingdon, and Tuscaloosa County High is the worst abnormal inhumane curse ever who is the worst, evil female with worst upbringing and past and such a curse to be born as her former employers say about her after she has been canned and left! She is proven as the worst, most insecure crazy lying and hypocrite and poser who spends a lot of time making up stories, excuses and covering crap up rather than clearly use her mind and do right, act professional and act as a mature decent adult as so expected! She is seen proven clearly as the worst evil female bully with being a past alcoholic who has no regard for rules or laws and discriminates against anyone sickly and is a white racist and sociopath! Hospice Complete in Alabama must never ever hire or tolerate any worst covert or overt scumbag like this ever and top management there must not consist of a single bully, harasser, dictator or backstabber ever and even if they are all good they must not tolerate anyone below with any worst, unacceptable qualities of discrimination, insensitivity harassment or unstable behavior! Seriously, this behavior is to never be tolerated at all anywhere..duh and never in a hospice! Seriously, it is not worth suffering more bad karma bc of clear, worst scumbags like Susan Jones ever hired even if she canned and Susan Jones is known as the worst psycho and perpetrator who has no rt to complain of others when she is clearly full of worst, unacceptable behavior to start with and known for always blaming others to cover up her worst self!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You cannot diliberately hide information that may hamper your ability to perform your duties in your job. However an employer cannot ask you specifically about any disablilties you may have. They can ask you if you feel you have any reason why you cannot do your assigned duties to which you can reply no if there is no legitimate reason your seizures would cause you to not be able to do your job.

It is kinda a catch 22, they can't say something like "do you have seizures" but they can say "are there any reasons you cannot fulfill all the tasks required of you" to which you should not lie.

They require your date of birth and social to run a proper background and/or credit check.

Darlene - I notice that they can be subtle about the age thing by requiring you to put down the year you graduated from high school. Add 17 or 18 years to that, and they have your age. With all the required fields on online applications you cannot proceed without an answer. They can claim that they did not ask your age, but you know they have by asking for that information rather than just asking if you graduated from high school.

Hi, I quit my job because i did not like the job I was assigned to do it. I hurt my arm working and they sent me to another area. Instead of going up i felt like i was going down. All the recruters ask me the same question"why you quit ? how should i answer?? pls i need your help.

Michael,

You do not have to disclose that information during an interview, and shouldn't. the fact that you haven't been hired might not have anything to do with it...it might be something like they are put off by your full disclosure so early.

Hello! I really like about this text. I'm a brazilian men and I will use this strategy in my next job interview! Thank's Kate Lorenz, it's a great tips!

No, it is NOT OK to answer the question, "Why should I hire you?" with the response, "If you don't, your competitor will." First of all, it's unoriginal; second, if it were true, you'd already have a job. It's best to be prepared to answer the question (since you know it'll be asked) by doing a self-assessment prior to your interview. Ask yourself such questions as: What skills and experience can I bring to the position that are UNIQUE (not the same things that everyone else will also be offering) and beneficial? What contributions did I make in other positions that had a significant positive impact? Can I bring new perspective to the position that would enhance my level of performance beyond what would be expected? When you answer theses types of questions, you indicate to the interviewer that not the "same old same old," and that you're forward thinking.

Andrea:

As a longtime hiring executive, I believe absolutely that you are fine making that statement. However, be careful how you make it, in terms of tone. I would deliver that message with humor, to insure that it is not perceived as mercenary by the interviewer. No one wants to call someone in for an interview and have their competitors thrown in their face. Using a little humor, you will convey the confidence that you intend, without the risk of offending.
Good luck!

These 5 rules are very important for me.Good idea .

I have learned never to offer any more health related info than you have to. It will be used against you, even subconsciously by the interviewer/potential boss. I am hard of hearing and have diabetes, and I have seen the 'look' on the faces of interviewees when they realize I have a hearing disability. I cannot even begin to quote the statements that have been made to me, all against discrimination laws, but they still come out. If you do get hired, everything you do, especially mistakes, will be seen in the light of your 'disability'.

You focused on the fact they have a watermarked photo? Does that really somehow diminish the content of the article? I guess bravo for attention to detail, but now if we can work on focus....

someone help I cant find a job! my email dilshad40@hotmail.com

Cindy - you so nailed it!!!! Heck, You should be a recruiter.

You definately need to have at least three questions in your hip pocket. Many websites give you tips in this regard...just google it. The questions need to be open questions about the company or the position you are applying for; example: How did this position become available? (was the person promoted/fired???

In a world where one has to compete with botox, breast implants, nosejobs etc., how does one get paid for merit ? ... the fake boobs and blubber lips always get the job - then these bimbos "delegate" ..."the boss wants you to do this or that right away...etc. etc.." any room for values and making money the old fashioned way - thru hard work... Looking for honest pay for honest work....

actually, the sentence you provided was an imperative sentence. interrogative sentences always end in a question mark. Commands are imperative, and your sentence was a command.

Print friendly without the blog and advertisements would have been real nice.

As an older interviewee, usually with more experience than the interviewer, how does one avoid appearing as a threat the interviewer?

have a interview tomorrow and its for a electrical contractor.what are some questions i can ask him with total confidence?i havn't worked in this field for 15 years.

Darlene--actually asking for a date of birth is not illegal. Employers need it when doing a background check and social security check--to make sure the social security number matches your name and date of birth. Otherwise, you might not be who you say you are. I have to do this at my job all the time. I've had people use stolen social security numbers!

I never know exactly which questions to ask because sometimes there really are none. I also don't know if my questions are appropriate or not but I've decided to ask open ended questions about training and so forth that the hiring company may want me to accomplish. Unfortunately I haven't been hired yet but these types of questions seem to be getting me further into the interview process. About the editing...I'm a chef but am increasingly thinking about changing my career to editor. I'm constantly being advised to proofread my resume for spelling and grammatical errors yet every article I read about how to land a job contains 1 or several more of these mistakes. What gives?

Is John Kador half retarded? I'm apalled by his stupidity in this article. First of all, the article starts with this: "With the addition of 573,000 nonfarm payroll jobs since December, American workers are feeling more optimistic about their employment prospects. Those who had all but given up their job searches have started to re-enter the job market, which accounted for the rise in the unemployment rate in April despite the job growth." Yeah, ok. Sure. Those "jobs" are because the calendar got around to being summertime, and minumum wage at the local lake selling ice cream for 2 months classifies as a "created job" according to the Obama Administration. Most imortantly, these great words of advice from Mr. Kador are important if you're applying for one of these said jobs. If you're applying for an actual job on a professional level with a real career in miind, I'd do some further research.

Here you go

I will be interviewing people tomorrow, and I must say, if you came into my office determined to interview me instead of letting me interview you, if you forced me into a lot of "yes" answered questions, and if you asked me about my kid's photo on my desk, I would dislike being manipulated and would tend to distrust you. Instead, try to be like Tee said: be a nice person, be polite and confident (not obnoxious) with your potential boss, and listen to what is being said. Prepare ahead of time, so that you know about the company and the position. Think of a few key points that you would like to bring up in conversation, then just relax. Most bosses are people, too. A good interview should be a good conversation.

@Andrea.

I would never say that the competitor will hire you if they don't. That sounds cocky and like an ultimatum. What I say are things like "Aside from my qualifications, this company is really exciting and when I get excited about an opportunity like this, I become driven to exceed." I would say anything that makes them sound like it's a dream to work for that company or to do what they're providing for their customers. Or you can say that the work environment is the type that you've been looking for and that type of environment promotes the best in you. Don't bring up another company unless they are a former employer or if you are negotiating your salary and another company made a better offer.

Why does everyone have to have lofty career ambitions? My late father was an elementary administrator for 15 years at the same school, all on 1 year contracts. He always asked for the vote, it was always 6-0. Another man worked at the feed mill, he brought your bags of feed to you after you paid for them. He retired from the same job that he started.

In my last job, I was hired on as a route salesman, and the only thing I wanted to do besides that, was part time merchandising when it became available. Had to continually put up with new hires who were trying to advance, had to intervene personally with management in a couple of cases to insure that the incompetents did not become bosses.

And thank the good Lord. I am Retired. Looking for a Job now is Crap! And all they ask and want. Dream on... It is like.What Color are you. Can you speek this and that?
Not English any more.
Can you work 60 70 Hrs a week. Take more your work?
Can you, Can you, can you. I say hell no!
And really you can keep it.....

Sorry, none of this will help you out. With the Zero Jobs. And the Osball Nation.
If you ask this Crap. Out the door you go.....

You should never tell an interviewer about a disability on a first interview. Also, they are legally not allowed to ask about such a thing. (Only if it is something visible will they know before a decision is made.) It's the same sort of thing as age, race, gender, etc. If you are hired for the job, it's up to you to let them know -or not - about the condition. I have been in the position where I've felt I should tell my supervisor after the work has begun. My seizures are infrequent and generally occur outside of work hours (and, unfortunately, I have no warnings); my bosses have been quite "generous."

@Nora: Ask about what a typical day in the position will be like. or some other question that allows them to tell you more about the position. We just wrapped up a round of interviews and that was a common question, one we appreciated. You don't want to ask questions that are all about you. The interviewers are focused on their needs. The more you can show yourself as meeting their needs, the better. For the first interview, anyway, the questions should be about the job description, balance of duties, etc.

We recently had someone ask the "What reservations do you have about hiring me?" question, which was really powerful. The entire committee was taken aback--in a good way. It showed guts and confidence. The flip-side of it is that it raised some negatives. We ended up talking about our reservations, but the candidate answered well and got the job, actually. I recommend it if you think you are a good fit for the job---like a really good fit. If you have things you want to hide or gloss over, skip it.

@Maggie-- Age doesn't matter. (or doesn't where I am, anyway). We brought in a wide range of ages for interviews, recently. The key is figuring out what the employer wants and deciding if you have what they want. One caution. I don't know your history, but if you previously held an upper-level job and you are now looking at a variety of jobs, be aware of your tone. Do you sound like someone who is used to being the boss? If you are looking to take a job that is more junior and part of a team, be sure to tone down anythying that could raise questions about your ability to be a team player. It's all about fit.

Age is typically required to verify that you are of legal working age (18 or 21 depending on the position). Not typically for any other reason. Another thing to consider is that the person interviewing you has likely NOT had any formal training in finding, interviewing, or hiring talent. In many cases actually, people surround themselves with people who they can relate to and not always the best candidate for the job opening. That is why it is important to ask questions during the interview and find out a little bit about the history of the persons you'll be working for and express your interest in furthering your career.

In an "ideal" world where all people love and support each other this would not be an issue. But what we have here is a world of "reality" and employers would not want this responsibility. There's a huge difference between what the EEOE statement says and what really happens. There's also a huge difference between what you'll have said to your face and behind your back. I'd keep it quiet, because it's easier to prove discrimination if they fire you for your seizures than it is to prove discrimination for not hiring you.

I like your program. please keep it up ok. and i wiill like to be one of ur subscriber

I like ur program!!! keep it up. and i will like to be one of your subcriber

Nora,
I am recruiter, have been for 20+ years. I teach the people to ask a "behavior based question" of the interviewer relevent to the position. (there are tons of examples on line. )

Never ever ask a "me" question...

Think of the intervew process like a pendulum at the beginning it is ALL about the companies need. As such, everything you say needs to link your exp to that need. Additionally the best way to answer questions is by relaying stories from your past behavior a good format to phrase these answers is to outline the Circumstance/situation - what Actions you took - and then the Results. before you even go on the interview write down some C.A.R responses to common questions - you will see a dramatic difference in your interviews.

anyway...it is imperative that it is the company that makes the shift of the pendulum toward your needs...When they do...you'll know they are interested

Maggie,
You said it best yourself - you ARE a good candidate for 'the long run' because you are from the generation that was raised to be responsible, reliable and to stay with a job even when it lost its luster. As Barbara mentioned, younger people tend to job-hop to find something 'worthy' of themselves or something they really want to do. Some employers want the youngsters, perceiving them are more trainable and cheaper, but I've found that employers also want people who will not walk out after a year or two. Good luck to you.

The interviews I have had are positions I would love to have, but I want to know why are companies asking for date of birth when it is illegal? I have had this when signing for background information data and taking a test before I start. I feel like I am not getting offers because of my age. If you leave it blank and they have your SS that should be sufficient right?

I would not ask about your medical condition until being offered the job. At that point I would not state it as a question but just inform them of your condition.

I have been told to always finish the interview saying "Do you have any concerns about me in this position that I could address?" If they say, no, that's great. If they give a concern, you now have an opportunity to explain yourself better or explain how you are working on that, etc. It gives you a second chance before you walk out of the interview.