Interview Q's: The Dirty Dozen

1. Tell me about yourself.

• Education
• Work experience/strengths
  
• A bridging statement to the current job
  

2. What are your strengths?

• Intellect
• Knowledge/experience
• Personality
• Motivation

3. What are your major weaknesses or limitations?

• Weaknesses that mirror your assets
• Weaknesses that can be easily remedied
  

4. What are your financial requirements?

• Money talks but don't talk about money

5. Why are you leaving/did you leave your current/last position?


6. What are your career goals for the next 3/5 years?

• Your drive and ambition
• Your goals vs. organizational goals

7. What kind of position are you looking for?

• Your understanding of the position?
• Highlight your strengths

8. Doesn't this job represent a step down from the level of your work now?

• Their concern: stop-gap measure? Your answer: your commitment
• Make it convincing: Your gain in broadened experience/branching out

9. What was your most significant accomplishment in your last job?

• Your baby with highly positive impact

10. Describe a time when you failed.

• Constructive learning experience
• Helped you acquire new skills
• Revealed strengths you did not know

11. How would you describe your management/supervisory style?

• Be honest
• Align with the organization
• Play it safe

12. How would you approach this job?

• Recognize that you need time to survey the new world
• Try to visualize yourself in the assignment
• Focus on first steps but not major problems