Frequently Asked Interview Questions

Presented below are some FAQs and their suggested answers. Once again, remember there is no right answer or wrong answer. The winner only gives the best answer out of all the other candidates. Below listed are some of commonly asked questions and their answers as per a wide survey of successful candidates. The reader can use these as a template and build upon each answer based on the position and their own personal experience.

Q1: Tell me about yourself. OR Tell me something not mentioned in your resume.

Ans: My background to date has been focused on preparing myself to become the very best at this job. I have done this by studying (mention latest academic qualifications) and working (mention any internship or work experience). This has helped me matching myself ideally to the position that you have open and I am confident I am a good fit. My skills will help you to save training time and result in quick efficiency.

Q2: Why should we hire you? OR Why did you apply for this job?

Ans: Because I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. Compared to the other with similar academic qualifications, I have an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job—my attitude for excellence. I can add tremendous value to a project as I have already experienced the potential problems and can help avoid time and resource wastage. I am not just saying this but have also demonstrated it by doing (mention any commendation, recommendation from an important person or award that you have received)

Q3: What is your long-range objective? Where do you want to be 10 or 15 years from now?

Ans: I have given this much thought and feel that ideally, I would like to break up my career in 5-year spans. Within the next five years I want to develop an operational expertise in my profile by gaining valuable filed experience. Based on this, in the next ten years, I would like to move onto a managerial role leading teams and thereon build on my leadership skills. I would like to be a part of winning teams throughout my career and would focus learning and training as necessary supplement to my job.

Q4: How has your education prepared you for your career?

Ans: As Mark Twain said: I have not let my studies interfere with my education (say this with a smile). I have taken courses and electives in my academic career keeping my desired profile and interests in mind. I also volunteered for being part of the fete organizing committee and was in the student's council. I have been a part of the NGO for teaching children. I was fortunate to study under some of the best academic teachers and professors and through them I have learn the value of applied knowledge. I am eager to test out this knowledge now at your organization.

Q5: Are you a team player? Do you like working in a team or solo?

Ans: I feel no single person alone can succeed in life. Behind success of every person lies the contribution of their team, network and family. I believe in teamwork. All through my academic and professional career I have volunteered to organize events. This has been possible only through working in teams. I also enjoy training people and creating teams. Teamwork and team integration are essential skills for a leader and I displayed the same recently (give a good example of how you completed a project within budget and before deadline through teamwork)

Q6: Have you ever had a conflict or problems with your boss or teachers? How was it resolved?

Ans: Yes, I have been in conflict situations in the past. In fact, I feel not all the conflict is bad. For example, in my previous organization, my boss and I had a disagreement on a particular team members role. But we eventually sat and discussed the problem without getting personal. Both of us displayed the maturity and found a win-win solution. That's the benefit of conflict. It also enables us to see another's point of view and find multiple solutions to a problem together.

Q7: What is your biggest strength

Ans: I feel my ability to understand people and technology is my biggest strength. I feel the future lies in a blend of the two and one is incomplete without the other. It's not just B to B or B to C. It's all about P to P i.e. People to People. This is my strength and it enables me to get along and work with people from different verticals and skill sets. I also like to read and in fact read the newspaper and latest blogs related to my field. My favorite blogger or writer or newspaper or book is (mention a specific name that you are totally familiar with)

Q8: What is your greatest weakness?

Ans: I would say my greatest weakness has been my tendency to overcommit to others in terms of time. I have in the past put my entire energy and time into doing a task on hand with the result that other projects were delayed. However, after receiving the necessary feedback I have invested in a time management tool (give the example of an app or productivity method or technology that you use).

Q9: How do other describe you? Or What do your colleagues say about in your previous job?

Ans: Dependable and professional is how most people describe me whether it is my superiors or colleagues. I believe in technology as a huge enabler and others to reach out to me for the latest in tech and current affairs. I am a high-energy person and others too have commented on my ability to keep going even in deadline oriented environments. My recommendations on LinkedIn and other media show these traits. Could I show you..? (if asked show them this information)

Q10: What is the worst feedback you have ever got?

Ans: I was told that I need to brush upon my presentation skills. I took immediate action and enrolled in a good Public Speaking training program. This enabled me to overcome my weakness in a short time.

Q11: What are the qualities of a good Leader or Manager?

Ans: A Good leader is a perfect mix of IQ and EQ i.e Emotional Intelligence. Proactiveness and Empathy are the two must-have qualities of a good leader. By being proactive the leader can anticipate potential problems and conflicts and take action. Empathy is displayed by good communication skills whereby the leader is approachable and surrounded by good professionals and teams. The manager thus becomes a good role model. One such leader is (give an example of a leader that you admire.)

Q12: What are your biggest accomplishments of your life? Or accomplishments of the past job?

Ans: "Although I feel my biggest accomplishments are still ahead of me, I am proud of (mention a project or paper or task that you did successfully in the past for which you have received a recommendation. Ensure that this project or task relates directly to the position that you are applying for currently)

Q13: How do you explain changing so many jobs? Or a big gap in your employment history? Or Being terminated from your last position particularly when that position gave you the skills that you'll need to succeed in your career field?

Ans: I agree I have changed several organizations in the past. Or changed my vertical or job profile in the past. It was a learning phase for me and Key thing is I have learned a lot from this experience. I was searching for a profile or organization which utilized my skills to the fullest and finally feel that your organization will give me this opportunity. I have made mistakes in the past but I can assure you that I have learnt from these mistakes and have no intention of repeating them. In fact, I would be glad to share my experiences with others so that they can avoid costly mistakes.

Q14: Why did you leave your last job?

Ans: At the time of joining there I was put in a team of my interest. The work and profile were interesting and I was learning a lot. But over a period of time, I was shifted to another team where I continued to work and perform. However, that was not related to my chosen field and I felt my skills getting unused. A sense of stagnation was building up and I had several interactions with the management who were unable to help me. In this scenario we agreed that it was best that I looked at opportunities outside the company

Q15: Does that mean you don't like change? OR Are you willing to change your project/profile when required?

Ans: I absolutely like change and in fact welcome it. I am open to work in other locations or profiles if the situation demands it. As a team player I would give my best to whichever team I am assigned. If my manager is communicating with me and likewise me with them, then it's a perfect situation as I know that my knowledge and skills will be utilized to the fullest.

Q16: What is the Salary that you expect? Or Do you have any other offer at hand?

Ans: I am very confident that the salary offered is as per my experience and qualifications. Your organization has reputation for salaries, which are as per industry standard and beyond. I have no doubt it will be a win - win for both of us. I do have some other offers and have had preliminary interactions with them but i am very keen on the position offered by you.

Checklist for the Interview-Preparation

Before you appear for the interview, please go through this checklist and answer each question. Be honest with yourself as that may influence the manner in which you answer questions in the actual interview. It will also help in being prepared and do wonders for your self-confidence.

1. Have you done research on the organization?
2. Have you determined why you want to apply for that post?
3. What do you know about the post for which you are being interviewed?
4. Can you convince someone that you are the best candidate for that post?
5. What do other people say about that organization?
6. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
7. What are your salary expectations?
8. Are you willing to relocate, travel on the job, work in other profiles, etc.?
9. If changing jobs, what information is important to you in making a decision about this job change?
10. What questions do you plan to ask the interviewer either about the job, financials or any other issue?

Power Tips for Success in the Interview

1. KISS: Keep it Short & Simple. Remember, be short, be brief and be interesting. No long lectures on your past or strengths. No one likes a bore! It should not take more than 90-120 seconds to answer a question.
2. Match your Strengths: With those of the organization's requirements. Find the fit between yourself and the position and tell the interviewer same. Don't assume that they will know this. Tell them!
3. Teamwork: Speak like you are part of their team. Talk about the organization, what you know about them, how excited you are at the prospect of being part of their winning teams. Show enthusiasm.
4. Look Feel and Behave confident: Your dress and voice should match with the organizations culture. Image is often as important as content. Don't wear a heavy deodorant or cologne. Dress as per the company's culture but one level higher than required. For example, if the company employee wears jeans and t-shirts to work, dress in a formal pant and shirt for the interview. Here a tie or jacket is not required.
5. Ask questions. This tells the interviewer that you are confident and curious. The types of questions you ask and the way you ask them can make a huge impression on the recruiter. Remember that Good questions require advance preparation.
6. Thank you note: Keep an interview journal. As soon as possible, after the interview send a thank you message to the recruiter or the company for giving you the opportunity. Then write a brief summary of what happened. Note any follow-up action you should take and put it in your calendar.
7. Sell yourself: As if you are the product and the company is the buyer. Just like any other sale, the product has to be packaged and sold in the most pleasing and efficient manner. It is the same with job interviews.
8. Know your Resume: You have to be the master of your own resume. Role-play each and every point in your resume with your friends and family and ask them to grill you any gaps, terminations, short periods of employments etc. You have to memorize the dates mentioned in your resume by heart.

Making the Presentation

Successful presentations are nothing but ways of presenting information to influence and convince others into believing what you want them to believe. A good presentation is much more than a bunch of slides thrown together. Often presentations fail because of the presenter's lack of preparation or ability to connect with the audience. The lack of effort and commitment shows in a hurriedly made presentation and this can adversely affect careers and relationships. Effective Public Speaking and Presentation Skills require to ensure that your message actually appeals to your audience and that they are motivated enough after listening to you to actually do something about it.

 COPTA-The Powerful Presentation Method

A presentation is generally the most effective mode of communication with a group of people as it allows the 'presenter' to interact personally with the 'audience'. Even if it is through the medium of video rather than face-to-face, still presentations are personal events. The audience in turn has the opportunity to interact with the presenter on their topic. This makes it essential for individuals to make that presentation count, to be passionate and motivating to get the desired results.

A good presentation is result oriented as it focuses on the outcome as much as the actual delivery.

COPTA is a very impactful and powerful technique to ensure that the presentation is made and delivered effectively. A good presentation needs to be a COPTA presentation. Use the COPTA method as a checklist to ensure that the presentation is complete and delivers the message in the most exciting and imaginative manner. COPTA stands for:

• C= Connect
• O = Organize
• P= Prepare
• T = Time
• A = Appearance

1 Connect

Connect with the audience is the rapport that you share with them. That personal connection which makes your audience feels that you are one of them and you want to better their lives in some way by informing, educating, displaying, launching or whatever the purpose of the presentation is.

Connection with the audience is very important. Different people need to be handled in different ways. The following are some fundamentals, which need to be kept in mind irrespective of the audience we address.

1. Audiences and their expectations vary widely. Knowing this will help in making the presentation more personal.
2. Knowing the number of people in the audience, their background, seniority level, cultural and economic make up.
3. The level of expertise of the audience ensures that the information is not too detailed neither is it too basic.
4. What are the inter-group politics or dynamics?
5. Who are the key decision makers?

Throughout the presentation, try to put yourself in the audience's shoes. Ask not 'What do I want to say?', Rather 'what do I want them to hear?'. A client does not want to hear the obvious features of your product. They want to hear the benefits of your product. Once you make the connection between the product and their lives, the sale is made.

Convince your listeners

Don't talk to Inform…Talk to Convince

Your goal in any presentation is actually very simple: you must convince your audience to act upon your message or adopt your point of view. The four rules of reaching that goal are:

• Grab their attention
• Make it easy for them to understand you
• Establish common ground for agreement
• Show them how your message benefits them

Case in Point: If you want your audience to quit smoking you have to give them good reasons. And just by saying that Smoking is bad, no one will be convinced. Instead by showing graphic visuals of people with cancer due to smoking, alarming statistics and giving some personal examples, the audience realizes how close they are to premature death if they don't quit. Scare them into quitting! Use that as a technique rather than giving information and figures which don't resonate with them.

Your Presentation must be Personal, but the benefits must be universal.

We must define aim and objectives accurately and write them down. The outcome that we desire from the presentation will determine our ability to relate to the audience. Our audience will have some objectives too. It is our duty as speakers to fulfill those objectives

Handling Difficult Questions from audience who are still not convinced

Most speakers like to present and sit down without having to face the audience again. However, your audience will need more convincing, especially if they have questions and queries. It is the duty of every speaker to answer their audience queries to their satisfaction

The 3 biggest fears of a speaker regarding questions are:

1. Having to Answer every question
2. Not knowing the correct answer
3. Losing Your Control

What to do when someone asks you a question?

1. Welcome questions - Don't be apprehensive. Be ready for the fact that you will be asked questions, so be prepared accordingly.
2. E.A.R = Remember this: EMPATHIZE * ACKNOWLEDGE * RESPOND
3. Set the Ground rules: Don't allow yourself to be interrupted in your main presentation. Inform the audience at the beginning that you will take questions and answer them after the end of your presentation.
4. Repeat the Question: to give yourself time to think of a reply
5. Analyze the question for: Content · Intent · The actual person asking
6. If you don't know the answer, don't lie. Instead, tell them you will find out later and let them know. And make sure to do that once the presentation is over.

2 Organize

Every presentation must have 3 parts:

• Introduction
• The Middle
• The Conclusion

While this may sound very obvious or basic, it is surprising how often presentations get spoilt due to lack of proper organization. The solution lies in using the Talk Organization Formula (TOF)

The Talk Organization Formula

Also known as the Magic Formula, it is an excellent guide for speech organization. This is very helpful due to the fact that as the speaker you are the driver who has to take the audience on a journey. The driver cannot be lost or take the long route, as this will make the audience bored or negative. Instead, the speaker must show that the speech or presentation is a logical flow of ideas. This gets the speaker credibility and respect.

The Talk organization formula enables you to:

1. Organize your thoughts in a logical manner.
2. Present those thoughts in a persuasive and entertaining manner.
3. Speak without having to worry about what to say next.
4. Successfully sell the benefits of any idea or product‥
5. Ensure that you don't have to struggle with your brain as to what to say next. By following a logical sequence your mind is free of tension and the words come easier.

THE FOUR PARTS OF THE FORMULA

PART 1

    ATTENTION

PART 2

    PROPOSITION

PART 3

    SOLUTION

PART 4

    BENEFITS

1. Attention
   Begin with a joke, example, story, anecdote or poem. Grab the audience's attention. Put your audience at ease and generally break the ice.
   Remember the Introduction:
   • Tell a relevant story.
   • Follow a logical chain of events.
   • Always be easy to understand.
   • Relate to the subject of the talk that will follow.
   • Always be short and sweet.
   The introduction
   • Don't jump straight into the presentation. Start with an example. Preferably from the speaker's personal experience. The example should be related to the main body of the speech that is to follow.
   • Even technical presentations should start on a lighter note with reference to a recent occurrence within the company (like a Hackathon, or Sports day) or some event that has just taken place (like a placement week) or some general comments.
   • The purpose of a good introduction is to grab the audience's attention and to hold it.
   • It also enables the speaker to relax and calm their nerves.
   • It acts as an ice-breaker with the audience and establish rapport.
   Ways to start a presentation
   • Finding something in common with the Audience.
   • Reference to recent Situation or events of common interest.
   • Challenge the audience!
   • Use an exhibit or visual aid
   • Surprise Audience with Claim or Statistic
   • Ask a rhetorical or Open-ended Question
   • Quotation or a Humorous anecdote: We may have a story which, may or may not be funny but it grabs attention in many ways. It may be a human interest preferably personal and based on real life events and ideally which happened to you.
2. Proposition
   • Tell your audience the purpose of your speech.
   • Demonstrate your technical knowledge of the subject
   • Share the features of your idea or product with them.
   • Tell them what you intend to tell them.
   • State the general situation, topic or problem that you wish to discuss.
   Answer the following questions:
   • How did that state of affairs come about?
   • How does such a problem, event, or situation occur?
     In the first part you grabbed audience's attention. In this part, hold their interest.
3. Solution
   • Give the solutions to that particular problem.
   • How can the particular situation that you are talking about- be changed?
   • What can be done to bring about positive changes in that particular situation?
   • Show the audience that you are a master of your subject.
     Your conviction and commitment to your topic should become apparent by the fact that you have concrete solutions, which you should articulate and explain.
4. Benefits
   Every person thinks about their own self-interest. A good speaker recognizes this and appeals to the audience's Dominant Self Interest Motive-DSIM. Once the audience sees the benefit of the proposition, they start getting convinced.
   Answer the following questions which your audience has in their minds, irrespective of the topic:
   • How will the solutions you have outlined help us in any way?
   • Why should we listen to you and your point of view?
     • This is the most important part of public speaking because here you put your entire speech in context.
     • You have taken up your audience's time. Justify yourself by telling them WHY they should act upon what you are suggesting. Always leave people wanting and asking for more.

Case in Point: Sample Speech based on the Talk Organization Formula

Topic: Sports in India

Example: Talk about famous Sportspeople of India: Sania Mirza, PV Sindhu, Virat Kohli, Abhinav Bindra, etc.

Proposition: Why does India not produce large amount of sportspeople? We are responsible, We are not a sporting nation, we don't run or play, no sports culture in the country, poor facilities, no money in sport-Youth has different aspirations from previous generations.

Solution: Be active-love your body-involve youth, like other countries have talent nurturing programmers starting in schools, more exposure-love your country.

Benefits: Healthy, happy nation, alternate careers, more opportunity for retired sportspeople, more money, Laurels for the country.

3 Preparation

Good Preparation shows in the ease with which the audience can relate to your presentation and consequently the ease with which the speaker can present. A presentation without struggle, strain or stress is an ideal presentation that the speaker has prepared well.

Tips for using PowerPoint and Similar Software

1. Font: Use large, legible font. Preferably 20 pt., Calibri, Helvetica or Times New Roman.
2. Heading: Every slide to have a Heading in a bigger font, separated by the main body.
3. Images: Use illustrations on all slides. But too much artwork will distract rather than attract.
4. Transition: Use simple 'fly in' or 'appear' for transitions between slides
5. Background: white with a dark color font, preferably dark navy blue.
6. Organization: One idea only per slide
7. The 6 × 7 rule
   1. No more than 6 lines per slide
   2. No more than 7 words per line
8. Animations: use 'fly in' to have the text appear one at a time.
9. Consistency: be consistent in using bullets and numbering. Use the same type of fonts, colors, bullets and numbers across the presentation
10. Typefaces: Avoid full caps, italics and bold
11. Walk around making eye contact rather than looking at the screen.
12. Use visual aids or objects to highlight points being shown on the slides.
13. Others:
    1. Use a slide changer with a laser pointer
    2. Don't just read from the slides.
    3. Use the Presenter view option with timer.
14. Remember PowerPoint is just another tool for your presentation. It is not your presentation.

Tip: Your audience can read faster than you can speak. Putting a lot of information on the slides will divert the audience attention and they will begin to tune off from your speech and instead start reading. So, always have just a few keywords on the slide and then proceed to explain and elaborate on those keywords.

4 Timing

Have you ever sat through a speech or presentation wondering when the presenter will sit down? Presentations that are too long tend to drag on forever and bore the audience.

In presentations, being boring is a sin.

1. Time yourself while practicing to ensure that all the material has been given importance. Also, prepare yourself for the duration you will be speaking. Ask the organizers how much time you have for making your presentation
   • Practice all the visual aids and other tools beforehand, not during the presentation. Do not use any untested tool or technique that you are not familiar with as it wastes time
   • The point of satiation is reached at the peak of popularity. Every audience has a threshold beyond they will lose patience. Attention spans are limited. Hence end while you are getting a good response, not when people start yawning or looking restless!
   • Always have a watch or software clock in view
   • You'll never have enough time to say everything. So, decide what is important and end with that.
     Adherence to time shows respect for the audience and nothing can impress an audience more than being shown respect

5 Appearance

First Impressions matter a lot in effective public speaking. Your audience will often assume how you will be presenting, by the way you look. Hence it is very important to look your best. However, looking your best is not just paying attention to your clothes. It is the overall package of your body and mind. The following need to be kept in mind:

"Dress maketh a man"- Shakespeare

1. Your voice: How you say it is as important as what you say. Your voice needs to be strong, varying in pitch and volume.
2. Posture: Have a confident, erect posture, no slouching or drooping shoulders.
3. Smile: Use the power of a smile to make others feel at ease. Your smile can diffuse the most serious of situations. So, make sure you smile at appropriate times even if you are feeling nervous. Keep smiling!
4. Dress appropriately: For the occasion. Find out the dress code of the people you are addressing and blend in. A rule of thumb is to dress one level above the audience. For males, wear a tie if the audience wears pant/shirt to work; Wear a suit if it is a very formal occasion. Indian or western formals are appropriate for ladies.
5. Grooming: Has to be impeccable. Don't wear very strong cologne or perfume. Personal cleanliness and hygiene are essential in all respects.

Becoming a charismatic speaker

Q:

What is Charisma?

A.

Charisma leaves an impression on the audience, large or small, that makes them want to come back for more. A Charismatic Public Speaker is a Popular Public Speaker. People will want to hear what you speak and you in turn get the chance to become their leader.
Politicians, film actors and other celebrities have charisma. They may not have the best looks or wealth but when they speak, people stop to listen. Ex-US president Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narender Modi are classic examples.

A few simple steps to build charisma

1. Show enthusiasm: the audience's biggest excitement is your passion!
2. Avoid unnecessary criticism, condemnation or complaining: Stop being a cribber!
3. Involve your audience. Ask questions, talk to them!
4. Learn to love people. Be a people's person. A good way to cultivate this is to join a meet-up or social networking group, develop some hobbies and interests outside of your area of work.
5. Give honest and sincere appreciation and praise.
6. Be a good listener.
7. Use your common sense ;)
8. Be prepared for Murphy's Law. Things will go wrong at the worst possible moment. Always have a Plan-B ready.
9. Always give credit when quoting others or borrowing materials for making the presentation. Respect other's intellectual property. No one respects a cheater or an obvious cut-and-paste job.
10. Leave your personal problems at home when you are out 'there' in the Real world.