45 ways to ace your interview

Job search questions:

11. Why are you leaving your present job?

• Try to give positive reasons.
• Give a ‘group’ answer if possible, such as your department was consolidated or eliminated.

12. Why haven’t you found a new position before now?

• Finding a job is easy but finding the right job is more difficult. (You are being ‘selective’.)

13. Had you thought of leaving your present position before? If yes, what do you think held you there?

• Challenge, but it’s gone now.

14. What other types of jobs or companies are you considering?

• Keep your answer related to this company’s field. You want to sound focused.

15. Describe what you feel to be an ideal working environment.

• Where people are treated as fairly as possible.

16. How would you evaluate your present firm?

• An excellent company which afforded me many fine experiences.

17. What do you think of your current boss?

• Be as positive as you can and explain working with him/her was a learning experience.

18. If I spoke with your previous boss, what would he say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

• Emphasize skills - don’t be too negative about your weaknesses; it’s always safe to identify a lack of a skill or experience as a shortcoming rather than a personal characteristic.

19. Can you work under pressure and to deadline?

• Yes. Quite simply, it is a way of life in business.

20. How have you changed the nature of your job?

• Improved it...of course.

21. In your present position, what problems have you identified that had previously been overlooked?

• Keep it brief and don’t brag.

22. Don’t you feel you might be better off in a smaller/larger company? Different type of company?

• Depends on the job – elaborate slightly.

23. How do you resolve conflict on a project team?

• First discuss issues privately.

24. What was the most difficult decision you ever had to make?

• Attempt to relate your response to the prospective employment situation.