Learn How to Manage a Job Interview Successfully With Answers to Interview Questions

When you are applying for a job, preparation for the interview is important. You are more likely to be successful when you know what to expect. In the interview, the employer will try to determine if you would be a good addition to the company. Your past work experience will definitely be addressed. Be mindful of how you answer questions like, "Why did you leave your job?" Put a positive spin on everything. Your potential employer wants to hire a person with a positive attitude. Project positivity in your demeanor, facial expressions, and most importantly in the content of your interview answers. Remember that no one wants to hire a candidate with a negative attitude, insults former bosses or co-workers, or casts blame to others.

Common interview questions include:

- Have you had a challenging relationship with a co-worker or boss? Tell us about it.
- What conditions in a workplace make it hard to do your job?
- How can people tell when you are in a bad mood at work?

With these types of questions, the interviewer wants to know how you handle conflict in the workplace and if you allow personal problems to affect your job or others. Be the kind of person that people want to hire, someone with a mindset of getting along with others and that possess an ability to get a job done. He or she wants to know if you possess the ability to solve problems and handle yourself professionally.

What if someone asks you "What is your biggest weakness?" Be honest and admit that some of your abilities may not be as strong as others, but that your strengths make up for any weakness that you may have. Assure your interviewer that your weakness will not present an obstacle to you successfully doing your job.

Not all interview questions are appropriate. There are certain topics that are illegal to ask. Others while legal may leave you feeling uncomfortable. Your refusal to answer certain questions may affect how your application will proceed forward.

Illegal areas:

Nationality, Religion, Age, Marital and Family Status, Gender, Health and Physical Abilities

Sample Illegal questions:

- Are you a citizen?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- What convictions are on your record?
- May we take a picture to include with your application?
- What is your height?
- Do you smoke or use alcohol?
- Are you in the National Guard?
- What is your native language?
- Where were you born?
- What is your sexual orientation or what are your lifestyle choices?

You should familiarize yourself with a wide range of illegal job interview questions so you can be adequately prepared to give a respectful reply if you choose not to answer the question directly. For more information contact your local labor relations department for guidelines free of charge.

You do not have to answer uncomfortable questions about your private life. You can kindly inform the interviewer that you will be completely devoted to your duties at work and separate your professional and private life. If the interviewer continues to press, then you have to decide if you really want the job. What you choose to reveal is completely up to you. Know your rights beforehand. If a potential employer wants to know how you spend your free time, it may be that they expect their employees to put in a lot of extra hours. By asking certain questions, the interviewer is trying to determine if you have commitments that would stop you from working extra hours.

There are questions for the job interview that you should not ask. Listed below are a few.

Sample job interview questions you should not ask:

- May I work from home?
- When can I take time off for vacation?
- Did I get the job?
- What is the salary for this position?
- How many hours will I be expected to work each week?
- Will I need to work on weekends?
- How long would I have to wait to get promoted?
- What type of health insurance does this company offer?
- How long is lunch?
- Will I have to take a drug test?
- Does this company monitor Internet usage?

There are other questions that would be out of line as well. These are just a few to give you a general idea of what questions would be out of line to ask in the interview.

In the working world, every company has its own set of procedures, policies, and guidelines that they expect their employees to abide by. An interviewer is going to question you about how well you can follow directions and abide by preset rules. Questions like, "How would you satisfy a customer if they wanted to return something after the return policy has expired?" can be tricky to answer. Without the proper training, you will not know how the company requires you to handle different situations. There are ways to answer that can increase your chances of getting the job. No matter how you have been trained, your instincts and personality will come through at some point. The best way to answer is to begin by saying, "Of course, if hired I would abide by the company's guidelines, but in this circumstance I would... " By answering in this manner, you are showing that you are willing to follow rules and are flexible. Researching the company prior to the job interview will give you a good idea of how they handle customers and sales in general.

You must prepare for an interview in order to make it a success. Preparing for the interview by familiarizing yourself with possible interview questions and answers will help you to feel more comfortable on the day. It has been said that success is where preparation meets opportunity. You are much more assured success if you put in a proper amount of preparation for the interview. Those who do not plan, plan to fail.

Follow the link below for a FREE eBook that walks you through the steps of learning how to carry on a job interview successfully.

http://how-to-job-interview.6te.net

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