7 tips YOU need to know!

Ever find yourself rambling, stuttering or just plain stumped by tricky job interview questions?  Answering interview questions is key to your career in IT.  Below are some tips on handling seven of the most common interview questions.

  1. Tell me about yourself? Be succinct. Don’t delve into every job on your resume or waste the interviewer’s time with details that don’t apply to the position at hand. Instead, offer highlights of your career history and key accomplishments related to the job being discussed.
  2. What is that gap in your resume? Be creative (but honest). If you’ve been unemployed for six months or more, say so, especially in this economic climate, that is hardly a crime, and maybe build a story around what you’ve done over that time period that might be relevant to the job at hand. You can describe your efforts to help a friend develop his or her business or discuss volunteer work that you performed. Talking about activities can help bridge gaps in your career history.
  3. Tell me about the worst boss you’ve ever had? Don’t be suckered into this question. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by revealing too much about a previous situation. Avoid being negative. Instead say something like ” I’ve been lucky with my bosses. There were some I disagreed with over strategic issues and others whose style was different from mine, but I can honestly say that I have learned from all of them.”
  4. What are your strengths? Be specific. Don’t JUST say “I’m results oriented, dependable and honest.” Instead, answer the question with an example, such as: “I am results oriented, and recently I managed the delivery of a new program that cut hardware costs from $3300/unit to $1600/unit while improving performance and reliability.”
  5. What are your weaknesses? Be strategic. If you name a weakness, show how you have dealt with it, such as: “If there is one area I could improve, it would be my SQL skills. As a matter of fact, I am registered for a refresher course next month at the local college.
  6. What are your salary requirements? The most important strategy is to postpone salary discussion until you have an offer. Since whoever names a number first is in a weaker position, try asking if there is a salary range in place for similar jobs within the company. Tailor your answer around that.
  7. What questions do you have for us?  Do your homework.  Have four or five questions ready and integrate them into the conversation.  This lets hiring manager know that you are prepared and interested.

Dorigan & Associates

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Connie Dorigan, Founder and Director of Recruiting, sees the food processing industry as the link between good living and good people. She’s the west coast’s most experienced and trusted food processing recruiter. She also provides Executive and Career Coaching and lots of free job search tools. Once you’ve connected with Connie, you’ll always be connected.

© 2018 Connie Dorigan. All rights reserved.

This is a general interest article and does not constitute specific or legal advice.

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