Most of the questions you'll be asked in an interview are predictable. Each question is important, and you should have a good idea of how you plan to answer these questions before you go into an interview. Here are the ones you will hear repeated more often than once during an interview:
1. What would you like to have accomplished in your present job that you haven't? This is the kind of question asked only by a skilled interviewer. There is no hidden message or meaning in it; the interviewer is simply probing to see how analytical you are. Your answer should show that you are reflective that you review your actions and attempt to learn from them. Of course, if you are in one of those rare jobs where you have managed to accomplish everything you set out to do, then you should state that-and go on to say that's why you're ready to move on to bigger challenges.
2. What would be the toughest (most enjoyable, least enjoyable) aspect of this job should you take it? This is another way of getting at your strengths and weaknesses, but this question is also usually asked only by a skilled interviewer, so it is also an opportunity for you to discuss any reservations or minor apprehensions you may have about the job.
3. What problems do you think the company faces over the next year? Five years? This is an attempt to see how analytical you are, and to see how perceptive you are about this particular company. This is a trick question to the extent that you must answer what you are asked, which is to say, you should describe only the problems you foresee. Don't offer any solutions, unless specifically asked to do so, and then do so only with greatest caution. You can't possibly know as much about the company as insiders do, and you are in a far too vulnerable a position to offer advice on running the company since you're still an outsider.
4. How would you deal with a subordinate who resent your presence? What you are really being asked is how you wield power. Your answer should show that you wield it judiciously, and you should also take note that some problem employees may come along with this job. In fact, you may want to ask some follow-up questions once you have answered this question so you can explore the problem more fully.
Probably the best answer is one that indicates that you will review the employee's background and record, that you will talk with the employee to try to ease the problem, and, finally, that you will eventually fire the employee, if necessary. Mentioning the fact that you would release an employee if things can't be worked out is an important and necessary step since it shows that you can assume the necessary authority to manage people.
5. How would you handle stepping into a department that vas set up and run for many years by one well-liked and well-respected person? Again, judicious behavior on your part is called for. And measured authority. You should indicate that you would show respect for the elements of the organization that work well for you, and certainly wouldn't reorganize a department just to do things your way, but that there may be some things you will need and want to change because they will suit your organizational methods and management style.
6. How will you handle a department with a morale problem or a poor record in other ways? This is a straightforward question that calls for a straightforward answer. But if this is the kind of operation you will be taking over, this is something you should have uncovered during your pre-interview research. That way, you can present a well-thought-out answer.
Before answering this question, you also need to know whether you are being hired as a turnaround person, that is, as someone who will clean up an ailing operation and put it back into working order. Turnaround people are tough and fast-moving. They don't usually stay on once they've cleaned everything up, since long-term, stable management is not one of their specialties. If you are a turnaround person, your answer will be tougher than if you are being hired for the long term. You can be more forthright about the way that you will clean house necessary.
If you are not a turnaround person, your answer will be more temperate and analytical. You might compare this situation to one you were in or observed someone in; you should talk about the positive things you will do to improve morale and build your people's motivation and you should probably indicate, depending upon the company's culture, that you would fire only necessary.
7. What are your goals on your present job for the next few years if you were to stay on there? Careful, this is a trick question, albeit a fair one. If you describe a lot of unfinished work on your present job, you may reveal an attachment to it that will raise some questions about how serious you are about changing jobs. The best answer goes something like this: 'I think that I have basically accomplished what I set out to do when I took the job," or "Given the restrictions [the limited budget, the management problems], I feel I've accomplished as much as I can on the job and that I'm ready to move on to other challenges."
8. How can you contribute to solving this company's problems if you are hired? Careful, again, this could become a trick question if you do not understand what you are being asked. You are not being given carte blanche to tell the interviewer how you would run the company unless you are being interviewed for the position of CEO, in which case that's exactly what you do.
Emphasize your strengths and qualifications, drawing on specific examples from your experience, to answer this question. For example, you might say, "Most of the problems have centered on the new product line, which as I understand has not performed up to your expectations. When I worked for ABC Company, I had experience on three different occasions in introducing new products, and I think I could be a major contributor of ideas on getting better performance out of these predicts."
9. We expect your division, should you take this job, to grow substantially in the coming year. What kind of plans for growth do you foresee? You will want your plans for growth to match those of the person interviewing you, i.e., the company, is closely as possible. This is where your homework can pay big dividends. You should go into any interview, after a proper amount of watching industry trends, armed with a plan for how you would strengthen or bolster or otherwise positively change your areas of responsibility. Here's your chance to use your background reading to make a forecast for the future.
10. What factors are most important to you in ensuring your satisfaction on this job? This is an easy one. Just tell the interviewer what it will take to keep you happy on the job. Warning: You aren't being asked to name your price yet or to discuss perks. This question is more about job satisfactions such as room to expand, new challenges, large budget, freedom to make your own management decisions than it is about dollars and company cars.
11. We think you should hire a good person right under you, and this would involve creating a new position. What would you look for in such a person? Be sure you describe the kind of person who would really fit this job, although the description will vary depending upon the position you are applying for. You aren't describing just another subordinate but, rather, a right-hand person who will work closely with you. Try to give some kind of concrete description in answer to this question, but hedge your bets by noting that you would probably have to get some hands-on experience for a few months before you would know exactly what kind of person you would most need.
12. Which of these job responsibilities appeals to you the most? The least? This question, which often comes toward the end of an interview or at least toward the end of the discussion about the requirements for the job, is basically something of a test to see whether you understand what's important about this job.
Describe the responsibility that you, based on your conversation with the interviewer, think is the one you would most enjoy. Say there are no parts of the job that you will not enjoy that it all sounds interesting to you.
13. How does your family feel about this change? The answer should be that your family feels great about it, although you can be honest and admit to any minor problems, such as, "My teenage daughter isn't too thrilled, but she's moved before, and she'll be a real trooper should we move again." This is also an opportunity to bring up any family-related problems, which usually means a spouse's career. If there are real problems, be sure to discuss them, while indicating at the same time that your family is supportive of your career.
14. How is your search going? This question makes man; people feel insecure, but it shouldn't; it's a perfect opportunity to let a prospective employer know that he has a little competition. The right answer to this question will show that you are indeed looking around, and that you are conducting a thorough, well-organized job search. Basically, you should say that you are talking to the competition, or you may also want to say that you're exploring the same position in several industries. Either answer will make you look desirable. Be sure, however, that you do know who the competition is. The interviewer may ask if you've talked to such-and-such a company yet-usually an important rival-in an attempt to test how seriously you are looking around.
See the following articles for more information:
- How to Start on the Right Foot in Your New Job
- What Are the Sources to Find the Information You Need
- The Background of Application Process
- How to Network and Take an Information Interview