How to answer 5 most common interview questions?

It doesn’t matter how long you spend practicing answers to all possible interview questions, there are some common interview questions that trip up even the most prepared job hunter. According to Vicky Oliver, the author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions- “Jobseekers need to treat interviews like a final exam, because it’s ”rigorous” and “psychologically draining.” Sometimes recruiters ask tricky and creative questions at the initial stage of the interview in order to judge your creative ability.

Here are the top 5 common interview questions and answers that employers commonly ask at job interviews and more importantly: what they want to hear in response. These questions seem straightforward, but actually answering just one question poorly may put you on the spot during the interview. Don’t think that you have to memorize an answer, but do think about what you’re going to say beforehand so that you may put your best foot forward.

1.      “Tell me about yourself.”

In professional speaking, the employer wants you to give an overview of your educational background, work experience, and professional objectives. Because it is such a common question, it’s quite strange that most candidates drop their guard and don’t spend time to plan exactly how to answer it.

How to answer: You must understand that the interviewer does not want here a long dissertation on your family and hobbies. Be ready with a sharp-edged reply in one or two sentences, but make sure that it doesn’t sound rehearsed. Keep your answer concise and limit it to your past jobs as well as work experience, unless specifically asked about your personal biography. It will not only set the stage for further discussion, but will also separate you from your competitors.

2.       “Why do you want this job?”

This is one of the most predicable and important questions yet it catches you off guard. By asking such question, hiring manager wants to know why you think this job is suitable for you or why you want to work there. Obviously, the first answer that will come to your mind is, “Because you have an opening, and I need a job.” While this is true, you won’t make any points in a job interview with this answer.

How to answer: For answering this question, you need to show that you have researched and have found this position is a good match for your skills, background, and work experiences. You can also add the positive image of the company by specifying some of the good reasons you want to work for the company.

3.       “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

The interviewer asks this question to filter those employees who have a clear mindset about their career goals and objectives.

How to answer: Do not say that you don’t think of your plans (even if you don’t) and do not give general answers like “I would expect to develop my skills as far as I am able and to grow with the responsibility I am offered.” This question permits you to show that you have researched job paths and that your professional objectives align with the job opening. You can check the employer’s hiring literature to get an idea of the career routes followed by past graduates.

4.      “Tell me about your weakness?”

The hiring manager really wants to ask you about how much you know about yourself and are you proactive about getting better. The interviewer can also ask this question in other way like “How would your enemy describe you?”

How to answer: Try to avoid saying, “I am a perfectionist.” This answer has been used more than a dozen times so even if this answer really is true for you, it sounds clichéd. Also, interviewers are aware about this trick. According to Miriam Salpeter, the career coach and blogger, this answer is not practical because no one wants to do work with a perfectionist. The better strategy to answer this is with real-life experience that you faced in the past or by stating a weakness that you have worked on to improve. Everyone has weakness and if you have then don’t refuse to admit. And if you deny it, an employer will mark you down as egotistical and untruthful.  Be sure to describe what action(s) you are taking to proactively improve upon the weakness.

5.        “What are your salary requirements?”

The question about salary makes many interviewees uncomfortable during the interview. Moreover, this can be difficult especially when you are switching to another company or relocating to a new city.

How to answer: Don’t panic. Respond gracefully when the interviewer asks this question because it will have an effect on your future compensation package. Remember that the employer has probably already had the salary discussion and decided what the salary for this post should be; only some will be in a condition to negotiate. The best way is to tell the recruiter that you are searching for a best-fit job wise and not necessarily focused on the money. However, you can negotiate a higher amount if you don’t get a proper salary according to your work experience.

These are common yet important questions along with suggested answers. If you have additional ideas about how to answer such questions, please share them in the comments below.

Author Bio:

Gloria Tesch is a Career Counselor and a passionate blogger who loves to share her ideas on topics related to money, academic and women’s interest. When she is not writing, she spends her time reading books.

Not All Those Who Wonder Are Lost

“Not All Those Who Wonder Are Lost”- J.R.R. Tolkien.

Sometimes in life you might feel lost, however through experiences, you gain a sense of direction and find your unique path in life.  In collaboration with the Office of International Affairs, School of Public Affairs, School of Business, and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences International Affairs Department, the Career Center is proud to host International Job Search Guru, Stacie Berdan.  Stacie can help you explore possibilities of working and living abroad.  With her vast experience working in more than 50 countries, Stacie can provide insight and increase your knowledge of international job search trends and strategies.  If going abroad is something of interest to you this is the perfect presentation to attend.  What better place to find yourself than abroad!

More about Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, International Careers Expert:

Stacie Berdan is a seasoned global executive and an award-winning author. She has worked in more than 50 countries and continues to counsel companies on global issues. Called on regularly for expert advice, Stacie has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show,” NPR’s “Marketplace, CNN International, numerous Fox programs, and in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune and Time. She spends a great deal of her time speaking on college campuses where her advice on global careers has been characterized as “engaging, insightful, inspirational and authentic.”

Event Details:

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Tivoli Room 320A

Light Dinner Provided

Click here to register today

I Have An Interview! Now What?

So you have an interview. Congratulations! After experiencing the joy of getting a call back for an interview you may wonder, now what? Well, now it’s time to get to work. In preparation for an interview you need to know yourself, the company, the position, and you also need to know what employers want. Are you ready to get started? Let’s dig a little deeper into each area.

The first step is to know yourself:  Take time to reflect on your skills, interests, experiences and education as they relate to the position. For example, why do you want this job? What skills do you offer the employer? What experiences do you have (academic, work, volunteer, internships), that will allow you to contribute to the employer? What interests you about the employer and the position?

Leading to the second step, which is about researching the position and employer as much as you can. Use LinkedIn to learn about the people at the company. Become familiar with the companies goals and objectives. If you can find the person who currently has the position you are applying for, review their LinkedIn profile. Having knowledge about the position you are applying for will knock the employer’s socks off. It shows how serious you are about the position and they in turn will take you seriously. For more information about creating a profile on LinkedIn, click here.

Thirdly, understand what employability skills are. There are studies telling you, the candidate, exactly what skills the majority of employers value in perspective employees. For the most recent list of skills employers want click here.

Finally, know your worth. Prior to the interview, conduct salary research online on websites such as PayScale.com and Salary.com, to have a good sense of what you can expect to make. Let the employer state the salary first. Should a direct question concerning desired salary come up during the interview state your researched range, but only if pressed. Try deferring to the employer by asking a question such as, “I am curious to know what salary you had in mind when you developed this position.” Click here to learn how to have the Certificate of Employability downloaded to your student portal for more information about negotiating salary.

What’s next? Practice, Practice, Practice!

At the Career Center we offer mock interviews to help you practice interviewing skills. Mock interviews help with things like thinking on your feet and understanding what response certain questions intend to elicit. For example, many of you may be familiar with the question, “tell me about yourself.” And you may dread it, but once you understand how to respond it becomes an easier question to answer.

Take advantage of your FREE access to numerous resources including CareerBeam which you can find by clicking here. CareerBeam offers excellent interviewing tips and video practice. To login, use your UCD email for free access.

Keep your eyes peeled for future posts related to interviewing including how to dress for an interview and types of interviews.

–By Kaitlin Luna, M.Ed., Career Counselor, University of Colorado Denver Career Center

Why Your First Job Out of College Matters

Here’s the truth: the job market is a crazy, confusing mess right now. We are living with an economy that desperately needs more jobs, but the demand for products and services is low, due to the fact that salaries are low and unemployment is high. Businesses can’t afford to create new jobs until demand rises. When you graduate from college, you will feel the effect of this problem. You will probably find it hard to find a job that fits with your field of study or that pays a salary you expected. You may even have to move back in with your parents (heaven forbid).

Though life after college may not be everything you hoped for, you’re just going to have to take a deep breath and push on through. After all, you are an adult now, and it’s time to start using your skills, knowledge and talent to find a way to support yourself. Although you may have to take a job that doesn’t pay enough to rent your own apartment, that first job should still be one that provides you with useful, real-world experience and that allows you to work with great people who can teach you a little about life.

Let’s break down why your first job out of college really does matter.

• It’s the experience that counts, not the money: Don’t discount the invaluable life lessons that can be learned from a respectable first job. Low paying, service sector jobs can teach just as much (if not more) about business, professional social interaction, conflict resolution and problem solving than high-wage, white collar jobs. An entry-level job with a reputable company or small business that allows you the freedom to interact with your colleagues and customers will teach you many business skills that can be applied to other jobs.

• It’s going on your resume: Wherever you choose to work after college, make sure you can put it on your resume with pride. Don’t grow so weary of your post-college job search that you just give up and take whatever job you can get. If the only place hiring is a fast food restaurant, at least try to get a manager position. For goodness sake, you have a college degree! Before taking your first job, ask yourself, “How will this look on my resume?”

• The supervisors and managers from your first job can help you get your second job: Be sure to take a first job that will allow you to work with great people, especially supervisors and managers. You should meet your potential manager or supervisor during your interview; be just as critical of them as they are of you during that first meeting. If you don’t get the feeling that they are intelligent, honest and hardworking, think twice about taking the job. This is not only because it will be difficult to work under a bad boss, but you also want your manager to be a good teacher/mentor. In addition, your manager will also more than likely serve as a recommendation on your resume when you go for your second job, so you want them to be someone who can represent you well.

• It is the foundation for a (hopefully) successful career: Your first job may not make you happy or rich or famous, but it will certainly bring you a little closer to reaching your life goals. It’s the first and, arguably, most important stepping stone in life. Because it is so important, you need to make sure the job will give you the opportunity to learn, to work with noble people and to connect with your community.

My first job out of college was at a hotel. I worked the 6 AM shift at the front desk. I had to live with a family friend, because I couldn’t afford to get my own place. I wasn’t happy about it, but I made the best of it. I chose the job, because I recognized that it would be a wonderful learning experience and would give me the opportunity to meet new people every day.

I still use the skills I learned in that job, and my managers were some of the best people I have ever known. When I decided to leave for another opportunity, they were so helpful and gave the best recommendations. I also earned a guest-recommended customer service award, was involved with the workplace community volunteering group and was a member of the hotel employee engagement committee; all of these things looked great on my resume and helped me get my next job.

Guest post by Lenore Holditch, a freelance writer and blogger who has contributed articles to numerous education resource websites, such as www.TopOnlineColleges.com. Her writing often focuses on anything related to higher learning, including technology, education reform and basic advice for students. Please share your comments and questions with Lenore below.

Crafting a Rewarding Career Path after College

So, you’re about to finish college, or you’ve just recently graduated. And, like nearly every person in your position, you don’t know what to do with your life. First of all, repeat after me—it’s okay! Those who already have a very specific career planned out have a surprise in store for them: they’ll realize that life never works out as planned. Still, there’s value in being intentional about the types of jobs you seek and the work you do. Flitting from job to unrelated job can sometimes be harmful in the long run. Here are a few tips for figuring out what you want to do and crafting a coherent career path from these experiences:

         1.      Consider a few industries that interest you.

Okay, so you don’t know what you want to do with your life. But perhaps you might have a general idea of career fields that you may excel in and ones that you may be interested in. Make a list of these fields and/or industries. Afterwards, seek out professionals in each of these fields. Ask if you could meet them for coffee or lunch to talk about what they do on a daily basis. Not only are these “informational interviews” a great way to get a better idea about what you want to do, but they’re a great way to network as well. Don’t be shy—established professionals LOVE to talk about their job experience with others. Trust me.

        2.      Apply for a wide swath of jobs, but don’t take just any job you can get.

Careers are never as linear as people want them to be. You aren’t going to start out as a staff writer, then become associate editor, then become a senior editor, then make enough money to stop working and write that brilliant, bestselling novel.  Life gets in the way of linear career plans. So, when you’re applying for your first jobs, do apply to a variety of positions. At the same time, don’t just take any old job. If you know for a fact that you won’t see yourself in that industry for a while, stay away. By taking a job that you know you’ll dislike, you run the risk of getting stuck. A few years down the line, it may be more difficult to get into the field that you really desire. The economy has improved enough that we can start being just a little teeny bit pickier about the jobs we get.

        3.      Understand that passion comes after mastery.

When people discuss their futures and their careers, I strongly feel as though the word “passion” gets thrown around way too much. People will tell you that you must be passionate about your job. I think this is a very dangerous myth that sets up young professionals for failure. Passion doesn’t magically enter into the equation on the first day of your first job. Passion develops afterwards. You can’t be passionate about something that you don’t know well. For example, I’m passionate about golf. But when I first started playing golf, “passion” was the last word I would have used. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I just didn’t know the proper skills and techniques yet to truly enjoy it. You likely won’t be passionate about the work you do until you learn to do it well.  Instead of obsessing over passion, work on building specific skills in your first few years of employment. The more you know, the more you’ll be able to do what really excites you.

Good luck!

Guest post by Kate Wilson - a freelance writer who’s made it her mission in life to help recent college graduates like her navigate the frightening but sometimes exciting realities of adulthood. Check out more of her writing at www.collegecrunch.org. Kate welcomes your comments below!

Dream BIG!

Walking around campus did you happen to see an intriguing poster with pictures of Lady Gaga, Mark Zuckerberg, and President Obama with the caption Dream BIG! What do you want to be when you grow up?

The CU Denver Career Center launched a new series this semester incorporating fun activities to help you think about your future. Activities such as a celebrity guessing game and an ice cream social with a career Jenga game combined sugar with laughter to help students like you dream big about their future.

If you missed this workshop series, here are a couple of important highlights:

• Your college experience should be both fun and challenging; if you are feeling unmotivated to attend classes or completing school work maybe it is time to re-evaluate your major choice.

• Choosing a major and a career are not the same thing, one major can transform into 100’s of career choices and vice versa

• Learning from the success of others, like Lady Gaga or Tim Tebow, is the first step in discovering yourself. They dreamed big and we want you to too!

• The most important aspect in choosing a major or career is YOU!  No matter what your parents or friends tell you, YOU are the one that has to go to class, study/cram, pass the test, and perform the job.  YOU are the one that is vitally important when choosing a major and career direction.

Now what?  The Career Center can help you dream big!  We have a great team of career counselors to aid you in your career journey. It can be difficult to talk or even think about your future and we are here to help!  Below are resources to get you started:

 

MyMajors Call 303.556.2250 for access code	MyMajors.comleads you through a strategic step-by-step process in which you explore areas crucial in determining a good major choice. This tool provides student-friendly assessment technology that accesses information about a variety of majors at a broad range of institutions.  Take an online assessment that combines multiple components to gain your top ten majors. 1,600 college majors 40,000 pages of detailed career information
Focus 2 Call 303.556.2250 for access code	Focus 2 is an online assessment tool which measures personality preferences, skills, interests (work and leisure), and values.  Compatible occupations or majors are then sorted and displayed for future research.  With Focus 2 you can begin planning your future career by learning more about yourself, exploring occupations, and identifying a college major.
One-on-One Appointment	Call the Career Center front desk at 303.556.2250 and request a 30 or 50 minute appointment to discuss your major or career ideas with a Career Counselor.

 Post by Jessie Czerwonka, M.A., NCC  

 

Take your front row seat this semester by attending campus events

Welcome back to a brand new academic year! In preparation for this fall semester, many Career Center staff members peeled themselves out of the office and away from their computers to meet students moving into Student Housing and attending Convocation.  During these events, we have heard similar tips being passed on to students, like you, about being successful in college.  Tips include time management, taking advantage of student support services on campus, and getting involved through student clubs, academic departments, or in the community.

A particularly helpful tip came during Convocation when the headline speaker said, “sit in the front row.” The meaning of “sit in the front row” is both literal and metaphoric. With the literal part being getting to class early to take your seat in the front row, and the metaphor being that you are in charge of how much you participate in your life. One of the perks of being a college student is that the university itself brings opportunities to you.

College is about discovery, and CU Denver is putting on several events through numerous departments, including the Career Center, to meet your needs, whatever they are! Events such as the Campus Volunteer Fair, Hot Topics and Accounting Practice Interviews  provide opportunities for you to take a front row seat in your life. On campus events are an excellent way for you to find your niche on campus because they expose you to different people, ideas, interests and more. Getting involved is also a résumé booster!

All campus events can be found at ucdenver.edu/calendar. From here you can also search event calendars by Administrative Departments, Schools, and Colleges, and you’ll also find the Academic Calendar here with important dates and deadlines.

For a list of Career Center Events, visit our website at ucdenver.edu/careercenter. Once here, click on the Events tab. We encourage you to get out there and get involved this semester and beyond.