JOB

INTERVIEW
TOP TIPS
1 - Introdução

Olá

Vamos focar nas 10 principais perguntas e respostas para quem está passando num processo
seletivo em inglês, o que chamamos de Job Interview – entrevista de emprego.

Meu nome é Manuel Gonçalves, sou diretor da rede de escolas de Inglês Qualify, desde 1999.

Por ser europeu eu tive a oportunidade de morar e trabalhar por 4 anos na Inglaterra, onde
passei por vários processos seletivos para diversas áreas, e depois também precisei entrevistar
muitos estrangeiros e ingleses para um empreendimento que montei lá.

O que notei nesses anos é que muito brasileiro já tem um nível de conhecimento que poderia
passar numa entrevista de emprego em inglês, porém não conhece certo vocabulário
específico e nem está preparado para dar certas respostas em inglês, às vezes mesmo em
português o candidato não teria uma resposta imediata.

Eu passei por essa situação quando tinha 20 anos e entrei na IBM, onde tive uma feliz carreira
de sucesso por mais de 10 anos.

Entrei num processo seletivo com 400 candidatos para 8 vagas, no final da década de 80.
Depois de algumas fases de testes escritos e várias entrevistas gerenciais eu soube que a
última entrevista seria em Inglês.

Eu havia acertado 112 questões das 120 do teste escrito, mas lembro de estar bem apreensivo
para a entrevista em inglês.

Durante a entrevista foram feitas perguntas que eu entendi o contexto por dedução, mas eu
não sabia por onde começar a responder e às vezes só faltava ter ensaiado o início da frase
que o resto viria automaticamente, ou de ter memorizado algum vocabulário de apoio ... é
nisso que quero ajudá-los.

Para facilitar a sua vida eu vou compartilhar conhecimento com você que quer se preparar
para uma entrevista de emprego ou que quer aumentar seu vocabulário e praticar o idioma
nessa situação.

Falaremos de pronúncia, vocabulário, expressões, as principais perguntas e suas respostas

mais apropriadas e tudo o mais relacionado ao tema.

Automaticamente você também estará aprendendo como se portar e o que responder em

entrevistas em português.

O que eu quero é que após este treinamento, você esteja mais preparado para passar numa
entrevista em inglês.
Quero que você entrevistado já se imagine respondendo imediatamente ao seu entrevistador
e observando sua cara de surpresa e satisfação em ouvi-lo.

E você entrevistador fazendo perguntas relevantes com um inglês bonito, bem falado e
impressionando seus entrevistados.

É nisso que focaremos o tempo todo. Principais perguntas e respostas além de dicas de
postura e atitude numa entrevista de emprego em inglês.

Criando conexão com o entrevistador

Acho que antes de te falar quais as principais perguntas e as respostas adequadas numa
entrevista de emprego, podemos começar em como criar conexão com o entrevistador.

Já vi pessoas se preparando para entrevistas, memorizando dados sobre a empresa e seus

feitos, como responder a certas questões, enfim dando atenção total ao seu preparo, mas
temos que lembrar que do outro lado da mesa tem outra pessoa também que vai dar a
resposta final se você será ou não contratado.

Levar uma conversa amigável e genuína ao invés de dar respostas prontas pode ser um grande
diferencial para sua contratação para aquela vaga dos seus sonhos.

Depois de estar dos dois lados da mesa, aprendi que há algumas maneiras de criar o que a PNL
chama de rapport, sintonia, empatia com seu entrevistador e aumentar suas chances de
contratação.

Para algumas pessoas criar essa ligação com outras pessoas é algo natural, faz parte da sua
personalidade ouvir atentamente, aceitar opiniões e criar uma atmosfera agradável. Quando
isso é notoriamente forçado pode até gerar desconfiança da outra parte por sentir-se
manipulada.

Seguem então algumas dicas para se criar rapport de uma forma natural:

1) A primeira delas é a que chamamos de espelhamento. Esta técnica é baseada em você

observar e imitar seu entrevistador. Como isso funciona?
As pessoas têm trejeitos, posturas, maneiras, formas de se movimentar, falar, agir. O
espelhamento trata-se de você observar seu entrevistador e tentar se ajustar à sua
maneira de ser, imitando certas condutas.
Se seu entrevistador é calmo, fala devagar, tem movimentos lentos, você deveria
proceder dessa forma.
Se ele demonstra ter muita energia, você também deveria se mostrar alguém vivo,
esperto, dinâmico.
Não quero com isso te incentivar a sobrepor sua maneira de ser, sua personalidade só
pra conseguir a vaga, mas quando há essa adaptação entre ambas as partes as coisas
tendem a fluir melhor os ajudará a saber se a vaga foi feita pra você e vice-versa.
2) Outra técnica que pode ser utilizada é a da reciprocidade. É uma técnica que foi muito
aprofundada em um livro chamado As armas da Persuasão de Robert Cialdini. Ela se
 baseia basicamente em oferecer favores sem pedir nada em troca. Numa entrevista de
emprego isso pode acontecer em diversas situações. Quando você se oferece a fechar
uma porta, emprestar uma caneta, servir uma água que esteja disponível na mesa,
pequenos favores mesmo. Pode ser que surja um assunto onde você pode indicar um
cliente ou fornecedor que resolva algum problema da empresa ou pessoal, etc. Use
essa dica para criar essa conexão com seu interlocutor.
3) Outra maneira de criar empatia é encontrar interesses em comum. Um amigo meu da
IBM, certa vez visitou o presidente de uma grande empresa e viu que havia no seu
escritório varias fotos de barcos. Ele fez uma simples observação: Vejo que o senhor
gosta de barcos ... foi o suficiente para que o presidente conversasse com ele por mais
de uma hora sobre regatas, barcos, competições e por acaso esse amigo conhecia bem
do assunto e pode contribuir para que a conversa fosse muito amigável, depois desse
longo papo, o presidente perguntou a ele: Bem filho, o que te traz aqui?
Preciso da assinatura do senhor neste contrato. Era uma assinatura que estava
pendente havia meses e foi conseguida pelo relacionamento interpessoal e não
profissional. Ao chegar na sala do entrevistador, observe se há algum ponto de
conexão que pode ser criado: se você vê uma foto do entrevistador com a camiseta do
seu time predileto, é uma forma de quebrar o gelo e criar rapport, por exemplo.
4) Outra coisa: Não deixe todas as perguntas para o final. Você pode estar naturalmente
apreensivo tentando criar rapport com seu entrevistador e acaba entrando numa
rotina de pergunta-resposta pergunta-resposta ... O entrevistador te faz uma
pergunta, você responde e já entra em estado de alerta para receber a próxima
pergunta e assim por diante, mas já tem algumas observações e perguntas que
poderia fazer agora.
Eu percebi que é melhor você fazer as perguntas e observações relevantes
imediatamente ao invés de deixar tudo para o final.
Por exemplo, se o entrevistador lhe pergunta sobre um grande contrato fechado. Você
pode responder como conseguiu isso e ao final perguntar quais os maiores clientes da
empresa e se ele acha que as táticas que você utilizou poderiam ser de valia para a
empresa.
Assim você cria uma atmosfera mais equilibrada e humanizada mesmo entre
perguntas e respostas e de que você está interessado na vaga e quer contribuir para a
empresa com o conhecimento que você tem da área.
5) Uma vez que você começou a também fazer perguntas preste atenção em como elas
são respondidas.
Isso lhe dará dicas importantes de como você deveria responder as suas. Se o
entrevistador lhe responde com dados, números, percentuais, etc. é um sinal que ele
gostaria de receber respostas dessa maneira também, assim você pode começar dar
respostas do tipo: aumentei em 20% o faturamento da empresa ou reduzi em 10 mil
reais os custos com papelaria, etc. Se comunicando da mesma forma você tem muito
mais chance de se conectar com seu interlocutor e conseguir a vaga.

Vamos agora para as principais perguntas que caem numa entrevista de emprego e ver as
considerações sobre elas.
Question 1 - Tell me about yourself.

TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent”
question. Many candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by
rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal
matters.

BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for
the position. Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to match
your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In other words you
must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy in
job hunting.

So, before you answer this or any question it's imperative that you try to
uncover your interviewer's greatest need, want, problem or goal.
To do so, make you take these two steps:

1. Do all the homework you can before the interview to uncover this
person's wants and needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or
company)

2. As early as you can in the interview, ask for a more complete description
of what the position entails. You might say: “I have a number of
accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make the best
use of our time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do,
that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities of this
position? All I know is what I (heard from the recruiter, read in the
classified ad, etc.)”

Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly, third question, to draw
out his needs even more. Surprisingly, it's usually this second or third question
that unearths what the interviewer is most looking for.
You might ask simply, "And in addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you
see as essential to success in this position?:
This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to
answer questions, but only if you uncover the employer's wants and needs will
your answers make the most sense. Practice asking these key questions before
giving your answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light
years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with.
After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of
this job bear striking parallels to tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to
illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your
achievements, all of which are geared to present yourself as a perfect match for
the needs he has just described.
Question 1 - Tell me about yourself

Steps to answer this interview question

Step 1: Give a brief introduction about yourself:

For example: My name is Peter. I graduated from XYZ University with bachelor
degree in Sales. After 5 years working as a Sales Manager, I have well
experienced in training, mentoring and motivating other sales personnel to
achieve the goals of the Company.

Step 2: Give a brief summary of your experience in your latest positions:

Give a summary of 2-3 latest companies that you have worked for and
companies that have helped you succeed with your new jobs.
For example: recently, I have worked for ABC Company as Sales Manager for
North-East Region. With my skills from training courses, I developed many
sales campaigns which contributed much to the development of new customers
and maintenance of current customer base. After 6 months, my sales force and
I did regain the company‘s market and promote the sales revenue up by 37%.

Step 3: Connect your ability to the employer’s requirements:

Never assume that the employer will by himself be able to connect all of your
abilities to the job requirements.

Step 4: Make a concerning question:

With a concerning question, it will help you gain ―control‖ of the interview. You
may reduce the stress of the interview with such questions.
For example: I would like to know the strong points of your company‘s current
Sales

Some tips in answering

Records/references: when giving information about yourself, remember to

provide records/references as well;

Don‘t make up the information: your information will be kept as records for a
long time when you are employed. Also, the employer has many ways to
checking whether your information provided are correct or not. Therefore, give
the most faithful information as possible;

Practice: to answer well an interview question, you can practice with your
friends or do it by yourself in a private room. Be sure that your answer is brief
and within 3 minutes;

Keep information brief and relevant: Try making your answers more and more
concise; Try to give much information in as short time as possible;
Eliminate irrelevant and unnecessary information.
Question 2 - What are your greatest strengths?

TRAPS: This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't
want to come across as egotistical or arrogant. Neither is this a time to be
humble.

BEST ANSWER: You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your
interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from
Question 1, you know how to do this.

Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest
strengths. You should also have, a specific example or two, which illustrates
each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive
achievements.

You should, have this list of your greatest strengths and corresponding
examples from your achievements so well committed to memory that you can
recite them cold after being shaken awake at 2:30AM.

Then, once you uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can
choose those achievements from your list that best match up.

As a general guideline, the 10 most desirable traits that all employers love to
see in their employees are:

1. A proven track record as an achiever...especially if your achievements

match up with the employer's greatest wants and needs.
2. Intelligence...management "savvy".
3. Honesty...integrity...a decent human being.
4. Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable with...a team
player who meshes well with interviewer's team.
5. Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor.
6. Good communication skills.
7. Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.
8. Definiteness of purpose...clear goals.
9. Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.
10. Confident...healthy...a leader.
Question 2 - What are your biggest strengths?

This question will help polishing your qualification to the requirements of the
employer.

1. Steps to answer this question:

a) Identify which you are good at:

• Knowledge; • Experience; • Skills; • Abilities.

b) Prepare a list of your strong points:

c) Review the recruitment requirements:

You should review carefully the recruitment requirements to know for sure
which requirements are the most important to the employer.

d) Make a list of your strong points in your resume/cover letter: List and
describe your strong points in your resume and cover letter orderly.
You should make descriptions to those points in your resume.

e) Prepare persuasive answers to the question of the employer about strong

points:
You do not only state your strong points to the employer but must also provide
evidence for them by references or records attached with your application form.

2. Strong points that the employer may concern about:

• Great communication skills;

• Ability to adapt to the change in company culture;
• Ability to solve problems flexibility;
• Hard-working;
• Ability to learn from failure;
• Group work spirit.
Question 3 - Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position?

TRAPS: Never badmouth your previous industry, company, board, boss, staff,
employees or customers. This rule is inviolable: never be negative. Any mud
you hurl will only soil your suit.

Especially avoid words like “personality clash”, “didn’t get along”, or others
which cast a shadow on your competence, integrity, or temperament.

BEST ANSWER:
(If you have a job presently) If you’re not yet 100% committed to leaving your
present post, don’t be afraid to say so. Since you have a job, you are in a
stronger position than someone who does not. But don’t be coy either. State
honestly what you’d be hoping to find in a new spot. Of course, as stated often
before, you answer will all the stronger if you have already uncovered what this
position is all about and you match your desires to it.

(If you do not presently have a job.) Never lie about having been fired. It’s
unethical – and too easily checked. But do try to deflect the reason from you
personally. If your firing was the result of a takeover, merger, division wide
layoff, etc., so much the better.

But you should also do something totally unnatural that will demonstrate
consummate professionalism. Even if it hurts , describe your own firing –
candidly, succinctly and without a trace of bitterness – from the company’s
point-of-view, indicating that you could understand why it happened and you
might have made the same decision yourself.

Your stature will rise immensely and, most important of all, you will show you
are healed from the wounds inflicted by the firing. You will enhance your image
as first-class management material and stand head and shoulders above the
legions of firing victims who, at the slightest provocation, zip open their shirts to
expose their battle scars and decry the unfairness of it all.

For all prior positions: Make sure you’ve prepared a brief reason for leaving.
Best reasons: more money, opportunity, responsibility or growth.
Question 3 - Why did you leave your last job?

• There is no opportunity to promote in my current job and I‘m ready to face a

new challenge;
• I have worked there for 04 years with much experience and skills. I want to be
promoted but the Company do not offer me that opportunity;
• The company has cut down with its focus on the business line my job is
responsible for;
• My family transferred to another region, or, my current workplace is too far
away from my home;
• My old company often paid late and had inadequate compensation policy.

2. You should avoid answers that:

• Speak ill of your old boss, colleague, etc.;
• They punished me many times for…
• I did not complete my job.
Question 4 - What are your greatest weaknesses?

TRAPS: Beware - this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the

candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for
honesty, but an “F” for the interview.
PASSABLE ANSWER: Disguise a strength as a weakness.
Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of
urgency and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.”
Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it's so widely used, it
is transparent to any experienced interviewer.
BEST ANSWER: (and another reason it's so important to get a thorough
description of your interviewer's needs before you answer questions): Assure
the interviewer that you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your
performing in this position with excellence. Then, quickly review you strongest
qualifications.
Example: “Nobody's perfect, but based on what you've told me about this
position, I believe I' d make an outstanding match. I know that when I hire
people, I look for two things most of all. Do they have the qualifications to do the
job well, and the motivation to do it well? Everything in my background shows I
have both the qualifications and a strong desire to achieve excellence in
whatever I take on. So I can say in all honesty that I see nothing that would
cause you even a small concern about my ability or my strong desire to perform
this job with excellence.”
Alternate strategy (if you don't yet know enough about the position to talk about
such a perfect fit): Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like
most and like least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the
most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least
is not essential.
Example: Let's say you're applying for a sales position. “If given a choice, I like
to spend as much time as possible in front of my prospects selling, as opposed
to shuffling paperwork back at the office. Of course, I long ago learned the
importance of filing paperwork properly, and I do it conscientiously. But what I
really love to do is sell (if your interviewer were a sales manager, this should be
music to his ears.)
Question 4 - What is your greatest weakness?

1. Ways to answer:
a) First way: Turning your strong point into weak point.
For example: I am a perfectionist and therefore, I rarely believe in anyone who
can work as well as me. As a result, I am afraid to delegate important tasks to
others. This approach has a weak side as that if you are not clever, you will
cause the employer to believe that you are cheating him.
b) Second way: Solving your weakness absolutely.
A better approach is that you state one point which was once your weakness,
but you have done well to resolve it.
For example: I tended to be a perfectionist, therefore I didn‘t like to delegate to
others. But I have found out that in order to develop the organization, everyone
in the organization must be experienced with many tasks and this is very good
for an efficient team work.
2. Steps to answer:
• You need to show it through your attitude and voice: It is really your weakness.
And, you may also state some situations how much that weakness has caused
you difficulties.
• Give your solution to resolve that weakness, partly or wholly.
• Solutions to a weakness may be training, mentoring, etc

• This is a common question in any interview, so don‘t try to avoid answering it.
• Never mentioning a weakness that relates to a crucial requirement of the job.
• Don‘t try to make up a weakness.
• Don‘t say you have no weakness. No one is perfect, therefore, you shouldn‘t
say you have no weakness.
Question 5 - Why do you want to work here?
This is a very simple question, but in order to give a suitable answer to the
recruitment position, you must know how to answer. You need to know about
the company you are willing to work for and read their job description. When
you are asked this question, tell them that working for XXX will be a challenging
and beneficial experience to you.
1. Some ways of answering:
Normally, a candidate may answer in such ways as following:
• I don‘t know;
• Because I like the job and like other employees in the company; or
• The job is quite a challenge to you which will help improve your development.

2. Some sample answers:

• I have heard that XXX is currently the company with the best training &
development policy. This is really a good chance for me to develop my career.
• XXX is the number one in ABC industry which I have long been studying and
aiming for. I hope with my ability and the opportunity to work here, I will be able
to make a breakthrough in ABC area.
• This is a new industry in XYZ region. I am researching on this industry and
aiming to be a leading specialist in the sector. Therefore, I would like to have an
opportunity to develop my career as expected as this opportunity.
Question 6 - Why should I hire you?

TRAPS: Believe it or not, this is a killer question because so many candidates

are unprepared for it. If you stammer or adlib you’ve blown it.
BEST ANSWER: By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall
strategy of uncovering the employer’s needs before you answer questions. If
you know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question will give you
a big leg up over other candidates because you will give him better reasons for
hiring you than anyone else is likely to…reasons tied directly to his needs.
Whether your interviewer asks you this question explicitly or not, this is the most
important question of your interview because he must answer this question
favorably in is own mind before you will be hired. So help him out! Walk through
each of the position’s requirements as you understand them, and follow each
with a reason why you meet that requirement so well.
Example: “As I understand your needs, you are first and foremost looking for
someone who can manage the sales and marketing of your book publishing
division. As you’ve said you need someone with a strong background in trade
book sales. This is where I’ve spent almost all of my career, so I’ve chalked up
18 years of experience exactly in this area. I believe that I know the right
contacts, methods, principles, and successful management techniques as well
as any person can in our industry.”
“You also need someone who can expand your book distribution channels. In
my prior post, my innovative promotional ideas doubled, then tripled, the
number of outlets selling our books. I’m confident I can do the same for you.”
“You need someone to give a new shot in the arm to your mail order sales,
someone who knows how to sell in space and direct mail media. Here, too, I
believe I have exactly the experience you need. In the last five years, I’ve
increased our mail order book sales from $600,000 to $2,800,000, and now
we’re the country’s second leading marketer of scientific and medical books by
mail.” Etc., etc., etc.,
Every one of these selling “couplets” (his need matched by your qualifications)
is a touchdown that runs up your score. IT is your best opportunity to outsell
your competition.
Question 6 - Why should we hire you?

For one, the interview question ―give us reasons to hire you‖, ―why should
we employ you‖ or ―what can you bring to our company‖ is something that
differentiates the best candidates from the other good candidates.
This question deals with your ability to sell yourself. Think of yourself as the
product. Why should the customer buy?
Tips to answer:
• One of the best ways to answer this question is to make a short list of all your
advantages and create a paragraph that would point out the positive aspects
that you would bring to the new job position.
• One of the points that you can raise is the similarity of the job profile you are
aiming for at the company to the job profile you enjoyed in your previous job.
• You can also draw the interviewer‘s attention to your key skills and strengths,
namely – quick learning, excellent communication skills, etc.
• In addition, your professional ambitions should be made clear – the motivation
and dedication that you have for the profession and the opening position.

Answer samples
1. Weak answers:
• ―I am a hard worker.‖ — This is a really trite answer — almost anyone can
say he or she is a hard worker.
• ―Because I need a job.‖ — This answer is about YOU — ―they‖ want to
know what you can do for ―them.‖
• ―I saw your ad and could do the job.‖ — This answers lacks passion and
purpose.

2. Stronger answers:
• ―Because I have what it takes to fill the requirements of this job – solve
customer problems using my excellent customer service skills.‖
• ―Because I have three years experience working with customers in a very
similar environment.‖
• ―Because I have the experience and expertise in the area of customer
support that is required in this position.‖
• Because I sincerely believe that I‘m the best person for the job. I realize that
there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also
have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very
best person for the job–my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to
excellence but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In _____ and _____
I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become by doing
the following . . .
Question 7 - Where do you see yourself five years from now?

TRAPS: One reason interviewers ask this question is to see if you’re settling for
this position, using it merely as a stopover until something better comes along.
Or they could be trying to gauge your level of ambition.
If you’re too specific, i.e., naming the promotions you someday hope to win,
you’ll sound presumptuous. If you’re too vague, you’ll seem rudderless.

BEST ANSWER: Reassure your interviewer that you’re looking to make a long-
term commitment…that this position entails exactly what you’re looking to do
and what you do extremely well. As for your future, you believe that if you
perform each job at hand with excellence, future opportunities will take care of
themselves.
Example: “I am definitely interested in making a long-term commitment to my
next position. Judging by what you’ve told me about this position, it’s exactly
what I’m looking for and what I am very well qualified to do. In terms of my
future career path, I’m confident that if I do my work with excellence,
opportunities will inevitable open up for me. It’s always been that way in my
career, and I’m confident I’ll have similar opportunities here.”
Question 7 - What are your career goals?

1. The reasons of this question:

This question will test your ability and ambition to develop yourself as well as
the ability to plan for the future.

• You are not sure about your goals, then answer: I‘m rather busy with my
duties and goals of the Company; as a result, I haven‘t focused much on my
long-term personal goals.

• You have goals not or very little relating to the current job: For example, you
are applying for a sales manager, but your career goal is to become the head of
marketing department in the next 5 years.

• Current job oriented career goals: For example, you are working as a sales
manager, you goal is to become the area sales manager in the next 2 years and
in the next 5 years, you will be the regional sales manager.

2. Career goals tips:

a) You can state some of your goals as following:

• Study for an MBA certificate or other degrees…
• Become specialist in the sector…
• Get to the title of XYZ something.

Note that long-term goals must be set for the next 3-5 years.

b) When you have identified your goals, you need to answer the following
questions:
• Are those goals suitable to the job you are currently applying for?
• Are those goals helpful to your current job?
• Are those goals helpful to the development of your current job in the next 3-5
years?

c) How to achieve those goals?

• Identify what you have to do to achieve your goals?
• In the next 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, what will you do?
Question 8 - Can you work under pressure?

TRAPS: An easy question, but you want to make your answer believable.
BEST ANSWER: Absolutely…(then prove it with a vivid example or two of a
goal or project accomplished under severe pressure.)

Question 8 - Tell me about your ability to work under pressure?

Answer tips
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example
that relates to the type of position applied for.
Mention pressures you face on the daily, such as dealing with deadlines on a
regular basis.
Try not to use an example where you created the pressure yourself, by waiting
too long to start something, or by handling a task irresponsibly at the beginning.
For example, working under pressure to meet a customer‘s deadline could be a
good example, but not if you had waited too long to start the project.
Answer samples
―Pressure is actually a catalyst to my work. When there is an imperative
deadline, I refocus my energy into my work which in fact, has helped me to
produce some of my best works. (Give examples) I guess you can say I thrive
under pressure.
9. Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you
successful in resolving it?

Sample excellent response: While working at K-mart, I was one of three people
to work in the electronics department. One day upon arriving at work, I was told
the district manager was coming the next day to do a store inspection. The two
other people who worked in electronics were both over 55. Neither could lift
heavy objects, and one refused to work at all. As a result, the electronics
department was usually left to me to keep stocked with product and kept in
order. I had about five hours of work time to get the entire department in order.
Those five hours passed around, and there was still a substantial amount of
work to be done. I asked the store manager if I could stay and work after hours
while the overnight stockers were there. He said that because of the
employment budget, he could not let me. So I was faced with bringing the entire
store's rating down or not getting paid. I worked without pay, and three hours
later, the department was in tip-top shape. The electronics department got a
score of 95 out of 100.
Question 10 - How do you define success…and how do you measure up to
your own definition?

TRAPS: Seems like an obvious enough question. Yet many executives,

unprepared for it, fumble the ball.
BEST ANSWER: Give a well-accepted definition of success that leads right into
your own stellar collection of achievements.
Example: “The best definition I’ve come across is that success is the
progressive realization of a worthy goal.”
“As to how I would measure up to that definition, I would consider myself both
successful and fortunate…”(Then summarize your career goals and how your
achievements have indeed represented a progressive path toward realization of
your goals.)

Question 10: Do you consider yourself successful?

Answer tips
Always answer yes but follow with a brief explanation. You must convey exactly
why you consider yourself to be successful: an example would be because you
are goal-oriented–you have reached certain goals while still pursuing others.
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is
that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve
the others.
Answer samples
―Yes. Because I have proven successful in all that I have ventured. That
doesn‘t mean I haven‘t had my fair share of struggles or mistakes, but in the
end, I retain the skills and life experiences to overcome distractions and
accomplish goals. I know if given the chance, I will prove successful in all the
responsibilities entitled to this position.