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Since there always seems to be at least one of us looking for work, I thought I'd start a thread regarding interview questions / answers.

Please add some questions / answers you may have.

One that I get asked quite a bit is "Have you had any job offers?" How do I answer this?

I have had offers but the job was either too far away or the money sucked. How do I answer this question without coming across as arrogant or greedy because they didn't offer me enough money? I don't want to say that I haven't had any offers because I have been laid off since October. That's eight months. If I say I have not had any offers in eight months, they're going to think I'm a complete loser or something is wrong with me.

So, how do I answer the question "Have you had any offers so far"?

Wow... what a rude question! It's really none of their business if you have or have not. Damned if you do (she's too picky, demanding too much money, etc.) damned if you don't (not hire-able, not even in the running).

I would probably be honest, as that's how I tend to be. If I've had an offer through and agency, I would say that I'd had an offer through an agency, but had had bad experiences in the past and was not looking to work for an agency at this time. If I'd had no offers, I would say that, but add that my search has been very focused up until now, and that the types of jobs I've been looking for are few and far between, however I'd had two or three, and made it down to the final cut in all three (or something to that effect).

I have a package prepared for my interviews (hopefully I can get a new job in the coming months!!) and here are some questions that I always have prepared answers for:

-- The Conflict question (tell me about a time there was conflict in your workplace and what you did to work through it)
-- The Leadership question (how have you shown leadership)
-- The Initiative Question
-- Teamwork question
-- Organizational Skills

Usually there will be some VERY specific questions regarding the job... these I usually find I have trouble with as I've never done the job... it's like they are slanting the job towards the incumbent (who, in my place of work, is usually a casual employee or temporary employee doing the job, and they want them permanent so the interview is a formality.)

(06-28-2010 10:48 AM)Jo Wrote: [ -> ]Wow... what a rude question! It's really none of their business if you have or have not. Damned if you do (she's too picky, demanding too much money, etc.) damned if you don't (not hire-able, not even in the running).

Exactly! No matter what the answer, it reflects poorly on me.

Of course, the salary question is the WORST! I think I've decided to answer with something like this:

"I'd like to learn more about the position before answering that question. What is the range you are offering?"

I've read that if you answer a question with a question, it throws them off guard and they will probably tell you what you want to know. However, any seasoned HR person will have the experience to deal with such trickery.

If you feel you absolutely have to answer the question, I would answer it, but not elaborate.

Have you had any offers? -- "Yes".

Silence.

I learn this technique as a teacher -- if you are silent, others will speak. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but so do human beings -- conversational vacuums make us squirm. If you can control your urge to fill the vacuum, they will speak instead.

Isn't that what they always say on Law & Order when they're prepping a witness for the stand?

Never tell them more than what they need to know. Yes and no answers are fine until they ask for more info. I agree with that.

Nevertheless, it's still an intrusive question.

(06-28-2010 09:50 AM)NKBurlington Wrote: [ -> ]One that I get asked quite a bit is "Have you had any job offers?" How do I answer this?
So, how do I answer the question "Have you had any offers so far"?

Nothing rude about this question. They are just trying to find out if you have any other PENDING job offers, so that they know how soon they will need to make YOU an offer should they decide to hire you.

So, should I answer "I have had offers but nothing is pending at this time"?

(06-28-2010 12:47 PM)NKBurlington Wrote: [ -> ]So, should I answer "I have had offers but nothing is pending at this time"?

I think that is a good answer. Or simply "no pending offers at this time".

I agree that is a very rude question, and I agree that it is none of their business, but CF Scorpio's response is very good.

The toughie for me is "Why are you looking to leave your current position?" So far, I've been telling them that I am looking for a position more in alignment with my skills, values, and goals or that I'm looking to expand on my current skill set. I can't tell them it's because I hate my job, am under utilized and bored--you're not supposed to badmouth your current employer.

Anyone else have a way of dealing with that question?
Jen M.

"I've gone as far as I can go and I'm looking for something more challenging"

Oooh. That's a good one!

Thanks!

(06-28-2010 05:47 PM)NKBurlington Wrote: [ -> ]"I've gone as far as I can go and I'm looking for something more challenging"

The only problem is they will ask what kind of challenges are you seeking and can't you get those challenges in your current job, and if not, why not. I tried this approach eons ago, and I wasn't prepared for the barrage of questions. They also asked if I discussed with my boss getting more challenging work and what have I done in my job to warrant getting more challenging work. I was just looking for a job that paid more than what I was getting. It's tricky to give that as an answer, especially if you're just anxious to get out of your current shit job situation. Often times they can tell who is totally bullshitting their way through the interview trying to give the perfect answers.

Ok then how about "I've been at ABC company for ten years and I feel it's time for a change". You don't even have to tell them the truth. You can say ten years or 12 or whatever. Since you're not giving references for the current job (you don't want them to know you're looking for work), you can tell them whatever you want. They won't find out.

Dog, in my own case, I would tell them-which is true--that there simply is no opportunity for that. Admins at my company very RARELY get bumped into other positions, and receptionists have it even worse. That is a very good question, though.

The "it's time to move on" response is a good one.

Jen

(06-29-2010 10:30 AM)NKBurlington Wrote: [ -> ]Ok then how about "I've been at ABC company for ten years and I feel it's time for a change". You don't even have to tell them the truth. You can say ten years or 12 or whatever. Since you're not giving references for the current job (you don't want them to know you're looking for work), you can tell them whatever you want. They won't find out.

In the US, you can get fired for lying on an application. Many employers will check your references after they make an offer. I wouldn't lie about something that can be verified.

---

(06-28-2010 09:50 AM)NKBurlington Wrote: [ -> ]So, how do I answer the question "Have you had any offers so far"?

How about: Yes, but after I learned more about the positions during my interviews I saw that they weren't going to be good fits for me.

Or if you don't want to look too picky you could say: Yes, I wanted to see how this interview went before responding to the offer. Or, I will be letting them know by the end of the week.

This is an interesting topic.

For the question of "job offers" they are basically fishing. If you say that you have no offers then they know they can lowball you or reject you outright as being unhireable. It sucks but it's true. Say "Yes and I am considering them" and then answer nothing else about it. Just say that it is your personal business and then arch an eyebrow.

Jo makes a good point about questions that are specifically designed to eliminate candidates. They do this as a formality. It's usually pretty apparent but as a job seeker it is very irritating. Honestly I would rather them just hire the person rather than going through the charade.

The salary question is definitely the worst. You can always bullshit pretty much anything that isn't technical but when you get that they expect a number. I just say "as much as possible" with a wide-eyed innocent look on my face. It usually gets me some laughs but no jobs. I really hate this because it's like playing a game of poker only the other guy gets to hide his cards while you have yours facing outwards and aren't allowed to look at them. How can you win?

PrairieGirl makes a great point. What can sink you most is talking too much. It's better to be reserved and only answer what they ask and nothing more. A good interviewer will deliberately pause after you answer a question hoping you'll try to fill the silence. Keep in mind this is standard interrogation procedure. Think about that.

I disagree with CFScorpio. Like I said, this is their way of seeing if they can lowball you. Make it vague.

Bittercat asks a good question. Why do you wish to leave your current position is a trap. If you say you don't like your job then you are negative. If you say that you've reached the height of your career there then you aren't ambitious. If you say something about money then you are greedy. It's a no-win situation. The best is saying that you aren't aligned with their mission goals or something. This is best if you have worked there less than a year. If you try that when working there for twenty years it raises the obvious question as to why you worked there for decades. Still, it's an awful question.

Back on the topic of saying "I'm looking for a job that's more challenging": A lot of people don't want a challenging position. A lot of people are happy with their daily routine and knowing they can handle their current job. There's fear of failure if they're given more challenging work. But people might be looking for another job for various reasons-incompetent boss, looking for better pay, asshole coworkers, want job closer to home, etc. Is it a good idea to play the "want a more challenging job" card if you're not really interested in that? Afterall, the name of the game (if you're currently employed) is to convince the interviewer you have a good reason to want to change jobs.

Well, in my case, I AM interested in something more challenging. While I don't want to manage people, I'm definitely anxious to take on more responsibility.

I sit on my ass for 6 out of every 8 hour day. It got old 3 years ago when I started looking!

You can't say that in an interview, either, though.

Jen

How to answer the tough interview questions

Colleen Clarke. To outshine other incumbents being interviewed for the same job as you, you must do your homework and be very prepared to stand out as the organized, prepared professional you are.

Here are a few of the tougher interview questions that are often flubbed, with the appropriate answers:

1.Tell me a bit about yourself." Give no more than a 3 minute synopsis of your career to date. "I am a ______ with _____ years of experience. My most recent position was as __________ with _____ . Mention (relevant) education. My areas of expertise are: 1., 2., 3. and here are some examples of those areas." Interviewers do not want to hear anything personal about you in this 3 minute period.

2."Where do you want to be in five years from now?" I hope to still be working for this company, with newly acquired skills, and ongoing responsibility."

3."Why do you want to work for this company?" Don't say, "Because there is an opening and I really need a job." This is where you talk about what you gleaned from the research you have conducted on company and possibly mention a common shared value. Show excitement and passion in your voice and tone. "This job posting so closely matched my qualifications and as a client I really like the customer service I get when I call with a problem."

4."Why should we hire you?" This is a freeze up question. Mention the benefits you will bring to the position and to the company. Tell them you are going to save them money, increase productivity or free them up to do their job by taking care of everything else using the skills that you have. Do not rehash your skills, go for the benefits!

5."What is your greatest accomplishment to date?" Try to use a recent example that is relevant to the position and the company that you are interviewing with, but it is not mandatory. Be sure to use the Situation, Action, Result format. Tell the accomplishment with pride, and smile.

6."What skill do you believe needs development?" Don't say, "I need to learn Spanish so when I go south each winter I can talk to the local senoritas." No one likes to be asked the weakness question but when you are prepared for it it's easier to address. There are a few different ways to answer this question. One example to tell them something you would like to be better at; you can do it now but you would like to excel at it. OR your weakness could be something that was a weakness but is now a strength. Whatever you say, be sure to always turn it around to sound positive.

7."Why did you leave your last job?" This question is to determine fit. If you weren't fired, then tell exactly what happened. If you quit due to conflict with a manager or colleagues, tell them that your values were not congruent with those of the new manager. Everyone can relate to this response because it is the truth. If you were fired you have to craft your explanation to be short, succinct and truthful but not totally disclosing. Stick to a one sentence answer.

8."Is there any skill or knowledge area required in this job that you would not be able to perform?" This is not the time to mention that you had by-pass surgery eight years ago. As long as the answer is 'no' you are not obliged to share any personal or health issue with the interviewer. If you have a condition that needs special attention or accommodation as long as it doesn't prevent you from carrying out the responsibilities as advertised you do not have to mention it until you have signed off on the offer.

Whatever you do be yourself, be honest and don't feel like you have to over explain yourself. Remember that people remember stories they don't remember words so give heart felt examples and practice, practice, practice.

Colleen Clarke
Career Specialist & Corporate Trainer
http://www.colleeenclarke.com
Author of Networking: How to Build Relationships That Count and
How to Get a Job and Keep It and
The Power of Mentorship: Visibility Networking

(06-29-2010 08:00 PM)Dog Holliday Wrote: [ -> ]Back on the topic of saying "I'm looking for a job that's more challenging": A lot of people don't want a challenging position. A lot of people are happy with their daily routine and knowing they can handle their current job. There's fear of failure if they're given more challenging work.

Thank you for saying this! I get tired of people assuming that everyone is a shark trying to climb the corporate ladder in pursuit of that next promotion. Personally I was happiest when I had a job where the duties were clearly defined and my ability was up to the task. One of the best jobs I had was data proof encoding which is ten key data entry. There was no career track, just simple data entry. I liked it because I could effectively put my brain into neutral and not worry about stuff.

I actually quit a job because the promotion track was expected. It sucked because in the intermediate stage I was happy because I could do the job. The advanced stage put a lot more responsibility on me which is not my style at all.