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Four Interview Questions Candidates Find Most Difficult

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As part of an ongoing series, career coach Catherine Palmiere’s goal is to help you succeed during the interview process. Knowing what interview questions are likely to be asked is half the battle – the other half is answering them in a way that lands you the job.

Each week, Catherine will pose a new interview question and teach you how to come up with your own valuable answer. Using these tips will help you reply with confidence and make you stand out among your competitors.

Interview Question #1: “Tell me about yourself.”

This interview question is very likely to come up, and your answer will tell the interviewer more than you may think.

Your 60-second elevator speech should include:

· The type of work you’re doing now (or the most recent type of work you’ve done)
· Your educational background as it relates to this particular job
· Your accomplishments and achievements at previous jobs

Preparing a 60-second elevator speech before your interview will show your interviewer you can think on your feet and can handle challenging questions.Interviewers love asking candidates to describe themselves, because it tells them how quickly you can compose your thoughts. This interview question also shows them whether you’re focused and able to effectively answer out-of-the-box questions.
An interview question like this can seem tricky. What do they want to know? Should you tell them what you think they want to hear?
The interviewer isn’t asking if you like piña coladas and taking walks in the rain – they’re asking how your skills, educational background and personal qualities will relate to the job they’re offering.
Compose a “60-second elevator speech” before you walk into an interview. When you meet someone in an elevator who asks what you do, your 60-second elevator speech is the response you give. You’ve only got a few moments to outline your job description and how you fill it before the elevator doors open.
When this interview question comes up, you’ll be able to answer confidently and quickly. There can only be one #1 candidate for a job – and successfully answering this interview question can give you an edge over the competition.
Next week, Catherine will tackle difficult interview question #2: Why should I hire you when I’m interviewing candidates with industry experience?
Subscribe to this blog to catch up on all Catherine’s interview tips, job-hunting pointers and more.
by Catherine Palmiere, President, Adam Personnel, Inc.  CPalmiere@AdamPersonnel.com(212)557-9150 ext. 208