What To Say And What Not To Say During An Interview

Whatever other advice is given about interviewing, above all you must be honest. An interview is not an opportunity for you to spend an hour bluffing. Many interviewers are trained in body language and you will doubtless give yourself away if you spend the vast majority of the time inventing fairy tales. However, this does not mean that you should parade all your negative characteristics in front of the interviewer.

To begin with:

A knowledge of the kind of questions that will be asked should help you to prepare. You will need to think out in advance the answers to each question, and decide which characteristic or attributes you should bring out for each job. Look at the application form again to refresh your memory about what you have already told the organization. Don't give monosyllabic answers.

What To Say And What Not To Say During An Interview

Get your facts right. Check with your CV so that you can remember the order and dates of your jobs. Muddling these will make you sound confused and vague.

Although you need to think through the answers to questions and should practice them aloud, don't learn them parrot fashion. A recital is liable to be boring and unconvincing rather than natural and spontaneous. Role-play and practice will help, particularly if you tend to be nervous beforehand.

Listen well

Listening is important. Make sure that you understand what has been asked. If you are not sure, ask for clarification. Be positive and enthusiastic about the job. Your tone of voice will give you away if you sound very enthusiastic about your hobbies but answer questions of your potential employment in a monotone. Don't lecture and show a sense of humour if possible. If you are able to lighten the discussion, it will create a good impression and help you to relax. Show that you can laugh - but not too much. Don't sound too timid - timidity and shyness are often seen as signs of weakness.

Keep your answers brief and concise whilst still imparting all the relevant information. You should communicate technical information simply, without using jargon and without assuming that your interviewer is an expert on the subject.

Don't give yourself away

Never volunteer information about your weaknesses, though you must be prepared to discuss these if asked. If you have nothing special to say, say nothing. Give an overview of the jobs that you have performed rather than a blow-by-blow account. Remember to keep your responses relevant to the posts you have applied for, too.

Don't apologize for your background - you will need to sound positive about all aspects of yourself. It is no good inspiring pity, if you intend to look sought-after by others.

Don't criticize your previous employers

Never be over critical of your current or last employer. Don't complain that the boss didn't recognize your skills, superior qualities etc., that you didn't get a promotion you richly deserved or that you were deprived of variety in your job. Apart from the fact that this irritates interviewers and they will seldom believe you, they will assume that you will say the same kind of things when you leave their company, and they don't want that.

Don't talk about politics or religion unless you are sure that the interviewer will agree with your viewpoint. Don't ask about the salary straight away, for this will sound as if you are more interested in the money than the job.

Cliches to avoid

There are certain things which are said in interviews time and time again, which make interviewers cringe. Avoid saying that you are good with people. Most people who really are wouldn't dream of saying it. Don't talk about the challenge of a job without showing that you are really enthusiastic about a particular aspect and that you mean it. If you are saying only that you are interested in this post because it is a challenge without any explanation of what that challenge is, forget it.

Namedropping is another common irritant to interviewers. Do avoid this. Namedropping usually has the opposite effect as the interviewer sees it as arrogance, particularly if you intimate that this person will 'put in a word for you' - this deprives the interviewer of the right to make their own decisions and sounds as if you will ask someone else to persuade them. Have confidence in yourself. Worse still is the practice of pretending contacts you don't have; this is very easily found out, so don't do it.

Other statements that must be avoided are:

'I am looking for a new challenge.'

"I left company X because I was seeking a new challenge.'

'I like working with people.'

'I have always wanted to work in ...'

'I am eager to enter the filed of ... in a company such as yours.'

'I have extensive experience in ...'

'I am willing to fill any/either of your posts.'

'I have no direct experience in this field.'

'You don't need to search any more. You have found me. I am the person you have been looking for.'

Turning the question around

There may be occasions when the honest and most basic answer to a question is 'No, I haven't done that,' but you realize that saying that won't help your case, and there is another side to it. Turn the question round to your advantage if you can. There may be occasions when you can say, still honestly, 'No, I haven't done X, but I have done Y.' Then go on to prove why these are similar and show the same basic skill.

If you think that you have been misunderstood, don't accuse the interviewer of getting it wrong, but say gently and firmly, 'No, that wasn't quite what I meant,' and then go on to repeat clearly what you had intended to say.

How to talk about your successes and failures

With both of these, you must strike a balance. Avoid boasting. Don't be over-modest about your successes either. When talking about past failures, be honest about your mistakes but show that you have learned from them. When asked about past weaknesses, don't just say that you have 'none that will affect this job. Thinking about a weakness, that you can talk about will be necessary; don't skip this thinking that the question won't come up.

Do not lie about your qualifications as many organizations check on these. If you think that you may be overqualified, you do not have to mention everything (though you may need to account for the time spent during that period. If you are under qualified, show a willingness to return to study to obtain the qualifications you have not gained so far.

What To Say And What Not To Say During An Interview
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

The author is the editor of http://www.perfectyourenglish.com Visit her website for more articles on business English.

watches mobile phone Best Price Golf Cart Ultimate Light Kit Upgrade Buy Auburn Gear 5420113 High Performance Series Differential Buy 2008 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Without Turbo Radiator

8 Most Common Interview Questions - With 8 Best Answers

When preparing for your next job interview, you'll want to have top-notch answers to the 8 most common interview questions. These answers provide a guideline to follow, and the most important thing to do is be yourself when answering these common interview questions. The sincerity that will come through will do more to impress the interviewer than anything you have to say.

Given that, here are the 8 most common interview questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.

8 Most Common Interview Questions - With 8 Best Answers

Perhaps this the most famous and common interview question of all interview questions. "Tell me about yourself" is the gateway to just about anything you wish to say. When asked the question, the interviewer doesn't want to know where you were born or what color your hair is. This question prompts you to show the interviewer why you are qualified for this job. Your answer may reveal some of your greatest achievements or how your past experience might relate to the job you are applying for.

2. Why would I hire you?

For this common interview question, you need to realize that the better answer you give, the easier it is for the employer -- It's up to you to give the employer a reason to hire you. This is a great time to tell the interviewer about any past work experience that is relevant to the job you are applying for. You might say, "When I was working at my previous job, I did (fill in with specific duty or responsibility). I feel that this experience will allow me to excel at this position I am applying for." This helps the interviewer picture you in the position, and is a great answer to this common interview question.

3. What are you strengths?

The first thing you should do is figure out 2-3 things about yourself that you really like about yourself and elaborate. This should put you in good shape to answer this commonly asked interview question. Always support your strength with a real-life example. For example, you may say you are dedicated. You should back this up with the time at your last job where you had an important project due and worked extra hours to make sure it got done, for instance. Now the interviewer has better insight into your work ethic and how you conduct yourself in pressure situations.

4. What are your weaknesses?

When answering this common interview question, you always want to give an answer that isn't really a weakness. You may say, "I don't speak a second language," or "when I start a project, I can't focus on anything else until I get it done." This shows that you are dedicated and hard working. You never want to truly bash yourself when answering this common interview question. That isn't the point. Making a positive seem negative is the trick.

5. What is the most important thing to you in a job?

If there is something really important for you to have in a job, be honest and say it. Remember, a job interview is a tool to reveal the best fit for the company. If something is really important to you that the company doesn't offer, it is best to reveal it now. Out of all the common interview questions, this is the one where you really need to follow your instincts.

6. What are you career goals?

Employers ask this interview question because they want to see what positions you might grow into if you were hired. The company may be looking for a candidate they can groom into their next Senior VP. However, if you are only looking for a job to cover you for the next couple of years, it might not be the best match.

7. Do you have any questions for me?

Do your research ahead of time and if you truly have a question, ask it. When you ask legitimate, relevant questions, you show the interviewer you put in time to research beforehand. However, don't ever ask questions just to ask questions or to look good. The interviewer will sense your lack of authenticity right away and that may hurt your chances. Make the time to think of an intelligent question about the job before hand. You may ask, "what is a typical day like for this position?" You can also ask, "What opportunity for advancement does this position have?"

8. Why did you leave your last job?

Whatever the reason was, tell the story of why is was mutually beneficial for you to leave the company. Never blurt out, "I got fired," and end it at that. It makes you look bad and can even make the interviewer feel uncomfortable. Prepare an honest story with a logical reason that doesn't reveal too much personal information or company gossip. If you did get fired, you can use this as an opportunity to discuss what you lessons you learned and what you would now do differently.

Now you have top-notch answers to the 8 most common interview questions. Keep practicing your answers and nail your next interview!

8 Most Common Interview Questions - With 8 Best Answers
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Robert Lawrence is a job interview expert who has interviewed candidates for multiple Fortune 500 companies. In his newly released book, Killer Interview Secrets, Robert reveals his "Killer Interview Formula" that will help you ace your interviews and have job offers fall into your lap! He even gives you audio files where he walks you through a real-life interview -- so you can hear what winning interview answers actually sound like! It's time to stop watching others get the jobs you deserve! Click here to visit Robert's website @ www.KillerInterviewSecrets.com and get your copy of Killer Interview Secrets today!

watches mobile phone Best Price Art S8 Balanced 8 Channel Microphone Buy 7 8 X 10 4 Rectangular Home Buy Auburn Gear 5420113 High Performance Series Differential

33 Radio Interview Tips That'll Make You a Star

You've landed the radio interview and it's time to get ready to actually do it. Now what? Here's a list of interview tips you'll want to read before your next interview. Keep them nearby, you'll be glad you did!

1. Go to a quiet room in your home or office; be sure staff and/or family know you are on a radio interview and cannot be interrupted.

2. Turn off other phones, cell phones and anything else that could create background noise including air conditioners and the radio, etc.

33 Radio Interview Tips That'll Make You a Star

3. Have a glass of water nearby; there's nothing worse than dry mouth on a radio interview.

4. Disable call waiting: dial *70 and then call the studio number. This disables call waiting for the duration of the phone call. As soon as you hang up, it will be reactivated.

5. Be on time. Call the station exactly at the time they tell you, or be at your phone waiting if the station is going to call you.

6. Use a land line phone for best quality. Some stations won't allow a cell phone interview. If it is not possible to reach a land line then use a cell phone in a stationary location and not while you are rolling down the road as the reception could be interrupted mid interview.

7. Do not use a speaker phone or a headset; again, it's about good sound quality.

8. Be self-assured. Remember, you know your topic inside and out. Be confident in your ability.

9. Smile, smile, smile, whether on radio or TV - SMILE. You'll feel better, and for TV you'll look better too.

10. Put some pizzazz and energy into your voice. Try standing while you speak to liven things up a little.

11. Research the show and tailor your message accordingly. Just Google the host's name and station and check out their web site. Is it a national audience or a small town in Ohio? What is their format? Is it News/Talk, NPR or Classic Rock or something else? You need to know.

12. KNOW exactly how much time you will have on the air as a guest, three minutes or 30 minutes...so you can tailor your answers to the time allotted.

13. Practice your sound bites-out loud before the interview. Communicate your main points succinctly. Practice this out loud.

14. Be informative and entertaining without directly pushing your book, product or service. Make the audience "want more."

15. A kind word about the host can go a long way. It's good manners and good business.

16. A person's name is sweet music to them so commit to memory or jot down the name of the host and use it throughout the interview. When taking calls, use the names of callers too.

17. Be prepared for negative comments, from the host or listeners.

18. Be careful not to slide into techno-babble, jargon or acronyms that few know about.

19. Never talk down to your audience.

20. Be respectful of the host because everybody starts someplace. Today they're interviewing you from a college radio station; in a few years they could be a nationally syndicated host.

21. Don't Oversell. Remember you are on the air to provide useful information to the listening audience. If you are an author or selling something, limit yourself to TWO mentions of the book, product or service. You must make it interesting without the commercialism. It takes finesse but you can do it. Often times the host will do this for you and you won't need to mention it.

22. Think of a radio interview as an intimate conversation with a friend and not a conversation with thousands.

23. Radio interviews require verbal answers, not head nodding or uh-huhs. Hand gestures don't count in radio either.

24. Radio will often use interviews live and later cut them up for use throughout the day giving you more airplay. So keep your answer to a 10 to 20 second sound bite. You can say a lot in that amount of time and then you don't sound like you are babbling on. Don't go on more than a minute without taking a break.

25. Don't just answer questions. Tell listeners something you want them to know, something they wouldn't know unless they were tuned in, with the promise of more of the same when they buy the product or come see you!

26. Have three key messages. Short, not sermons. Sometimes the host opens the door, other times you have to answer a question and segue to a key message. A compelling message will have the host asking for more. Usually people can get in two key messages; the pros can get three. But even if you get in only one, you get a big return for the time invested.

27. Lazy hosts open with a lame: "Thanks for being here." Boom! Give a:15-:20 sec summary message. If the host introduces you with a question, be polite, deliver your summary message, then answer the question. "Thanks, (use name), for the opportunity to talk about....Now, to your question (name)..."

28. Maintain a Positive Attitude. BE GENUINE OR TRANSPARENT. Don't fake enthusiasm or sincerity. If you're in a bad mood cancel the interview. Don't pretend to know stuff you don't.

29. Re-read the press release or pitch that got the booking since the host is going to be using that as a starting point. Often a book publicist such as myself, will tie into a breaking news event that relates to your expertise. Be aware of that tie-in.

30. After the interview write a thank-you note. Since so few people do this, you'll really stand out from the crowd. And most importantly, you may get invited back.

31. Whether the interview is live or taped-live, if you stumble, or flub up just keep going. Often what you perceived as a mistake, the listeners won't even notice.

32. Ask for an MP3 of the recording before the interview. Often if you ask ahead of time the producer will record the interview and then you can use it on your web site. Be sure to listen to it later and critique your performance.

33. Ask for a testimonial. Often that MP3 will arrive with a note from the host saying how much they enjoyed the interview, or that " Scott Lorenz was a great interview, he really kept our audience engaged," or "the phones rang off the hook when Scott Lorenz was being interviewed." You can use those testimonials in future pitches and on your web site, blog etc.

Its a good idea to prepare questions for the host to use and include those in your press kits emailed to the stations. Often, the host will read those questions right in order since they may not have had a chance to read the book.

Make sure you know your own material inside and out and are comfortable with everything in it. You are the author of the book, or the press release and they'll ask you, "What did you mean about this or that?" You need to have the answer. You don't want any surprise. That's why as a book publicist I tell my authors they must be prepared.

The bottom line, RELAX, you'll do fine. The butterflies you're feeling are what will drive you to do your best! Just follow these helpful tips and you'll be a radio interview star!

33 Radio Interview Tips That'll Make You a Star
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with individuals and entrepreneurs to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz has handled public relations and marketing for numerous authors, doctors, lawyers, inventors and entrepreneurs. As a book marketing expert Lorenz is called upon by top execs and bestselling authors to promote their books. Learn more about Westwind Communications' book marketing approach at http://www.westwindcos.com/book or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090.

watch cell phone Best Price Golf Cart Ultimate Light Kit Upgrade Buy Acdelco D1483D Ignition Lock Cylinder For 118 Buy Bern Berkeley Winter Snowboarding Helmet

Answer To What Are Your Weaknesses Interview Question

Interviewers who ask, "What are your weaknesses" do not expect you to admit to an embarrassing weakness. And while they know you've the rehearsed an answer to the greatest weakness interview question, interviewers want to see how well you handle it.

How to answer, "What are your weaknesses?"

You need to have several arrows in your quiver to handle this question. That's because some interviewers will press you to reveal a true weakness. When that happens, offer an answer and hope it satisfies your listener. If it doesn't, move on to the second answer. If that doesn't work, use the third and fourth answers in turn.

Answer To What Are Your Weaknesses Interview Question

Here are four answers to the weaknesses question. As mentioned in the last paragraph, they're intended to be used one at a time -

Answer #1

"I guess we all have weaknesses. But it's been a long time since I've thought about mine. I prefer to focus on my strengths and make them even stronger. That's why I've had such a successful career up to this point."

This is a good answer to the greatest weaknesses interview question because we're all born with strengths and weaknesses. To be successful, you need to focus on your strengths and use them the most. You must also be aware of your weaknesses and stop doing them.

If the interviewer says you haven't really answered the question, move on to....

Answer #2

"As I said, we all have weaknesses. But from what you've told me about the job, I know I won't be required to use a weakness."

At this point, you hope the interviewer will move on to the next question. But if she continues pressing, say...

Answer #3

"What I love about the job is that it allows me to use my strengths."

Finally, if the interviewer insists on another response, go to....

Answer #4

Talk about a technical skill that's not related to the position you're seeking; a skill you can easily learn. Then explain how you're working on "an area I've targeted for improvement." Here, you're replaced the word "weaknesses" with, "an area I've targeted for improvement."

You can say, for example, "I've gotten a bit rusty in my hands on computer skills since becoming a manager. So I'm spending time each week doing hands on work in order to stay on top.

In a nutshell

An interview is not a confessional. Whenever you're asked, "What are your weaknesses?" avoid talking about a shortcoming in your personality or admitting a true weakness. Both would be deal killers.

Answer To What Are Your Weaknesses Interview Question
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Randy Place, a career management consultant in private practice, and Internet host of Your Career Service - http://www.yourcareerservice.com Daily posts feature job-finding tips and career management advice. Topics include job interview tips, networking strategies, dealing with job loss, resume writing and personalized cover letters, getting ahead at work, how to handle standard interview questions and much more.

watch cell phone Buy 7 8 X 10 4 Rectangular Home Best Price Golf Cart Ultimate Light Kit Upgrade Best Price Art S8 Balanced 8 Channel Microphone

What Colors To Wear To A Job Interview

We all know that dressing professionally for a job interview can leave a good first impression with the employer, but what about the color of your attire? Have you ever wondered why doctors wear white or police officers wear blue? Or why black represents power and red implies passion?
Different colors influence people in different ways, emotions from trust to aloof and everything in between. Color psychologists and scientists have been studying the impact of colors for years and how people respond to different colors listed below. Keep this in mind when choosing what colors to wear to the job interview.

Black: Represents authority, power, and drama. Black can also make you appear unapproachable and overpowering. So avoid it when interviewing, unless in small amounts or as an accent color.

White: Symbolizes of purity, chastity, and cleanliness. White is a neutral color that goes with everything. It's usually worn in shirts and blouses year round.

What Colors To Wear To A Job Interview

Blue: Signifies tranquility, authority, trust, and loyalty. It's the best-selling color globally, and the one with the biggest success rate in job interviews. Blue is the ultimate "power color".

Brown: Addresses credibility and stability. It's the color of the earth and abundant in nature. Brown creates a neutral environment for open discussion.

Beige and tan: Similar to brown, are calming, stress reducing, earthy colors that invite communication. These colors are perceived as nonassertive and passive.

Gray: Denotes neutrality and sophistication. After blue, it's the second most popular color to wear to a job interview. If you want to look confident without being overpowering in black, go for gray.

Red; Implies heat, danger, power, passion, and strength. The most emotionally intense color, red can stimulate a faster heartbeat and breathing. Use red as an accent color to motivate people to make quick decisions and increase expectations. It can also increase emotions during job interviews, so avoid wearing large amounts of red.

Orange: Like red, can stimulate strong emotions. Related to warmth and autumn, individuals who wear orange are perceived as having a strong personality. Bright orange, like bright red, will attract attention and induce intense emotions, so wear moderately in job interviews.

Yellow: Promotes a wide range of emotions, from cheer and goodwill to caution, and jealousy. However, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms than in rooms of other colors. It is the most difficult color for the eye to absorb, so it can be unbearable if overused. Wear in small doses in job interviews.

Green: Indicates nature, success, wealth, and security. A calming, refreshing color, green is the easiest color on the eye and most relaxing. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. People will feel comfortable with you without standing out in a job interview.

Purple: Symbolizes royalty, richness, power and sensitivity. It's also the color of passion and love. Purple is often viewed as a "feminine" color, so avoid wearing purple when attending a job interview with a strong gender bias.

Pink: Inspires a variety of emotions, from fun and excitement to calm and low energy. Pink is viewed as a feminine color, and, like purple, should be worn with discretion in job interviews.

What Colors To Wear To A Job Interview
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Information provided by, Moshin Manji, HRinmotion.

HRinmotion, your complete employment center.

For business, we provide online education that can be branded to help you prepare your candidates for job interviews and write better resumes. Since our employment center can be branded with your logo, it will not only strengthen relationships, but increase your placements. If you are looking to hire, post your jobs online and receive top applicants from Canada, USA and UK.

For job seekers, our online education and services will help you get more job interviews and more job offers. Use our employment preparation services to give yourself a stand out resume and sharp interview skills. We have made job search easier than ever by providing you one of the largest job boards in Canada, US and UK. We have over 1.5 million jobs online, apply today and find the right job!

Jobs Online Canada [http://www.hrinmotion.com/content.php?content_id=78&menu_id=98]

Jobs Online USA [http://www.hrinmotion.com/content.php?content_id=76&menu_id=99]

watch mobile phone Best Price Art S8 Balanced 8 Channel Microphone Cheap Deals Mason 5C025 Pad Anti Vibration

Competency Interview - How to Succeed at Competency Based Interviews

With competency interviews becoming increasingly common among interviewers across the world, it's a good idea to be prepared for when you have yours.

Direct Dealer Stores Zone
24 Hrs Best Seller Category
New Tags Get Cheapest Price Shopping
Benefit Buy Direct Directory
Inter Brand Search
My Shopping Centre
Online store Review Directory
Only New Release Products

In this article, you'll find out:
What competency interviews are What interviewers look for How you can prepare Where to go for typical competency questions

After this, you'll quickly start to feel more confident, be able to deliver a great competency interview performance and land the job!

Competency Interview - How to Succeed at Competency Based Interviews

Competency Interviews - What Are They?

Competency interviews are designed to find out how well you performed in given situations in the past. Research shows that how you did perform in the past is a more accurate predictor of how you will perform in the future compared to asking you how you would perform.

Here's an example:
Rather than asking: "How would you cope if you were given too much work to do" , interviewers might ask you: "Tell me about the last time you had too much work to do in a day". You see your interviewers want to know what you did in that scenario, why you did it and what the result was.

Before the interview, the recruiters study the job description and pick out the key skills, attributes etc.. that they think a successful candidate needs. They simply draft interview questions designed to find out if you are have these skills and attributes. The evidence is in what you did in the past.

Here's what we mean: Suppose the job calls for a person who can deal with difficult customers, in a complaints department, let's say. The interviewers will devise questions designed to find out how well you dealt with difficult customers before. The sort of things they will want to know are how you felt, what decisions/actions you took and the outcome of those actions. Some might even want to know what you would change about what you did.

What Do Interviewers Want In Competency Interview Answers?

On the whole, interviewers look for positive indicators that you are competent at the things they consider important in the job. But they also look for negative factors which will reduce the effectiveness of your answer. Negative indicators include not asking for help when appropriate, seeing changes or challenges as obstacles and reacting to things personally.

To fully understand how you behaved before, interviewers often want answers to the following 4 key components, often called STAR.

Situation or Task
Did the candidate explain the task or situation that they were involved in?

Action
Did they explain what they did, exactly, in relation to the task or situation?

Result
Did they explain the results of their actions?

If your answers don't give enough information, some interviewers will follow up with additional questions, like:
What was your particular role in this? What obstacles did you overcome? Why exactly did you take that action? What made you reach that decision? How did you feel about that? Who came up with that idea? What precisely was the outcome/result? What feedback did you get? How would you behave differently if it happened again?
Competency Interviews - How To Prepare

To help you get ready for competency based interviews, here are 5 things you should do:
Review the job ad Note down the knowledge, skills and attributes the employer is looking for. Are they looking for a good communicator, someone with initiative, or someone with excellent customer service skills and so on Come up with at least 1 example of where you've demonstrated each of the things you noted down in step 2 Write about the example/s in step 3. For every one, describe the circumstances, how you were feeling, what action your took, why you took it and the results Read your notes back to yourself or someone else. Think of extra questions your interviewers might ask about each example. Very often your interviewers want to know more than you expect!

Competency Interview - How to Succeed at Competency Based Interviews

Here are some example competency interview questions.

watches cell phone Best Price Art S8 Balanced 8 Channel Microphone Buy 2008 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Without Turbo Radiator Buy 7 8 X 10 4 Rectangular Home

How to Answer the Salary Question in a Job Interview

The job interview is progressing just great. You've established a good rapport with your interviewers and you feel really positive about the opportunity. But then that 800-pound gorilla of a question is tossed at you: "What kind of salary are you looking for?" You want to be cooperative, but you're torn. Do you answer the question and move forward? Or do you play the "you-tell-me-first" game?

Sometimes, a well thought out "non-answer" will earn the employer's respect; other times it will simply annoy. The experts can lean either way, so you need to understand the different schools of thought, then decide how to answer.

Interviews

Before the salary question comes up, you need to find out the appropriate salary range for someone with your experience in the kind of position you're seeking within your market. There are a handful of web sites that can provide this information. You should research salaries as well as information about the company as part of your pre-interview preparation.

How to Answer the Salary Question in a Job Interview

The idea behind trying to postpone an answer to the salary question is that if you state a salary too early in the hiring process, you lose two big opportunities. The first is to get them to love you before they know the price. Until they want you, you have no negotiating leverage. The other opportunity is to demonstrate your ability to handle an uncomfortable situation (i.e., being asked this tough question) confidently and respectfully, without caving - a prized skill in most jobs.

If you feel it's in your best interests to avoid the question, your reply should respectfully and professionally communicate three general principles:

* Your interest in the opportunity;

* Your expectation to be paid in line with market conditions and your experience level; and

* Your willingness to discuss salary history once you and the company decide you're the right person for the position.

To Answer or Not to Answer?

If you're applying for a sales-oriented job, where negotiation skills are critical to success, then by all means, demonstrate your negotiating finesse and your ability to diplomatically sidestep the question. If you're applying for an administrative assistant's position in a huge company with a rigid salary structure, there's not much point in negotiating.

When you should answer depends on when in the hiring process the question comes up. Some companies demand salary history with your application. Others will ask the salary question in an initial phone screen. The trouble is, at these early stages, they're most likely trying to screen you out, not in. Even at these early stages of the selection process you have a choice whether or not to provide a compensation number.

Whether you want to answer the question directly or indirectly, immediately or later, here are four principles to help you craft a professional answer to this inevitable question.

What to Say, When You Say It

Use the following examples as a guide. Modify them to suit your style and personality, and practice until you can say any one of them with a smile.

1. "I was paid well in my last (or current) position. The number was in line with market conditions and the results I delivered. I'm very interested in this opportunity, and I'll be happy to discuss my compensation history when we determine that I'm the right person for the job."

2. "I realize you need to be sure my expectations are consistent with the salary range for this position. To ensure that we're aligned, please tell me your range for this position."

3. "I'm reluctant to focus on just one factor at this stage, when other factors affect what makes an opportunity a great fit. What's more important to me are the position, the company, the people I'd be working with, and growth potential. So far, I'm impressed with what I have learned about this opportunity and I remain very interested in learning more!"

4. "The actual figure will depend heavily on a number of important variables, but my experience and research tell me that fair compensation for this position falls in the range of __________." [Note: Name a wide salary range toward the higher end of your expectations. For example, ",000 to ,000 per year" or " to per hour."]

Remember, your negotiating leverage goes way up once they're convinced they can't live without you. But some employers will insist on a number up front, so be ready to give one. If you don't give one, chances are the employer won't toss your resume in the wastebasket, says Michael Neece, chief strategy officer at PongoResume. "Your resume has already proven that they want to talk to you. I've never known of a situation in which a prospective employee was eliminated from consideration after an interview because he or she refused to answer the question."

Don't get caught off guard. Craft a response that feels comfortable for you and practice saying it. Think that sounds silly? Remember that being unprepared for the salary question can literally cost you thousands of dollars if you undersell yourself, or price yourself right out of consideration.

How to Answer the Salary Question in a Job Interview

By Rick Saia

© 2004-2008 Pongo Software, LLC. All rights reserved.
Pongo"Resume (http://www.pongoresume.com)

watches cell phone Buy Bern Berkeley Winter Snowboarding Helmet Best Price Dual Motor Deluxe Power Unit For Buy Acdelco D1483D Ignition Lock Cylinder For 118