Why should I hire you?

Don't repeat your resume or employment history. Offer one or two examples to explain why you're talking to this particular company. What's the most compelling example you can give to prove your interest? This question often remains unasked, but it's always in the back of the recruiter's mind. Even if this question isn't asked, you should find an opportunity to use your prepared response sometime during the interview, perhaps in your closing remarks. "My uncle had a company that was a small-scale manufacturer in the industry, and although he later sold the business, I worked there for five summers doing all sorts of odd jobs. For that reason I believe I know this business from the ground up, and you can be assured that I know what I'd be getting into as a plant manager here."

Tell me what you know about this company.

Describe your first encounter or a recent encounter with the company or its products and services. What would be particularly motivating to you about working there as opposed to working the same type of job in a different company? The recruiter will look for evidence of genuine interest and more than just surface research on the company. Reciting the annual report isn't likely to impress most recruiters, but feedback from customers and employees will.

"I served as an intern to a restaurant analyst last summer, so I followed all the steak-house chains closely. What you've done especially well is focus on a limited menu with great consistency among locations; the business traveler trusts your product anywhere in the U.S. I'm particularly interested in your real-estate finance group and expansion plans."

Where do you want to be in five years?

Don't give specific time frames or job titles. Talk about what you enjoy, skills that are natural to you, realistic problems or opportunities you'd expect in your chosen field or industry, and what you hope to learn from those experiences. You shouldn't discuss your goals in a fields or industry unrelated to the job you're applying for. This may sound obvious, but too many candidates make this mistake, unwittingly demonstrating a real lack of interest in their current field or industry. Needless to say, such a gaffe will immediately eliminate you from further consideration. "I'd like to have the opportunity to work in a plant as well as at the home office. I also hope to develop my management skills, perhaps by managing a small staff."

Why do you want to work in this industry?

Tell a story about how you first became interested in this type of work. Point out any similarities between the job you're interviewing for and your current or most recent job. Provide proof that you aren't simply shopping in this interview. Make your passions for you work a theme that you allude to continually throughout the interview. "I've always wanted to work in an industry that makes tools. One of my hobbies is home-improvement projects, so I've collected a number of saws manufactured by your company. I could be an accountant anywhere, but I'd rather work for a company whose products I trust."

How do you spend your free time?

This question may have several purposes. The interviewer may be just curious about your personal life without getting into illegal questions. He may also want to know how well rounded you are in your personal and professional lives. Focus on some of the standard hobbies or activities that most people engage in: golf, tennis, boating, reading, music, opera, collecting, gardening, or cooking. If you are operating a home-based business as a sideline, you may not want to reveal your entrepreneurial spirit-it may indicate you are planning to leave and go solo as soon as the business starts doing well. Source: Haldane's Best Answers to Tough Interview Questions, Bernard Haldane Associates, 2000.

What is your biggest failure?

Focus on something outside your work or something that happened on the job that you later fixed. Do not admit to any personal quality that might hamper job performance, such as procrastination, laziness or lack of concentration. Choose something that will not reflect badly on your ability to perform in the given position, such as one that took place early in your career. For example, "My biggest failure was not being selected as a SEAL because I was diagnosed with night vision problems. When I was 18, all I wanted to be was a SEAL. But I'm glad I didn't, because I may have overlooked an exciting career in information technology" or "When I was working at CL Advertising Associates, I lost the $2 million Jettler account after only six weeks on the job! I felt awful and thought I would be fired. I was determined to get the account back and did after six months. Today the account makes up 1/3 of CL Advertising."

We all have weaknesses. What are some of your major weaknesses?

This is not the time to confess all your problems nor to confidently say you have no weaknesses. The best way to handle this question is to mention personal weaknesses that are outside the job or a professional weakness that you have already improved upon. For example, "I have a real weakness for chocolate that tends to go right to my waist! I'm watching my calories carefully these days!" or "I've never been good with accounting. I'm glad this job doesn't involve accounting." Or "I have a tendency to take on too much on my own. I am working on this by delegating more." or you could mention any of your bad things like if you are arrogant, short tempered, etc,(if you are so) but don't forget to say this "But my friends says i am improving on it". This will show case your confessing attitude without spoiling your game.

Describe a major goal you've set for yourself recently.

Give an example of a goal you both set and achieved. Ideally, this should be a professional goal; such as improved time management skills, achieved new performance targets, or learned a new skill. A personal example can also be appropriate if it reinforces your pattern of accomplishments. For example, if you take a great deal of initiative and quickly move into leadership positions, you might use a personal example relating to your recent community work: organized a community walk-a-thon that raised $30,000 in matching funds to purchase new computers for the local library. Talk about results of achieving your goal. This indicates you set realistic goals and that you can focus on outcomes. Select an example that has interesting outcomes related to your efforts. The example should showcase your skills and abilities.

"Tell me about a time you didn't perform to your capabilities."

This question forces the candidate to describe a negative situation. Do so in the context of an early career mistake based on inexperience; then demonstrate the better judgment you now have as a result of that learning experience.

"The first time I had to give a presentation to our board, I failed to anticipate some of their questions. I was unprepared for anything other than what I wanted to report. Now my director and I brainstorm all the what-ifs in advance."

"What are your strengths?"

Describe two or three skills you have that are most relevant to the job. Avoid clichs or generalities; offer specific evidence. Describe new ways these skills could be put to use in the new position. If you have to talk about weaknesses, be honest without shooting yourself in the foot-avoid pointing out a weakness that could be a major obstacle in landing the job. For example, it might be wise to mention you barely have the required work experience for the job; the interviewer has surely noticed this much, and then you can explain how you're qualified nonetheless.

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"My strengths are interpersonal skills, and I can usually win people over to my point of view. Also, I have good judgment about people and an intuitive sense of their talents and their ability to contribute to a given problem. These skills seem to me directly related to the job. I notice that you require three years' work experience for this job. Although my resume shows I've only two years' experience, it doesn't show that I took two evening college courses related to my field and have been active in one of the professional societies. I also try to gain knowledge by reading the industry's trade journals. I'm certain that my combined knowledge and skill level is the equivalent of that of other people who do have three years' of work experience. I'm also currently enrolled in a time-management course; I can already see the effects of this course at work on my present job."

"We're considering two other candidates for this position. Why should we hire you rather than someone else?"

Do not be distracted by the mention of two other candidates, you don't know anything about them and they could be fictitious. Focus on what strengths you bring to the table. These should be consistent with the four things most employers are looking for in candidates during the job interview: competence, professionalism, enthusiasm, and likability. Remember, they are looking for chemistry between you and them. Be prepared to summarize in 60 seconds why you are the best candidate for the job. Also, let the employer know you want the job and you will enjoy working with them. A lack of interest in the job may indicate a lack of enthusiasm for the job and them.

"Describe a major goal you've set for yourself recently."

Give an example of a goal you both set and achieved. Ideally, this should be a professional goal; such as improved time management skills, achieved new performance targets, or learned a new skill. A personal example can also be appropriate if it reinforces your pattern of accomplishments. For example, if you take a great deal of initiative and quickly move into leadership positions, you might use a personal example relating to your recent community work: organized a community walk-a-thon that raised Rs.30,000 in matching funds to purchase new computers for the local library. Talk about results of achieving your goal. This indicates you set realistic goals and that you can focus on outcomes. Select an example that has interesting outcomes related to your efforts. The example should showcase your skills and abilities.

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You may tell the educational goals such as, you had set a goal of scoring 90% and you got succeed at certain level by getting 85%. For this you just need to analyse yourself, we always keep looking at outside world, give few minutes of your life and have a deep look into yourself.

"Where do you see yourself five years from now?"

This open-ended question is one of the most difficult and stressful ones job seekers face. Employers ostensibly ask this question because they are looking for people who know what they want to do and who are focused on specific professional goals. If you lack goals, you will have difficulty answering this question. Be sure you arrive at the interview with a clear vision of what you want to do today, tomorrow and five years from now. Be consistent with the objective on your resume and the skills and accomplishments you're communicating to the interviewer. Your answer should be employer-centered.

For example,

"In five years I hope to be working with an employer in an increasingly responsible position, that enables me to utilize my talents and work closely with my colleagues in solving important problems. I see myself taking on new and exciting challenges in an enjoyable environment and hopefully this will be with your company."
Do not indicate that you hope to start your own business, change careers, or go back to school. Such responses indicate a lack of long-term interest since you do not plan to be around for long. While some may respond that they honestly haven't really thought that far ahead, the interviewer infers that the applicant lacks vision and goals.

"How Can You Assure, You will have long association with company?"

Honestly speaking I don't think any one can assure you that. A long association is not something which entirely dependant on me. Its the company as well which is equally responsible and if both me and the company will keep taking care of each other rational expectations, then I don't think I will even think of moving from here, what I can assure is that if I will keep getting good working environment and competitive growth, hike & recognition, then I will try my level best not to disappoint my employers, not even slightly

Tell Me Something About Yourself

This post is about how to answer to the question "Tell Me Something About Yourself". Most probably people will say "What the hell this blog is about, cant I speak on myself". Hope I guessed right of your mind. YES, you can speak but you need some more Furnishing and Finishing, while speaking in front of the interviewer, if you are fresher and havn't yet given a single interview anywhere.

So in this post I am going to give you brief on How to answer to the most commonly asked interview question "Tell Me Something About Yourself". Almost in all Intrviews, the Interviewer is bound to ask about yourself so as to know about you. The another purpose of this question is to check how you can showcase yourself precisely with good communication skills. The interviwer is most interested in the way of your speaking, how you can modify your sentences accordingly, he/she might be least interested in knowing you. So better be precise and concise. While answering this question dont go more deeply with your family background, just speak about youself, the interviewer is not interested what your father, mother, siblings doing. So "Be upto yourelf".

Before going for an interview, practice it at home by speaking in front of the mirror, this will really help you. Don't just go with the thought in mind that you will handle right in front of interviewer.

You may start with the following, not with the same align but i have arranged it to the best. I will explain each of this with an example

1. Name, age, Residence

2. About your highest education

3. About your work experience

4. You can tell your qualities

5. Your interests

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Example(This would be an ideal example).

1. Name- Don't start with "Myself < your name>", always start with "My name is < your name>"

Age- Its not necessary to tell your age(mostly for girls), but if you comfortable with it, then tell the age. "My age is < for eg. 20>"

Residence- Don't tell your full address, just the name of your city, "and I am residing in < for eg Mumbai>"

2. About Your highest education - Here you speak on your educational degrees, what was your highest education, if your job profile is related with technicality then speak about your technical education(if you posess any degree, don't tell lie). Eg. "Talking about my highest education, I have completed my < ur education eg. graduation> from < mention the institute name>(it is better if u mention university < eg. Mumbai University> if the institute is not very much well knwn)."

3. About your past working experience- Share your previous work experiences, telling the name of the company, your post, job profile, your responsibilities. Eg. "I have worked wid < company name you worked with> for < duration> years, as a < your position in company>(freshers can say that they are freshers). I was handling < your responsibilities>". Here also, don"t tell lie, because you will be asked to provide the proof of your experience. So be ready with your documents.

4. Qualities you posess- You may tell the main plus points in you, and how that wil help you while performing your task in the company. I am giving you an eg of how you can express yourself in this section. Eg. "Talking about me as a person, < mention ur qualities> eg. I am a person with strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to get along well with people. I enjoy challenges and looking for creative solution to problem. Besides the details given in my resume I believe in character values, vision and action. I am quick in learning from mistakes but its different thing that I make mistakes rarely.(while saying this you must have that expression on your face that u posess all dis qualities)(keep changing expression on ur face)"

(after a short rest not more dan 1-2 sec)

5. Your interests- In earlier, the interviewers were not much interested in knowing your interests but now-a-days interviewer will ask your interest if you forget to mention it in your answer. The reason is to know what you do at home when you are free, and he/she will also come to know about what kind of person you are(your nature). Suppose you are saying that, you like cricket, that means you are more goal and target oriented person. Eg. My hobbies are < your hobbies>.(mention hobbies about which u knw very well, interviewer may ask u going deeply into it. So mention only those you are familiar with).

You may tell the persons that inspires you the most. Eg. "The persons who inspires me a lot < mention names>(NO need to mention only BIG NAMES like BILL GATES etc, you can take these names only if you know about them because interviewer may ask why he inspires you, what you know about him, so you must be very well knwon about them.), < take for eg. MS DHONI>(then tell the reason) because I like the way he handles any critical situation by staying calm and cool all the time and snatching the victory from the opponent"

"Thats all about myself"

You may also end up with the question "is there anything else that u wanted to know and i didn't cover so far??"

(You should done with this in around 1 to 1.5 minutes.. )

Note: While you speaking the interviewer may interrupt you in between, so you must make changes and modify the sentences accordingly.

In the next post I will be coming with few more commonly asked questions in the Interviews.