Question

What ideas did you bring to your previous employers that helped make it a successful enterprise?

Comments and Suggested Answer

This question probes whether you are a contributor, someone who looks for ways to improve the business.

The interviewer is attempting to determine your level of involvement, participation, and confidence with your previous employers.

Be forthright and state clearly any contributions you have made in the past. Be sure that your example of initiative does not show a disregard for company policies and procedures.

Question:

Do you work well under pressure?

Comments and Suggested Responses:

Obviously the answer to this will be yes. But you will need to choose examples that support your claims. Remember to choose examples that don’t suggest that the pressure is a result of your own failure to anticipate problems or your own inability.

Question

Tell me about any honors or awards that you have received in the past.

Comments and Suggested Answer

The interviewer is interested in the specific skills you can bring to the company.

Discuss one or more important attributes of the type of job you are interviewing for, and draw upon your previous work experience to show where and how you shine in this area.

Question

What are your top strengths?

Comments and Suggested Answer

The interviewer is trying to match your strengths to the requirements of the position.

Be sure to mention the strengths that are relevant to the job and company.

Talk about your key skills and how you’ll use them in this job. Offer specific evidence, drawing parallels from your current or previous job to the job you are interviewing for.

Question

Do you manage your time well?
 
Comments and Suggested Answer

Yes! You are a self-starter and almost never procrastinate.

Emphasize that you can set goals, prioritize their tasks and devote adequate and appropriate amounts of time to each one.