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No.33 What Do You Know About This Company?!"#$%&'()

A typical job interview question, asked to find out how much company research you have
conducted, is "What do you know about this company"
!repare in advance, and in a word, research, so, you can provide relevant and current information
about your prospective employer to the interviewer" #tart by researchin$ the company online"
%eview the "About &s" section of the company web site" 'oo$le the company, read blo$s that
mention it, and check (iscussion )oards and social networkin$ sites"
*f you+re a colle$e $raduate check with the ,areer -ffice at your school to see if you can $et a list
of alumni who work for the company" .hat+s an ideal way to $et an insider+s view of the employer,
and to $et information that mi$ht not be available elsewhere"
&se the information you have $athered to create a bulleted list of relevant information that you can
easily remember durin$ the interview" .akin$ the time to research will help you make a $ood
impression with how much you know about the company"
No.34 Why Do You Want to Work Here?!*()"+,-.
A typical interview question, asked to ensure that you are seriously interested in the job and the
company, and to find out how much you know about the company, is "Why do you want to work
here"
.he best way to answer this question is, first of all, to be prepared and knowled$eable about the
company" #pend some time researchin$ the company (the About &s section of the web site is a
$ood place to start) so you can talk about the benefits of workin$ for this employer"
,ompare your $oals with objectives of the company and the position, then reiterate why you
would be an asset to the employer" /et the interviewer know what you can do for the company, if
you $et a job offer"
0ven thou$h the question is about why you want to work here, you still need to convince the
interviewer that hirin$ you will benefit the company"
No.35 What Chaen!es Are you "ookin! #or?!/"012345
A typical interview question to determine what you are lookin$ for your in ne1t job, and whether
you would be a $ood fit for the position bein$ hired for, is "What challen$es are you lookin$ for in
a position"
.he best way to answer questions about the challen$es you are seekin$ is to discuss how you
would like to be able to effectively utili2e your skills and e1perience if you were hired for the job"
3ou can also mention that you are motivated by challen$es, have the ability to effectively meet
challen$es, and have the fle1ibility and skills necessary to handle a challen$in$ job"
3ou can continue by describin$ specific e1amples of challen$es you have met and $oals you have
achieved in the past"
No.3$ What Can You Contribute to the Company?!/6$%789:;<
A typical interview question to discover how hirin$ you would benefit the company is "What can
you contribute to this company"
.he best way to answer questions about your contributions to the company is to $ive e1amples of
what you have accomplished in the past, and to relate them to what you can achieve in the future"
(escribe specific e1amples of how effective you have been in your other positions, chan$e you
have implemented, and $oals you have achieved" .alk about the depth and breadth of related
e1perience that you have"Also, relate your abilities to the employer+s $oals" 3ou will want to let
the interviewer know that you have the skills necessary to do the job they are hirin$ for, the ability
effectively meet challen$es, and the fle1ibility and diplomacy to work well with other employees
and with mana$ement"
No.3% Are You Wiin! to Tra&e?!/=>?@ABCD
When you are asked about your willin$ness to travel durin$ an interview, be honest" .here+s no
point in sayin$ "yes" if you would prefer to be home five ni$hts a week"
*t is perfectly acceptable to ask how much travel is involved" .hat way, you can wei$h how much
you would need to be on the road and make an educated decision as to whether the amount of
travel required fits in with your lifestyle"
What+s most important is to $et a $ood understandin$ of what+s involved before you are offered the
job, rather than bein$ (unpleasantly) surprised after you have already been hired"
No. 3' (nter&iew )uestions to Ask the (nter&iewer !EFGH0
I
*t+s your turn4 As the interview comes to a close, one of the final questions you may be asked is
"What can * answer for you" 5ave interview questions of your own ready to ask" 3ou aren+t
simply tryin$ to $et this job - you are also interviewin$ the employer to assess whether this
company and the position are a $ood fit for you"
(nter&iew )uestions to Ask
5ow would you describe the responsibilities of the position
5ow would you describe a typical week6day in this position
*s this a new position *f not, what did the previous employee $o on to do
What is the company+s mana$ement style
Who does this position report to *f * am offered the position, can * meet him6her
5ow many people work in this office6department
5ow much travel is e1pected
*s relocation a possibility
What is the typical work week *s overtime e1pected
What are the prospects for $rowth and advancement
5ow does one advance in the company
Are there any e1amples
What do you like about workin$ here
What don+t you like about workin$ here and what would you chan$e
Would you like a list of references
*f * am e1tended a job offer, how soon would you like me to start
What can * tell you about my qualifications
When can * e1pect to hear from you
Are there any other questions * can answer for you
*nterview 7uestions 8-. to Ask
What does this company do ((o your research ahead of time4)
*f * $et the job when can * take time off for vacation (Wait until you $et the offer to mention prior
commitments)
,an * chan$e my schedule if * $et the job (*f you need to fi$ure out the lo$istics of $ettin$ to
work don+t mention it now""")
(id * $et the job ((on+t be impatient" .hey+ll let you know")
No.3* What are you ookin! +or in your ne,t -ob?!JKLM
.est Answers
3ou can be$in your answer with this question9 .ell me, :r"6:s" *nterviewer, what is a typical
career path at -!/ for someone with my skills and e1perience
()ased on the answer you can then respond to the ori$inal question usin$ the phrases from the
answer to frame your response)"
What is important to you .wo thin$s are very important to me" -ne is my professionalism at
work; the second is my family life"
No.4/ What Are Your 0oas +or the #uture?!JKLM
.he best way to respond to the interview question "What are your $oals for the future" or "Where
do you see yourself in five years" is to refer to the position and the company you are interviewin$
with"
(on+t discuss your $oals for returnin$ to school or havin$ a family, they are not relevant and could
knock you out of contention for the job" %ather, you want to connect your answer to the job you
are applyin$ for" 01amples of $ood responses include9
:y lon$-term $oals involve $rowin$ with a company where * can continue to learn, take on
additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as * can"
* see myself as a top performin$ employee in a well-established or$ani2ation, like this one" * plan
on enhancin$ my skills and continuin$ my involvement in (related) professional associations"
-nce * $ain additional e1perience, * would like to move on from a technical position to
mana$ement"
*n the <3= ,orporation, what is a typical career path for someone with my skills and
e1periences
No.41 How Wi You A2hie&e Your 0oas?!JKLM
As a follow-up to the interview question "What are your $oals for the future" the interviewer will
often ask how you plan on achievin$ those $oals" A $ood answer to this question will speak
specifically about what you are $oin$ to accomplish and how you are $oin$ to accomplish it"
01amples of $ood responses include9
* plan on $ainin$ additional skills by takin$ related classes and continuin$ my involvement with a
variety of professional associations"
* noticed that <3= company (the company you are interviewin$ with) provides in-house trainin$
for employees and * would certainly be interested in takin$ classes that would be relevant"
* will continue my professional development my participatin$ in conferences, attendin$ seminars,
and continuin$ my education"
No.43 4ob (nter&iew Answers to )uestions About Your Career 0oas !JKLM
>ob *nterview 7uestions About 3our ,areer 'oals and #ample Answers
.he overall theme for each of the answers below is9 have you thou$ht about the impact of your
decisions at the time you made them - or do you have a reactive response to most situations" ?ar
too often, a person+s career appears to have happened by chance" *n todays fast-paced, ever
chan$in$ world of work, employer+s want to know if they can count on you to make $ood
decisions, not knee-jerk reactions"
#tart with your $raduation from colle$e and e1plain the rationale behind each of your career
moves" When * $raduated from colle$e, * was immediately recruited by the A), ,ompany" As my
resume reflects, * received two promotions and then a recruiter contacted for the position at the
<3= ,ompany" *+ve been there for the past @ years and have learned a $reat deal, while makin$
si$nificant contributions to my department"
Also, e1plain the thinkin$ process that went into make each of those decisions"
?or my first job, * was happy to know * would be workin$ in a job that utili2ed my education" *t
was e1citin$ to know that within just a few weeks of $raduation, * had my first paycheck" :y
thinkin$ behind the <3= position centered on the fact that they have a $lobal presence, it was a
definite promotion and positioned me to be a viable candidate for the marketin$ position with your
company"
5ow many hours a day6week do you need to work to $et the job done * use my time efficiently at
work and, for the most part, it+s not the number of hours * work; but how effective my time has
been to accomplish the job" *+m sure my references will tell you * was more than willin$ to put in
the time to be sure the job was completed as quickly and as professionally as possible"
*f you stayed with your current company, what would be your ne1t move.he upward mobility at
my current company would most likely be in the $lobal marketin$ department"
5ow do you measure success * measure professional success by the standards of the company for
which * work, the feedback * receive from my peers, supervisors and subordinates" !ersonally, it is
to know *+m re$arded as a $ood husband, father and member of society"
(escribe your dream job" As a child, * dreamed of bein$ the startin$ pitcher for the ,hica$o ,ubs"
When * reali2ed * did not have a fast ball, or a chan$e -up; * concentrated on my skills in
marketin$ because * reali2ed it is an area where * not only can make si$nificant contributions, but *
enjoy usin$ my talent in a corporate environment"
No.43 What wi you 5o i+ you 5on6t !et this position?!NO&P'QRST1
)UD
When you+re interviewin$ for an internal position within your company, you may be asked what
you will do if you don+t $et the job" .he interviewer wants to know whether you are concerned
about just the advancement opportunity or the company"
.est Answer
* am committed to this company and its advancement so, should * not be selected, * will work with
and support whoever mi$ht $et selected" 5owever, * do feel that my e1perience in the department
and with the team would make me the best candidate"
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