(3)-101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions

Chapter Three —You're Not Facing Letterman

Bob thinks he's a pretty good interviewer. He has a list of 15 questions he asks every candidate—same questions, same order, every time. He takes notes on their answers, asks an occasional follow-up question. He gives them a chance to ask questions. He's friendly, humorous, and excited about working at Netcorp.com. As he tells every candidate ... in detail ... for hours. Then he wonders why only a small fraction of his hires pan out.

I've never really understood the interviewer who thinks telling the story of his or her life is pertinent. Why do some interviewers do it? Part nervousness, part inexperience, but mostly because they have the mistaken notion they have to sell you on the company, rather than the other way around. There are occasions when this may be necessary—periods of low unemployment, a glut of particular jobs and a dearth of qualified candidates, a candidate who's so desirable the interviewer feels, perhaps correctly, that he or she has to outsell and outbid the competition.

Under most circumstances, as I instruct novice interviewers in Ask the Right Questions, Hire the Right People (this book from the other side of the desk), you should be expected to carry the conversational load, white the interviewer sits back and decides if he or she is ready to buy what you're selling.

Is it to your benefit to find yourself seated before Mr. Monologue? You might think so. After all, while he's waxing poetic about the new cafeteria, you don't have to worry about inserting your other foot in your mouth. No explaining that last firing or how come you've had four jobs in three months. Nope, just sit back, relax, and try to stay awake.

But I don't believe Mr. M. is doing you any favors. Someone who monopolizes the conversation doesn't give you the opportunity you need to "strut your stuff." You may want to avoid leaving a bad impression, but I doubt you want to leave no impression at all. As long as you follow the advice in this book and, especially, this chapter, you should welcome the savvy interviewer who asks the open-ended, probing questions he needs to identify the right person for the job—the same questions you need to convince him it's you.

Once Upon A Time ...

Q: So, tell me a little about yourself.

There it is. The granddaddy of all interview questions. And one that still—unbelievably—makes some of you stumble.

It's really more of a request than a question, but it can put you on the spot like no question can. And if you're unprepared for such an open-ended prelude to the series of standard questions about your skills, background, and aspirations you've been expecting, it can stop you dead and earn you an immediate one-way ticket out of the interview.

Why is this question a favorite of so many interviewers? Many consider it a nice icebreaker, giving them a chance to gauge initial chemistry, get a little insight into the cipher sitting before them (that would be you), and force you to do all the talking, for at least a couple of minutes!

Should this time-tested question catch you unprepared? Certainly not. I guarantee that this will be one of the first three questions asked, often the very first one! So what happens if you do hem and haw your way through a disjointed, free-associating discourse that starts somewhere in Mrs. Mahamita's kindergarten class and, 10 minutes later, is just getting into the details of those 12th grade cheerleader tryouts? You may well tie the record for the shortest interview of the week.

Is the interviewer seeking specific clues (key words, body language)? Or, as I have secretly suspected of many an unseasoned interviewer, is she simply looking for the easiest way to get the ball rolling?

It shouldn't matter to you. If you are prepared, you know this can be your golden opportunity to get the ball rolling by demonstrating four of the traits every interviewer is desperately searching for: intelligence, enthusiasm, confidence, and dependability.

So dig out the personal inventory you completed in Chapter 1 (I told you it would be an important prerequisite for making good use of this book) and study the items you listed under these headings:

• My strongest skills.
• My greatest areas of knowledge.
• My greatest personality strengths.
• The things I do best.
• My key accomplishments.

What do they want to hear?

From this information, you will now construct a well-thought-out, logically sequenced summary of your experience, skills, talents, and schooling. A plus? If this brief introduction clearly and succinctly ties your experience into the requirements of the position. But be sure to keep it tightly focused—about 250 to 350 words, chock-full of specifics. It should take you no more than two minutes to recite an answer that includes the following information:

• Brief introduction.
• Key accomplishments.
• Key strengths demonstrated by these accomplishments.
• Importance of these strengths and accomplishments to the prospective employer.
• Where and how you see yourself developing in the position for which you're applying (tempered with the right amount of self-deprecating humor and modesty).

Again, we're not talking War and Peace here. Two-hundred-fifty to 350 words is about right (taking from 90 to 120 seconds to recite).

Green light

Here's how Barb, a recent college graduate applying for an entry-level sales position, answered this question:

"I've always been able to get along with different types of people. I think it's
because I'm a good talker and an even better listener. [Modestly introduces
herself, while immediately laying claim to the most important skills a good
salesperson should have.]

"During my senior year in high school,
when I began thinking seriously about which careers I'd be best suited for,
sales came to mind almost immediately. In high school and during my summer
breaks from college, I worked various part-time jobs at retail outlets.
[Demonstrates industriousness and at least some related experience.] Unlike most
of my friends, I actually liked dealing with the public. [Conveys enthusiasm for
selling.]

"However, I also realized that retail had its
limitations, so I went on to read about other types of sales positions. I was
particularly fascinated by what is usually described as consultative selling. I
like the idea of going to a client you have really done your homework on and
showing him how your products can help him solve one of his nagging problems,
and then following through on that. [Shows interest and enthusiasm for the
job.]

"After I wrote a term paper on consultative selling in my
senior year of college, I started looking for companies at which I could learn
and refine the skills shared by people who are working as account executives.
[Shows initiative both in researching the area of consultative selling to write
a term paper and in then researching prospective companies.]

"That
led me to your company, Mr. Sheldon. I find the prospect of working with
companies to increase the energy efficiency of their installations exciting.
I've also learned some things about your sales training programs. They sound
like they're on the cutting edge. [Gives evidence that she is an enthusiastic
self-starter.]

"I guess the only thing I find a little daunting
about the prospect of working at Co-generation, Inc., is selling that highly
technical equipment without a degree in engineering. By the way, what sort of
support does your technical staff lend to the sales effort?" [Demonstrates that
she is willing to learn what she doesn't know and closes by deferring to the
interviewer's authority. By asking a question the interviewer must answer, Barb
has also given herself a little breather. Now the conversational ball sits
squarely in the interviewer's court.]

Based on the apparent sincerity and detail of her answers, it's not a bad little "speech" of a mere 253 words, is it?

Following is another good example from a more experienced interviewee. With nearly a decade of experience in his field, Ken is applying for his dream job as a district general manager for a firm that provides maintenance services to commercial and residential properties.

Going in to the interview, he knows he has a couple of strikes against him. First of all, he's already held four jobs, so he's moved around a bit. And he doesn't yet have the management experience required by the job—virtually the equivalent of running a business with revenues of $7 million a year.

But because he has anticipated what might otherwise have been a devastating first interview question—"Tell me something that will help me get a better feel for you than what I get here on the resume" (a slightly aggressive variation on "Tell me about yourself")—Ken is prepared with this winning counterpunch:

"I'm a hard worker who loves this business. I've been an asset to the employers
I've had, and my experience would make me an even greater asset to
you.

''I think these are the most exciting times that I've ever
seen in this business. Sure, there's so much more competition now, and it's
harder than ever to get really good help. But all the indications are that more
and more companies will outsource their maintenance needs and that more
two-income households will require the services that we
provide.

"How do we get a bigger share of this business? How do we
recruit and train the best personnel? Because they are, after all, the secret of
our success. Those are the key challenges managers face in this
industry.

"I can help your company meet those challenges. While
resumes don't tell the whole story, mine demonstrates that:

"I'm a
hard worker. I've had promotions at every company I've worked
for.

"I would bring a good perspective to the position because I've
been a doer, as well as a supervisor. The people who have worked for me have
always respected my judgment, because they know I have a very good understanding
of what they do.

"And I have a terrific business sense. I'm great
at controlling expenses. I deploy staff efficiently. I'm fair. And I have a
knack for getting along with customers.

"I've always admired your
company. I must admit I have adopted some of CleanShine's methods and applied
them in the companies I've worked for.

"I see now that you're
branching into lawn care. I worked for a landscaping business during my high
school summers. How is that business going?"

In a mere 278 words, this successful candidate managed to:

• Focus the interviewer only on the positive aspects of his resume. Sure, he has changed jobs. But after this answer, the interviewer is likely to think, "Gee, look at all he's managed to accomplish everywhere he's gone."

• Steer the interview in the direction he wants it to go. He demonstrated leadership abilities, experience, and a good understanding of the market.

• Introduce just the right amount of humility. While taking every opportunity to turn the spotlight on his many accomplishments and professional strengths, Ken portrayed himself as a roll-up-the-sleeves type of manager who will be equally at ease with blue-collar workers and the "suits" back at headquarters.

• Turn things back over to the interviewer with a very informed question.

Although both Ken and Barb rehearsed their speeches, neither memorized them word for word. It's important to remember that the interviewer is not asking you to present a perfect essay, just to talk—person to person. Ken also sprinkled in a little industry jargon here and there, which was entirely appropriate.

Red light

Lack of eye contact. The interviewer is asking this question to find a little "chemistry," so give her the reaction she's looking for.

Lack of strong, positive phrases and words. It's the first question and, therefore, your first chance to get off on the right foot. Employ words that convey enthusiasm, responsibility, dedication, and success. If the very first answer is uninspired (especially an answer we all assume has been prepared and even rehearsed), I have almost never seen the interview improve very much. Many interviewers will simply cut their losses and move on to a more promising candidate.

General, meandering response that fails to cite/high-light specific accomplishments. It's a plus if you have been savvy enough to "edit" what we all know is a well-rehearsed set speech to ensure that it's relevant to the job at hand. Many interviewers will consider it a minus if all they've heard is a bunch of generalities with little or no actual specifics to back them up.

No relevance to job or company. Some candidates believe this question is an invitation to discourse on their hobbies, interests, beliefs, and other personal topics. Some interviewers may give you the initial benefit of the doubt, but most will quickly probe for some job-related specifics.

Lack of enthusiasm. If you don't seem excited about interviewing for the job, most interviewers will not assume you'll suddenly "get religion" once you're hired.

Nervousness. Some people are naturally nervous in the artificial and intimidating atmosphere of an interview, and most experienced interviewers won't consider this an automatic reason to have their secretary buzz them about that "emergency conference." But they'll wonder what may be lurking—a firing, a sexual harassment suit, something that isn't going to make their day.

Someone who asks a clarifying question, such as "What exactly do you want to know?" or "Which particular areas would you like me to talk about?" As I said earlier, I find it hard to believe anyone interviewing for anything has not anticipated that this question will be asked. What do you think the interviewer wants to know? Your opinion about Michael Jordan's retirement? She wants to know about your experience, skills, talents, and education, so answer the question, articulately and succinctly, and get ready for what comes next.


Variations

• What makes you special?

• What five adjectives describe you best?

• Rate yourself on a scale of one to 10.

• How would you describe your character?


Despite the nuances, you should merely edit your "set piece" to respond to each of the above questions in essentially the same way. So although the first and fourth questions appear to be more targeted, all four questions are really looking for the same information.

• Why should I consider you a strong candidate for this position?

• What's better about you than the other candidates I'm interviewing?

• What can you do for us that someone else can't?

These are more aggressive questions, the tone of each a bit more forceful. An interviewer using one of these variations is clearly attempting to make you fully aware that you're on the

Getting ready for the "killer question"

• Complete your personal inventory. If you bypassed the work in Chapter 1, go back and do it now, before we move on.

• Distill your personal inventory into a compelling opening. Use specifics to make this a short-and-sweet verbal picture of you, in which you frame yourself as an enthusiastic and competent professional—the ideal candidate for the job.

• Don't memorize it word for word. You want to sound fresh—not like you're reading from a set of internal cue cards. So know the content. Record yourself speaking it until it sounds sincere but spontaneous.

• Include strong, positive phrases and words. You want to convey enthusiasm and confidence as well as knowledge and experience. What you don't know, you're eager to learn.

• Use it to set the course of the interview. Anticipate that the "killer" will surface early in the interview, so be prepared to use it as an opportunity to steer the interview in the direction you want it to take. Fine-tune your response to give a positive slant to any potential negatives, such as apparent job-hopping and tack of related experience.

• End with the ball in the interviewer's court. By ending with a question, you get a much-deserved breather and, once again, demonstrate your involvement and enthusiasm. hot seat. This may be a matter of his particular style, the introduction to his own brand of stress interview, or just a way to save time by seeing how you respond to pressure right from the get-go.

In one respect, I think phrasing the first question this way helps you: He has virtually required that your answer match specific strengths, accomplishments, skills, etc., to job requirements he's already enumerated (in an ad, through personnel, or whatever). You've gotten a bit more "direction" than a simple question like "Tell me about yourself" gives you.

You've also been given a golden opportunity to display the extent of your pre-interview research. And if you haven't done any, you may well find yourself in a sea of hot water. The interviewer has set you up, trying to separate the "misqualified" by using a single question. You, for example, may emphasize your ability to meet deadlines and cite specific instances, which clearly shows you worked virtually alone in your last position. In the position for which you're interviewing, the successful candidate may have to coddle and cajole a wide variety of managers in several offices across the country to get input for the documents he is then supposed to produce—and then he will have to follow through by getting each one to sign off on the finished product. Although "tenacity" and "meeting deadlines" may come trippingly off your tongue, the interviewer is seeking a very different—highly diplomatic, team player, etc. —individual. (And, again, that would now not be you.)

Tell Me More, Tell Me More

Q: What are your strengths as an employee?

What do they want to hear?

To prepare for this question (as well as the variations just mentioned), pull out those Data Input Sheets you labored over in Chapter 1 and write down the description of the position for which you're interviewing. This will help you clarify each specific job requirement in your mind. Now, match your strengths and accomplishments directly to the requirements of the job.

Say that you have a singular skill for meeting even the most unreasonable deadlines. You are tenacious. Nothing can stop you. If "meeting deadlines" is a key job requirement, be sure to cite two or three pertinent examples from your experience. The more outrageous the deadline and herculean your efforts, the more important it is to bring to the interviewer's attention—at least twice.

Are there any gaps in your qualifications? Probably a few—especially if you're reaching for the challenge at the next level of your career. So now it's time to dig in and deal with the hard questions that you know will follow right on the tail of the ones above.

Q: How would your best friend (college roommate, favorite professor, favorite boss, mother, family, etc.) describe you?

What do they want to hear?

Personally, I would start with the "best friend" variation if I were interviewing someone. Supposedly, that's who should know you best. So if you presented me with a half-baked picture of yourself, I'd shorten the interview—by about seven-eighths of an hour. Another approach some interviewers prefer is to ask you to describe you best friend and how you differ from one another. This is based on the untested but reasonable theory that if they're your "best" friend, you probably have quite a lot in common. Because you are supposedly describing your best friend, not yourself, some interviewers believe you may inadvertently reveal character insights (read: flaws) you would otherwise like to conceal. So, take pains to describe a person the interviewer would find easy to hire.

All of the other variations on this question may be used by experienced interviewers to hone in on specific times (college, high school, last job) or just to get a fuller picture of you—what your mother or father would say, for example, may give the interviewer a clear illustration of the kind of environment in which you were raised.

Back to the Future

Q: What do you want to be doing five years from now?

What do they want to hear?

Are the company's goals and yours compatible? Are you looking for fast or steady growth in a position the interviewer knows is a virtual dead end? Are you requesting more money than he can ever pay? How have your goals and motivations changed as you have matured and gained work experience? If you've recently become a manager, how has that change affected your future career outlook? If you've realized you need to acquire or hone a particular skill, how and when are you planning to do so?

Green light

Naturally, you want a position of responsibility in your field. But you don't want to give the impression that you're a piranha waiting to feed on the guppies in your new department. So, start humbly:

"Well, ultimately that will depend on my performance on the job, and on the
growth and opportunities offered by my employer."

Then toot your own horn a bit:

"I've already demonstrated leadership characteristics in all of the jobs
I've held, so I'm very confident that I will take on progressively greater
management responsibilities in the future. That suits me fine. I enjoy building
a team, developing its goals, and then working to accomplish them. It's very
rewarding."

In other words, you want "more"—more responsibility, more people reporting to you, more turf, even more money. A general answer (as above) is okay, but don't be surprised when an interviewer asks the obvious follow-up questions (using the answer to the above question as a guide): "Tell me about the last team you led"; "Tell me about the last project your team undertook"; ''What was the most satisfying position you've held, and why?"; "If I told you our growth was phenomenal and you could go as far as your abilities would take you, where would that be, and how quickly?"

Red light

If you answer "your job." Hasn't everyone tired of that trite response by now?

If you refuse to offer more than a "general" answer—that is, no real specific goals—no matter how much the interviewer probes for more. Your inability or unwillingness to cite specific, positive goals may give the impression, warranted or not, that you have not taken the time to really think about your future, which makes it impossible for the interviewer to assess whether there's a "fit" between his goals and yours.

If you insist you want to be in the same job for which you're applying (unless it is a dead-end job and the interviewer would be pleased as punch if someone actually stayed longer than three weeks, unlike the last 14 people to hold the position!).

Any answer that reveals unrealistic expectations. A savvy candidate should have some idea of the time it takes to climb the career ladder in a particular industry or even in a company. Someone hoping to go from receptionist to CEO in two years will, of course, scare off most interviewers, but any expectations that are far too ambitious could give them pause. If a law school grad, for example, seeks to make partner in four years—when the average for all firms is seven and, for this one, 10—it will make even novice interviewers question the extent and effectiveness of your pre-interview research.

There's nothing wrong with being ambitious and confident beyond all bounds, but a savvy interviewee should temper such boundless expectations during the interview, knowing full well that some candidates do "break the rules" successfully, but most interviewers get a little nervous around people with completely unbridled ambition!

If you have made an interviewer worry that her company couldn't possibly deliver on the promises you seem to want to hear, you can expect a follow-up question: "How soon after you're hired do you think you can contribute to our success?" Even someone with a tremendous amount of pertinent experience knows full well that each company has its own particular ways of doing things and that the learning curve may be days, weeks, or months, depending on circumstances. So any candidate—but especially an overly ambitious young person—who blithely assures an interviewer they'll be productive from day one is cause for concern. The interviewer is really trying to assess, in the case of an inexperienced person, how "trainable" you are, and you've just told him you think you already know it all! Not a good start.

For some reason, some applicants fail to remember that this is an interview, not a conversation in a bar or with friends. As a result, they rattle off some remarkable responses that can only be deemed "fantasies"—to be retired, own their own business, etc.—though why they would think this is an answer pertinent to their job search is beyond me. I would seriously discourage ever answering this question in such a manner.

Variations

• What are your most important long-term goals?

• Have you recently established any new objectives or goals?

These questions provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate how your goals and motivations have changed as you've matured and gained valuable work experience. If you've recently become a manager, talk about how that experience has affected your career outlook for the future. If you've realized that you must sharpen a particular skill to continue growing, tell the interviewer what you're doing about it.

Und, zo, Dr. Freud

Q: If you could change one thing about your personality just by snapping your fingers, what would it be and why?

What do they want to hear?

A savvy candidate will take a trait previously (or now) identified as a weakness (but, if you're really savvy, not a weakness that would ever get in the way of work) and put together a brief answer that indicates awareness and motivation:

"Boy, I had a hard time with procrastination in college. But I licked it
because burning the midnight oil all through exam week every semester was
driving me nuts.

"I have to confess, I still have the urge to
procrastinate. [You might smile disingenuously here.] I wish that I never felt
like putting things off, because I know what will happen if I do."

Red light

Identifying a weakness that is job-related or, worse, essential to the job at hand (for example, the inability to work with others when the job at hand is highly team-based).

Citing a weakness that is so basic or stupid that the interviewer has to wonder if that's the biggest thing (she did say one thing) you could change.

Variations

• Tell me about the one thing in your life you're proudest of.

• Tell me about the worst decision you ever made.

The former puts you on comfortable turf—a positive question you can answer positively. The latter forces you to turn a negative question into a positive answer, and, because any negative question invites the unwary to descend into a sea of recriminations ("Working for that last jerk, let me tell you!"), it is a potential quagmire.

In both cases, the interviewer is inviting conversation but not as "one way" and open-ended as in earlier questions. These might well be follow-up questions if "Tell me about yourself" or something similar didn't "open everything up'' as much as the interviewer hoped it would. You should, therefore, take them as a sign that you've yet to tell the interviewer what he wants to hear.

Dictator or Pushover?

Q: Describe your management philosophy.

What do they want to hear?

Most companies want someone who can demonstrate a desire and ability to delegate, teach, and distribute work—and credit—fairly (unless, of course, the interviewer is an autocratic bastard seeking a mirror image). In general, you probably want to come across as neither a dictator nor a pushover. A successful candidate should convey that he or she has the ability to succeed should opportunity present itself. But they should avoid giving the impression that they're fire-breathing workaholics ready to succeed no matter what (or whom) the cost.

Green light

"More than anything else, I think that management is getting things done through other people. The manager's job is to provide the resources and environment in which people can work effectively. I try to do this by creating teams, judging people solely on the basis of their performance, distributing work fairly, and empowering workers, to the extent possible, to make their own decisions. I've found that this breeds loyalty and inspires hard work."

Red light

One of these wishy-washy answers I've actually heard during interviews:

"I try to get people to like me, and then they really work hard for me."

"I guess you could say I'm a real people-person."

Let's Ask Mr. Webster

Q: What does "success" mean to you?

What do they want to hear?

You should offer a balanced answer to this question, citing personal as well as professional examples. If your successes are exclusively job-related, an interviewer may wonder if you actually have a life. However, if you blather on about your personal goals and accomplishments, you may seem uncommitted to striving for success on the job.

Green light

Strike a balance and talk about success in terms such as these:

"I have always enjoyed supervising a design team. In fact, I've discovered that I'm better at working with other designers than designing everything myself. Unlike a lot of the people in my field, I'm also able to relate to the requirements of the manufacturing department.

"So, I guess I'd say success means working with others to come up with efficient designs that can be up on the assembly line quickly. Of course, the financial rewards of managing a department give me the means to travel during my vacations. That's the thing I love most in my personal life."

Red light

If the interviewer identifies any of the following problems from your answer, you're already on thin ice and better get back to shore:

• Incompatibility of his/her goals and yours.

• Lack of focus in your answer.

• Too general an answer, with no examples of what success has already been achieved.

• Too many personal examples.

• Too many job-oriented examples.

Q: What does "failure" mean to you?

What do they want to hear?

A specific example to demonstrate what you mean by "failure," not a lengthy philosophical discussion more suited to a Bergman film than an interview. This question offers an experienced interviewer the opportunity to delve into mistakes and bad decisions, not a happy topic as far as you're concerned. He is looking for honesty, a clear analysis of what went wrong, a willingness to admit responsibility (with a small plus if it's obvious you're taking responsibility for some aspects that weren't your fault), and the determination to change what caused it (or examples to show how it's already been transformed).

Green light

"Failure is not getting the job done when I have the means to do so. For example, once I was faced with a huge project. I should have realized at the outset that I didn't have the time. I must have been thinking there were 48 hours in a day! I also didn't have the knowledge I needed to do it correctly. Instead of asking some of the other people in my department for help, I blundered through. That won't ever happen to me again if I can help it!"

Red light

A wishy-washy, nonspecific answer that forces the interviewer to ask more and more follow-up questions to get some sort of handle on what makes you tick.

Always remember why the interviewer is asking you such open-ended questions: to get you talking, hopefully so you reveal more than you would have if he or she had asked a more pointed question. So answer such questions—clearly, succinctly, and specifically—but avoid any temptation to "confess" your many sins.

Tips for convincing the interviewer you're a good catch

• Do your homework. Find out as much as you can about the company and how the position for which you're interviewing contributes to its goals.

• Demonstrate experience—and exude confidence. Give the interviewer strong answers using concrete examples that are relevant to the position you are after.

• Be humble. Convey the impression that you have the ability to succeed, should opportunities present themselves. But avoid giving the impression that you're a fire-breathing workaholic ready to succeed no matter what (or whom) the cost.

• Appear firm, but not dictatorial. When you talk about your management philosophy, let the interviewer know that you are able to delegate and still keep track of each person's progress.

• Talk about growth. Tell the interviewer how you've grown in each of the jobs you've held and how your career goals have changed as a result.

• Admit to your failures. Concentrate on what you learned from past failures, using examples that show how you've changed as a result of them.

• Showcase your successes. Make sure to position yourself as a professional with a satisfying personal life.

(2)-101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions

Chapter Two —Take a Walk on the Wild Side

The days of filling out the standard application and chatting your way through one or two interviews are gone. These days, interviewers and hiring managers are reluctant to leave anything to chance. Many have begun to experiment with the latest techniques for data-gathering and analysis. For employers, interviewing has become a full-fledged science.

More employers seem to be looking for a special kind of employee—someone with experience, confidence, and the initiative to learn what he or she needs to know. Someone who requires very little supervision. Someone with a hands-on attitude—from beginning to end.

Because employers can't tell all that from a job application and a handshake, here's what they're making you do:

Pass the test(s). You'll probably have to go through more interviews than your predecessors for the same job—no matter what your level of expertise. Knowledge and experience still give you an inside edge. But these days, you'll need stamina, too. Your honesty, your intelligence, your mental health—even the toxicity of your blood—may be measured before you can be considered fully assessed.

Brave more interviews. You may also have to tiptoe through a mine field of different types of interview situations—and keep your head—to survive as a new hire.

Don't go out and subscribe to a human resources journal. Just do all you can to remain confident and flexible—and ready with your answers. No matter what kind of interview you find yourself in, this approach should carry you through with flying colors.

Let's take a brief, no-consequences tour of the interview circuit.

What (Who) are You Up Against?

There are three predominant interviewing types or styles: the Telephone Screener, the Human Screen, and the Manager. Which is which, and why would someone be considered one or the other? While personal temperament is one factor, the adoption of one or the other style is primarily a function of the interviewer's role in the organization and his or her daily workload.

Let's look at each of these types and how you should approach them.

The Telephone Screener

Telephone screening is an effective tactic used by many interviewers in all three categories. However, people in this first group rely on the strategy as a primary means of exploring employment possibilities. For many of these interviewers, the in-person interview is little more than an opportunity to confirm what they feel they've already learned on the phone.

Interviewers who typically fall into this category are entrepreneurs, CEOs, high-level executives, and others short on time and long on vision. Their guiding philosophy could be summed up as: ''My time is at a premium, I have a personnel problem to solve, and I don't plan to waste my valuable time talking in person to anybody but the very best."

The Telephone Screener is often the dominant interviewer at small- to mid-sized companies where no formal human resource (or personnel) department exists or where such a department has only recently been created. The primary objective of the Telephone Screener is to identify reasons to remove you from active consideration before scheduling an in-person meeting.

Among the common reasons for abrupt removal from the Telephone Screener's short list: evidence that there's a disparity between your resume and actual experience, poor verbal communication skills, lack of required technical skills.

Conversations with the oh-so-busy Telephone Screener are often quite abrupt. These people tend to have a lot on their plates.

But what could be better than answering questions from the comfort of your home, right?

Wrong! For starters, you've lost at least two valuable tools you have to work with during in-office interviews: eye contact and body language. You're left with your skills, your resume, and your ability to communicate verbally.

Don't be discouraged. Always project a positive image through your voice and your answers. Don't overdo it, but don't let the telephone be your undoing either. If your confidence is flagging, try smiling while you listen and speak. Sure, it might look silly—but it works, and Heather can't see you anyway!

And another important point: You have a right to be prepared for any interview. Chances are, the interviewer will call you to set a time for the telephone interview. However, if she wants to plow right into it as soon as you answer the phone, there's nothing wrong with asking if she could call back at a mutually agreeable time. You need to prepare your surroundings for a successful interview. If the kids are fighting in the background, or you're expecting a package, or call waiting keeps beeping and interrupting, you're in trouble before you start. So don't. Have the interviewer call you back.

The Human Screen

Many human resource and personnel professionals fall into this category. For these people, interviewing is not simply just a once-a-quarter or once-a-month event, but rather a key part of their daily job description. They meet and interview many people, and are more likely than either of the other two categories to consider an exceptional applicant for more than one possible opening within the organization.

A primary objective of the Human Screen is to develop a strong group of candidates for Managers (see category three) to interview in person. To do this, of course, they must fend off many applicants and callers—a daunting task, because the Human Screen or the department in which he or she works is often the only contact provided in employment advertisements.

Among the most common reasons for removal from the Human Screen's "hot" list are: lack of formal or informal qualifications as outlined in the organization's job description; sudden changes in hiring priorities and personnel requirements; poor performance during the in-person interview itself; and inaction due to the Human Screen's uncertainty about your current status or contact information. That last reason is more common than you might imagine. Human Screens are constantly swamped with phone calls, resumes, and unannounced visits from hopeful applicants. Odds are that despite their best efforts, they sometimes lose track of qualified people.

Human Screens excel at separating the wheat from the chaff. Because they are exposed to a wide variety of candidates on a regular basis, they usually boast more face-to-face interviewing experience than members of the other two groups. Human Screens may be more likely to spot inconsistencies or outright lies on resumes, simply because they've seen so many over the years that they know when a candidate's credentials for a given position don't quite pass the "smell test."

And while interviews with Telephone Screeners or Managers may be rushed to accommodate hectic schedules, Human Screens are generally in a position to spend a comparatively long amount of time with a particularly qualified candidate.

However, these interviewers often do not have direct knowledge of the day-to-day requirements of the job to be filled. They have formal summaries, of course, but they often don't possess the same first-hand familiarity with the skills, temperament, and outlook necessary for success on the job. Typically one step away from the action, they're generally reliant on job postings and experience summaries (often composed by Managers).

If those formal outlines are imperfectly written, and if Human Screens receive no direct input from supervisors on the kinds of people they're looking for, you may be passed through the process even though you're not particularly qualified (or eliminated even though you are).

Not surprisingly, Human Screens often react with a puzzled took when asked by others to offer their "gut reaction" on the merits of a particular candidate. Because they're generally operating at a remove from the work itself, they often prefer quantifying their assessments of candidates in hard numbers: either the candidate does have three years, or she doesn't. Either she has been trained in computer design, or she hasn't. Of course, this analysis may overlook important interpersonal issues.

The Manager

This category describes supervisors who choose to (or are required to) fit in-person interviews into their busy working days. Typically, they are interviewing applicants they themselves will oversee; frequently, the interviews are the result of referrals from a Human Screen, or from colleagues and personal contacts.

The primary objective of the Manager is to evaluate the skills and personal chemistry of the applicant on a first-hand basis. These interviewers want to get to know everything they can about the people with whom they'll be working closely. (The Telephone Screener, by contrast, may well be an entrepreneur who delegates heavily and interacts only intermittently with new hires.)

Common reasons for being dropped from the Manager's "hot" list include: lack of personal chemistry or rapport with the Manager; poor performance during the interview itself; and the Manager's assessment that you, although qualified and personable, would not fit in well with the team.

Often, these are the people with direct supervisory experience in the area in which the opening has arisen. A Manager who has worked with a number of previous employees who held the same position brings a unique perspective to the proceedings.

Such interviewers often have an excellent intuitive sense of who will (and won't) be likely to perform the job well and achieve a good "fit" with the rest of the work group. On the other hand, it sometimes comes as a surprise to applicants that excellent supervisors can be less than stellar interviewers, but a great many Managers lack any formal training in the art of interviewing.

Of the three categories, this is the group most likely to (mis)use the interview as an opportunity simply to "get to know" more about you—rather than to require specific answers to questions about your background, experience, outlook on work, and interpersonal skills.

Managers, like Telephone Screeners, are often pressed for time.

Think back to the last job interview (or series of interviews) you participated in. My guess is that you can quickly categorize one or all of the people you spoke with by means of the preceding categories. This is not to say, for example, that Managers never conduct telephone interviews before meeting with prospective employees. Indeed, the telephone interview is a valuable tool that almost all skilled interviewers eventually learn to use, as you'll see in the chapters that follow. But these three models do represent the dominant styles within most organizations.

Time to Get Up Close and Personal

There are a number of styles and guiding philosophies when it comes to person-to-person interviews. The overall purpose, of course, is to screen you out if you lack the aptitudes (and attitudes) the company is looking for.

Although experienced interviewers may use more than one strategy, it's essential to know which mode you're in at any given point—and what to do about it. Here's a summary of the methods and objectives of the most common approaches.

The Behavioral Interview

In this format, you stay in the realm of the known. Your conversations with the interviewer will focus almost exclusively on your past experience as he or she tries to learn more about how you have already behaved in a variety of on-the-job situations. Then he or she will attempt to use this information to extrapolate your future reactions on the job.

How did you handle yourself in some really tight spots? What kinds of on-the-job disasters have you survived? Did you do the right thing? What were the repercussions of your decisions?

Be careful what you say. Every situation you faced was unique in its own way, so be sure to let the interviewer in on specific limitations you had to deal with. Did you lack adequate staff? Support from management? If you made the mistake of plunging in too quickly, say so and admit that you've learned to think things through. Explain what you'd do differently the next time around.

That said, my advice would be to steer away from the specifics of a particular situation and emphasize the personal strengths and expertise you'd feel comfortable bringing to any challenge you're likely to face.

The Team Interview

Today's organizational hierarchies are becoming flatter. That means that people at every level of a company are more likely to become involved in a variety of projects and tasks—including interviewing you for the job you're after.

How does this happen? That depends on the company. The team interview can range from a pleasant conversation to a torturous interrogation. Typically, you will meet with a group, or "team," of interviewers around a table in a conference room. They may be members of your prospective department or a cross section of employees from throughout the company. (A slightly less stressful variation is the "tag team" approach, in which a single questioner exits and is followed by a different questioner a few minutes (or questions) later.

The hiring manager or someone from human resources may chair an orderly session of question-and-answer—or turn the group loose to shoot questions at you like a firing squad. When it's all over, you'll have to survive the assessment of every member of the group.

Some hiring managers consult with the group after the interview for a "reading" on your performance. Others determine their decision using group consensus. The good news is that you don't have to worry that the subjective opinion of just one person will determine your shot at the job. Say one member of the group thinks you lacked confidence or came across as arrogant. Others in the group may disagree. The interviewer who leveled the criticism will have to defend his or her opinion to the satisfaction of the group—or be shot down.

A group of people is also more likely (but not guaranteed) to ask you a broader range of questions that may uncover and underline your skills and expertise. Just take your time—and treat every member of the team with the same respect and deference you would the hiring manager. And be diplomatic—policies and procedures that you are critical of may be embraced by your peers. Don't blow the interview by offending them.

The Stress Interview

Formal qualifications are important, but in some jobs, the emotional demands, sudden emergencies, and breakneck pace of work can be downright intimidating—not once in a while, but every day. Even a candidate who knows all the technical moves may wilt under the glare of an etiquette-challenged boss or crumble when inheriting a surrealistically compressed deadline.

When you're interviewing for such a position—whether you're seeking a job as a stockbroker, an air traffic controller, or a prison guard—an interviewer may feel it's not enough to ascertain that you are capable of performing the job under the best conditions. He may well try to find out for sure how you will do under the very worst conditions. And that's where the stress interview comes in.

Anyone who's been through one of these never forgets it. The stress interview is designed to cut through the veneer of pleasantries to the heart of the matter and see what a candidate is really made of. A common enough question in this setting could sound gruff or rude, which is exactly how it's supposed to sound.

I was subjected to a stress interview before I'd ever heard of the technique—which is not the best way to prepare, believe me.

Some years ago, I applied for an editorial position at a major publishing company. I made it past the first hurdle, a screening interview conducted in the corporate office. Next, I was invited to come back to meet the director of personnel, Carrie. After greeting me pleasantly, Carrie led me back to her rather palatial office. We chatted for a few minutes as I settled in. Then everything changed. Suddenly, I was undergoing an interrogation—worthy of the secret police in a country on Amnesty International's Top Ten List.

Assuming that I had been given good reviews by the screening interviewer, I was shocked when Carrie began firing. First she questioned my credentials. Why, she wondered sarcastically, had I majored in liberal arts rather than in something "practical." She demanded to know what in the world made me think that I could edit a magazine (even though I had been doing it quite well for years).

Each successive question skittered in a dizzying new direction. If the first question was about my work experience, the next launched into my fitness routine, and the next, my favorite movie.

Carrie's questions did exactly what I later discovered they were intended to do—they made me feel confused, fearful, and hostile. I behaved badly, I admit. I answered most of her questions in monosyllables, avoiding her eyes.

Needless to say, I was not offered the job. But I did learn some valuable lessons from Carrie that day:

• Never let them see you sweat. In other words, no matter how stressful the situation, stay calm. Never take your eyes from the interviewer. When he or she finishes asking a question, take a few seconds to compose yourself and then, and only then, answer.

• Recognize the situation for what it is. It is nothing more than an artificial scenario designed to see how you react under pressure. The interviewer probably has nothing against you personally.

• Don't become despondent. It's easy to think that the interviewer has taken a strong dislike to you and that your chances for completing the interview process are nil. That's not the case. The stress interview is designed to see if you will become depressed, hostile, or flustered when the going gets tough.

• Watch your tone of voice. It's easy to become sarcastic during a stress interview, especially if you don't realize what the interviewer is up to.

Lastly, you may well question seeking a job with a company that utilizes such techniques. If they think insulting and belittling you during the interview are effective tools, what's their management philosophy—bread, water, and torture?

The Situational Interview

"What would happen if everyone else called in sick and ...?”

There's nothing quite like the terror of the hypothetical question. Especially when it is a product of the interviewer's rich imagination. We'll talk more about these devils in Chapter 7. But for now, know that the hypothetical question should start a red light flashing in your mind. It's your signal that you are about to undergo an increasingly popular type of interview—the situational interview.

The premise is sound. Present the candidate with situations that might, hypothetically, occur on the job in order to gauge the degree to which he or she demonstrates the traits that will lead to success. It's hard, if not impossible, for you to prepare for these kinds of questions beforehand, which means you have to analyze an unfamiliar problem, on the spot, and develop a strategy to solve it, right then and there.

What most interviewers want to see is a combination of real-world experience, inspired creativity, and the willingness to acknowledge when more information or assistance is in order. (A good many interviewers pose hypothetical questions designed to smoke out people who find it difficult to reach out to other team members for help.) They are seeking someone who not only can do the work, but also will do the work—and contribute as an effective, motivated member of a team.

But what's good for them is often deadly for you. You will have to devote a great deal of thought to each of these questions. If you find yourself caught in this snare, stay calm and use the homework you have done on your personal inventory to untangle yourself.

The Hiring Interview

Your first interview with the person who will manage your prospective position is not likely to be a walk in the park. You may be stepping out of the range of the experience and interviewing talent of the human resources professional—into unknown territory.

And you could wander there for a while.

Why? Experienced interviewers are trained to stay in charge of the interview, not let it meander down some dead-end, nonproductive track. There is a predictability to the way they conduct interviews, even when they wield different techniques.

On the other hand, the hiring manager is sure to lack some or all of the screening interviewer's knowledge, experience, and skill—making him or her an unpredictable animal.

The vast majority of corporate managers don't know what it takes to hire the right candidate. Few of them have had formal training in conducting interviews of any kind. To make things worse, most managers feel slightly less comfortable conducting the interview than the nervous candidate sitting across the desk from them!

For example, a manager might decide you are not the right person for the job, without ever realizing that the questions he or she asked were so ambiguous, or so off the mark, that even the perfect candidate could not have returned the ''right" answer. No one monitors the performance of the interviewer. And the candidate cannot be a mind reader. So more often than is necessary, otherwise perfectly qualified candidates walk out the door for good simply because the manager failed at the interview!

Foiling the Inept Interviewer

But that doesn't have to happen to you. You can—and should—be prepared to put your best foot forward, no matter what the manager who is interviewing you does or says. That begins with having the answers to 101 questions at the ready. But it doesn't stop there—the interviewer may not ask any of these questions.

What do you do then? In the chapters that follow, you'll see how you can give even the most dense of managers the feeling that you are the best person for the job.

Simply put, you're a step ahead of the game if you realize at the outset that managers who are interviewing to hire are after more than just facts about your skills and background. They are waiting for something more elusive to hit them, something they themselves may not be able to articulate. They want to feel that somehow you "fit" the organization or department.

Talk about a tough hurdle! But knowing what you're up against is half the battle. Rather than sit back passively and hope for the best, you can help the unskilled interviewer focus on how your unique skills can directly benefit—"fit"—the department or organization using a number of specific examples.

One word of caution: Don't come on so strong that you seem to be waging a campaign. You will come off as overzealous and self-serving. You'll lose. Just keep quietly and confidently underlining the facts (your expertise) and enthusiastically showing (discovering together with the interviewer) how well these "puzzle pieces" seem to fit the job at hand.

In the next chapter—and for the rest of the book—we will explore the hundreds of potential questions you face ... and the answers that will help you get the job you want.

How to "ace" any interview

• Relax! Think of it as an adventure. As opposed to a tribunal, that is. Try to enjoy yourself. Imagine that the interviewer is a sports star, famous author, or movie celebrity you've always admired. (Try to overlook the middle-aged paunch or glaring bald spot.) You'll still be nervous, but you'll be able to focus more on the job and the company. Believe me, that will do wonders to cultivate the interviewer's interest in you.I'm reminded of a friend who was considering attending law school. Even though he hadn't yet made up his mind, he took the LSAT entrance examination—and scored pretty badly. Undaunted, he immediately signed up to take the exam again. But by the time the next test date rolled around, another career option had his attention.Even so, he went ahead and took the LSAT again—for the experience (and besides, he'd already paid the fee). This time he doubled his score! He wasn't any more prepared, but his attitude was different. Because he felt very little pressure to ace the test, he relaxed—and performed at his peak.

• Keep smiling. No matter what. Don't wear a fake grin that will wear down to a grimace. Just maintain a pleasant, relaxed smile that is, hopefully, a by-product of your involvement in an interesting conversation. Put yourself in the interviewer's place. Who wouldn't want to work with such an agreeable person?

• Be enthusiastic. About the position, your accomplishments, and what you know about the company.

• Be honest. Don't gush—if you're not genuinely enthusiastic, you'll come across as a phony.

• Make lots of eye contact. Have you ever known someone who wouldn't look you in the eye? After a while, you probably started to wonder what that person had to hide. You don't want your interviewer wondering anything of the sort. So meet his or her eyes while you're shaking hands and then frequently throughout the interview. Don't stare so that you appear glassy-eyed. Unrelenting eye contact is just as bad as none at all.

• Remain positive. In other words, steer away from negative words as much as possible. As we'll see when we discuss questions about your previous jobs, you must learn to put a positive spin on everything, especially loaded issues, such as your reason for leaving a job, troubled relations with your superiors, and so on.Here's a good exercise: Tape-record your answers to some of the questions in this book—and then write them down. How many negatives do you find "hidden" in your speech? Scratch them out and replace them with positive words and phrases. Then memorize each new answer.

• Don't let an unskilled interviewer trip you up. Make sure the confidence and preparation you've worked so hard for come shining through—especially when a manager throws you a curve. If need be, your advance preparation should give you the power to take control of the interview, allowing you to emphasize the many ways in which you will benefit the prospective employer.

(1)-101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions

Chapter One —The Product Is You

The object of this chapter is to prepare you to comfortably answer one—and only one—question: "Who are you?" Believe it or not, the success or failure of many interviews will hinge on your ability to answer this seemingly simple question.
The interviewing process is a kind of sale. In this case, you are the product—and the salesperson. If you show up unprepared to talk about your unique features and benefits, you're not likely to motivate an interviewer to "buy."

The sad fact is that many job candidates are unprepared to talk about themselves. You may have mailed a gorgeous resume and cover letter. You may be wearing the perfect clothes on the day of the interview. But if you can't convince the interviewer—face to face—that you are the right person for the job, you aren't likely to make the sale.

Too many candidates hesitate after the first open-ended question, then stumble and stutter their way through a disjointed litany of resume "sound bites." Other interviewees recite canned replies that only highlight their memory skills.

I am assuming that, like most people, you are a complex product—made up of a unique blend of abilities, skills, and personal qualities and shaped by your own personal and professional history. Believe me, the time you spend outlining the details of your own life will pay off in interviews, and, ultimately, job offers. This chapter will guide you through the process.

What You Should Know about You

You may think you already know your life by heart, but you'll be amazed to see how much additional detail you can remember (and ultimately how it will fit together in the context of your next career move) once you write it down.

So, your first step is to imitate the FBI and build a complete "dossier" on yourself. The Data Input Sheets at the end of this chapter will help you organize important, work-related information about yourself. With this information in place, it will be easier to develop a concise and convincing answer to almost any interview question—an answer that will set you apart from the competition. (I've only included one copy of each form. Feel free to reproduce as many as you need.)

Employment Data Input Sheet

Prepare a separate sheet for every full-time and part-time job you have ever held, no matter how short the tenure. Yes, even summer jobs are important here. They demonstrate resourcefulness, responsibility, and initiative—that you were already developing a sense of independence white you were still living at home. Whether you choose to include some, all, or none of these short-term jobs on your resume or to discuss them during your interview is a decision you will make later. For now, write down everything about every job. For each employer, include:

• Name, address, and telephone number (plus an e-mail address if you have one).
• The names of all of your supervisors and, whenever possible, where they can be reached.
• Letters of recommendation (especially if they can't be reached).
• The exact dates (month and year) you were employed.

For each job, include:
• Your specific duties and responsibilities.
• Supervisory experience, noting the number of people you managed.
• Specific skills required for the job.
• Your key accomplishments.
• The dates you received promotions.
• Any awards, honors, and special recognition you received.

For each part-time job, also include:
• The number of hours you worked per week.

Don't write a book on each job. But do concentrate on providing specific data (volume of work handled, problems solved, dollars saved) to paint a detailed picture of your abilities and accomplishments. Believe me, these hard facts will add a powerful punch to your interview presentation. For example:

Duties: Write one or two sentences giving an overview of the tasks you handled in each of the jobs you held. Use numbers as often as possible to demonstrate the scope of your responsibilities. An experienced salesperson might write:

• Responsible for managing 120 active accounts in sales territory that contributed $3 million in annual revenues.
• Reviewed activity of three telephone salespeople.

Skills: Name the specific skills required to perform your duties—highlighting those that you developed on the job. The same salesperson might write:

• Trained other sales staff in new product lines.
• Handled telephone support for customer base of 100.

Key accomplishments: This is the place to "brag." But be sure to back up each accomplishment with specifics, including results. For example:

• Developed new call-reporting system that increased volume in territory 20 percent within 18 months.
• Oversaw computerization of department that helped realize cost savings of 15 percent.

Volunteer Work Data Input Sheet

Having hired hundreds of people during my career, I can assure you that your "after-hours" activities will be considered and weighed by many interviewers. Workaholics rarely make the best employees.

So take some time to make a detailed record of your volunteer pursuits, similar to the one you've just completed for each job you held. For each volunteer organization, include:

• Name, address, and telephone number (plus e-mail address, if available).
• The name of your supervisor or the director of the organization.
• Letter(s) of recommendation.
• The exact dates (month and year) of your involvement with the organization.

For each volunteer experience, include:

• The approximate number of hours you devoted to the activity each month.
• Your specific duties and responsibilities.
• Specific skills required.
• Accomplishments.
• Any awards, honors, and special recognition you received.

Educational Data Input Sheets

If you're a recent college graduate, or if you are still in college, you don't need to rehash your high school experiences. If you have a graduate degree or are a graduate student, however, you should list both graduate and undergraduate course work. If you're still in school and graduation is more than a year away, indicate the number of credits you've earned through the most recent semester completed.

Activities Data Input Sheet

I'm always interested in—and impressed by—candidates who talk about books they've read and activities they enjoy. So make a list of all the sports, clubs, and other activities in which you've participated, inside or outside of school. For each activity, club, or group, include:

• Its name and purpose.
• Any offices you held; special committees you formed, chaired, or participated in; or specific positions you played.
• The duties and responsibilities of each role.
• Key accomplishments.
• Any awards or honors you received.

Awards and Honors Data Input Sheet

List all the awards and honors you've received from school(s), community groups, church groups, clubs, and so on. You may include awards from prestigious high schools (prep schools or professional schools) even if you're in graduate school or long out of college.

Military Service Data Input Sheet

Many employers are impressed by the maturity of candidates who have served in the armed forces and consider military service excellent management training for many civilian jobs. So if you've served in the armed forces, even for a short time, make sure you can discuss your experiences and how they tie into your professional aspirations. Be sure to include:

• Final rank awarded.
• Duties and responsibilities.
• Citations and awards.
• Details on specific training and/or any special schooling.
• Special skills developed.
• Key accomplishments.

Language Data Input Sheet

Even if you're not applying for a job in the international arena, your ability to read, write, and speak a second language can make you invaluable to employers in an increasing number of research and educational institutions and multinational companies. One year of college Russian won't cut it. But if you spent a year studying in Moscow—and can carry on a conversation like a native—by all means write it down.

Putting It in Your Perspective

Once you've finished completing these forms, you'll have a lot of information—facts—about what you've done and where and with whom you've done it. But any interviewer worth his or her pepper will be looking for more. So once you've finished with the fact-finding, practice putting it all into perspective—your unique, personal perspective, that is. Write down your answers to the following questions, which you should expect an interviewer to be interested in asking:

Which achievements did you enjoy most? Which are you proudest of? Be ready to tell the interviewer how these accomplishments relate to the position at hand.
What mistakes have you made? Why did they occur? How have you learned from them, and what have you done to keep similar things from occurring again?
How well do you interact with authority figures—bosses, teachers, parents?
What are your favorite games and sports? Think about the way you play these games and what that says about you. Are you overly competitive? Do you give up too easily? Are you a good loser—or a bad winner? Do you rise to a challenge or back away from it?
What kinds of people are your friends? Do you associate only with people who are very similar to you? Do you enjoy differences in others—or merely tolerate them? What are some things that have caused you to end friendships? What does this say about you?
If you were to ask a group of friends and acquaintances to describe you, what adjectives would they use? List all of them—the good and the bad. Why would people describe you this way? Are there specific behaviors, skills, achievements, or failures that seem to identify you in the eyes of others? What are they?

What's the Point?

By now, you're probably a bit uncomfortable—and wondering, "What's the point of all this soul-searching? After all, I'm just trying to get ready for a job interview!"

The point is this: The better you know yourself, the better you can sell yourself to a prospective employer when you're on the spot in an interview. From your Data Input Sheets, you can compile a list of your best features under the following headings:

My strongest skills.
My greatest areas of knowledge.
My greatest personality strengths.
My key accomplishments.

Now transform your best features into benefits for your prospective company:

What in my personal inventory will convince this employer that I deserve the position?
What are the strengths, achievements, skills, and areas of knowledge that make me most qualified for this position? What in my background should separate me from the herd of other applicants?

By answering some tough questions about the mistakes you have made—and the less-than-positive feedback you've gotten—you can also locate areas that may need improvement. Do you need to develop new skills? Improve your relations with those in authority? If you have been thorough and brutally honest (and it may feel brutal!), you may find out things about yourself that you never knew.

The more time and effort you invest in answering questions like these—while you have a cool head—the less you'll sweat once you're in the interviewer's hot seat. It's up to you.

But before we forge ahead to the first of the questions you're likely to field, let's take a closer look at the interview process itself.