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Interviewingfor SUCCESS!

Your Career, Your Way!

Contents

Contents .................................................................................................................................... 1

Interviewing ............................................................................................................................... 2

Types of Interviews ............................................................................................................... 5

Screening ............................................................................................................................ 5

Telephone ........................................................................................................................... 5

Unstructured ........................................................................................................................ 6

One on One ......................................................................................................................... 6

Two in a Room .................................................................................................................... 6

Panel ................................................................................................................................... 7

Stress .................................................................................................................................. 7

Final Approval ...................................................................................................................... 7

Behavioural Based Interviews .............................................................................................. 8

How do I know if it’s a Behaviour Based Interview? ............................................................. 8

How do I Prepare for a Behaviour Based Interview? ............................................................ 9

What Can I Expect During The Interview? ........................................................................... 9

Questions You Need To Nail! .............................................................................................. 13

Tell Me About Yourself. ..................................................................................................... 15

What Makes You the Best Candidate? .............................................................................. 18

What Are Your Top 3 Strengths? ....................................................................................... 22

What is Your Greatest Weakness? .................................................................................... 25

What Do You Know About Our Company? ........................................................................ 29

What Was The Toughest Decision You Have Ever Had To Make? .................................... 31

Tell us About a Time When You Had to Make an Unpopular Decision. How Did You

Handle it? What Was the Outcome? ................................................................................ 33

Why Have You Been Out of Work So Long? ..................................................................... 37

You Appear to be Over Qualified for This Position, Why Does it Interest You? .................. 40

What Are Your Five Year Goals? ....................................................................................... 44

What Salary are You Looking For? .................................................................................... 48

If I Were to Call Your Previous Manager, What Would They Say About You? ................... 51

All content Copyrighted and property of Lasting Solutions HR Consulting & Coaching © 2014

www.hrcareertransition.com

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INTERVIEWING

So much has evolved and changed in career management in recent years and

interviewing is no exception. The good news is that if you have followed the Conscious

Career Planning process you are very prepared for effective interviewing. Whether it’s

for a full time job, a contract position or trying to capture a new client as a business

owner, understanding your personal values & priorities, your strengths, weaknesses,

professional & personal accomplishments, researching and building your resume, all will

assist you with effective interviewing. Being prepared for an interview is the “icing on

the cake” and you have already done lots of work towards that goal.

The biggest challenge during any interview is knowing what the person on the other side

of the desk is looking for. You can be perfectly prepared and ace the interview and not

get the job or you can also be prepared and not feel you do well and get the call to say

“you’re it!”

After each interview it’s important to critique

yourself (but not too harshly!) on how you

answered the questions, how comfortable you

were and what you felt the reception was

towards you. The most important thing to

remember is – was it a good fit for you, the role,

the company, the manager.

IMPORTANT TIP!

You’ve put so much effort working

through the CCP program and you want

to work so it’s very important to

remember that you are interviewing

them as much as they are interviewing

you! We spend so much time in our work

that it’s important that we enjoy it!



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Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for interview to help you to be successful quickly.

Do

1. Be prepared. Learn as much as you can about the company. Understand the

job. Practice your answers to interview questions. Know what you want. Prepare

them in SAR format. Bring extra copies of your resume and any other documents

you believe may be required.

2. Project Self Confidence – Project the image of the person you want to be even

if you don’t feel like it. When you have a positive self image it reflects in your

judgment as well.

3. Present the right image- Before. Dress properly for the interview. Pay

attention to all aspects of grooming. Be on time and even a bit early.

4. Present the right image – During. Convey an optimistic image. Smile

throughout. Give a good solid handshake, make eye contact throughout the

interview, start the conversation with a simple “Thank you for the opportunity to

meet with you” or something similar, have good posture, hand gestures and vocal

variety.

5. Present the right image – After. Always thank the interviewer(s) for their time.

Send a follow up thank you note within 24 hours.

6. Be relaxed and friendly. Even though this may be nerve wracking, try to enjoy

the people and atmosphere. You will take in much more and know if it’s right for

you. You will be able to listen better if you are relaxed and project more of the

real you.



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Don’t

1. Talk about personal problems. You don’t need to disclose anything during the

interview and if you do it may appear that you are weak or could give the

impression that you are a problem waiting to happen.

2. Bad mouth anyone. Especially your past employer.

3. Tell anyone you are nervous. You feel it more than they see it.

4. Ask about salary or benefits. It will be perceived that it is your main focus.



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Types of Interviews

Every company has their own style, sense of urgency and culture. Whatever theirs may

be will have a big influence on the type of interviews that will be conducted. Different

interview formats are identified below. Companies will choose one or several to use.

Screening

A screening interviewing can be done in person, on the telephone or even on-line.

Typically when you are called for a screening interview, you will be asked some high

level questions by the recruiter that clarify your qualifications for the role. They will be

their “must haves” for the role. The interview may last 10-15 minutes. If you apply on-

line you may be asked to complete certain questions before your resume is accepted.

This is also a screening tool. If you meet the “must have” requirements in either type of

screening process your resume will be passed for further consideration. If you receive

the call unexpectedly and are not prepared, let the interviewer know you have some

distractions or ask to book a time if possible.

IMPORTANT TIP!

At this stage a recruiter cannot hire you but it is

their role to screen many resumes out. By having

your marketing materials in top notch form, more

than likely you will be screened in if you meet the

“must have” qualifications.



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Telephone/Skype

The telephone or Skype interview is used on occasions where distance could be a

concern or when time is a factor for one or both parties. Consider this just as you would

any other interview, remembering that for a telephone interview your voice is your only

means of impressing and is what will be remembered the most. The true benefit in a

telephone interview is that you can have documents in front of you and can takes notes

as reference and no one will know.

For both telephone and Skype ensure they are booked at a time when you will be clear

from distractions. Don’t chew gum or eat as this could reflect in your voice. Speak with

enthusiasm.

Unstructured

Unstructured interviews are very uncommon and are meant to be casual and open. You

typically only see them when someone isn’t prepared for the interview or when the

interviewer wants to see how you handle general, broad questioning. With all your

preparation, you are well prepared to provide specific information about your skills and

talents without appearing to dominate the process.

One on One

This has been a common type of interview and can be conducted at any stage in the

process by the recruiter, technical manager or the senior leader giving the final approval

for a candidate.

Two in a Room

In this type of interview, you may have a recruiter and hiring manager, the hiring

manager and senior leader or any other combination. Having two interviewers is quite

common and supports speed and efficiency in the hiring process. As interviewers take

notes during the interview, this type of interview allows one person to take notes while

the other can concentrate on the candidate.



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Panel

Panel interviews are becoming more common and are popular for two major reasons.

The first is that companies are becoming pressed for time and want to make a good

decision faster. The second is that with “fit” playing such an important role in

companies, teams need to agree on who they will hire in order to maintain the need for

increased productivity.

Preparing for a panel interview is no different than any other. However, while you are in

the interview, it is important to address everyone in the room. When one person asks a

question, respond directly to that person but make sure you make eye contact with

everyone else while you are giving your response. When you make eye contact with

people it shows confidence and sincerity. You want them to feel included because they

are listening for the appropriate answers too.

Stress

Stress interviews are rare but are designed to see how you think on your feet and react

under stress. Interviewers may behave angrily, be confrontational or even challenging.

How you respond will give them the information they need to determine if you are the

right candidate for their work environment. The best way to deal with these interviews is

to remain calm, maintain eye contact and recognize the situation for what it is – a role

play. Stay positive about the issues presented without becoming hostile.

Companies that are very unique and different and want “out of the box” creative thinkers

will ask very unique and different questions that are really meant to make you think.

There may not be one right answer to some of the questions. In some cases, Recruiters

are looking for creativity in thinking to determine if you are a good fit for the organization.

Final Approval

A final approval interview is conducted by a senior leader in the organization. At this

stage, a decision has been made to hire you but a “stamp of approval” is needed before

finalizing an offer.



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Behavioural Based Interviews

Just as resumes have changed so have the types of questions you will be asked in an

interview. Behavioural based interviewing (also known as competency based

interviewing) is the most common style of interviewing where recruiters ask you about

situations in which you need to reply with specific examples of how you completed an

assignment, solved the problem, dealt with the situation etc. The theory behind

behavioural based interviewing is that past experience can predict future behaviour.

While it can never be guaranteed if a person will work out or not for a variety of reasons,

regular interviews that ask for hypothetical questions have a 10% success rate of finding

the best candidate. A behavioural based interview brings that success rate up to about

55%. Coupling this with testing and multiple interviews brings that success rate up even

more.

How do I know if it’s a Behaviour Based Interview?

The way to recognize if you are in a behavioural based interview is that your interviewer

may indicate that you will be asked for specific situations and you need to respond to

them. The other clue if they don’t tell you upfront is by how the questions are asked.

Behavioural based questions cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”. They are open

ended and need an explanation to be responded to properly. Some examples of the

way these questions begin are:

♦ Tell me about a time…

♦ Describe a situation…

♦ Give me an example of…..

♦ How did you handle…..

What a recruiter will be looking for are specifics. If you give a general answer they will

likely rephrase the question and ask you for a specific answer. You will also know if you

are not responding in the manner they want because you will hear yourself responding

with:



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♦ Sometimes….

♦ Usually…..

♦ Always…….

If you are giving a generic answer and you hear yourself saying “Generally, I do……”

add in after that “A specific example is…..”

How do I Prepare for a Behaviour Based Interview?

The very good news is that you have already done a lot of your pre-work for your

interview. Congratulations! Understanding what you want in your work, preparing

your inventory list in SAR format and populating your resume with your actions and

results is all a part of preparing you for a behaviour based interview.

To begin, ensure you have thoroughly researched the company and the position.

Then review your inventory list and resume. Pay close attention to the competencies

and skills you identified when you were developing the cover letter. Ensure you are clear

on your SAR statements. Think of as many relevant examples as possible. Ensure you

focus on your job specific skills and your soft skills as well. Ensure you can clearly

explain your strengths and weaknesses. Take your lead from the job ad and any other

research that has led you to understand why this job is available. You can use the same

template you used to prepare your cover letter.

What Can I Expect During The

Interview?

To support your success, pay close attention to the

Do’s and Don’ts identified on pages 3-4. They can

make or break an interview.

IMPORTANT TIP!

Completing all the exercises will keep

you prepared for your entire career!

A great gift for yourself!



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Build rapport with the interviewer. Part of

this is making good first impression which is

covered in the Do’s and Don’ts. Try to

determine the interviewer’s communication

style from the onset. (Communication styles

and strategies were covered in Chapter 2 of

Conscious Career Planning.) When you

communicate well, it could be the

differentiating factor in which a decision is

made. Remember to exchange business cards

so you have a contact number.

Typically, the format of the interview typically is 45 minute to 1 hour. The first 5

minutes may be “chatter” in the get to know you manner in which the interview format

will be explained and possibly a review of your resume and an overview of the job itself.

It may also be small talk to help you feel at ease.

The next few minutes will be dedicated to the first few questions that are asked of you

and they could be “Tell me about yourself”

and/or “What do you know about our

company?” You should absolutely have

thought about these questions and be able to

provide well crafted answers. (Responses to

these and other key questions are provided at

the end of this chapter.)

The bulk of the interview will be your

behaviour based questions. Speak through

your questions in your SAR format. For

example:

Q – Tell me about a time when you faced

multiple deadlines. How did you handle it? How did it turn out?

IMPORTANT TIP!

If you are asked at this time if there are any

questions before the interview begins…jump

right in…the more you know before the

interview progresses, the better you are able

to answer questions during the interview.

Ask one or two at maximum but make them

count in your favour. Some questions that

will help give you an advantage include:

♦ How did the opportunity become

available?

♦ What are the key priorities in the first 3-6

months?

♦ What are the most important

competencies for this role?

IMPORTANT TIP!

While it is best practice to prepare in

advance for your interview, you have no way

of knowing what specific questions you will

be asked. You can and should prepare some

responses in advance but also be confident

that if you are comfortable with your SAR

statements, you will have the information

you need to craft well spoken responses that

are unrehearsed.



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A – (Situation – S) Last month was an incredible month. We were in the middle of

launching a new software and I was the lead on the project overseeing two others. One

of our team members went off suddenly quite ill and to top it off, our typically slow period

for sales was up significantly.

(Action – A) – I spent some time reviewing our upcoming launch plan to determine our

must have deliverable dates and what needed to be done for that and what skills were

needed. When I determined the skills and what our gap was, I spoke to Roger from the

Customer Service department and let them know we needed to borrow Jim because he

had some of the skills we needed. Our deal was that he would stay with us for 4 weeks,

two weeks to get him up to speed and the balance to get through the launch of the new

software. I had him buddy with Peggy and Mary so he could learn what he needed to

learn. I arranged a meeting with our sales team to ensure they had everything they

needed for the surge in sales. I put Thomas in charge as a lead for any issues that

came up so I could focus on the project implementation.

(Result – R) – The good news is that our implementation went smoothly and we have

been able to fill all our new orders successfully. We had a few extra hours but not many

compared to the increase in sales. As well, we have two highly motivated team

members who have taken on additional responsibility.

This response is very crisp, clean and to the point. It gives the interviewer a visual of

what you can accomplish.

During the ending portion of the interview, you

should have an opportunity to ask questions and you

should ask questions that you want answered.

Some of the questions you may ask follow on the next

page.

IMPORTANT TIP!

Finding the right job is important for

you so you need to ask questions to

make an informed decision. If you

didn’t get to ask questions at the

beginning of the interview, now is

your opportunity.



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♦ How would you describe the culture of the company? Department?

♦ How are your mission, values and/or vision incorporated into your daily work?

♦ What keeps you awake at night?

♦ How does this position fit into the overall structure?

♦ What is the greatest challenge for this role?

♦ What would you like done the same or differently by the next incumbent?

♦ How would you describe your leadership style?

♦ When you have a difficult problem that needs to be resolved, what is the process for

doing that?

After an interview always debrief with yourself and send a thank you note.



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Questions You Need To Nail!

As the writer of this guide, I want to support you even further with well crafted answers to some

important interview questions. The following pages include 12 questions and supportive

responses that you “need to nail” in an interview. Take the time after each question to formulate

your response on the blank page provided.

It is important to remember that under no circumstances should you ever give a “canned” answer.

Interviewers will pick that up in a heartbeat. What you do need to do though, is prepare for your

interview and understand the concepts of what interviewers are looking for. The only difference

between this and some other tests you have taken is that you will be judged instantly by your

verbal answers, unlike in a written test where you may be able to think or make scratch notes

before you come up with the right answer.

Personally, once I have completed an assignment, I store it away in my brain and wait for the next

one. I will have full confidence that I can repeat the assignment but with so much going on in my

life and my brain, my memory recall to respond to a question if asked, isn’t always the best.

Describing it without forethought could be a challenge for me so it’s important for me that I

prepare for every interview or presentation thoroughly. It’s just the way my brain is hard wired.

Some of you may be able to respond to any question instantly and have amazing memory recall.

If you are one of those people, you have a gift and I would say are in the minority. I am in awe of

you!

With business changing so rapidly, the need for talent is almost instantaneous. Finding the right

skill set and fit for the organization is also critical. Interviewers have typically short turnaround

times to fill a vacancy before it impacts the organization. Also, they are typically juggling multiple

vacancies. They will ask questions you may not think of such as the ones we are covering here so

we encourage you to use the information in these questions to find your style, think about the

questions and develop your own questions as extensions of these. Not only will you gain

confidence but you will also learn a lot more about yourself as well.



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The 12 questions are:

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. What makes you the best candidate?

3. What are your three top strengths?

4. What is your greatest weakness?

5. What do you know about our company?

6. What was the toughest decision you have ever had to make?

7. Tell us about a time when you had to make an unpopular decision. How did you

handle it? What was the outcome?

8. Why have you been out of work so long?

9. You appear to be overqualified for this position, why does it interest you?

10. What are your five year goals?

11. What salary are you looking for?

12. If I were to call your previous manager, what would they say about you?



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Questions You Need to NAIL!

Tell Me About Yourself.

Many interviews begin with this question or something very similar. Candidates are

unprepared for this question because they are not sure if the interviewer wants

something business or personal related. Preparing for this question keeps your answers

very crisp, clear and focused on the interviewers needs.

The best way to answer this and many other questions is to always remember that the

key to a successful interview is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is

looking for. This takes homework and preparation. You too have to become an

interviewer! This three step process will feel unnatural to most at first but it gives you an

upper hand when it comes to your best responses and over time will become very

normal to you.

The first thing you need is to understand is what you are great at and be able to speak

about it confidently. We are always so busy “doing” we rarely take the opportunity to

think about what we are good at and why. Even if you have to dig deep, you have lots

to offer. Take the time to figure it out!

Second, you need to do all your upfront homework on the company, understand their

needs and challenges, find out what the role entails and specifically what the

interviewers needs are.

Third, in the interview, take the first opportunity you get to find out more about what the

role is all about. When you’re told about the role, take the time to ask follow up

questions specifically about the most immediate priorities, 3 months, 6 months and 1

year depending on the role. If the opportunity presents itself, ask a second question

similar to “Is there anything else you see as essential to success?



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Uncovering the answers gives you the opportunity to tailor your response to answering

their greatest need. By doing this, you now have the opportunity to provide specific

examples of what you’ve accomplished and how it connects to what the company is

looking for. Your answer could include why you are passionate about what you do and

give a few specific examples of what you have accomplished (ensuring it ties into their

needs.)

Addressing the personal side within your answer is totally up to you since employers

cannot ask many personal questions directly. Sometimes though employers are curious

to know what your outside interests may be as it can be an indicator if you will fit their

culture. It’s also a great way to lend a more at ease and personal side to the interview

process as hearing about something personal may spark extra conversation. My

response to this question when asked is to share what you are comfortable with in a

subtle way ensuring it does not overshadow your business response. If you don’t want

to share anything, then stick to business.



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What Makes You the Best Candidate?

Sometimes this question can appear slightly differently as well. It can also be something

like “Why should I hire you?” Let me start with a brief personal story to highlight the

impact of this question. I began my career with little experience working for a fabulous

company where I learned, grew and contributed for over 20 years. I remember my initial

two interviews for an advertised “Payroll Clerk” job and although I was very nervous,

they were easy compared to what we go through today. “Just take me as I am” we all

thought. I’m sure many of us have experienced that.

During the interview with my future boss, we chatted about personal stuff (it was ok way

back then, most of the conversation was around cats...she had them and I had them!)

just to get to know each other. It really broke the ice.

Then the bomb hit….she asked me 5 Payroll related questions. For each one my

response was “No” – I haven’t done this or I haven’t done that. I had worked on different

systems but I knew the fundamentals of payroll. After the 5 questions, she asked me

why I thought I was the best candidate. My answer to her was that I knew the

fundamentals of payroll, was able to learn quickly and I liked cats! The interview ended

abruptly and she left the room. The Personnel Representative (Personnel…now I’m

dating myself!) came back immediately and offered me the job. I was blown away as I

was sure I didn’t get the job, but to my pleasant surprise I did. Why? I was the best

candidate that my future boss saw. I convinced her of that…not slim pickings by any

means but I had what she wanted…a good mind, understood payroll concepts, the

ability to learn, a sense of humour but most importantly she wanted someone who didn’t

know anything about their payroll system! You see, she had hired someone in the past

who was “trained” but not to her liking and it caused her a lot of grief. Her criteria now

as someone she could train not re-train! Or in her words, she wanted someone who

knew nothing! Her plan worked!



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The reason for this example is to demonstrate how to instantly sell yourself or potentially

lose the opportunity. In the first question, I introduced 3 points to support you. They

continue to have importance throughout the interview…and your career. They are:

♦ Understand what you are great at and learn to speak about it confidently.

♦ Research the company, understand their needs and challenges; find out what the

role entails and what the interviewers needs are.

♦ Take the first opportunity to find out about immediate priorities within the role.

I surely didn’t know my boss wanted someone “who didn’t know anything” and had a

sense of humour but I did know from the job ad that they were looking for someone who

knew payroll, could learn quickly and I also knew the company wanted employees who

would stay with them. Even though I was very nervous, I was able to present that with

confidence.

When you know a company’s greatest needs and wants and articulate solutions for that,

it will give you an advantage over other candidates because you will give them a more

powerful reason to hire you over anyone else.

When asked this question, walk through each of the position’s requirements as they

have been presented and let the interviewer know how you meet them. For example,

three separate areas of need could be:

♦ Report Writing

♦ Machine Operator

♦ Increasing sales in a new company

“As you have described you need someone who can write detailed reports with

recommendations on the finding of inspections. You’ve indicated you need someone

with demonstrated experience in this field. This is where I’ve spent a significant amount

of time. Over my x years in this field, I’ve inspected xxx buildings and written detailed

reports for companies in x, x and x areas with recommendations for change including



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costs. These reports also go to government regulating bodies for approval. In majority

of cases, I received full approvals right away and the best part is that most of these

clients return again when they have a similar need.”

“From what you’ve shared with me, you need someone who has mechanical ability,

understands the production environment and is able to work well in a team. While

working with x company for 20 years, I operated x number of machines with x, x and x

capabilities. With each operation, new skills and technology had to be learned. As we

constantly had to meet our production quotas, learning quickly was essential. Also,

each machine had its own personality and understanding how to get the best from it

took a solid understanding of what it’s capabilities were and manipulating it to that

capacity. We also always knew that meeting our own quota was only part of the

equation. It took the entire plant to get jobs out on time. Working in different areas of

the plant and understanding our products, we all helped each other out to meet out

deadlines.”

“As a new company, you need someone who can generate sales from the ground up. I

believe I have the experience you are looking for. In the last two jobs I have had, I have

been responsible for new account sales. In one case I met my targets earlier than

expected and in the second case I exceeded my targets by 10%. I am able to repeat

this with my solid contacts, relationship selling ability and truly believing in the product I

am selling.”

These examples all started with a confirmation of their need. They are varied and

demonstrate that you can adapt your experience to any type of interview. Taking the

time to understanding your skills is vital. I encourage you to do that starting now. You

too can stand out from the crowd! Even if you are not looking for a new opportunity at

this moment, get good at these answers to help you understand your value in your

current role.



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What Are Your Top 3 Strengths?

This is a tough one for most of us. We have a difficult time admitting we’re good at

something let alone speaking about it, but in presenting yourself it’s important that you

can answer this question with confidence without appearing to be egotistical.

You need to start preparing for this question long before the interview. If you are

struggling to find what you are good at, start by looking at past performance reviews,

speak to colleagues, bosses, family etc. They will tell you very quickly. It’s good to note

that you have skills and abilities. I like to distinguish them this way. Skills are things

that you are good at and abilities are things you love to do. When you have a skill that’s

an ability, that for sure is a strength. It then becomes easier to talk about something

you’re good at and love to do. This is the perfect scenario that we strive for.

When you have your top strengths (try to come up with at least 6) then create

statements to verify your strengths. For example if you believe you have strength in

resolving problems, use that as a heading on a sheet of paper, then write down the

problem, what you did to fix it and what the benefit or result was for the company.

Develop a few examples for each strength. When this is complete, commit the

information to memory.

Without sounding like a broken record, your first priority is to find out what the greatest

challenges in the role are and match up your achievements from the list you created for

yourself. It’s ideal when you can match your strengths with what employers are looking

for.



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As a general guideline employers are looking for:

1. Specific skills that match their job competencies. For example:

♦ In Sales - your strength may be that you love the challenge of finding new

clients which would be a great fit for an evolving company that needs to grow

their client base.

♦ In HR, you may be passionate about digging up great candidates especially in

sales. That would be great for the same company.

2. As an Admin Professional – you may love to create systems and order…again

possibly a great fit for an evolving organization.

3. Good business acumen as it relates to the company/industry

4. Ability to demonstrate you have current achievements

5. Confident attitude/Enthusiasm

6. Honesty and Integrity

7. Solid communication skills – verbal and written

8. Good fit with the corporate environment

9. Adaptable to changing business needs

10. Clear purpose, ability to set goals

11. Dedication to achieve excellence



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What is Your Greatest Weakness?

Ugh…this one we could talk and talk about as we are better at identifying our

weaknesses than our strengths. We’re all too hard on ourselves! The best thing we can

do for ourselves is honestly identify our weaknesses and figure out a plan to eliminate

them or reduce them as weaknesses in our lives. That’s part of life anyway. We are all

better off when we face our fears and challenges head on, then we are able to move

past them and live more confidently.

There are two traps in answering this question. The first is to say “I don’t have any

weaknesses”, or “I can’t think of any”. The reality is we all have weaknesses and

chances are if you don’t identify any, the interview may very likely be cut short. The

second is not being prepared to answer this question. Make sure you are prepared to

identify up to two weaknesses.

There are two keys to nailing this question. The first is to ID a weakness that will not

compromise your competency in the role you are seeking and the second is to ID what

you are doing to correct the weakness.

As an example, you are currently an Accountant with the ambition to become a

Controller at some point in your career. You are applying for an accounting role in a

large organization and you know there is room to advance your career in this

organization. The weakness you have identified to get from one role to the next is

speaking in public and experience and exposure to leadership opportunities. (So many

of us look or wait for opportunities within our current companies and that just isn’t good

enough anymore. We need to be very proactive about our career and gain the

experience externally as well.)

So now we get to the big question and your response could be “One of my goals is to

become a Controller. I know I need to have strong communication and leadership skills

and in preparation I have joined Toastmasters. I’m learning different skills with every

speech and I’m also learning how to present different material to different audiences. I

also volunteer for a variety of club roles every week which is building on my leadership



26

ability. Within 10 months, I plan on having 10 speeches completed which will give me

my Competent Communicator designation within Toastmasters. Within 6 months after

that my goal is to have my Competent Leader designation which includes taking on over

15 different leadership roles.

This response would assume that you have taken a good hard look at where you are in

your career and where you want to be in the future. Never say something that is not

true. The response does not compromise the competency of an Accountant as at the

beginning levels of this career, making presentations is not standard practice, however,

the more senior you get in the Accounting function, not only will reports and

presentations be required but leadership skills whether formal with staff reporting into

you or informal with training and guiding new Accountants will be a required skill. This

response also indicates what you are doing about your weakness so you have nailed

both keys to this question with a response like this.

Since we are in the era of lifelong learning you are letting the interviewer know that you

believe in this concept, you are also demonstrating initiative and accountability…all

great character traits of a future leader!

On a side note, I highly recommend Toastmasters for all my clients that I coach for so

many reasons. Communication and leadership skills are becoming the most critical

skills anyone can have, whether it’s for your career or personal life. I encourage you to

find a club that suits your needs. Whether it’s for communication and leadership,

significantly improving your self esteem, networking to meet other people, or just

wanting to learn about so many things in a relaxed friendly environment. The right

Toastmasters club can do all of that. It may feel very intimidating walking through the

door for the first time but in order to break through your weakness or fears, the first step

is always the hardest! Toastmaster clubs are designed to be warm and inviting. You

can attend any Toastmasters club 3 times before you will be asked to join so that means

you can try a few clubs a few times before you decide what fits your needs, goals and

personality the best. Remember when you hear the great speakers at the clubs you

attend, don’t be intimidated thinking they are way better than you. Just ask them how



27

they were when they first joined….they will tell you how nervous they were when they

started.

In this time when so many of us are very price conscious, the annual membership fees

are very reasonable and when you stick with it you will get way more than you

anticipate. The encouragement and confidence you will gain will be outstanding! The

friends you will make will be an additional blessing too.

In closing, spend some time determining your weaknesses, especially if they are

becoming blockers in your life. Determine what support you need to change them and

move in that direction. Change doesn’t happen overnight but it will happen with

perseverance, so set a long term goal and break it into smaller pieces so you can see

your improvements.



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What Do You Know About Our Company?

This question can also be asked in another form such as “Why do you want to work for

our company?” This question is asked to determine if you’ve done your research of the

company. The interviewer wants to know that you are truly interested in the job and

company because finding the right “fit” is very important in today’s economy with the

cost of recruitment, training and productivity being so high.

Start your research on the company website, ensure their values and goals are similar

to your own. Sometimes if you are out of work, you may think any job will do but if you

are not prepared, you won’t succeed in this process. If you are employed and looking

for a change, you want to ensure you are getting into something that fits your values and

beliefs. In all cases, your chances of success are far greater if you would enjoy working

for the company because your goals are “compatible”. Researching annual reports,

trade journals, papers etc. could uncover significant information. Internally, speak to

employees or suppliers. Use your internet contacts through LinkedIn etc. If you are

able to uncover the reason for the job vacancy and it leverages your strengths, be sure

to use it in a discussion (as illustrated in the chapter on your greatest strengths.

Completing this homework will help you leverage your strengths and skills. Since this

question is generally asked at the beginning of the interview, keep the interviewer

interested in you by providing great insight.



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What Was The Toughest Decision You Have Ever Had To Make?

In the last chapter we covered the three part question of 1) setting the scene, 2) your

actions and 3) what the outcome or result was. This statement is called a SAR

statement – situation, action, result. Most questions you respond to should be in this

format so an interviewer can clearly see how you contribute to an organization.

To answer this question you will have to be prepared for sure in your SAR format.

S) To begin, explain the situation and why it was difficult for you

A) The actions you took, the process you followed and the effective or courageous

way you carried it out.

R) Describe what the beneficial result was for you.

An example:

S) I was let go from my job (after 20 years) in the printing industry during the

recession. As the sole income earner in my family, I knew finding another job

with a similar income would be next to impossible.

A) I reviewed what I was good at and got some advice and career support on my

options for moving forward. I have always been very good at home renovation

and enjoy it very much. I decided to start my own business in home renovations

and went back to school for my electricians license.

R) I’m working through my apprenticeship and doing some subcontracting work in

home renovations working with a master electrician while completing some jobs

independently. Within 2 years my goal is to be fully licensed and be working on

my own completely in my own business. It’s been a very tough challenge but I’m

doing something I love and am able to continue to support my family.

What is your toughest challenge? Spend some quiet time thinking about practice

delivering it in the SAR format.



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33

Tell us About a Time When You Had to Make an Unpopular

Decision. How Did You Handle it? What Was the Outcome?

This 3 part question is very typical in behaviour based interviewing. With the first

question you are “setting the scene” for the accomplishment you are about to speak

about. The second question is about your actions or what you specifically did about the

situation. The third question helps the interviewer understand what the outcome was.

In hearing all three of the questions answered together, the interviewer understands

your depth of knowledge better, how you adapt to certain situations and whether you

handled everything in a manner that would work in their organization.

To answer this effectively, it is important to remember that we all need to make

unpopular decisions whether they are in our work or personal life. Making the decision

is not the key factor but how you handle it is.

As an example:

The situation could be that as a senior specialist in an organization you are leading a

project with a number of people working in varying capacities. The project is

approaching a critical deadline and you have one person who is not pulling their weight

and in turn not allowing others to get their work done.

You could:

a) Put the load on others to get the work done and just bypass this person to avoid

confrontation.

b) You could have an unfriendly conversation with the person, telling them to pick up

the pace or even more unfriendly, do it in front of the project team.

c) Speak to them in private, letting them know you are concerned that you aren’t

going to make a critical deadline and ask for a reason why they are behind….(at

this point anything can come out!). If they don’t have a good reason, you

assertively advise them that they need to pick up the pace; giving them deadlines

and letting them you will be monitoring them and will review their progress,

reiterating that if they don’t improve you will have to take it to your boss as he/she

needs to know about the situation.



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Now, before we go further, I hope you do not answer A or B in an interview…. (and if

you do respond to people like that…get help!). Answer C is the beginning of how you

would specifically identify for the interviewer how you handled the situation.

Assuming, this person doesn’t pick up their pace and you are in serious risk of missing

the deadline; you need to take action for your own credibility.

Continuing with "C" could sound something like “After speaking to him/her the first time

and monitoring the situation, I found it wasn’t getting better. I addressed it with them

again and was not given an understanding that the problem would be fixed. I knew I

need to take it further and informed them that I was going to do that. I then met with my

manager, advised them of the situation, how I had handled it and asked for their support

in moving forward. I also went in with a plan of how we could proceed with the project

ensuring we did not jeopardize the deadline.”

To answer the third question – “What was the outcome?” The answer could be

something like “My manager thanked for the input, agreed with my recommendation for

moving forward, pulled the individual off the team and dealt with them from there. We

made our deadline.”

Your three responses would be all together. Try to keep your answer crisp and deliver it

within approximately 2 minutes.

Having to do this is most definitely an unpopular decision and what an interviewer is

looking for here is your leadership ability, your integrity level and do you follow the

“chain of command”.

In this example you are showing integrity by speaking to the person directly in private,

monitoring, following up and advising them you were taking it forward.



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You are also demonstrating leadership because leaders whether formal or informal need

to make difficult decisions and reporting on someone is very difficult. Response C also

shows you are considering the rest of the team, ensuring they can get their work done.

You are also demonstrating that you understand the “chain of command”, ensuring your

boss is kept informed but also coming to them with solutions…making their job easier.

While every situation is different, you will always win with Integrity!



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37

Why Have You Been Out of Work So Long?

Having to even answer this question hits many of us in the stomach very hard. We want

to work, are eager to work and for many who have not been working in some time, it

takes a huge toll on our self esteem and self worth, so being asked this makes us want

to respond in a way that wouldn’t go over very well in an interview. I understand that

completely and this article is meant to give you some good information to help you come

up with a positive response.

Let’s start with some background information. During the recession, many talented

people were let go and in certain business sectors such as manufacturing and IT. They

have struggled to find work because those sectors took such a hard hit in the economic

turndown. However, along with those talented people, there were many people in

companies with long service that were let go under the guise of recession but they had

been low level producers for years and this was a great reason to move them out of

organizations. Both the high level producers and low producers still could be out of work

and were apparently let go for the same reasons.

How is an interviewer to tell them apart? They are looking for someone to fill the job;

they want the best fit for their company. They know both these types of candidates are

out there. They need to tell them apart. In some cases, they won’t even accept a

resume with gaps but if they are willing and they come across two resumes with gaps in

employment, the following points may be something that will help them distinguish

between them. To have your resume stand out you should ensure:

♦ A solid resume with accomplishments that match what they are looking for

♦ You give the recruiter an understanding that you have been productive since you

last worked (ie volunteer work, schooling etc)

♦ When they call for an interview they will be looking for:

♦ Confidence in a person – from their voice on the phone, to their grooming when they

meet, to their handshake, to how well they communicate

♦ Clear responses to their questions



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Your self esteem and confidence has probably taken a huge beating if you’ve been out

of work for a long time. It can show from the first minute an interviewer speaks to you. If

you have a concern that this may be a problem for you, this may be the time to enlist

some support to ensure you have met the above points.

To respond to this question appropriately, you need to help the recruiter understand that

your prolonged job search has partially been by your own choice but also that you

haven’t been sitting around waiting and being unproductive. What I mean by that is if

you have certain skills that you want to continue to use, you will be taking longer anyway

to find the right fit in this economy.

Let’s use IT support for example. Many companies are outsourcing their support

overseas which leaves fewer roles and many candidates, so naturally this type of job is

harder to obtain.

Your response to this question could be something like:

“I lost my job in the middle of the recession and I made a conscious decision not to jump

at the first opportunity. I wanted to work for a company where I could do my best work

so I’ve been selective about where I have applied. I’ve taken some upgrading on x, y

and z and I’ve been volunteering at ABC group because I wanted to keep my skills

current and use my new ones. I know that when I land a job, it will be the right match for

both the company that hires me and myself.”

I encourage all my clients to get out and find volunteer opportunities, work that supports

an interest or hobby or skills upgrading for two reasons. The first is to demonstrate your

willingness to contribute and learn and second to keep our hearts and minds productive.

It in turn keeps our spirits up. I’ve had many clients who find volunteer work that

interests them and it turns into a job they love and sometimes even a new career. You

never know where the next opportunity comes from.



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40

You Appear to be Over Qualified for This Position, Why Does it

Interest You?

In the last year and a half I’ve had so many clients who have said to me that they will do

anything but “don’t put me on that highway again!” They’ve had the high pressure jobs

that require long hours and also spend lots of time commuting. Personally, being an

hour north of Toronto and having done the commute myself, I know it can be intense

and draining on your physical & emotional well being as well as family and personal

time.

When I hear this, I immediately challenge my clients to have them qualify their

intentions. What always comes out of it is that they still want meaningful, challenging

work but are happy to take a back seat to the “pressure cooker” environment they have

been in. Whether it’s moving down from a leadership role and becoming an individual

contributor again or just moving into an area that interests them the most…losing their

job has given them the time to reflect and redirect.

When we know this from the beginning, we position their resume, cover letter,

conversations and thought process properly as many employers are skeptical when they

see this downward movement. Also, because of the recession, employers are receiving

hundreds of resumes from people who appear to be overqualified and often they don’t

give them a second look because they don’t think the person is serious and will leave as

soon as something better comes along.

If this is your situation, you need to genuinely convince the employer you are the best

candidate and building on earlier Q&A’s, we take our lead from there. The first thing you

need to do is assess your strengths, determine what you love to do and examine why

you are willing to take a step down. Once you have your reasons that are truly personal

to you, your answer becomes clear. Some examples of your choice of words either

written in your cover letter or verbalized in an interview could include one or a

combination of the following statements:



41

♦ Although I have done x, y and z, my strength and passion is in area y and having the

opportunity to focus in that area, I know I can contribute right away with very little

guidance or direction.

♦ As an individual contributor and having had a successful career in X, I was promoted

to a leadership role. I truly enjoyed it and learned a lot but it took me away from what

I enjoy the most. However, having leadership skills in my background, I will be a

great resource if needed.

♦ Having been in a leadership role, I have had the opportunity to lead, coach and

mentor formally but I would be just as satisfied in supporting that in an informal

manner.

♦ I’m not tied to a formal leadership role. I am at the stage in my life where I have had

significant responsibility so I’m quite satisfied with stepping back and focusing solely

at what I’m best at which is x.

♦ I believe there are strong benefits for both of us. Being unemployed, I want to work

very much and what you are offering is exactly what I love to do and am best at.

Doing great work makes me happiest, a lot more than money or a title, so this is

perfect for me.

♦ I want to contribute in a meaningful way and this role allows me to have the most

impact.

♦ I’m looking to make a long term commitment in my career. I’ve looked very closely at

what I want from my career and where I want to work. Your organization and the

challenge you are offering matches very closely to both.



42

You can also respond to this question by asking what their concerns are specifically.

You may hear concerns around salary or the very subtle misappropriate age related

concerns. Your job is to calm their fears and change their train of thought by talking

about your desire to contribute with salary not being as important (remember this does

not mean “not” important…it means that with less responsibility, you typically get less

money. It is not an open window to under pay for your skills). Also, in regards to age,

turn the question around and make it a strength by subtly indicating the benefits of

“age”, for example – little guidance or direction will be needed, strong initiative, short

training times, leadership and mentoring ability, strong problem solving skills, ability to

stick with a situation and see it through to conclusion, strong work ethic and desire to

commit to a company.

Spend time really thinking about this question if this is your situation. Your challenge

could be more difficult than trying to obtain a job at the same skill level, so think about

your career as a lattice rather than ladder. A ladder is like with Jack and the

Beanstalk…up, up, up. However, many people are stopping to reflect, only to find that

“up” doesn’t interest them more and that they would rather move like a vine on a lattice

which moves up, then diagonally and sometimes downward but…very

intentionally…convince your next potential employer of that.



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44

What Are Your Five Year Goals?

How many of us take time to reflect what we will be doing in 5 years? If you are like

many and say “5 years from now, I can’t picture one year from now!” you are in the

majority of people. When times are good, we believe they will continue in that manner

and don’t give things a second thought. Then when trouble strikes we are left in

confusion, which can be a very difficult and confusing place to be. From a career

perspective I encourage you to really think about your 5 year goals for 2 very good

reasons.

The first is that in order for you to take control of your career, you need to know where

you are headed so if someone stops you and says…..”Come work for me here, I pay a

lot more than they do”…you’ll know if it’s the right move based upon what you want for

your career. Money means a lot; however, it shouldn’t be the deciding glittery factor that

persuades you in making a significant career decision. You need to think about so

many things here…industry, same type of job, promotion, change of scenery, new

career totally, part time, entrepreneurial etc. Your choice is personal and should be

thought through carefully.

The second reason you should know or have some idea of how to an answer this is that

it is a question that employers may ask. The reason they ask it is to know if you have

set goals for yourself, have ambition and/or to get a feeling whether you will stay with

the organization or just meet your needs and leave.

A very clear example I can give you is with a company I was helping in recruiting for a

very technical role. Candidates were hard to come by and the training period was 2-3

years before they would be fully competent out of college so the company was willing to

train as long as they had they had the right foundational technical knowledge from the

beginning. We interviewed a number of candidates and the one candidate the employer

was thrilled about was the one I put the brakes on for. I agreed wholeheartedly that he

was the most amazing candidate.



45

He had the technical qualifications and personality to be great in the role and had

demonstrated he had the skills; however, his 5 year goals were far beyond what the

company could ever offer. It was clear from how he answered that question that he

would leave as soon as he had what he wanted. The company put so much time and

effort into training they realized he wasn’t the right candidate.

When they asked me to make the candidate the offer, I asked them to think about that

question and his response. After a few minutes they did change their mind, we

reassessed our candidates and found a good candidate that matched their needs and

goals.

The difficulty is that you don’t know what the employer wants but you do need to know

what you want. Here are some tips for you:

♦ Try and get an understanding of the investment the company is making in hiring you.

Is the training period long, how much time and effort has it taken to hire the right

candidate, how difficult the job is, what level is the job at, what other complexities are

there in the job. The more complexities the job has, the longer period of time the

company will want to keep the candidate around. Understanding this will help you

tailor your message properly.

♦ If you are too specific, you may sound too smug but if you are looking to grow in your

career as many of us are, let the interviewer know that. (ex. “I have great skills as an

Account Manager and know there is a lot to learn in…this industry, company, product

etc. so my interest is in taking the time to learn everything so I can be the best in the

role. Within my longer term goals, I have and interest in growing into an Account

Executive role.”) This is a very different message than something like “I will be

looking for an Account Executive position within 18 months and will be a National

Account Manager within 4 years”. While they are both ok, you need to understand

what roles are available in the company and have some insight as to what the culture

is as you don’t want to over step your bounds in an interview.



46

♦ If you are too vague (without goals or direction) you will sound too weak or wishy

washy.

♦ Reassure the interviewer that you are looking to make a long term commitment

because (based on your research) this job is what you are looking for.

♦ Indicate that for the future, you believe that if you perform each role with excellence,

future opportunities will take care of themselves.

When you are asked this question, try and craft your answer keeping these tips in mind.

See how something like this works for you.

“I’m very interested in commitment to my next role. Understanding this position better,

it’s just what I’m looking for; it’s what I really enjoy doing and am good at. In terms of

the next five years, I’m confident that when I perform really well, opportunities will

naturally open up and a progression to (next job you want) is something that interests

me.”



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48

What Salary are You Looking For?

The answer to this question is very important to us all. We put a lot of pride in the work

we do and want to be fairly compensated for it.

Before I delve in to the answer for this I want you to remember 4 things:

♦ Get a good understanding of your market worth by checking your skill level with

what is being paid in industry for the skills and experience you have to offer. You

can do this through trade magazines or websites etc., check on recruiting sites as

they often have salary calculators for specific regions or anywhere else you may

learn about your skills and their value.

♦ Research the company to find out how they pay. You can do this my checking

their website, with other staff you know that already work there etc. Do they pay

above market, with the market or below?

♦ Never ask about salary or benefits in the interview process. Always let the

employer bring the subject up. If you bring it up, the employer may think you are

only interested in the money.

♦ Unless you are very comfortable with what you want to earn and not willing to

settle for anything less, you should try and get the employer to provide you with

what they are willing to pay before you tell them what you want. Think of this as

selling a great product. You would never talk price before you know all the other

details. Your job here is to make the company want you because that will

leverage your bargaining power.

Let’s use two examples to help you with this question. The first is that you may be

asked this question in the telephone prescreen, so let’s start with that. The scene is that

the interviewer is telling you about the job, asking you questions about your resume and



49

then they ask “What are your salary expectations? If you have done the research above

you know more about the company and that it is somewhere you want to work. Your

answer can be something like “I would be happy to provide you with that information but

I would like to get more details about the job before I give you a specific answer. I see

from your website (or my market research) that you pay market competitive rates, are

you able to share your salary range with me?” If the company is open and transparent

their response will be to share their salary range…then they will ask “Do your

expectations fall within that range?” Your answer will be either “Yes” or “No”. In some

cases, it can be this simple.

The second example could be in an interview if you are asked this question before you

have had a chance to talk about your skills and qualifications. Your response could be

“Money is important to me but not my main concern. I’d like to learn more about the job,

how my skills fit and if I’m the right candidate before we review money. Is that ok?” If

their answer is yes, then you carry on. If they press you for an answer, it could be

something like “I want an income to correspond with my skills and abilities and I trust

you will be fair. Can you tell me what this position pays?” Again you are putting it back

in their court.

Since most employers are honest and upfront, they will share their salary range

information. If you find through these questions that they are frustrated with you and

continue to pressure you then at that point give them a range you are comfortable living

with. However, if you find yourself in this situation, it raises a red flag about what this

means about the company as a whole. Do more research at this point and have some

good questions handy to ask them.



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51

If I Were to Call Your Previous Manager, What Would They Say

About You?

This is an interesting question because the answer is fully dependent on your

relationship with your last manager. If it was a good one, the answer should be easy to

respond to. If you had conflicts with your previous manager and left because of it, you

will need to be more careful with your response. If you appear to be the least be on

edge when you respond to it, the interviewer will pick that up so it’s best to be totally

prepared for this question.

Your response can be determined fairly easily through a reference check so honesty is

vital with this answer as with all others. Being candid with your strengths and

weaknesses provides an air of self awareness that is refreshing to hear. Speaking in

this confident manner will give the interviewer the feeling that you have nothing to hide.

2 important tips on how to nail this question:

1. Think of all the positive and negative things that your manager could say

whether it’s about your core skills, your soft skills, energy etc. all the facets of

your job performance.

2. Provide specific examples – that are relevant to the job you are interviewing for.

Things your manager told you either verbally or as notations on performance

reviews or similar aspects. Have documentation ready if asked for it.

The reason this type of response works is it is truthful, fact based and can be confirmed

quite easily. If the recruiter makes a call to your manager and they don’t mention the

specifics you spoke about, the recruiter can easily say something like “David indicated

that he took over the lead role in the x project after the existing project manager left

suddenly and he was able complete the project on time and on budget with great

reviews from the client”. This type of example is specific and fact based. The manager

could easily respond to the validity of this question.



52

Two examples for you:

“If you talked to Roger he would say that I was a great relationship builder and that I had

the ability to meet and exceed my client needs. I believe he would say this because I

was able to get one vice president to work closely with me. Previous to me coming on

board, this particular VP did not have a strong relationship with any client rep. Roger

interviewed each client group at the end of each year to get feedback for our reviews.

He commented on my performance review that my clients were thrilled with my ability to

connect with their team members and to get projects completed. He also indicted that

connecting with this one VP was a “first” and he personally was very happy with the

inroads I had made.

“Beth and I had a solid working relationship. I think she would say that my IT skills were

very strong and she would also say that I could improve on my patience with clients.

She would say my IT skills were very strong because I was given the most difficult

support calls to respond to and was always able to complete them. In our annual

customer satisfaction reviews, my name was mentioned a few times for my ability to get

issues resolved. From a patience perspective, I was always concerned about the lack of

accountability there was with the equipment being used. The sales people regularly

damaged equipment and it was to be replaced quickly. While I understand their need

for proper business tools, in most cases the issues were from neglect and lack of

understanding of how to use the equipment properly. We regularly had multiple projects

and tight deadlines so being interrupted by people demanding service quickly for

reasons that could have been avoided was frustrating. I didn’t receive any complaints

but when Beth mentioned my patience to me, I took it upon myself to write guidelines for

the most common problems and sent them to the field sales team. I also sent them

along with every new laptop and repaired one that went back out. It helped but what I

think helped the most was when I mentioned to Beth that we should charge back for our

time for negligence issues, it was approved and then we saw a huge change.”



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