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Why They Should Hire You: What employers really want to know. How to pass a group (collective), panel and stress interview? What questions are asked in an interview? Why am I better than other candidates?

In search of the right person, personnel officers (sorry - HR!) look through dozens of resumes for one position and conduct the same number of interviews. Boredom…

Against the backdrop of a queue of dozens of people, the chances of being remembered are rapidly melting, aren't they?

Here are five tips on how to successfully pass an interview, be remembered by the interlocutor (for life) and make sure that the HR loses sleep trying to hire you.

5 ways to stand out in an interview

(Eychar - from the pronunciation of the English letters HR, an abbreviation of the expression human resource, human resources - personnel, in a word. But in one word - ours, and we are idiots, we can’t think of anything worthwhile, so we use only foreign expressions.)

1. Highlight yourself

Before the interview, the question “what to wear?” relevant not only for girls. It is clear that clothing must match desired position: suit or creative casual - it all depends on what is customary to wear in your professional environment. But one important rule applies here: choose clothes in such a way that the HR, at least in passing, to himself, marks it.

The point is not that they are greeted by clothes, but to leave in the memory of the HR a semantic hook associated with you.

To pass the interview, the semantic hook must be positive. That is, not a tie of an eye-catching color - such an accessory is more likely to cause irritation. It should be a beautiful, elegant thing that will make you more beautiful, add confidence to you and attract the fleeting attention of the interlocutor. People who are pleasant and interesting to look at cause sympathy. And what they say is better remembered. And you, in fact, this is what you need.

2. Communicate here and now

Try to achieve full concentration during the interview. Don't let yourself relax until the very moment of saying goodbye. This, at first glance, simple recommendation is divided into a group of tasks:

1. Maintain eye contact with the interlocutor. Look into the eyes (or at least in the direction of the interlocutor). Almost all people are able to subconsciously interpret the feelings of the interlocutor by eye movements. Therefore, try not to invent or lie - most recruiters will immediately notice this, because they constantly work with applicants.

2. Don't sit like an idol. Most people gesticulate while talking. Do not deny yourself this for the sake of trying to seem "perfect." Gesticulation, on the contrary, disposes the interlocutor to you, because it often helps to speak better and more clearly.

3. Use the technique of active listening. Show interest in what the employer is saying with nods, interjections, and follow-up questions. Real involvement in dialogue and active conversation will set you apart from others.

4. Do not allow yourself to say inappropriate phrases, becomes more familiar, even if the interview has already ended and you are just talking to the HR. Remember that you are being judged - constantly.

3. Prepare interesting questions

Another semantic hook is questions. An unexpected and interesting question will remain in the head of an HR for a longer period than 10 minutes. Eicharov at the interview are "bribed" by well-asked professional questions. Also, the applicant will have to delve into the history of the company and its news in order to demonstrate the seriousness of their intentions. The result may be worth it.

Of course, this method is not always suitable for everyone: there are HRs who do not understand anything about the activities of the company for which they are hiring. They simply do the primary selection of applicants and are only superficially interested in your qualifications.

But if you are interviewing with a company manager, then a few specific questions can become a bold plus in your resume. You will not only be remembered well, but also show yourself as a curious, attentive and interested person.

4. Rehearse

To pass an interview, you should remember an important truth: you should always prepare for an interview. Absolutely always, even if you seem to know the answers to questions. Run through in your head everything a recruiter might ask – especially those very questions that many people don’t like: “Why you?”, “Why us?”, “What salary do you expect?”, “Where do you see in 5 years ? Rehearse everything you wanted to say, write out the theses, remind yourself in what order you want to say everything you need.

If you forget something, stutter and remember the right things during a conversation at an interview, this can be perceived as self-doubt or incompetence. This is what your employer will remember.

5. Focus

Remember that you are one of a dozen candidates. Eichar at the interview will not remember all the data that you give him. Most likely, he will remember (or write down) your first and last name, education, references, with whom you worked (if it matters), the last place of work, programming languages ​​or foreign languages ​​that you speak (if it matters), the results of your last job .

Therefore, you do not need to talk about the beginning of your career 15 years ago, but rest on the points above in order to pass the interview. Tell us about your basic education and how it helps to work in your specialty, how you finished your studies and where, where you worked and with whom, what you achieved. This information should be firmly planted in the head of the HR.

Last but not least, no matter what happens in the interview, don't panic. Remind yourself: “This is just an interview, after which I will not be eaten, I will not be deprived of my salary, and I will not be ridiculed in public.” Any interview is a great lesson that teaches the practice of public speaking, self-presentation and self-confidence. The main thing is to analyze mistakes and learn from them.

Bonuses:

  • What exactly will you be asked in an interview?
  • How to answer the three most tricky questions
  • HRs explain why applicants don't get interviewed

What exactly will you be asked in an interview?

One of the reasons why applicants do not pass the interview, experts say the lack of clear answers to the most basic questions, such as why you want to work in a company or what are your strengths. To prevent this from happening, experts advise preparing in advance for these typical questions. You will hear these five questions in almost any job interview.

1. Why do you want to work with us?

This question is usually asked in order to see your motivation for working in a company. To answer it capaciously and clearly - you need to prepare. To do this, you should read about the company and the industry in which it operates, study profiles in social networks, etc. When answering a question, you should avoid general expressions and operate with specific facts. You can think about the direct work of the company, corporate culture, achievements or prospects that the company gives. The more you know about the company, the more thorough your answer will be. The employer will definitely note this.

2. Why should we choose you? What makes you stand out from other candidates?

This question is your chance to draw the attention of the employer to your strongest professional qualities. When preparing for this question, it is worth starting from the requirements of the vacancy. Read the list of employer requirements and try to understand what exactly the employer is looking for and wants to see. Then think over or write down your qualities, highlight two or three main points that, in your opinion, will be of most interest to the HR. Pay special attention to those items that appear less often in other resumes. For example, entrepreneurial activity, long experience in the same field, etc. Illustrate your answer with specific examples.

By the way, one of the variations of this question can be a question about your strengths. To be ready to answer any of the options, and also not to hesitate if you are asked clarifying questions, it is best to prepare several examples in advance. In any case, remember that by asking this question, the employer is trying to understand whether you are really better than all other candidates for this position. Your task is to demonstrate this to him in the best possible way.

3. Why are you leaving your previous job?

The main thing to remember when answering this question is no negativity. By asking a question, the employer wants to get to know your background better and understand the reasons and criteria for looking for a new job. By speaking negatively, you can make a bad impression. The best thing to do is to focus on the prospects and development opportunities you see in your new job. At the same time, one should not forget that the answer should be based on your professional plans and specific facts, and not on vague ideas about the company. The company website, pages in social networks, as well as the text of the vacancy itself will help you with this.

4. What are your weaknesses?

In answering this question, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it is best to talk about those traits that have nothing to do with a particular job. Secondly, you can remember the features that you have worked on and corrected them. For example, having completed training, mastered time management techniques, etc. The main thing is to show that your weaknesses will not affect future work in any way.

5. Tell us about your experience?

At first glance, it may seem that the entire interview is devoted to this topic, so it makes no sense to prepare in advance for such a question. However, in practice, answering it clearly, distinctly, and, most importantly, concisely - without preparation, it may not be so easy. After all, it is important not only to talk about your professional duties, but also to present to the employer the best moments of your career and your achievements in previous jobs. To do this, review your resume and vacancy again. Think about which examples will be the most revealing and, in chronological order, tell about the most successful examples from his professional practice.

Psychological interview questions: how to answer the three most tricky questions

Try to remember a difficult situation in your career from which you emerged with dignity and which you can be proud of. It's not easy to do this quickly. However, such questions sometimes come up in an interview. To be ready for them, it is better to prepare in advance. There can be many variations of various psychological interview questions. We've rounded up three of the most popular.

1. Tell us about a difficult situation at work and how you dealt with it.

By asking this question, the employer wants to see what is a difficult situation for you, how effectively you can work in such conditions and solve problems. First of all, it is worth considering in advance a few specific examples from your career. Pay attention not just to difficult moments at work, but to those situations that you successfully coped with and that best demonstrate your professional skills and personal qualities.

After describing the situation, focus on what you did to solve it, what was the result and what conclusions did you draw. It is desirable that these examples are as closely as possible related to the duties that you perform or the duties that the position for which you are applying for entails.

Experts advise avoiding examples of problem situations that you yourself caused, for example, if you missed deadlines, mixed up something, or made a mistake.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? / What is your career goal?

Any employer wants to see a motivated and interested employee. Therefore, by asking this question, he wants to understand how your career plans compare with the vacancy, and, accordingly, determine how passionate you will be about your work, how long you plan to work in the company.

When answering this question, try to show as much enthusiasm as possible and, if possible, show the connection between your professional plans and this position, and also why you consider this vacancy as an important element of your career path.

3. Describe your ideal job

This question is usually asked to understand what you like and dislike about the job and, accordingly, how your values ​​align with the values ​​of the company. If you don't know where to start when preparing for this question, think about what elements of your job you enjoy the most (e.g. being creative, working with people, being independent, etc.). Ideally, you need to focus on those elements that are related to the position you are applying for and show the employer your motivation and interest.

Why Candidates Don't Interview: HR Stories

No matter how many interviews you go through, anyway, each interview with an employer is a small professional challenge. In a short period of time, you need to win him over and convince him that you are the best applicant for the job. But not everyone succeeds. The editors of rabota.ua asked HRs and recruiters to talk about the biggest mistakes that applicants make, because of which they do not pass interviews and, as a result, do not get a job.

OKSANA ABRAMENKO, recruiter of the Lviv Consulting Group:

« If you are an excellent specialist, you do not need to tirelessly repeat this at an interview, repeating that you are the best. Such obsession only repels. HR will understand that you are an excellent specialist, without unnecessary repetition. Your achievements and experience correct presentation everyone will tell you. Often job seekers do not feel the line when they no longer need to "sell" themselves, and this ruins them. In my practice, there was a story when a female applicant successfully “sold” herself to an employer, convincing him of her professional qualities and skills. But when the time came to tell more about herself as a person, she, not realizing her victory, continued in the same vein - she again began to talk about her professional merits, as if she had not heard the HR question. She didn't get a job.

Often job seekers at the interview scold their past employers, colleagues, projects. This is a big mistake. If in the professional past of a person, according to him, everything was bad - an unbearable boss, annoying colleagues, uninteresting work, then most likely the problem is just in him, and not in the others.

80% of the interview time is for the applicant to speak. Therefore, monosyllabic answers, unwillingness to engage in dialogue, lack of examples in response to specific questions - all this leads to the fact that the candidate does not pass the interview. But at the same time, you don’t need to try to become the first violin in the interview and from the first minutes start asking a lot of questions to the HR. Do not confuse good self-presentation with talkativeness or tactlessness.

Interviews do not pass those who do not know what they want from work and life. People who want, according to them, development, but at the same time cannot specifically answer the question, what are their expectations from a new job and who they see themselves in the future. As a rule, such candidates work for a very short time and quickly cool down. However, some applicants feel that something is wrong and ask for advice. We advise, and sometimes it really turns out to direct a person.

Any information about the applicant can be verified, so you always need to be honest. Lies will sooner or later emerge from one source or another. But at the same time, applicants often try to outsmart the HR. One day, a candidate, citing family circumstances, canceled an interview. I found him on social media and discovered that on that day the man had “checked in” in Egypt.

In general, when the applicant himself cancels the interview - we usually wait for him to take the next step, we do not want to force anyone to the position. But, as a rule, if this happens, then in 99.999% of cases the candidate is not interested in the vacancy, but he does not have the courage or just the understanding of what is better to say about it. It is always worth informing the HR about this - this will be a plus in the future, the candidate will be contacted again. And when a person simply deceives, comes up with excuses, or disappears altogether, it is unlikely.

Many applicants forget that they are evaluated CONSTANTLY, and not just at the interview. One day, a candidate was very familiarly discussing the details of an interview on his mobile phone as he walked down the stairs, thinking he couldn't be heard. He did not receive an offer from the employer.

In the "struggle" for a vacancy, very often not the most experienced and professional ones win, but holistic, mature and open candidates. I very often pay attention to how the applicant behaves in the process of employment, how open he is to dialogue, takes an honest position in relation to the employer, values ​​his time and the time of the HR, etc. When a person is sincere and transparent in his intentions, then we, as intermediaries between him and the employer, often want to support, advise something. For example, when a company takes a long time to decide on a response. When we are treated like human beings, it is very captivating.”

OLGA KUBAREVA, recruitment consultant at Betsson IT company:

« At the heart of every interview are the principles of "I respect myself" and "I respect you."“I respect myself” means that you are confident in yourself, know what you want from the new job, know your strengths, as well as the range of tasks that you enjoy and that benefit the company. It is also the principle of personal responsibility for one's own ethical behavior, for the truthfulness and accuracy of the information in the resume. After all, you wouldn't want to work with someone who cheats, right? Questions to ask yourself before an interview: “what is my next goal?”, “what do I want to do”, “what do I like to work on?”, “what brings me joy / benefit / satisfaction?”.

The “I respect you” principle is about being flexible and leaving it up to employers to ask questions they see fit. If the question is unpleasant, you have the right to clarify the purpose of the question and be open about what you do not know or do not feel that you can answer the question. For example, job seekers often get irritated when asked about their 3-5 year goals. But sometimes there really is a point behind this question, for example, if the company has a career plan for everyone.

Think about how you feel if you start to think that your interlocutor is stupid, narrow-minded, or unworthy of your attention. Most of the time, people feel it. Even if you smile, your tone of voice, body gestures will tell a different story. Think about how you felt when someone treated you disparagingly. Would you like to keep in touch? Hardly.

Closeness and unwillingness to build a dialogue - all this is not in favor of the candidate. If a person is not ready to disclose information about his past experience, says too often “it doesn’t matter”, “I would not like to talk about it”, “everything is written in the resume”, “I don’t know” - this may indicate that the candidate is hiding something or it has not been fully included in the workflow.

An interview is like an exam that you have to “slip through” and then live for real. This attitude of applicants often leads to the fact that their answers sound like they were on an exam. They are formulaic and dry. The candidate thinks that the main thing is to give “correct answers” ​​and hide any mistakes. But this is an erroneous opinion. After all, with such behavior, HRs may have a question whether you need this particular job. Therefore, do not "skip" the interview, "live" each interview - analyze what was good and what still needs to be worked on.

Always "try on" the vacancy for yourself before the interview. Never come unprepared. Alas, this often happens. Perhaps some words or responsibilities in the description of the company or vacancy hooked you. Perhaps the style of the site is dynamic and suits your mood. Get feedback about the company from your friends. This will help you create a more voluminous picture, find common ground with HR, the company as a whole, and be persuasive.”

ALINA SEVASTYUK, Head of Business Development at KPMG, author of trainings on life and career planning:

« There should be a sense of proportion and style in everything so that you do not have to run a marathon in high-heeled shoes. Your task is to get a new job, and not just to show individuality. Measure and style in an interview is appearance, the ability to make a first impression, at all stages of the interview to own not only the subject, but also yourself.

Many applicants are not ready to answer specifically to specific questions.“Why did you pay attention to our vacancy?”, “What distinguishes you from other candidates?” - I often remain without clear answers to these questions. And is it important. The candidate must know what is his uniqueness, what he can offer the employer, and why he needs a job in a particular company.

You don't need to rewrite your resume. Talk about what you value in work and profession, why you are interested in the vacancy and what you can bring to the work of the team and the company.

I always ask candidates to describe their dream job. Despite the obviousness of this question, many for some reason describe a job that does not correlate with the format of the vacancy for which they are applying. If your dream is to be a freelancer, then why are you interviewing for a position in a bank?

Unwillingness to improvise. It manifests itself when you need to demonstrate your skills and abilities at an interview. For example, come up with several options for the headings of the text, or, while still in the lobby, comment on its interior. During interviews, I try to make it all as comfortable as possible for the applicant - I just have a conversation-discussion with him. But in parallel, I evaluate how a person is able to quickly respond to new situations, make decisions. For most, unfortunately, it doesn't work.

When looking for a job, the employer is your client. Always remember this. Often job seekers are inattentive to the requests of the employer, whether it is a request to call back at the appointed time or send a file in the right format to the right address, indicating a specific topic. When it comes to employment, every detail counts. How attentive you are shows the seriousness of your intentions.

YEVGENY KOZAK, HR Director of Corum Group:

« When it comes to working with people, you should always remember about subjectivity. It often happens that a recruiter will forgive one and the same pattern of behavior to one candidate, but will not consider it acceptable to another. Candidates, in turn, may cite a slow-witted recruiter as the reason for an interview failure.

The root mistake is the applicant’s lack of a formed understanding of which company he is going to interview. As a result, he will be confused when answering the recruiter's questions, he will not look interested in working in this particular company.

You should always prepare for an interview. To do this, I recommend collecting and memorizing the following information about the company: the dynamics of its main performance indicators, its activity - in terms of participation in exhibitions, conferences, round tables, interviews with the company's top officials (this will help to form an understanding corporate culture), to study the pages of the company in social networks.

It will not be difficult for professionals to decompose the experience and results of the candidate into components with their questions. And if a candidate is not able to clearly explain how exactly he achieved the results set out in his resume, this calls into question his professionalism and honesty. Therefore, I would recommend: do not forget to indicate your results, but also be prepared to talk about them in more detail.

A professional HR does not ask anything extra. Therefore, the refusal to answer the questions of the recruiter, ranging from evasion and ending with the phrases “this does not concern you” - this negatively affects the outcome of the interview. If the recruiter is a boor and asks questions of a personal nature, then you can carefully avoid answering and focus on the fact that this question does not concern work.

One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is leaving their previous company and not setting the stage for referrals. If you write about serious results in your resume, but cannot provide a list of people who can characterize you as a professional and as a person, be sure that in a serious company you will most likely not be allowed to go beyond the first interview.

TATYANA NIKITOVICH, recruiter, director of the recruiting agency Smart Solutions:

« When the applicant at the interview tries to get a guarantee career advancement- it's disturbing. After all, the man has not done anything yet. I sometimes heard this phrase: “You guarantee me?” Job subject to successful completion of the interview - yes, and further success is the responsibility of the person himself. In general, shifting responsibility to someone is a fundamentally wrong position. It is even worse when a person does not understand this, and this is how he manifests himself in an interview.

Often candidates are ruined by the reluctance to adapt to the employer. If a person is not ready to show a certain loyalty already at the interview stage, even answering hypothetical questions, then he is unlikely to show it in further work. But the employer wants to be sure that in a critical situation, a potential employee will not let you down. For example, I asked one of the candidates for the position of an office manager if she was ready to stay at work if, for example, a courier with an important package was late. She replied that her boyfriend would be very angry if she did not leave the office at exactly 18:00. And there are many such examples.

Employers also want to be interested in them, to be on the same wavelength with them. Candidates who come to the interview only to sell themselves, but at the same time have little interest in the specifics of the company, key needs and goals - this attitude crosses everything. Even highly qualified and experienced. At the same time, the interest of the candidate, when he is in the subject, and he has a general understanding of the industry and the company's activities, is very conducive.

Any city is still a big village. HRs often ask for informal recommendations, ones that the person doesn't know about. Therefore, always behave with dignity, leave with dignity too, so that unpleasant details are not revealed about you after the interview. Alas, this happens quite often, and we learn about conflicts in previous places of work. Even if the applicant did not have everything going smoothly in the past, at the interview there is always the opportunity to talk about it in the correct wording. HR will appreciate honesty.

Interviews are canceled due to salary. Those who ask for little, make them doubt their qualifications. Those who ask too much make them doubt the adequacy of their self-esteem. Therefore, before an interview, it is always worth learning as much as possible about salaries - from the Web, from friends and acquaintances working in the right field, and then you will sound convincing.

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One of the conditions for receiving a favorable offer of employment in a place with a good salary and perspective career development is the quality of the information that the recruiter sends to the potential employer. From the point of view of many applicants for workplace the response to the vacancy is to send a "naked resume". The mistake of applicants is that by sending a resume without a cover letter, they significantly reduce the chances of getting a profitable job.

Transmittal letter is a tool with which the applicant can stand out from other candidates. It contains information that focuses on the individual characteristics of the applicant.

Specialists in personnel matters receive a huge number of responses, most of which differ very little. To study carefully all resumes quickly, personnel officers are simply not able to. It is much easier and more convenient to pre-screen candidates based on cover letters, which is what this document does. effective tool under conditions of high competition. As a result, the first to receive an invitation to an interview are applicants who are interested in a specialist in personnel matters. Resumes of other candidates are reviewed later.

Rules for writing a cover letter

Using simple rules, the applicant for a job or position significantly increases its competitiveness.

  • The cover letter should be meaningful, any verbal "husk" in it is unacceptable. You should briefly and as informatively as possible explain the reason for the desire to get a specific position. In order for the letter to be informative, you should look for information about the company on the website and other sources, carefully read the vacancy. Based on the information received, you should determine your usefulness for this enterprise and write a short self-presentation. At the same time, the information contained in the summary should not be duplicated. The main purpose of the letter is to demonstrate high motivation and value for the company.
  • It is necessary to observe the norms of business etiquette, which implies the absence of jokes and free treatment. The contact person is addressed either by name and patronymic, or in the form of “Good afternoon!”. When writing an email, it is extremely important to indicate the position that you want to get. At the end of the letter, it is necessary to express readiness for a meeting with a recruitment specialist, indicate contact details, even if they are in the resume.
  • It is very important to respect the length, which should not be excessively long (2-3 small paragraphs). Conciseness and brevity are the most important rules for writing a cover letter.
  • Another condition that must be observed when writing a cover letter is literacy. It demonstrates the level of education of the job seeker, the level of his general culture, so the presence of grammatical errors in the text is highly undesirable.

If you can’t write a letter yourself or if you doubt whether you did everything right, then consult with experts. They will tell you all the details of this process. Competently composed transmittal letter significantly increases the chances of a job seeker to get a really profitable offer with a high salary. If you take into account our advice and recommendations, then you will definitely succeed. Good job will be guaranteed!

Having suffered a fiasco when participating in a competition for a promising vacancy, everyone turns on introspection of what was done wrong. A resume is the main tool for finding a job, both on the part of the employer and the applicant. Often, having selected a couple of worthy candidates, the interviewer stops at a resume in which advantages prevail. So what is the right way to present yourself?

To do this, you should get rid of the internal modest editor, highlight the following for yourself:

  • What are the best professional knowledge and skills I have?
  • What makes me different from other professionals?
  • Why is this job and company just for me?
  • emphasis on identical experience, fulfillment of duties (if any);
  • examples of own developments, innovative ideas, rationalization proposals;
  • tendencies of manifestation of initiative, speed of execution of orders;
  • the ability to work ahead of the curve;
  • especially important or responsible tasks that were performed during a career;
  • encouraging thanks;
  • additional education (courses, seminars, trainings, master classes, etc.).

You can indicate this information in the column "additional information" or highlight "my advantages". The most important thing here is not to overdo it. The resume should be realistic and up to date.

Examples of answers to the question about the advantages of candidates in hiring

As a rule, after selection by resume, the applicant is invited to a face-to-face interview, where they are first asked to fill out an employer's questionnaire. With the help of the questionnaire, information about a potential employee is revealed, confirmed, because the candidate could not write a resume correctly and beautifully on his own. The applicant has to write in it, and then orally during the interview, to reveal their strengths and weaknesses.

Here are some examples of answers to questions about benefits:

“I have experience in negotiations, and at various levels. I easily manage to conclude important contracts, rationally organize my working day, and have managerial skills. In the past period, I managed to increase sales in the category of goods entrusted to me by 20%. I have letters of commendation, gratitude from the management for the prompt implementation of the new sales system. I have been familiar with the work of your company for a long time, I have always been pleasantly surprised by the smooth running of business processes and high performance.”

The above example mentions numbers (increased sales by 20%) - which is very good. Also, the candidate shows his loyalty to the company (the last phrase).

“I have an analytical mindset, I am literate, I know a variety of styles, genres, even humor. My unique content, both textual and graphic, is ready to be shown. Recently took 2nd place in a lead generation competition.”

The willingness of the candidate to provide real evidence to support his words is a good sign for potential employer.

“My strength is the ability to find extraordinary solutions, to be optimistic about problems that do not embarrass at all, but even motivate to action.”

The latter option is suitable for applicants without significant work experience or achievements, in particular for students.

What not to write

On the tricky question“Describe your weaknesses” should not indicate their absence, because everyone has them. But you don't have to speak like a confession. Some use a neutral answer: “Yes, I also have them, but they don’t interfere with my work at all, or I’m working on fixing them” . You can "turn pluses into minuses", for example: “My meticulousness, scrupulousness, only helps in my work as an accountant” .

And what certainly cannot be indicated in the column “The advantages of your candidacy”:

  • successfully completed a 2-month industrial practice;
  • acted as chief accountant for 1 month before accepting a new one;
  • what you tell me to be, so I will be, etc.

Indeed, in each resume or questionnaire, the employer wants to see a purposeful individual interested in a vacancy, with professional skills, and not an employee mediocrely burning through labor hours.

In other situations, you walk out thinking, in disgust, "I hope I never see them again."

This approach does not require any special sharpness of mind. It is not even suitable for selecting the best and weeding out the worst candidates. But people who do not like the new do not dare to retreat from it.

You know what I'm talking about. This is an interview where the applicant is asked to:

  • Name your main weakness.
  • List the qualities that set you apart from other candidates.
  • Describe your future in five years.

And it's not the interviewer's fault for having to ask thoughtless standard questions. Someone told them to do it. I did not discount the company that conducts initial conversations according to this scheme, but if the questions are repeated over and over again, you should look elsewhere.

If you want to find really valuable talent, you don't have to ask job seekers stupid and insignificant questions.

If you want to get a job, you will have to find answers to any recruiter questions, even the most stupid ones. You can take the path of least resistance and, for example, to the question "Indicate the qualities that distinguish you from other candidates" answer: "I am hardworking and have a lot of experience. I am reliable and never late. In addition, I sometimes translate across the old ladies' road.

People often say: “I went to an interview, but the words that came out of my mouth scared me. I felt like a complete failure. Because in my life I never say that! ".

We've all been in similar situations. And you run the risk of being in it again if you do not prepare in advance. You should break the usual flow of conversation and make communication more "human", and then you can say with confidence that the interview went well.

To make the interlocutor think, you should give an answer that he does not expect. And it will be good. He will certainly remember you, and his reaction will allow you to decide if you even want to get this job.

Here are three stupid questions and answers to them. The first answer is standard and boring, and the second can be used to "shake up" the interlocutor and turn the conversation in the right direction.

Stupid question: "Name your main flaw."

Standard response: "I'm a hard worker and sometimes get too carried away. I think that the contribution of others to the common cause could be a little more, and I start to put pressure on them."

Unusual answer: “I once thought that I had a thousand shortcomings. I thought that many things in me should be changed. Therefore, I read books and studied hard. trying to excel at something I'm not good at. Now I'm working on what I'm best at. In particular, I'm doing graphic design."

Stupid question: "What qualities set you apart from other candidates?"

Standard response:"I have been in this industry for sixteen years and have achieved a lot."

Unusual response:"I'm here to find out! I can't say I'm better than the other candidates.

Surely there is someone who suits you better. You have already met other candidates or you are just about to meet them, and you certainly know better who the company needs. So if I'm destined to work here, then so be it."

Stupid question: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Standard response:"I will be working hard here or elsewhere as a Financial Analyst with the prospect of being promoted to Head of Department. My professional interests will be in investing and strategic planning."

Unusual response:"Without a doubt, I will be busy with what I have a soul, whether it's finance or e-commerce. I'm interested in a lot of things!"

So, you have to decide how far you plan to go. You already know what it's like to give predictable answers to standard questions. What happens if you decide to be yourself a little next time?

Liz Ryan, linkedin.com
Translation: Airapetova Olga

Interviews (whether with a recruiting agency or with a potential employer's organization) can sometimes be a frustrating experience, but if you know how to get out of the most frustrating interview situations, you'll feel a lot more confident. Here are ten of the most dangerous situations.

1. Weak interviewer.

Not every HR professional knows how to conduct an interview effectively. In fact, many of them are frankly incompetent in their field. A bad interviewer can be distracted, uninterested, or unprepared. He may not give the floor to the candidate or ask inappropriate questions. Such an inattentive and unprepared interviewer may not have read your resume and may not even be able to find a copy of it.

Be prepared to offer him a copy of your resume and say, "May I cover the highlights of my career?" While the talkative recruiter is talking, try to memorize as much as you can (or jot down notes on paper if you brought a small notebook with you).

Do not show your irritation, but on the contrary, become an attentive listener and hang on to every word of the recruiter. If that doesn't work, even the talkative interviewer will probably eventually stop and ask if you have any questions. In this case, you can ask a question, as well as tell if this company and the proposed position suits you, based on what you noted about yourself.

If the interviewer asks inappropriate or inappropriate questions, try to limit the conversation to a discussion of your own, if possible. vocational training.

2. Tell us about yourself.

Of course, this is not a question at all, but rather a call to action. It is one of the most asked in the interview, but it still scares the interviewees. The trick is to make your answer a summary of information directly related to the desired job. In other words, sell yourself!

Here is an example: "My entire previous work experience has been training to become the best tax advisor I can be. With your permission, I will tell you more about how I prepared. I am a final year student in the Faculty of Finance and studying at ... an institute. I have experience in retail and higher education. Both prepared me well for my career."

The interviewer is unlikely to be interested in your autobiography or personal life, except for those things that are related to work.

3. The question of shortcomings, weaknesses

It is generally accepted that, in answering the question: "What are your shortcomings?" - the applicant must try to turn weakness into strength.

For example: "I am a person who strives for perfection in everything, and I do not believe that someone can do this job better than me, so it is sometimes difficult for me to delegate it to someone." However, this answer is too boring. There are other approaches: to talk about shortcomings that have nothing to do with future work(e.g. low literacy rate), or deny having any weaknesses that prevent you from doing your job. The first approach may work but is likely to be judged superficial, while the second often lacks credibility. After all, every person has their own shortcomings.

The most successful move is to talk about your shortcomings in the past, which you have overcome as a result of hard work on yourself. Here's how to put the previous example in the light of professional growth: "I'm a perfectionist and I always find it difficult to trust others, but over time I've come to believe that teamwork and the use of common forces are more effective than working alone" .

4. Why should I hire you?

In fact, this question means: "How are you better than other candidates?" This is your real chance to show yourself, tell about your merits. Tell us about one of your distinctive properties, describe what exactly makes you stand out from other candidates. The employer will invest significant money in your training and development, so reassure the interviewer that this investment will be worth it. For example, you might say, “I am sure that I am the best candidate for this position. Like everyone else, I am capable of doing this job. In addition, I have a quality that distinguishes me from the rest - the desire for excellence. And this is not only in words, but also in deeds. Throughout my career, I have consistently gone to become the best. And I have reached certain heights in management, just because of the qualities that you are looking for in an employee."

5. Strange, unpredictable questions or questions without a correct answer.

Sometimes you will be faced with questions that seem strange, incomprehensible, completely unrelated to work. Here's an example: "If you were ice cream, what would your taste be?" Interviewers often ask out-of-the-box questions to see how quickly you get your bearings and whether you can handle your anxiety. But some, unfortunately, ask them only to enjoy the sight of an embarrassed applicant. There are those who simply like to appreciate the creativity in answering such a question. Don't let yourself be fooled by such questions. Focus and give the best answer. Such a question can rarely be answered incorrectly, and the most savvy candidates can impress the employer with their answer.

6. Inappropriate questions.

It is unacceptable to ask about age, marital status, children and how you plan to take care of them, etc., but employers often do this, and do it in the most skillful manner - for example, asking when exactly you graduated university. The best answer is something like this: "My personal life cannot be an obstacle to the excellent performance of my duties at work." Even if you really want to point out that the question is not entirely legal, keep in mind that this can alienate the employer.

7. Question about wages.

The question of the amount of salary you expect is also tricky. Recruiters often ask this question at the beginning of an interview, using it as a screening mechanism. If you name an amount more than what the employer is able to pay you (or, conversely, underestimate yourself), this can immediately discredit you in the eyes of the employer. The best tactic in this case is to postpone answering the question until the end of the interview until you have been offered a job at the company. Try to avoid a direct answer like this: "I am applying for this position because I am really interested in working for you, and I am sure that I can achieve a lot. However, I would like to postpone the salary discussion - first we need to make sure I'm really qualified for this position."

8. Reasons for dismissal

It is always unpleasant to answer the question of why you were fired. Do not lie about this, but try not to say too much. You can say that the companies did not quite fit, and now your reputation has suffered. Or that you and your boss had differences of opinion. Emphasize the following: What you have learned from this experience will help you not repeat the same mistakes and work better in the future.

9. Why are you leaving your current job?

The question is similar to the previous one, even if you were not fired. The answers may be the same, and remember: don't berate your current employer. Always speak well of all employers, even if you have had problems with them. It would be nice to say that we have exhausted the opportunities for growth in our current job and are now ready for new opportunities.

10. Question about the future.

Recruiters often ask: "Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?" The best answer is one that combines honesty, ambition, and a desire for a long-term relationship with the company. Avoid answers like "I want to start my own business" or "I'm going to join a party," which indicate that you do not plan to stay with the company for a long time. You can touch on the details of your personal life (marriage, family), but it's better to focus on professional goals. Tell us about your career plans first, and at the end of the conversation, you can mention something personal.

Here's a sample response: "I'm here to prove to you that I'm the best person for this job, and if there's an opportunity in the future to take more high position I'll use it."

Or: "I hope to stay with the company and make significant progress in my career over the next five years." Or: "I want to become the best ... in your company"

Applicants should be aware that each question is an opportunity to show themselves and their achievements. Each answer should be a stepping stone on the way to convincing the employer that you deserve to move to the next level - whether it's the next stage of an interview or a job offer at a company.