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31 QUESTIONS TO KNOW IF YOU ARE THE ADEQUATE PERSON FOR THE POSITION
Do you get adapted to the position to fill? Are you the best person for this position? Answering these questions honestly will be good for you and your future employer. It is very important not to cheat or cheat oneself.
First, get information about the position to cover and think about you. If you are sure the position is for you, then it is correct for you to try “selling” your story to the interviewer. If not, don’t try, the final result won’t be good, even if you get through the interview instance.
In order to make your abilities look attractive to your interviewer, prepare yourself for the interview, make phone calls to your colleagues, read some things that may be useful, get information about your future employer’s business. This will let you relate your story with the things the company could be really interested in.
Combine your knowledge, experience and aptitudes with the required abilities. The previous preparation will be your best key to get the position.
1. If we offer you a position and you accept it, when can you start working?
The laws foresee terms for pre-warning not only for the employer, but also for the employee (sometimes it is 30 days before you stop working) and your employer can force you to fulfill it. There are – besides laws - uses and customs that benefit the employee in this case. In Argentina for example, the uses and customs indicate that you should give your employers about two weeks notice before leaving your job. We recommend the negotiation with the employer. Some employers “get offended” and will tell their employees to leave as soon as they can.
If this term wouldn’t be satisfactory, you can offer to begin right away, providing some hours of your free time. Don’t forget that you should end up in good relations with your current employer. This should be a golden rule to remember. Besides that, it speaks well about you to be responsible and not leave your work from one day to the other.
If you are not working, offer to begin with your duties in that same moment if it is necessary; just ask for a phone in order to let your family know you will be home later than expected.
2. Would you be willing to work extra hours?
Say what you feel, but remember that they expect you to work whenever it is necessary.
Questions about the “investigation” about the position
Questions 3 to 9 will require you to investigate about the activity of the company and the specific position(s) available. If this is a company that publishes its balances, you can call in advance and ask for a copy of their most recent annual report. If this is a family company, you can ask for some list or brochure from which you can get more information about the profile, the company’s programs and products.
3. What do you know about our company?
Talk about the things you have been able to find out so far and show your interest for knowing even more.
4. What do you know about the position to fill?
You should know at least the information that was published on the advertisement you have responded.
5. What do you know about our competition?
You should also read the business magazines and economic sections of the newspapers in order to complete the information.
6. How do you see our business?
The comment from the previous question also applies.
7. Can you imagine the tendency of our activity in the future?
Take your time to answer this question and make sure you can mention the tendencies. Try to choose the most favorable ones.
8. Why are you interested in our company?
“Once I knew the company, I did a brief investigation before coming to the interview” or: “I didn’t know the company, but the information I have gotten about it has made me be interested in it” , and try to give some information you have gotten in your investigation.
9. What interests you the most about our product or service?
The comment from the previous question also applies
10. Does any friend or family member of yours work for the company?
Some companies have restrictive policies about this. So if you have any family member – even if they aren’t very close to you - say it, explaining the link. As for friends, it is not usually a problem. If your answer is positive in any of the two suppositions, and you know that a company with that policy is interviewing you, honesty keeps on being the best answer. The truth is very easy to be checked and you could be ruled out if you lie in an area that seems as meaningless as this one.
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