 |
6. Where do you expect to be in five years from now?
This is a difficult question because in some companies “I expect to be in your place” will be a very good answer and in others it can be suicide to answer in that way. Therefore, if you don’t know the culture of that organization, choose a more conventional answer such as: “In five years, I imagine myself working for this company. My level would considerably increase for them”, or “I expect to progress within this company with hard work and commitment with my duty”. Find your most adequate words, but don’t say common answers such as: “Only God knows”.
7. Why did you reply this advertisement? Is this an active search or you just felt attracted by the advertisement?
You should answer this question with something that really represents your situation.
If you are in an active search, comment the reasons. Examples: “I am in a work search because I feel that I don’t have any possibilities of progress in my company and I desire an improvement in both, the professional and the economic area” or “I am in an active search because I don’t share my boss’ work policies; we keep a good relation, but if I have a chance in the market, I would prefer to quit”.
If you are not in an active search and you were only interested in the advertisement, fundament the reasons; it is possible that your interviewer may want to confirm the information. Think on the technical and motivational aspects for which you would be potentially interesting for your future employer.
8. What attracts you the most about our company?
This question is related with number 3 of this chapter. Look for credible things that can be flattering, but not too much. Once again, the balance should be your goal.
9. What do you think you can provide for this company?
We continue with the same topic. If you did your homework on the company, you will find something to answer. The key is to have all the information about the company and match them with your characteristics.
Look for credible and positive arguments, relating them with some previous situation.
If the company has potential trade-union problems and you had some successful management in the past you could answer: “As I have commented I have favorably solved a long trade-union conflict when I was in the… company and I think that this experience can repeat itself and help you improve the relation you have with the syndicate nowadays”.
10. Knowing what you know about this job and our company, would you make a change if we would offer you the position?
Be prudent in front of this type of questions. Some companies look for people who “change everything” and others prefer more conservative profiles. Therefore, don’t jeopardize the answers.
If you really think you should make changes, a possible answer would be: “From the information I have, I can see that… should be modified, but it may be too early to give a definite judgment in this moment. Once I begin with my duty, I will study the situation as fast as I can, and I will present you an action plan in that moment”.
If you have detected nothing, it is possible that it is not necessary to make any changes, or that you have skipped an important detail. In that case, a way out would be: “I think it is too soon to give my opinion at this moment, I prefer to begin with my duty and eventually analyze the changes, which I will subdue to the direction with an action plan, if it’s appropriate”.
11. Describe a typical day at your previous job.
Choose a representative day of your duty that shows your most important responsibilities graphically.
Try to express it with words, without turning yourself into “one of the whole” or, by the contrary, appear like Superman or Wonder Woman. Don’t invent a character or underestimate yourself in your description. You are selling a product, which is yourself.
When preparing this question, try to remember bad salesmen you have met, so you won’t look like them.
12. Why should I hire you?
We keep on appealing to the emotional and conceptual balance. You should give the idea that you are the person for the position, but you can’t resemble a street vendor. Use sober words, nouns ad not adjectives, without adding superlatives or diminutives.
You can say that you are the adequate person because in the last three years you surpassed the sales budgets, and not just because you are great sales man/woman.
To answer this question –as well as for the others-, it will be very useful to know as much as possible about the company where they are interviewing you.
|
