Questions That Shouldnt Stump You During Job Search

Questions That Shouldnt Stump You During Job Search WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST JOB? There are usually several interview questions that catch a job seeker off-guard. Not that these questions are bizarre or out of the ordinary, but, these questions have to be answered with tact, diplomacy and suave. Common Interview Questions To Prepare for In every workshop I deliver, I ask which interview questions job seekers dislike most or want help answering, these win every time: Tell me about yourself What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness? Why do you want to work here? You can see strategies on how to answer them here. Chances are slim youll be asked every one of them in an interview, butpreparing a solid answer will boost your confidence during the interview. Other Questions to Anticipate How much did you earn in this job? What are your salary requirements? Were you dismissed from this job involuntarily and why? So lets address this last one! WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST JOB? As straightforward as this question sounds, the employer interviewing you is listening between the lines for potential reasons not to hire you. Dont let this question go unrehearsed. Your Work History Speaks to Your Emotional Intelligence Your next employer wants to know why you left previous jobs, but what they are really assessing is how self aware you are, how you handle your emotions on the job and if you are ready to start a new work relationship. The reason the interviewer asks this question is to see if you have learned any lessons from your history. Do you continue to make the same mistakes? Has managing stress been a recurring issue, or have you repeatedly disagreed with past management? You have to help the interviewer understand all this throughout the interview. Some  Job Do Just End Layoffs, downsizing and off-shoring are unfortunately all too common. And contract work almost always has an end date. There is nothing to be embarrassed about or worry about, as long as you make the situation clear to the interviewer. Be sure to let the interviewer know the job was for a contracted period of time or that the company had a reduction in force. Sometimes Less Is More Rather than go into the gory details leading to your departure from the company, keep it short and sweet. If you were laid off along with many others in a downsizing, it is enough to say XYZ company had a large reduction in force and my entire department was let go. Never Cast Blame Its been said that employees dont leave companies, they leave managers. Therefore, the odds are pretty good that you and your supervisor had a falling out or didnt see eye to eye. However, never, ever bad-mouth a manager or a company. While it may be true you were mistreated or your managers behavior was unethical or perhaps even illegal; never cast blame. This is not the time to bring it up. Your answer should focus on the actions you took, such as I chose to leave the company to pursue new, more rewarding experiences. Honest vs. Truthful Theres a subtle difference between being honest and truthful. Often, job seekers say they feel the need to confess the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but does a full confession work against you? Think about how your attorney may suggest you answer the question. A lawyer would probably recommend you provide only the information requested. A simple truthful answer is my position was eliminated. But dont stop there. Never  Leave Them Hanging If you dont provide enough details, the interviewer may feel you are hiding something and probe further. While short and sweet is a good strategy, dont leave them guessing. One way to move the conversation forward is to add a positive spin to your response. My position was eliminated. However, what this has enabled me to do is to seek a role where I can use my project management talent to help a nonprofit increase membership and raise more money. This would be an ideal opportunity. Adding a part two when you answer this question gives you the opportunity to redirect the conversation and shows the interviewer that youve reflected upon your departure from your last employer. Believe In Your Answer To sound convincing your answer needs to convey confidence. This is easier to do if you have practiced your answer out loud and tested it on respected colleagues. Sit up straight, look the interviewer straight in the eyes and calmly provide your answer.  US News World Report post