How to Answer Any Interview Question
Don't be rattled by your next job interview. It's possible to
answer any question that comes your way. How? By preparing and knowing how to
direct the conversation to the topics you want to cover.
To start, take a tip from consultants who coach executives and
politicians on how to handle media interviews. These trainers say you can
deliver the message you want to an employer, regardless of the question you're
asked.
"Most people don't realize that their purpose isn't to sit
there and hope the right questions will be asked," says Aileen Pincus,
president of the Pincus Group, a media interview-training firm in
Unlike some politicians who ignore press questions and immediately
introduce a different topic in response, job candidates must respect and
directly answer employer's queries, says Jeff Braun, vice president and general
manager of the Ammerman Experience, a Stafford,
He suggests when answering job-interview queries applying the
formula Q = A + 1: Q is the question; A is the answer; + is the bridge to the
message you want to deliver; and 1 is the point you want to make.
"If you take the '+ 1' off the formula, then the interviewer
is controlling the session," says Mr. Braun.
Diligent preparation also is necessary to effectively answer any
interview question, say senior executives. Theirs and media trainers' tips
follow:
Study hard. Learn as much as you can about the job, the
employer and its executives beforehand. Use this information to answer direct
questions and to then segue into a discussion about your qualifications and
fit.
Eric Herzog, a vice president of product line management and
channel marketing at Maxtor Corp., a hard-disk drive company in Milpitas,
Calif., says he always talks to current and former company employees and
analysts whenever possible prior to job interviews to gain as much insight as
he can into the employer's challenges and culture. If the company is publicly
owned, he studies its financial condition by reading U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission documents, such as annual 10-K shareholder reports on the
company's performance. He then tailors his interview answers to the company's
issues.
"If the company is having a rough time financially, you can
say that not only did you make good products or services, but that you produced
things on time and under budget," says Mr. Herzog. "That's a little
plus if the company is in trouble."
If you're working with a recruiter, ask him or her about what the
company is seeking and its key challenges, says Derek Messulam, vice president
of rental market development for GE-Capital Solutions, a financial-services
unit of General Electric Co. in Norwalk, Conn. Mr. Messulam says he grills
recruiters regarding a job's responsibilities and the attributes the company
wants before job interviews. He then makes sure that his answers demonstrate
his potential value to an employer.
"When questions come up, you can steer the conversation to
how you can demonstrate value," says Mr. Messulam. "You answer the
question, but maybe not 100% the way they were expecting it."
Have anecdotes ready. Many interviewers ask questions that require
candidates to provide examples of how they handled a difficult challenge or
other work situation. Such questions often start with a phrase such as,
"Tell me about a time when you faced...."
These questions require a story in response, but it's unlikely you
have a story that fits every conceivable query. But the task of preparing
becomes easier when you realize that interviewers typically are interested in
only five or six general categories, says Mr. Braun. Instead of trying to be
ready for every potential question, come up with stories to fit these general
issues, such as how you handled conflict or a difficult challenge.
It may help to think of each issue as a bucket and mentally place
a story or two in each one, says Mr. Braun. "Be more generic in your
approach," he suggests. "When asked a question along one of those
lines, you can move to the story you have in one of those buckets."
From his research, Mr. Messulam says he can usually tell what
types of things a company might want to know about him and thinks of
corresponding anecdotes. "I have seven or eight top stories that tell
someone what I am good at," he says.
This strategy also works when interviewers say, "Tell me
about yourself," says Lucinda Baier, former president and chief operating
officer of Whitehall Jewelers Inc., a national specialty retailer and a former
senior vice president of Sears Roebuck & Co.
Ms. Baier left Chicago-based
When asked to tell interviewers about herself, she determines how
much time she should use and then tries to describe her specific qualifications
that fit the company's key issues.
"If you know what challenges the company is facing, you can
tailor your response to what the company is dealing with and how you can
help," she says.
Be positive about the negative. Count on being asked
about a past mistake or blemish on your career record, and don't try to dodge
the issue. Ms. Pincus advises. "If you have a vulnerability, you need to
be prepared to answer the question," she says. "There should be no
lying or dodging. Just answer it and move on."
When discussing a mistake, be ready to say how you learned or
benefited from it. "You learn as much by dropping the ball as you do by
catching it," says Mr. Herzog. When interviewing for his current job,
which he started in August, Mr. Herzog says he mentioned he had been involved
in successful turnarounds and one that failed. "And I said what I learned
from it," he says.
Email your comments to perri.capell@wsj.com.
Article from
CareerJournal.com – August 2006