When you're asked what don't like about your previous job, don't be too negative.

The reason is that you don't want the interviewer to think that you'll speak
negatively about the new job or the company when you're ready to move on, if you
get this job. Rather, it makes sense to talk about yourself and what you're looking
for in a new role.

Sample Answer

I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere and I
actually enjoyed going into work each morning. I felt the leadership team was
great as well. They knew all of their employees on a first name basis and tried to
make those personal connections. I also enjoyed that fact that the office tired to do
community outreach with local organizations.

One of the questions that is typically asked in an interview is

"Why are you leaving your job?" or "Why did you leave your job?"
if you have already moved on. If you were fired from your job,
use these answers to respond. If you left of your own accord, review
these suggestions on how best to answer and tailor your
response to meet your particular situation. Be direct and focus
your interview answer on the future, especially if your leaving
wasn't under the best of circumstances.

Don't Badmouth Your Boss

Regardless of why you left, don't speak badly about your previous employer. The
interviewer may wonder if you will be bad-mouthing his company next time you're
looking for work. I once interviewed a person who told me that her last employer
was terrible. They didn't pay her enough, the hours were awful and she hated the
job. That company happened to be my company's biggest, and most important,
customer. And there is no way I would have hired someone who felt that way,
justified or not, about our valuable client. So, she gave up any opportunity of
getting the job as soon as she answered the "Why did you leave?" question.

Sample answers to the interview question "Why did you leave your job?
 I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am
an excellent employee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on
the job I was doing for my employer.
 There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I'm ready to
move on to a new challenge.
 I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job
hunt part time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's
time.
 I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated
due to corporate restructuring.
 I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous
position in order to make the move.
 I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my
current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.
 After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I
can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
 I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical
skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
 I recently received my degree and I want to utilize my educational
background in my next position.
 I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a
new challenge.
 I left my last position in order to spend more time with my family.
Circumstances have changed and I'm more than ready for full-time employment
again.
 I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and
opportunity for advancement.
 I was commuting to the city and spending a significant amount of time each
day on travel. I would prefer to be closer to home.
 To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I saw this job posting and
was intrigued by the position and the company. It sounds like an exciting
opportunity and an ideal match with my qualifications.
 This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience
and I am not able to fully utilize them in my present job.
 The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those
eliminated.

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 typical interview question, asked to ensure that you are seriously interested in the
job and the company, and to find out how much you know about the company, is
"Why do you want to work here?"

The best way to answer this question is, first of all, to be prepared and
knowledgeable about the company. Spend some time researching the company (the
About Us section of the web site is a good place to start) so you can talk about the
benefits of working for this employer.

Compare your goals with objectives of the company and the position, then reiterate
why you would be an asset to the employer. Let the interviewer know what you
can do for the company, if you get a job offer.

Even though the question is about why you want to work here, you still need to
convince the interviewer that hiring you will benefit the company.

 typical job interview question, asked to find out how much company research you
have conducted, is "What do you know about this company?"

Prepare in advance, and in a word, research, so, you can provide relevant and
current information about your prospective employer to the interviewer. Start
by researching the company online. Review the "About Us" section of the
company web site. Google the company, read blogs that mention it, and check
Discussion Boards and social networking sites.

If you're a college graduate check with the Career Office at your school to see if
you can get a list of alumni who work for the company. That's an ideal way to get
an insider's view of the employer, and to get information that might not be
available elsewhere.

Use the information you have gathered to create a bulleted list of relevant
information that you can easily remember during the interview. Taking the time to
research will help you make a good impression with how much you know about
the company.

 enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere and I
actually enjoyed going into work each morning. I felt the leadership team was
great as well. They knew all of their employees on a first name basis and tried to
make those personal connections. I also enjoyed that fact that the office tired to do
community outreach with local organizations.

One of the reasons I am leaving is that I felt I was not challenged enough at the
job. As a fresh face in the working world, the company offers a great opportunity
for a good entry level position, however, after being there for so many years, I felt
I was not able to reach my full potential because of the lack of challenge and there
was no room for advancement in the company. While I did enjoy working there
and appreciate the skills I developed while with the company, I feel my skill set
can be better utilized elsewhere, where my capabilities are more recognized and
there is the opportunity for growth.

 What is the company's management style?

 Who does this position report to? If I am offered the position, can I meet
him/her?
 How many people work in this office/department?
 How much travel is expected?
 Is relocation a possibility?
 What is the typical work week? Is overtime expected?
 What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
 How does one advance in the company?
 Are there any examples?
 What do you like about working here?
 What don't you like about working here and what would you change?
 Would you like a list of references?
 If I am extended a job offer, how soon would you like me to start?
 What can I tell you about my qualifications?
 When can I expect to hear from you?
 Are there any other questions I can answer for you?

When you're asked what your greatest weakness is, try to turn a negative into a
positive. For example, a sense of urgency to get projects completed or wanting to
triple-check every item in a spreadsheet can be turned into a strength i.e. you are a
candidate who will make sure that the project is done on time and your work will
be close to perfect.

Note that the term "weakness" isn't used in the sample answers - you always want
to focus on the positive when interviewing.
  Do you take work home with you? - Best Answers
 When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I
prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule.
 Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I implemented a time
management system that really helped my organization skills.
 I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little
too much time checking it. However, I've come to a good balance by setting
up a system to ensure everything is done correctly the first time.
 I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week,
but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense.


 How many hours do you normally work? - Best Answers


 How would you describe the pace at which you work? - Best Answers

 How do you handle stress and pressure? - Best Answers
 Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The
appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance
between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and
productive.
 I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled
and doesn't become stressful.
 I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a
challenging environment.
 From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every
evening. It's a great stress reducer.
 Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be
done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.
 If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss
options for better handling difficult situations with them.

It's a good idea to give examples of how you have handled stress to your
interviewer. That way, they get a clear picture how well you can work in stressful
situations.


 What motivates you? - Best Answers
 I was responsible for several projects where I directed development teams
and implemented repeatable processes. The teams achieved 100% on-time
delivery of software products. I was motivated both by the challenge of
finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that
achieved our goals.
 I've always been motivated by the desire to do a good job at whatever
position I'm in. I want to excel and to be successful in my job, both for my
own personal satisfaction and for my employer.
 I have always wanted to ensure that my company's clients get the best
customer service I can provide. I've always felt that it's important, both to
me personally, and for the company and the clients, to provide a positive
customer experience.
 I have spent my career in sales, typically in commission-based positions, and
compensation has always been a strong factor in motivating me to be the top
salesperson at my prior employers.


 What are your salary expectations? - Best Answers

 What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? - Best Answers

 Tell me about yourself. - Best Answers

 What has been the greatest disappointment in your life? - Best Answers

 What are you passionate about? - Best Answers

 What are your pet peeves? - Best Answers

 What do people most often criticize about you? - Best Answers

 When was the last time you were angry? What happened? - Best Answers

 If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do
differently? - Best Answers

 If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what
would they say? Best Answers

 Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? - Best Answers

 Give some examples of teamwork. - Best Answers

 What type of work environment do you prefer? -Best Answers

 How do you evaluate success? - Best Answers

 If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you
handle it? - Best Answers

 Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it. - Best
Answers

 Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.
- Best Answers

 More job interview questions about your abilities. - Best Answers

 More job interview questions about you