English Part VII
Hi again, let’s go on in preparing your job-interview! – Here are some more interviewer-questions that you might come across:
How important is the right salary to you? – Say, that you like to make money, but other factors are even more important. For example: ‘making money is very important to me, and one reason I’m here is because I’m looking to make more. Throughout my career, what’s been even more important to me is doing work I really like to do at the kind of company I like and respect.’ – Then be prepared to be specific about what your ideal position and company would be like, matching them as closely as possible to the opportunity at hand.
I’m concerned that you don’t have as much experience as we’d like in …. – Here the concern is not that you are missing some qualifications, but rather that your experience is light in one area. This could be a make-or-break-question – if you can assure your interviewer on this point, the job may be yours! As you have learnt by now you always should try to identify the weakest aspects of your candidacy from this company’s point of view. Then prepare the best answer you possibly can to shore up your defences. Rely on your master strategy of uncovering the employer’s greatest wants and needs and then matching them with your strengths.
More specifically, when the interviewer poses an objection like this, you should ….
- Agree on the importance of this qualification.
- Explain that your strength here may indeed be greater because….. .
- When this strength is added to your other strengths, it’s really your combination of qualifications that’s most important.
Handling this question this way, you’re shifting the interviewer’s focus away from this isolated area and putting it on to the unique combination of strengths you offer J
How do you feel about working nights and weekends? – a) If you are a confirmed workaholic, this question is an easy brainer!
If not, and you prefer a more balanced lifestyle, answer this question with another: “What’s the norm for your best people here?”- If the hours still sound unrealistic for you, and make you uncomfortable, say so, but phrase your response positively. For example: “I do have a family who likes to see me after word and on weekends. They help me be happy and productive at work. If I could handle some of that extra work at home in the evenings or on weekends, that would be ideal and you’d getting a person of exceptional productivity. Everybody would win.”
So far for now, my friends, see you on my next blog!
