15 Interviewing Tips That Convert to Job Offers

One of the philosophies that our recruiters adhere to is that if, as a candidate, you’re going to attend an interview, you might as well perform at 110% during the meeting. Regardless of the individuals whom you’re interviewing with or the level of job you’re pursuing, the recruiting team at KAS Placement has formulated 15 interviewing tips that, when implemented, should convert to a job offer.

1. Come across in the interview as someone who wants to be there. Someone who is confident that you are the right person for the position and as someone candid and fully invested in the conversation.

2. Go into the interview with an end-goal of getting the job offer. That’s all you need to focus on. Many times, when we take a moment to envision success and the rewards it brings, we are a lot more likely to do well.

3. Talk in terms of what the interviewer wants. Too often, we think only about what we want and don’t realize that the best way to get what we want is to meet the needs of the interviewer, and only then expect the interviewer to give us what we want, not the other way around.

4. Know where you want to be in 1, 3, and 5 years. To achieve maximum career results, we have to set firm goals and relentless pursue them. Be specific:

In 1 year, I want to be heavily contributing to a company’s bottom line and want to be a stand-out sales representative at a firm that rewards hard work, has a competitive product, and is full of intelligent, engaging people.

By the end of year 2, I would like to be responsible for mentoring other people in the office and want to be recognized as a leader amongst my peers.

Within 5 years, I would like to be a manager and consistently upgrading those under me and creating a sense of optimism and hard work in my subordinates.

5. Regardless of position, interviewers are going to hire people who are self-confident, optimistic, energetic, passionate and engaging people.

6. Learn how to focus. Through concentration a person is able to collect his or her mental and physical energies into the interview. This is as opposed to the individual who lets his or her brain wander from topic to topic. When your brain is 100% engaged, you can’t be nervous or self-critical – both of which severely hurt your ability to persuade a hiring manager or recruitment professional.

7. People want to hire leaders and leaders are described as those who are problem solvers, who are selfless, who put the company first, who want to grow others, who are team players, and who are able to predict everyday hurdles and overcome them.

8. Interviewers are just as prone to feeling badly about rejection as the interviewee is. Show the interviewer that you care and you’re more than 50% there.

9. In a job interview setting when an employer is making a decision about competency and fit within an organization, the most successful candidates displayed consistent vocal tone and maintained fluid body movements.

10. When giving answers, don’t second guess yourself. Rather, explain things in a thorough, honest and positive manner. It’s the best we can do. We can’t control what an interviewer does, but we can control how we act.

11. Adapt to the interviewer’s style; don’t ever expect an interviewer do adapt to your personality. Some interviewers will just want the answers and that’s what you should give them. Others will want to have a casual conversation, so schoomze with them.

12. Never take the way an interviewer conducts an interview personally. Rather, consider it to be their sense of interviewing style and have faith that the interviewer is smart enough to pass you through to the next round

13. People like to hear their names. It’s like music to our ears. We come across as more assertive and personalized when we address people by their first names.

14. Thank the interviewer for their time. Too often, we think about how important our time is, but don’t realize that everyone thinks that way. Always make sure to follow up with an email thanking the person and including notes on some of the takeaways and thoughts you have from the interview.

15. People love sincere compliments. Find something that you like about the firm.

In the End

Accomplished interviewers are never satisfied with their current knowledge and continually seek every opportunity available to gain new, pertinent knowledge. They understand that the secret of success is to try to always improve yourself no matter where you are or what your current position is and future aspirations are.

 Source :http://www.forbes.com

Career Planning Tips

Building a Career

Today, and more than ever, most people are responsible for building their own careers.

Whether you are just starting, or you have several years of experience, these paragraphs might help you advance your career.

The 9 most important career planning tips is listed below:

1. Never Stop Learning

Life-long learning is your keyword.

The world is constantly changing, and everybody is looking for new ways of doing business.

If you have decided that your current skills are good enough, you have also decided that your current job is good enough.

But if you want a career in the future, you should add regular updates to your skills and knowledge.

2. Ask, Listen And Learn

A good listener can learn a lot.

Listen to your co-workers, your boss, and your superiors. You can learn a lot from their experience.

Ask about issues that interest you, and listen to what they say. Let them tell you about how things work, and what you could have done better.

Most people will love to be your free tutor.

3. Fulfill Your Current Job

Your current job might be best place to start your career.

It is often very little that separates successful people from the average. But nothing comes free.

If you do your job well and fulfill your responsibilities, this is often the best way to start a new career.

Talk to your supervisor about things you can do. Suggest improvements. Offer your help when help is needed. In return ask for help to build a better career. It is often possible - right inside your own organization - especially if you have proved to be a valued employee.

4. Build Your Network

Your next career step might arise from your contact network.

Did you know that more than 50% of all jobs are obtained from contact networks?

If you have a good contact network, it  is also a good place to discover future careers, to explore new trends, and to learn about new  opportunities.

Spend some time building new contacts, and don't forget to maintain the ones you already have.

One of the best ways to get serious information from your network is to regularly ask your contacts how they are, what they do, and what is new about their careers.

5. Identify Your Current Job

Your current job should be identified, not assumed.

Make sure you don't work with tasks you assume are important. This is waste of time and talent.

When you start in a new job, talk to your superior about your priorities. If you're not sure about what is most important, then ask him. And ask him again. Often you will be surprised about the differences between what you assume, and what is really important.

6. Identify Your Next Job

Your dream job must be identified.

Before you start planning your future career, be sure you have identified your dream job.

In your dream job, you will be doing all the things you enjoy, and none of the things you don't enjoy. What kind of job would that be?

Do you like or dislike having responsibility for other employees. Do you like to work with technology or with people? Do you want to run your own business? Do you want to be an artist, a designer or a skilled engineer? A manager?

Before building your future career your goal must be identified.

7. Prepare Yourself

Your dream might show up tomorrow. Be prepared.

Don't wait a second. Update your CV now, and continue to update it regularly.

Tomorrow your dream job may show up right before your nose. Prepare for it with a professional CV and be ready to describe yourself as a valuable object to anyone that will try to recruit you.

If you don't know how to write a CV, or how to describe yourself, start learning it now.

8. Pick The Right Tools

Pick the tools you can handle.

You can build your future career using a lot of different tools. Studying at W3Schools is easy. Taking a full master degree is more complicated.

You can add a lot to your career by studying books and tutorials (like the one you find at W3Schools). Doing short time courses with certification tests might add valuable weight to your CV. And don't forget: Your current job is often the most valuable source of building new skills.

Don't pick a tool that is too heavy for you to handle!  

9. Realize Your Dreams

Put your dreams into action.

Don't let a busy job kill your dreams. If you have higher goals, put them into action now.

If you have plans about taking more education, getting a better job, starting your own company or something else, you should not use your daily job as a "waiting station". Your daily job will get more and more busy, you will be caught up in the rat race, and you will burn up your energy.

Source : http://www.w3schools.com

I Need a Career

Some of us are lucky enough to get employed at an ideal company right after college. These lucky few will move up the corporate ladder with a combination of hard work, positive work environment, progressive learning, and time. But for the rest of us, we may find ourselves stuck in a first or second job, and we still have to establish the right career footing in our late twenties. It can be a career dead end unless you change jobs now.

Here are ten signs that your career is going nowhere and it’s time to find a new job.

1. You’re not learning new things

It’s been two years or more since you joined the company and you find yourself doing the same things repeatedly. Sometimes you feel like working in an assembly line. You’ve asked your employer for new responsibilities or new projects, but he turned it down. It’s time to change jobs.

A career is the sum of the experiences, skills, and knowledge that you’ve earned from work. This sum makes you more competent and earns you more authority or expertise on your field. If you’re not learning new things over the course of time, you’re not moving your career.

It doesn’t have to be a promotion or a departmental change. In most cases, a lateral project is all you need to expand your knowledge. For instance, if you’re a sales executive assigned to conduct personal pitches to clients in your designated territory, you can suggest to adapt an online newsletter to reach out to your customers. This way, you’ll learn a new thing aside from the sales skills that you’ve developed through time: online marketing. Think of a lateral project that can help you perform better and preferably involving people from other departments to expand your knowledge. If the current work environment prevents you from doing these things, it’s time to move out.

2. You’re not earning more

If your salary is stuck where it was a couple of years ago, you’re not having a career but just a job. Businesses are designed to earn more profits every year, and they usually do or they risk folding up. Chances are, if your employer is not raising your pay scale, the company is either losing business or it doesn’t care much about sharing its profits. Both reasons should compel you to look for a better job.

Moreover, earning more doesn’t always mean in cash, especially if the company is short of it. Many startups offer stocks as part of the compensation package. The idea of your income being tied with your company’s potential income is good enough reason to stick to your job. Otherwise, it’s best to look for an employer who is willing to give you a chance to earn more.

3. You need more challenge

It’s a career killer: when you’re bored with your job. It’s no secret that career achievers have one thing in common: passion to conquer a challenge. It’s the thing that will make you work harder, excel, innovate, and be creative. But without a challenging task, it’s hard to outperform yourself on the next round and your career will likely stagnate. It’s time to look for a challenging job.

In fact, we measure the most successful people not by how much they earn, but by the challenge that they have overcome. Steve Jobs is credited for making mobile phones smart and cool. Neil Armstrong is hailed as the first man on the moon. We know Christopher Columbus to have discovered America for Europeans. We don’t really care how much they had earned, but just how much they had accomplished.

Similarly, you need a challenge to measure your own career success. The challenge can be short-term like closing a new client (instead of simply maintaining accounts) or long-term such as outsourcing non-core services to streamline the business.

4. You’re done with your boss

If you believe your boss is behaving unfairly towards you, not just once or a few times, but for the longest time, it may be out of character and not of work-related stress. A boss who keeps on discrediting you or stop short of crediting your achievements can ruin your long-term plans. Unless the human resources department can work a way out for you, it’s time to shift to a new job with a positive work environment.

The American Psychological Association points out that if an employer’s hostile behavior is caused by stress, that behavior can be managed by understanding where he’s coming from. Is he pressured to meet his superiors’ expectations? Is he threatened by your better skills or more advance education? You can improve the situation with some goodwill techniques. Warm up to your boss by showing him you’re a partner in his plan. Give him credit for the department’s achievements. Socialize with him. But if he remains the bad boss that he is even while you try to build goodwill for months now, you deserve a better job. Ask for a transfer; or look for a new employer.

5. You’re done with your hostile co-workers

Every workplace has its cultural quirks. But sometimes, the quirks by co-workers can be counter-productive that it threatens your career mobility. If your employer cannot help you address this problem, it’s time to look for a new job.

Extreme cases like sexual harassment, racial discrimination, or drug and alcohol-related scenarios are addressed by state and federal regulations. However, some hostile work environments are caused by frictions in the nature of work, rather on personalities. For instance, sales people and advertising people are usually at each other’s throat when it comes to giving credit for the company’s record earnings or, worse, losses. If you’re a solitary copywriter working in a roomful of sales officers, you may find it difficult to perform your task. Without an ad team to back your ideas, you’re likely to be relegated to secondary status. Even if you’re in good terms with your co-workers, but they have an undue influence over your work, that’s a hostile environment for your career, at least.

6. Jump a sinking ship

Loyalty only counts so far as the company can earn profits for itself and you. Yes, you should be conscious if the company’s earnings is increasing, plateauing, or sliding steeply. After all, your salary depends on the business. Think like an investor. Get a long-term picture where your company is heading. Is it a sunflower field or a scorched farmland? If you believe the ship is sinking, jump now before it drags you down to the bottom of the sea.

But don’t jump at the first sign of distress. Businesses do falter occasionally and eventually recover their footing. However, a company that’s losing market grip continuously and, worse, management hasn’t shown or inspired a solution to stop the bleeding is a sign that the sinking is for real.

7. You need to adjust to a new life

When you’re single, a hyper-active, fast-paced career that sends you to far-off places or nightly events may be your cup of tea. But now that you have a family, you want to settle down to more predictable working hours and off-days. It can also be the reverse when you’re looking for a more exciting work culture. In both cases, ask your employer for a new position or task to help you adjust to your new life. If the company cannot help you, it’s time to look for a new job that fits your kind of lifestyle.

Sometimes looking for a new job to adjust to your new life means changing states. Some states may have lower paying scale, but they also have lower living costs. If adjusting to a new life means raising a family, you might be interested to know America’s most and least family-friendly cities cited by Forbes.com. New York City is said to be the costliest city for a family, while San Jose in California is the most affordable.

8. Your job doesn’t use your strongest skills

Many people find themselves not doing what they are good at because they simply grabbed the first job opportunity that came their way. It’s a wrong fit at the start, but it should not stay that way. Ask the human resources for a transfer within the company, but if that’s not possible, it’s time to look for a new job that fits your skills.

The best way to excel in career is to tap your best skill. Are you a natural leader back in college but you haven’t been given a chance to head a team, never mind a department? Are you creative but have to stick to templates designed by a management that can’t think out of the box? You may be good at building rapport but you’re not exposed to prospective clients. You should build on your strength and your job should allow you to do that.

9. Get a better offer

Of course changing jobs may be a simple case of getting a better offer. The offer can be higher salary, greater career mobility, better benefits, or an improved work schedule. In any case, if you believe this opportunity comes knocking but once, grab it and it’s time for a new job.

Leaving a job for a better offer doesn’t mean you’re burning bridges behind you. Rather, it’s better to leave in goodwill—with advance warning that you’re leaving or a simple thank-you letter expressing your gratitude for all those years with the company—because you may need your old employer in the future, whether as a prospect, partner, client lead, or whatever. It’s a small world and you should be expanding your network of career people at every chance.

10. Career shift

It’s never too late to shift career gears. If you have the passion for this newfound career, that passion will likely carry you to excel. It’s time to shift jobs.

Martha has been sales pitching enterprise solutions to small- and medium-scale companies. She’s caught in the unenviable position between demanding clients and hardheaded programmers. Until she dipped herself into coding out of frustration to meet client expectations, she didn’t realize she has a knack for this new career. What’s more, she believes she can program better solutions because she has the perspective of both client and programmer.

Career shifting is a milestone and you should think hard before you do it. Still, the only thing worse than shifting careers and regretting it later is not shifting at all when you know your career is heading nowhere.

You should not stop at simply keeping a job when you know you have more to offer, and to get in return. But you need to be proactive and conscious that in career mobility, you have the last say, not your employer, and that can mean looking for a better opportunity, elsewhere.

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Source : http://careers.financesonline.com

Tips that will land you a job at a small company

If you’re hoping for a job at a business like the one I cofounded — Of a Kind, where a team of four sells the pieces and tells the stories of emerging designers — then here’s something you should know: The hiring process is very different from that of a company with a massive human resources division. So how do you get yourself noticed and employed? Below are 11 things that will make you stand out.

1. Pitch yourself right out of the gate:

The most frustrating inquiries I get are the ones from people asking how to apply for a job. If a small company is hiring, you better believe everyone working there is basically drowning. If they aren’t hiring right this minute, the inquiries that catch someone’s eye are the ones from people who seem like go-getters, self-starters and all of the other things people claim to be in interviews but so often aren’t. So prove your efficacy here and now: Write a three-paragraphs-at-most email that expresses your interest in any current openings or ones that might exist in the future, what you’d bring to the table and why you think that this biz is such a star. Include a link to your website and/or attach your resume — bonus points if it’s one page.

2. Read up:

Dig into that “Press” tab on a company’s site; Google them; watch videos with the founders. Not only will understanding a company’s goals and motivations give you fodder for an interview when that time comes (fingers crossed!), but it will also help you shape a cover letter and sell yourself.

3. Know who you’re talking to:

Odds are, you aren’t emailing an HR department — you’re reaching out to someone who is your (hopefully) future boss. So don’t you dare kick off a cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Hiring Manager?" Dig up an email address for the person you’re hoping to target. Guess — who cares if you get a bounce-back? — or write to info@company.com and address the person you hope is on the other end.

4.And know how to speak to that person:

Every company has a voice, and, when it comes to small companies, that voice is very likely shaped by the person or people behind it — not a brand manager or copywriter. Emulate this voice in your cover letter and correspondence. But here’s the trick: Going too far down this road can backfire — you can come off as zany, trying-too-hard, or just out-of-sync with the company’s vibe if you don’t totally nail it. So stay professional, and if you fear you might be pushing things too far, well, maybe you are.

5. Don’t go overboard with resume design:

We’ve never been offended by a plain, boring resume — but we have been turned off by ones that go design-y with loud fonts and splashy backdrops and, as a result, convey an aesthetic that doesn’t mesh with ours.

6. Push what you can contribute — not what title you want:

If there’s not a job opening listed and you’re reaching out blindly,position yourself as a Jack/Jill-of-all-trades who’s ready to dive into anything and everything. Then spell out what skills you have that would benefit the company and demonstrate your range. If you’re hoping to be the fifth employee at a company, the crux of your job might be marketing, but you should be prepared to pitch in on all fronts — and you should sell your ability to do so.

7. Don’t say that you’re looking for a new job:

That’s made obvious by the fact that you’re reaching out in the first place! It also makes it sound like you’d accept any gig that seemed better than the one you can’t wait to leave (which, fine, maybe you would — but no one needs to know that). The company you’re approaching wants to feel special — like you can’t imagine working anywhere else. Express that, for you, it’s not about just breaking into an industry or working at a startup but rather that it’s the magic of this very impressive company. Just try to say that in a way that’s not so kiss-ass-y, if possible.

8. Make sure your social media activity is up to snuff:

You most likely don’t need to do a dramatic overhaul here, but you should probably make sure that, no matter where you’re applying, you haven’t put out a dozen negative tweets in a row. While you’re at it, take the opportunity to emphasize what about you makes you such a good fit for the company you’re approaching. Dying to work for a cooking app? Drag that Pinterest board of recipes to the tippy-top of your profile. 

9. Follow up a meeting with a thanks and some genuine feedback:

Yes to a handwritten thank-you card — but yes to a same-day email follow-up as well. Just a nice, short note reflecting on something that was discussed or sharing a quick biz dev thought will do it.

10. Be a super-user:

Demonstrate how hardcore you are by using the crap out of the service. You don’t need to be a super-spender if the company charges for its services, but it’s hard for us to believe that anyone is an Of a Kind diehard if she’s never bought a single thing from our site.

11. Proclaim your affections before you ask about jobs:

You know what’s amazing as a business owner? To get an email from a customer or user who just wants to say he or she appreciates what you’re doing — and asks nothing in return. If you’re utterly obsessed with a company and would dream of someday working there, write to the people behind it and don’t attach your resume. These are things people remember — or that their inboxes remember if they search for your name when you apply for a gig later. At the very least, it’s good karma.

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Source : http://mashable.com

30 Questions You Should Ask Your Best Friend

Best friends are, well, the best. They check to see if you have dirt on your butt after sitting on the ground. They let you borrow that one awesome dress. They e-mail you pictures of cute baby animals to make your day less boring or stressful. They’re also really cool, amazing people who you should always strive to get to know even better than you already do. I know a lot of us are in that weird stage of adulthood where we find ourselves having less and less time for friends. We have jobs, partners, cats—I mean, life is just hectic. However, that doesn’t mean your relationship with your bestie has to fade. There are ways of deepening and strengthening that bond, and no, you don’t have to go on a road trip to Ohio, or chip in on a timeshare. Simply ask your best friend some questions about herself. Sure, you talk about everything, but do you know what her first crush, or what type of bird she’d choose to be? Trust us, it matters. The following questions will spark some new, ridiculous, wonderful, deep, and deeply goofy conversations with your besite.

1. Who are your top three lady heroes?

2. When you were little, what did you want to be?

3. Who do you think should run for president in two years?

4. What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year? Ever?

5. What makes you feel afraid?

6. Would you rather get lunch with Gillian Flynn or J.K. Rowling?

7. What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?

8. If you had the option of adopting a baby fox or baby koala, which one would you choose?

9. What’s your dream job?

10. Who is your favorite mythological god/goddess?

11. Who was your first crush?

12. If you had to choose between using Internet Explorer forever, or permanently using an AOL e-mail address, which one would it be?

13. If you could either be a duck or an owl, which would you be?

14. What do you love about yourself most?

15. What don’t you like so much?

16. Rugrats or Doug?

17. Which house would you belong to in Game of Thrones? Like, very honestly.

18. If you got a (new) tattoo, what would it be of?

19. What would you like to eat for your last meal?

20. If you had to be on a reality TV show, which one would you choose?

21. Who has influenced you the most?

22. What are your favorite lyrics?

23. Real jeans or jeggings?

24. On the first day of ruling the world, what would you do?

25. If you were forced to open a bakery, what would you name it?

26. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done on a date?

27. What do you hope to achieve by 50?

28. What has been your best moment this year (so far)?

29. Would you rather be stuck in traffic for two hours, or have Chipotle run out of guacamole forever?

30. Why are you so amazing?!

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 Source : http://hellogiggles.com

20 Most Common Interview Questions & Answer

Wouldn't it be great if you knew exactly what a hiring manager would be asking you in your next interview?

While we unfortunately can't read minds, we'll give you the next best thing: a list of the 31 most commonly asked interview questions (and, of course, some expert advice on how to answer them).

While we don't recommend having a canned response for every question (in fact, please don't), we do recommend spending some time getting comfortable with what you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for in your responses, and what it takes to show that you're the right man or woman for the job.

1. Tell me about yourself:
This is probably the most asked question in a interview. It breaks the ice and gets you to talk about something you should be fairly comfortable with. Have something prepared that doesn't sound rehearsed. It's not about you telling your life story and quite frankly, the interviewer just isn't interested. Unless asked to do so, stick to your education, career, and current situation. Work through it chronologically from the furthest back to the present.

2. Why are you looking for another job (or why did you leave your previous job)?
On the surface, this appears to be a simple question, yet it is easy to slip. I would suggest not mentioning money at this stage as you may come across as totally mercenary. If you are currently employed, you can say it's about developing your career and yourself as an individual. If you are in the unfortunate position of having been downsized, stay positive and keep it brief. If you were fired, you should have a solid explanation. Whatever your circumstances, do not talk about the drama but remember to stay positive.

3. What do you know about this organization?
Do your homework prior to the job interview. Doing the background work will help you stand out. Find out who the main players are—have they been in the news recently? You're not expected to know every date and individual, but you need to have a solid understanding of the company as a whole.

4. Why do you want this job?
This question typically follows on from the previous one. Here is where your research will come in handy. You may want to say that you want to work for a company that is X, Y, Z, (market leader, innovator, provides a vital service, whatever it may be). Put some thought into this beforehand, be specific, and link the company's values and mission statement to your own goals and career plans.

5. Who are our main competitors?
This shows you really understand the industry and the main players. Think about a few and say how you think they compare (similarities and differences). This is a good opportunity to highlight what you think are the company's key strengths.

6. What would your previous co-workers say about you?
This is not the arena for full disclosure. You want to stay positive and add a few specific statements or paraphrase. Something like "Joe Blogs always mentioned how reliable and hard working I was" is enough.

7. How do you handle stressful situations and working under pressure?
There are several ways of addressing this one. You may be the sort of person that works well under pressure; you may even thrive under pressure. Whatever the case, make sure you don't say you panic. You want to give specific examples of stressful situations and how well you dealt with them. You may also want to list a few tools you use to help you, such as to-do lists, etc. It is alright to say that you will ask for assistance when the job is more than what you can handle. It is equally acceptable to say that you work best under pressure if this is indeed the case and relevant to the particular role.

8. Are you applying for other jobs?
If you are serious about changing jobs then it is likely that you are applying to other positions. It is also a way of showing that you are in demand. Be honest but don't go into too much detail; you don't want to spend a great deal of time on this. If asked about names of who you have spoken to, it is absolutely legitimate to say you prefer not to disclose that information at this stage.

9. What are you like working in a team?
Your answer is of course that you are an excellent team player—there really is no other valid answer here as you will not function in an organization as a loner. You may want to mention what type of role you tend to adopt in a team, especially if you want to emphasize key skills such as leadership. Be prepared to give specific examples in a very matter of fact sort of way.

10. What sort of person do you not like to work with?
This is not an easy one as you have no idea whom you would be working with. Even if you can immediately think of a long list of people who you don't like to work with, you could take some time to think and say that it's a difficult question as you have always gotten on fine with your colleagues.

11. What is your greatest strength?
This is your time to shine. Just remember the interviewer is looking for work related strengths. Mention a number of them such as being a good motivator, problem solver, performing well under pressure, being loyal, having a positive attitude, eager to learn, taking initiative, and attention to detail. Whichever you go for, be prepared to give examples that illustrate this particular skill.

12. What is your biggest weakness?
This is a challenging question—as if you have no weaknesses you are obviously lying! Be realistic and mention a small work related flaw. Many people will suggest answering this using a positive trait disguised as a flaw such as "I'm a perfectionist" or "I expect others to be as committed as I am." I would advocate a certain degree of honesty and list a true weakness. Emphasize what you've done to overcome it and improve. This question is all about how you perceive and evaluate yourself.

13. What has been your biggest professional disappointment so far?
If asked about disappointments, mention something that was beyond your control. Stay positive by showing how you accepted the situation and have no lingering negative feelings. If asked about your greatest achievement, choose an example that was important to you as well as the company. Specify what you did, how you did it, and what the results were. Ideally, pick an example that can relate to the job positions you are applying for.

14. What kind of decisions do you find most difficult to take?
There is no right or wrong answer here. The logic behind this type of question is that your past behavior is likely to predict what you will do in the future. What the interviewer is looking for is to understand what you find difficult.

15. Tell me about a suggestion that you have made that has been successfully implemented.
Here the emphasis is on the implemented. You may have had many brilliant ideas, but what the interviewer is looking for is something that has actually materialized. Be prepared to briefly describe how it went from an idea to implementation stage.

16. Have you ever had to bend the rules in order to achieve a goal?
Beware of this type of question! Under no circumstances is it necessary to break company policy to achieve something. Resist the temptation to answer and give examples, as what the interviewer is looking for is to determine how ethical you are and if you will remain true to company policy.

17. Are you willing to travel or relocate if necessary?
This is something you need to have very clear in your mind prior to the meeting. There is no point in saying yes just to get the job if the real answer is actually no. Just be honest as this can save you problems arising in the future.

18. Why should we hire you?
This is an important question that you will need to answer carefully. It is your chance to stand out and draw attention to your skills, especially those that haven't already been addressed. Saying "because I need a job" or "I'm really good" just won't cut it. Don't speculate about other candidates and their possible strengths or flaws. Make sure you focus on you. Explain why you make a good employee, why you are a good fit for the job and the company, and what you can offer. Keep it succinct and highlight your achievements.

19. Regarding salary, what are your expectations?
This question is always a tricky one and a dangerous game to play in an interview. It is a common mistake to discuss salary before you have sold yourself, and like in any negotiation, knowledge is power. Do your homework and make sure you have an idea of what this job is offering. You can try asking them about the salary range. If you want to avoid the question altogether, you could say that at the moment, you are looking to advance in your career and money isn't your main motivator. If you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident you can get it, then it may be worth going for.

20. Do you have any questions for us?
This one tends to come up every time. Have some questions prepared. This will show you have done some research and are eager to know and learn as much as possible. You probably don't want to ask more than three or four questions. Try and use questions that focus on you becoming an asset to the company. A generic question might be, "how soon can I start if I were to get the job." Another idea is to ask what you would be working on and how quickly they expect you to be able to be productive. Remember to ask about next steps and when you can expect to hear back.

Bare in mind that the interview starts from the minute you walk into the building until you leave and are out of sight. Don't think that just because you have left the meeting room, you are "off the hook." You need to maintain an image of confidence, enthusiasm, competence, reliability, and professionalism throughout.

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