Expert Tips for Answering Common Interview Questions

Be prepared with authentic answers

Preparing for an interview can be a daunting task. Anticipating and then practicing questions takes time, which you sometimes
may not have. Still, you need to be prepared to answer some of the more common questions that may come up. Hi, I'm Valerie
Sutton. I'm an experienced career coach focused on applying research to practice of building and managing your career. In this
course, I'm going to take you through the most common interview questions, and show you how you can structure your
responses. You'll also see examples of successful answers for both entry-level and mid-career candidates. In the end, all
questions come down to the point, why should I hire you? This will be based on your skills, your qualifications, your fit, and if the
organization feels you'll be successful. That's why it's important to make sure your answers are unique to you, so you don't
come across as a generic candidate. By reviewing these questions, you'll develop a framework to craft authentic answers that
show your enthusiasm for the organization and role. Let's get started!

Understand who is conducting the interview

Depending on the position you are pursuing, you may have multiple rounds of interviews with a variety of people throughout an
organization. As you plan to answer questions, you should consider who is asking the question. Often, interviewers are not
trained, so they rely on common questions they have heard in their own interviews. Depending on each individual and the role
they have in the organization, they will be looking for very different things. Let's review what a human resource manager, a
supervisor, and coworkers might be looking for in an interview. A human resource manager is often not the decision maker in
the hiring process. They however are responsible for ensuring a candidate has the basic qualification and is a fit for the position.
They often are the first to talk you through what is called a screening interview. They'll ask some basic questions to gauge your
interest in the organization and confirm basic qualifications. A supervisor on the other hand is going to be looking for how you
have excelled in your past experiences and test more on specific skills and knowledge you would bring to the job. They want to
know that you are tactful, committed to the company and job. There'll be quite knowledgeable about the specifics of the role,
and you won't be able to fake your way through it. Be prepared with specific examples that showcase skills, knowledge, and fit.
Your potential coworkers will be concerned that you have the skills and knowledge for the job, but they will be most concerned
with your fit. They'll be the ones spending the most time with you and want to understand how you communicate and work on a
team. If you are going to be interviewing with multiple people in one day, and a human resource manager does not provide you
with a schedule prior to your interview day, you can request this information. This will help you prepare for each interview that
you may have. For example, you might say, "To help me as I prepare for the interview, "it would be great to have my schedule
"and who I might be interviewing with. "Is that possible?" By knowing your schedule, you can make sure to address each
person's concern and be sure to make the best impression during the interview.

Understand how the industry and role impact the interview

Every industry and role has a norm for interviews and understanding these are important considerations for common interview
questions. Be sure to research what these norms are to craft the strongest answers. [Instructor] Review the company's website
and look for how it describes the organization and its leadership. You can often see if the tone is straight and professional,
conversational, or amusing. Also, look at press releases and media mentions about the company. This can help you to set the
language and tone of your answers. For example, a start-up may describe itself with words like: innovative, visionary, sweats the
details; versus a large corporation that focuses on taking leadership seriously, responsibility to improve lives, and serving the
communities we live and work in. Understanding the main priorities for the job will give focus to your answers. It helps to
analyze the position prior to the interview to determine your strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. It will also give
you clues to how you might work within a team or department. Even though there are common interview questions, there are
no common answers. So, by spending some time upfront on

Understand the three main types of interview questions

Understanding how questions are asked is important to shaping your answers. There are three basic question formats:
behavioral, situational, and resume-based. Most common questions fall into either behavioral or situational structure. The first
and most common are behavioral questions. The concept is to use your past behavior to predict future behavior. It will often
take the form of, "tell me about a time" or "give me an example." This allows you to draw upon your past experiences to show
your skills and knowledge. For example, "tell me about your strengths and weaknesses" is a classic example of behavioral
questions. You will want to have specific examples using the SAR method by outlining the situation, actions and results in each
answer. The second type of question is case or situational. The purpose is to evaluate your problem-solving analytical abilities
and planning skills. These questions will often take the form of how would you, or what would you do? Your answer shows how
you would approach a problem or work situation and allows them to see how you think on your feet. Examples include, "what
would you like to accomplish "in the next 30 days?" So as we explore different types of common questions in this course, pay
attention to whether they are behavioral or situational. Being able to identify them will help you strengthen your answers.
How to respond to: Tell me about your strengths

"Tell me about your strengths" is often a common question from inexperienced or untrained interviewers. The question framed
this way can confuse a candidate, and they may wonder why the interviewer even called them. It encourages rambling
responses if you don't know how to focus your answer. What they're trying to discover is your core competency for the job and
if you have a realistic view of yourself. We all have many strengths that we can bring to a position. The key to answering this
effectively is to identify the traits that align with the job and prioritize what you would focus on. You want to be sure to cite
specific examples to support your viewpoint. You don't want to fake your answer because follow-up questions could include,
"Give me an example of how you've used the strength "in the last week,' or "Can you give me another example "of how you've
used this strength?" You should identify the core competencies by looking at the job description. Focus on the first three
competencies listed to prioritize your answer. Then, come up with examples that support these strengths. This is good practice
for any interview because there are more savvy ways to ask this question. A trained interviewer is going to ask this question in a
variety of ways to get a more accurate view of what you bring to the job. A few examples might include, "What would your
direct reports say about you?" "How would your supervisor describe your value?" "Discuss your resume," or "Tell me about an
accomplishment you are most proud of." Your preparation for your core competencies will work for any of these questions. It's
always a good practice to be prepared for a strength-based question. By identifying the employer's needs and developing
examples of how you meet their needs will prepare you for any question.

Example interviews: Tell me about your strengths

Let's hear some answers from job candidates responding to this question: what are your strengths? Remember that it is
important to analyze the job description, to determine what you focus your answer on. The first candidate is Tom, who is
interviewing for an entry-level position as a UX designer. In this job description, customer focus, visual learning, and
storyboarding are the key elements. - What are your strengths? - As you saw on my resume, I'm very customer-focused. I do a
lot of user design, and I do a storyboard in the prototypes that I have. I have a visual board that I use for my customers, so then,
that way, they're able to use the mobile devices. And then in my storyboard, I take all of that on with my other projects, as well.
- Tom focused on several core competencies, including customer focus, visual learning, and storyboarding when answering this
question. He also effectively supported this with a specific example, and highlighted his course knowledge. Job candidates are
often nervous when interviewing early in their career, and that's okay. If I were to give Tom advice, I say he should pause before
answering the question to collect his thoughts. Now let's look at how someone seeking a more senior position as a training and
development manager might answer this question. In this position, it is important to have experience with evaluation,
assessments, and a collaborative working style. - What are your strengths? - My strength is in evaluation and assessments of
programs. In the last position I had, I created a development plan for a 1400-person company, which focused on senior
management and line employees. Part of the evaluation was creating a 360 assessment, so that employees could have a holistic
view of their work performance. And I believe the key to bringing out my strength is collaboration. And I was able to
demonstrate that in my last position, working with senior managers. - During her interview, Donna focused on two
competencies, evaluation and collaboration, when answering the question about her strengths. She brought these out in a
specific example that will definitely spark interest in the interviewer. It is often easier for the candidate to answer these types of
questions when they have direct experience in the field, rather than showing how transferable skills.

How to respond to: Tell me about your weaknesses

Everyone's favorite question, tell me about your weaknesses. Do they really think they're going to get an honest answer? Well,
that is exactly what you should do, and here is why. They're looking for you to have a realistic view of your competencies and
the ability to improve on performance. Let's face it, more often than not, you're not going to have 100% of what is in the job
description. In fact, as an employer, I may hope to get someone that has about 70 to 75% of the qualifications, so that there is
room for an employee to grow and feel stretched in the position. This allows you to be honest and show them how you can
improve in a particular area quickly. To choose which weakness to focus on, analyze the job description and determine what you
don't have. This will also be obvious to the employer, since it will not be strongly represented on your resume. For your answer,
you want to choose the item that you could learn quickly, or is least important to the job. Often, the items listed at the bottom
of the responsibilities in a job description are the least important. When framing your answer, you want to state your weakness
and then let them know how you will overcome it. For example, you may not have managed a staff before, and you'll be
required to do so in the next job. You could say something like this: "I haven't had formal management experience, "but I can
apply my knowledge of managing a volunteer group "to motivate staff. "In addition, I've also taken several management classes
"that I will be able to apply to this situation." When you're faced with a showing a weakness, choose wisely and show how you
will either use transferable skills or learn the new skill quickly. They just want to know that you have a realistic view of yourself
and can overcome any challenges that may present themselves.

Example interviews: Tell me about your weaknesses

Let's look at some examples of job candidates answering the question, "Tell me about your weaknesses." The key to answering
this question is to be honest and mindful of what skills you may need to develop. The first candidate, Tom, is interviewing for an
entry-level position as a UX designer. - What are your weaknesses? - As you mentioned in the job description, I'm not able to use
After Effects, but I was able to pick up Illustrator quite quickly with the help of my friends and by taking a course. I was also able
to create a logo for my boss that turned out quite well. And with that, I was able to pick it up and I know I could pick up After
Effects as well. - Tom's example is something the interviewer can readily see is not on his resume. To make up for his lack of
experience, he touches on his other technical skills. He also uses an example from his past to address the weakness. Now, let's
look at how someone seeking a more senior position as a training and development manager would answer this question. -
What are your weaknesses? - I don't have experience working in the consumer packaged goods industry, but I do have a variety
of training, or a variety of experience in training and development. And I find that setting up evaluation and training practices
are pretty similar across industries. However, I do think that technical training needs change the most, and that is why it's so
important to have somebody with that expertise to build evaluation and assessments from scratch. I think to come up to speed
with the technical training needs, I would meet with managers in the area to gain an understanding of what their employee
needs are, and I would build a program based on that information. - Great. - Again, the interviewer can easily identify the
candidate doesn't have this experience on her resume. Still, Donna demonstrates her functional expertise and shows that it's
transferable across industries, as well as explaining how she would handle the situation once on board with the company.

How to respond to: Why are you interested in our company?

There are a variety of reasons an interviewer might ask, "Why are you interested in our company?" And this really can be more
difficult than you think. You may respond about how much you enjoy their product, but what they're really asking is how you
see yourself contributing to the position. To best determine the meaning of this question. Let's review the primary reasons for
asking it. First, they may be focused on your true interest in the company. They want to have someone who is committed to the
profession, product or service, and not just seeking any job. A second reason is that they want to know you understand the
position and how you plan on contributing to it. And finally, they want to know your long-term career goals and how this
position fits. This helps them to determine how long you may possibly stay in the position. Since you don't know the motivation
behind the question, you need to address each reason in a concise manner. You can frame it in any order. And I suggest starting
with the area that truly excites you. Let's take the example of applying for a user design position with a company called Red 30.
The first thing to do is research the company through their website, news releases, and LinkedIn profiles of those currently in
the position and their supervisors. This can reveal if the company promotes from within, signaling the potential for you to grow
in a position. In addition, it allows you to see what skills people in the current position are using so you know what really matters
for the job. You learn that Red 30 started in 2007, has since grown vertically to include divisions for event promotions and
corporate accounts. It's clear that several user design professionals at Red 30 have received promotions, and you also know they
enjoy helping people through effective design techniques and use innovative approaches for doing so. With this information,
you can frame the answer to why you're interest in this company in the following way. I am interested in Red 30 because it will
allow me to use my focus on innovative approaches to design and apply them to a growing company. In my research, it was nice
to see a company focused on expanding their offering to the corporate world and growing opportunities for its current staff. It's
particularly exciting to see that many of your user design experts have been promoted from within. I'm looking forward to
growing my expertise within Red 30. It's a great opportunity to not only build my career, but to also help organizations maximize
their brand. As you can see, this answers all three of the reasons that someone might ask this question in a concise answer. This
answer would also fit for the following questions. What do you like about our position? Why are you interested in this position?
Or how did you hear about this position? It is important to show them in any of these that you are serious about the position
and the company.

Example interviews: Why are you interested in our company?

Let's look at some examples of job candidates answering the question, why are you interested in our company? There are three
topics that are important to highlight when responding to this question, why are you interested in the company, the position,
and how does the company and position fit with your longer-term goals? Let's take a look at the candidate for the entry-level UX
designer position. - Tom, can you tell me why you're interested in our company? - Yes, well, while other companies focus on the
Fortune 500 companies, you focus on the learning aspect of everything, including that as well. And so your dashboards and
everything involved and include the interest of the students that I'm working with. And that's why I'm so focused and excited to
work with the company, because it covers everything. - Great. - It's a lot to remember to cover each of the three topics that the
interviewer may be trying to discover. Tom focuses his answer on his interest in the company first and touches on the role. He
could make this stronger by also touching on his own career growth within the company. Now let's take a look at Donna, who is
seeking a more senior position as a training and development manager. - Can you tell me why you're interested in our company?
- Well, I have been a fan of your company for years and I have been following your product updates closely. In addition, I did
have a chance to talk to John Doe and he confirmed that you are rated one of the best companies to work for in Boston. So I am
so excited to apply my knowledge of training and development with a company that I admire so much and someone that is also
continuing to develop its product lines. I believe in a company growing as fast as yours, my experience with training and
development will really help continue the success of its employees. - Thank you. - Donna focuses her answer on her company
interests and reveals she has done quite a bit of background research. She focuses the attention on her experience as it relates
to the growth of the company.
How to respond to: Why did you leave your previous company?

When asking the question, why you want to leave your current company, past company, or why you are seeking a position now?
An employer just wants to see that you have sound reasoning for your decisions, and if it was a negative situation, that you
handled it well. They want to know that you're career focused and not just a job hopper. This is not the time to go into your
negative work history, but instead, focus on the value you can bring and support it with specific examples of your work. There
are many reasons a person may leave a position, and there are many ways you can potentially answer this question. The ideal
situation is that you are leaving your current company for a better opportunity with them. So first, focus on what you like about
the company you're interviewing with, and the potential career opportunities they may offer. This is similar approach to as why
you are interested in this company. However, there might be times when talking about a negative situation is unavoidable,
particularly if you quit or you were fired from a job. You might also have to address a gap on your resume or why you don't have
a reference from your last employer. Don't come across just too general, or as if you're trying to avoid the question. Although
you'll have to address the situation, you want to focus on the positive outcomes. A good strategy, is to think about what was
missing in your last position and focus on that as part of the new position. For instance, if you couldn't stand your boss, you
might say something like, "My past company was great and gave me the opportunity to develop a lot of research skills, but I
wanted to grow in my management skills. My boss didn't have the time to offer the support I needed in this area. What I like
most about this position is the professional development opportunities it offers. I've also spoken to Sarah and she mentioned
what a supportive research team this would be. Because of the professional development and supportive team, I think this is a
great position for me." As you can see, it addresses the issue, but in a positive light. If you were fired, this can be a bit more
difficult. Remember, the interviewer is not your critic, but they are trying to gauge if the situation was because you had a bad
attitude or you were negligent in getting the work done. Putting a positive spin on it and letting them know what you learnt
from a situation is important. An example might look like, it was unfortunate situation that ended in my dismissal, in hindsight, I
should have expressed my concerns about the job earlier. I would have been able to seek out training earlier. Since the
dismissal, I have focused my attention on learning Excel and become quite proficient at it. The bottom line is to focus on your
career growth and the value you bring to the new organization while deemphasizing the negative aspects. Practicing a well
composed response will make even the worst situation seem reasonable.

Example interviews: Why did you leave your previous company?

Selecting transcript lines in this section will navigate to timestamp in the video
- Let's examine some examples of job candidates answering the question, why did you leave your previous company? Sound
reasoning is key to answering this question. Be sure to focus on what you are seeking in the new role that might've been lacking
in the past. The first candidate, Tom, is interviewing for an entry-level position as a UX designer. - Why'd you leave your last
company? - The last company I worked for, they were great. So my direct supervisor was brilliant at user design. But I wanted
something to show off my skills and the role that I could play in the company. And so, that would be able to show off my
Illustrator skills and the design skills that I learned. And so that's why I'm so interested in your company. - Great. - Tom focuses
on the company doing great things and that his previous supervisor was talented. He tackles the difficult situation by discussing
his needs in seeking a new position. Now, let's take a look at how Donna, a more senior candidate, answers this question for a
training and development position. - Donna, tell me why you left your last company. There was a phased reduction in our
company, a total of 300 workers. And we were a small human resource office, so my focus moved from training and
development to managing the layoff process. But that is why I'm particularly excited about this position because it focuses on
my area of expertise, which is training and development. And I'll be able to use those skills geared toward the professional
development of your staff. - Great. - Donna takes a difficult situation head on when she answers this question. At the same time,
she refocuses the discussion to her expertise and how it will contribute to a new role.

How to respond to: What would you like to accomplish in the first 90 days?

If you really want to be prepared for an interview, you should always be ready to answer what you want to accomplish in the
first 90 days of the position. Many candidates think they will only be asked about the past accomplishments and not about the
future. If you want to stand out as a candidate, take your past experiences and turn them into how you'll perform in the future.
In the book, "The First 90 Days," Michael Watkins states how critical it is for your future success in an organization. Thinking
about it is imperative to the interview process. The way to approach this question is to focus on the big picture by understanding
what you see as an outsider. It is a balancing act of showing what is good about the organization and also what you think needs
to be fixed. You want to be careful not to completely trash the organization, but still give valid improvements that you can
achieve. Based on what you see, make a few clear recommendations for your first 30, 60, or 90-day plan that are realistic based
on what you currently know of the situation. State your recommendations with the caveat that there may be information that
you're not aware of. These recommendations could change with new or additional information once in the position. To show
you can achieve the improvements you have shared, draw upon your past experiences and the skills that you bring to the
position. You should be able to support your recommendations with solid proof that you can achieve the desired results. An
example might be, "I really like the design on this project and think it might be even better "if we used my knowledge of after
effects "to add motion graphics for the website." As you answer this question, also remember the people equation. Most
interviewers know you can do the job, but how you fit in the work environment is a different story. Be sure to address how you
would work with your supervisors, team members, and employees to get buy-in and complete the recommendations you've
made. Other ways to ask this question include, "What would you like to achieve in this position," "How do you see yourself being
successful in this position," or "What would success look like for you in this position?" They are all focused on your future
accomplishments and they want to hear you have a realistic vision that will fit in their work environment.

Example interviews: What would you like to accomplish in the first 90 days?

Now let's look at some examples of job candidates answering the question, "What would you like to accomplish in the next 30 or
90 days?" This can be a hard question if you don't do your research first. For an entry-level candidate, it can be even more
difficult because you have limited experience to draw on. In this case, you want to focus on your working preference and
understanding your new colleagues' working styles. Let's see how Tom responds as he interviews for an entry-level UX designer
position. - Tom, what would you like to accomplish in your first 30 days? - I want to work with an important team. I want to work
with colleagues that understand the needs and the objective of the organization, and knowing how to build on strategies and
the vision. And so that would lead me to the knowledge of my courses and my internship. - Great. - With this example, Tom
generally focused on his fit in the organization. He does talk about taking his time to learn about his coworkers and the
company, but could provide a stronger example of how he would like to contribute. Now let's look at how someone seeking a
more senior position as a training and development manager might answer this question for the first 90 days. - What would you
like to accomplish in the first 90 days on the job? - Well, from my research and speaking with John Doe, I know that you have
several products launching in the next few months. So with the new hires in the sales and marketing department, my focus
would be to determine the needs of the sales staff first. And then I would meet with the director and we would determine the
best steps to get the staff up and running. Once we assess the current situation, I would be able to create staff development
plans using my experience, of course, in instructional design for the use in classroom and on-the-job training. Oh, in addition, I
would be able to answer any questions that any of your employees had. And if there's anything else that I could do, I'd be more
than happy to create programs that would suffice that, supplement that. - Great. - Donna shows that she is familiar with the
challenges of the company without passing judgment and make specific recommendations for the first 90 days. She then
supports her plan with an example of how she can draw on her past experience to help jumpstart the process.

How to respond to: When have you gone above and beyond at work?

When an employer is asking, when you have gone above and beyond at work, they most likely are confirming your work ethic
and motivation to get the job done. There are a variety of ways they can ask this question, but will most likely always be a
behavioral question. For instance, they could ask, give me an example of where you were proactive in your last position? Or tell
me about a time you exceeded your team's expectations. You should always have a few examples of exceeding expectations
that focus on your work ethic and what motivates you. To highlight your work ethic, you want to show this is just not a one-time
thing. You might start out by saying I have several examples, but I think the most relevant is the time I helped my team exceeds
sales expectations by 10%. Once you choose which example you'll use support it using the SAR approach or with situation,
actions, and results that you took to go above and beyond. It is important not to be vague, but to show real evidence that you
try to exceed expectations. Finally, show how you were motivated by making it relevant to the potential employer. Make sure
your answer is authentic so your enthusiasm shows. This not only helps support your answer, but it shows you how you would
fit within the work environment. This will be what sets you apart from other candidates. It may be helpful to understand the
three motivational types, achievement, authority, or affiliation, to help you with your answer. If you are motivated by
achievement, you may tend to seek positions that allow you to advance, have a sense of accomplishment, and receive feedback.
If you seek authority, your goal may be to lead others or be heard by others. And if you are motivated by affiliation, you are
driven by social interactions and helping others. All of these reasons are excellent. So you'll want to focus on what is most
relevant to you and it may be a mix of them. Here's what an example might look like. What motivated me in this particular
example is that my teammates were having trouble coming up with a solution and it is important to me to consistently deliver
results and maintain a healthy working environment. You can see in this example, achievement is emphasized through the
individual results and affiliation with her team members. Remember it is important to be authentic in your motivations as this
will help determine your fit with the organization. So what if you are having a hard time coming up with examples? We've all had
jobs in our lives that we can't seem to muster the motivation to go above and beyond in the work. But I guarantee there have
been times that you have exceeded expectations. It doesn't have to be a grand example, just one that shows you can motivate
yourself. In this circumstance, you may want to use examples from volunteer work, learning something new, or one of your
hobbies. Your willingness to put in the effort and getting the job done are important to all employers. So be prepared to have
examples of exceeding expectations and your motivation behind doing so. This not only shows your willingness to do the job,
but how you would fit within the organization's culture.

Example interviews: When have you gone above and beyond at work?

For this question, give me an example of when you have gone above and beyond at work, your initiative needs to be supported
by outlining the situation, actions you took, the results of your work. It also should provide your motivation behind it. Let's hear
how our first candidate, Tom, who is interviewing for an entry-level position as a UX designer answers this question. - Can you
give me an example when you went above and beyond at work? - The best example I can come up with is when I was working at
the university and that my internship, we had to create a visual effect for the materials that we were using for this program, and
so the school, university, they used Illustrator and I didn't know it yet. And so I ended up learning it and I was able to create the
project for our deadline. - Great. - Tom offers a very specific example and shows how he went beyond expectations by taking a
course and seeking out help on his own to acquire the skills. Now, let's see how someone seeking a more senior position as a
training and development manager might answer this question. - Donna, can you give me an example of when you've gone
above and beyond at work? - Well, as I mentioned in my previous position, I was charged with handling the layoffs in the
organization. Since my strength is in training and development, I took the opportunity to create workshops and online resources
for those individuals that were laid off in order to help them find a new position. One of the reasons why I entered this field is to
help people. So it is really important for me to understand the needs of my coworkers and colleagues, so that I can help them in
furthering their careers. - Great, those are really important skills. - Thank you. - In this example, it's okay to bring back an
example you have used before, Donna focuses on her strength with a specific example and shows her motivation to help people
indicating she would be a great team member.

How to respond to: Tell me how you handled a difficult situation

Tell me how you handled a difficult situation is a classic behavioral-based fit question. They most likely are seeking information
on what you may find difficult, how you go about solving problems, or how you work with people in the organization. Depending
on the situation, it may also be confirming your ability to learn on the job. The way this question is asked can be broad and open
to interpretation, so you will want to not only show your critical thinking skills, but you also want to show how you align with the
organization's values and work style. Understanding the organization's culture will be helpful in choosing an example. This can
be done through informational interviews or by secondary research through news articles or the company's website. Look for
clues about how teams collaborate within the organization, how decisions are made, and how recognition is handled. This will
help you pick an example that effectively showcases your critical thinking and fit. The example you pick should be specific to
your style of solving problems. Some points you can emphasize are where you've used integrity, how you've used initiative,
when you've sought guidance, or how you've experienced professional growth. The things to avoid would be using an example
in which you did not learn from your mistakes or speaking ill of coworkers and the organization. An example might look like, my
company decided to go with a new technology that was new for me and had a tight deadline. I let my manager know it would
take extra training, and I asked for support. I also reached out to a team that had already converted to this technology and asked
their advice for meeting the deadline. With their help, I realized that the timeline was too tight and talked to my manager about
extending it. Although we weren't able to extend the deadline, we were able to bring on some extra help. I've since learned to
stay on top of departmental changes outside of my unit to anticipate new technology trends and how to better negotiate
timelines. Questions about difficult situations are common enough in interviews, so be prepared with several examples. We all
face them, and being realistic by focusing on how you grew from the situation will help you stand out. Remember, everyone is
faced with difficult situations. It is just a matter of solving problems and having a positive attitude.

Example interviews: Tell me how you handled a difficult situation

When answering, "Tell me how you handled a difficult situation," your focus should be on your critical thinking skills and how
they align with the values or work styles. Let's see how Tom answers this question. He is interviewing for an entry-level position
as a UX designer. - Tom, can you tell me about a time you encountered a difficult situation? - I was working with a couple of the
team members at our school, and we ended up working on a great project. Unfortunately, we all weren't able to meet the
deadline, and so I had to pitch in for some of the students. They were able to get this work done with my help, but it could have
been a lot better. I, for myself, being a team leader, know that I need to check in more with these students for a better
experience. - Yeah. It sounds like it. - Yes. - Even though this was a difficult situation for Tom, he stayed away from these
negative aspects. He also kept his answer focused on a specific project, understanding the issues, and how he learned from the
experience. Now let's look at how someone seeking a more senior position as a training and development manager might
answer this question. - Tell me about a time you handled a difficult situation. - As a board member of a local nonprofit, I was
reviewing strategic documents, and I identified some problems with their strategic planning. It had some flaws in the timelines
that were set and in the evaluation of the plan training. So I contacted the director to discuss the issues, but she didn't seem to
be open to talking. After reflecting on the situation, I realized that my call came at the wrong time. So I contacted her once again
and asked if there was a better time that we could speak, and once we were able to coordinate our schedules, we had a much
better discussion in resolving the issues. - I see. - In this case, Donna had a hard time coming up with a difficult situation at her
job, so instead, she used an experience from her volunteer work. Her answers are specific and show how she resolved the
situation and came to a positive conclusion.

How to respond to: How did you handle a disagreement with your boss?

Whenever people work closely together, it's common for tensions to rise, and on occasion, disagreements to happen. This is
why the question, how you handle disagreement with your boss may come up in the interview. It's all about how you handle
conflict, and if your response is a match for the work environment. This question may also be framed as how you handle the
disagreement with your team or coworker. Understanding workplace norms can be helpful when answering this question. Some
organizations have a collaborative conflict culture that manage conflicts productively, while others are more combative. This is
important because people make the place and thus individual differences not only affect individual performance, but also affect
overall team performance. By knowing this prior to going into the interview, you can set up an answer that is much more
effective. If you can't figure out the conflict culture prior to the interview, you can still do well with this question. Much like a
difficult situation, they are looking for integrity, critical thinking, and learning. Be sure to use a specific example that shows how
you acknowledged and understood the different viewpoints. In choosing an example, look for one that had a positive outcome
for organizational performance or helped an individual develop. If you can't think of a situation with a positive outcome, then
choose an example that shows you learned something helpful for future conflict engagement. Next, demonstrate how you
advocated for your point of view and engaged them with your side of the issue. Showing that you've listened to a person's idea
is a big part of dealing with conflict. Also reveal that you ask questions to test their idea or build a collaborative problem solving
strategy. The example should also focus on how you maintained a positive attitude through the disagreement. Finally, let them
know the result. If it was unsuccessful, that's okay. You just want to end with what you learned and how you would do it
differently in the future. Disagreements are a natural part of doing business, and they help shape us in the workplace. This is not
a question to be feared, but one that can show you are engaged with your work and a collaborative colleague.

Example interviews: How did you handle a disagreement with your boss?

We're now looking at some examples of job candidates answering, "Tell me about a time you disagreed "with your boss." It is
important to understand that disagreements happen. Knowing the specific company's workplace norms can be helpful in
informing your answer. But if not, you should focus on your critical thinking skills, integrity, and what you learned in the
situation. Let's see how our candidate, Tom, answers this question. He's interviewing for an entry-level position as a UX
designer. - Tell me about the last time you had a disagreement with your boss. - I was working at a startup company and I
wanted a little more responsibility, and so I spoke to my boss about it, but she didn't think it was good idea because I was new.
She thought that I didn't have the organizational skills. I listened to her and I demonstrated that. And I think in the future, I
would advocate for myself a little better. - Great. - Although this was an example that was a bad situation, Tom did not focus on
the negatives. He used a specific example where he listened to his supervisor and he also showed what he might do differently
in the future. Now, let's see how Donna, who is interviewing for a more senior position as a training and development manager,
might answer this question. - Tell me about the last time you had a disagreement with your boss. - Well, my style of working is
very collaborative, so I have found that for the most part, I get along with my boss. However, there was this one time that I
wanted to survey employees for additional information on engagement and my boss thought that it was not good timing. So I
presented my case to her with some recent research in the area and she agreed that my argument was compelling. And we
finally compromised on the timeline for the project. - Oh, good. So some good experience. - Oh, definitely, yeah. - In this mid-
career example, I like that Donna started with her working style and focused on a good relationship. In the example, it is specific
and confirms her ability to collaborate.

How to respond to: What makes you interesting?

To tell you honestly, I have never known what people are trying to get from the question, "What makes you interesting?" This
answer can be different based on the industry and who is asking it. For instance, a startup, it could be what makes you quirky
and fun to hang out with. Or with a more traditional organization, it may be how you uniquely are qualified for the specific role.
My advice is to focus on the role and why the organization should hire you, as this is the reason you are interviewing in the first
place. So why should they hire you? You're going to want to create a narrative focused on your experience, skills, and unique
background, and personality that align with both the role and company culture. How you start will depend on what is most
authentic to you. I will take you through each category to help you get started. The first thing to think about is bringing in your
personality. No matter the position, you will be spending a lot of time with your coworkers, and they want to like you.
Personality is important, as this is what truly sets you apart. It establishes ongoing rapport and transforms your message.
Personality is best shown through a story, so have a bit of fun and show your enthusiasm for the position freely. A great way to
stand out is your excitement for their product or brand. Think about how you may have used their services or connected to their
mission. For instance, if you were applying at LinkedIn, you may say something like, "I'm actually one of your first users. In fact, I
got the notification that I was in the first 300,000 users, and now it's over 400 million." You will also want to state your specific
skills that can add value to the position, especially where you exceed their expectations. Examine the job description and
determine where you are particularly strong, and focus part of your answer here. You may also want to bring in your unique
experiences that add value. Think of the quality or success rate that you have had over time. Do you always exceed sales goals?
Do you always submit work on time? These are great ways to showcase your experience as a whole that fit within the role or
company culture. Remember to pull in all of this information into a story that allows your personality to shine through. Engage
your interviewers to want to learn more about you. Your story is unique to you, and it is what makes you every interesting to the
employer.

Example interviews: What makes you interesting?

We're now going to look at some examples of job candidates answering the question, "What makes you interesting?" When
answering this, it comes down to, why should I hire you? It's a narrative of your cumulative experience that led you to this
position. The first candidate, Tom, is interviewing for an entry-level position as a UX designer. Let's see what he says. - Tom,
what makes you interesting? - Before my coursework, I was always user-centered. I would design my thank you cards based on
the personalities of the people that I would talk with. I also would love to work with your company because you are already so
user-centered, and based on my experience, I would love to bring that to the company and I would love to continue the
conversations. - Great. - Tom's narrative worked well. Even though it's not work-related, he creatively demonstrates his interest
in user design. He also talks about how his interest is aligned with the company's philosophy, further supporting his candidacy.
Now, let's look at how someone seeking a more senior position as a training and development manager might answer this
question. - So, Donna, what makes you interesting? - It's really about helping people. I find that each position and volunteer
opportunity that I have taken on is about helping people to be the best that they can be in their careers. My experience traveling
and working internationally in the United Kingdom, in Asia, in France has given me a unique cultural perspective so that I can
better understand individual needs. Also, I think my experience in evaluation and assessment gives me a good idea of how to
help out in each situation, and that's why I'm so excited to work for this company, because this company has so much growth
and potential, and it would just be one of the most amazing places to work. - Great, your background is really varied. - Oh, thank
you. - Donna does a fantastic job of focusing on her motivation for work and supporting this with specific examples. I like that
she brought in her international experience, which gives her a unique perspective that others may not have.

Prepare questions to determine if the role is a fit for you

Usually at the end of an interview, the person interviewing you will ask what questions you have for them. It is a big mistake not
to have questions prepared. This shows you're not interested in the position at all. I often work with people who find it hard to
come up with these questions. If this is the case, a good way to think about it is that it's a chance for you to interview the
interviewer. It's important to ask the right questions of each person who's interviewing you. For instance, if it's a screening
interview with a human resource manager, then asking about how the team collaborates is not the best question, but asking
them about the overall culture is a great question. [Instructor] So, each person that you interview with, you should have a
separate set of questions. A great way to form these questions is in the behavioral format. It's hard to cover up a bad
environment when you are asking specific examples. Even if they want to fake it, you'll be able to tell from their body language
that they have no confidence in their answers. The specific questions you ask should be about determining your fit in the work
environment, how your colleagues and boss will work with you, and what success looks like in the position. Think about the
things you didn't have or wished for in the last job and try to determine if these are available to you in the new job. For instance,
you may be looking for professional development or mentoring. You could ask, "How have you been supported in your
professional development here?" Or, "Can you give me an example of how someone has mentored you at this organization?"
[Instructor] This is also an opportunity to re-engage in a question that you may feel you didn't do well on. For example, you may
not have answered as strongly as you wished on, "What would you like to achieve in the next 30 days?" You can return to this
question, asking what would success look like to you in the first 30 days? This way, you can hear their thoughts and come back
and give some examples of how you can be successful based on their response. Finally, test out the working environment.
Perhaps, you're looking for work-life balance. Your research indicated they have a family-friendly environment. So you could ask,
"Give me an example of how work-life balance plays a role in your position." When they ask you for questions, this is a great
opportunity for you to confirm that this is the right position for you. By developing your questions based on your needs and
interests, you can make a better decision about joining the organization.