CareerBuilder.com has put out another link-bait article titled Top Interview Questions. I wonder if they send this version out to their employer customers and a modified version out to the jobseekers in a separate email? Anyway, here is the list:
What circumstance brings you here today?
This is one of the best opening questions ever. This open ended question surprises many candidates. If they do not respond quickly, just sit quietly and wait for the response. Some candidates reveal problems with their current employer, potential insubordination, and both positive or negative character traits.
How would your best friend describe you?
What would you say are your 2 greatest weaknesses?
How do you alleviate stress?
What are your short and long term goals?
What type of work environment do you prefer?
When choosing potential employees, it is helpful to know what type of environment in which they prefer to work. If the company is very professional and usually quiet, someone who likes a loud, casual environment might not be the best fit. It is sometimes good to hire someone who does not fit the mold, but it is usually best to hire people who fit your work environment.
What is your typical way of dealing with conflict?
What tools or habits do you use to keep organized?
Instead of asking are you an organized person, this makes the interviewee prove and describe their organizational skills. Most hiring managers expect that their employees have some type of system to stay organized. Whether it is using a planner, or electronic calendar, these tools confirm that the potential employee is reliable and responsible.
Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond to get a job done.
What was a major obstacle you were able to overcome in the past year?
In what ways do you raise the bar for yourself and others around you?
This question gives the interviewer an idea of who is and is not an above average performer. It also demonstrates leadership potential and the willingness to be a team player.
Tell me about two memorable projects, one success and one failure. To what do you attribute the success and failure?
What unique experience or qualifications separate you from other candidates?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Ok, I took the liberty of removing the explanation that accompanied most of these questions since I thought they were, well, common. We use our assessments before the interview which provides a roadmap for questions. The assessments are like an x-ray view of the salesperson’s ability which means we don’t have to do exploratory surgery in the initial interview.