Interview Questions NOT to Ask

This is too good not to re-post! Original link is http://bit.ly/avB6el

All-Time Deal-Killing Questions to Ask on Your Interview
10 Questions Guaranteed to Keep You Unemployed



By John Kador, Monster Contributing Writer

Whenever I meet people who routinely interview job candidates, I always ask them to tell me the worst question they were ever asked by an applicant. I’m constantly startled by what some applicants apparently believe is in their interests to ask. Here are 10 of the worst, most self-limiting questions that applicants have actually asked and the (usually unexpressed) comments of the recruiters who fielded them:

1. How many warnings do you get before you’re fired?

The better question is: How many warnings do you get before you’re hired? The answer is one. Thanks for providing it.

2. Is job sharing a possibility?

Possibly, but does this mean you can’t give us a commitment for full-time work?

3. Can you tell me whether you’ve considered the incredible benefits of telecommuting for this position?

Why do you want to get out of the office before you’ve even seen it?

4. Is relocation a necessary part of the job?

The very question raises doubts about your willingness to relocate. Even if the person selected for the position is not on a relocation track, the negativity of the question makes me wonder whether you’re resistant in other areas as well.

5. I understand that employee paychecks are electronically deposited. Can I get my paycheck the old-fashioned way?

You’re already asking for exceptions. What’s next? And are you afraid of technology?

6. I won’t have to work for someone with less education than I have, will I?

We’ll spare you that possibility. You clearly have a chip on your shoulder. Why should we take a chance that you don’t have other interpersonal issues?

7. Can I see the break room?

Sure, it’s on your way out.

8. What does this company consider a good absenteeism record?

It starts with guaranteeing your absence.

9. What is the zodiac sign of the company president?

Not sure, but his sign is opposite to yours. There will never be conjunction.

10. Is it easy to get away with stuff around here?

It would be a challenge even for someone with your credentials. Too bad we’ll never find out.

Yes, Virginia, There Really Are Dumb Questions

It’s hard to generalize about such stunningly bad interview questions, but they all are forms of “me” questions -- questions that appear to put your needs before those of the employer. The best interview questions focus on what the applicant can do for the company, not what the company can do for applicant. Remember, interviewers will be asking themselves, “Do I really want this person in the next cubicle?” Be certain that the questions you ask don’t raise barriers or cause interviewers to doubt your professionalism. Remember, your goal in the interview is to get an offer. Once you have the offer, that’s the time to ask what the company can do for you.

Rules for Asking Better Interview Questions

* Ask Open-Ended Questions: Closed-ended questions can be answered “yes” or “no” and begin with words such as “did,” “have,” “do,” “would” and “are.” Open-ended questions usually begin with “how,” “when” and “who” and create opportunities for a conversation and a much richer exchange of information.

* Avoid “Why” Questions: Queries starting with “why” often come off as confrontational and can make the interviewer defensive. Reframe using “how.”

* Avoid Long Questions: One point per question, please.

* Avoid Obvious Questions That Are Easy to Look Up: Otherwise you look lazy.

* Avoid Leading Questions: Leading questions signal the interviewer that you are looking for a specific answer or are being manipulative.

* Ask Questions the Interviewer Can Answer: Want to make interviewers defensive and uncomfortable? Ask them questions they don’t know the answer to or can’t answer because of confidentiality.

* Get to Yes: Your goal is to end the interview on an affirmation. In fact, the more “yeses” and statements of agreement you can generate, the better off you will be.

Does the Pirate Code apply to job hunting?

“... first, your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, so it must do nothing, and secondly you must be a pirate for the Pirate's Code to apply and you're not, and thirdly the code is more of what you call guidelines than actual rules, welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner ...” - Captain Barbosa

Funny, these are the same words that come to mind when I come across job descriptions. How many times as a recruiter have I been given a job description that really is “more of what you call guidelines than actual rules”. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it is powerful knowledge if you are aware of it. Is it a hard and fast rule that job descriptions are just guidelines?...no, but it happens more often than not.

To understand how to use this to your advantage as a job-seeker, you need to understand how most job descriptions come to pass. More importantly, as my last blog discussed, you need to understand how/why a job opening is created in the first place. New job openings are typically created by a couple of reasons:

1. It is an existing position that needs to be re-filled due to attrition or promotion.
2. It is a new opening created by a business need/purpose.
3. It is an opening similar to something else the company is already doing, but created to supplement due to an increase in workload.

Once a position is identified and recognized as needing to be filled, a job description is created. The description is typically written by either a manager or by human resources. I’ve seen that in most cases, managers don’t have a ton of free time to be sitting around writing intricate job descriptions, and many human resources professionals really don’t have a deep understanding of the position and required skills. Not pointing fingers here….just the plain truth!
In order to be efficient, most managers and or human resource personnel will find a previously used description and use it. That is a good way to start, but often the position, project, duties, and personnel around the opening have changed since it was last open. Often the time is just not available to sit down in an exit interview and have the person who is leaving or being promoted put together a “job description” and list of their day-to-day tasks. This usually results in a job description that contains a “laundry list” of skills, duties, and requirements.

As a recruiter, I have the benefit of being able to talk to the hiring manager and ask the questions like:

• What does the typical day look like for this person/position?
• Which of the skills on the job description are “nice to have” and which are “absolute necessity”?
• What were the strengths of the last person in this position? Weaknesses?
• Do you want a new employee with the same skill-set as the former employee?
• If I can’t find a person that is a 100% fit, will 90% work? 80%? 70%?
• What type of personality is going to function best in this position?

As a job seeker, you should be thinking about the same types of questions. Take some time to see if you know of anyone in the company that might be able to help you understand the need better. Most importantly, approach the job description and your resume/cover letter with a few things in mind including:

• What skills on this description match my expertise? Write your resume/cover letter highlighting those skills.
• What requirements are not as good a fit? Write your resume/cover letter to show your exposure to these technologies/skills or technologies/skills similar to those required and how you’ve used them.
• Identify the skills you do not possess. Why don’t you have these skills? Is there a way you can obtain them?...ie books, training, mentoring, etc?
• Always remember, your resume MUST be customized to each position/description. It is a way for you to get an interview, not to talk about everything you’ve ever done! Talk about your other skills and what you can bring to the company in the interview…use your resume to show them that you are either an exact or at least a very close match!

Use these tips. They will definitely help you obtain more interviews and make more valuable connections during your job search. Don’t forget, getting the right job is work….hard work. Approach your search with the same tenacity that you will approach the job once you land it.

For more tips, stay tuned.

Don't Be Afraid of Change

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like hard work.” - Thomas Edison

The key to being successful as a job seeker often times comes down to our ability to recognize change. Plain and simple…CHANGE…embrace it, anticipate it, and most importantly – benefit from it. Understanding change, requires a better understanding of the “hidden job market”.

What is the “Hidden Job Market”? Quite simply, the hidden job market is the market of jobs that are open, yet generally unadvertised. To understand this hidden job market, it’s easiest to understand the process of job creation…in other words…how jobs are created.

Job creation is the result of either a problem or an opportunity arising in an organization. In the most basic terms, the job creation process is set in motion because something has changed. Change can occur either inside or outside of the organization. Sometimes changes are positive (market growth, increased sales, new product line, etc.), sometimes they are negative (unsatisfactory performance, turnover, etc.). Either way, change is good for you as a potential job seeker.

The next step in job creation occurs when the organization recognizes the problem or opportunity. Sometimes this happens immediately, sometimes it is even anticipated…often times though, it takes weeks or even months to be recognized. As a job seeker, this can be a very good spot to take a proactive approach to the job search. Once the organization recognizes the problem or opportunity, it creates a job to solve the problem or capitalize on the opportunity.

Here is where the “fun” begins. Once a job is created, the obvious next step is for the employer to fill the vacancy. At this point, what does the employer do to fill the position?

The first place that most employers turn to fill a vacancy is within their professional network. The professional network for a business consists of:
1. Hiring Manager’s trusted friends and colleagues.
2. Internal employees’ trusted friends and colleagues.
3. Hiring Manager’s and employees’ professional network.

The next place that most employers will turn is asking for referrals from the professional network. At this point in the job creation process, the opening is not advertised…therefore “hidden”. As we discussed last month, some professionals estimate that 80% of the jobs are filled at this point.

Here is a list of questions that should guide the job seeker:
• What companies are going through changes?
• What is the change they are going through?
• What opportunity does this change create for me?
• Am I a part of this company’s professional network?