Interview Questions
ByOver the next few weeks I will be posting some of the most common questions asked during a job interview along with some tips on why that particular question is being asked along with some pointers on how to prepare for that question as well as the best response.
The objective is not to give you word for word answers but to show you how you can vary the answers to show off your experience and strengths.
So let’s get started with one of the most common questions asked during a job interview……..
“How long have your been looking for a job?”
The reason that question is asked is to try to uncover a few things about the person being interviewed. Things like internal motivation and to perhaps pick up on potential problems too.
It’s not uncommon to have been looking for a job for a long time during the current recession.
The interviewer is looking for reasons why other potential employers have not hired you. Be careful when answering this question because if you say you have had lots and lots of interviews then the interviewer will begin to wonder why those other companies did not hire you. Lots of interviews and no job offer is a red light for them.
You should always be honest in your answers and to give you a little food for thought, think about this response:
“Until recently I have not been aggressively searching for a postion. Since I left my last job I have taken the opportunity to re-examine my career and where I am in my life versus where I want to be in the future. With that in mind I have been very selective about the postions I apply for. This position and your company are a good match and I am very interested.”
Of course you shouldn’t use that response verbatim but a response like the above removes the ‘perceived problem’ and with the last part of the response, turns the interview back over to the interviewer on a positive note reinforcing the fact that you are very interested in the open position.
This is one of a series of posts that will be covering the most common job interview questions.