Difficult Job Interview Questions

These are some of the tough interview questions that you may be asked on a job interview. Review the questions and consider an appropriate response, based on your background and skills. There aren't necessarily any right or wrong answers, but carefully consider the job you are applying for, your abilities, and the company culture before you respond.

Tough Interview Questions

Questions About Co-Workers and Supervisors
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a co-worker who wasn't doing his/her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?
• Give me an example of a time when you took the time to share a co-worker's or supervisor's achievements with others?
• Tell me about a time that you didn't work well with a supervisor.
• What was the outcome and how would you have changed the outcome?
• Have you worked with someone you didn't like? If so, how did you handle it?
• Tell me about a time that you helped someone.
• Tell me about a time that you misjudged a person.
• How do you get along with older (younger) co-workers?

Questions About Your Abilities
• Tell me about a time that you worked conveying technical information to a non-technical audience.
• Tell me about a time that you worked with data, interpreting data, and presenting data.
• Why do you think you will be successful at this job?
• Tell me about a time that you participated in a team, what was your role?
Questions About Yourself
• What would you do differently if you could start your working life over?
• How do you balance life and work?
• What is your preferred way to communication - instant message, phone, or email?
• Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation?
• What is your favorite book? How about your favorite movie?
• What historical figure do you admire and why?
• What did you do during this six month gap in employment?
• What led you to this point in your life?

Questions About Your Career Goals
• Start with your graduation from college and explanation the rationale behind each of your career moves.
• Also explain the thinking process that went into making each if those decisions.
• How many hours a day/week do you need to work to get the job done?
• If you stayed with your current company, what would be your next move?
• How do you measure success?
• Describe your dream job.

Job Interview Questions About Yourself and Sample Answers

When the questions are "personal", about you, it can be a very slippery slope. The answers below are guidelines so you can write out your answers long before you go to the interview. Then, when the question is asked, you can take the few seconds (expected by the interviewer) to think about the question and how you will frame your answer (which you already know).

What would you do differently if you could start your working life over?
The interviewer is looking for a detour that continues to be a professional block in your career.

Looking back over my career, I would have returned to school much earlier to complete my Masters degree. Even though I got my degree later than I had originally anticipated, I never lost sight of the goal.

How do you balance life and work?
The interviewer wonders if you've made arrangements for the days when your child is too sick to go to school and/or daycare or if you're "out of there" as soon as it's quitting time.

Best Answer: Being organized helps me balance my professional life and personal life. Consequently, I can be fully engaged while I'm at work. For those unexpected times, I have a good back-up system of child care for my children.

What is your preferred way to communicate?
This is a good opportunity to show you understand the importance of adjusting your preferences when necessary.

At home, I enjoy talking on the phone and emails. At work, I follow the established pattern. Each of my bosses, in the past, has had a preferred method I've followed their lead.

Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation?

The interviewer is wondering whether they will always be able to find you.
Best Answer: While on vacation, I can be reached for emergencies; however, I also know the people with whom I work are very capable of making good decisions while I'm away. I understand the importance of recharging my battery.

What is your favorite book? How about your favorite movie? The interviewer wants to know whether you read to stay current and if you will you fit into the company culture.

Best Answer (include your personal favorites): I read many different kinds of books. My current "favorite" book is The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. My favorite movie? Miracle on Ice.

What historical figure do you admire and why?
The interviewer wants to know whether you are well read and what characteristics you admire.
Best Answer (include historical figures you personally admire): Personally, I most admire Abigail Adams, John Adam's wife; professionally I admired the leadership style of Ronald Reagan.

What did you do during this six month gap in employment?
Everyone, at some point, will probably have a gap in employment. Do not "waste it".
Best Answer: For the first month, I worked on my "to do list" at home and accomplished a great deal. Then I began building a plan to reenter the workplace. While it took a little longer than I'd anticipated, I've learned a great deal about myself, am rested and looking forward to new challenges in the workplace.

What led you to this point in your life?
The interviewer wants to know if you are unhappy, frustrated, or lost?
My "road of life" has been interesting, sometimes challenging and always rewarding. The steps along the way that have led to this point in my life are, in some ways, very different than I had imagined; however, I like who I am today in part because of my past. An example is when the second company on my resume suddenly closed their doors during a down-turn in the economy. For a very brief time, the road ahead was unknown; however, I discovered I had previously untapped strengths such as perseverance.

Remembering Mai

Today, March 17th is Mai's birthday. He would have been 53 years old. He is sorely missed! Happy Birthday, Mai!

Back to the Old Grind

I recently took a career dive! I'm back in the office scene, bundy clock and all that stuff! hahahaha

After four years of consultancy work, i decided to take on a full time office job doing communication and marketing stuff for an English language center in Ortigas.

It is a welcome change as the pace is less stressful. Not to mention the new wonderful people I've met. It's nice to be back in the grind...

Bawang!

Happy New Year!

Much of the blessings i received in 2008 were coursed through very dear people. I cannot mention your names here, but i know you know who you are: Thank you from the bottom of my heart!


And to usher 2009, i put out this entry with a big bang...literally, may bawang!

Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne
Traditional Words by Robert Burns


Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes
And pou'd the gowans fine.
We've wandered mony a weary foot,
Sin' auld lang syne.

We twa hae sported i' the burn,
From morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin' auld lang syne.

And ther's a hand, my trusty friend,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll tak' a right good willie-waught,,
For auld lang syne.

A Prayer

A Prayer

Let me do my work each day;
and if the darkened hours
of despair overcome me, may I
not forget the strength
that comforted me in the
desolation of other times.

May I still remember the bright
hours that found me walking
over the silent hills of my
childhood, or dreaming on the
margin of a quiet river,
when a light glowed within me,
and I promised my early God
to have courage amid the
tempests of the changing years.

Spare me from bitterness
and from the sharp passions of
unguarded moments. May
I not forget that poverty and
riches are of the spirit.
Though the world knows me not,
may my thoughts and actions
be such as shall keep me friendly
with myself.

Lift up my eyes
from the earth, and let me not
forget the uses of the stars.
Forbid that I should judge others
lest I condemn myself.
Let me not follow the clamor of
the world, but walk calmly
in my path.

Give me a few friends
who will love me for what
I am; and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope.

And though age and infirmity
overtake me, and I come not within
sight of the castle of my dreams,
teach me still to be thankful
for life, and for time's olden
memories that are good and
sweet; and may the evening's
twilight find me gentle still.

~ Max Ehrmann ~

(The Desiderata of Happiness)

Tis the Season

Merry Christmas!

October and November saw me shuttling from one class to another. The tight and tiring sked prevented me from updating my blog and putting my musings down pat.

The Christmas holidays will be spent in my mama's home in the suburbs. Having lugged my trusted laptop along, i now find myself up to the challenge of writing down some thoughts tonight...


Could there be a better wish out there? I mean, how does it really go, this thing about wishes? What's the criteria? How does the fortunate wisher get his wish?

Ah, muddled thoughts!

I have always known that wishes are prayers, too.

I'm forty-eight, do i still get a Christmas wish?

Heaven help me!