INTERVIEWING QUESTIONSThe How-to’s of Traditional & Behavioral Questions

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(1) Where Do Your Answers Come From• Examples

(2) Traditional Questions• What it means and How to answer them

(3) The Positivity Sandwich• How this works • How and why Positivity can work for you

(4) Behavioral Questions • What is the difference?

(5) Active Listening • What does this mean and How it will work for you

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Think about…

Your experiences in class projects, internships, extracurricular activities, and work and how these support the job you are applying for.

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Individual tasks and roles

Group work including all projects

Independent research

Think beyond your assignments, what did you do?

What did you achieve/accomplish?

How does this experience translate?

Do you play sports? How does that translate to work experience? Think of “soft skills.”

Clubs and associations, what did you do and achieve? Did you gain personal growth?

School projects & coursework

Internships & Volunteer

Extracurricular Activities

(1) WHERE DO YOUR ANSWERS COME FROM

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School Experience: group projects require good communication to ensure cohesiveness and relaying information

o Think about…how you were able to effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas.

Internship Experience: you need to communicate with various peoples within the organization/company as well as keep your advisor/instructor informed of your status

o Think about…how you were able to accurately hear what people were saying and how you responded.

Volunteer: what you do and how communication helps to make sure you can do it.

o Think about…is there someone you often give updates on your work? Attend meetings, etc.? These all require good communication skills.

Extracurricular Activities: Sports require teamwork and collaboration which require good communication!

o Think about ways that you may have encouraged your teammates using your communication skills.

Examples

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Questions that help the hiring person get a general sense of who you are:

o In these terms: Experience, Qualifications, Attitude, Work history (includes past projects).

Traditional Questions Questions will ask applicants about themselves

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“Why did you leave your last position? “

“What are your major strengths?”

“What are your major weaknesses?”

“What did you like least about your last job?”

“What would you like to be doing in five years?”

Answering these can be difficult because they often ask us to talk about negativeexperiences, or things that may be difficult to answer.

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Traditional Questions

Always end on a positive note!!

Why did you leave your last position? “The company/organization was great and in that position I learned a lot. However, growth

opportunities were limited and I’m looking to expand further my skill and knowledge set.”

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Traditional Questions & Answers

When answering these type of questions, be mindful of your use of “negative” and “positive” responses.

What did you like least about your last job? “There were many great attributes in my last job, however I did not feel as if I was being

challenged enough which is one of the reasons I am seeking another position.”

TRADITIONAL QUESTIONS - CONTINUED

What are your major weaknesses?

“In the same vein, I believe I could work on further improving my communication. An example of this is to better express negative opinions in a positive way.”

In answering these questions, frame it in a

positive+negativeway as well

What are your major strengths? “I believe my major strength is my ability to

work in a collaborative manner. I strive hard to communicate with my colleagues/academic peers and get input in order to achieve our goals.”

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the “Negative”this is your negative statement, what follows after the positive statement

“However (your but), growth opportunities were limited (negative)…”

The “Positive” Start on a positive note

“The company/organization was great (positive) and in that position I learned a lot

(positive)...

End on a “Positive” noteThen Bring it Back to the Positive

“I’m looking to further expand my skill and knowledge set (positive).”

How This Works…

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WHY ANSWER USING THE POSITIVITY SANDWICH?

What is this question really asking? Are they looking for longevity in their staff? Absolutely, these type of questions ALWAYS seek to find

out if you have plans to be a long-term employee.

Think of a response that will show your long-term potential.

Example: What would you like to be doing in five years? “My hope is, if I obtain this position, is to gain the skills/knowledge from this

position as a/an (restate the position). As I get to know the company/organization, I hope that I can have the opportunity to be a senior

….(restate the position).”

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(4) BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS

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Questions that help the hiring person figure out how you will perform on the job by asking about past job performance:

o In other words, the rationale here is that how you behaved in the past is a good indicator of how you will behave in the future.

Behavioral Questions Questions will ask applicants about their past performance

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“Give me an example of a time when it was difficult to communicate with a customer. How did you handle it?”

“Tell me about a time when you really went beyond your job description to do something that needed to be done.”

“Describe a situation when you had too much makeup to do. How did you organize your time?”

These types of questions help employers get a sense of how you might behave on the job.

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Behavioral questions

Step 1 - Give me an example of a time when it was difficult to communicate with a customer. How did you handle it?

“Having worked in retail for a couple of years, you learn to become a strong communicator. When a customer was unhappy, the first action I did was to make sure I understood their issue. I made sure to actively listen by asking clarifying questions. Then based on what customer tells me, I offer options to address the issue. By doing this, I make the customer feel that their needs and demands matter. Sometimes, in these situations, what I say or do will not be enough for the customer, and if that happens, I happily help them get in touch with one of the managers.

Step 2 - Tell me about a time when you really went beyond your job description to do something that needed to be done.

“An example I can give is my time in school for an accounting project. We were all assigned several jobs. One of our groupmates had a personal issue and could not complete some of the crucial assignments. We all chipped in to ensure that we not only accomplished the group project, but to help our classmate while she went through a personal problem.”

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HOW TO ANSWERS TO BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONSWhat information is the employer looking for by asking these questions?

Step 3 - Describe a situation when you had a large project to complete. How did you organize your time?

HOW TO ANSWERS TO BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS, CONTINUED…

“As a work study student, one of the key things I had to do was to learn how to organize my time and resources. I assessed the work that needed to be done by creating an outline. The outline helps me

decide what is important, when it is due, and what follow-up work needed to be done.

Then I usually create a schedule of how I will complete or start the projects and from there I try to do work incrementally.

Doing work incrementally really helps with progress and to make sure I don’t do everything at the last minute.

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(5) Active Listening

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• One of the most critical interviewing skills you need to develop.• Defined: high-level listening in which your entire attention is focused on the

person speaking—your body, face, and eyes all confirm you are listening.

• Active listening allows you to pick up the cues and clues that the interviewer is consciously and unconsciously giving you.

Stay present and in the momentTHE IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVE LISTENING

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EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK INCLUDE…

“Are you a Miss, Mrs. or Ms?”

“What is your maiden name, or any other previous names you have used?”

“What is your nationality?”

“Are you married?”

“Do you have or want to have children?”

“Have you ever been arrested?”

“How tall are you? “

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Keep in mind, there are questions employers can ask - AFTER you have been hired. For more information visit: www.Maine.gov and click on the EMPLOYMENT tab.

EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS ARE ALLOWED TO ASK

INCLUDE:

“Are you a member in a union, professional or trade organization?”

“What are your language skills, such as reading and writing foreign languages (only if job related)?”

“Are you aware of any reason why you cannot perform the essential functions of this position with or without a reasonable accommodation?”

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Keep in mind, there are questions employers can ask - AFTER you have been hired. For more information visit: www.Maine.gov and click on the EMPLOYMENT tab.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT

Community Engagement & Career Development207/ 228-8091

usmcareers@maine.edu 140 Luther Bonney, Portland campus

usm.maine.edu/cecd

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REFERENCE PAGE

Preparing for the Successful Job Interview. (2012, May). Texas State University Services Career Services. Retrieved from URL (.pdf link): http://careercenter.tamu.edu/docs/workshop/Interview%20Preparation.pdf.

Adapted with Permission: Mundhenk, L.G. Associate Professor, Leadership and Organizational Studies University of Southern Maine, Lewiston-Auburn College.

Key Interviewing Skills. (20014). Career Management Resources. Retrieved from URL: http://www.careerempowering.com/interview-power/key-interviewing-skills.html.

http://theinterviewguys.com/job-interview-questions-and-answers-101/

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