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this new, more touchy-feely version of the old classic. In fact, they are
exactly the same question and really designed to illicit the same kind of
answer. Think of it like this: why would an interviewer expect you to tell
him something about you that absolutely rules you out of getting the
job? It wouldn t make any sense. It would be asking you to prove a
negative. An interviewer s job is not only to find out if the candidate is
the best fit for the job now, but also to see if they can grow within the
company and expand on their existing skills and ultimately become a
more valuable asset to the company.
A good answer to this question might be:
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102 HOW TO ANSWER HARD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
I m glad you asked me that. I periodically take time to review my skills
and recently I thought I might like to expand my commercial
knowledge a little. I thought perhaps a more formal training course in
business finance might compliment my general commercial
awareness. Also, I have found that recent developments in software
package XYZ may help me be more productive. Perhaps I will buy a
manual on the subject or go on a refresher course.
The key is never to come across too cocky as if you have nothing new to
learn. We can all do with at least some refresher training in at least one
aspect of our skill set. How long ago was it since you qualified? If the
company you are hoping to work for has an international dimension,
perhaps you d like to learn a new language. When was the last time you
used the more obscure functions of a spreadsheet programme? Are you
really Mary Poppins? (Practically perfect in every way.) No, probably not.
Do not be afraid of this question. It is one that you are very, very likely
to be asked at interview, so be prepared for it. Think of something you
are reasonably good at (at least good enough for the job as it s been
described to you) and then decide how you could be even better at it. It
is better to have over-capacity of skill than under.
In what past situations have you been most
Q
effective in developing others?
This question is aimed at determining your ability to act outside of your
own personal silo. If you have occupied roles in the past where it was
part of your responsibilities to develop others, then all well and good.
Draw upon those experiences to highlight a good example of developing
someone  perhaps illustrating how their appraisal rating improved
following your help. If not, then you should be thinking about occasions
when, through sheer generosity of spirit of course, you went out of your
way to help someone improve or progress, for example:
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COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & AND HOW TO ANSWER THEM 103
I remember the time when one of our more junior members of staff
was struggling to get to grips with the human resource software we
had. She had been given the usual training that we all had and a
photocopied manual. To be honest, the manual was like one of those
flat-pack instruction booklets, and not much good to anyone really.
She was the type of person who didn t like to complain and
occasionally took flak for mistakes she had made. I took her to one side
and asked if I could assist. We agreed that for half an hour each
lunchtime I would sit with her and we would go through the parts of
the package that she was less than sure about. In the end it took about
two or three weeks, but I was happy to help her and she rarely made
mistakes like she had before again. On my birthday she bought me a
big bunch of flowers to say thank you. I was really made up!
Remember, interviewers very rarely ask a single question and let you answer
it fully before moving onto the next one. They may wish to drill down into
what you ve initially told them, so be prepared for this. For example:
What did you do specifically that was effective?
Q
Having known this girl for a short time, I knew that if she was pointed
towards our training department for help it wouldn t work because
she d see it as a sign of failure, and that others were recognising her
shortcomings. By lending a hand in an informal way, it was less of a
big deal and she responded to that. If anything, it was me who plonked
myself down beside her each day with my sandwiches so she couldn t
go anywhere until we had her knowledge at the level she needed to be
successful. So I suppose you could say it was my persistence and my
approach that was effective.
What was the last piece of learning you
Q
undertook?
Now instantly you are thinking back to the last formal course or
qualification you took. In the words of George Gershwin,  It aint necessarily
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104 HOW TO ANSWER HARD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
so
. Most professional institutions such as the Chartered Institute for
Personnel and Development require their members to demonstrate
continuing professional development and cite reading articles and books,
watching TV shows, attending lectures or seminars, secondments, etc. as
just as legitimate learning experiences as the more traditional types of
learning such as courses of study which lead to a qualification.
This might be a typical answer:
I was watching the news only the other evening and there was a piece
on the new anti-smoking legislation coming into force in England and
what it would mean for employers. It struck me that there had been no
discussion about this at work and it made me think we might be
unprepared for what was coming. I went onto the Internet and
downloaded the actual statutory instrument as well as all the
comments on the ACAS and DTI websites and I also looked at
discussion forums. I then took all this information to the HR officer. I
was right. We were unprepared and I have been co-opted onto a
committee which is looking at all the aspects of the legislation and we [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]