Town of Banff

The Interview

As the interview unfolds you will encounter questions, activities and issues that have never arisen before. Here are some common sense tips to help guide you when the going gets tough.
 
What if: Hypothetical questions are difficult because they often are ambiguous. You can eliminate areas of confusion by asking questions. Rely upon your experience to help you ask the right questions. As with your resume, be honest.

Don't worry about appearing foolish. The interviewer expects you to ask questions and may consider your reluctance to do so a weakness.

Sometimes what if questions hint at issues the employer might be having with an existing employee. After you provide your initial answer, gently ask why you are being asked that question. The interviewer may volunteer an answer. If so, don't hesitate to use the new knowledge to revise your answer.

Career aspirations: You can prepare yourself for this question in advance by thinking about where you want to be in your career one, three and five years in the future. Be honest. At the end of one, three and five years, have a job title or position in mind that you will have achieved.

Why did you leave your last job? -or- Why are you leaving your current job?: This is a very common interview question. It is surprising how many applicants don't answer this very well.

Most people don't want to answer this question because they are afraid that it might reveal a weakness. The irony is that most people have job terminations that occurred under negative circumstances. Here are a few principles to consider:

Do:
Be honest
Stick to the facts
If you would rather not have to explain why you were terminated its perfectly ok to say that it wasn't working out for both you and the employer and you decided to part ways. If the interviewer presses you for details, be honest and stick to the facts.
Note: never omit a job from your resume, even if you only worked it for a month. The employer will perform a background check, learn about the job and conclude that you lied.

Here are some don'ts:
Don't become angry
Don't make negative or disparaging remarks about your former employer
Don't in any way imply that it was the employer's fault

Why should we hire you?: Even if the interviewer doesn't ask this outright, the underlying tenor of the interview is to get the answer to this question. There is no single correct answer. It will depend both upon 1) what the employer needs and 2) what you bring to the table to satisfy that need. You cannot answer the question without knowing both of these. Happily, you already know the latter; what you must discover is the former. As the interview progresses, the interviewer should be communicating at least some of the need. As he/she does, try to ask questions that help put a fine point on the need.

There actually are some wrong answers to this question:
Because I'm a hard worker
I don't know
I'm good with numbers
I'm a fast learner
Answers like these will not get you the job.

The best way to answer this question is to ask it of yourself before the interview and to have a plausible answer prepared. Once in the interview, and with new information, you can revise your answer as appropriate.

Thought problems: This type of question is often asked of technical customer service people and is intended to 1) place a little pressure on you and 2) test the your ability to think through and solve a problem on the fly. For the majority of these questions, the correct answer isn't usually the most obvious one. The most important aspect of getting to the answer is to ask questions. Consider your interviewer as a resource or expert on the subject (i.e., a coach). Therefor, your best avenue, especially if you get stuck, is to ask questions that will help clarify the issues and help crystallize your thinking so that you can arrive at the correct answer. Often these types of questions aren't so much about the right answer, but more about your ability to ask intelligent questions as you consider the various aspects of the problem.

Once you have asked some questions, begin to visualize the problem. Imagine stepping through scenarios -- out loud. If you misstep, the employer may inadvertently help you by correcting you.

What questions can I answer for you?: This question is deceptive. At first blush, it appears as though the interviewer is preparing to conclude the interview. Not so. This is a test to see if you have been paying attention and whether or not you have any interest in the job.

Here are some good questions to ask...
 
How many candidates besides me are you considering for this opening?

How do I rank compared to the other candidates? Why? If you think this question will put the interviewer on the defensive, you are correct. Your job, therefor, is to disarm them and get an answer. Be sincere. Let them know that they can tell you without any risk to themselves. Phrase your encouragement in terms that say "you don't have to worry about taking back what you say later." For example, if you say, "Don't worry about hurting my feelings. Truth is truth." You can also ask "what could I have done better during this interview?" If you encourage the interviewer to take the role of coach, you can disarm them and get the information you need.
 
What is your hiring process like? What's the next step?