Strong & Weak Qualities for an Interview

Common questions seem to pop up in many job interviews. Inquiries about where you see yourself in five years or what you liked about your last job can be expected. You might also be asked about what you consider to be your strong and weak personal and professional qualities. Potential employers are looking for honesty and how you fit into the company. Have a few answers like these ready to go because you never know what you may face in terms of interview questions.

Focusing on People Skills

One way to answer a question about your strong or weak qualities is to focus on your people skills. A potential employer wants to know how you interact with others and if you work well with a team. Strong interpersonal qualities that you can emphasize are examples of how you have communicated with your coworkers or took the lead on specific projects. If you feel that you have weaknesses in the area of working with others, turn it into a positive. Say you work very well independently and don't need a lot of guidance to get your work done.

Highlighting Techie Tendencies

When conducting interviews, many companies want to know what technical and computer skills you bring to the table. If techie skills are a strength for you, focus on what specific software or specialized job skills you possess. If you are able to calculate complicated equations in a spreadsheet program, share that in a story. If you are weak in terms of technology, you could say that you are eager to learn new programs. Focus on specific qualities you have that make you a quick study instead.

Organizing Your Time

If you have a Martha-Stewart-like brain for organizing, questions geared toward your ability to manage time and resources are easy to answer. To show off your strengths, think of specific examples where you juggled many tasks at once. You could also detail how you've kept track of schedules for your previous managers. If you're asked about your weak qualities and this area is one for you, focus on what you've done to overcome it. You could explain that a traditional to-do list isn't your strength, but that you downloaded an app to your phone and it keeps you organized.

Motivating Yourself

Your potential employers want to know about your ability to be self-motivated. Strong qualities that fit in this area include taking initiative at work to solve problems or seeking out opportunities to advance in your career. If you have trouble getting motivated and this is a weakness for you, explain that you work best with other people and that you get your energy when you're working together as a team. Turn your weaknesses into some kind of strength that is an asset to your boss.

Written By:
by Gina Scott, studioD
Posted on : http://oureverydaylife.com/ 

About the Author

Based in the Midwest, Gina Scott has been writing professionally since 2008. She has worked in real estate since 2004 and has expertise in pop culture and health-related topics. She has also self-published a book on how to overcome chronic health conditions. Scott holds a Master of Arts in higher-education administration from Ball State University.

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How to Prepare for an Engineer Interview

 

You have studied all those hard engineering courses for four or five years and you may now feel that you are ready to step into an engineering job. What you really need to know, however, is that your potential employer is looking to hear about how you will add value to his business. The question is how to convince that employer that you are, indeed, what the business needs. Well, it all has to do with that engineering job interview.

The Questions

Questions are there to allow you and the interviewer to have a conversation. The only difference is that the engineering questions will be a bit more technical, and this is because engineering interviews seek to understand what kind of an engineer you are. To prepare for an engineering interview, align your thoughts to your specialty. If you are a Civil engineer, think about structures and the things that really matter in that regard, and if you are a mechanical engineer, visualize engines and how they can work best. With this kind of thoughts, you will be anticipating questions that may be thrown your way in addition to synthesizing what you have learned with real life scenarios. Once you develop that frame of mind, you be in a position to tackle questions that will come your way.

Presentation

As much as engineers work in the background, employers like to hire people who can present themselves. When a potential employer invites you for an interview, he is providing you with an opportunity to showcase yourself and your professional achievements. If you get invited to an interview, your potential employer has already gone through your resume and determined that you have the necessary qualifications. However, you may not be alone, so the game changer may really be on how you present yourself. Be on time, dress well and polish your knowledge of current affairs so that you feel ready and relaxed.

Read

Reading is one preparation that many candidates overlook before heading to an engineering interview. Engineering graduates may feel that they already know enough just because they passed their engineering courses. Because it is not unusual for an interviewer to ask questions about what you learned, it's a good idea to brush up on key points. If you don't, you will come across as being unprepared for the interview.

Company Background

The company wants to know that you have a genuine interest in what they do. So, learn about the company. Search for it online, and read about its work in trade publications. Your reading should give you something topical to discuss, and it always will help you to ask your own questions about the company. Your potential employer wants to know that you are not just out to get a paycheck, and asking questions shows a genuine interest in the company.

by Alejandro Russell, studioD

http://oureverydaylife.com/prepare-engineer-interview-8885.html

 

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Interviewing with a Recruiter

INTERVIEWING WITH A RECRUITER
The current economic situation has caused loyal workers venture into the modern job pool. These workers have found that previous skills and qualifications no longer make them a lead in the recruiting field but just entry level possibilities. After months of search and only a few grueling interviews, now may be the time to consider giving staffing services a try. They employ recruiters which find the best people for the right positions. Here are some tips for interviewing with a recruiter:
Many may think it is just a staffing company. They may not see the need to dress up for aninterview with a recruiter. It may be perceived as more casual since it is not the actual company doing the hiring. This is a very dangerous assumption to make. Always dress up as if this is a real interview. It is during the recruiter interview that the recruiter is able to see the potential candidate’s idea of business wear and whether it needs to be critiqued. If this isn’t taken seriously, the recruiter won’t take the candidate seriously.
It is always a good idea to have a resume that has been prepped and ready to go with explanations for any gaps in between jobs. Be totally honest because the recruiter does not want to have any surprises to show up. Remember, their business is about sending applicants that are most suitable to the job. Anything that looks deceiving to the recruiter may make them distrustful and unwilling to collaborate. Just let them know in advance so they can figure out a way to spin it in a positive light or just find a more suitable job that won’t require certain restrictions.
Above all, treat interviews with recruiters as real interviews. Give well thought out answers that give reasonable explanations without being lengthy. This is a great way to begin brushing up on rusty interviewing skills as well as give the recruitment professional an idea on what to expect when they send you into the actual interview. It may be decided that some coaching may be needed in order to shine above everyone else. Recruiters are competing against each other to receive commissions. They are invested too.
Recruiters are a great way to take the time to brush up on the interview skills needed to get hired by a potential employer. They are there to give pointers on interview topics and how to make your resume stand out from the stack. If you approach the recruiter in a professional manner and perhaps even help them understand their client’s job order better, the recruiter will be all the more willing to be of assistance to you.
Remember, the recruiter’s reputation with their clients is riding on their candidate choices – although they work for their client, it is in the recruiter’s best interest to help you as much as possible. Use the time interviewing with a recruiter for mutual benefit.
www.recruiter.com

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