Job interviews: Answer 10 tricky questions

Think carefully before responding to these commonly-asked but tricky questions, during jobs interviews

THE formula for success in job interviews is not written in stone, especially when it comes to tricky questions. For instance if you are being interviewed for a sales position, a potential employer may ask you, “What would you do if a clients hinted at kickbacks?”

How would you respond? Will you appear shocked or deliver your answer with poise? Here are some suggestions on how to answer 10 such questions. Being prepared will give an edge, and not to mention, boost your confidence.

1. Tell us about a difficult relationship in your personal life you have had to cope with?

Don’t go into too many details about what happened, when and where. Don’t condemn the other person or defend yourself. Talk about what you had learnt from the experience.


2. Your boss-to-be is short-tempered, impatient and abrasive. Can you work with someone, of such a temperament?

Working with a short-tempered and very abrasive boss is not easy. Stating that you can effectively work under each and every person, in any and every situation will make you seem over-confident, and unrealistic. Do you get upset if you’re shouted or screamed at? Does it leave you de-motivated or disillusioned for long? If your answer to the latter question is in the negative, let the panel know that unpleasant experiences don’t weigh you down for too long.

3. Since you are in sales, some clients may hint at getting kick-backs. How will you handle such situations, since as a policy we don’t offer bribes?

When asked awkward questions like this, it helps if you plead ignorance. It may be also a test to check your views on bribes. They may ask if you have bribed anyone or what you would do, if you witnessed a government employee accepting a bribe. Tell them your personal experiences or views. Companies always respect individuals who are truthful and who possess a clear (not rigid) opinion on most matters.

4. Why have you fared averagely in Academics?

Many interviewers pay importance to what you have scored in your board examinations. If you had fared averagely and are asked to explain the reason, there’s not much you can do. It would help if you honestly admit that you have only yourself to blame (if that is really the case) and in future you will be clear about your priorities and work hard to achieve your goals.

5. Our industry requires a lot of social interaction with clients - over drinks and at parties. Are you comfortable with smoking and drinking?

Smoking isn’t cool. And many corporate head-honchos are teetotallers. It may be okay to say that you are uncomfortable around smokers and don’t enjoy social drinking. And do you really need to explain why you would not like to smoke or drink? No, it’s a personal choice.

If you’re applying for a job in an advertising or marketing consulting firm you may be asked if you’re okay with working on a tobacco or liquor account. If you feel you can never perform your job well, if the job involves promoting these products, then mention that you want to work on brands, which you are passionate about, and since you are convinced that tobacco or alcohol is injurious to health you may not be the best person to work on an account that involves actively promoting related brands.

6. Since you are a lady, and most of our clients are males, it is highly likely that some clients will try to be over-friendly. How will you handle such situations?

Will you be upset by such behaviour? If you’re confident that you can deal with such clients, only then tell the interviewers how you think you can be professional, yet not interact with clients who you’re uncomfortable with. Honesty is the best policy.

7. Tell us about your weaknesses?

What do you say besides the stereotyed ‘good’ weaknesses – impatience, over-enthusiasm? All of us have weaknesses, but do we need to mention all? And do you weaknesses surface all the time, or on occasions? For instance, while talking about your own traits such as a short temper or abrasiveness you can indicate that you display such traits or behaviour at some times only.

If your weakness is lack of time management, you could say that you are working on it and hope to overcome it over a period of time. Think about this and answer accordingly.

8. You will be replacing a person who we are letting go of. In the few weeks that you spend with him, you have to learn as much about his job so that you can continue doing his work effectively. Do you feel you are okay with this arrangement?

Not an easy situation to be in. While you can try your best to learn as much as you can, what will you do in case your predecessor does not cooperate and tell you all that you need to know? You could point out that you may need your organisation’s support, cooperation and intervention, if need be, in such a circumstance.

9. What if we hired you for one job profile and then change it within weeks?

Your response will depend on your future plans. If you’re interested in a sales job, because you want to pursue a career in marketing, then you’d obviously not want to work in finance or accounts. However, if you’re unsure which area interests you, and would like to learn about the different functions in an organisation, this might be a good opportunity to explore. You should preferably talk about why you prefer some roles or jobs. At the same time try to avoid talking about why you don’t like particular roles.

10. What salary do you expect? What if we told you we cannot pay you for the first three months?

State that since it is the start of your career, learning and experience are more important than salary. If you’re still asked to quote a specific amount give them a general indication on what you would like to earn. Don’t over-quote. If a company states that for whatever reason they won’t pay a salary for the first few months, make sure they are not one of those outfits, which exploit those who need work experience. If the organisation offers a good learning environment, tell them you’re joining the organisation for the valuable experience and you’re confident you’ll soon receive a salary commensurate with your performance.

Cardinal rules

1. Arrive preferably 15 minutes early, so you can relax, freshen up

2. Gauge the company dress code, dress appropriately

3. No unclean hair, sweaty visage or dirty hands with pen marks

4. Keep two copies of your rèsumè, handy

5. Carry a notepad and pen

6. Be poised, confident, but not too relaxed or over-confident.

7. If you’re unsure about an answer and need time to think, request the interviewer if you can take a minute to think and respond

8. Be patient, be courteous

9. Never interrupt even if the interviewer is stating a wrong fact. Let him complete the sentence and then respond. Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ also go a long way

10. If there are two or more interviewers, make eye contact with all

Five Mistakes Online Job Hunters Make

In a tight job market, building and maintaining an online presence is critical to networking and job hunting. Done right, it can be an important tool for present and future networking and useful for potential employers trying to get a sense of who you are, your talents and your experience. Done wrong, it can easily take you out of the running for most positions.
Here are five mistakes online job hunters make:

Image by wili_hybrid via Flickr

1. Forgetting manners.
If you use Twitter or you write a blog, you should assume that hiring managers and recruiters will read your updates and your posts. A December 2009 study by Microsoft Corp. found that 79% of hiring managers and job recruiters review online information about job applicants before making a hiring decision. Of those, 70% said that they have rejected candidates based on information that they found online. Top reasons listed? Concerns about lifestyle, inappropriate comments, and unsuitable photos and videos.
"Everything is indexed and able to be searched," says Miriam Salpeter, an Atlanta-based job search and social media coach. "Even Facebook, which many people consider a more private network, can easily become a trap for job seekers who post things they would not want a prospective boss to see."

Don't be lulled into thinking your privacy settings are foolproof. "All it takes is one person sharing information you might not want shared, forwarding a post, or otherwise breaching a trust for the illusion of privacy in a closed network to be eliminated," says Ms. Salpeter, who recommends not posting anything illegal (even if it's a joke), criticism of a boss, coworker or client, information about an interviewer, or anything sexual or discriminatory. "Assume your future boss is reading everything you share online," she says.
2. Overkill.
Blanketing social media networks with half-done profiles accomplishes nothing except to annoy the exact people you want to impress: prospective employees trying to find out more about on you.
One online profile done well is far more effective than several unpolished and incomplete ones, says Sree Sreenivasan, dean of students at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He made the decision early on to limit himself to three social-networking sites: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. "There is just not enough time," he says. "Pick two or three, then cultivate a presence there."

Many people make the mistake of joining LinkedIn and other social media sites and then just letting their profiles sit publicly unfinished, says Krista Canfield, a LinkedIn spokesperson. "Just signing up for an account simply isn't enough," she says. "At a bare minimum, make sure you're connected to at least 35 people and make sure your profile is 100 percent complete. Members with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn."
LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are the three most popular social networking sites for human resources managers to use for recruiting, according to a survey released last month by JobVite, a maker of recruiting software.
3. Not getting the word out.
When accounting firm Dixon Hughes recently had an opening for a business development executive, Emily Bennington, the company's director of marketing and development, posted a link to the opportunity on her Facebook page. "I immediately got private emails from a host of people in my network, none of whom I knew were in the market for a new job," she says. " I understand that there are privacy concerns when it comes to job hunting, but if no one knows you're looking, that's a problem, too."
Changing this can be as simple as updating your status on LinkedIn and other social networking sites to let people know that you are open to new positions. If you're currently employed and don't want your boss to find out that you're looking, you'll need to be more subtle. One way to do this is to give prospective employers a sense of how you might fit in, says Dan Schawbel, author of "Me 2.0" and founder of Millennial Branding. "I recommend a positioning, or personal brand statement, that depicts who you are, what you do, and what audience you serve, so that people get a feeling for how you can benefit their company."
4. Quantity over quality.
Choose connections wisely; only add people you actually know or with whom you've done business. Whether it's on LinkedIn, Facebook or any other networking site, "it's much more of a quality game than a quantity game," says Ms. Canfield. A recruiter may choose to contact one of your connections to ask about you; make sure that person is someone you know and trust.
And there's really no excuse for sending an automated, generic introduction, says Ms. Canfield. "Taking the extra five to 10 seconds to write a line or two about how you know the other person and why'd you'd like to connect to them can make the difference between them accepting or declining your connection request," she says. "It also doesn't hurt to mention that you're more than willing to help them or introduce them to other people in your network."
5. Online exclusivity.
Early last year, Washington's Tacoma Public Utilities posted a water meter reader position on its website. The response? More than 1,600 people applied for the $17.76 an hour position.
With the larger number of people currently unemployed (and under-employed), many employers are being inundated with huge numbers of applications for any positions they post. In order to limit the applicant pool, some have stopped posting positions on their websites and job boards, says Tim Schoonover, chairman of career consulting firm OI Partners.
Scouring the Web for a position and doing nothing else is rarely the best way to go. "When job-seekers choose to search for jobs exclusively online– rather than also include in-person networking–they may be missing out on 'hidden' opportunities," says Mr. Schoonover. "Higher-level jobs are not posted as often as lower-level jobs online. In-person networking may be needed to uncover these higher-level positions, which may be filled by executive recruiters."

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The top 10 places to work

Britain's best employers have been revealed - but what separates a great place to work from the rest?

The best companies to work for in the UK have been revealed this month in the 10th annual survey from the Great Place to Work Institute . The scheme ranks the UK's major employers by gauging the strength of the relationships between staff and management.

It also looks at how employees feel about their jobs and the companies they work for. Here are the top 10 this year:

1. Baringa Partners

2. Danone

3. Impact International


4. Microsoft

5. Novo Nordisk

6. NetApp UK

7. Diageo GB

8. General Mills UK

9. Danone Waters UK & Ireland

10. Admiral Group

As you can see, management consultancy Baringa Partners topped this year's poll. Elsewhere in the top 10 are household names like last year's winner Danone, Microsoft, drinks giant Diageo and insurer Admiral.

The scheme's chief executive Tom O'Byrne suggests the best firms understand that “progressive people management and generous benefits” are only part of creating a strong workplace culture and cites “trust” as the key element that makes a great place to work.

This “trust” is established through good communication and benefits that go way beyond a bonus and free mobile phone. So if you're looking for a top place to work, what benefits should you look out for?

The pension dilemma

Britain's major employers are struggling to deliver their pension obligations as the economy continues to stumble out of recession. Britain's 100 leading employers collectively face a £66bn shortfall in their pension scheme investments - and as a result gold-plated “defined benefit” pension schemes that pay a full salary on retirement are rapidly disappearing.

The new Government has yet to make any major moves on pension reform - which means job-hunters should look carefully at a company's pension scheme. Most firms now offer new employees a “defined contribution” pension which pays out a variable sum on retirement depending on how much has been saved.

Many employers link their contribution levels to employee length of service - which means, as a new employee, it's key to find a firm that automatically matches whatever sum their staff put into the scheme. Staff at all firms can obtain income tax relief on their pension contributions (although this will soon be restricted for higher earners) - so make sure you claim this too.

You can also boost your retirement income through investing into a self-invested personal pension (Sipp) - find out more about Sipps with this free guide.

Health and fitness benefits

Progressive employers all take great stock by providing healthcare plans and nurturing the well-being of their staff - and no wonder. Sickness absence in the firms comprising the survey's list of the 50 top UK employers was 30% lower than the national average - saving those organisations £20,760 per 100 employees per year.

In our first ever Frugal Fitness video, Verity Payne finds out how expensive it is to take up rock climbing and the potential benefits of doing so

So what form do these initiatives take? One common benefit is free private medical healthcare - yet be aware that this is considered by HMRC as a taxable benefit. In real terms, the taxable benefit value of private health cover deducted at payroll is £500 for individuals, around £1,000 for individuals and their partners and £1,250 for full family cover.

Whether you want to pay to obtain the obvious benefits of private health cover is up to you - but there are other tax-neutral schemes to promote health and well-being that are well worth hunting down. Many firms offer free gym membership which can be worth as much as £75-a-month, while on-site treatments such as massage, acupuncture and medical check-ups are also increasingly common. Free eye tests are another perk to look out for.

Another great programme is the Government's cycle to work scheme , which offers workers the chance to buy a bike through their payroll at a reduced cost. Tax relief is applied to the contributions and VAT is waived - typically helping participants save as much as 40% or 50% after a year on the retail price of a new bike. Ask if your firm is taking part.

Work / Life balance

New mums returning to work perhaps have the hardest time of all workforce members - so it's key to find an enlightened employer. One benefit that may soon disappear is the childcare voucher scheme - these are offered to working parents through tax-efficient payroll deduction but could, along with the Child Trust Fund, soon be revised under the new Government.

Elsewhere, many employers run childcare facilities such as onsite nurseries and emergency childcare schemes that can help parents find nurseries or medical help at short notice. Flexible working practices are also becoming increasingly common - a recent poll of 741 multinational employers found that 21% have instituted flexible working schemes such as “work from home” days in the past year.

Financial perks

Stringent new income tax laws could see employers move away from bonuses in future - which means it's worth looking out for employee share schemes. And these aren't just for senior executives - the UK Sharesave scheme allows workers to buy shares tax-free through payroll contributions. At the end of the investment term, workers can either buy shares or receive their investment back plus interest.

The 10 safest jobs in a recession

People who have suffered the trauma of being made redundant are not usually in any hurry to repeat the experience. So, in times of recession such as these, it makes sense to consider how secure your next job will be.

If you've been made redundant and are unlikely to find the same type of work again, a career change will be forced on you. Others, meanwhile, will welcome the opportunity to try something new. But which are the safest career choices at a time of economic slowdown? We've drawn up a list of 10 jobs that experts say are most likely to weather the storm.


But first a quick health warning. This recession won't follow exactly the same pattern as previous downturns, while initiatives taken to lessen its impact can have unpredictable consequences. So no list of "safe" jobs will ever be completely accurate.

However, the following should provide an indication of the factors you should look for when seeking job security.

1. Teaching

Children still need to go to school in a recession, and their numbers don't decline in line with economic output. So teachers should enjoy good job security during a downturn.

"While manufacturing and service industries can always reduce staff numbers as their workload falls, demand doesn't fall in schools during a recession so there is less scope for shedding employees," says a spokesman for the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). "That's that's not to say there is never any room for cost-cutting, though," he adds.


2. Working in the NHS

The same logic applies to healthcare workers: just as many people need treatment in a recession as in normal times. And the Government doesn't want to make unemployment worse by cutting jobs in essential services.

"This Government is committed to keeping unemployment down and therefore health, education and social services will continue to hire," says Michael Moran, the chief executive of Fairplace, an "outplacement" agency that helps employers find jobs for redundant employees.

3. Other public service jobs

When you're trying to work out how likely a particular employer is to make staff redundant, ask this question: where do they get their money? Public bodies are funded by the taxpayer via government - local or national - so their income is reliable, says the IES spokesman, and their budgets tend to be decided months or years in advance.

"If an employer's income depends directly or indirectly on consumer spending, there is much more chance that this income will fall significantly in a downturn, with adverse consequences for jobs," he adds. "Organisations that don't depend on consumer spending are more likely to be able to hold on to their staff."

4. Public transport projects

If you're working for a contractor on a new road or railway, for example, you are in the private sector - but the money being spent still comes from the Government, not the consumer. And again, the budgets tend to be made available in advance. So jobs such as this tend to be safe - at least for the duration of the project.

The Government may put more resources into this kind of programme to take up the spare capacity in the economy that occurs in a recession.

5. Home insulation and other 'green' initiatives

The same arguments apply here. Public money may be pumped into environmentally friendly projects - the mass insulation of Britain's housing stock was recently proposed - as a means of boosting the economy and cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

6. Energy

Britain needs a new tranche of power stations to replace ageing nuclear plants and the most polluting fossil-fuel-burning facilities. If building doesn't start soon, the country is expected to face blackouts within a few years. Those who get jobs as engineers, say, working on one of these projects are probably safe until it is complete - and they often last many years.

7. IT

Information technology specialists remain much sought after, says Mr Moran. "Typically, the more specialised the skill, the better," he says, "with the proviso that it's a skill in demand. The fear of all specialists is that the market moves and they find themselves unemployable." And, as with the examples above, the sector in which you are working is as important as the job you do. For example, an IT specialist is likely to have better job security working for the NHS than in a bank.

8. Human resources

"Job security comes from employability - having a skillset in demand by the market," says Mr Moran. HR people with skills in making people redundant are among those who are needed more in the current climate, he adds. And with staff feeling more anxious generally, HR professionals' ability to deal with employee relations is in demand.

"Career coaches - people who can help the unemployed find jobs - are another example of professionals whose skills are wanted at the moment," says Mr Moran.

9. Interim managers

These are short-term employees brought in by a company to manage a particular project or cover for permanent employees who are ill, on maternity leave or away from work for some other reason.

Mr Moran says: "Interestingly, interims are still sought after, as organisations are reluctant to take people onto the permanent payroll. Again, though, you need a skillset in demand."

10. Accountants/finance directors/compliance officers

These are some of the professionals whose services are more in demand in a downturn, as companies pull out all the stops to survive, or as failed firms are wound up or sold on.

"Accountants with insolvency skillsets are much sought after at present," says Mr Moran, "as are finance directors with experience of restructuring debt for companies in danger of breaching their agreements with their lenders."

Compliance/risk officers are another good example, he adds: with the widespread awareness that excessive risk-taking got banks - and so the wider economy - into their current difficulties, companies are stepping up their efforts to monitor potentially disastrous transactions and to comply with the tighter regulations that the financial crisis is bringing.

20 Big-Salary Jobs, No Degree Required

While the importance of earning a college degree to secure a good job has been ingrained in our brains for as long we can remember, a four-year degree is not the only path to a successful career.

Though schooling is a great way to develop skills and will no doubt enhance your credibility, a college education is no longer a requirement to securing a well-paying salary. Despite the fact that college graduates earn an average of $1 million more than high school graduates during their careers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is possible to land a lucrative position otherwise.

Additionally, workers with a high school education or less have an abundance of positions open to them. In 2006, 66 million jobs -- about 44 percent of the total -- were available to workers with less than a high school education, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By 2016, there are expected to be 71 million jobs available to these workers.

Just because these jobs don't require a college degree, however, doesn't mean that they don't require hard work or extensive training. Here are 20 of the highest-paying jobs that don't require a degree, according to CBSalary.com.


1. Margin department supervisor

Salary: $83,579/year

Primary duties: Overseeing a company's credit department, which manages customer credit accounts and approves or denies credit to customers.

2. Air traffic controller

Salary: $74,922/year

Primary duties: Controlling air traffic around airports according to established procedures and policies to ensure flight safety.

3. Automobile service station manager

Salary: $72,246/year

Primary duties: Supervising gas stations and planning and implementing policy and procedure like hours of operation, workers' duties and prices for products and services.

4. Real-estate broker

Salary: $71,994/year

Primary duties: Securing real-estate transactions, selling real estate, renting properties and arranging loans.

5. Web surfer

Salary: $70,604/year

Primary duties: Scouring through multiple Web sites to analyze and compare information and user experiences to collect information to help companies understand online users' behaviors.

6. Lead carpenter

Salary: $63,345/year

Primary duties: Leading the on-site completion of construction projects and performing all types of carpentry work and finishing.

7. Cable supervisor

Salary: $60,887/year

Primary duties: Supervising the activities of workers engaged in installation, maintenance and cable repair.

8. Chemical supervisor

Salary: $57,472/year

Primary duties: Overseeing workers who make chemical products, verifying that chemical processes are followed.

9. Home-care aide supervisor

Salary: $56,157/year

Primary duties: Directing aides who care for elderly or disabled people in a home environment, and monitoring the quality and quantity of services provided.

10. Medical facility housekeeping manager

Salary: $55,368/year

Primary duties: Managing the workers and housekeeping program in medical facilities to uphold sanitary and orderly conditions.

11. Flight service manager

Salary: $54,350/year

Primary duties: Ensuring that flight attendants conform to personal appearance and preflight requirements; compiling flight reports.

12. Locomotive engineer

Salary: $54,084/year

Primary duties: Driving electric, diesel-electric or gas-turbine-electric trains to transport passengers or freight.

13. Interior aircraft assembly supervisor

Salary: $53,606/year

Primary duties: Supervising the assembly of everything for the inside of an aircraft from mechanics to furniture.

14. Painting supervisor

Salary: $51,977/year

Primary duties: Overseeing all painting activities such as mixing paint, preparing surfaces before painting and applying decorative or protective finishes to various structures.

15. Gas plant operator

Salary: $51,676/year

Primary duties: Maintaining certain pressures in pipelines to produce and/or transport natural gas.

16. Payroll supervisor

Salary: $51,410/year

Primary duties: Managing employees working on company payroll, ensuring that pay calculation is in accordance with company policy, government regulations and tax codes.

17. Assembly supervisor

Salary: $50,462/year

Primary duties: Overseeing workers who use power tools and other equipment to assemble products.


18. Credit and collection supervisor

Salary: $50,330/year

Primary duties: Supervising employees engaged in the review of credit risks and collections; may also review client credit history to grant or deny extensions of credit.

19. Data control supervisor

Salary: $50,310/year

Primary duties: Managing data entry workers and assuming responsibility for those workers' tasks to be complete and accurate; may sometimes assist with assignments.

20. Reimbursement recovery specialist

Salary: $49,246/year

Primary duties: Negotiating cases where third-party liability reimbursement exists by investigating and identifying responsible third parties, then paying out those parties.

Great Tips and Know how for MS OUTLOOK user

If you are everyday using MS OUTLOOK then this a most Important Part of your Job. If you know this nuts and guts then you can OverLOOK it . But if you need some help then take it from us for FREE . Today I wish to discuss about the OUTLOOK . How you can use it and how you can manage an Important Mistake . Yes that is true . Often we delete from our Inbox or archive . Then all we know it stay in Trash . If you delete from Trash also . Then what to do ? Here is what we will show you how you can get it back.

First you have to remember what to recover.
Then highlight : DELETED ITEMS==== then click TOOLS=== then you will get OPTION RECOVER DELETED ITEMS=== then click the ENVELOPE (TO RECOVER).

Also if you have trouble to send Email or Receive Email . Before contacting the the Helpdesk You need the History . If your Email was returning that means it had travelled lots of server . So to get that History how you will get it . What you can do HIGHLIGHT the EMAIL returned then rightclick==== then OPTION=== You will get the Page Message options. There you can see the Header all details History.

Other than that what ever Problem you Face you can see the Following Links for more help.

• http://support.microsoft.com/ph/928/

ARCHIVE :

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA011229321033.aspx?pid=CL100626971033

OUTLOOK PROFILES:

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/outlook/HA011471581033.aspx?pid=CH010502121033

Micrsoft Outlook Trainings :

• http://office.micrsoft.com/en-gb/training/CR061832721033.aspx