The 201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions

This useful resource will help you gain a storehouse of sample interview answers that consistently highlight your ability in these areas. Employers today are using increasingly tough interview questions to evaluate candidates based on key competencies and determine how well they think on their feet. To stand out in these competency-based interviews, job seekers must be prepared with situation-specific examples and answers to questions that highlight their accomplishments, knowledge, and abilities--and clearly display how all three meet their potential employers' needs. In 201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions, you'll learn the five core competencies most interviewers are looking for: individual responsibility (decisiveness, independence, flexibility, career goals); managerial skills (leadership, delegation, strategic planning); motivational factors (ambition, initiative); analytical skills (problem solving, attention to detail); and people skills (teamwork, communication, customer service)
Featuring fill-in-the-blank exercises and a plethora of traditional and quirky interview questions to help you prepare, this powerful book will help you get noticed by key players during the interview process--no matter what questions get thrown your way.

LINDA MATIAS, JCTC, CIC, NCRW (Long Island, NY) runs CareerStrides, a career consulting firm. She coaches clients on effective interview techniques. A former president of the National Resume Writers Association, her syndicated column appears on sites including CareerKnowHow.com, JobSeekerAdvice.com, and others. She also writes a column and produces a podcast for the YouTube channel CareerStrides and is the author of How to Say It(R) Job Interviews.

Contents

Introduction

201 Competency-Based Interview Questions at a Glance

PART I: THE FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1: What Are Competency-Based Interviews?

Competency-Based vs.Traditional Interview Questions

Proficiencies That Competency-Based Questions Measure

Industry-Specific Competencies

Chapter 2: Preparing for Competency-Based

Interview Questions

Identify and Highlight Your Accomplishments

When You Lack Specific Experience

Industry-Specific Accomplishments

Identify Your Core Competencies

Keep SOAR in Mind

Chapter 3: Leverage Your Competency-Based Résumé

Competency-Based Résumé Tips

Accomplishment-Based Information

The Objective or Profile Statement

The Professional Experience Section

Selected Résumé Formats

Chapter 4: Why Candidates Do Not Get Hired

When Examples Go Wrong

A Negative Mind-Set

A Potpourri of Other Interview Mistakes

Chapter 5: Seven Ways to Stand Out During the Interview

Write a Personal Brand Statement

ReduceYour Anxiety

ImproveYour Speaking Voice

Be Concise

Common Words and Phrases to Avoid

Make Specific Statements

Script or Outline Your Responses

PART II: COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS

AND ANSWERS

Chapter 6: Competency #1—Individual Responsibility

Decisiveness

Independence

Flexibility

Career Goals

Chapter 7: Competency #2—Managerial/Leadership Skills

Leadership

Employee Motivation

Ability to Delegate

Strategic Planning

Chapter 8: Competency #3—Personal Motivation

Ambition

Initiative

Chapter 9: Competency #4—Analytical Skills

Problem Solving

Attention to Detail

Chapter 10: Competency #5—People Skills

Team Orientation

Customer Service

Communications

PART III: THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

Chapter 11: Closing the Job Interview

Some Closing Mistakes

The Closing Statement

Chapter 12: The Interview Follow-Up

Follow-Up Pointers

Competency-Based Follow-Up Letters

Contributors

About the Author