What do Those Interview Questions Really Mean?

What's the difference between "nadir" and "zenith"? Can you please define your terms? What is the cohort study design? What does this acronym mean: FTE, PT, OT?

I will not answer these questions!

The only way you'll know what these words mean is if you read this article. It's all about what those interview questions really mean. Read it and get smart.

What Do Those Interview Questions Really Mean?

I recently wrote an article on what CRM interview questions really mean. Thank you for your comments and feedback on that article. It was great to learn so much from all of you and thank you for keeping the dialogue going.

It's time to take it a step further. Here are some more CRM interview questions (with answers) that can make your life easier:

What do those interview questions really mean? It depends on the industry, company, position and many other factors, but here are some common themes:

1. What is your biggest weakness? This is a loaded question designed to throw you off balance . It is meant to see how well you can handle negative feedback .

2. What is something you did not like doing/were not good at? This is also a loaded question based on the premise that many people are talented at everything they do. It's designed to see how well you handle constructive criticism.

3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? This question is asked because you should be able to articulate the company's vision and your personal career goals (which are often aligned) in a compelling way.

4. Why should we hire you? This question focuses on fit: your value proposition, culture, skills and other factors that make you a good match for this role and company .

5. What is your salary requirement? This question is asked because you should have researched the market rate for similar positions at similar companies and be able to articulate why you are worth that compensation .

6. What do your references say about you? Reference checking is a critical part of the selection process. The hiring manager wants to know that you can live up to what they've heard from other people directly involved in your work (i.e., managers, colleagues, clients). Therefore, it's important for you to provide solid references who will vouch for you.

7. What do we need to know that has not been covered by the questions and answers already addressed during the interview?

8. Describe a time when you got an impasse in your work, and how you resolved it.

9. Why do you want to work at our company? This is a question that focuses on your fit with the company culture, its mission, values and goals .

10. What are the most important skills for this job? This is a question that may require some research on your part. The hiring manager is looking for examples of prior projects in which these skills were demonstrated (e.g., what type of projects did you work on/oversee).

11. How would you describe yourself in 3 words? This is a standard closing question that allows the hiring manager to gauge whether you are leaving any gaps in your resume.

12. What do you like most about your company? This is a good question that can inform the hiring process by revealing your short list of preferred companies and what factors may have influenced your decision to work at each of those companies.

13. Is there anything else we should know about you? This is an open-ended question intended to discover areas of focus that are not addressed in the questions above (e.g., skills, projects, interests). It also serves as a reminder that there's more to learn about this candidate after the interview is over.

Useful tips:

Be prepared to answer these questions - and a few others - throughout the interview process.

Ask clarifying questions if you need more information on a particular question.

Get as much information as possible about the company, its products/services, market trends and competitors.  This should guide your answers throughout the interview process.

Prepare your answers in advance. They should be well thought out and articulate why you are a good match for this role and organization .  They should also be consistent with your resume and cover letter .

Low-risk method: Ask the hiring manager if they can provide some background on the job description, industry, product/service or organization . This will help you tailor your answers accordingly.

Don't over-think these questions. They are meant to be friendly and conversational rather than adversarial and combative. If you think of them as an opportunity to sell yourself, the chances are pretty good that you'll do just fine!

What Do Those Interview Questions Really Mean?  Thanks for reading! You can read more articles like this one in  The Comprehensive Guide to Social Research Job Search .

This guidebook includes links to articles, books, websites and checklists that are useful for different stages of your career (e.g., getting started as a research study supervisor, finding social research jobs online, crafting your resume/cover letter and landing a job interview).

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Sign up for the  Career Social Research Blog  newsletter and get a free comprehensive job search checklist.

Updated March 2017.  

Image courtesy of  moriza1969  at FreeDigitalPhotos.net . Edit: I modified question #7 to make it more specific to this particular topic and question #13 by adding the term "research." This should give you a better understanding of how to answer these questions in a way that actually addresses the intent behind them. MP, who recently passed away , was a longtime friend of mine, and I've never forgotten his advice on this topic. I hope this post will help other social researchers and other professionals in general.

Copyright 2011-2017, Greg Doherty. All rights reserved.

Social research/marketing coach Greg Doherty helps social researchers and other professionals develop effective marketing strategies for their businesses . Contact him for a free evaluation at  gregory [dot] doherty [at] gmail [dot] com  or visit his website to learn more about his services:  Marketing Research Coaching .  

If you found this article helpful, please consider contributing to my R&D work by making a donation via PayPal (e-check/credit or debit card):  https://paypal.

Conclusion: There Is No "Right" Answer to Job Interview Questions

If you are called in for another interview (congratulations!), you should have your answer ready to go by the time this question is posed. The hiring manager will probably be impressed if you thought ahead and crafted an answer that makes sense of your experience and why it's related to the job at hand.

Readers, what are other good examples of behavioral interview questions? Please post them in the comment section. Thanks!

Writing consistently + learning fast = getting hired! Get a head start on your career by joining my email list:  How Social Researchers Can Find Jobs and Hire Great People   http://eepurl.com/b7VYrj .