Question 1: Can You Tell Me a Little Bit About Yourself?

How do you ace an interview that starts with a question so broad? Do you start with your most relevant background, highlight the key skills that you bring to the table? Hopefully this is the area that you have practiced the most, and these are the key things that you want to stay in the recruiter's mind. Perhaps starting this way would be a good approach, but then - isn't there a chance they perceive you as a dry, business-only type of person? May be they are looking to add someone business-savvy, but also fun ...

OK - here is what the recruiter is really trying to find out about you, when she starts with this question:

1. How eloquent and comfortable are you when communicating under the pressure of a job-interview? Do you come across as sincere, calm and composed, or do you have the "talent" to transfer your stress to everyone else in the room. We all can be a little nervous in a job interview - it is a natural reaction. You have the opportunity however to demonstrate from the start how well you can control yourself under stress.

2. It is about business, so the second thing the recruiter will notice is how quickly and how well (or if at all) you transition to your most relevant experience and why you think you are the perfect fit for the job. While broad, this question is actually a great opportunity for you to set the tone for the interview. This is the chance you are given to make a good first impression.

3. Energy level. The recruiter wants to see how enthusiastic and energetic you are about the opportunity to work for her. Even if it is a non-management position - the candidates with higher energy level are perceived to be a better fit. There is something more - your enthusiasm has to come across naturally. If you are playing the role of the enthusiastic candidate, but really feel just mildly interested, the discrepancy will show. So act naturally as much as you can, and learn how to show your enthusiasm in ways that are in harmony with who you are.

Not Comfortable Talking About Yourself?

The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.

  - George Jessel 

Going for a job-interview is perhaps the closest experience to speaking in public. Managing your emotions while trying to convince someone you just met that you are the best fit for the job can be quite daunting. So if you know that you are one of those people who have difficulty talking about themselves to strangers then you must make sure you practice. Do as many mock interviews with as many people as you can and you will see results - I can guarantee you that. If you'd like to practice in front of a stranger - call me.

Do you ask questions that have answers?

You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers.

- John J. Plomp

So before each meeting ask yourself:

1. How many of my questions actually have answers?

2. What is it that I am really trying to learn?

You are smart. But no matter how smart you are - the recruiter will know when you are asking a question just to make yourself look smart. So be smart - think in advance of the things you really want to learn and then formulate questions that are specific and that have answers. Finally - if there is nothing you expect to learn about the company you are meeting with - then do you really want to work for them?

The Expected Transformation

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. 
Carl Jung 

So before each meeting ask yourself the two questions: 

1. How do I want to be transformed by this meeting? 

2. What is the effect I want to have on the other person? 

The answers to these questions could be your most important preparation for the job interview. Indeed, it can be the one change you make, that transforms your career. The expected transformation questions will give your mind the correct task and will help you clarify your goals and meet them. Finally - if you find out that you expect no transformation to take place - then save yourself the time and skip this meeting. 

Why 12

Twelve is the average number of questions asked at job interviews. Since it is impossible to know in advance the exact mix of questions that will come up in an interview, most career specialists recommend that the interview preparation be centered on the few most likely subjects. 

Here are the 12 most common questions as identified by the Career ConceptZ team: 

1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
2. At this point in your career what would be the perfect job for you?
3. At your last job - whom did you report to and what was their position with the company?
4. What were your personal responsibilities?
5. How would your boss describe you?
6. What was your greatest achievement(s) and how did you accomplish it?
7. What are your weaknesses and how do you work to fix them?
8. Why did you leave your previous employment?
9. What risks have you taken in your latest job and what were the outcomes?
10. What are your long-term goals?
11. Do you have any questions about the company or the position here?
12. Why should we choose you? 

The job interview is the most critical step in getting a job and in this step it all comes down to the candidate's performance. As behavioral scientists point out - no career advisor can tell you exactly what to say during a job interview. For this part of the job-search you are your own best instructor. This is why using career tools like Mastering the Job Interview DVD can improve dramatically your chances of making the right impression, presenting yourself as the best candidate and ultimately earning the job-offer you want.