Question 5: How Would Your Boss Describe You?

This is another trick question and if you are not prepared - it may take you by surprise. This is the type of mind game that some job hunters thrive on, and others dread. There are recruiters that will actually first verify that your ex-boss is listed as a reference. Then they will ask the question and take notes and then would call the ex-boss to compare. But most would only ask the question as a fun way to open a discussion about personal and professional qualities. If you are not prepared though - you may not be able to see the fun in this.

OK - now here is what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you, when asking this question:

1. It is not about the ex-boss, but about how you would see yourself through the eyes of the ex-boss. It is one thing to say how you feel about yourself and it is another to say how your supervisor may have felt. It is often relatively easy for a recruiter to see if the candidate is prepared for this question or not. But preparation is not necessarily what they are looking for - it is the unique insight. I had one person say to me in an interview, when answering this question "He would probably describe me as a bit lazy!"

2. With your answer you will reveal a lot about your professional and personal value system. This is valid no matter how prepared or unprepared you are. The way you approach your answer will highlight what you think is important in terms of professional qualities and this is what the recruiter is really interested in.

3. If the interviewer sees that you are surprised by this question she would be able to see also how fast you think on your feet and how comfortable and confident you are with your message. Your confidence and quick reaction may have a bigger impact than what you say. As Marshall McLuhan put it -- the medium is the message.

Question 4: What Were Your Personal Responsibilities?

This is the real deal now. With the answer to this question you will have the opportunity to go for the touchdown ... or drop the ball altogether. This is where you describe what you did on a day-to-day basis, the projects that you owned, and the work that you put in. How do you shine here? It can be quite simple if you focus your message on achievements, on results, on the things that you changed and improved, while owning your work. Give a lot of examples and be specific. Instead of "Prepared the monthly productivity reports" you could say "Decreased by three days the preparation time for the monthly productivity reports, while in the same time increasing accuracy to 100%". You get the picture?

OK - now here is what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you, when asking this question:

1. When asking you about your prior responsibilities, the recruiter is examining in detail what kind of employee you are going to be. Will you be proud of your work (then, you would probably speak with pride about past accomplishments)? Will you be confident and assertive go-getter? Will you be a problem-solver, or merely a problem register, etc.?

2. In my experience the hiring manager will often have a mental list, or even one on paper, and will check off each of the responsibilities for the position she is looking to fill. Sometimes she would even ask clarifying questions, which could be great clues for the attentive job-hunter. If you cannot decipher anything, or prefer not to change your game plan - your best bet is preparation based on the job-description. This is why it is so important to have as much of a detailed job-description as possible. You can not do too much here and you can go as far as setting up a prior informational interview with someone in the company to help you get more information on the key responsibilities.

3. The recruiter is also interested in the overlap between your skills-set and the one needed for the position you are applying for. This would include any type of skills - from mere understanding of excel, to the finer points of the emotional intelligence required in an increasing number of places. Also - are you over or under-qualified? What is the expected learning curve?

Question 2: at This Point in Your Career What Would Be the Perfect Job For You?

Now let me start by clarifying one thing - yes, this is a trick question. Every time you hear this question you have to be able to answer without a blink: "This job is the perfect job for me!" Here is how you do this. You look at the job description and start listing down answers to the question why this job is a perfect match for your background. It is very important to list your business reasons, and not personal reasons, like "I really dig the salary for this type of job!" In addition - try to keep your answers under the section "What I can do for the company!" and avoid the section "What the company can do for me." Once you have the list of reasons 'why' then you will be able with confidence to say to the person you are interviewing with: "This job is the perfect job for me, because ...!"

OK - now here is what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you, when asking this question:

1. First she wants to know if you had done your homework. Do you really know what this job is all about? True - most job-descriptions are standard, vague and provide few specifics about the job. Yet there is enough for you to relate to. Here is another opportunity to impress by highlighting specific achievements from your background, that illustrate why this is the perfect job for you.

2. Your energy level is one measure of your enthusiasm for the job, and the answer you give to this question is the other measure. The recruiter wants to know if you truly want this job. They assume that if you do - it will show in how you approach the answer to this. If you have prepared your list with 'why this is the perfect job for you' - I can guarantee you the recruiter will like your answer.

3. Over-prepare, but don't overdo it. The recruiter will see through any cliche, or borrowed answer. It may look great on paper, but if it is not your true reason for wanting the job - better avoid it.

Question 3: at Your Last Job - Whom Did You Report to and What Was Their Position With the Company?

This is a more specific question that usually is straight-forward and requires a straight forward answer. It will give the recruiter a sense of what your relationship with your boss was. In my experience a surprising number of people make the mistake of criticizing their ex-bosses or ex-employers. Even if you have sound business reasons not to be happy with your previous position a job interview is not the right place to vent. Stay positive instead, and try to highlight the aspects of your experience with the ex-boss, that will make you a better fit for the position you are applying for.

OK - now here is what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you, when asking this question:

1. The answer to this question will help the recruiter gauge your exact position in the pecking order. Many times the title does not carry its meaning from one company to the next. In a sales-driven organization for instance a sales rep may have the title of Vice President or Director - and it is all just to give the potential clients the sense that they are working with someone high enough. At the same time in another organization a simple title like Manager or Associate, may come with a P&L responsibility, multi-million dollar budget and a team of MBAs reporting into that same manager or associate.

2. Your answer to this question will reveal your exposure level - how high in the organization you were able to reach, to have influence with your work. It makes a difference if you were reporting to one of the many directors or to the Senior VP and this is something the recruiter wants to know.

3. The recruiter will also be on alert for your criticism of your ex-boss. This is usually a good indicator for possible future attitude so like I said - it is a mistake to offer any negative information about your relationship with your boss or negative information for that boss in general. If you are talking with the hiring manager she may think "Gee, this person will leave tomorrow and criticize me in the same manner!"