Table Of Contentfeatures
coMpetency
baseD
questions
Have you got sHow-stopping interview You’re hired - the words that every job
applicant wants to hear. But with many
answers? Does tHe prospect of answering
more job-hunters than jobs available,
tougH interview questions fill you witH fear? the odds are stacked against you.
You’re Hired! is a series of best-selling
guides for job-hunters, showing you
Ceri roderick is head of
how to research, apply for and land the
assessment at pearn kandola,
More recruiters tHan ever use coMpetency-baseD job of your dreams.
and has been designing and
questions to finD tHe best canDiDate. it’s not enougH i
delivering tough interviews n Make sure you’re hired!
to Merely survive tHese notoriously tougH interviews
for over 20 years. he works
- you Must prove you are unquestionably tHe best t
with blue chip companies and
you’re HireD!
government departments, person for tHe job. e
nationally and internationally, r
luckily for you, You’re Hired! Interview Answers shows you how.
on all aspects of job
You’ll soon feel in control, turn the interview on its head and pro- v
assessment. Ceri is a regular
vide answers that recruiters really want to hear – whatever they also in this series:.
press commentator and writes i
throw at you. e
and presents regularly on
w
assessment and leadership packed with coaching and example interview answers relevant to
issues. every level of job-hunter, discover how to:
a
Stephan lucks is a Managing • Deftly handle a competency-based interview n
psychologist at the business • Give answers that dazzle your interviewer
s
psychology consulting • Turn tough questions to your advantage
firm pearn kandola, with • Prepare for the unexpected w
over 17 years experience in
assessment development. arm yourself with the tools you need to get the job of your e
he works with a variety of dreams. Can you afford not to? r iMpressive answers
companies, developing skills
s tO tOugh questiOns
assessment programmes for
all levels of management.
Stephan is a regular
£9.99
press contributor and an
experienced author and
conference speaker.
Ceri roderiCk & Stephan luCkS
available from www.trotman.co.uk
YOU’RE HIRED!
IntERvIEw answERs
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YOU’RE HIRED!
IntERvIEw answERs
ImpREssIvE answERs tO
tOUgH qUEstIOns
cERI RODERIck anD stEpHan lUcks
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You’re Hired! Interview Answers: Impressive answers to tough questions
This edition first published in 2010 by Trotman Publishing, a division of
Crimson Publishing Ltd., Westminster House, Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey
TW9 2ND
© Trotman 2010
Authors Ceri Roderick and Stephan Lucks
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84455 229 0
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic and
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of
Trotman Publishing.
The author’s moral right have been asserted
Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall
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Acknowledgements
With thanks to our clients and colleagues with whom we gained the valuable
experience to write this book.
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cOntEnts
List of activities 1
about the authors 2
Introduction 3
How to navigate this book 4
chapter 1 what is a competency and what is a competency-based
interview? 7
Exploring competencies 9
Structured competency-based interviews 11
What is the structure and process of the interview? 14
How will the interview be conducted? 16
Why are competency-based interviews used at all? 17
What is the interviewer looking for? 20
chapter 2 preparing for the interview 23
Perfecting your preparation 25
Researching the organisation/department 26
Understanding their competencies/criteria: what are they looking for? 31
Researching the interview situation 34
Researching yourself: assets and risks 36
chapter 3 During the interview 41
Arriving for the interview 43
The interview situation 43
Building rapport 43
Being authentic and credible 46
The way you answer questions 48
Closing the interview 49
The parting shot 50
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chapter 4 task-based questions: example interview answers 53
Putting the caR model to work 55
Recognising task-based questions 56
Preparing to respond to task-based answers 57
Example interview answers 59
Graduate/trainee management level 60
Middle management level 68
Senior management level 73
chapter 5 thought-based questions: example interview answers 79
Thought-based questions 81
Recognising a ‘thought leadership’ interview question 82
Preparing to respond to thought thought-based questions 83
Example interview answers 85
Graduate/trainee management level 86
Middle management level 94
Senior management level 100
Further practice questions 108
chapter 6 people-based questions: example interview questions 111
What are employers looking for in terms of people skills? 113
Recognising people-based questions 114
Preparing to respond to people-based answers 115
Example interview answers 117
Graduate/trainee management level 117
Middle management level 121
Senior management level 131
chapter 7 non-competency-based questions – but still tough! 137
Dealing with non-competency-based questions 139
CV and chronology-based questions 141
Knowledge-based questions 145
Hypothetical questions 147
Vague or general questions 150
Self-evaluation, self-disclosure and motivation questions 152
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chapter 8 troubleshooting 157
Before the interview 159
During the interview 162
chapter 9 and finally… 169
notes 172
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