What can you ask at an interview? What did other employees do to succeed in this position? What problems does the company face now? What is your department doing to solve them?

“Why is a manhole cover round?” “How many golf balls can fit on a school bus?” - these interview questions are asked to candidates when applying for a job at Microsoft and Google. The employer's goal is to determine the candidate's way of thinking. Domestic leaders also torture their applicants.

Basic interview questions

Interview - important stage employment. Both sides must prepare for this meeting in advance.

Questions for an applicant during an interview

At the first interview, the applicant should be asked a number of general and specific questions 1) Work schedule. No matter how interesting the job is (office location, tasks to be solved, team), if the work schedule does not correspond to your biometric clock or daily routine, you should not agree to it. In the first case, labor productivity decreases sharply, and in the second, you will not have time to do household chores. Another question is if this schedule can be moved and agreed in advance with management. 2) Availability of vacation. Before changing jobs, the candidate may already have plans for vacation. According to the law, only after six months of work can an employee go on vacation. If you do not fit into these deadlines, you should immediately discuss this issue with the employer during the interview and record it in employment contract. 3) Business trips. The very fact of business trips and their duration must be immediately agreed upon at the interview. 4) Payment for processing. If you have to pay overtime, you should ask in advance how it is paid. There is no way to protect yourself in advance. But it is necessary to ensure that there is a provision on compensation in the collective agreement. 5) Can I use personal devices or are all devices provided at work? This question is more about access control and working with it. If the company allows you to use your own device, be prepared for the fact that your messages via instant messengers social networks will be tracked without your knowledge. 6) Training at the expense of the company. Large companies annually organize advanced training courses for their employees. Find out what courses and under what conditions you can enroll this year. Typically, a minimum amount of experience in a company and partial payment for classes is required.

Employer questions during an interview

The recruit at the interview will be interested not only general information about the applicant. How do you look at life? How do you deal with problems? Some express a passive position, that there is little joy in their life, all people are evil and, in general, fate is to blame. This indicates that the candidate is not confident in himself, does not trust others and is pessimistic. A person aimed at success expresses a different position: all difficulties are surmountable and a person’s fate is in his hands. What attracts you to this vacancy? The template answer “I want to work in a stable company” is not suitable. It is better to mention the possibility of professional growth in a group of professionals. Why are you worthy of this position? When answering the question, the candidate must clearly and convincingly state his professional advantages. The ability to draw up a sales plan is already the responsibility of an economist, but quickly processing a large amount of information from the sales department is a valuable skill. What are your strengths? The candidate must name the qualities required for the position and support them with facts. If this is “sociability and accuracy,” then you should clarify what exactly they are manifested in and how they influenced achievements at work in the past. Did you have any other job offers? Interest in the candidate will increase if he talks about other offers, but note his interest in this particular job. It is good if the candidate expresses a desire to receive job satisfaction. Not only the moral climate, but also the opportunity to obtain high results from work depends on this. Will your personal life interfere with your work (long working hours, business trips)? If you are willing to work extra hours, then management should know about it. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Lack of initiative people cannot answer this question. But a purposeful person will talk about his plans in the professional field.

Psychological issues and pitfalls when hiring

Psychological tests carried out when hiring, studying the motivation of employees, their psychological compatibility. Stress testing is carried out to weed out particularly sensitive candidates. How to pass an interview? Testing for an interview is not an appointment with a psychologist. You need to answer clearly, as most people do, and show a minimum of originality, unless you get a job as an art director in a company. Experts recommend answering questions on behalf of “ ideal hero" To do this, you need to have an image of a candidate who is completely suitable for this position. Design tests are most often carried out using the Luscher method. You can select the correct answers to questions in advance in the relevant literature. To pass intelligence tests, you need to carefully study the conditions of the study. Even if you don't know the correct answer, you can always try to guess it. To pass professional tests. You must have knowledge and skills in your chosen specialty. Such tasks should not be underestimated. You need to prepare in advance for the knowledge test. To bank and financial institutions For many people, “working in a bank” is associated with financial independence. As in any other area, it has its own specifics. In addition to professional knowledge Good communication skills are also important. Banks are ready to hire people without experience and train them in the specifics of their activities. The candidate comes for an interview and answers a number of general and specific questions regarding his character. The level of stress resistance is determined in practice. You can talk about career growth in just two years successful work. They recruit specialists from different education. Priority is given to persons with economic education. The last stage of the interview at large banks is a polygraph test. It happens unexpectedly. The purpose of testing is to obtain confirmation of the information told during the interview. Testing is carried out in several stages. First, the candidate is introduced to how the sensors work. Then he is provided with a list of questions so that he can edit them or exclude some items. Testing begins after the final version of the questions is approved and the subject’s consent to participate in the test is obtained. You only need to answer “yes” or “no”. A vague question may cause the test taker to respond incorrectly. Answer questions regarding religion, politics, nationality And sexual relations the subject is not obliged. To law enforcement agencies Before you get a job in law enforcement, you should clearly define the vacancy. There is a clear list of requirements for each position, which includes personal qualities and level of professionalism. Candidates who have served in the army or graduated from a military department have more advantages. The key stage in testing unscrupulous employees is a polygraph test. If the test results reveal a tendency to gambling, alcohol or dangerous for environment illness, then about work in law enforcement agencies it will be possible to forget. Neither a certificate from a narcologist nor a diploma will save you here. You should not try to deceive the polygraph. The specialist immediately recognizes all attempts to avoid answering and perceives them as a signal that the person has something to hide. The police conduct polygraph tests not only among newcomers, but also among their own employees, starting with the head of the department. Although from a legal point of view these actions are not legalized.

What to say at an interview

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

When a candidate answers a question, pay attention to the following: - formally sets out biographical data or immediately lays out “trump cards”, emphasizing his desire and ability to take this position; - states only the main thing, that is, talks about his qualifications, experience, responsibility, interest, hard work and integrity, or cites irrelevant facts; - speaks briefly, accurately, clearly, or mumbles for a long time and expresses his thoughts poorly; - behaves or speaks calmly, confidently or unsure of himself.

2. How do you look at life: what difficulties do you see in it and how do you cope with them?

Some people express themselves in the sense that life is difficult, there are a lot of problems, most of which are insoluble, that people are angry and unkind, that there are few joys in life and everything is decided by fate, chance or other people, but not by himself. This means that this person is passive, unsure of himself, does not trust others, is pessimistic and unhappy (loser). Other people speak positively about life: there is no life without problems, difficulties are surmountable, a person’s fate and career are in his hands, people are friendly and ready to cooperate, a person is the architect of his own happiness. So says a person who is active life position oriented to success, ready to take responsibility, successfully interacts with people and knows how to enjoy life.

3. What attracts you to work with us in this position?

It’s bad if they answer with common phrases: “I’m attracted by the prospects for growth, interesting job, a reputable company..." Must provide serious and specific arguments: the desire to apply your qualifications and experience where they can give the greatest return and will be appreciated, the attractiveness of working in a strong team of professionals.

4. Why do you consider yourself worthy to take this position? What are your advantages over other candidates?

This best question for the candidate to, without false modesty, name his main advantages over other applicants. At the same time, he must demonstrate his ability to persuade, emphasizing his advantages. It is bad if the candidate answers this question with weak arguments and cites his formal biographical characteristics.

5. What are your strengths?

The candidate must primarily emphasize the qualities required for this job and provide convincing evidence based on specific facts. But you can hear cliches repeated thousands of times: “I am sociable, neat, efficient,” etc. Ask him to clarify how his sociability, accuracy, diligence are manifested, what is his manner of listening to the client, what he has achieved thanks to his strong qualities.

6. What are your weaknesses?

From an intelligent candidate you are unlikely to hear repentance of sins and a long list of his shortcomings. He will try to twist the answer in such a way as to further increase his chances. For example, he will say: “Many people consider me a workaholic” or “I don’t know how to relax, I only feel good when I’m working” or “I’m too demanding of myself and others.” If the candidate boasts too much and you want to take him to frank confession your shortcomings, you can tell him such a joke. In such a situation, the candidate characterizes himself: “Conscientious, hardworking, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke...” Then he is asked in surprise: “You don’t have a single shortcoming?” “There is one,” the candidate admits, “I like to lie.”

7. Why did you leave your previous job?

It’s bad if the reason for leaving was a conflict, if the candidate criticizes the existing order there and his former leader. Leaving work due to conflict is an escape from difficulties, an admission of one’s own defeat, which leaves an imprint on the individual’s self-esteem. A negative attitude towards people, the habit of conflicts with employees, and especially with management, is a stable characteristic of a person and will certainly manifest itself in one form or another at work. new job. A good candidate will emphasize the positive things that were in his previous work and relationships with people, and will name such worthy reasons as the desire for a more interesting (highly paid, providing opportunities for professional growth) work and the desire to fully realize his capabilities.

8. Why did you decide to change jobs?

This question is asked to someone who is working at the time of the interview. As in the answer to previous question, not with the best side characterizes the candidate with a story about the conflict. While the desire for professional growth, expanding the scope of application of one’s knowledge and skills, and increasing salaries is respected and welcomed in all developed countries.

9. Have you received other job offers?

The candidate’s authority will increase if he talks about other job offers, but notes his particular interest in this one. It’s good if he expresses his desire to receive maximum satisfaction from his work. His mood not only affects his health and the moral climate in the team, but is also the most important a necessary condition high labor productivity, the most reliable guarantee against errors, negligence and defects, and ultimately the main guarantee of the company’s prosperity.

10. How successful have you been in interviews in other places?

It is important to find out why you failed an interview in some places and passed successfully in others. If he convinces you that your competitors are interested, then you try to keep him.

11. Will your personal life interfere with this job, which is associated with additional stress (irregular working hours, long or long-distance business trips, constant travel)?

This question is often asked to women. In some companies, trying to circumvent the law, they set strict conditions, such as not having children for a certain time, not registering sick leave for child care, do not take leave without pay, etc.

12. How do you imagine your position in five (ten) years?

Many uninitiated people who do not plan their careers and lives answer that they cannot imagine such long-term prospects. And a person aimed at personal success will readily talk about his planned professional growth, and, possibly, personal goals. Max Eggert in his book " Brilliant career” spoke about the importance of career planning. At one famous business school, on the first day of classes, students were asked who had written down the stages and goals of their personal career. Only 3% of them raised their hands. After 10 years, it was these 3% who achieved more financial success than everyone else combined.

13. What changes would you make in your new job?

It’s good if you show your initiative and familiarity with the situation of innovation and reorganization. However, this is only permissible with a thorough knowledge of the problems in the company. It’s bad if you don’t know the state of affairs very well, but strive to change everything in your own way.

14. Who can I contact for feedback on your work?

Must readily provide telephone numbers and addresses of former colleagues and managers. Concealing such information will immediately reveal the lack of positive recommendations or the inexperience of the applicant.

15. What salary do you expect?

A Russian proverb says: “He who doesn’t know his own price will always sell himself short.” Good specialist always knows his worth and expects a high salary. It is better for the candidate to overestimate the expected payment for his work than to underestimate it. If the proposed salary, do not forget to “enlarge the pie” and list the benefits available in the organization: bonuses, medical insurance, children’s preschool institutions, free travel and meals, free training and other manifestations of care for staff. [...] If the candidate is clearly bluffing, you can “knock him out of the role” and cool his ardor by sharply lowering the proposed salary and benefits. Remember this joke? An arrogant young artist, in a demanding tone, puts forward his conditions to the chief director of the theater when applying for a job: “Salary 500 dollars, main roles, 8 performances per month and the provision of a separate apartment.” To which the chief director calmly puts forward his own: “50 dollars, daily performances, extras and a dorm room.” - "Agree".

You can add 5 more questions to the main ones.

16. What can you tell us about your professional connections that you could use in your new job?

17. How do you increase your professional qualifications?

18. What do you like to do in free time?

19. When could you start a new job?

20. What questions do you have?

V. Polyakov
excerpt from the book “Career Technology”

When going for an interview, prepare for possible questions from the employer. Think about what an employer might ask and how to respond. As a rule, during a job interview you are asked standard set basic questions, as well as additional ones, depending on the specific position. Below is a list popular questions employer and answers to them. Use the answers provided as a template, edit them in accordance with the characteristics of the position for which you are applying.

You have been invited to an interview and you really want to get this position, but are you afraid of competitors, are you afraid of answering a tricky question incorrectly or just getting confused? In this case, you need to gather all your will into a fist and prepare for a responsible conversation with the employer. Be sure to think about your clothing style, hairstyle, and rehearse your speech, taking into account possible options expected answers.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main questions that recruiters ask a job applicant during an interview. You will find all the correct answers in our article. How to respond to specific and non-standard tasks in order to stand out from the crowd of competitors?

Very popular in job interviews these days. situational questions, examples below (click to enlarge):

13 popular interview questions and answers to them

Question 1 Tell us a little about yourself
Very popular and one of the first questions recruiters ask. How best to answer the question - tell us about yourself?

Answer. It is necessary to remain calm when answering, speech must be clear and confident. Tell what the interviewer wants to hear: where you studied, your specialty, previous jobs, interests, hobbies, hobbies. Tell us what exactly interested you in the new position and be sure to focus on your personal qualities. Among them, it is important to note resistance to stress, quick learning, hard work and discipline, desire for a goal, Full time job above oneself.

Answer examples:

The second most popular job interview question is why you left your previous job. How to respond to a recruiter?

Answer. The answer should not talk about a conflict with management, if any. You should also not speak negatively about the director and colleagues. The applicant may be suspected of being quarrelsome, inability to get along with people, or work in a team. Replying to this question, talk about former job in positive tones, remember fun and pleasant moments. The reason for leaving can be called the desire to reveal your potential, unique abilities, desire for professional growth and a higher salary.

More example answers:

How to answer the interview question - why do you want to work with us? The employer will definitely ask you this – prepare for it.

Answer. Worth mentioning positive characteristics companies, among them - stability, opportunity for professional growth, well-coordinated team, interesting work, decent salary. You can also add that what attracts you is the work schedule, management policies aimed at subordinates and other important points.

To give a reasoned answer about the reason for wanting to work in a particular company, read about it, look at the website, ask what the company does, what it produces, how many years it has been on the market.

What to answer to an employer if he asks a tricky question about why they should hire you for a vacant position.

Answer. The applicant must give a clear, intelligible and reasoned answer, namely, say that he is an excellent specialist, has invaluable experience, and is constantly improving in a specific area. You need to prepare in advance to tell in detail about the company’s field of activity, about the industry in which you are going to work. There is no need to be ashamed to praise yourself, talk about your successes and talents.

Question 5 What are your weaknesses?
Perhaps the most difficult thing to answer in an interview is what your shortcomings are.

Answer. It’s worth noting right away that this is a trick question. It’s not worth laying out your flaws as best you can. Try to name yours positive traits, pretending to consider them your shortcomings. For example, they are too demanding of themselves, do not know how to disconnect from work, are pedantic, strict, scrupulous. You can also answer a tricky question that everyone has shortcomings, but yours do not in any way affect your professional qualities.

Examples of answers about shortcomings:

How should you answer a question about your strengths in an interview?

Answer. Let us tell you right away which aspects should not be named, because almost every applicant for a position talks about them:

Punctuality.

You make contact with people easily.

Performance.

These are standard qualities, recruiters are already tired of them, so they need to be more creative. Tell them at the interview that you can easily find an approach to people, know how to inspire trust, use your working day rationally, have experience in negotiations, and conclude profitable contracts. Managers should pay attention to such answers.

How to answer the question about the desired salary level?

Answer. A good specialist must know his own worth. Try to name a salary that is 10-15% higher than your previous one. A golden mean is needed here, because if the pay is too low, I will think that the person is a bad worker, and if the salary is too high, I will think that he is overly ambitious.

Usually this question ends the study of the candidate. How to answer about where you see yourself in 5-10 or more years?

Answer. A persistent person always sets high goals for himself, advancement career ladder. During the interview, you need to emphasize that your dream is to work in this company and during this time take a leadership position.

Don’t talk about living in a luxury apartment surrounded by a crowd of children and a beautiful wife. This is not what the employer wants to hear.

Example of a good answer:

“In 5 years, I see myself as a mature specialist, perhaps a project manager (direction, division), who has significantly improved his level of professional training.”

Answer. Here they hint at overtime work. You need to ask how often overtime occurs and understand for yourself whether you are really ready for it or whether this position is not suitable for you. If yes, then answer in the affirmative, say that you are ready to stay at work and do everything for the benefit of the company.

Answer: Be sure to say that you are hungry for new experiences and will happily complete all the assigned tasks, because you are gaining invaluable experience and skills.

Answer. This is also a tricky question; here the employer finds out whether the job is so important to the applicant. Therefore, ask in detail about the work schedule provided by the social service. package on the requirements for company employees.

Any job interview is stressful. A person is nervous and even the simplest question can confuse him. By knowing what recruiters ask most often, you can be well prepared and answer them correctly. You can answer any tricky question, the main thing is to be confident in your own abilities. Study our article and confidently go for an interview, impressing employers with your erudition and excellent professional qualities.

An HR employee must know exactly what questions he should ask each specific candidate and what to ask the applicant during an interview.

For example, if you are hiring a call center operator, you need to find out whether he is able to easily cope with stressful situations.

And also, is he able to successfully establish contact with conflicting people? professional activity this may be needed.

Pay attention to his social qualities, and the qualification component may fade into the background.

If you are interviewing teachers, of course social skills may be very important, but the most important thing is that the candidate has vocational education and special knowledge.

Types and purposes of questions

The main goal of the interview is to understand what a possible employee of the company is like. There are many types of questions that can be used to structure a conversation during an interview.

It is not surprising that many are interested in: what is asked most often during an interview? Job interview questions can be divided into several categories.

Open. Questions that involve extensive reasoning. By asking open questions, you give the candidate the initiative and allow him to talk about himself as a person.

Are common. Questions that can be answered with a short “yes” or “no.” Designed to get a simple answer to the question posed.

Projective. By answering these questions, the candidate compares his experience with the actions of other people. Through the prism of opinions fictional characters allows you to find out the candidate’s personal attitude towards the person being considered.

Reflexive. They help you take the initiative. For example, if the applicant gets carried away with the answer, you can politely interrupt him with a question: “Okay, now we can move on to the next question, right?” A similar technique can also liberate a nervous applicant and encourage him to trust the recruiter.

Behavioral. Aimed at identifying the characteristics of the candidate’s character and the nuances of his behavior.

Suggestive. When the main part of the information is clarified, you can clarify some details with the help of leading questions. For example, you can tell that the company actively cooperates with branches in other cities, and at the same time ask how the applicant feels about long business trips.

Psychological. Strange questions that cause confusion among candidates. They allow you to analyze a person’s ability to switch from one to another and react quickly. This section also includes questions on intelligence.

It is necessary to win over the interlocutor for the conversation, to do everything possible so that he remains good impression about the conversation, because during the conversation not only the candidate, but also the company that invited him receives an assessment.

And now, more about what is asked during a job interview or 10 questions that you may be asked.

Standard questions

Please tell us about yourself.
Why did you leave your last job?
What does motivation mean to you?
When work activity gives you the most pleasure?
Where do you see yourself in a few years?
What are your strengths?
Name yours weak sides?
What didn't suit you at your last job?
What are your advantages over other candidates?
Do you know anything about our company?
Maybe you have questions for the company?

The following question often arises during an interview: where do you see yourself in 5 years or why do you want to work with us? It is better to think through the answers to them in advance.

Behavioral issues

Tell us about a time when you were unable to achieve desired results. How did you cope with the task?
Tell us about a successful project you led.
If you do something wrong, how do you explain it to your boss?
Tell us about the most difficult decision you have had to make in your career.

Projective

What usually attracts people to work?
Good worker. Describe it.
What makes people work more efficiently?
Why can you fire an employee?
What guides people when they choose a specialty?
Why do people want to have a successful career?
To communicate effectively with people, what character qualities does a person need?

Biographical

Tell us about your dreams.
What grades did you get at school and university?
Tell us about those professional victories that make you proud.
In what cities did you live and conduct your professional activities?
What is the most important thing you learned at university?

Tricky and insidious

Why shouldn't we hire you to work with us?
What did you have for dinner yesterday?
How would you explain yellow to a blind person?
How do you feel about social networks, how much time do you spend on them?
If you were a superhero, what power would you have?
What would you do if you were the only survivor of a plane crash?

Strange

These questions can be categorized as: awkward questions.

These include such things as why we need an employee of this company, why we should hire you and others.

On logic, associations

Why is the manhole cover round? Answer: so that it cannot fail during installation, the rectangular one will easily fit into the hatch body diagonally.
How should you throw a tennis ball so that it comes back? Answer: up.
How many times a day do the clock hands coincide? Answer: 22 times.
If it's raining at 12, can you expect that the sun will come out exactly 72 hours later? Answer: No, it will be midnight again at this time.

About career and work in the company

How would you like to develop your career?
When would you be able to take on your new responsibilities?
If you get the position, what goal will you set for yourself?
Have you communicated with employers in other organizations?
If we asked your last boss what you need to learn, what would he say?
What is your typical work day like?

About money

Which wages you expect?
What was your salary before?
How much money do you expect to earn by the end of your first year with our firm?
And in the third year of work?

Now you know what questions are asked during a job interview. And the recruiter should make a list of questions for a job interview. It may contain both standard questions and specialized ones.

What questions are required?

In this part, we’ll talk about what questions to ask a candidate during an interview in any case. Let's consider those questions during a job interview that will be asked without fail.

Be sure to ask about the applicant’s education and work experience. Find out why he is interested in your company.

Ask about the candidate's hobbies, ask several tricky questions to check his reaction.

Pay more attention to the applicant's future, don't focus on his past work. What does he expect, what plans is he making?

It is better to resort to strange questions to defuse the situation, and tricky ones to test the candidate’s reaction in stressful situations.

Be sure to ask the candidate if they have any questions. It is necessary not only to listen to his answers, but also to tell him what interests him.

What should you not ask a candidate?

Refrain from asking too uncomfortable questions.

Do not ask about personal life, religion, nationality - such topics can scare off the candidate or turn him against you.

Don't ask questions directly. For example, the phrase: “Are you worried?” will make the applicant nervous, uncomfortable, and his anxiety will only increase.

Your goal is to create a friendly environment for a confidential conversation.

You need to communicate correctly and politely. Only in such an atmosphere will you be able to objectively assess the candidate’s capabilities.

Read about what unexpected and even tricky questions an employer can ask during an interview.

How to evaluate answers?

Each recruiter has its own system for evaluating applicant responses. For any question, there is already a standard answer that the HR employee is used to hearing.

It is best to give preference not to the applicant who gives the correct answers, but to the one who shows confidence, thinks outside the box and is not afraid of his future employer, and the conversation with him is pleasant and unobtrusive.

Pledge successful interview– competent assessment of the candidate’s responses to the vacancy.

Pay attention to his behavior: how does he reason, gesture, does he react to provocation, does he get confused in his words and does he make decisions quickly?

The answer to the question itself is not as important as the process of thinking and reasoning about it. Questions asked during a job interview are very often aimed at finding out what the applicant is like as a person. Therefore, while it is important what to ask an employee during an interview, what may be more important is how he behaves.

The tips described in the article, as well as sample job interview questions, will help you properly develop an interview plan with the applicant. Use them and you will quickly find your ideal employee. Well, potential candidates now have sample job interview questions.

Rabota.ru answered frequently asked questions from the “Interview is impossible” category. Now don't be afraid of anything.

Sometimes they ask such questions that they confuse you. Perhaps the most popular: “Tell me about yourself?” Instead of an effective answer, many applicants mutter hackneyed phrases in response. It becomes awkward - the interview is ruined. Rabota.ru has compiled a list of the 9 most insidious interview questions, according to applicants. And then I interrogated the recruiters why they asked them and what to answer.

— We were invited to an interview at a well-known pharmaceutical chain in Moscow. Passed all stages of interviews (five meetings, including the general director, shareholders and security service). At the final meeting with the shareholder, the question: “What is your zodiac sign?” I'm talking. To me: “No, thank you, we don’t need you.” — from the tournament of disgruntled workers “,” which is currently taking place on Rabote.ru. The question about the zodiac sign is one of the exotic ones, and if the answer to it is the main criterion for selecting personnel in a company, then it is better to politely bow out immediately. Because it’s some kind of obscurantism, not business. But the example is illustrative. Strange things are asked at interviews. And some of them, unfortunately for vulnerable candidates, are quite justified.

Questions labeled “tricky” are not offensive and have a practical meaning. Unlike the harmless ones - about education, work experience, place of residence - the insidious ones hide a catch. They are asked to look at the candidate’s reaction in an unexpected situation, to test for intelligence, resourcefulness, and fluency. Consider that these are test problems that you shouldn’t be offended by - they need to be solved.

1. Tell us about yourself?

The most “inconvenient” question, according to Rabota.ru visitors. It is believed that with its help you can find out about the candidate’s priorities in life: people first of all talk about what worries them most. Olga Bezumova, recruitment manager recruitment agency“,” says that the employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies. Elena Volkova, head of a recruiting company, advises telling a little about everything: about education and hobbies. According to Yulia Tartakovskaya, HR manager at the group of companies, this question needs to be specified: specify what exactly to talk about, about your professional experience or something personal.

If this is your first meeting with an employer, it is advisable to keep questions about your personal life to a minimum. It is unknown how the recruiter will react to revelations about hemp farming, fighting hamsters and other skeletons in your closet.

2. What are your shortcomings?

A question of intelligence and a sense of proportion. Don't try to be witty by boldly declaring that you are lazy or prone to office romances. It’s better to joke in moderation, for example: “Sometimes I make so much money that I stop feeling the passage of time.” Or answer neutrally: “Of course, I have shortcomings, but they do not affect my work in any way,” advises Olga Bezumova. But it is better not to reveal real shortcomings under any pretext.

3. Why did you leave your previous job?

The employer wants to know what you weren’t happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one. The main thing: never speak badly about former boss or colleagues - this is doubtful and ugly. Say: “There was no career advancement in sight.” You can refer to the same responsibilities and routine at the old place, to the fact that it is geographically inconvenient, the schedule did not suit you - and it is better if all this is true. Just keep in mind: when choosing one of these answers, you need to be sure that career growth, responsibilities, etc., everything is in order in the new company. It’s better to talk about the desire to get more in the last place, as if by the way, they say, money is not the only reason for my employment. For some reason, many employers like to think that everything good employees They work more for the idea.

4. What is the desired minimum and maximum salary?

In other words, can the company buy you and keep you for some time? Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary. “The maximum is 30%,” adds Elena Volkova.

5. How long do you plan to work with us?

That is, what are your goals and motives and how sincere you are. “To answer the question, I have to work a little and understand whether I like the team, whether the tasks I have to solve are interesting, whether the atmosphere in the team is close to me. If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial,” Yulia Tartakovskaya offers an answer.

6. Tell us about your achievements?

Testing self-esteem and prudence. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your skills, and received a gold cup. The main thing is not to overdo it. Of course, not everyone can boast of super-achievement. If what is written above is not about you, say that in your previous place you mastered a new one computer program, improved the level of a foreign language, or maybe established peace and tranquility in a rowdy office - this is also not bad.

7. How do you cope with the enormous workload?

Yeah, most likely you are being prepared for overtime. Ask a counter question: “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “colossal production loads.”

8. What do you know about our company?

The question is insidious only for the lazy. You need to know a minimum about the company. At least check out her website. And in order not to confuse one company with another, do not go to more than 2 interviews a day.

9. Why do you want to work with us?

Usually this is a continuation of the question “about our company” - an attempt to completely confuse the candidate and extract from him some secret reason for employment. It’s better to keep silent about money at first. Start from afar - flatter a little: the company has been on the market for many years, and this indicates stability (this is exactly what you need), the company is a revolutionary in the market (this is exactly what you need), it is interesting to work in such and such an area, you are satisfied with the position, responsibilities , the office location is convenient and the like.

Finally, let’s sweeten the pill for novice job seekers. Most interviews are conducted line managers, your future bosses. “And they are often no recruiters. They ask some tricky question, and then, without hearing the answer, they move on to another topic. Such managers simply “float” because they think: they need to ask something smart, but they don’t know what exactly and how to analyze the answer. They ask in order to ask at least something,” said one HR director friend of mine. Therefore, during an interview, sometimes what is more important is not the content of the answer to a tricky question, but its presentation. Yes, show off. Be calm, answer confidently, pronounce words clearly, ask counter questions. There is nothing to be afraid of, you are the best, and this is another meeting with a person, an ordinary person.

Ekaterina Kozhevatova