| For all jobseekers facing an interviewer, the best thing | | | | what aspects of your current position are you least |
| is to prepare properly for the particular interview, | | | | comfortable? Why?* What aspects of your current |
| based on the company where the interview is taking | | | | job could be better performed? Why, and what are |
| place. Good preparation includes the ability to anticipate | | | | you doing to improve in these areas?Unless properly |
| tough interview questions, and then, knowing how to | | | | fielded, each of the above interview questions is an |
| handle them.The interview questions most difficult for | | | | interview disaster just waiting to happen. Regardless |
| the average candidate to handle are those that are | | | | of how well you may have done describing your |
| intended to probe weaknesses, or areas requiring the | | | | strengths and positive attributes for the job up to this |
| individual's improvement and/or development. The | | | | point in time, nothing can send an otherwise positive |
| following are some examples of questions, which fall | | | | interview into a fatal tailspin faster than poor answers |
| into this category:* What are your major | | | | to the above (or similar) questions. Learning how to |
| weaknesses?* During a reference check, what would | | | | effectively answer these questions can often spell the |
| your boss likely cite as key areas for your | | | | difference between total victory and absolute failure in |
| development and performance improvement?* Over | | | | the interview process.There are two important |
| time, what have historically been described as the | | | | principles to be followed when sharing potentially |
| areas in which you could most improve your overall | | | | "negative" information about you in the employment |
| job performance and effectiveness?* In your last | | | | interview. These are:* Never make an "absolute" |
| performance evaluation, what specific areas were | | | | negative statement about yourself.* Always hang a |
| cited in which you could improve your overall | | | | "positive anchor" on any negative statement made.Tips |
| performance?* If we were to talk with some of your | | | | for handling potentially negative information about you |
| co-workers during a reference check, what areas of | | | | in the interview discussion include the following:1. |
| your performance are they likely to cite as needing | | | | Thoroughly prepare for tough interview questions |
| improvement?* If asked to be somewhat critical, what | | | | before the interview.2. Emphasize the positives, |
| would your boss (and/or peers) cite as the two or | | | | de-emphasize the negatives.3. |
| three areas in which you could most improve?* With | | | | |