At the time of writing this post, I’m looking for work. This is at best a tedious task. It involves nothing but reading and writing to companies.
That being said, my job hunt is going “well” at present with a few interviews now on the horizon, and a few other things in the pipeline.
A friend of mine from Vancouver emailed me recently and asked how my return to the UK and Job hunt were going. He also passed on an absolute GEM. The information comes to me 3rd hand via a teacher called Julia, whose father is the Dean of the University of Calgary. He has complied a collection of questions which (or so I have been told) were designed to help teachers with prospective interviews, but I feel they could be adapted for almost any type of job, especially those in marketing and PR.
The idea of this list is that these questions are similar to those that come up frequently in Interviews. My friend suggested that I read through the questions, and try to write an answer for each one. This will allow me (or you) to think about the best answer for that (type) of question.
Have a read through, and let me know what you guys think.
(I have edited the questions for a marketing/PR style interview)
- Tell us a little bit about yourself.
- How do you think your background and experience matches with the position that we have advertised?
- What is special about what you can offer the company?
- What is an area where you are working to improve?
- How do your university degrees influence your fit with this position?
- Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
- Where do you hope to be in five years?
- What are your career goals?
- Describe how you collaborate with colleagues?
- What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?
- What are some of your biggest successes?
- What you do for professional development?
- Who are some key researchers in your field who have influenced you?
- Who are your heroes?
- What books have you read lately?
- Describe your most challenging incident whilst working?
- What else do you see yourself doing other than working in marketing?
- Why do you want this job?
- Why are you looking for a change?
- Tell us why we should hire you?
- What you know about our company?
- What do you want to know about our company?
- Do you know any of our clients?
- What has been the most significant learning that has occurred during your career?
- Describe a critical incident in your career?
- What is your biggest weakness? Strength?
- How do you keep up to date with advances in the field?
- What books/journals/papers do you read?
- Which websites have you used?
- What do you like most/dislike most about marketing?
- What are your hobbies?
- What is the best book you’ve read recently? Best movie?
- Why do you want to leave your present position?
- How would your colleagues describe you?
I apologise if this has been posted elsewhere, but I certainly found it interesting and useful.
N x