1. Tell me about yourself.
What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two- to three-minute snapshot of who you are and
why you‟re the best candidate for this position. Talk about what you‟ve done to prepare yourself to
be the very best candidate for the position. Use an example or two to back it up. Tell me about
yourself does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what makes you the best.
2. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved?
Note that if you say no, most interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find a conflict. Focus your
answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively.
For example: Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but there have been
disagreements that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it helps to fully
understand the other person‟s perspective, so I take time to listen to their point of view, then I seek
to work out a collaborative solution. For example . . .
3. What is your greatest weakness?
Most career books tell you to select a strength and present it as a weakness. Such as: I work too
much. I just work and work and work. Wrong. First of all, using a strength and presenting it as a
weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question.
You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example: I have
had trouble in the past with planning and prioritization. However, I‟m now taking steps to correct
this. I just started using a pocket planner; then show them your planner and how you are using it.
Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.
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