                          Interview Questions

[]  These questions are provided on diskette to help you develop and
customize your own list of interview questions.

Here are some "must questions" which should be asked during almost
every interview. (Notice how a "yes" or "no" answer will not be
sufficient.)

1.  (If presently employed) Why are you seeking a job change?
2.  Which of your various jobs did you like the best? The least? Why?
3.  Why did you leave your last job? (Repeat for all previous jobs.)
4.  Tell me about a typical day in your present (or last) job.
5.  What type of criticism hasyour former manager given you?
6.  If you could have made improvements in your last job, what would
they have been?
7.  What has been the most interesting job or project so far in your
career?
8.  How do you think you could improve yourself?
9.  Describe the best person who ever worked for you or you ever
worked for.
10.  What kind of people annoy you?
11.  How do you think your previous experience ties in with the job we
have open?
12.  Describe emergencies in some of your jobs for which you had to
reschedule your time.
13.  In what way would you like our company to assist you if you join
us?
14.  What is your long-term ambition or goal in life?

Special Questions For Sales Applicants

1.  What would you say if a customer says "Your price is too high."?
2.  What would you say if a customer says, "I am satisfied with my
present supplier."?
3.  What would you say if a customer says, "We don't need that high
a quality."?
4.  Who has been the most interesting client or customer so far in
your career?

Questions To Trip-Up The Applicant

[] Use actual problems and experiences pertinent to the job. Don't
just look for a "good " or "bad" answer, examine their thought
processes and their approach.

1.  Give the applicant a problem to solve. "What would you do if you
were closing a convenience store and a customer wanted something
special?"
2.  Keep asking "Why?" Act like you are not satisfied with the answer
to a question. Keep pushing for more information.
3.  Sit and stare. Not a nice thing to do, but it does make applicants
squirm a little. See how they handle it. You may get more information.
4.  Be critical. "Do you think it was smart of you to drop out of
high school?" "Don't you ever wonder why you can't keep a job very
long?" This will show you how the applicant can handle criticism.
5.  Schedule interruptions. See if the person can pick up the pieces
and get back on track.

Finally, here are some things to look for in "body language" during
the job interview.

1.  Signs of nervousness: Look for chair-tilting, jumpiness, nail-
biting, tics, slouching in chair, hand movements.
2.  Poor grooming: Observe shoes, fingernails, make-up, hair grooming
choice of clothing, cleanliness and neatness.
3.  Use of pat phrases: Listen for verbal crutches, such as "To tell
you the truth:" "Frankly," "Basically," and "You know."
4.  Lapse of memory: Inability to remember dates, job changes, and
important events.

In summary, keep in mind that you are buying, not selling, when you
conduct an interview. You have a right to be choosy.  And, the
applicant should demonstrate selectivity, and not just appear to be
taking any job that comes along.

Today, the astute applicant (who may turn out to be an excellent
employee) will want to know all about your company to determine how
well they will fit into your company culture. Conversely, some
managers become a little suspicious of the applicant who asks about
the details of the dental insurance coverage, or how long it takes
to be covered under health insurance.

Some Questions NOT To ASK

Train yourself (and anyone who does interviewing for you) to refrain
from asking any questions of the type below:

1.  What nationality are you? Is that a particular ethnic group
surname?
2.  What church are you a member of? Do your children go to Sunday
school?
3.  What does your spouse do for a living?
4.  Who will take care of your children after school?
5.  Are you planning any additions to your family?
6.  Are you engaged to be married? Do you go steady with anyone at
this time?
7.  Do you speak, read or write a foreign language? (Ask only if job-
related, and then only ask about the language requirement of the job.)
8.  How will you get to work every day?
9.  What was your mother's maiden name? Was your name ever changed from
what it is now?
10.  Do you own a car? Can you drive a car? (Ask only if needed as a
job requirement, e.g., for sales work, deliveries, etc.).
11.  Did you ever receive unemployment compensation after leaving a
former job?
12.  Why were you discharged from military service? Are you a member of
the reserves? Will you have to go to guard camp every year? Do you get
a disability pension?
13.  When do you plan to retire?
14.  Do you have a bank account? (Checking account, IRA, stocks, bonds,
own your home, own rental property...)
15.  Do you have a second job? (You may ask if a second job conflicts
in any way with your business objectives or customers' needs.)
16.  When will your baby be delivered?
17.  Is your roommate male or female?
18.  Have you ever been arrested? (It is all right to ask if they have
ever been convicted of a felony or a major misdemeanor.)

There are many more "illegal" questions. In general, avoid anything
related to age, sex, color, race, creed, national origin, religious
persuasion, marital status, political belief, physical well-being,
or disabilities. Ask only job related questiosn. Remember, make
notes on a separate sheet, not on the application form itself.
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