Monsters Interview Tips For Job Hunters

Monster.co.uk provides much valuable advice for job hunters besides the job information. In this month’s newsletter a new service called ‘Virtual Interviews’ is delivered to those who prepare for their important interviews. The service covers several industries including Finance, Retail and Internet, etc. It is a very simple application that provides several questions and related optional answers for users to choose. After selecting an answer, the system shows users the analysis of the choice. The Internet sector’s standard answers are listed as below:

• What qualities do you think are important to this position?

To have a combination of technical and business knowledge and to be very results-oriented. My past record shows that I have those qualities and more. Because of my business acumen and technical know-how, the teams I have managed accomplished outstanding results, including booking more than $50 million in online revenue.

• What experience have you had that qualifies you for this position?

I have experience working with e-commerce companies on the consulting side. I've managed teams and have strong experience with HTML and Java. My communication skills and business acumen are my strengths. I can wear many hats and believe I can bring added value to a team effort.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

My strength is my flexibility. As director of operations at a startup company, I've had to deal with and handle changes and new policies constantly. As far as weaknesses, I really enjoy my work, and sometimes I put in too much time on some projects. But by being aware of my tendency, I have learned to work smarter.

• When have you been most motivated?

My first job in a pre-IPO. I had to undergo some rigorous training to understand the product and customer. At the same time, we were actually working with the customer. It required a lot of self-direction and motivation. I thrived on the whole experience -- the discipline, the planning and the deadlines. It was a pressure cooker, but I got through it.

• Tell me about yourself and your past experience.

I have eight years of experience working in the IT industry. For the past two years, I have been working as a project manager for a dotcom. I am also PMI certified. My strengths are my client-relationship management skills, and my leadership ability. I'm looking for a team environment where I can join the excitement of building a company.

• What are your salary expectations?

I really need more information about the job before we start to discuss salary. I'd like to postpone that discussion until later. Could you tell me what is budgeted for the position?

• Do you have any questions? (This is usually asked by the interviewer at the end of the interview.)

Yes, I do. Who are your financial backers? Who are the key competitors? Does the company have a plan for the IPO? What would you say is the best thing about your product/service?

• Why did you leave your last position?

I've set some goals for myself and my career, and unfortunately I'm at a standstill in my current situation. I have begun to explore options available before I spend too much time in a job where I can't advance. My goal is to continue to take on new responsibilities and be a key contributor to the success of an online venture.

• How would your boss describe you and your work style?

First, she'd say I have a lot of initiative -- I see a big picture and do what has to be done to achieve results. Secondly, that I have business savvy -- I know the business side as well as the technical side. And thirdly, I have a high work ethic -- if I say I'm going to do something, I do it.
[Source: Monster Virtual Interviews]

The test gives us some ideas on how to prepare for the interview questions. Though the answers sound good, it is not recommended to use them directly in our job interviews. It is better to keep the answers as flexible as possible depending on our real situations. Furthermore, making a checklist (or blogs of course) of interview can help us to gain more experience in job interviews and it might be used anytime in our life.

ps: The channel Graduates in Monster is worth accessing for the graduate students.