Test Your Interview IQ

[BoyL3]

Test Your Interview IQ

The following quiz is designed to test your ability to make a standout impression and provide some pointers that will help you ace your next interview. Good luck!

1. What should you do to best prepare for an interview?
A. The night before, jot down your values, skills, interests and accomplishments on a scrap of paper. It's an efficient and constructive way to refresh your memory of career achievements and goals.
B. Prepare copies of your resume so you'll have them on hand, review your research of the prospective company, run through a mock interview and get a good night's sleep.
C. Nothing -- your dynamic personality is sure to win the employer over.
D. Review common interview questions and memorize how you will respond to them.

2. You're interviewing at a company where the dress is business casual. What should you wear?
A. Dress pants and a nice shirt or sweater.
B. Your most elegant designer sportswear.
C. A business suit.
D. It really doesn't matter -- they're interested in your skills and experiences, not your fashion sense.

3. Research suggests applicants who interview at which time of day have an advantage...
A. Early afternoon
B. Midafternoon
C. Midmorning
D. Early morning

4. When you first meet the person who will be interviewing you, you should:
A. Shake the person's hand and take the seat nearest you.
B. Shake the person's hand and wait for him or her to direct you to a seat.
C. Give the person a copy of your resume and then shake his or her hand.
D. Ask for a glass of water so you don't become parched during the interview.

5. Which types of questions should you ask the potential employers during the first interview?
A. Ask questions that relate to big-picture issues: Where does the company hope to be in a few years? What are its primary challenges?
B. None -- asking questions may make the employer think you haven't done your homework.
C. To establish rapport, ask interviewers when they joined the firm, how they became interested in this type of job and where they went to college.
D. Ask about the compensation level for the position and the types of incentives that are offered.

6. While interviewing for a new position, you've met with three different people in one department. How do you handle the thank-you note(s)?
A. Send a separate and personal note to each individual.
B. Send a note to the group, thanking them all for their time.
C. Address your note to the primary decision-maker, and ask that person to extend your thanks to the others.
D. Send duplicate notes to all three people who met with you.

7. If a potential employer asks you to state your weaknesses during an interview, a good strategy is to:
A. Be candid -- discuss several of your biggest shortcomings and how you're trying to overcome them.
B. Be humorous -- say "chocolate" or "Godzilla movies," or something similarly zany and unique that will set you apart from your competition.
C. Talk about how you're an incorrigible workaholic or perfectionist. These "weaknesses" are sure to win managers over.
D. Mention one minor weakness that doesn't directly relate to how well you will perform in the position under discussion and describe how you are overcoming it.

8. Fortune 1000 executives were asked for the one quality in prospective workers -- apart from ability and willingness to do the job -- that impressed them most during an interview. Which of the following responses received a majority of the vote?
A. Honesty
B. Appearance
C. Sense of humor
D. Educational background

9. During the first job interview, you're asked for your salary requirements. The best strategy is to:
A. Give a salary range higher than the one you expect so you'll have room to negotiate.
B. Let the employer know your bottom line by providing the lowest annual salary you will accept.
C. Tell the employer that you hadn't considered compensation, but you can get back on that once you've done some research.
D. Say that your salary requirements will vary, depending on the responsibilities the job entails and the benefits offered. If pressed, give a general salary range that you would expect.

10. Robert Half International collects real-life stories of unusual interview behavior. All except one of the following actually happened. Which is the fake?
A. A candidate brought his five children and a cat to the interview.
B. A man pulled his pet iguana from his briefcase, saying, "I didn't want to bring him here, but he hates to be alone."
C. A candidate brought his three dogs to the interview and asked the interviewer to keep an eye on them while he went to make a phone call.
D. A man asked if his rabbit could come to the office with him.

[empy]

i don't know the answers, but let me give you my best guesses as someone who's interviewed college, grad school and experienced candidates for 5 years now.

1. depends on how you best prepare yourself for stressful situations, but never C. A would work best for me personally
2. absolutely C - a business suit. no question.
3. D, or maybe C. if i'm interviewing all day, pagod na ako by late morning
4. B.
5. both A and C are appropriate
6. absolutely A. make a lasting impression.
7. tough to answer well, but D is safest. A is danger, B may annoy the interviewer, and C instantly raises the "bullshit radar" (almost everyone answers C, from personal experience)
8. believe it or not, it's C for me (tells me how well one gets along with co-workers). A is a close second.
9. D
10. no idea, but C is hilarious

[BoyL3]

mamaya bigay ko mga interpretation ng mga results, sagot muna kayo ha tnx

[boydapa]

ayan magrereply na sila manager

[BoyL3]

Boydapa, hinahanap ka ni boy tihaya!

[philander]

Medyo common the yung questions 1 to 9, if you have 5 years (or even 3) working experience, sisiw na sa iyo yan.


I'm after question #10. Hehheheh

[BoyL3]

Scoring: Give yourself the number of points marked by each letter.

1. What should you do to best prepare for an interview?
A. (3) This is a good idea but not the most important prep work before an interview.
B. (4) Good choice. You'll have everything you need -- from your resume to enough rest -- to impress the interviewer.
C. (1) While it's great to have confidence in yourself, don't let it get the best of you. Even the most polished professionals can benefit from pre-interview preparation.
D. (2) Rehearsed responses to interview questions may increase your comfort level, but they aren't likely to impress the hiring manager. Instead of memorizing responses, identify key points you want to make and deliver them naturally.

2. You're interviewing for a company where the dress is business casual. What should you wear?
A. (3) This isn't a bad choice, but it's generally better to overdress than under-dress, and a suit is the most acceptable interview attire.
B. (2) No amount of couture will compensate for being under-dressed.
C. (4) Right answer. Even in a business-casual office environment, dressing up for an interview is typically the safest choice.
D. (1) Attire does matter. Employers form an impression of you within the first 15 minutes, and dressing like a pro helps make that impression a positive one.

3. Research suggests applicants who interview at which time of day have an advantage...
C. (2)
A. B. D. (0)
Sixty-nine percent of executives surveyed by Robert Half International said the most productive time for meeting with job applicants is between 9AM and 11AM, compared to a mere 3 percent that preferred to interview applicants between 3PM and 5PM While interviewing during a productive time won't guarantee you the job, it might give you a leg up on the competition.

4. When you first meet the person who will be interviewing you, you should:
A. (3) Close -- but you should wait until the interviewer directs you to a seat.
B. (4) Right answer!
C. (2) It's wise to have an extra copy of your resume handy, but wait and see whether your interviewer requests it.
D. (1) It's OK to request some water or coffee if you're invited to have something to drink, but take your cue from the employer.

5. Which types of questions should you ask the potential employers during the first interview?
A. (4) Good strategy. This shows interest in the firm while also demonstrating your ability to think strategically.
B. (1) Passing up the opportunity to ask questions may make you appear uninterested.
C. (3) It's not a bad idea to ask these types of questions, but you may gather more useful information by asking about the business.
D. (2) Save inquiries about compensation and benefits for later in the interview process.

6. While interviewing for a new position, you've met with three different people in one department. How do you handle the thank-you note(s)?
A. (4) A separate and personalized note for each person you meet with during the interview process is the most gracious approach.
B. (2) A group note may not be routed to everyone and lacks a personal touch.
C. (1) It's best not to ask your potential boss to thank others for you.
D. (3) People often compare notes, and if the message is the same, it becomes less meaningful.

7. If a potential employer asks you to state your weaknesses during an interview, a good strategy is to:
A. (2) Honesty is the best policy, but there is such a thing as being honest to a fault. No employer expects you to detail your perceived shortcomings.
B. (1) This could seem flip (and also prompt the hiring manager to wonder why you're avoiding the question).
C. (3) This is a frequently used ploy -- so often used, that it's become a cliche and may make you appear insincere.
D. (4) Right choice! By talking about a flaw that won't directly impede your ability to perform the job at hand (e.g., not being very punctual) -- and discussing how you're overcoming the obstacle -- you avoid raising red flags.

8. Fortune 1000 executives were asked for the one quality in prospective workers -- apart from ability and willingness to do the job -- that impressed them most during an interview. Which of the following responses received a majority of the vote?
A. (2) Honesty garnered 32 percent of the vote, so be sure to be honest and sincere during an interview.
B. C. D. (0) These didn't come anywhere close!

9. During the first job interview, you're asked for your salary requirements. The best strategy is to:
A. (2) It's best not to play games, and with this response, you may price yourself out of the market.
B. (1) If you give a lower salary than you think you deserve, chances are you'll receive it.
C. (3) While researching salary data is always a good idea, not being able to provide a general range may make you look naive or out of touch with industry.
D. (4) This is a good strategy and shows the employer you're flexible.

10. Robert Half International collects real-life stories of unusual interview behavior. All except one of the following actually happened. Which is the fake?
C. (2) This is the fictitious one.
A. B. D. (0) All are strange, but true!

Interpreting Your Results:
If you scored from 28 to 34: You're an interview aficionado. Congratulations!

If you scored from 21 to 27: You have solid interviewing skills but may need to fine-tune your strategies. Consider working with a mentor, who can advise you on the nuances you may be overlooking during meetings with potential employers.

If you scored from 14 to 20: Your interview skills could use polish. Perhaps you've been out of the job market for a while, or you simply haven't studied interview techniques. Whatever the case, conducting mock interviews with friends and asking for their honest critiques can help you make the most of these meetings. You'll also want to familiarize yourself with common interview questions and job-hunting etiquette so you're thoroughly prepared for your next encounter with a potential employer.

If you scored below 14: Promoting yourself to potential employers doesn't come naturally to you, but don't feel discouraged. You can up your interview savvy by working with a mentor or career coach, participating in mock interviews and reading up on interview techniques. If anxiety is part of the problem -- and it often is -- you'll find as you participate in more job interviews, you'll become increasingly confident and comfortable.

[nmtin]

I don't think the dress part is correct here... I think interviewees should be in corporate attire but not to the extent that they are "more dressed" than the interviewee.

[BuDiK]

i scored 29... might be luck..

[empy]

Medyo common the yung questions 1 to 9, if you have 5 years (or even 3) working experience, sisiw na sa iyo yan.

you'd be surprised at how many manager and even director-level candidates i've interviewed that got all 9 of those situations absolutely wrong. even the most experienced people don't really interview that many times in their careers, and a lot of them think that they don't need to prepare or be aware because they are highly experienced and highly qualified for the job, and they miss all the little things.

to use me as an example - i interview between 50-100 people every year (even though i'm not from HR), and it's second nature for me. but i recently interviewed for a lateral move to a different department and to my surprise i think i did really badly even though the job is exactly the same as mine (but in another area) and i have tons of experience with interviews on the other side of the table...


btw, mods - this would be a useful thread to store in the business/careers forum.