Merci beaucoup Ingrid pour tous ces tuyaux.
Voici un extrait d'un cours sur la recherche d'emploi (donné en MBA):
POTENTIALLY TRICKY QUESTIONS
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is the classic opener and gives the interviewer time to size you up - if you let him. Give a brief overview of your career (prepared and rehearsed in advance), beginning with your education and taking him through key job changes. Add one or two major accomplishments and then turn the interview back to him with, “So I can better relate to you, could you please tell me a little about your(company, department, etc.)?”
2. What is your opinion of the last company you worked for ?
Stay neutral or positive, no negatives. Try to focus on situations in which you learned and/or contributed something.
3. Have you changed jobs frequently ? Are you a job hopper ?
Work out in advance a good rationale for your moves. People do change jobs, and if your reasons are sound, say so. Do not be defensive.
Some acceptable reasons : Reorganization (a new manager arrives and brings in his team), the company was in difficulty and had a massive layoff, a major contract or customer was lost resulting in loss of sales, the company was sold, you were offered a relocation that would have meant no apparent opportunity, or....
Reasons to avoid : Did not get along with employer or other people, did not like the management policies, passed over for a raise, too much pressure, too much work, too much overtime, too many arguments, problems of health, personal problems interfering with work, or....Avoid long stories and negatives.
4. What salary are you looking for ?
(See Negotiations.) Stress opportunity and potential. A return question : "It's hard to discuss salary without knowing more about the job or responsibilities." Or, if you are discussing a specific job : "What is your range?" Then relate your experience to the range without being necessarily precise : "I think my experience would put me near the high end of your range, don't you?" (SAY IT - ASK IT). Do not volunteer information about your past salary.
5. What were you making in your last job ?
(See Negotiations.) If you are in front of a recruiter, tell him your salary package. If you are in an interview, try to put the salary question aside. A good reply is, "I was well compensated in my previous company but really do not wish to prejudice myself here by being too high or low. Can we delay this until after we've looked at all the aspects of your current need ? What is your range for this job ?"
6. Have you ever been fired ?
If yes, have a good explanation worked out and tested with friends. "We had a change in general managers and although I had been doing a great job as you can see from my accomplishments, I was let go for one of his former associates."
Or,
"The company decided to close down its California operation and offered me a job in Chicago. We would like to stay in this area so that's why I'm looking around."
7. Can you work under pressure ?
Indicate that you can, then counter : "How much pressure is involved in this position?" Learn what he means by pressure. If you are a pro at pressure jobs, give him a few accomplishments.
8. What did you think of your supervisor ?
Whatever your true feelings, be positive. "He was the kind of person I could learn from."
Or,
"We were able to communicate well and things got done quickly."
9. What is your greatest strength ?
Go to your list of strengths and then tie each of them to an accomplishment.
“Is that the kind of quality that would help your company ?”
10. What is your greatest weakness ?
Look at your list of weaknesses (from Chapter 2) and relate the weakness (excess) back to your strength. "I like to get things done. Sometimes I get impatient, but I’m getting a handle on it."
11. How much do you know about our company ?
You better have done your homework ! Have you uncovered information about their products, sales, profits (or losses), news or personnel ? See preparation.
12. Are you willing to relocate ?
Do not pause - have your answer ready.
"Yes, for a super opportunity. What did you have in mind ?"
13. You've moved around. How long would you stay with us ?
Again, this needs preparation. "I'm seeking a long-term opportunity where I can learn and grow. Does this come with the position we are discussing ?"
14. What were your reasons for leaving each former job ?
Think this out clearly. Be positive about discussing former companies. See Question 3 for additional ideas.
15. Do you have a drinking problem ?
Believe it or not, some candidates have had this question. A possible answer might be : "No, is that a problem you've encountered previously ?" If you have had a drinking problem in the past and are on the road to recovery, there is no sense in bringing it up, especially as the question referred to the present. Had the question been stated : Have you ever had a drinking problem-and you once had one-you could say, "I once was concerned about having too many Manhattan lunches, soon my own, I stopped all drinking during working hours."(If you still have a problem, help is available. Get it !)
16. What kind of manager are you ?
Have a few key, examples tied to accomplishments that show your management capabilities. Then say, "Is that the kind of performance you are looking for ?"
17. What motivates you ?
Money, opportunity, growth, a chance to learn, nice people, fair play ...any others ?
18. What do you not like to do ?
A loaded question. A positive reply might be, "I'm the kind of person who does whatever is necessary to get the job done. When I do run into something disagreeable, I try to do it first and get it behind me. I have no particular dislikes."
19. Would you compete against me for my job ?
Take this one easy. "I'd like to think that when you are promoted I could be a candidate for your position."
20. Why have you left your present job ?
You know you are going to get this one, so here's your cue. Be positive. See Question 3.
21. Did you increase sales/profits in your last job ?
Here is your chance to elaborate on your best accomplishments. "Is that the kind of salesperson you seek ?"
22. How did your boss, co-workers and subordinates get on with you ?
Have some examples of the kind of team player you are. This is a good time to bring up that you are a non-political person.
23. Do you know how to motivate people ?
This is a leadership question. Know what it takes to be a quality leader. In preparation, think of the best people you have worked for and list their attributes in leadership. Recognition and helping the people who depend on you often weigh as heavily in motivation as monetary reward.
One important key to being a great manager is to be able to delegate while maintaining control. If you can show some accomplishments demonstrating this ability, you are top management material.
24. What are your short-, medium-and long-term goals ?
Tie your answer to goals that could conceivably be realized in the interviewing company. Limit your goals to just the short and medium range. Be realistic. A good reply is oriented toward growth in one's job through learning, experience and accomplishments.
25. Do you prefer working; In small, medium or large companies ?
Remember where you are when you answer !
26. Have you helped your company reduce costs ?
Again, try to tie to your accomplishments. Then add a question, "Are those kinds of savings of interest to you ?"
27. What is the toughest job of being a manager ?
A good reply is, "To surround myself with people who are better than I am in their individual specialties."
28. Why do you want to work for our Company ?
Your reply could be based on their reputation for product, management, international scope, technology, as a nice place to work and grow. Know their products, policies and potential for you.
29. Why should we hire you ?
If you know the job requirements, and match up some accomplishments, say, "...If there are opportunities to do that and more here, then this is a great fit. What do you think ?"
30. What do you look for in a new job ?
Be careful ! Better know a little about the company and the job you are after.
If not, push in the direction of excellence based on former accomplishments (benefits).
31. How many people have you hired ?
If you have hired a number of people, pick one or two who have done well thanks to your help. This question naturally relates to your ability to evaluate people.
32. How many people have you fired ?
Watch out-another loaded question. "Letting people go is partly the company's responsibility as well as the individual's. Something did not work and it is good to analyze why. I did have to let people go in my last job. It made me realize how important it is to make the right selections the first time around."
33. What was your greatest success ?
Pick one of your most significant accomplishments tied to their needs.
34. What has been your biggest failure ?
Discuss this one with friends before the interview. If it can be something you were later able to correct, it becomes a learning experience.
35. What kind of day-to-day schedule did you have in your last job ?
Stress action, performance and results rather than administrative work.
36. How do you feel about the progress you made in your last position ?
(Accomplishment =Benefit [Need]; Do the Conversion [ABC].) "When I started with the Blake Company, I was given responsibility for their operations in France and Holland. After I turned them around, they made me general manager Europe. With the strong dollar today, how are your international operations performing ?"
37. What were the most important problems you encountered in your past job ?
Use the ABC principles and you will have some good answers.
38. Did you have any frustrations in your past job ?
Catch-22 question. Frustrations are a normal part of any job. Relate some of the bottlenecks you experienced, but more importantly, indicate what you did to overcome them.
39. Why do you feel that you are ready to take on greater responsibilities ?
Work from your accomplishments (ABC).
40. Tell me some of the creative work you have done.
Creativity means how you developed an idea, a new product, a new theme or a new program and how it improved the operation.
41. Are you a leader ?
Give examples of how you followed leaders and how you successfully led other people. To be a good leader, you first must be a good follower.
42. Do you like to compete ?
Competition is great as long as it does not sacrifice the rest of the team. If you are competitive, relate it to the total company effort and not your personal ambitions.
43. Do you consider yourself successful ? Why ?
If you have been doing the kind of work you enjoy and have accumulated some accomplishments, this could be the basis for your answer. "When I started out at the ABC Company, I was one of five sales people. In five years, I have more than doubled my salary and am now sales manager. I feel good about what I've accomplished. Does that kind of performance match your needs ?"
44. What can you do for our company that someone else cannot ?
By now you should know the requirements of the job. Match your accomplishments against needs and mix with an interest in what you have seen/heard so far. As for the other candidates, you really cannot answer, nor would you want to. Answer from what you feel you can do.
45. What do you like best and least about the position we are trying to fill ?
You can choose the best. As for the least: "At this point I see no important negatives, that's why I'm so interested !"
46. How many people did you supervise in your last position ?
Do not exaggerate; this can be verified. "I supervised five people in our department and was later promoted to manager, which increased the number to 35. Our department placed second in cost reduction for the entire company last year. Does cost saving count high in your requirements ?"
47. How would you describe yourself ?
Think of your professional and personal management style statements on your 20-Second Resume.
48. How would your spouse describe you ?
Something to think about.
49. What things do you feel most confident doing ?
Stick to accomplishments. Think of their job requirements.
50. What would you like to improve upon ?
Pick something that will not be a deterrent for this position. Better-computer skills, speak better Spanish, or ... ?
51. How do you spend your free time ?
Be reasonable. This is not the time to mention that you like jumping out of planes, even if it is true.
52. What are your major accomplishments and how did you do them ?
Here is your dream question ! Pick the ones that pertain to the job in view. You know you have struck pay dirt when someone asks, "How did you do that ?"
53. How many hours should a person devote to his job ?
As many as needed to get it done and then some.
54. What things would you like to avoid in your next job ?
Be on your toes. If there were politics in your past position, you might indicate that. Be careful.
55. How old are you ?
This is an illegal question – yet can you imagine not answering it ?
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