April, 2008
by Denise P. Kalm, DPK Coaching and CA, Inc.
Denise Kalm has 30 years experience in IT including application programming, enterprise systems management and performance management/capacity planning at Pacific Telephone and Bank of America. She moved to vendor land in 2000, spending 5 ½ years with BMC on the EPA product line, then recently became the senior product marketing manager for enterprise job scheduling products at CA, Inc., formerly Cybermation. She is a regional officer of CMG, has held many volunteer positions within that organization and is a frequent contributing author. Prior to entering the IT profession, she was a biochemical geneticist. Her hobbies include flying, Jazzercise, writing and scuba diving. Her book, Lifestorm, on the Oakland Hills fire, is available on Amazon. She is an executive and personal coach as well, offering phone and in-person coaching.
About the Author
Denise P. Kalm, CA, Inc. formerly Cybermation
Too many job guides focus most of their attention on polishing your resume. That's important, but it only helps you get an interview; it won't land you a new job. One of the next steps is question preparation - planning for the questions you will be asked and the questions you will ask the interviewer. In Part 1, we'll just deal with questions you may face; Part 2 will focus on crafting questions for them.
Just as attorneys try never to ask a questions when they don't know the answer, you should try to anticipate the questions you will be asked and prepare the answers. Spontaneous responses can often be less then optimal in reflecting the best that you can be; lack of preparation has often been the difference between getting the offer and being number 2 (or being ruled out). As you look at each question, craft answers that will validate how well you can fulfill the requirements of the position. How do your skills, knowledge and experience show how you overcome challenges and how you produce results?
Answering questions is so often where job-seekers talk their way out of a job. Look not just at the answer you want to give - give careful consideration to the words you select. Prepare both. Words have denotations (the actual dictionary definition) and connotations (the way words are interpreted). One example might be the word "rusty," as it applies to a skill. This immediately triggers a negative response. Instead, consider saying that you haven't been using that skill recently (no dates), but that you should be able to pick it up readily.
Here are some sample questions that often trip people up:
1. Why did you (or do you want to) leave your job?
Don't answer this question as asked. Answer with what you are looking for in this job. Look forward, not back.
2. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.
Plan this one carefully. Strengths should map to the needs of this job - weaknesses should be carefully respun, if you can. Otherwise, pick no more than one thing and make sure it is relatively unimportant in the context of this job. This is where words are critical; you aren't "weak" at a skill; you haven't had a chance to do "X" in a while, but you're sure you can pick it up again quickly. Be honest, but not painfully so. Another way is to admit to something you are interested in learning on the job. "I haven't had the chance to work with distributed MQ, but I have looked for a chance to broaden my experience beyond the mainframe by doing this." This is a good chance to tell them what you want to achieve in this new position. So weaknesses then become stretch objectives.
3. Who was your most difficult boss and why?
This is most likely a test of how well you will relate to your future boss and how adaptable you are. One option is to describe someone who challenged you a lot, but ultimately helped you by pushing you to a new level. But if you know that you really don't want a job with a boss who has certain characteristics, you might be worth the risk to clarify this. Again, check your language. If you hate to be micro-managed, try this "I enjoy a job with a great deal of autonomy. I'm very self-directed and disciplined. I've been challenged by managers who haven't allowed me to grow and shine in this way." Focus on what you want, not so much on what you don't want. In the process, watch the way the hiring manager treats you - this is as good as it will get. You can learn from observation and peer interviews if this will be a style you can live with.
4. Why do you want to work here?
It's easy to focus on getting a job rather than getting this job. Employers want to believe you are interested in this job and this company. You need to have done some homework, so you can provide a clear and specific answer to this question. An example of what not to do (though it didn't impact me) was my answer to why I was looking to join the Navy Medical Officers Program. I said, "I like boats and I look good in blue."
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The interviewer does not really want a detailed plan and such a plan may not fit with how they see opportunities playing out for you. They want to know that you are looking for a career with them, not an interim gig. Consider this in your answer.
6. What outside activities do you enjoy?
In part, this question is looking to see your expectations regarding work-life balance. You don't legally need to disclose a lot of personal information, but this is where people often trip up, telling about challenges at home, kids, and other demands on their time. So it can be a trap - it looks like a nice way to develop a personal connection between the two of you, but can easily show them that you aren't ready to throw yourself full tilt into this job. Mention only a few interests and see if they help build connections with your interviewer. Any place you can build rapport is helpful. In addition, especially for older interviewees, it can be helpful to have an athletic hobby, because this helps diminish the impact and concern regarding your age and health.
7. What did you like and not like most about your last job?
Similar to the question about why you are looking, but this question often elicits more information, if you don't plan an answer. Again, negative comments can pull you down in your estimation. Even if the whole world has a negative image of your employer, the problem with sharing is that the interviewer can only too easily imagine you saying something similar about them after you have been there a while. It is very much like gossip. Everyone wants to hear it, but they don't necessarily think well of the gossiper. Focus on what you liked most and perhaps note one challenge you wish you could have had, but weren't allowed to pursue. This gives them something to offer you.
It is worth the time to write down and/or practice answering these questions. Try it out with a friend - you will probably find other questions that might be worth preparing. If you have had a long period without work, be prepared to message that. Find a way to craft it into a valued sabbatical, not one year spent in a desperate effort to gain employment. And remember, when you get hit with a tough question, take a breath and give yourself a moment to craft an answer. This not only helps you, but gives you the image of someone who carefully considers their words (and by implication, their actions). You will be hit with a surprise - be ready for it.
Once, while applying for a pre-sales technician role, I was asked the following, "Why shouldn't we be considering you for professional services?" this director queried. Well, I didn't want that job, but to stay positive, I took the moment and crafted an answer that underlined my qualifications for pre-sales. They had also been interviewing a friend of mine for that pro serv job, so I asked the man, "You like A for this job; how do you see our skill sets and abilities as regards these two jobs?" I put it back to him, knowing that we were both correctly interviewing for the right role.
Prepare now, or regret later.
Stay tuned next month for another edition of "Your Career Coach" and Part 2 of this article. If you would like additional information or personal coaching for your life and your career, contact me at or see my web site: www.DPKCoaching.com.