Interviewers
use five different types of questions -
directive, non-directive, hypothetical,
behavior descriptive, and stress. Being aware
of the different types can help you in the
preparation stage as you
build your skills inventory. It may
also help you focus in on exactly what is
being asked and what the employer is looking
for in specific questions.
Directive
Questions
The interviewer determines the focus of your answer. The
information that the interviewer wants is very
clear. If you have completed the research on
yourself, this type of question should be easy
to answer.
Example:
"What
skills do you have that relate to this
position?"
"I
have very good communication and interpersonal
skills that I have refined through several
summer and part-time jobs working with the
public. In addition, I am fluent in both
English and French."
Non-Directive
Questions
You
determine the focus of your answer. The
interviewer asks a general question and does
not ask for specific information. The most
common non-directive question is
"Tell
me about yourself."
When answering the question, keep in mind that the employer is
interested in knowing how your background and
personality qualify you for the job. In your
answer, you should cover four areas: your
education, related experience, skills and
abilities, and personal attributes. As you
talk about these areas, relate them to the job
you are seeking. Decide what your response
will be before starting to speak, this helps
to keep responses concise.
Example:
"
Tell me about yourself."
"I
have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology,
and have recently completed the course
in
Volunteer Management through the Volunteer Center
of Winnipeg. These have given me a strong
background in many of the principles of human behavior
and the recruitment, training, and supervision
of volunteers. I have experience in working
with young adults in a helping capacity, both
through my position as a Peer Advisor at the
University of Manitoba, and as a camp counselor
at a camp for behaviorally troubled
adolescents. Both of these positions involved
individual counseling, facilitating discussion
groups, and teaching young people about health
issues - all of which relate directly to the
services which I would be training volunteers
to provide within your organization. In
addition, I thoroughly enjoy working with
young people, and can establish rapport with
them easily."
Hypothetical
or Scenario Questions
When asking a hypothetical question, the
interviewer describes a situation, which you
may encounter in the position and asks how you
would react in a similar situation. This is a
good way to test problem-solving abilities.
When answering this type of question, try
applying a simple problem solving model to it
– gather information, evaluate the
information, priories the information, seek
advice, weigh the alternatives, make a
decision, communicate the decision, monitor
the results and modify if necessary.
Example:
"Suppose
you are working your first day in our
laboratory, and a fire at a nearby work
station breaks out. What would you do?"
"Before
I start working in any laboratory, I always
locate the emergency equipment, such
as eye washes, fire blankets and alarms. I
would also review the safety protocols. So in
this situation, I would be aware of these. As
soon as I noticed the fire, I would shut down
my experiment and if the fire is significant,
I would pull the firm alarm and help to
evacuate the lab. In the case of very small
flame, I would ask the staff member at the
station what I could do to help, Which would
vary with the type of substances involved.”
Behavior
Descriptive or Behavioral Questions
This type of question is becoming increasingly popular in
interview situations. It asks what you did in
a particular situation rather than what you
would do. Situations chosen usually follow the
job description fairly closely. Some employers
feel that examples of past performance will
help them to predict future performance in
similar situations. There is no right or wrong
answer to this type of question, but keep in
mind that you should relate the answer to the
position. If you are interviewing for a
research position, talk
about
a research project you completed.
Example:
"Give
me an example of a work situation in which you
were proud of your performance."
"While
working as a sales representative for XYZ
Company for the summer, I called on
Prospective
clients and persuaded them of the ecological
and economic benefits of Recycling. I also
followed up on clients to ensure that they
were satisfied with the service They received.
This involved both telephone and in-person
contacts. I increased sales 34% over the same
period in the previous year."
When
preparing for this type of questioning, it is
crucial that you review the skills and
qualities that the position would require and
identify specific examples from your past
which demonstrated those traits.
Stress
Questions
Some
questions will surprise you and possibly make
you feel uncomfortable during an interview.
For
Example:"
Which do you prefer, fruits or vegetables?"
There are many reasons why an interviewer might ask such
questions. They may want to see how you react
in difficult situations, or they may simply be
trying to test your sense of humor. Such
questions may directly challenge an opinion
that you have just stated or say something
negative about you or a reference. Sometimes
they ask seemingly irrelevant questions such
as,
"If
you were an animal, what type of animal would
you be?"
The
best way to deal with this type of question is
to recognize what is happening. The
interviewer is trying to elicit a reaction
from you. Stay calm, and do not become
defensive. If humour comes naturally to you,
you might try using it in your response, but
it is important to respond to the question.
What you say is not nearly as important as
maintaining your composure.
Example:
"Which
do you like better, Lions or Tigers?"
"Oh,
lions definitely. They appear so majestic and
are very sociable. To be honest, I think that
seeing The Lion King four times has probably
contributed to this!"
