What qualities in you make you a team player?

The Importance of a Good Team Player.Teams are created for several reasons. They may need to deliver a one-time project, or work together on an ongoing basis. Either way, if you take advantage of a group's collective energy and creativity, the team can accomplish much more in less time.

Possible Intention:

• To judge whether you are a team player.
• To know if being a team player is important to you.
• To know if you respect your team and can contribute to its business.

Insights:

• This is a tricky question and interviewer may reject and turn down whatever answer you give.
• Imagine that if interviewer is one of your team member, then how you would support him/her.
• Listen calmly for opposite views which you do not agree. Be firm on your opinion and convey it assertively being adamant. Politely agree to disagree.

Example Answer:

• As a team member, I respect the opinion though I may not agree to it.
• I can communicate my views clearly and firmly.
• I support the team by doing some task which may not be directly assigned to me.
• I always take interest and guide my junior team members.
• I seek opinion and help from my senior team members when required.

If possible, give example incidents from your project to support your statement that you are a team player.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not ever give an impression that you will go all out to help others. That might compromise your own deliverables.
• Team player does not mean only helping others; its about seeking timely help.

Interview's Interpretation:

• Here, interviewer is judging your attitude towards team and people who you work with. Question is not about whether you are an independent performer or not. Question is how you would fit in culture of project team where you would never know everything.
• Any derogatory remark about team, manager or any person from the team gives an impression that you are not a team player and find it difficult to accommodate.

7 secrets to ace your job interview.

Most advice on acing a job interview is about memorising answers to an endless number of possible questions. And there, we've got a fundamental problem. Because the interview is not an exam; it's a discussion to establish if you are competent, motivated and trustworthy.Do you want to win your dream job? We have some radically different advice for you. Are they secrets? Well, we don't know, but, for sure, they are tips based on our experience and research:

      

1. Prepare, don't just show up:

Interviews are not walk-ins. Always know the role you are applying for and the company you will be interviewing with. What business are they in, how do they make money, and how will hiring you make a difference to them?

 2. First impressions count: 

From the time you keep to the clothes you wear, from your composure on arrival to the way you greet security in the lobby; it's best to assume that all of this is being observed. Don't let yourself down. Start on a professional note.

     

3. Tell your story, furnish evidence:

The interview is your opportunity to show why you should be hired. So, come prepared to talk about your biggest achievements and highlights of your professional journey. How are they relevant to the new job? How do they put you above what the rest of the herd can do?

     

4. Even freshers have experience: 

If you are fresh out of university with no job experience, talk about what worked well for you in coursework and internships, the experiences that have shaped you this far and the lessons learned. Forget the myth that you have no experience worth talking about.

     

5. Leadership skills matter: 

Companies are looking for a good match and for people who have the potential for bigger things. If the role they are trying to fill today does not exist tomorrow, will they still have a need for you? Can today's junior analyst be the leader of the business unit in eight years' time? What you know doesn't matter as much as how you work. Be ready to discuss teamwork, your ability to influence and inspire, and what keeps you going each and every day.

    

 6. An interview is not a one way: 

Use the interview to get to know the company better. Is their work culture aligned with what matters to you? Is this the right organisation for you at the stage of life you find yourself in? If you are a young parent, a 24x7 work culture might not exactly be what you are looking for. Remember that a lot of your motivation and happiness will come from the company you join.

    

 7. Rejection is part of the game: 

For all the work that you put in and the advice we can provide, interviewing is still a process loaded with unknowns. If an opportunity does not open up, take it in your stride.Maybe you didn't fit the bill, maybe the position was already spoken for, or the budget disappeared. The truth will never come out. Don't let a rejection bring you down, but learn what you can and keep going.

Think about these tips, take your time and prepare how you will convey your message. Right through your professional journey, whether you are in the final days of your notice period or in the first weeks of your new job, nurture your personal brand. How do you want people to talk about you in your absence, what would you like them to say? Careers are marathons; the interview is just an intermediate step.

Ref: TOI

What do you like about current job?

Possible Intention:

• To know what kind of interest and passion you work with in current job.
• To know whether you have generally a cribbing attitude.

Insights:

• Keep in mind that you are going to leave this current job. Do not over glorify what you like.
• Introspect and keep this answer ready. There is definitely something you like about your current job, but you may have ignored it until now.

Example Answer:

1. I was involved in projects on testing of finance and healthcare related application. As I saw curious about financial markets, working on the financial project was fun. Working on different business domains and involvement in the load testing of production ready system, exposure to new testing was really exciting for me.
2. I am working on GBD group. Lot of security configuration, server hardening, technologies such as virtualization are part of regular work. It is really exciting to work with a new set of servers, provisioning and making the network more secure from hacking attempts.
3. I am working on .NET technology project. In the group there are technology discussion on design, architecture and deployment. Every week freshers like me, are supposed to research a topic and present how that technology can be used. This environment is very conductive for learning and it helps us to learn from each other.

Anti Pattern:

• "Nothing" is the worst answer. Since there are chances that this might happen in new job also.
• Do not talk about a specific person or situation which is peculiar to your previous job. If the new organization cannot provide what you like then your performance might be affected.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• Something arbitrary irrelevant answer indicates you are not appreciative of good things.
• Non-enthusiastic answer shows cribbing attitude. It will be a "task" to motivate you.
• In the new job you would be happy about certain things and that would keep you motivated.

Why did you quit your last job so early?

Possible Intention:

• To know the reason for your job switch.
• To check if you are just a mercenary who works for whoever pays more.
• To know your experience that made you leave the previous job.

Insights:

• Be ready with a convincing answer. The interviewer is trying to judge whether to hire you or not, if you have left your previous job after a very short stint.
• Have a list of reasons which do not say bad things about your previous employer.
• If you have had disagreement with your previous employer, do not wash dirty laundry in public.
• Do not give a flippant reply. It shows that you are not a responsible person and do not take your job seriously.

Example Answers:

1. I had to leave in a very short period due to some family problems and continuing my job was not possible. Since I had not completed my probation, getting leave was difficult, when my family needed me the most. But I assure you that nothing of this sort will happen again now since the problem has been sorted out.
2. I had few disagreements with my manager in the earlier employment, and as I could not make compromise with my core believes, I thought it would be a good idea to seek out like-minded people who can foster those believes.
3. There was a gap between what I do with my life and what the organization needed, so rather than having a disturbance in my personal life as well as work envirnment, I decided to approach people with same vision as mine.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not say left because you did not like the work environment or the project that you were assigned. It may indicate that you are not adaptable.
• Do not say that you did not like working at the earlier organization and hence left the job.
• Do not elaborate and dwell on the problem you might have faced earlier.
• Do not portray yourself as a victim.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• The interviewer may appreciate you honesty and forthrightness as long as you can justify what you core beliefs are.
• The interviewer will understand that you have the courage to take strong decision, but not out of malice.
• That you are a sincere, thoughtful and responsible person who is capable of taking the right decisions,

How long would you expect to work for us if hired?

Possible Intention:

• To know if you are seriously thinking of staying long term.

Insights:

• "I will stay until retire" is a good answer but very hard to believe today.
• You are not expected to give time period in years or months.
• Expectation is what you like and will keep you happily going in the organization.

Example Answer:

I am not a person who switches jobs very frequently. I like to do challenging work in technology which will give me pleasure of creating new solutions. I strongly believe that the kind of projects and technology your organization is into, can keep me in high spirits to continue working for longer period.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not say time period like five years etc. without any justification.
• Never say till you get challenging work rests with the employing organization.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• Display the extra commitment can be regarded as falsity.
• Some indirect indication of time would be sweet music for interviewer's ears.

Interview Tips For Success

Here are some important tips for success in personal interview.

• While answering any question, be consistent with the information you have provided in the resume.

• Never tell untruth or manufactured stories. Be honest.

• No short answers of one or two words. It shows disinterest.

• When you state any fact, support it with the real data points or statistic. It strengths the answer.

• Come what may, ever answer should end with an upbeat note.[Even when asked about your failures.]

• Every question asked is an opportunity for you to narrate your success stories though the question may not directly demand so. Hence each of your response should contain a success story.

Do you have offers from other organizations?

These words from HR are most significant from interviewee's perspective. Interviewee's reply may leave a negative impact if not handled carefully. But on the other road it also gives a chance to proof your value to him.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you actually have offers from any other organization. If you are good, then the interviewer has to close the decision quickly.
• To know if any other organization has evaluated you and found you to be worthy.
• To know where recruiting organization is in the list of your preference.

Insights:

• Be truthful
• If you have offers in hand obviously the next question would be which organization you would choose and why.

Example Answer:

I have in 3-4 organizations and have given interviews. I have already one offer at hand and by end of this week, I am expecting another from one more organization. They are in the similar technology space. However, given a chance, I would like to work in your organization considering the kind of growth I can have. Your organization really works on different business domains and different technologies which is very exciting for me.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not lie to create an impression, it may backfire.
• Never disclose the name, position etc. if you have offers in hand. This can be useful later when you would negotiate salary.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• If you have other offers then you might be a better choice.
• She/He has to take a quicker decision if you do well in the interview.

What are your views about polotics?

Politics is a trending topic since last decade. Politics has changed mindset of people as well as professionals. When politics is concerned in interviews, it has following possible intentions.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you are aware of latest happening which are related to you and might affect you in some way.
• To know if you can think and correlate the facts you know.
• To know if you have opinion and can state then firmly and support them. 
• To know if you have a habit of keeping yourself updated on regular basis.

Insights:

• Browse most read newspapers in printed format or on internet.
• Look at some important events in the last 8-10 days. And of these topics could be selected.
• While reading the news see what you agree with or disagree with. Try picking up some topic and give opinion on it as a practice.
• You need not be right or you are not expected to know everything in politics and economics etc. Interviewer judging your ability to assimilate information and opinions and draw your own inferences which you stand by.

Example Answer:

Though I do not have inclination of playing a participative role in politics, it is very important for social and Economic Development of the country. Due to lot of corruption and malpractices followed by political parties, generally educated youth is staying away from the politics and government. Politicians have enormous power in terms of sanctioned budgets to fund projects to build infrastructure power projects, educational reforms etc. Politics is being viewed as dirty game due to personal agendas rather than welfare of the country. In this era we still have people like Anna Hazare who selflessly work for people.

Anti Pattern:

• Keep it short and to the point though you may be aware of certain thing due to your background.
• Do not keep quiet if you do not know anything about it. Say so explicitly or ask the interviewer can I say something about "XYZ" thing which you have read recently and remembered.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• If you can narrate well, you are well informed and and well read.
• You can assimilate information and draw inferences from it. This shows you have capability to draw good inferences and possibly take informed decisions.

Tell me about some situation which you consider as your failure.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you have courage and honesty to accept failure as your own.
• To know when you make a mistake do you learn from it.
• To know if you have the ability to own up responsibility without giving excuses.

Insights:

• Talk about the incidents that disappointed you and shed light on how you could have acted differently to change it if you were to be given a second chance.
• Do not try to shift the blame of the failure on somebody else's shoulders.

Example Answer: (For Freshers)

I had a possibility of securing First class with distinction during my SSC board examination. Due to loss of focus on my part, I missed scoring enough marks. However, I learnt a lesson; in HSC board exam I did not let that happen and scored more than 75 percent marks.

Example Answer:(For Experienced)

There was a bug which I was trying to fix on the last day of the delivery of the project. After 4-5 hours struggle, I could find out the bug and modified the required files. In hurry I forgot to add the correct file in the code repository. Before sending the code to the onsite, my lead tested the code on the sample basis and bug re-appeared. I was unable to understand why the same bug was not visible in my PC. I almost went into panic mode as it was my first project. My team lead sat with me to figure out the issue and we could get the correct  version of the file from my PC and use it in the release. I learnt to keep my head cool even in stress situation.

Anti Pattern:

Do not get into detailed explanation of why do you failed. Keep it simple and short. You are not supposed to be spending time remembering details of your failures.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

The interviewer is not really interested in knowing your failure but more so in your courage to failure and learning from it.

Are you willing to sign a bond of one year of employment worth $xxx ?

Possible Intention:

• To see if you are desperate enough to accept whatever is given to you.
• To know if you are flexible.
• To check if you can give formal term commitment for work.

Insights:

• Ask if there is any alternative to signing a bond or it is mandatory. Some companies may have a policy of mandatory bond.
• Take your time to think over; do not give an answer immediately. Ask the details such as tenure, amount to be paid in case you default etc.
• If the job profile is interesting and you have not had that kind of experience earlier, you can consider it. Think of what benefits you will get for you long term career in lieu of this commitment.
• If you are fresher, do not miss the opportunity. If you think the experience you will get by working on the project will enhance your skill inventory in some way, accept the offer. Ensure that the commitment specified in bond is not too long.
• Do not get worried and derail the interview. You can still but time and then give response in a couple of days once the interview is done.
• If you have any friend working in the same or similar company, discuss with them to find out whether it is worth to give such a commitment.

Example Answer;

I may be willing to consider signing a bond but I have a couple of questions like intention for creation such policy for hiring, details on bond and legal implications. I would also like to know the kind of technologies I would work on, in this period and more about the role. This would help me take a better decision considering my long term aspitations.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not mention that you are badly in need of a job and so are ready to accept anything.
• Do not say upfront that you are interested only in a job which does not involve formal commitments like bond.
• Do not say that you will think about it and get back after some time; they may not have the time to wait for you. Instead, buy specific time limit like a day or two day for responding.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• Upfront negative response indicates you are stubborn and do not think enough before taking decision.
• You shoeing an interest in the job and querying about details shows your willingness and flexibility.

What kind of people do you find to work with?

No two people are alike. At your workplace you would be surrounded by different individual personalities. You want to show the interviewer that it does not matter what kind of people you work with, just that work gets done.

Possible Intention:

• To know more about your interpersonal skills.
• To know if you are a team player and can handle difficult team members or bosses.

Insights:

• You need to develop an important understanding about yourself. You can enhance it by listing down the people you have worked with and due to what characteristic it was easy or difficult to work with them.
• List what kind of traits you really hate at the workplace that affects the project or organisational success.
• Outcome of this answer should indicate that you are a team player and do not want to work in an autocratic way.

Example Answer:

Sometimes I find it difficult to deal with kind of people who shrug off their responsibilities at eleventh hour when deadline is near or a person who refuses to help even though he/she is not tied up with lot of work. In my opinion, the people who complete the tasks somehow just to earn their paychecks are difficult to work with.

            Though I have seen people with such traits and I had to use different techniques to make them work, honestly I find it a little difficult. Because I do not understand how somebody can be so casual about one's life or career.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not say that people who do not agree with my views or who do not listen to me. This your shows you are not a team player.
• List only the characteristic which are going to affect the work or the work environment.
• Do not give any irrelevent traits though you do not like them; for example people who smoke.

Interviewer's Interpretation;

• It is good that you find it difficult to work with people who are not aligned with organizational success. And hence you are not one of their kind.
• Realistic and relecant answer indicates you are honest.

What is your current salary and what is your salary expectation?

Before accepting or asking any offer, it is important to know what package is offered by similar companies for same post. Such question may have following possible intention.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you are aware of salary ranges offered for specific job.
• To know how you price yourself for job, exorbitantly high or low.

Insights:

• You need to know the salary offered for a job with your skills and experience.
• If you are asking a good hike considering you current pay package then justify what skills and experience you have added after starting your current job.
• Remember that this question does not indicate that you are hired and salary negotiate would start.

Example Answer:

My current salary is $ xxxx per month/per annum. I learnt a couple of technologies and tools like Weblogic application server and business process management suite. I have successfully executed two projects on Java technology using the said tools. Considering this, I think I am worth more and expect around 30 percent raise.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not give a figure; better give a range.
• Do not start negotiating, the job is not yet offered.
• Do not hesitate. State assertively what your worth is.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• Knowledge of typical salary ranges shows your initiative and good homework.

If some other organization gives you offer right now, will you consider it?

You can be trapped easily with this question, So be aware of the appropriate reply. This is a really tricky question asked in interviews. Do not get confused between yes or no.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you have any offers in hand.
• To judge your skills in planning and decision making.

Insights:

• The question asked has nothing to do with the real offer. It is for judging how you approach a situation where decision making is crucial.
• Do not conclude on the decision. Keep it pending, in an intelligent way, so that you can use it to your advantage later.

 Example Answer:

I have offers from other two organizations which are in the similar domain. I have to carefully many aspects other than just financial consideration. I would like to choose the job based on the basis of how it will you prefer working here if given an opportunity.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not say you will not take offer from competitor. It is logically wrong because you have not yet got offer from the interviewer. Answer would appear fake.
• Do not say "I will take other offer". Then you are directly denying or giving a negative signal for the offer from interviewer.
• Do not think this is real question related to offers. It is just a mind game to trap you.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• To see of you are desperate enough to accept whatever is given to you.
• To know if you are flexible.
• To check if you can give formal long term commitment for work.

Why did you quit your last job?

Most of the time responding for the reason to quit the job is not easy because of greedy intentions. Such question definitely can be handled if and only if you know the in and out of the question. Let's have a look.

Possible Intention:

• To know the reason for your job switch.
• To know if you are just a mercenary who works for whoever pays more.
• To know your expectation that made you leave the previous job.

Insights:

• Be ready with a convincing answer. The interviewer is trying to judge whether to hire you or not, if you left previous job after a very short stint.
• Have a list of reasons which do not say bad things about your previous employers.
• If you have disagreements with your previous employers, do not wash dirty laundry in public.
• Do not give a flippant reply. It shows that you are not a responsible person and do not take your job serious.

Example Answer:

1. I had to leave in a very short period due to some family problem and continuing my job was not possible. Since I had not completed my probations, getting leave was difficult, when my family needed me the most. But I assured you that nothing of this sort will happen now since the problem has been sorted out.
2. I had a few disagreements with my manager in earlier employment, and as i could not make compromises with my core beliefs, I thought it would be good idea to seek out like-minded people who can foster those beliefs.
3. There was a gap between what I want and to do with my life and what the organization needed, so rather than having disturbances in my personal life as well as work environment, I decided to approach with same vision as mine.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not say you left because you did not like the working environment or the project that you were assigned. It may indicate that you are not adaptable. 

•  Do not say that you did not like working with earlier organisation and hence you left the job. 

•  Do not elaborate and dwell on the problem you might have faced earlier. 

•  Do not portray yourself as a victim.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• The interviewer may appreciate your honesty and forthrightness so long as you can justify what your core beliefs are.
• The interviewer will understand that you have the courage to take strong decisions, but not out of malice.
• That you are sincere, thoughtful and responsible person who is capable of taking the right decisions.