Possible answer to “Why should we hire you?”
“I know it’s been an exciting time for General Tech—growing so much and acquiring several startups—but I also know from experience that it can be challenging for the sales team to understand how new products fit in with the existing ones. It’s always easier to sell the product you know, so the newer stuff can get shortchanged, which can have company-wide ramifications. I have over a decade of experience as a sales trainer, but more importantly, most of those years were working with sales teams that were in the exact same boat Gen Tech is in now. Growth is wonderful, but only if the rest of the company can keep up. I’m confident I can make sure your sales team is confident and enthusiastic about selling new products by implementing an ongoing sales training curriculum that emphasizes where they sit in a product lineup.”
How did you hear about this position?
Another seemingly innocuous interview question, this is actually a perfect opportunity to stand out and show your passion for and connection to the company. For example, if you found out about the gig through a friend or professional contact, name-drop that person, then share why you were so excited about the job. If you discovered the company through an event or article, share that. Even if you found the listing through a random job board, share what, specifically, caught your eye about the role.
Tell me about a time when someone gave you feedback and how you handled that.
Receiving and implementing feedback well is important for your growth as an educator. “This is actually most critical for veteran teachers,” Swartz says. Since they’d be most likely to “communicate a level of, ‘I’ve already gotten this, I’ve already arrived, I don’t need any extra feedback.’”
Tell me about a time when a situation changed or something unexpected happened at work and how you dealt with it.
You might spend hours preparing to teach a particular unit, “but then something will happen and it throws off your whole lesson plan,” Swartz says. So interviewers want to see that you can think on your feet and handle a conflict when it arises.
1 Can you explain why you changed career paths?
Don’t be thrown off by this question—just take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager why you’ve made the career decisions you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesn’t have to be a direct connection; in fact, it’s often more impressive when a candidate can show how seemingly irrelevant experience is very relevant to the role.
3 How do you handle constructive criticism?
Constructive criticism is aimed at helping you to get better in one or more areas of your professional life.
Welcoming constructive criticism signifies your willingness to change, grow and improve.
Areas of improvement can include your skills, performance, work habits and relationships with coworkers or with supervisors.
When receiving constructive feedback, avoid being defensive, argumentative, getting angry or making excuses.
Maintain your composure and stay calm.
Take time to listen keenly, seek clarification or more specifics, and absorb the suggestions and recommendations.
Make a genuine effort to put the feedback into practice.
Remember to thank the person who took their time to offer constructive feedback.
Accepting constructive feedback helps you to be more self-aware about your weaknesses and blind spots.
You get to perceive how others see your shortcomings when they offer genuine criticisms.
Make it a practice to actively seek constructive criticism to help you improve in your job and career.