INFO GURU

A touch screen is a computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch, allowing a user to interact with the computer by touching pictures or words on the screen. Touch screens are used with information kiosks, computer-based training devices, and systems designed to help individuals who have difficulty manipulating a mouse or keyboard. Touch screen technology can be used as an alternative user interface with applications that normally require a mouse, such as a Web browser. Some applications are designed specifically for touch screen technology, often having larger icons and links than the typical PC application. Monitors are available with built-in touch screen technology or individuals can purchase a touch screen kit.

Touchscreens have become commonplace since the invention of the electronic touch interface in 1971 by Dr. Samuel C. Hurst. They have become familiar in retail settings, on point of sale systems, on ATMs and on PDAs where a stylus is sometimes used to manipulate the GUI and to enter data. The popularity of smart phones, PDAs, portable game consoles and many types of information appliances is driving the demand for, and the acceptance of, touchscreens.

The HP-150 from 1983 was probably the world's earliest commercial touch screen computer. It actually does not have a touch screen in the strict sense, but a 9" Sony CRT surrounded by infrared transmitters and receivers which detect the position of any non-transparent object on the screen.

Touchscreens are popular in heavy industry and in other situations, such as museum displays or room automation, where keyboards and mouse do not allow a satisfactory, intuitive, rapid, or accurate interaction by the user with the display's content.

Historically, the touchscreen sensor and its accompanying controller-based firmware have been made available by a wide array of after-market system integrators and not by display, chip or motherboard manufacturers. With time, however, display manufacturers and System On Chip (SOC) manufacturers worldwide have acknowledged the trend toward acceptance of touchscreens as a highly desirable user interface component and have begun to integrate touchscreen functionality into the fundamental design of their products.

A touch screen kit includes a touch screen panel, a controller, and a software driver. The touch screen panel is a clear panel attached externally to the monitor that plugs into a serial or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port or a bus card installed inside the computer. The touch screen panel registers touch events and passes these signals to the controller. The controller then processes the signals and sends the data to the processor. The software driver translates touch events into mouse events. Drivers can be provided for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Internal touch screen kits are available but require professional installation because they must be installed inside the monitor.

There are three types of touch screen technology:

• Resistive: A resistive touch screen panel is coated with a thin metallic electrically conductive and resistive layer that causes a change in the electrical current which is registered as a touch event and sent to the controller for processing. Resistive touch screen panels are generally more affordable but offer only 75% clarity and the layer can be damaged by sharp objects. Resistive touch screen panels are not affected by outside elements such as dust or water.
• Surface wave: Surface wave technology uses ultrasonic waves that pass over the touch screen panel. When the panel is touched, a portion of the wave is absorbed. This change in the ultrasonic waves registers the position of the touch event and sends this information to the controller for processing. Surface wave touch screen panels are the most advanced of the three types, but they can be damaged by outside elements.
• Capacitive: A capacitive touch screen panel is coated with a material that stores electrical charges. When the panel is touched, a small amount of charge is drawn to the point of contact. Circuits located at each corner of the panel measure the charge and send the information to the controller for processing. Capacitive touch screen panels must be touched with a finger unlike resistive and surface wave panels that can use fingers and stylus. Capacitive touch screens are not affected by outside elements and have high clarity.
• Infrared
• An infrared touch screen panel employs one of two very different methods. One method used thermal induced changes of the surface resistance. This method was sometimes slow and required warm hands. Another method is an array of vertical and horizontal IR sensors that detected the interruption of a modulated light beam near the surface of the screen. IR touch screens have the most durable surfaces and are used in many military applications that require a touch panel display.
• Strain gauge
• In a strain gauge configuration the screen is spring mounted on the four corners and strain gauges are used to determine deflection when the screen is touched. This technology can also measure the Z-axis. Typically used in exposed public systems such as ticket machines due to their resistance to vandalism.
• Optical imaging
• A relatively-modern development in touch screen technology, two or more image sensors are placed around the edges (mostly the corners) of the screen. Infrared backlights are placed in the camera's field of view on the other sides of the screen. A touch shows up as a shadow and each pair of cameras can then be triangulated to locate the touch. This technology is growing in popularity, due to its scalability, versatility, and affordability, especially for larger units.
• Dispersive signal technology
• Introduced in 2002, this system uses sensors to detect the mechanical energy in the glass that occur due to a touch. Complex algorithms then interpret this information and provide the actual location of the touch. The technology claims to be unaffected by dust and other outside elements, including scratches. Since there is no need for additional elements on screen, it also claims to provide excellent optical clarity. Also, since mechanical vibrations are used to detect a touch event, any object can be used to generate these events, including fingers and styli. A downside is that after the initial touch the system cannot detect a motionless finger.
• Acoustic pulse recognition
• This system uses more than two piezoelectric transducers located at some positions of the screen to turn the mechanical energy of a touch (vibration) into an electronic signal. This signal is then converted into an audio file, and then compared to preexisting audio profile for every position on the screen. This system works without a grid of wires running through the screen, the touch screen itself is actually pure glass, giving it the optics and durability of the glass out of which it is made. It works with scratches and dust on the screen, and accuracy is very good. It does not need a conductive object to activate it. It is a major advantage for larger displays. As with the Dispersive Signal Technology system, after the initial touch this system cannot detect a motionless finger.
• Frustrated total internal reflection
• This optical system works by using the principle of total internal reflection to fill a refractive medium with light. When a finger or other soft object is pressed against the surface, the internal reflection light path is interrupted, making the light reflect outside of the medium and thus visible to a camera behind the medium.
• Development
• Virtually all of the significant touchscreen technology patents were filed during the 1970s and 1980s and have expired. Touchscreen component manufacturing and product design are no longer encumbered by royalties or legalities with regard to patents and the manufacturing of touchscreen-enabled displays on all kinds of devices is widespread. The development of multipoint touchscreens facilitated the tracking of more than one finger on the screen, thus operations that require more than one finger are possible. These devices also allow multiple users to interact with the touchscreen simultaneously.With the growing acceptance of many kinds of products with an integral touchscreen interface the marginal cost of touchscreen technology is routinely absorbed into the products that incorporate it and is effectively eliminated. As typically occurs with any technology, touchscreen hardware and software has sufficiently matured and been perfected over more than three decades to the point where its reliability is unassailable. As such, touchscreen displays are found today in airplanes, automobiles, gaming consoles, machine control systems, appliances and handheld display devices of every kind. The ability to accurately point on the screen itself is taking yet another step with the emerging graphics tablet/screen hybrids.
• Ergonomics and usage
• An ergonomic problem of touchscreens is their stress on human fingers when used for more than a few minutes at a time, since significant pressure can be required and the screen is non-flexible. This can be alleviated with the use of a pen or other device to add leverage, but the introduction of such items can sometimes be problematic depending on the desired use case (for example, public kiosks such as ATMs). Also, fine motor control is better achieved with a stylus, a finger being a rather broad and ambiguous point of contact with the screen.

• Yet all of these ergonomic issues can be bypassed simply by using a different technique, provided that the user's fingernails are either short or sufficiently long. Rather than pressing with the soft skin of an outstretched fingertip, the finger is curled over, so that the top of the forward edge of a fingernail can be used instead. (The thumb is optionally used to provide support for the finger or for a long fingernail, from underneath.) The fingernail's hard, curved surface contacts the touchscreen at a single very small point. Therefore, much less finger pressure is needed, much greater precision is possible (approaching that of a stylus, with a little experience), much less skin oil is smeared onto the screen, and the fingernail can be silently moved across the screen with very little resistance, allowing for selecting text, moving windows, or drawing lines. (The human fingernail consists of keratin which has a hardness and smoothness similar to the tip of a stylus, and so will not typically scratch a touchscreen.) Alternately, very short stylus tips are available, which slip right onto the end of a finger; this increases visibility of the contact point with the screen. Oddly, with capacitive touch screens, the reverse problem applies in that individuals with long nails have reported problems getting adequate skin contact with the screen to register keystrokes (note that styluses do not work on capacitive touch screens nor do gloved fingers).

HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) aims to offer mobile broadband for cellular phones. Conventional 3G offers upload and download speeds of around 384Kbps, whereas HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) allows upload speeds to 2Mbps.

Samsung has joined the league of phone-makers offering HSUPA by launching its very first handset that supports this technology. Called the SCH-M470, the phone is a slider-type handset and features a 2 megapixel camera.
Along with HSUPA, the phone promises to offer efficient Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0 support, video-calling, push-button email, and Google search functions. The phone is compatible with Windows Mobile.

Gartner, a market research firm, has predicted that global HSUPA mobile phone market would grow from 77 million units in this year to 280 million units in 2009, and 600 million units in 2010.

Here comes the part which will not please most Indians. As of now, the SCH-M470 is only available for the Korean market; which shouldn't actually bother them because 3G in India is still on its way. Nevertheless, the price of phone ranges from 600,000KRW and 700,000KRW, which is equivalent to around 24,500INR to 28,500INR respectively.

When You Are Preparing For The Interview:

Great news, give yourself a pat on the back and well done you’ve got an interview for a new job. You have obviously impressed your future potential employer with your CV and your application form to be offered an interview in the first place. You have probably beaten many other applicants but something in your application has made you stand out from the other candidates.

An employer isn’t looking to employ any old person to fill their job hence they have already sifted through all of the applications and compiled a shortlist which you are on! Now all the interviewer needs to do is choose which candidate to fill their job and the only way they are going to do this is meet each applicant in person. There are many variables in choosing a new person for a job, what one employer classes as an important quality another may not. Some feel experience is an important factor others value qualifications or team management skills or a combination of both. What you have got to remember is that you will have to make a lasting impression on the interviewer to get you nearer to securing that new job. Your future employer is going to have to make a choice from several applicants one which inevitably will be a hard decision to make. After all, summing up candidates suitability in a few short hours isn’t easy for any interviewer so you must make an impression. Its no easier sitting in an interviewers shoes than being a candidate. If you go well prepared then you are able to manipulate an interviewer to your benefit to get across your strengths.

Prior To The Interview:

Remember your employer knows all about the job they are looking to fill - what it entails and what qualities they are looking for in a potential candidate. They also have a fair amount of information about you – your CV and application form and it’s always a good idea to take a copy of this with you to the interview. The interviewer will have a checklist of areas they are looking to satisfy themselves over to ensure you can do the job which will encompass some general interview questions and some questions specifically about you as a person such as your interests, hobbies and what you like outside of the workplace.

How Will The Interview Be Structured?

Most interviews follow a fairly similar simple format. Usually you will be invited into the interview room, offered a drink of tea, coffee or water etc and then sometimes a bit of casual chat such as “how was your journey?” – you get the idea! Next your interviewer will ask some general questions, such as “Tell me about yourself” or “Are you an organised person”. They may then ask you questions about your CV such as “You say you are good at time management can you give us an example”. Once the interviewer feels that they have satisfactory answers to all their questions they will then give you the opportunity to answer any questions you may have about the job, the company etc.

Convincing Your Interviewer & Offering Them Reassurance:

It is really important at the interview stage that the interviewer feels happy about all of the areas they have covered. They may keep going back to specific questions if they don’t feel they have got the answer they require – this is often a good sign as it means they are taking your application serious and they may just want reassurance in one or two areas. If you can put their mind at rest it will may you a far stronger contender. If you haven’t been asked any questions you have either done a fantastic job at clarifying all of their concerns and queries or you are unlikely to have got the job. So try and be as open as you can be – without going on and on. Also - and I know it’s not always easy to judge - if you think there is an area that the interviewer has covered and is uncomfortable with try get your point across. There are certain areas that can will cause concern to an employer such as lack of experience or missing periods or employment during your career which have simple answers to them but if your potential employer doesn’t have a good because they haven’t asked you a question about them they are going to be wary so if you think something is bothering the interviewer try and offer a good form of explanation. If you are well prepped before the interview and you think there is an area of your career history that might make your interviewer a little wary you will can have a sensible answer ready and avoid feeling left speechless when the interviewer says – “Why is there a 18 month gap in your employment history”.

Being Interviewed For A Job By Your Existing Employer:

An interview is an interview! Should you be applying for promotion or a change of job in your existing company then your existing employer will have a lot of the current information about you already, such as timekeeping or time management skills, your personal details etc, etc. Other than these details the interview will follow the same structure as any other interview however specific questions about your current position may well come into play and have a more dominant effect on the meeting. It may be that there are certain areas that the interviewer will already know about you but they still may ask you about them things like “How well do you work under pressure and meeting targets?” they will already know this as you work form them but it may well be that they want you to answer this question anyway so just go ahead and give them the answer they want to hear!

Just because you already work for this employer don’t treat the interview any differently to an interview being conducted by a new employer. Sure the interviewer may already know you so the start of the interview may well be a little less informal in their greeting but once you get down to business and the interview commences treat the interview as if you were applying for a job outside of your current employer. Good point of useful information; don’t crack jokes about people you work with or perform chit chatter about Joe in accounts – it isn’t perceived professional and it will do you no favours in your career advancement.

Be Prepared For The Questions That Will Be Asked:

It’s almost impossible to know exactly what questions are going to be asked at the interview but you can expect that there are certain areas that will be likely to be explored. So brief yourself on the skills required to do the job including the experience you have to do it. Think about questions that may arise from the answers you have given on your application and lastly consider any questions that may arise regarding your CV as previously mentioned such as breaks in your career, work experience and so on. If you work in a sales role you will already understand the importance of preparation prior to meeting a new customer or trying to close a deal and it’s no different when presenting yourself at an interview trying to win a new job. You need to “Prepare Your Offensive”, “Do Your Research”, and “Prepare For The Meeting”. The better prepared you are the more professionally and accurately you will be able to answer each question and this will put both you and the interviewer at ease.

Prepare Your Offensive:

Hey going into an interview is no different to going into battle and the end result is to come out the winner! The better your offensive is the more chance you have at winning the interviewer over. Your objective is to win. How are you going to do this? Well you need to know where you are going and how you are going to get there. You need to know what traps or pitfalls there are along the way so the best practice is to plan and be prepared. Simple isn’t it – so what have you got to do? Well you have got to win over the interviewer and the only way of doing this is by convincing him, or her, that you are the man, or woman, for the job. You are going to do this by showing the interviewer that you know about their organisation, know about the job, know how to do the job and would be the best person for the role. The only way you are going to do this is by preparation so you can present yourself as cool, calm, collected but not too cocky! If you have ever played a new computer game or purchased a new item of equipment you know that your job is going to be much easier if you get the instructions our first to work out how to operate the thing than to go rushing in all guns firing without doing any research.

Do Some Research About The Employer:

Now I am no easy employer to work for, I have allocated time to you to attend my interview and by doing so I have had to spend some time reading through your CV and particulars. So in return I think as I have invited you to attend an interview the least I expect is for you to have taken the time to do a bit of research about my company and what we do. Not every employer takes this stance but many do. If you do a little research this will show the interviewer or employer that you have at least put some effort into trying to get this job. Besides which, are you really looking to apply to work for a company you know nothing about, if so you can’t really be that serious about the interview. It’s really simple to do research on a company by getting hold of the companies sales brochures, report and accounts (not so easy if it is only a small employer), looking at the companies web site, or by researching local news items by visiting the local library and searching the newspaper archives outlining press releases – it’s easy to do just visit your local library and explain what your after and I am sure they will help you out. Remember you get out of life what you put in – invest time and effort and your efforts will be rewarded. If you want a copy of the report and accounts the easiest thing to do is ring up the receptionist and ask for a copy, you could say something like “I’ve got an interview with your company and I would like to find out a bit more about the firm so could you send me some information” hey, most secretaries are helpful if they think you are a potential “newbee” and in any case they usually have some info just lying around.

Be Prepared For The Interview:

There are several areas that you must be ensure you have covered when preparing for the interview, the first fundamental one being not to be late for the meeting!. A few days before the big day plan your route, if you are going by car have a trial run and see how long it takes you to get there, the same goes for if you are going by bus or train. When you have determined how long it is likely to take you add half an hour to the journey. If you’re early so what? You can always have a drink or read your magazine but one thing is for sure you will be calm and ready whereas if you are running late you will be on edge – not a good start to an interview. Take a phone with you (or money to use a phone box) just in case something happens. It is very discourteous to be late and it really annoys some people so you aren’t going to get off to a good start on that basis. Just as a pointer it’s always a good idea to take a pen and paper with you or alternatively a briefcase or handbag with a pen and paper in it.

Do First Impressions Count? You Bet They Do!

You would be very surprised at what can be ascertained from the first few moments in some ones presence. An interviewer or employer will discover a great deal about you in a relatively small amount of time by use of their experience in body language. It’s a bit like when you make new friends, generally speaking you know within a few moments of meeting a person for the very first time whether you will like them or not (despite knowing very little about their background). I personally think it is some form of basic primate instinct. So your first few seconds are fairly vital when you walk into that interview room or are greeted by your employer. We all give out different signals and these can be influenced by the way you dress to your body language. In my opinion good body language starts with a firm handshake (that’s firm - don’t shake their hand off!) and being smartly dressed. Don’t bathe in perfume or aftershave as strong smells often give off an overpowering smell and can be very off putting. Not everyone has the same taste in cologne and there is nothing worse than being stuck in a room with a smell that makes you feel ill. It’s always best to be clean and neutral!

Prior To Attending Your Job Interview:

It’s always a good idea (and I think a courteous one which shows manners and initiative) to confirm with your prospective interviewer the interview arrangements by letter once you have been invited to attend the interview. This doesn’t need to be a long winded letter it can just be brief confirming the time and place of the interview. It also gives you the opportunity to send in any documents that the interviewer may wish to see in advance or anything you may have omitted to send when you originally enclosed your CV and job application form.

Dress Code - What Clothes Should You Wear For Your Job Interview?

It’s always a tough call when trying to decide what to wear for a job interview. Traditionally men always wore their smartest suit and tie and the same could be said for women – either a nice skirt and blouse or a suit. However things have changed a lot since the old days, for example if you are going to work for an IT firm or Graphic Designers then the dress code may be smart but casual - by the same token if you are going to work for a firm of Solicitors, Accountants or Insurance Brokers then the chances are the dress code is going to be formal so it can be a hard call to decide what to wear for your interview. If you are applying for an internal job then this won’t apply to you as you will already know what standard of outfit is or isn’t acceptable at your place of work. There are two fairly simple ways to ascertain what type of dress code your potential future employer demands and these are as follows:

1. Drive up to the offices or workplace at a time when the staff will be arriving or leaving – this will give you a good indication of what types of clothes the other employees are wearing.

2. Pick up the phone and ring up the interviewers’ secretary and ask her what is the typical dress code of the company – as previously mentioned secretaries generally speaking are always keen to offer assistance to the “newbie’s”!

As a pointer it’s always a good idea to “Dress Above The Rest” at an interview – remember you are out to make a special impression so although you will want to fit in if you get the job you need to be appointed first! So a pretty simple rule - if the companies dress code is casual then you need to be dressed casually but a little smarter, for example if the other employees are wearing trousers and open neck shirts then it would be a good idea for you to wear trousers, a tie and a smart jacket. If the dress code is a suit and tie then you need to wear your best suit and tie – get the picture it’s pretty easy for you to judge for yourself. Another good point is when you are invited into the interview don’t ever remove your jacket without be asked. If the room is hot – well quite frankly that’s just a bit of tough luck. I have to admit I have always kept my jacket on even when my interviewer has offered for me to remove it – my reason being that we all perspire during stress and there is nothing worse than seeing perspiration marks around the arms of your shirt!! So what type of clothes should you wear at your interview? Well it’s an individual’s choice really. However I would steer well clear of bright outrageous ties if you are a man as not every interviewer will share your love of cartoon characters such as the Simpson’s - try and settle on neutral colours. Finally as previously mentioned it’s a bad idea to wear overpowering aftershave or perfume – it can be very off putting to others.

On Arrival At Your Job Interview:

If you are organised you will have arrived at your interview in good time and if so you will have a few moments to compose yourself and utilise the rest room before your big moment. If at the office there are some bathrooms in the waiting area (or if not just ask someone to direct you to them) go and make a few final checks on your appearance. You might want to comb your hair, use the lavatory (make sure you do up your zippers) or adjust your make up if you are a lady. This time will give you the opportunity to make sure you are ship shape and looking a million dollars, it will also give you reassurance so that once you are in the interview you don’t have to worry about whether you have done your zips up or whether your hair looks tidy – issues that are important but that you don’t want to have to worry whilst trying to win over the interviewer. It’s always a good idea if you have a briefcase and are wearing a tie to take a spare just in case you spill something down it before going into the interview. It’s easily done I was once attending an interview and on the way I stopped to drink a can of coke as I had arrived early. To say I was mortified when I spilt it down my tie is an understatement. I had no spare and apologised profusely to my interviewer who was very kind and said it didn’t matter but I still spent the entire interview worrying about it and my performance was definitely hindered by it. A lesson learned to say the least!

When Your Interviewer Comes Out To Take You Into The Interview – Or When You Are Called Into The Interview Room:

OK, in my opinion this is the most stressful time of the interview – and when my heart beats the most! This is the time when you are entering the unknown – new surroundings, new people (sometimes as many as four or five) a strange room. As I have stated before you need your maximum concentration at this point as “First Impressions” do count. So how do you greet your interviewer? Firstly look your interviewer in the eyes and smile, everyone likes a smiley face, I don’t mean beam like a Cheshire cat - just a pleasant friendly smile. Secondly, offer your hand out to shake (remember don’t squeeze the interviewers hand until it turns blue – just a firm professional handshake) and offer a greeting (“Hello very pleased to meet you” or something like that). Your interviewer will then either take you into the interview room (or you may already be in there as you have been called in) and offer you a seat. Please do not just sit down when you enter the room, wait to be offered a seat – it’s good manners.

The interview is going to start along the lines of chit chat, you will probably be asked how you journey was etc, etc and then offered a drink. Depending on the type of person you are and how well you cope with nerves (and remember we all have them, from the person applying for a job flipping burgers in a burger house to the Executive applying for a new £ 250K per year position) it’s up to you whether you decide to accept a drink. You won’t be thought of any less should you not accept a drink (and if you think your hands are going to be shaking like a coconut tree in a hurricane every time you pick your cup up) it’s probably a good idea to decline. That way you won’t chance spilling the liquid all down your front should you really lose your nerves!

Nerves – Yep love them or hate them we all have them and they apply to everything we do in life – whether it’s a new job, a date, going to the dentist or being reprimanded. What are nerves? Well they are your bodies’ way of dealing with stress usually caused by a fear of the unknown, your body putting up a protective barrier to help you deal with the unknown. Symptoms include; dry mouth, shaky hands, sweating, thumping heart, faintness, feeling like you need to go to the bathroom – sound familiar! Everyone is nervous when attending a job interview – after all you are doing all this because you want to get that new job. Your body is releasing chemical called adrenalin which assists you in focusing your mind completely on the situation that you are dealing with. The secret is being able to manipulate and control your frame of mind and use that adrenalin to your advantage and not let it take over completely.

How Can I Control My Nerves?

The secret to controlling your nerves is to convince your brain that you have little to worry about. The reality is that we all get ourselves worked up far too much in the first place – we convince ourselves that we are going to under perform or embarrass ourselves beyond belief. After all I am sure you will have been in many situations where you have been a nervous wreck and once the situation is over (like at the end of an interview or coming out of the dentists) felt the overwhelming experience of calmness. Yes this is caused by your body relaxing and the adrenalin ceasing. So how can you combat this? Well it is really simple - all you need to do is be prepared and calm yourself and the nerves, to a degree, will be far less. I am sure you will have heard of the term “Mind Over Matter” well it is true. The brain and body are complicated things, you can convince yourself of anything if you want to and this can have a negative as well as positive outcome. So to deal with this issue and put your mind at rest (hence reducing your nervousness) it’s always a good idea to try and address the areas you need to deal with where you feel you will be an absolute failure if things go badly wrong. So lets just look at the major areas:

1. Drinks - should you or shouldn’t you? As I have mentioned before if you are offered a drink, be it tea, coffee or water and you think you are suddenly going to have an explosive fit and chuck your cup three foot in the air then don’t accept one. The only exception I can recommend here is Water. The reason being is that if you have a glass of water no one is going to notice if you did or didn’t drink it. However if you get stuck for something to say when asked a difficult question or you find your mouth is getting irritably dry it’s a good excuse to take a sip. While it doesn’t buy you a great deal of time it does give you chance to pause and reflect on the question a few moments before you give an answer.

2. Awkward Questions – Well unless you have a crystal ball you are not going to know what questions you are going to be asked at your interview. However if you know anything about the job then you can have a good second guess at what sort of questions are likely to come up and figure out some answers accordingly. Just remember how it was when you sat exams at school – you didn’t know which questions were going to come up so you revised all of them. Again as previously mentioned if there is a discrepancy in your CV and you think it may be an issue then try and think of an appropriate answer – don’t just ignore it and think to yourself “I hope they don’t mention that” – be prepared it will take the worry.

3. Shaky Hands! – Well I have to admit I always get shaky hands (and I am sure I am not alone on this issue!). There is no real definitive way of dealing with shaky hands really the only thing you can do is keep them under control by placing one hand on top of the other and keeping them on your lap. As you gain confidence throughout the interview and your mind drifts away from the issue you will find that the shaking will naturally ease and it should no longer prove a problem.

4. Dropping Or Tripping Over Your Briefcase Or Handbag – Come on, there’s absolutely no need to be clinging onto that briefcase or handbag. Place them on the floor (under your chair preferably) that way you aren’t going to drop them or fall over them when you get up! If you need a pen and paper (and it’s always good to have one) take them out of your attaché at the start of the meeting

5. Fear Of Sneezing or Having a Runny Nose – Again it all comes down to being prepared, make sure you take a handkerchief or tissue and have it somewhere accessible. It’s no good locked in your handbag or briefcase, place it in your pocket so you can get at it quickly should you need to.

Make Life Easier For Yourself At The Interview:

Now I am not trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs but the night before your interview try and get a good nights sleep. Eat your evening meal earlier than usual and go to bed a bit earlier. Don’t go out on the lash with your mates until 2.00 am in the morning or for a curry or other meal that gives off a strong smelling after odour. As you will no doubt be aware garlic smells dreadful the next day and will ooze out of your pores for a good 24 hours after eating it so try and steer clear of meals that include this. Also alcohol stays in the blood stream for a fair while and you don’t want to be turning up at your new job interview feeling hung over and tired. If you are worried about your breath smelling then eat a mint before you go into the interview or use a menthol spray, you can but little handy ones from the chemist which will fit in your pocket.

On the morning of the interview (if the interview is in the morning) try and have some breakfast, I know it’s difficult to eat on a stomach that’s turning around faster that a washing machine on a full cycle spin, but food is for the brain and it will help you keep your mind on the job. Besides which if you don’t eat and have an empty stomach it is very likely that you will experience that intensely dreadful sickly feeling. If you have an interview during the afternoon see if you can catch an early lunch or if the interview is early evening try and eat a decent breakfast and catch a late lunch. Ideally you don’t want to eat more than two hours before the start of the interview to give your body the chance to digest your food.

If you are really strung out and feeling uptight just before your job interview begins then you can always try some breathing exercises. Now I am no therapist but I always find that breathing in deep breaths through your nose, holding it in for a few seconds and breathing out through your mouth helps. My doctor told me to try this when I was a bit younger and had problems dealing with stress and it seems to work for me to help me relax. Try and think happy thoughts whether they are about your children, your wife, husband, partner or whatever but try and think of something that makes you smile. It takes far more muscles to make you frown than it does to make you smile and using this technique you will automatically begin to feel the element of wellbeing. It will also temporarily take your mind off the situation ahead which will ease your stress and worry. When you get into the interview and are seated try and relax and get comfortable, I don’t mean slouch in the chair, but try and pick a position where you are not all screwed up like the hunchback of Notre Dame. Being comfortable will help relax all of your muscles including your legs, abdomen and chest ultimately making your breathing more relaxed. During your interview make sure you listen to each question posed to you properly, don’t try and think of an answer while your interviewer is still asking the question.

During The Interview – Selling Yourself:

So I have explained the ins and outs of preparing for your new job interview and dealing with the stress element leading up to and entering into the interview environment. You are now well dressed, have greeted your interviewer (s) correctly, created your comfortable sitting posture and are now ready to convince your interviewer that you are the man or woman that they have been searching for to fill that job opening. To some the actual performance comes easily, for others they have to work at it. Some people are natural born sales people and know how to sell themselves others are not so lucky. Generally speaking if you already work in a sales role (as I do) what I will explain next is really second nature and it is unlikely that I will be offering you anything that you don’t already know. Sales people are natural born performers whether it be due to their personality or due to the nature of the work they have previously carried out but the term “life is a stage and your on it” has never spoken truer than at a job interview. I have been on hundreds of sales courses and read many sales books over the course of my career such as “how to win friends and influence people” but it all comes down to one thing and that is getting a stranger to believe in you and or your product. At an interview you are one in the same and you therefore need to put on a good performance. There are many different qualities the interviewer is going to be looking for in their potential candidate which will encompass qualifications, experience, you as a person and the way that you integrate with others, your previous employment history, and your enthusiasm towards your career along with many, many other factors. So here are a few areas to consider – they are all really interlinked and if you can employ all of them at interview stage you are well on your way to getting that new job:

Show Your Interviewer That You Are Enthusiastic:

So what exactly is an interviewer employer looking for? Well firstly I would say enthusiasm. If someone asks you a question and you give a one word answer it doesn’t really look very enthusiastic. So the way to deal with this is to answer the question as deeply as you can. For example; Interviewer “Your background is in commercial liability underwriting but I see you are now involved in commercial property underwriting” don’t simply answer with a Yes or No answer, expand on it – so you could answer something along the lines of “Yes I was originally trained in liability underwriting, an area I spent several years working in which I thoroughly enjoyed. However I had the opportunity to expand my overall underwriting skills to encompass property underwriting so I jumped at the chance as I felt it would enhance my experience overall within my team”. Obviously you can tailor this to your own circumstances but you see what I am getting at – be enthusiastic don’t just give one word answers, make your interviewer interested in you and what you have done, show him that you really are passionate about everything you do. To the interviewer this shows that you will have enthusiasm and dedication to your new job should they decide to employ you.

Show Your Interviewer You Are A Confident Candidate And That You Know Your Stuff:

Another area where all sales people are naturals – confidence! I know it’s not always easy when you are under pressure and nervous to ooze confidence, but this is a really important area. The more confident you are (and I don’t mean being cock sure of yourself and making the interviewer look an idiot by being a smart arse!) the more chance you will have of bagging the job. Try and expand on your answers again in this area if you are asked a negative question try and respond with a positive confident answer. For example; Interviewer “You don’t appear to have done much cold calling for a while and this job will involve quite a large amount of self lead generation how do you feel about that” – you could answer along the lines of “Yes I haven’t been involved in cold calling for 6 months which has been quite disappointing to me as I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt that it was one of my strong areas. I really have missed this element of my work because I got the opportunity of speaking to new people each day and I really got a buzz when I finally closed a deal that I new I had generated from start to finish. Cold calling is an area I am keen to get back into and it’s a talent that I feel comes naturally to me”.

Show Your Interviewer That You Are Positive:

It’s easy to become negative about anything in life but in work life and a career environment but a positive person in the workplace can be a real asset to an employer. Positive people give off positive vibes and those good vibrations nearly always rub off on other employees. The end result creates a happy, proactive, enthusiastic work force which ultimately creates a better working environment and more efficient team. If you can demonstrate this quality to your interviewer at interview stage you will definitely impress them.

Watching Your Body Language:

Body language is an area that many interviewers will take seriously. What we do and how we do it can show underlying areas that do not have to be spoken to be picked up upon. Body language is an area that has been analysed for many, many years by professionals and interviewers alike and really is amazing what you can learn from someone just by their mannerisms. Just to give you an example - and as I have previously stated before I am no expert my knowledge has been gained from experience and research but if you ask a person a question and their eyes gaze up thoughtfully to the left hand side of their eyeball you know that the chances of there answer being true are high. If on the other hand they look up to the right of their eyeball the chances are they are searching for a made up answer to your question! There are certain exceptions to the rule but the theory is based upon the fact that the left side of your brain is where you retrieve data from, the right, is the fictional side of your brain! Interesting isn’t it and one to be aware of! Other areas that give off body language signals (without you knowing about them) are as follows:

Don’t:

1. Crossing Your Arms: Makes you look defensive.

2. Sit on the edge of your seat.

3. Mess with your face or play with your jewellery or hair.

4. Rock on the seat.

5. Interrupt when being asked a question.

6. Give one word answers (unless the answer dictates a one word answer!)

Do:

1. Smile as frequently as possible (especially when you are asked a question and respond to the person who has asked the question) but don’t over do it!

2. Keep your hands in your lap don’t wave them around all over the place.

3. Keep eye contact at all times (I don’t mean stare out your interviewer). If there is more than one interviewer flick from person to person.

4. Be articulate and listen carefully to each question before giving your answer.

5. Keep calm and don’t panic!

General Interview Guidelines – The Do’s and The Don’t’s!

Once your interview gets under way and the list of general questions that need to be asked by the interviewer are answered and providing at his point you haven’t managed to throw your tea cup 6 foot into the air because you have the jitters you should, if you have taken in what I have already said, begin to be feeling a little less nervous so you can really get down to business. Try and answer all of the questions the interviewer throws at you in a precise and confident manner. If your interviewer is asking a question and halfway through you wish to make a comment don’t interrupt (unless you really think that it is very, very appropriate – it’s bad manners). Ideally wait for the question to be fully delivered to you and give your answer even if it means saying to your interviewer “can I just pick up on the point you made in a previous question”. It is really difficult in this instance where you feel you want to pass comment on something you really feel passionate about but you have to try and bite your tongue. Nobody likes being interrupted and in my experience interviewers are all full of self importance and feel that their question is more important than your answer!

Answering Questions Posed To You By The Interviewer:

Your potential new employer is looking for a candidate that can do the job and will fit into his or her business. The chances are that the candidate is undoubtedly going to need to be a team player and a person who can listen and give enthusiastic and positive input into their job and daily work life. As the questions start to flow try and remember not to go on and on when giving your answers.

Try and keep your answers as precise (but not yes and no answers) as possible. If you are asked a specific question that requires you to provide an example of how you have dealt with a situation or closed a sale then give an example that makes your achievement stand out, if you have won the salesman of the year award then give a little background into how you achieved it. Inevitably there will be times when you run out of steam and these moments can be quite frustrating so just sit back and relax and take a few seconds to compose yourself before you deliver your answer to the question.

There are some people think that talking is more important than listening but they would be totally wrong. Being able to listen to a question without interruption is an art especially if you are genuinely interested in the subject but showing this quality will impress. If you are asked a question that you do not know the answer to try not to be tempted by lying and if you do you better make sure you keep your story straight. Answering a question with a lie can get you into big trouble and really achieves very little, after all the questions have been laid down to see if you are the person the interviewer is looking for and if you can’t give a straight answer then the chances are you are not the person for the job – don’t do it, it will all end in tears!

There are some employers that will ask you what you think of your previous boss. This is a trick question! They are really not in the slightest bit bothered whether you think your previous boss was a complete moron all they are trying to ascertain is whether you were a loyal employee and can act in a professional and neutral manner. After all if they offer you the job they will be your next boss! You also have to bear in mind that what goes around comes around – slating your old boss won’t achieve anything other than making you look petty and bitter – save that experience for when you are in the pub with your mates!

Different Types Of Interview Questions:

An interview will have a structured format and there will be several different types of interview questions set to enable the interviewer to gauge your response to technical as well as hypothetical questions. For example a Technical Question may involve specifics about the way a certain type of application is dealt with. Lets say you are applying for a job in the construction industry there may be certain questions set out to see how you would deal with a particular problem within a mechanical process. Hypothetical Questions can apply to any type of job role and they are designed to ascertain how you would deal with a situation or chain of events. Some less professional interviewers may also throw questions at you which are deliberately set to get your back up to judge how you deal with the situation but this is fairly rare and in any event to be honest any interviewer who engages in this type of underhand manoeuvre I don’t think would be a particularly good employer – just my opinion.

Types Of Interview:

If you haven’t had a lot of experience with attending interviews then you will not be aware of the different ways that employers are able to conduct interviews and the way that they are held. Aside from a traditional interview – one candidate and one interviewer, there are three different types of interviews and dependent upon the position involved will depend upon the type of interview you may have.

Firstly there is the Telephone Interview. This involves an interviewer calling you up and having a chat with you over the phone to judge your telephone skills. This often happens where the job may entail working in a call centre and the emphasis is on how well you perform on the telephone. This method is also sometimes used if the interviewer is trying to shortlist a group of candidates in a quick manner and is often carried out by an external recruiter such as an agency. You may or may not be told that you will be having a telephone interview it depends on the employer but if you have applied for a job where heavy telephone use is likely to be a major part of the job then this may be an option your interviewer will choose. The interview should be treated as any other interview and it’s a good idea to make notes as you go along if you can. If you are successful it may be that your interviewer will ask you there and then to attend a face to face interview so make sure you have a pen and paper to hand.

Another type of interview is what is known a Panel Interview. These are a bit more tricky and stressful than a one to one interview. A panel interview will usually have anything from three to six interviewers sitting in on the meeting. Basically this is a way of cutting down on time where the decision for the applicant needs to be discussed by several different members of the business. It could be that you are applying for a sales post and the interview needs the Sales Manager, HR Manager, Head Of Department and if the role involves some form of IT work one of the IT Managers. It’s always difficult attending these interviews as it can feel like you are one against many but it’s not set up like this for any nasty reason it’s just easier for the company. If you are faced with a Panel Interview try and always answer each question posed by each member of the panel back to the individual who has posed the question whilst casually glancing at the other members of the panel. Also when you enter the room you will obviously shake hands with the head of the panel or the person who has taken you in but whether you decide to shake all of the panels hands is a decision you will need to make at the time. If they all stand and offer their hands your decision will be made easier.

The final type of interview is a Sequential Interview. This can also be a tough type of interview leaving you feeling absolutely drained. Basically how this works is you will be interviewed by a series of different people, it might be that the HR Manager interviews you first, then the Sales Manager interviews you and then the Local Director. The chances are that each member of staff will have a different question to the last but there may be some overlap and you might find yourself answering the same questions twice!

Closing And Leaving The Interview:

Once the interview has finished and this should be fairly obvious as the interviewer will intimate that it has you will want to stand, pick up your briefcase or handbag from under the chair (if that’s where you put them) and shake hands with the interviewer (again in a firm but not grip wrenching manner!). Try and avoid the temptation to wipe your sweaty hands on your clothes in front of the interviewer – a better tactic is to just clench your hands together and rub them a couple of times gently to remove any wetness. Thank the interviewer for the time that they have afforded to you, say goodbye in a nice smiley manner and leave the room. Some people will escort you out onto the main floor others may see you out of the building but whichever try and stay as professional as possible – the jobs not yours until you have signed on the dotted line!

Generally speaking there are going to be certain questions that arise at your interview that you can pretty much expect to get asked at any other interview you attend. The great thing about this is the fact that you can rehearse your answers to these questions and with enough practice they will flow off your tongue easier than honey sipping down your throat! These questions are likely to be fired at all candidates applying for the job so although they may sound personal to you and they are to a degree these are pretty standard interview questions. So here goes you have to bear in mind that these are the responses that I would consider giving, they are obviously not set in stone and you will need to adapt answers according to your situation:

Tell Me About Yourself – Sounds a bit like the sort of question you get asked on a date! This isn’t as straight forward to answer as at first it might seem. Don’t start rambling on about how much you love watching the Simpson’s on the TV that isn’t what the interviewer is looking to hear. You probably need to answer this question with a question. Perhaps you could try saying “What would you like to know about me?” This then gives your interviewer the chance to get you to tell him exactly what information he is looking for. If possible try and keep this part of the interview to a minimum, you will know what the interviewer is looking for following his additional question which will probably have been something based around your job. If you can see if you can build into your response positives which relate to the job you are applying for. For example if it’s a sales role you could say “I am a very organised person who enjoys finding a new prospect, working with it and closing the deal, carrying out the completion from start to finish”. Sometimes your interviewer might ask about your hobbies and again you should pick out points that relate to the job your are applying for whether remote or not.

What Is the Most Enjoyable Part Of Your Current Job? - This is a fairly straight forward question but has a bit of a double meaning. Obviously there are going to be parts of your existing job that you don’t like doing – or you wouldn’t be applying for this new position would you, but your job can’t be that great either or you wouldn’t be applying for this job! Don’t get led down this route, just answer something along the lines of “your existing job is great and you can’t really put your finger on any part of your current job that you dislike you are just looking to further your career” and leave it at that. It is possible to use this question to your benefit but you need to make sure you pick something that is going to compliment the job you are applying for.

Tell Us About The Biggest Challenge You’ve Ever Faced In Your Career? - Oh wow, this is a really great question to help you shine! You are more than likely to be asked this question and it is a really great opportunity for you to blow your own trumpet or so to speak. Pick a challenge where you have been successful and explain how you overcame the challenge and the outcome. This question can also be used by the interviewer to gauge what you consider to be a challenge so this is a bit of a crafty one as well.

Why Do You Want To Leave Your Present Job? - This is a bit of a stupid question really as the chances of the interviewer getting a straight answer are fairly limited. Lets face it if the job your in doesn’t pay very well and you want more money you are going to be looking for a new job. It might be that your current boss is a complete idiot and you don’t like him, it could be you can’t stand working with John in accounts, lets face it you aren’t going to say any of these are you. I think a standard response along the lines of “I feel that I have outgrown the company I am in and I feel my contribution as part of a team could be put to much better use with a larger or more focused company where I can expand my skills further. I am really interested in……..but my existing employer doesn’t have the resources to let me advance in this area” and leave it at that. Just try not to be negative about the job you are leaving it doesn’t look good.

What Is Your Present Boss Like? - Another question posed by interviewers to gauge your loyalty and integrity. It is not a good idea to be critical about any of the employers you have ever worked for. Lets face it very few of us actually like our bosses (well most of us just placate them and tell them what they want to hear), after all why would you possibly want to be best buddies with a person who holds you career prospects in their hands! If you get asked this question the most appropriate reply is “I like my boss and get on very well with him, I respect his experience and he is good at his job”. You really don’t need to expand any further on this issue at interview stage. You have to remember that the person interviewing you may well, at some point in the near future, become your boss and they are weighing up your loyalty and integrity.

What Do You Think This Job Entails? - Now when you are applying for a new job the chances are you are going to know something about what your new job would entail. For example, if the job is a secretarial role and you are a secretary you will know what sort of work you are going to be involved with. In any case you will have been given a brief description of the job role and what responsibilities it carries with it so you should be able to make a fairly calculated guess at what the job entails.

What Do You Know This Organisation? - Now if you have taken my earlier advice you will have done your research and read up about what the company is involved in, its products, its turnover and its strategy. You will really impress your interviewer if you are able to show that you have done some research about their company. As previously mentioned people like to think that if you are really eager to work for them you will have done some research about what they do and how they do it. So lets say you are applying for a job with someone like Marks & Spencer you could say something like “I notice that you are one of the leading stores who operate a “Fair Trade Policy” when purchasing your goods from third world countries I have to say that I am very supportive of this and it’s nice to work for an employer who cares about the impact their business has on people in the outside world”.

What Made You Apply For This Job And Why Do You Want It? - This is a bit of a double edged question. Your interviewer isn’t necessarily looking for an answer here that is straight forward – you know you are applying for the job because you think you would enjoy doing it, the package is right and you think you would be able to advance your career with this firm – but the interviewer wants to see if there are some specifics that really attract you to it (other than the £ 50,000 per year and BMW 3 series!). So dependent upon what the role is you could use an answer such as “I am a very well organised person and this role involves exceptional management skills. I thrive under pressure and it makes me perform to my full ability which makes me think that I would really enjoy it”. Obviously you can tailor this answer to whatever role you are applying for.

What Qualities Do You Think You Can Bring To This Job Position? - Again, you know that you can do this job and that is why you have applied for it. Not only do you know that you can do the job, you will do it better than any one else so you will be aware of the qualities you are going to bring to this business. You will have reviewed the job spec and the key responsibilities so you will be able to select several areas where you feel your qualities will stand out. Perhaps you could therefore give an answer along the lines of “I have experience working in the complaints department where a sympathetic touch is required dealing with disgruntled customers. I am very tactful and am able to defuse situations using my personal skills”.

How Long Would You Expect To Work For Our Organisation? - Let’s face it no employer wants to go through the hassle and cost of hiring a new candidate if the candidate only stays with them for 6 months and then decides to apply to another firm. The recruitment process is a long an expensive one especially where agencies are used to introduce the candidate. This could cost your potential employer as much as 30% of your first year’s package! It’s probably a good idea therefore to intimate that you would like to work for this firm for several years minimum and you could provide an answer along the lines of “I like the way your company is continuing to expand and I would like to be part of that on a long term basis. So I would like to think that I could continue to work for you for a lengthy period of time providing my career continues to progress”.

What’s Your Greatest Strength? - Only you can answer this question, but it is a question that will more than likely be asked, after all, the interviewer wants to know what you are good at. This question gives you pretty much an open mandate to really show off, or so to speak. When answering this question try and provide strengths that relate to the role that you are applying for, so if the job requires the need to be organised and a good team leader provide these as strengths within your answer.

What Is Your Biggest Weakness? - Bit of a tricky question this, after all no one wants to show their weaknesses but we all have them. The most comprehensive way of dealing with this question is to try and turn it into a “positive” from a “negative”. So you could perhaps say “my biggest weakness is buying the kids sweets when they ask for them in the shop” or “I really dislike washing the car at the weekend but once I have done it I always feel a real sense of satisfaction”.

Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years Time? - Don’t say as I have heard so many times “sitting in your job!” although I have a sense of humour most interviewers don’t. The remark often has an element of truth hanging in the background and you don’t want your interviewer thinking you are potentially a threat to his or her job in the future. I am sure you will have ideas about where you want to be in a few years most people, whether they put them down on paper or not, have a good idea of their long term career objectives. Try and answer the question positively but not too arrogantly – perhaps you could say offer an answer such as “I have always been very career minded and ambitious. I would like to keep progressing up the career ladder and feel that your organisation will be able to offer me that opportunity”.

What Would Your Work Colleagues Say About You? - This question provides another opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are easy to get on with, a team player and a generally amenable person who works well with other people. You could answer this question with a quote such as “I am an organised, approachable, dependable, easy to get on with team member who is always willing to offer my advice or assistance to colleagues where needed”. Don’t go over board with your answer making out you are something you are not – you may get away with stretching the truth but if you are not a “natural team leader” don’t say you are!

What Would Your Friends Say About You? - Obviously this question is similar to the one above. If you are a popular, kind, caring person who can be counted on and would help a friend out at the drop of a hat then let your interviewer know.

What Interests Do You Have Outside Of Your Work? - This will be a definite question (in my opinion) and is posed by your interviewer to try and ascertain what you are like outside of your working environment. If you don’t like football or snooker don’t say that you do, just provide honest answers. There is nothing worse than saying you follow a sport and then it turning out that the interviewer is mad about the subject and starts asking you questions you can’t answer you will look a fool and your honesty will be under scrutiny!

What Type Of Books Or Publications Do You Like? - This question needs and honest answer. Just because you think the interviewer is looking to hear you tell them that you have just finished “Marketing Skills Made Easy” and that it was the best read of your life it isn’t a good idea to make it up. If you have genuinely read “David Jason’s” autobiography or “Stephen Kings” latest books then tell the employer what you enjoyed about them. Of course if you work within certain industries, read the trade publications and have recently read an interesting article about the latest “blue widget release” then by all means use this as an example.

We know all interview questions are tough but these are the real hard ones! Generally these questions aren’t asked to make your life difficult or to make you squirm they are simply asked so that the interviewer can find out what he wants to know in the best possible way. When you are posed with a difficult question which you find awkward to answer it puts you under pressure. Therefore there may be certain questions that are delivered to you to see how well you deal with that pressure – not an unreasonable request if the new job you are applying for is likely to carry and element of pressure. Just remember there is no need to get worked up or frightened, as I keep saying, if you have done your research and prepared properly for the interview these questions won’t be half as difficult as you think. When a question is posed to you try and keep calm, think about the question for a few moments and deliver your answer accordingly. So here we go!

Are You A Good Leader? - Your interviewer is looking to ascertain whether you can manage or lead well in your job and how you deal with the people who work under you. Perhaps you could answer this question along the lines of “I feel that my team leading qualities are exceptional. I am always firm but fair with the people who work for me and find that I get a good deal of respect by operating in this manner”.

How Do You Feel About Taking Direction From Your Superiors? - This is a very valid question from any potential employer. If you have a boss who is delegating work to you your boss will want to know that you are able to deal with his requests and execute them in the manner dictated. You will therefore want to be answering this question along the lines of “I take direction from my superiors well. After all no team can work properly unless they are able to accept instructions from their superior”.

How Do You Feel About Carrying Out Mundane or Repetitive Work? - Nearly every job carries an element of routine to it so this could well be a frequently asked “difficult” question. The answer could be something like “I understand all jobs have some element of repetitiveness but I take all aspects of my job seriously regardless of whether they are mundane or not and I always give 100% to my job”.

Are You A Natural Born Leader? - Some of us are natural born leaders and they are usually the people heading up teams or managing departments. Natural born leaders are chosen for the role of management or leadership because of their ability to guide and deal with people. They are usually people who possess enthusiasm, confidence and good leadership qualities. Try and build something into your answer that shows these qualities, it hasn’t necessarily got to include areas of your work life, however it’s better if it does, but you could use and example of something in your personal life such as being “head of the local under 16’s football team” or “head of your local cricket team” but whatever you choose try and choose something that makes your leadership qualities stand out.

How Well Do You Handle Criticism? - Everyone gets criticised in the job they do at some point in their career whether you feel that the criticism is right or wrong there are always two sides to every situation. An ideal answer to this question might be “We all at some point make mistakes and I am more than happy to take on board any constructive criticism that is given to me as it helps me understand and learn from the situation”.

How Well Do You Work Within A Team Environment? - Teamwork is very important to an employer. A properly functioning team will create a happy workplace and smooth, efficient production regardless of the product or service involved. Everyone has a different approach to how they deal with their colleagues so you will need to tailor the answer to this question to your own approach. Perhaps you could offer an answer like “I really enjoy working as a member of a team. There is a feeling of comradeship in that we are all working towards the same goal and that when we meet our objective we all benefit from the feeling of success”.

What Motivates You? - Your interviewer is not looking for an answer along the lines of “£ 100,000 per year and a Bentley Turbo!” lets face it that’s what we would all like! Try and give a constructive answer such as “I get a real kick out of completing a project. This drives me along the way and I get satisfaction at each stage of the project knowing that I will have made a contribution to the end result”.

Are You Good At Getting The Best Out Of Your Team? - An interviewer asking this question is looking for an answer that shows how you manage and run your team that work for you in order to achieve the best performance out of them. Your answer should include areas that show your leadership qualities and how they benefit the people that work for you such as communication skills and praise.

You Have Only Been With Your Employer A Very Short Time - Why? - As I have mentioned before the recruitment process is a long and expensive one. Where recruitment agencies are used to source candidates their fee may be as much as 30% of your first years annual package let alone the costs associated with any additional training you may need so the last thing an employer wants to do is employ a candidate who is only going to work for them for five minutes and then look for another job! If you have been with previous employer for a short period of time then you need to find an answer that is going to reassure the interviewer’s doubts and put his mind at rest. It is possible in this situation that you could use a line such as “Yes I have only been with my existing employer a relatively short period of time and have found that I have had to more to gain more experience and enhance my career but I feel that I am now ready to settle down in a position I am comfortable with for a long period of time”.

How Do You Deal With Interpersonal Problems Within Your Team? - Nothing runs smoothly all the time and from time to time there will be disputes amongst members of your team. Obviously your answer will probably come from your own experience here but areas such as being fair by hearing both sides of the dispute, dealing with the problem in private and not causing embarrassment in front of others and looking for a compromise between the individuals may all come into play.

How Would Your Current Boss Describe You? - “Your useless and should look for another job before I fire you!!”. Just kidding (or maybe not in some cases!!). Remember at some point in the future the man or woman sitting in the chair opposite you could well be your future employer. When you answer this question provide an answer in a way that you think you would like your boss to actually think of you. So perhaps you can say something like “I get on very well with my boss and we have an excellent working relationship. I think that the reason we get on well is due to the fact that we have mutual respect for each other. My boss considers me as a hard working, loyal and efficient employee who is able to work well using my own initiative and can trust me to carry out the work given to me without having to bother him”. It’s not a terribly good idea to blatantly lie about your relationship with your boss if it’s horrendous as it may come out in references that are taken later however under the employment law past employers have to be very careful how they word references and are not allowed to tear your personality apart!

What Part Of Your Job Do You Dislike The Most? - Well the answer to this can’t be “I am completely happy with my job and I enjoy every aspect of it as it fulfils my daily working hours with joy and happiness and I just wish I could do it 24 hours a day 365 days a year!!”. Why not? Because you wouldn’t be applying for this job if it was would you!? Don’t give answers that are purely motivated by money and benefits – even if that is the case. You might genuinely love your job but the money is crap but that isn’t what the interviewer wants to hear. Perhaps you could use a line like “I really do enjoy my current job and quite frankly there aren’t really any areas of my work that I can honestly say I dislike. However, the company I work for is small and I don’t get much chance to deal with new business very often which is an area I really find exciting and feel that this job would be able to offer me that opportunity”. Of course there may be an area you dislike in your job but if you decide to bring it up then try and create a positive out of it. For example “I used to find doing my filing at the end of the day a bit time consuming as I would always get distracted by more important issues to deal with so I decided that I would come in a bit earlier each morning to deal with this enabling me to start the day fresh and be left with a bit of spare time at the end of each day should something really important come up”.

If You Were Starting Out Again In Your Career Are There Any Decisions You Would Choose Differently? - Hey come on what a nonsense question really. No one can turn back the clock so it’s completely irrelevant isn’t it but this is one of those questions some interviewers like to pose. The only answer I can think of giving is “I wouldn’t change anything. I have been more than happy with all of the decisions I have made in my career and don’t feel that I can gain any benefit out of looking back and analysing something I cannot change”.

You Have Been With Your Employer A Long Time - Why? - To be honest I think this question is a bit unfair. There could be many reasons why you have shown loyalty to your existing employer for a lengthy period of time – it may be that you just liked your job and the people you have worked for but circumstances have changed or it might be that you have had a wide and varied career working in different parts of the company doing different job roles or you may have worked overseas for the same company. People don’t generally stay with the same employer in this day and age predominantly because it isn’t always easy to get promoted internally within an organisation so it could look to an interviewer that you have been unable to get another job. Of course this probably isn’t the case so build your answer around the facts.

Do You Feel That Your Career Has Been A Success To Date? - Again, another no brainer question that really has no bearing on whether you are capable of doing the job you are applying for or whether or not you are the right person for the job! Success can only really be measured by the person who it applies to, what one person thinks is successful another may think is unsuccessful and I genuinely think very few people actually feel that their career has been a failure. The only way to address this question is to say “Yes I feel my career has been successful to date and I have been more than happy with my career progression. I have always put emphasis on enjoying the job I do and not how much it pays or what benefits I can gain from it and have found so far that this strategy has worked well for me”.

We Think You Might Be Overqualified For This Job! - If you were overqualified for this job would you be applying for it? Well I guess in an interviewers mind it could be that you are desperate, or it may be that you are desperate! A future employer doesn’t want to think he is going to take you on if you are going to get bored in five minutes because the job is too easy and then start looking elsewhere again. This is a difficult question to answer but you could intimate that you have a very low boredom threshold and that everything you do, you do to the best of your ability.