sap hr interview questions

SAP HR Interview Questions
1) What is internal recruitment ?
Internal recruitment is search for internal applicants. when you integrate with personal development, you can use profile match up which help to search for resources internally.
Also In recruitment it is represented by 'P' as Person and 'AP" as external person.

2) What are problems generally faced while posting result to FICO ?
Normally mismatching of amount get posted.

3) What is controlling area, what does it do, and how were is it assigned ?
Controlling area is under of FI person which helps to set for costing purposes also based on thses fiscal variant is set.

4) What is the purpose of creating symbolic a/c, what is transaction code for same ? Can we assign one symbolic a/c to multiple wage types ?
It depends upon your payrol requirement to create salary head like expense account etc.

5) What is REPORT VARIANT FOR OFF CYCLE ACTIVITIES, what do we do in this step ?
Variant is to save all input field parameters. once you saved as a variant , you can use the same for future purposes.

6) What all infotypes which has to be created at the time of hiring OR PA40 and cannot be maintained later with PA30 ?
Why you require creation of infotypes...

7) If we have to create multiple positions, what method OR tool we can use to avoid errors due to creating them manually.
You can create muliple position by LSMW or batch programs for the Tcode PP01 or PPOCE

8) What do is LANDSCAPE in SAP Project, I think its related to no. of servers used, Pls correct me if I am wrong, Or what it is ?
It is related to Basis

9) What is the role of a administrator in PA ?
To restrict access to Personnel administration based on PA/PSA.
Administrator: we come across for Personnel admininstration, Time management, and Payroll in sap .
Each admiinistrator is reponsible for each individual activity. You can get the name of the administrator in the pay slip so the employee for any clarification he can meet the responsible administrator (accessed through payslip)
This administrtor (is created in PA of PM) is responsible for recruitment. *-- HR Tips by : Somasekhar

10) What is golive actually ? What is the role of a functional consultant in it ?
Go live is transfering of data from Development server to Production server.
Development -----> Quality server
In Qulaity you need to Unit, Integration testing, Once it is OK in Qulaity server,

Usually by the end of the interview the HR person would ask you whether you have any questions. Under the stress of the job interview sometimes nothing comes to mind, but s a list of useful questions to ask.

Why do you enjoy working for this company?

What attracted you to this organization?

Can you describe the work environment here?

How do you describe the philosophy of the company or organization?

What do you consider to be the organization’s strengths and weaknesses?

Can you tell me more about my day-to-day responsibilities?

How soon are you looking to fill this position?

How do my skills compare with those of the other candidates you have interviewed?

I have really enjoyed meeting with you and your team, and I am very interested in the opportunity. I feel my skills and experience would be a good match for this position. What is the next step in your interview process?

Before I leave, is there anything else you need to know concerning my ability to do this job?
In your opinion, what is the most important contribution that this company expects from its employees?

Is there a structured career path at the company?

What are my prospects for advancement? If I do a good job, what is a logical next step?
Assuming I was hired and performed well for a period of time, what additional opportunities might this job lead to?

Do the most successful people in the company tend to come from one area of the company, such as sales or engineering, or do they rise from a cross section of functional areas?

I know that for the position for which I am interviewing, the company decided to recruit from outside the organization. How do you decide between recruiting from within and going outside?
How does this position relate to the bottom line?

What advice would you give to someone in my position?

What major problems are we facing right now in this department or position?

Can you give me a formal, written description of the position? I’m interested in reviewing in detail the major activities involved and what results are expected.
Does this job usually lead to other positions in the company? Which ones?

Can you please tell me a little bit about the people with whom I’ll be working most closely?

As I understand the position, the title as ________, the duties are _______, and the department is called ________. I would report directly to __________. Is that right?

Can you talk about the company’s commitment to equal opportunity and diversity?

Who are the company’s stars, and how was their status determined?

How are executives addressed by their subordinates?

What can you tell me about the prevailing management style?

If you hired me, what would be my first assignment?

Does the company have a mission statement? May I see it? Does the company have a mission statement? May I see it?

1.What were the reports generated by you in payroll?

2.What is meant by slab? How is Indian slab and US slab?

3.What is meant by payscale structure? How did you configure payscale structure? How do you import payscale data from non SAP to SAP?.

4.How do you map various functions of HR in SAP?

5.What is meant by authorization? Did u ever work on it?

6.How to assign a person two different pers no.s and allocate him two different comp. codes and generate a single invoice? Suppose for a person I have to pers no.s A and B. I want to send him to one company in the morning and the other in the noon. How should I do this.

7.Give me a brief description of the IT Tax?Give me a brief description of the IT Tax.

8.Did u work on gross or net payroll? What's the third party tool used in it?

9.How do you derive amounts in payroll?

10.What is the difference b/n Indian and US Payroll11.wat r all the personnal action

1. Tell me about yourself?I am down-to-earth, sweet, smart, creative, industrious, and thorough.

2. How has your experience prepared you for your career?Coursework:Aside from the discipline and engineering foundation learning that I have gained from my courses, I think the design projects, reports, and presentations have prepared me most for my career.Work Experience:Through internships, I have gained self-esteem, confidence, and problem-solving skills. I also refined my technical writing and learned to prepare professional documents for clients.Student Organizations:By working on multiple projects for different student organizations while keeping up my grades, I've built time management and efficiency skills. Additionally, I've developed leadership, communication, and teamwork abilities. Life Experience:In general, life has taught me determination and the importance of maintaining my ethical standards.

3. Describe the ideal job.Ideally, I would like to work in a fun, warm environment with individuals working independently towards team goals or individual goals. I am not concerned about minor elements, such as dress codes, cubicles, and the level of formality. Most important to me is an atmosphere that fosters attention to quality, honesty, and integrity.

4. What type of supervisor have you found to be the best?I have been fortunate enough to work under wonderful supervisors who have provided limited supervision, while answering thoughtful questions and guiding learning. In my experience, the best supervisors give positive feedback and tactful criticism.

5. What do you plan to be doing in five years' time? Taking the PE exam and serving in supervisory/leadership roles both at work and in professional/community organization(s).

6. What contributions could you make in this organization that would help you to stand out from other applicants?In previous internships, my industriousness and ability to teach myself have been valuable assets to the company. My self-teaching abilities will minimize overhead costs, and my industriousness at targeting needs without prompting will set me apart from others. Additionally, one thing that has always set me apart from my scientific/engineering peers are my broad interests and strong writing abilities. I am not your typical "left-brained" engineer, and with my broad talents, I am likely to provide diverse viewpoints.

7. What sort of criteria are you using to decide the organization you will work for?Most importantly, I am looking for a company that values quality, ethics, and teamwork. I would like to work for a company that hires overachievers.

8. What made you choose your major?My academic interests are broad, so I sought civil engineering to achieve a great balance of mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and writing.

9. Have your university and major met your expectations?The College of Engineering at MSU has exceeded my expectations by providing group activities, career resources, individual attention, and professors with genuine interest in teaching.My major has met my expectations by about 90%. I would have enjoyed more choices in environmental courses, and would have preferred more calculus-based learning.

10. What made you choose this college?I chose this college for the following reasons: my budget limited me to in-state schools, I was seeking an area with dog-friendly apartments, the MSU web site impressed me, I saw active student groups, and the people were very friendly.

I got involved with student activities to overcome my debilitating shyness. Receiving these awards signified that I had accomplished a transition from dragging myself to participate to feeling energized by it.

Receiving the SWE Web Site AwardWithout training in web design, I competed against not only the other student sections, but professional sections around the nation. Despite competing with more HTML-experienced people, I brought this award to my section. After getting so much from SWE, I was able to give something back. Earning the highest grade in an organic chemistry class of ~200 peopleI worked very hard for this grade and loved the subject, so it was a great feeling to see that the hard work paid off.

12. Which subjects have you enjoyed studying the most and why?

I have enjoyed hydrology, fluids, solid & hazardous waste management, water and wastewater treatment, and oceanography because I love water and environmental topics. Calculus and linear algebra excite me because I love logic. I enjoyed the writing and analysis in economic history. Business law thrilled me because I have a strong interest in legal matters.

13. Which subjects did you dislike and why?

Introductory soil elicited little interest in me, most likely because the professor was inexperienced, the book was ineffective, and I had little spare time that semester to look into other resources.

14. Do you have plans to continue your education?

Yes, but not immediately. I plan to continue part time with either an MBA or an environmental engineering masters, depending on which will be more beneficial to my work.

15. How would a professor who knows you well describe you?

One who does not know you well? A professor who knows me well would likely describe my personal qualities: sweet, down-to-earth, smart, hard-working, and conscientious. As specific examples of those who did not know me well, my soils professor and soils teaching assistant each considered me smart and respectful, and both thought that I must have enjoyed the class a lot, due to my performance.

16. Given the chance, how would you alter your education?

Knowing now what I like the most, I would have used my electives for extra math and psychology classes, since I tend to be well-rounded enough that a variety of classes are unnecessary; my personal reading is diverse enough. I have found that mathematics and psychology are helpful to all career and life paths.

17. Which part-time job did you enjoy the most and why?

Working for PM Environmental was most enjoyable to me, since I felt like I was significantly contributing to the company, and I enjoyed learning on my own.

18. Interests: Some of my interests include dogs, hiking, snow-shoeing, water sports, writing, reading (especially Charles Dickens' novels), skiing, drawing, crafts, and computers.

19. What are your strengths?

My strongest strength is the ability to teach myself difficult material, regardless of the subject (with the exception of theater and drawing blood from dogs, which I have no talent for). Additionally, I have always excelled verbally and look forward to writing opportunities.

20. What are your weaknesses?

I tend to try to do too many things, leaving little time for myself. I have worked on balancing myself for the last several months. I am also working on improving my public speaking skills.

21. What sort of serious problems have you experienced, and how have you handled them?

My apartment building burned down at the end of January during one of my semesters at MSU. Before the fire got too bad, I was able to rescue my pets and the neighbor's dog, as well as my textbooks and backpack, but I lost most of my mementos and possessions. While the firemen were preparing their hoses, I drove to school (with the animals in the car) to meet my lab partners, who were waiting for me. I explained the situation, emailed my professors, and rushed back to the apartment. Fortunately, I had renter's insurance. I missed about a week of school to deal with the insurance matters and find a new place to live. In order to salvage my grades and sanity, I dropped a course and honored my existing student group and research commitments. Staying active socially and keeping myself well-rounded were the best healing tools for me. Within a few weeks, I was caught up and had recovered reasonably from the loss of sentimental items.

22. Do you or have you in the past experimented with illegal drugs?

No. My only addictions are caffeine and sugar.

23. Would you be willing to take a drug test?

Of course.

24. Do you drink alcohol socially?

No, but I enjoy Shirley Temples quite a bit.

25. If you had your whole life to live over, what would you do differently and why?

I was always good in math, but I wish that I would have focused on math more. I feel that mathematics can lead one anywhere, and is the basis of most disciplines.

On a personal level, I would have ensured that, despite pre-teen angst and insecurity, I would have been nice to everyone, even on especially bad days.

26. Which is more important to you, your salary or your job?

Salary is important, but I couldn't stay with a job that brought me misery when I could support myself doing something else; hence, my job is more important.

27. What have you found to be the biggest source of motivation in your life?

Taking advantage of my strengths so that they are not wasted. Since nobody is lucky enough to be strong in every area, I think it is important to make good use of one's strengths.

28. What sorts of things cause you stress, and how do you deal with them?

Lack of organization throws me off. To deal with this, I come up with some kind of system to organize things, even if it is only in my head, in the case when chaos is desirable.

29. What is your definition of success?

Being a good person by improving the quality of the lives of others, whether it be through work, doing sweet things, improving the environment/community, taking care of one's family, etc. Superficially, I tend to measure success by level of education and abilities within one's career; however, I try to remind myself of the things that are more important.

30. What qualities should a successful supervisor possess in regard to job requirements and those who report to him/her?

A successful supervisor should be able to tactfully give criticism, guide, motivate, encourage and foster a positive work environment.

31. How would you develop team spirit among the people that you supervise?

My experience in student groups has taught me that people work best when their friends (teammates) are counting on them to do well; therefore, I believe that bonding motivates people. I would also foster team pride by promoting our team's assets.

32. Do you like to work independently or as a team?

I like to work independently towards a team goal.

33. What kind of work environment do you like the best?

I enjoy working with friendly co-workers who can share a laugh while working hard and overachieving.

34. How would you resolve conflicts with employees, coworkers, and supervisors?

If possible, I would refresh my memory on what I've learned about conflict communication, and then I would discuss things, honestly and tactfully. I am a big fan of kind sincerity and honesty, as well as humility (when appropriate).

35. In what ways have you learned from your mistakes?

Upon getting myself overwhelmed with involvement in too many projects, I changed my approach. When possible, I now start with less than I can handle and add more only as time allows, and in small increments.

36. In what areas do you need to improve your skills?

I would like to improve my public speaking skills.


Q: We are in the service industry and have employees working in multiple cities on the same day. The system seems to allow one taxing authority per day. But the taxing authority needs to be picked up from the Service Order ideally . Can we achieve this?
A: You can create multiple infotypes 0208 (work tax area) for the same employee and the same day. Use the 'allocation percent' field . There is no integration however between time management and the work tax area. You may copy infotype 0208 to IT 9208. Infotype 0208 may be used to store the default work tax area and IT 9208 may be used to store the multiple work tax area. Create IT 9208 based on data from your external time management system.

Q: We use clocking machine for recording employee clock-in/out . All the data is stored in a 'flat' file which is supposed to be uploaded into SAP. When tried to open and read the flat file using OPEN DATASET and READ DATASET commands, the Sy-subrc value returned is 8 and the error message 'the specified file not found' is displayed. We checked the path and the file is in the correct location. What is missing?
A: Check the path once again. Check the upper and lower cases. Define you parameter file name like filename-fileextern. Depending on the place where the flat file resides, the procedure varies. OPEN DATASET is used for upload of file from the host system. If your flat (text) file is on the PC, you can use the function WS_UPLOAD which will upload your text file into an internal table. This internal table data can be loaded into SAP. The syntax is as follows:

CALL FUNCTION 'WS_UPLOAD'
EXPORTING
FILENAME = pcfile
IMPORTING
FILELENGTH = fileleng
TABLES
DATA_TAB = internal table name
Please note that you have to specify the pcfile of length 128.

Q: We want to make a copy of an organizational structure from one plan variant to another. This copy should include all assignments like purchasing groups to organizational units made in PFOM . Can we do this?
A: Make sure that the plan number is established through the IMG. (And that it is not the active plan.)
Go Human Resources -> Organizational Management Tools -> Plan version -> Copy.
It runs RHCOPL00. All or any portion of the plan maybe copied and manipulated and then copied back in to the active plan.

Q: We have a requirement to calculate leave entitlement at the anniversary year not calendar year. The leaves have both paid and unpaid components. The paid component is based on time worked. The unpaid component is based on years of service. Leave taken is reduced from both entitlements depending on employee's request. We are using a Schema based on TM04 which calls Cycles TS15, TS10. What is th ebest way to handle this?
A: You can use field 'DAUER' for seniority based vacation entitlement in the VAC01->VAC99 features. Time worked is not part of the feature structure (PME03). However you may create your own source code to make a decision on any field even if it does not belong to the feature structure. Check feature VAC01.

Q: We have multiple ORGs as we have many subsidiaries of our Parent company. These subsidiaries are defined as ORG and are assigned an ORG-ID. Within each ORG, we have Divisions (e.g. Human Resources, Finance, Materials etc.) and within each division we have Departments (e.g. Payroll, Labor Relations, etc.). We plan to use Personnel Development( PD). What is that we have to consider in this case?
A: You have to consider how the company wants to see its reports while designing the HR organizational structure in PD. You have address the question: for headcount or regulatory reports to which level does the company need to report, to the division, department, group or team level. You have to design the SAP organizational structure to support the lowest level required. Lower the more levels of detail, the more maintenance required.

Q: How can we configure the options for the Assgn Form. No. field on Infotype 210. It is the alternate formula to assign tax field and we have been unable to locate the table in the IMG to edit the options.
A: Options for the BSI Tax Formula can not be configured.
Possible entries are available in BTXFORM, and they depend on the 'tax authority' ( BTXAUTH) and the 'tax type' (BTXTAXT). Use data dictionary to check existing entries. This data comes from BSI. Tax calculations are done in the
BSI programs (via RFC from the USTAX function in the payroll schema).

Q: We are using the US HR/PAYROLL module. We are able to create the entry to credit the accrued payroll account. But our check writing process does not produce any accounting entries when we create a pay check or run our EFT process(RFFOUS_T). Should RFFOUS_C produce an accounting entry to debit the payroll payable account and credit the cash account ?
A: RFFOCUS_C does not produce any accounting entries. During the FI/CO interface run , 559 wage types may be posted to your cash account

Q: We have approximately 10000 zip codes. We want to relate the eligibility group to the zip code. We do not want to create 20000 eligibility groups. Which is the best way to configure basing eligibility for HMO's on zip codes?
A: Try to group the zip codes by the HMO's they belong to. Then create benefit groups and programs for the unique combinations. You can create as many benefit groups as required and use the employee zipcode to select the benefit group the employee is eligible for. You may also look at user exit 2.

Q: We are using the PAI user exit in MP000800 screen 2000 to modify the BET01 field. After modifying the value, the value is not re displayed. However the updated value is saved on commit. Why the value is not displayed after modification?
A: Yes. It is True. You may have to apply OSS .


I give you 60+ HR interview questions with answer and tips in full detail.. but in one page it is not possible.. So i'll post part by part..

Question1 Tell me about yourself.

TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for the
question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal matters.

BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all
successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In other words you must sell what
the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy in job hunting.
So, before you answer this or any question it's imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer's greatest need, want,
problem or goal.
To do so, make you take these two steps:
1. Do all the homework you can before the interview to uncover this person's wants and needs (not the generalized
needs of the industry or company)
2. As early as you can in the interview, ask for a more complete description of what the position entails.

You might say: “I have a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make the best use of our time
together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do, that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities of this
position? All I know is what I (heard from the recruiter, read in the classified ad, etc.)”

Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly, third question, to draw out his needs even more. Surprisingly, it's usually
this second or third question that unearths what the interviewer is most looking for.
You might ask simply, "And in addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you see as essential to success in this position?:
This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if you uncover the
employer's wants and needs will your answers make the most sense. Practice asking these key questions before giving your
answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with.

After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of this job bear striking parallels to tasks you've
succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, all
of which are geared to present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just described.

Question 2 What are your greatest strengths?

TRAPS: This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't want to come across as egotistical or arrogant.
Neither is this a time to be humble.

BEST ANSWER: You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you
answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this.
Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths. You should also have, a specific
example or two, which illustrates each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements.
You should, have this list of your greatest strengths and corresponding examples from your achievements so well committed to
memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake at 2:30AM.
Then, once you uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that
best match up.
As a general guideline, the 10 most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:
1. A proven track record as an achiever...especially if your achievements match up with the employer's greatest wants and
needs.
2. Intelligence...management "savvy".
3. Honesty...integrity...a decent human being.
4. Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable with...a team player who meshes well with interviewer's
team.
5. Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor.
6. Good communication skills.
7. Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.
8. Definiteness of purpose...clear goals.
9. Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.
10. Confident...healthy...a leader.

Question 3 What are your greatest weaknesses?

TRAPS: Beware - this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault
will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F” for the interview.

POSSIBLE ANSWER: Disguise a strength as a weakness.
Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the
same wavelength.”

Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it's so widely used, it is transparent to any experienced
interviewer.

BEST ANSWER: (and another reason it's so important to get a thorough description of your interviewer's needs before you
answer questions): Assure the interviewer that you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your performing in this
position with excellence. Then, quickly review you strongest qualifications.

Example: “Nobody's perfect, but based on what you've told me about this position, I believe I' d make an outstanding match. I
know that when I hire people, I look for two things most of all. Do they have the qualifications to do the job well, and the
motivation to do it well? Everything in my background shows I have both the qualifications and a strong desire to achieve
excellence in whatever I take on. So I can say in all honesty that I see nothing that would cause you even a small concern
about my ability or my strong desire to perform this job with excellence.”
Alternate strategy (if you don't yet know enough about the position to talk about such a perfect fit):
Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and like least, making sure that what you like most matches up
with the most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is not essential.
Example: Let's say you're applying for a teaching position. “If given a choice, I like to spend as much time as possible in front
of my prospects selling, as opposed to shuffling paperwork back at the office. Of course, I long ago learned the importance of
filing paperwork properly, and I do it conscientiously. But what I really love to do is sell (if your interviewer were a sales
manager, this should be music to his ears.)

Question 4 Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of.

TRAPS: There are some questions your interviewer has no business asking, and this is one. But while you may feel like
answering, “none of your business,” naturally you can’t. Some interviewers ask this question on the chance you admit to
something, but if not, at least they’ll see how you think on your feet.
Some unprepared candidates, flustered by this question, unburden themselves of guilt from their personal life or career,
perhaps expressing regrets regarding a parent, spouse, child, etc. All such answers can be disastrous.

BEST ANSWER: As with faults and weaknesses, never confess a regret. But don’t seem as if you’re stonewalling either.

Best strategy: Say you harbor no regrets, then add a principle or habit you practice regularly for healthy human relations.

Example: Pause for reflection, as if the question never occurred to you. Then say, “You know, I really can’t think of anything.”
(Pause again, then add): “I would add that as a general management principle, I’ve found that the best way to avoid regrets
is to avoid causing them in the first place. I practice one habit that helps me a great deal in this regard. At the end of each
day, I mentally review the day’s events and conversations to take a second look at the people and developments I’m involved
with and do a doublecheck of what they’re likely to be feeling. Sometimes I’ll see things that do need more follow-up, whether
a pat on the back, or maybe a five minute chat in someone’s office to make sure we’re clear on things…whatever.”
“I also like to make each person feel like a member of an elite team, like the Boston Celtics or LA Lakers in their prime. I’ve
found that if you let each team member know you expect excellence in their performance…if you work hard to set an example
yourself…and if you let people know you appreciate and respect their feelings, you wind up with a highly motivated group, a
team that’s having fun at work because they’re striving for excellence rather than brooding over slights or regrets.”

Question 5 Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position?
TRAPS: Never badmouth your previous industry, company, board, boss, staff, employees or customers. This rule is inviolable:
never be negative. Any mud you hurl will only soil your suit.
Especially avoid words like “personality clash”, “didn’t get along”, or others which cast a shadow on your competence,
integrity, or temperament.
BEST ANSWER:
(If you have a job presently)
If you’re not yet 100% committed to leaving your present post, don’t be afraid to say so. Since you have a job, you are in a
stronger position than someone who does not. But don’t be coy either. State honestly what you’d be hoping to find in a new
spot. Of course, as stated often before, you answer will all the stronger if you have already uncovered what this position is all
about and you match your desires to it.
(If you do not presently have a job.)
Never lie about having been fired. It’s unethical – and too easily checked. But do try to deflect the reason from you
personally. If your firing was the result of a takeover, merger, division wide layoff, etc., so much the better.
But you should also do something totally unnatural that will demonstrate consummate professionalism. Even if it hurts ,
describe your own firing – candidly, succinctly and without a trace of bitterness – from the company’s point-of-view, indicating
that you could understand why it happened and you might have made the same decision yourself.
Your stature will rise immensely and, most important of all, you will show you are healed from the wounds inflicted by the
firing. You will enhance your image as first-class management material and stand head and shoulders above the legions of
firing victims who, at the slightest provocation, zip open their shirts to expose their battle scars and decry the unfairness of it
all.
For all prior positions:
Make sure you’ve prepared a brief reason for leaving. Best reasons: more money, opportunity, responsibility or growth.
Question 6 The “Silent Treatment”
TRAPS: Beware – if you are unprepared for this question, you will probably not handle it right and possibly blow the interview.
Thank goodness most interviewers don’t employ it. It’s normally used by those determined to see how you respond under
stress. Here’s how it works:
You answer an interviewer’s question and then, instead of asking another, he just stares at you in a deafening silence.
You wait, growing a bit uneasy, and there he sits, silent as Mt. Rushmore, as if he doesn’t believe what you’ve just said, or
perhaps making you feel that you’ve unwittingly violated some cardinal rule of interview etiquette.
When you get this silent treatment after answering a particularly difficult question , such as “tell me about your weaknesses”,
its intimidating effect can be most disquieting, even to polished job hunters.
Most unprepared candidates rush in to fill the void of silence, viewing prolonged, uncomfortable silences as an invitation to
clear up the previous answer which has obviously caused some problem. And that’s what they do – ramble on, sputtering
more and more information, sometimes irrelevant and often damaging, because they are suddenly playing the role of someone
who’s goofed and is now trying to recoup. But since the candidate doesn’t know where or how he goofed, he just keeps
talking, showing how flustered and confused he is by the interviewer’s unmovable silence.
BEST ANSWER: Like a primitive tribal mask, the Silent Treatment loses all it power to frighten you once you refuse to be
intimidated. If your interviewer pulls it, keep quiet yourself for a while and then ask, with sincere politeness and not a trace of
sarcasm, “Is there anything else I can fill in on that point?” That’s all there is to it.
Whatever you do, don’t let the Silent Treatment intimidate you into talking a blue streak, because you could easily talk yourself
out of the position.

Question 7 Why should I hire you?

TRAPS: Believe it or not, this is a killer question because so many candidates are unprepared for it. If you stammer or adlib
you’ve blown it.
BEST ANSWER: By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall strategy of uncovering the employer’s needs before
you answer questions. If you know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question will give you a big leg up over
other candidates because you will give him better reasons for hiring you than anyone else is likely to…reasons tied directly to
his needs.
Whether your interviewer asks you this question explicitly or not, this is the most important question of your interview because
he must answer this question favorably in is own mind before you will be hired. So help him out! Walk through each of the
position’s requirements as you understand them, and follow each with a reason why you meet that requirement so well.
Example: “As I understand your needs, you are first and foremost looking for someone who can manage the sales and
marketing of your book publishing division. As you’ve said you need someone with a strong background in trade book sales.
This is where I’ve spent almost all of my career, so I’ve chalked up 18 years of experience exactly in this area. I believe that I
know the right contacts, methods, principles, and successful management techniques as well as any person can in our
industry.”
“You also need someone who can expand your book distribution channels. In my prior post, my innovative promotional ideas
doubled, then tripled, the number of outlets selling our books. I’m confident I can do the same for you.”
“You need someone to give a new shot in the arm to your mail order sales, someone who knows how to sell in space and
direct mail media. Here, too, I believe I have exactly the experience you need. In the last five years, I’ve increased our mail
order book sales from $600,000 to $2,800,000, and now we’re the country’s second leading marketer of scientific and medical
books by mail.” Etc., etc., etc.,
Every one of these selling “couplets” (his need matched by your qualifications) is a touchdown that runs up your score. IT is
your best opportunity to outsell your competition.
Question 8 Aren’t you overqualified for this position?
TRAPS: The employer may be concerned that you’ll grow dissatisfied and leave.
BEST ANSWER: As with any objection, don’t view this as a sign of imminent defeat. It’s an invitation to teach the interviewer a
new way to think about this situation, seeing advantages instead of drawbacks.
Example: “I recognize the job market for what it is – a marketplace. Like any marketplace, it’s subject to the laws of supply
and demand. So ‘overqualified’ can be a relative term, depending on how tight the job market is. And right now, it’s very
tight. I understand and accept that.”
“I also believe that there could be very positive benefits for both of us in this match.”
“Because of my unusually strong experience in ________________ , I could start to contribute right away, perhaps much
faster than someone who’d have to be brought along more slowly.”
“There’s also the value of all the training and years of experience that other companies have invested tens of thousands of
dollars to give me. You’d be getting all the value of that without having to pay an extra dime for it. With someone who has
yet to acquire that experience, he’d have to gain it on your nickel.”
“I could also help you in many things they don’t teach at the Harvard Business School. For example…(how to hire, train,
motivate, etc.) When it comes to knowing how to work well with people and getting the most out of them, there’s just no
substitute for what you learn over many years of front-line experience. You company would gain all this, too.”
“From my side, there are strong benefits, as well. Right now, I am unemployed. I want to work, very much, and the position
you have here is exactly what I love to do and am best at. I’ll be happy doing this work and that’s what matters most to me, a
lot more that money or title.”
“Most important, I’m looking to make a long term commitment in my career now. I’ve had enough of job-hunting and want a
permanent spot at this point in my career. I also know that if I perform this job with excellence, other opportunities cannot
help but open up for me right here. In time, I’ll find many other ways to help this company and in so doing, help myself. I
really am looking to make a long-term commitment.”
NOTE: The main concern behind the “overqualified” question is that you will leave your new employer as soon as something
better comes your way. Anything you can say to demonstrate the sincerity of your commitment to the employer and reassure
him that you’re looking to stay for the long-term will help you overcome this objection.
Question 9 Where do you see yourself five years from now?
TRAPS: One reason interviewers ask this question is to see if you’re settling for this position, using it merely as a stopover
until something better comes along. Or they could be trying to gauge your level of ambition.
If you’re too specific, i.e., naming the promotions you someday hope to win, you’ll sound presumptuous. If you’re too vague,
you’ll seem rudderless.
BEST ANSWER: Reassure your interviewer that you’re looking to make a long-term commitment…that this position entails
exactly what you’re looking to do and what you do extremely well. As for your future, you believe that if you perform each job
at hand with excellence, future opportunities will take care of themselves.
Example: “I am definitely interested in making a long-term commitment to my next position. Judging by what you’ve told me
about this position, it’s exactly what I’m looking for and what I am very well qualified to do. In terms of my future career path,
I’m confident that if I do my work with excellence, opportunities will inevitable open up for me. It’s always been that way in my
career, and I’m confident I’ll have similar opportunities here.”
Question 10 Describe your ideal company, location and job.
TRAPS: This is often asked by an experienced interviewer who thinks you may be overqualified, but knows better than to
show his hand by posing his objection directly. So he’ll use this question instead, which often gets a candidate to reveal that,
indeed, he or she is looking for something other than the position at hand.
BEST ANSWER: The only right answer is to describe what this company is offering, being sure to make your answer believable
with specific reasons, stated with sincerity, why each quality represented by this opportunity is attractive to you.
Remember that if you’re coming from a company that’s the leader in its field or from a glamorous or much admired company,
industry, city or position, your interviewer and his company may well have an “Avis” complex. That is, they may feel a bit
defensive about being “second best” to the place you’re coming from, worried that you may consider them bush league.
This anxiety could well be there even though you’ve done nothing to inspire it. You must go out of your way to assuage such
anxiety, even if it’s not expressed, by putting their virtues high on the list of exactly what you’re looking for, providing credible
reason for wanting these qualities.
If you do not express genuine enthusiasm for the firm, its culture, location, industry, etc., you may fail to answer this “Avis”
complex objection and, as a result, leave the interviewer suspecting that a hot shot like you, coming from a Fortune 500