Tough Interview Question #28: Why Were You Fired?

This question cuts to most people's core because it suggests that they failed in a previous job, even if they didn't.

Although there are countless ways to answer this question, I'm going to offer a few.

"Our firm experienced extreme setbacks and cut a large number of high performers from business areas that were judged to no longer be a part of the core business they wanted to pursue."

"My experience was not the right match for my previous employer's needs but it looks like they'd be a good fit in yours. In addition to marketing and advertising, would skills in promotion be valued here?"

"A new manager came in and brought in members of his old team. That was, of course, his right and afforded me time to think about what direction I wanted to take with my career; this opportunity certainly is in line with that (Be prepared to answer why).

"After thinking about why I left, I realize I should have done some things differently. That job was a learning experience and I think I'm wiser now. I'd like the chance to prove that to you."

"I made it through several reduction in workforce associated with outsourcing but this one got me."

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Questions: If You Had A Lot of Money, What Would You Do With It?

The full question is, "If you had a lot of money, whatever that means to you, tell me three things you would do with it.

Often asked of sales people, "What would you do if you had a lot of money" is designed to find out how high or low you've set the bar.

You could answer like one junior person I interviewed many years ago, "I would buy a used car and fix it up. (No I didn't hire him).

You can speak of helping your aging parents, extensive travel and other mature things.

You need to also put a big smile on your face and include something like buying a Jaguar, moving to this townhouse in Manhattan you saw a few years ago in the 60's and Park Avenue, or some other flight of fancy.


This is becausae Sales managers want to hire people with high goals and measures of attainment that will suggest that they will never be satisfied until they . . . (buy the townhouse, purchse the car, etc.

Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a practicing psychotherapist and is a retired certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues.

To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search job openings, use his free job lead search engine, Job Search Universe. to subscribe Jeff’s free job search ezines, Head Hunt Your Next Job and/or Natural Selection (his free recruiting ezine), or to find out about his VIP Personal Search Agent service, go to http://www.jeffaltman.com.

If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff or locating consultants, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at thebiggamehunter@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).

Tough Interview Question #26: What Would You Like to Know About The Job or Company That I Haven't Answered So Far?

When managers or employers interview, they learn a lot from how you answer their questions, as well as the questions you ask. If you are asked this, the wrong answer is to say that they have covered everything.

Dig deeper. Find out more about them as a manager or about your future colleagues.

Minimally cover these points:

How would you describe the responsibilities of the position?

How would you describe a typical work week or work day?

Is this a new position? If not, what did the previous employee go on to do?

What is the company's management style? What is your's like?

What are my future colleagues like? If I am offered the position, can I meet them?

How many people work in this group/office/department?

Is travel a part of this job? How much travel would you expect me to do?

(If you live some distance away) Is relocation assistance possible?

Is overtime expected? How much overtime is normal in this job? Does it occur regularly? At certain times of the year?

What are the prospects for growth and advancement in this job and in the organization?

Can you offer any examples of successful employees and what caused them to be successful?

What do you like about working here? What keeps you here?

Assuming you are interested in moving forward, what will happen next and when might that occur?

When can I expect to hear from you?

Are there any other questions I can answer for you about my experience and qualifications?


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #25: If We Hire You, How Long Do You Expect to Be With US?

Although it is a stupid question, it sometimes gets asked because once in a while, someone naively answers something like, "Well, my wife is up for a transfer to Sioux City in his job and if that comes through we're moving," or "I'm trying to get pregnant and . . . "

Being specific here is deadly to your candidacy.

It is far better if your answer is generic and non-controversial.

"I would expect that I would be here for many years--as long as you believe I'm doing a great job and as long as the firm rewards me well with interesting work and opportunities for growth."

The phrase "rewards me well" is used very intentionally; it suggests money without saying it. Then the rest of your answer speaks about job satisfaction.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #24: What Would Your Co-Workers Say About You?

This is only a tough question if you aren't prepared for it; otherwise it is extremely easy.

Without preparedness, sometimes people reveal things about themselves including that they have never gotten any feedback from their colleagues because their work is considered unimportant.

However, the best way to answer is to offer "references" (these are almost like references) rthat speak to some of the problems they have in the department or in the company that they are trying to hire you to solve.

So, pause for a second and think and then answer.

"Well, a peer of mine in the department by the name of _____ has told me on several occasions how much I helped her (or him) with their work. "

"Another person, spoke of how I helped keep us on task without being bullying like a former manager he had did."

My boss has always told me that she gives me the impossible things to do because I make them possible and report to her every step of the way on my progress. "

"Of the managers in a department I support has always told me how reliable I am."

"My manager always tells me that I make him look good."

Answers like these are like the person providing a reference for you.


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Questions #23: What Are Your Options Now?

This is a polite way of asking, "Are you desperate?" "Can I get you cheaply?

One of the worst answers to give is to talk about how you've been on a bunch of interviews, gotten close and firms have chosen someone else. Answering like this invites the interviewer to start to think that there is something wrong with your skills or knowledge and probing intently to find out what it is. Often the questions that occur from this juncture explore minutiae so that they can say, "Ah-hah!" and disqualify you.

It is far better to say, I have spoken with a few firms so far and am starting second (rounds with a few. The jobs seem interesting, but this one seems particularly interesting.

Be prepared to answer why this one seems interesting and why one of the other ones does too!

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #22: Tell Me About Your Ideal Job

It can also be asked of your ideal location or ideal company.

This is an extremely sneaky question. Usually it is asked by an interviewer who senses that you are more qualified than the available job. Thus, if you answer the question honestly, he or she has the opportunity to disqualify you from consideration because they can say you will be bored in the role.

Thus, the only way to answer this question is to speak about the job you are interviewing for as being the ideal one.

If you're working at the #1 firm in it's sector, speak of joining a firm that wants to take over the top spot. If you are working in a leadership role and this is a staff job, speak of getting out of management and returning to your roots. It isn't that you don't like management; it's just that you notice you had a lot more joy when you were in staff.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #21: Would You Take Less (Less than What You Were Earning or Looking for)?

The answers to this question is simple:

Yes. (Why) The position affords me an opportunity to do some things I'm really interested in doing.

No (Why) I want to join an organization that properly values staff to the market. Looking at some of the online research available, this position could pay anywhere between x and y (quote their own salary range from their job description or the salary range from a number of similar positions you've seen online).

I have been earning at midpoint of the range for more than a year; I don't believe it is worthwhile to bring me in at less than midpoint. I think it sends a bad message to members of staff . Frankly, you would be saving z dollars per week and leaving me tempted.


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #20: So Why Aren't You Making More Money at this Stage in Your Career?

There are a few ways to answer this question.

There is the nice innocuous answer:

In my career, I have found that money isn't everything; it's important but not the most important motivator in my thinking. What has been more important to me has been:

Security (if you have worked at one company for a long time)
Interesting work (if you have not worked at one place for a long time.

If your answer was security, one of the prices of security is the 3-5% salary increase that came with staying at my firm for a long time.

If your answer was interesting work, I thought the project I was working on was sensational and would afford me an opportunity to do some great work with _______.

I am now hoping to leverage my experience and join your staff and continue doing interesting work.

Version 2 is specifically for the senior professional and is an honest statement of what your circumstances were and why you took a lesser position.

There was a time in my career when I was Director of ______ (or Manager of _______) with responsibility for ____; when the layoffs occurred and the economy slowed there wasn't a role I could step in like my previous one within my available window so I took a lesser position.

And you know, I like it! I like being a number 2 supporting a Director. Less stress. I se mids (whatever it is). For me the layoff turned out as a blessing.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #19: How Would You Feel Reporting to Somene Younger Than You?

In the United States, for years, this same question was asked about reporting to a woman. Now we take it for granted.

Now, in the US, the question is asked about someone younger than you to acknowledge that may from The Baby Boom generation are aging and being replaced in management roles by people younger than they are. In your country, this may remain an issue may still be asked about women, religious or cultural affiliation in which case, you can use the same style of answer, adapted to the specifics of your circumstances.

So underlying the question is whether you have a bias that will cause friction between you and your future boss that would cause a management problem.

So the wrong answer is the simple, "No, " or "No problem. Some of my best friends are . . . "

Instead, opt for flattery.

"I greatly admire an organization that chooses to reward someone based upon merit, rather than through age (or gender or race, etc). In an organization like this one, the clear message is that if you deserve it, you will be promoted. If you don't deserve it, you won't. And more importantly, the message you are sending is that talent won't be held back for reasons of bias."

"To be successful, organizations need to attract and retain the best talent and that's what you are doing here."

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #18: On a 1 to 10 Scale, How Would You Rate Me as an Interviewer?

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

This is a question for which there is very little way to win.

The philosophy I have is do not give a "10". It will seem like you are trying to please the interviewer and give them the idea that you will be easy about other things in the future.

If you criticize the interview too much, you will be judged as too critical because you hurt their feelings.

Knowing how to give criticism is an art form.

You might answer with, "It's hard to know what questions to ask to discern the skills competency, character, self-confidence and leadership that are appropriate for your firm. I do know that for similar jobs in my firm, we cover (list several things that you screen for and, perhaps several questions that are asked." I'm not saying our questions are better. They fit for our firm given our culture. I don't know your culture or enough about what makes someone successful at your firm to judge whether you should have asked anything differently."

"I will say, I do have a good feel for your firm which makes it a good interview from my viewpoint and, I suspect, you you have a good idea about my skills, character and capabilities which would make this a good interview from your standpoint, too."

Notice. There is no number.

If they still press you (and there is a message in their pushing you), look them square in the eye and with firmness and seriousness answer, "I would have given you a 9 until this last question. My answer was far better than any numerical ranking could have provided. This last question had more to do with your needs than the requirements of the job you were interviewing for or the needs of your organization."

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #16: Uh, Aren't You Overqualified for This Job

When a firm asks this question, they are putting the elephant that is standing in the middle of the room squarely into play.

They are worried that you will be bored and quit when something better comes along . . . and frankly they are right. You will quit because this is probably a job at a lower level than what you have been in and is paying considerably less than what you were earning.

Rather than lie and say, "Oh, no, I really want to take a demotion and work for much less than what I was used to earning, try this:

The job market is a marketplace and like any marketplace, it’s subject to the laws of supply and demand. Right now, it’s very tight. I understand and accept that.

I believe that there could be very positive benefits for both of us in this match.

Because I have a lot of experience in ________________ , I can be a strong contribute right away, perhaps much faster than someone who’d have to be brought along more slowly.

I can also help you in a lot of ways that many less experienced people can't-- how to hire, train, motivate, even coach, some of the junior people.

I want to work and, frankly, your position is exactly what I love to do and do extremely well.

I’ll be happy doing this work and that’s what matters most to me, a lot more that money or title.

At the same time, I’m looking to make a long term commitment in my career now.

I’ve had enough of job-hunting and want a permanent position at this juncture in my career. I also know that if I perform well, other opportunities cannot help but open up for me here.

REMEMBER: Their goal is to figure out if you will be bored and are willing to make a committment. Your answer needs to show that.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

Tough Interview Question #15: Why Are You Interested in Working for Us?

This is a wonderful question and much easier to handle than you might think.

One of my clients, an internationally known media firm uses it to knock out people who don'[t seem favorably pre-disposed to working for them.

And that's what you need to remember--firms want to hire someone who wants to work there.

So, when you answer this question, light up your eyes with enthusiasm and speak in an excited manner.

"Why would I want to work here? Why wouldn't someone want to work here? An internationally known firm,a leader in _______, a firm with a great reputation, I'm sure the work will be interesting, how couldn't it be!

In other words, flatter them and present yourself as excited.


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #14: How Do You Make Difficult Decisions?

Firms want to believe that the new supervisor they hire is not a lone world,a maverick of a gun slinger. As a result, they will be listening to hear whether you act alone, in concert with others, asking for advice before you have some ideas or whether you make a decision and check to see whether it passes a "sniff test" (Oooh! That idea stinks).

The best thing you can do is acknowledge how, when you were young, you acted on your own without a lot of input and learned the lesson that you weren't expected to know everything but expected to make smart decisions.

Once you learned that lesson, you learned that it was important to ask great questions and have very good advisers.

Always use an example of a difficult decision to illustrate your point!

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #13: What Motivates You?

The fact of the matter is that there is no right or wrong answer to this question. It is an opportunity to demonstrate character and leadership tat shows you can become a great hire for gthe firm.

In other words, this is actually an easy question that you can think about and prepare for in advance.

So as you prepare for this question, be prepared to discuss some of the challenges you have faced and how you exceeded expectations, offering specific examples in the context of your answer.

If you are in sales, you might say something like:

Having been in commission-based sales throughout my career, I have always been motivated to be the number #1 sales person earning the top compensation in the firm.

If you are in a role that provides service, you might say:

In my role, I love to help clients receive an extraordinary experience and, through that, help my firm achieve extraordinary success.

If you are in a technology-related job, you might say:

I directed development teams on several on several projects and was responsible for ___________. My teams achieved 100% on-time delivery and was motivated by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that achieved our goals.

Then, if you haven't done so already, offer concrete examples of challenging situations where you delivered.



Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Questions #12: The Silent Treatment PLUS

You may not know or may not recall, that I am a practicing psychotherapist.

There is a little trick I learned from being a therapist that I brought into interviewing and then added a little twist to in order to learn more about the person I've met. Let;s see if you've ever met someone who does this.

The traditional interview is like interview ju-jitsu--You are asked a question. You respond. They ask another; you talk some more. On and on.

Imagine where at the end of your answer, you are greeted by silence and eyes staring at you. Most people I meet become extremely uncomfortable when that occurs.

Instead of stammering on and filling the space, calmly (and I mean calmly) ask, "Is there anything else you want me to speak to with my answer?

Now, the twist I sometimes add with the silence is to ask, "Is there more you would like to add to that?" I suggests that there should be more, even if there actually isn't. I want to see someone secure with their knowledge and in their own skin so, if you are asked that, calmly answer, ""Is there something that I didn't cover that you want me to address?

Presenting yourself as calm and being secure demonstrates mastery and knowledge. Do not scramble or being psychologically intimidated to offer more.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #11: Why Are You Looking?

Too often, people answer this question with immature answers. By this, I mean an answer that allows a new employer to interpret the answer as being, "I hate my boss," or "I wanted to make more money."

It is extremely important to:

Keep Your Answers Concise.

"Our firm was acquired and management brought in a team that they were familiar with. That's understandable to me but the result was that I was offered assignments that were at a level below where I was with little opportunity to return to my previous level. Rather than remain for the inevitable layoff, I've decided to look for a new position."

Speak positivelyDo not criticize management for decisions they've made. Do not appear angry. A matter of fact attitude will dispel doubt far better than rage ever will. By looking at the interviewer square in the eyes and preparing your concise answer, most people are persuaded that you are being sincere . . . even though we all know the best liars can look someone square in the eye and lie to us.

Speak about what you learned from this experience.Although this is a tough interview question in itself, anticipate this question and be prepared to speak of the growth opportunity you derived from the experience or from the firm. If you made mistakes and can speak to those with sincerity (and without shooting yourself in the foot), firms will see that you are someone who can learn and grow.

And sometimes the right answer is to say, "I've thought about my experience with XYZ quite a lot and, the fact is, my performance was always strong . . . as a matter of fact my performance reviews are glowing and managers always found me to be an important contributor. No, I can't say I made mistakes and I as happy to help my firm transition to the new parent company."

REMEMBER: When they ask qualifying follow up questions, just stay with your original answer and state the facts!


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Questions #10: Have You Ever Needed to Fire Someone?

Here an employer is trying to find out certain things about you. Firing someone is seen as a failure of the hiring process and of management. We made a bad decision. We were not able to successfully motivate someone we believed would doa good job into performing up to their abilities.

Do not make jokes about it.

There are two schools of thought as to how to perform a firing and thus how to answer gthe question.

Generally, the correct answer in the US is that you documented performance issues and behavioral problems, met with the person privately to counsel and advise them to improve, designated a managerial coach and, when that failed, did what was necessary to remove the disappointing employee before their poor performance impacted others and became cancerous.

The other answer was provided in Harvard B-School by the son of an extremely successful industrialist who ran businesses worldwide.

His answer was, "Are you kidding me? You take that person into the room and in front of everyone you fire him! You make an example out of that lazy so and so and get rid of him and humiliate him. NO one will ever pull that crap again!"

There are smaller companies and entrepreneurial that will love that answer so I want to make sure you hear it and are prepared to offer it if it make sense for you and the situation you're in.


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Question #9: Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from within?

This question is a variation on the question, "Why Should I hire you, but with a twist. The twist is thath they are including their existing staff in the comparison. This requires a slightly different answer.

"I like the fact that you consider internal candidates for this position. That lets me know that there is advancement potential for me should you ask me to join.

"At the same time, I assume your goal is to hire the best qualified individual for this job and not just the best person who you already know. If you do not judge me to be better than your internal choices, by all means, you should promote them.

"But, if doubt exists, or if you determine that I am better suited for this job, then you and your firm are best served by hiring me.


Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.

Tough Interview Questions #8: Why Have You Been Out of Work for So Long?

When the job market is terrible, the answer is pretty easy--I have interviewed at several places but, as you know, the market is extremely competitive and I have finished #2 on several searches.

When the job market is terrific and you represent yourself to having extremely marketable skills and, say, six months later, you're still looking for work, employers look at you differently. They start to ask, "What's wrong with this guy/person/woman that they are still looking for work?"

They really do start to think that there is something wrong, even if the question isn't asked of you.

As such, it is important to tell them at some point in the interview that since leaving your last job, :

1. You took time off for a long vacation you haven't had in eons

2. You traveled to visit family abroad that you haven't seen in years

3. You took time off to clear your mind after years of work to clear your mind

4. You've been taking formal courses in your discipline that you never had time to take before

and are now ready to return to work. You've been looking for only a few weeks now (not, say, the full six months you've been out of work).

Unless you say something about this, they will always wonder and when they wonder, they start to look at other alternatives.

And when that happens, they never return to you.

Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us

JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

© 2007 all rights reserved.