Difficult Interview Questions and Winning Answers (part II)

[fall2pieces]

what usually tinatanong sa interview in government agencies?

[khat]

like this thread,I'm not into a job hunt yet,but tips and advices here,maybe useful when it's time to find one,

[pumpkin13]

^ true. when i decide to find better job opportunities in the future, this thread will help me with the interviews. 

[petlovah]

^actually it depends on the government office/department. it would be best to research for that government agency, which department are you trying to apply, who is/are the possible interviewer/s? based from experience, interviews in government are easier than in private.. BUT it would still depend on who will conduct the interview.

pero generally speaking, same questions sa private companies din ang tinatanong dun. what made it even easier, parang informal lang ang interview/s kasi nagtatagalog (mostly) yun nagiinterview. para lang nagkwekwentuhan..

[snix]

i've been to some interviews already and i passed some while some prefer to hire others with experience..

eto nahihirapan akong questions and im basing these questions on my situation..

grad ako last year ng interior design and wala pako experience so kapag tinanong na

1. How much is your expected salary?

Usually sinasagot ko dito is that im willing to start at minimum wage since i have no ecperience.. tama ba to or should i answer it differently? im aware of the min salary for the type of job that i do..

and this is the most difficult question for me.. nagboard ako last year and i failed ngayon nagpahinga ko dahil nastress ako..and then studied autocad, para plus pag jobhunts..ng feb lang ako nagstart maghanap ng work after ko magaral..ngayon tinatanong nila

2. What have you been doing for the past months?

Pano ko sasagutin to? kapag sinabi ko naman na ive been looking for a job ang tagal ko naman nagjobhunt.. Pag sinabi ko naman na nagreview ako pero bumagsak hindi ba negative point naman yun?

eto pa paano pag tinanong

3. what happened to your previous applications?
para na rin kasing ang tanong dito bakit hindi ako hinihire siguro may problema sakin..

Ang usual na sagot ko is that they preferred experienced applicants which is true.. ang suggestion naman sakin na sagot ko is that i have been selwctive about the jobs that i applied for.. hindi ba parang choosy naman ako nito? how to answer this please

[clueless]

^ my thoughts:

1. Wag mo naman sabihin minimum wage. Maybe better to say that since you are just starting out, you're more after the experience and salary is only secondary so whatever they think you deserve. Not in those exact words ha but something to that effect.

2. You have been taking additional courses like autocad. Or You took a short break before looking for a job so that when you start to work, you'll be refreshed/energized.

3. Be honest in saying that maybe you didnt get hired because you lack experience but chicken and egg. How will you get the experience if no one is willing to give you a chance. Then state some reasons why you will be an asset to the company and why they should hire you.

[Ms.Cacao70%]

Hello snix, eto ginawan ko pa talaga ng dialogue. sana makatulong sa iyo 

1. How much is your expected salary?

My expected salary would be between _____and ______ (a little over  minimum). But I am always open for negotiation.

2. What have you been doing for the past months?

I've been sending out resumes and applying online to different employers. Although I haven't found the right one yet, I make myself busy by attending job-finding seminars, enrolling to this course (kung totoo lang ha) and volunteering in the church and other community services. 


3. what happened to your previous applications?


I've been searching and waiting for an opportunity to knock on my door and for someone to give me a chance to prove my worth in their company.

I've had some interviews but it never materialized. If you will give me chance, I will do my best to be an asset to this company.
___________

ang tip ko sa iyo:
1. Always be prepared when you go to an interview. basahin mo yung background ng company and history. memorize it kahit mga 3 lines lang about the company.
 
2. Then practice your answers, kausapin mo ang sarili mo sa salamin. paulit-ulit hanggang sa maging convincing kahit sa sarili mo ang sinasabi mo.

3. Don't slouch, dont be ashamed kahit wala ka pang experience (everyone has to start from something) and don't look like you are ready for rejection. Dapat maintain your posture, derecho sa mata ang tingin para mukhang sincere. at firmly shake the hand.

4. Wear black slacks, white blouse na may collar  and a smart looking blazer or anything decent, mag-invest sa damit. huwag yung nakikita yung cleavage or sobrang ikling palda, u will never look smart in that kind of outfit.

5. wear light make-up and less accessory and dont forget to turn off that cellfone! hay naku, pagnadistract ang nag-iinterview sa iyo, mawawala na agad yang ng interest sa kahit ano pang sabihin mo.

Pray and Goodluck! Make it happen!

[snix]

@ sis clueless and sis Ms.Cacao70%

thanks mga sis for answering and the tips and suggestions as well.. actually hindi naman ako nagpakabum nagwork ako sa odesk so i include that kapag interviews..okay lang din ba sabihin na hindi ko tinanggap yung ibang works kasi iba yung position na binibigay or dahil talo ko sa pamasahe? which is also true in my case.. or would that make me look that im not flexible?

sis Ms.Cacao70%

^sis i always make sure that i read the company's background or make a little research about it.. and yung suggestion mo na attire yun exactly yung sinusuot ko hehe

[Ms.Cacao70%]

just tell them that it didn't work out, don't ellaborate anymore coz it can make or break your interview kung tatanungin ka talagang mabuti, pwede mo rin sabihin yung tungkol sa distance at kung impractical for you. i think its a very sensible reason.

you're doing your best naman pala. yakang-yaka mo yan!

[eeatrice]

ang helpful naman ng thread na ito

[sweetraich]

this thread is very interesting. Dami kong natutunan. salamat po!

[mai0129]

Hi mga Sis,

May question lang ako.  Describe ko muna yung situation ko for you to clearly understand my case and for you to help me better. Sa first job ko ngwork ako for 2 years then I decided to resign kasi I feel I'm already stagnant with my work. No additional learnings na. I wanted to grow kasi talaga sa field of work ko. At first naisip ko na dapat maghanap muna ako ng work bago ako mag resign but i'ts very difficult for me to escape to attend interview invitation kasi yung work  ko demands time talaga plus ako lang ang naka assign sa area ko. Ibig sabihin pag ng absent ako walang gagawa ng trabaho at lagi talaga ako hinahanap ng mga tao that's why i resigned na lang para maka focus sa paghahanap ng job. Inisip ko siguro naman makakahanap agad ako ng malilipatan. Pero nung ang resign na ako dun ko na narealized talaga na ang hirap pala kasi di sa lahat ng oras pag apply mo tanggap ka kaagad. Hanggang sa nagka financial constraint na ako and I decided to go home in our province. Tapos di narin agad ako nakabalik kasi maliban sa wala pa budget nagkasakit lola ko and my mother ask me kung pwede ako na muna mag alaga kasi my work din sila. Hanggang sa I get bored na kasi pakiramdam ko nabobobo na ako and I decided to go back in Manila to find job again and okay naman sya nakakita naman ako ng work. pero unfortunately sa 2nd work ko I got sick and I can't focus with my work kasi lagi masama pakiramdam ko and my officer advised me na lang na siguro daw kailangan ko muna magtake ng rest at magpagaling ng todo para pagbalik ko sa workplace ok na ok na ako. Kaya kahit ayaw ko magresign kasi alam ko na ang feeling ng mabakantehan napilitan nalang ako kasi ako mismo sa sarili ko i know na di na talaga ako maka focus kahit pilitin ko. Isa pa ayaw din kasi ng management na laging absent kaya parang nahiya narin ako since pag pinilit ko pa kahit di na ako maka focus because sick nga ako baka sa performance appraisal pa ako madadali.

Now, I'm very okay na at gusto ko na mag apply at magwork ulit. My problem is kung panu ko eexplain ng maayos yung case ko in a way na hindi sya maging reason na di na lang ako ehire ng company na applayan ko. Kasi i have this thinking na baka isipin ng HR baka pag hinire nila ako at nagkasakit ako hindi na naman ako maka focus. Pero now naman i'm very much okay na and I'm very eager to go back na sa workplace. Paano ko kaya sasabihin mga sis when the HR ask me Why you leave your previous job base sa case ko? Ayaw ko naman mag lie kasi I know HR magaling sila tumingin if the applicant is lying syempre yun trabaho nila specially psych grads ang nasa HR. Pasensya na mga sis napahaba. Gusto ko kasi ma explain ng maayos case ko. Please help po. Thanks in advance.

[pressany]

mai0129 - Sabi mo your very ok na so this means na physically fit to work ka na.  If the recruiter will ask you about your previous employment tell them the truth but be careful on the way you phrase your answer.  Don't say that you are "sickly", say you were sick.  Magkaiba yun sickly is a permanent condition why "were sick" is temporary. 

Another tip that you could use during interview is being upbeat yet concise in answering question.  Wag na wag kang magvovolunteer ng information kung hindi tinatanong. 

Also, pag kinakabahan ka during interview, fight the urge to blabber or dumaldal ng dumaldal just to temper yung daga sa dibdib.  You may say things that may cause the recruiter to drop you.

[cool_chique]

i'm a single mom. hindi kami married ng daddy ng 3 year old daughter ko.

if the interviewer asked me if i'm single or married, could i answer that i'm single and not tell that i have a kid already?
i know it may be a disadvantage on me if i'll tell them that i'm a single mom. though i could work like a single person since my mom is taking care of my kid when i'm out at panatag ako sa pag-alaga ng mom ko.

[pressany]

^single ka naman talaga sis.  So tell them you're single but if the situation asks for you to disclose other considerations, you may want to tell them that you have a kid.  Ang importante wag kang magsisinungaling, pag tinanong sabihin mo, anyway sa application form naman may provision for children's name dba?

Good luck sa pag-aapply sis.  Pray lang lagi before the interview.    

[cool_chique]

^thanks sis! i actually had a job offer yesterday. it was my first interview since i applied online. they asked me if i'm single or married so i answered i'm single period. they also asked me to tell something about myself and my family. i didn't tell about my daughter, just my parents.

then now, they gave me a form which includes my dependents. i guess, it's for medical benefits if i become a regular employee after 6months.
a senior friend told me not to indicate my daughter yet as my dependent, baka daw kasi hindi pako tanggapin because of that. tsaka na raw pag regular na ako.
is that ok? i know tatanungin din ako sa medical exam ko if i had operations already, etc.
what would you suggest?

[sweetraich]

^ ate, di kaya maging base yan for termination mo? ang alam ko, sa mga employment sheet/form, di ba may pipirmahan ka dun sa pinakahuli na parang sine-certify mo na totoo lahat ng sinabi mo doon. Baka kung kelang regular ka na dun ka pa matanggal. Ewan ko.. hehe wala naman sigurong masama kung i-disclose mo dun sa form na may anak ka na.

[pressany]

sis, this is 'just' my opinion, I think you should indicate that you have a child.  This may be frowned upon since you're single but that's being honest.  Tama si sweetraich, baka pag iievaluate na ang paper mo for regularization dun ka pa masilipan ng non-disclosure.

Nasa saiyo pa rin yan but based sa experience ko, mas maigi yung idisclose mo na as early as now. 

You may want to consider also the kind of company you will be working to, conservative ba yan?  Kase may mga companies akong alam na hindi prinaprioritize ang single moms, non-Christian, hindi kasal, lesbian/gay.  Tingnan mo ring maigi yung culture na company.  Magresearch ka online, tumingin sa mga discussion forums at magtanong tanong sa mga empleyado (kung may access ka).

Most of all, magpray ka for guidance and discernment.  Good luck sis.

[cool_chique]

^ay ganun sis? sa bagay, mas mahirap naman mawalan ng work kung kelang regular kana..

[mai0129]

mai0129 - Sabi mo your very ok na so this means na physically fit to work ka na.  If the recruiter will ask you about your previous employment tell them the truth but be careful on the way you phrase your answer.  Don't say that you are "sickly", say you were sick.  Magkaiba yun sickly is a permanent condition why "were sick" is temporary. 

Another tip that you could use during interview is being upbeat yet concise in answering question.  Wag na wag kang magvovolunteer ng information kung hindi tinatanong. 

Also, pag kinakabahan ka during interview, fight the urge to blabber or dumaldal ng dumaldal just to temper yung daga sa dibdib.  You may say things that may cause the recruiter to drop you.

Thanks sis Pressany