12 Key Questions for Interview Success

According to Peter Veruki in his book The Top 250 Job Interview Questions [1], there are 12 types of information recruiters/employers seek in most interviews. Knowing what these points are, and being able to discuss how each point relates to you, will make you better prepared and more in control of the interview session. Think of the 12 themes as sales messages. Each message is designed to showcase your skills and qualifications. Practices aloud delivering your 12 key messages until the words come easily in an organized and comfortable manner.

1. Passion for the Business
   Ask yourself "Why am I interested in working in this field in this industry?" Do you feel passion for the business? If so, why? Give specific examples of the things that excite you. These could be anything from enjoying the challenge of meeting increasingly higher sales goals, to a sense of satisfaction derived from developing a product from the creation stage to final product. Offer personal experience where possible.
2. Motivation and Purpose
   Interviewers will always want to know why you want to work for their particular company. Ask yourself, "Why do I want this interview?" Don't simply repeat your resume and employment history. What's the most compelling case you can make to prove your interest? Have your read the company's annual report? Have you researched the company using sources on the web? Be very clear on why you want the interview and the job.
3. Skills and Experience
   Consider you key skills and how you will use them in this job. Avoid clichés and generalities; instead offer specific evidence. Think about your weaknesses and how you can minimize and balance them with your strengths. Try to describe yourself as objectively as possible.
4. Diligence and Professionalism
   Describe your professional character, including thoroughness, diligence, and accountability. Give proof that you persevere to see important projects through, and that you achieve desired results. Demonstrate how you gather resources, how you predict obstacles, and how you manage stress.
5. Creativity and Leadership
   Offer proof of your effectiveness, including creativity, initiative, resourcefulness, and leadership. What examples can you provide for each? Focus on how you overcome problems, how you take advantage of opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked, and how you rally the support of others to accomplish goals.
6. Compatibility with the Job
   Discuss your specific qualifications for the job. How well do they fit the requirements of the position? Your answer should describe both positive and negative aspects of recent jobs, without dwelling on the negative. Conclude by focusing on what your seeking in you next job. Keep in mind that your response should match closely the position you are applying for.
7. Personality and Cultural Compatibility
   Consider your personality on the job. How do you fit in with other types of personalities? What types of people would you enjoy working with you for hours at a time? How would the company's customers or clients react to you? Your goal is to develop responses that make the interviewer feel confident there won't be any surprises about your personality on the job.
8. Management Style and Interpersonal Skills
   Talk about the management style and the interpersonal skills you use with peer groups and leaders. Focus on how you work rather than on what type of work you do well. What kind of boss, colleague, and employee will you be? Give personal or popular examples of leaders you believe are effective. Why are those people able to accomplish so much?
9. Problem-Solving Ability
   Offer proof, with examples, of your problems-solving ability. How have you resolved difficult issues in the past? Are you practical in how you apply technical skills? Are you realistic?
10. Accomplishments
    Think about your initiative and accomplishments. Offer examples in which you've delivered more than what was expected. Don't give long descriptions of situations; instead, focus your answer on the action you took and the positive results you obtained. If you were hired, what situations would you handle especially well? What can you contribute to the organization?
11. Career Aspirations
    Tailor your aspirations to the realities of this particular job and its career path. Avoid listing job titles or offering unrealistic performance deadlines, instead, reiterate the skills and strengths you want to develop further. Do you want cross- functional experience, a larger budget, or more supervisory responsibility? Why would you be effective with that additional experience?
12. Personal Interest and Hobbies
    Do you have a balanced lifestyle? Is your personality reflected in the type of job you choose as well as in the outside activities you pursue? The interviewer may be interested in your community involvement.

Remember: Never let an interview end without summarizing your twelve key messages.

[1] Veruki, Peter. The Top 250 Job Interview Questions You'll Most Likely Be Asked and the Answers That Will Get You Hired. Adams Media Corporation; 1st ed. 1999. 14–17.

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