Advice On Answering Specific Interview Questions 

'How would your colleagues describe you?'

Remember that you are selling yourself - so why present a rounded picture of yourself when you should be using the opportunity to present yourself in the best light possible?

'What do you dislike about your job?'

You might be tempted to say: 'Nothing'. But an interviewer might find it hard to swallow if you claim you enjoy every single aspect of your work. Everyone has minor dislikes or frustrations about their work and, to be a compelling candidate, you need to be ready to talk about some of them.

'Tell me about yourself'

Now you might be tempted to talk about your personal life. But then you're going to lose an important opportunity to make a strong impact on the interviewer.

Instead, answer this question as if the interviewer had asked you: 'Tell me a tiny bit about your personal life but tell me mainly why you think you are a strong candidate for this job.'

'What are you most proud of?'

There's a trap here for the unsuspecting candidate in answering this question. Don't fall into it!

'What are your weaknesses?'

Being unable to describe any weaknesses suggests to the interviewers that you lack self-awareness or are a bit egotistical - are you really saying that you are completely perfect at everything that you do?

'Why are you looking to leave your job?'

A simple enough question, you might think - but of course there's a hidden trap here for the unwary!

Quandaries and Questions 

Dealing with a prison record

A reader from Evanston, Illinois works with people who have been released from prison. He asked for some guidance on behalf of the people he works with. Here's my thoughts on dealing with your record when job hunting.

Finding your dream job

Too many people spend their lives working only to pay the bills. Do you want a dream job? What is your dream job?

Perhaps the only way to figure out what your dream job might be - is to ask yourself: What if you were dead?

Click on the link to read more.

Getting a job without the right qualifications

Sometimes you're great at the job, but employers won't give you a look in because you don't have the right qualifications on paper they're asking for.

Click through to the link for my advice on how to deal with this situation.

Sounding convincing in interviews

One of the biggest mistakes I see candidates making is failing to match their body language and tone of voice to the words they are saying. Whatever you are claiming you are good at, make sure your facial expressions, hand movements, posture, pace and voice all send the same message!

Using your body language

Did you know that body language and tone of voice can account for somewhere between 50 - 90% of your impact during an interview? Think about it. Someone who says 'I'm a great candidate' but doesn't make eye contact, who mumbles, who hesitates - that person is going to make a far less substantial impact than someone who says 'I'm a great candidate' but who makes eye contact, looks interested and excited, has a tone of enthusiasm in his voice, etc.

This article looks at the '5L' technique of improving your impact on other people.

What should I list first on a resume or CV - education or experience?

You can decide whether to put your experience or education towards the top of your resume or CV. But which one would show off your qualities better?

Career and Job Hunting Resources 

Answering Tough Interview Questions For Dummies

A thorough book from the popular For Dummies series. I wrote it, so I'm very proud of this book!

Dealing with headhunters

Beware of the headhunter! Not all headhunters have your best interests at heart.

For more, read this article by a journalist (reviewing a book that I wrote) - offering advice on managing the relationship with your headhunter or recruitment consultant.

Graduate job hunting advice

The advice here on get.hobsons.co.uk is aimed specifically at UK graduates who have just got (or are just about to get) their degrees.

How to shine in interviews

An article from the Daily Telegraph newspaper in the UK discussing how to make the best of your chances in a job interview.

Handling office politics

An article on management-issues.com talking about office politics - and why it pays to get political to get ahead.

Interview tips for introverts

If playing the interview game doesn't come naturally to you, here are some tips from the Monster website for making the best of yourself.

Practice at psychometric tests

SHL is a big publisher of psychometric tests. They offer some free short tests for candidates to complete. If you think you may need to complete a psychometric test for a job, it's worth having a go at some of these to get your brain in the right gear.

Salary checking in the UK

Click a couple of boxes on this free website and you get a breakdown of salaries by different regions in the UK.

Salary checking in the USA

Click your answers to a few questions and get a salary range for just about any occupation in the US.

The Rules of Job Hunting

A book aimed more at professionals, managers and executives than entry-level candidates. If you need to know how to network, interview, and negotiate your way to the perfect job - this is the book for you.

The Rules of Office Politics

Want some help dealing with office politics? This might just be the perrrrfect book for you then...

Top ten interview tips

Ten interview tips from the UK's BBC television website (and, incidentally, written by me for a TV series I presented on the BBC!)

Why it's risky to stay in your current job

With a bad economy, global wars, and a daunting unemployment rate, now may seem like the worst possible time to leave a secure job. As it turns out, staying in a safe position may be the riskiest move of all.

Dr Rob's Blog 

These links are to Doctor Rob's main blog covering all sorts of topics ranging from office politics and networking to presentations skills and public speaking. There's some job hunting and interviewing stuff on here too though!

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Dr Rob on BBC TV 

Guestbook 

Do drop me your thoughts, suggestions, and questions. If it requires a response, I shall try to respond to it when I can!

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