Frequently Asked Interview Questions

Pinnacle wants to help you successfully advance your career objectives. Here is a list of some of the most common interview questions and effective, appropriate responses. Be prepared, be yourself and make sure you're ready to answer some tough questions.

Q: "Tell me about yourself..."
A: Be prepared to talk for two minutes about yourself. Be logical. Start anywhere, such as high school, college or your first professional position. The interviewer is trying to evaluate your communication skills.

Q: "Why are you leaving your current position?"
A: This is a very critical question. Don't bad mouth your previous employer or co-workers.

Q: "What do you consider your most significant accomplishment?"
A: A good answer to this question can get you the job. Prepare extensively—discuss hard work, long hours, pressure and important company issues at stake. You may want to tell a two minute detailed story, discussing personal involvement.

Q: "Why do you believe you are qualified for this position?"
A: Pick two or three main factors about the job and about yourself that are most relevant. Discuss for two minutes, including specific details. You may want to mention a technical skill and/or a personal success story.

Q: "Have you ever accomplished something you didn't think you could?"
A: The interviewer is trying to determine your goal orientation, work ethic, personal commitment and integrity. Prepare a good example where you overcame difficulties and succeeded. Prove that you're not a quitter.

Q: "What do you like/dislike most about your current or last position?"
A: The interviewer is trying to determine compatibility with the open position. Be careful; don't say you dislike overtime, like management, or get too detailed. It's safe to say that you like challenges, pressure situations, opportunities to grow, or that you dislike bureaucracy and frustrating situations.

Q: "How do you handle pressure? Do you like or dislike these situations?"
A: High achievers tend to perform well in high-pressure situations. Conversely, these questions could imply that the open position is pressure-packed and out of control. Know what you're getting into. If you do perform well under stress, provide a good, detailed example. Be descriptive.

Q: "The sign of a good employee is the ability to take initiative. Can you describe a situation where you did this?"
A: The proactive, results-oriented person doesn't have to be told what to do. To convince the interviewer you possess this trait, give a series of short examples describing your self-motivation. Discuss one example in-depth, describing the extra effort, your strong work ethic and your creative, resourceful side.

Q: "What was the worst/most embarrassing situation of your career? How would you have done things differently with 20/20 hindsight?"
A: Your interviewer wants to know how introspective you are, and to see if you can learn from your mistakes. Don't be afraid to talk candidly about your failures, especially if you learned something significant from them.

Q: "How have you grown or changed over the past few years?"
A: Maturation, increased technical skills and increased self-confidence are important developmental aspects. To discuss these effectively is indicative of a well-balanced, intelligent individual. Overcoming personal obstacles or recognizing manageable weaknesses can help identify you as an approachable and desirable employee.

Q: "What do you consider your most significant strength?"
A: Know your key five or six strengths—the ones most compatible with the job opening. Discuss each with specific examples.

Q: "Deadlines, frustrations, difficult people and silly rules can make a job difficult. How do you handle these types of situations?"
A: Most companies, unfortunately, face these problems daily. If you can't deal with petty problems, you'll be seen as uncooperative. How you overcome these are important. Diplomacy, perseverance and common sense will help you in difficult circumstances.

Q: "Why should we hire you for this position? What kinds of contributions would you make?"
A: This is a good chance to summarize. By now, you should know the key problems. Restate and show how you would address them. Don't be arrogant—instead demonstrate a thoughtful, organized and strong attitude.

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