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This question is the one that most people worry about if they were fired from their last job. If you weren’t, then just explain that you were not fired, and the interviewer will ask you more about the circumstances in which you left, which I will address under the relevant heading. If you WERE fired, it’s not the end of the world. You can turn most things positive when the need arises! I would advise if you were fired for doing something really very bad such as stealing that you seek professional advice on answering this question. However, I will give some more typical answers.

Example Answers

1-

“I was fired because I didn’t hit the targets that my employer set. However I feel that the reason for that is because the product itself didn’t have a great reputation, it was a very hard sell, and the morale in the office was low generally. Staff turnover was very high as many people failed to hit the targets. Many left due to the conditions. I am confident I will hit targets for you as in all my other posts as salesman I have exceeded my targets, and your products are internationally recognised as fantastic quality and value for money.”

2-

“I was fired from my last position because the firm decided to have a change of management, and the new manager already had a lot of people lined up for my job. I was asked to move to a department that I didn’t feel I was qualified to work in, and so I was fired. I did feel a little that I was pushed out of my job, but I am excited for a new opportunity now.”

3-

“I will be honest, I ran into some personal problems at home and they extended into my work life because I was unable to get into work as my ex-partner took my vehicle and the position was too far to get to by public transport. My employer wasn’t too sympathetic and fired me before I had the chance to resolve the issue. I have a new car now and I’m ready for a new challenge.”

4-

“Due to the current economic climate I was let go due to the company having to downsize and relocate office. I could not relocate at the time as I was caring for an elderly relative, so unfortunately I was fired.”

5-

“I was fired because my employers began to do something that I did not agree with and I refused to do. This was not a case of insubordination, what they were asking me to do was not legal, and would possibly have endangered lives. I will not disclose what that was, but because I maintained my integrity and refused, they fired me.”

photo by: ceciliadom

  
Give some examples of teamwork is one of the greatest questions you can be asked in an interview. There is so much scope in this question to show off a whole host of desirable traits to your potential boss. You don’t need to use professional examples; you can offer experiences you may have had with friends, family or even a sport or hobby! What your prospective employer is looking to find out here is how open you are to discussion of ideas, and how well you can interact with others. A great kind of example to give here would be an example where you had an idea you wanted to run with, but in the end went with someone else’s for the benefit of the team, or where a member of your team had a personal goal they couldn’t attain, so you all worked together to achieve it. Here are a few examples.

Example Answers

#1

“I used to be a football coach for a small local team, having had to stop playing myself due to an injury. We had an important match one weekend and one of the players was unwell and unable to attend. Faced with the decision to forfeit the match we decided that I could play in his place for the benefit of the team. I was mostly ‘carried’ by my team mates but we managed to win the match”

#2

“I used to work in a pub where we had to think of entertainment options for quieter nights. I had thought about hiring a band to come in and play on a Wednesday, and then other members of the bar staff suggested that instead we all showed our own talents off to the customers instead. So we went with that idea and put on a kind of variety show. The customers loved it, we all had such fun, it bonded us all more as a team and it saved the bar money.”

#3

“Once a group of friends and I were walking through a wooded area on a pleasure walk. We became aware of someone calling for help, and following the shouts came across a young boy who had fallen down a ravine. None of us had signal on our phones and the young boy was obviously injured. My friend who was trained in first aid was helped down to the boy by using my jacket to lower him to a suitable distance where he could safely drop down, whilst I and another friend raced through the woods in opposite directions to raise assistance. When I was far enough out of the woods I managed to get signal on my phone and called the fire brigade, and they arrived at the entrance my friend had ran towards so he guided them to the ravine.”

The main point to make is that you are easy to get along with, muck in, and will listen to others ideas.

#4

"In high school, I enjoyed playing soccer and performing with the marching band. Each required a different kind of team play, but the overall goal of learning to be a member of a group was invaluable. I continued to grow as team member while on my sorority’s debate team and through my advanced marketing class where we had numerous team assignments.

In my last postion, I was part of a software implementation team. We all worked together to plan and manage the implementation schedule, to provide customer training, and ensure a smooth transition for our customers. Our team always completed our projects ahead of schedule with very positive reviews from our clients. "

Good luck.

  
You will be asked strength based interview questions for a Border Force interview.

Strength based interview questions don't have a right or wrong answer, so don't worry on that too much. It is however important that you answer all questions honestly, failing to do so will give the interviewer a false impression of you.

Border Force Interview Questions

What do you like to do in your spare time?What energises you?How would your close friends describe you?Do you most like starting tasks or finishing them?Do you prefer the big picture or the small details?Describe a successful day. What made it successful?What are you good at?What are your weaknesses?What did you enjoy studying at school or university?When did you achieve something you’re really proud of?What do you enjoy doing the least?Do you find there are enough hours in the day to complete your to-do list?What tasks are always left on your to-do list?How do you stay motivated?How do you feel about deadlines?Have you ever done something differently the second time around?Do you think this role will play to your strengths?

  
Bank Cashier interview questions and tips:

A cashier is usually the first face seen by the customer during their day to day transactions at their bank.  It is important that the bank cashier always remains professional whilst being friendly, and should know regular customers by name.  The majority of staff working “on show” in a bank usually wear uniforms to present a corporate image.

Many bank cashiers don’t start in that position, but usually will have a clerical role which, with time and experience can lead to being offered a position as cashier.  Quite a lot of banks now have small “sub” branches and it may be the policy of the bank to rotate cashiers from the nearest main branch out to the sub-branch.

A good bank cashier should be able to work as part of a team, and as the banks now sell various financial products and services to their customers, you will be expected to learn about every product sold by the bank.  Some selling ability is therefore beneficial.

There aren’t usually specific qualifications to work in a bank, other than five GCSEs in good grades, including English and Maths.  The bank will probably ask you to study towards recognised banking qualifications if you want to progress your career.

The Interview

If this will be your first job, make sure that your check online to find out as much as possible about the bank.  It is always useful to show that you have given some thought to the company. 

Make sure that you arrive at the company well in advance of the appointment time. Lateness isn’t an option for anyone working at a bank as it must open on time every day.  It is important to dress smartly, as if there isn’t a uniform, you will be expected to look professional every day.

Smile at the interviewer and shake hands firmly (without cracking bones).  Answer all questions clearly and look at the interviewer.  If you don’t understand or hear a question, ask for it to be repeated.  If you still don’t understand, ask the interviewer to rephrase the question.  This won’t cause a problem.  They may have used a term which is unusual to you, but it is much better to say that you don’t understand.

Ensure that you have a couple of questions to ask at the appropriate time which shows your interest in the company.  Be enthusiastic and thank the interviewer at the end and make them aware that you would like the job if it is offered to you.

Related: Cashier CV Example

Interview Questions for a Bank Cashier
How many different till systems have you worked on?How would you handle a difficult customer?What would you do if a product was damaged and you had to change the item?Do you manage to learn about the products and prices that you are selling or do you rely on the till doing the work?How many customers have you served on a busy day?What would you think was a quiet day in terms of customers?Who do you think are our biggest competitors and why?How do you handle stress and pressure?Check out most asked interview questionsTell me about yourselfWhy should we hire you?Why do you want this job?What is your greatest strength?What is your greatest weakness?What are your salary expectations?What motivates you?Give some examples of teamworkWhat can you contribute to this company?Good luck.

  
Like most job interviews, a project management interview will include behavioural questions to determine how you would perform in any given situation.

Your interview will also include competency-based questions that test you on essential project management skills such as planning, scheduling, organization, problem-solving, team-building, negotiation, communication, adaptability, and leadership.

The overall goal is for your project to come in on-time and on-budget (or under-time and under-budget) with a high-quality result.

Some example questions could be:
Tell me about your experience in managing different projects.Tell me about a time you managed a diverse team and arrived at a successful or unsuccessful project.Describe the most complex project you have managed from start to finish.What do you use to set realistic schedules for the project?How do you go about selecting and allocating resources?How often do you update stakeholders and how do you communicate those updates?What are your risk management procedures?What project management methodologies are you familiar with?What project management software have you used?How would you close a project?Make sure when you are doing your research that you go over any past projects you have undertaken and know the details thoroughly enough to explain to your interviewer whilst being specific with the information, they do not want a big long tale just the facts of the project from conception to delivery.

Good Luck.

  
Data Analyst Interview

A data analyst must have the ability to look through a client defined array of information, and be able to pick out relevant data as requested by a client. There will also be a requirement to sift through large amounts of data sources in order to compile a professional and technical report which will then be presented to the client.

Skills required to be considered for this role include, I.T skills, maths and English, strong problem solving ability, excellent organisational skills, working alone and as part of a team, dedication and commitment, high work rate, communication skills.

In order to prove that you are suitable for this position you will need to provide examples of your experience, or at least relevant examples of achievements in other industries. Computer skills and problem solving will most likely be assessed before the interview stage. This will normally involve a psychometric test and some kind of data capture exercise. Successful completion of this will require the ability to record large volumes of data quickly, without any degradation of accuracy.

This is often a fast paced and hectic industry. The margin for error is small and the expectations are always high. However, if this is the job for you then there is a great deal of job satisfaction to be had as a data analyst. You will be taking an unchallenged sample of data and quantifying it in a way that produces definitive conclusions.

In order to increase your chances of success in the interview, ensure you have done your homework on the company. They may focus on a smaller group of clients that creates a more streamlined work load. Knowing information such as this will allow you to tailor your interview responses to how you would be a perfect candidate for what they do and making reassurances that you would fit in to the existing team.

Data Analayst interview questions:
Describe a situation when you had conflict with others.What was the most difficult data question you solved?When is the most difficult time that you experienced?What does initiative mean to you?What does deductive reasoning mean to you?What makes you different from the other analysts?

  
Chef Interview:

You will be invited for an interview if you were successful at your Chef job application.

You will receive typical interview questuions during your interview so it’s best to take a look those ones on our job forum.

Try to give an answer to following questions:

– Tell me about yourself.

– Why should we hire you?

Once you have somethings to say to above questions then you can start reading some example answers for other questions too.

Here are useful interview tips for a Chef interview:

– Dress smart
– Be there at least 15 minutes before
– Smiley.

Here are the most asked Chef interview questions and possible answers.
How many hours do you normally work? Interview Question
How would you describe the pace at which you work? Interview Question
How do you handle stress and pressure? Interview Question
What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? Interview

The possible answers are given however it’s best for you to make your own answers.

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? interview question
What type of work environment do you prefer? Interview Question
How do you evaluate success? Interview Question

Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it?
What interests you about this job? Interview Question

Related job guides:

– Chef CV Example
– Chef Salary
– Chef Cover Letter Example
– Chef CV Template

Here are some more typical interview questions and answers for a Chef job:
What are your salary expectations? Interview Question
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Give some examples of teamwork – Interview Question
What motivates you? Interview Question and Answer
What is your greatest weakness? Interview Question
Why do you want this job? Interview Question
What is your greatest strength? Interview Question

View more typical interview questions and answers?

  
Why Should We Hire You? Interview Question

The interview may be going well, you have dodged some questions you thought may have tripped you up and you have the interviewer eating out of the palm of your hand. They appear impressed by your qualifications and experience, and the interview itself is about to be wrapped up. Then as a final question the interviewer throws this curve ball in your direction. If you are prepared for it, you will most likely take it in your stride. If not, this could set you off into a mumbling and bumbling end to what was a fairly stress free and successful interview.

The idea behind this question is that you will have spent so much time focussing on swatting up on the company, you will have paid an inadequate amount of time to having answers prepared about your most valuable asset. Yourself.

See also: What challenges are you looking for in a position?

Although this question may seem to be a difficult one to tackle. In truth, you will have already answered this question, in bits throughout the interview. Now you simply need to gather in the fragments and give them a structure before confidently delivering your answer.
 
You should start by structuring your response to highlight how you meet the requirements of the job. You can add in some key characteristics you believe they are looking for and then we should be getting towards a strong answer. This is an opportunity to blatantly advertise yourself, so leave out anything negative.

For example,

"I have spent the last 12 years working in the vibration analysis. I have achieved an NVQ level 3 in this field which exceeds your requirement for a level 2. My references show that I am hard working and a trustworthy and reliable individual who can work well alone or as part of team. In my last job the routines I set up on three production lines resulted in massive maintenance savings when compared with three lines at another branch. These savings have shown the importance of non destructive examination and I am considered a leader in this industry."

As long as you rehearse your own tailored answer, you should have no problem delivering a well structured and confident answer to what can be an awkward question.

photo by: mdennes

  
Receptionist interview: tips and questions.

The receptionist is usually the first voice heard, and first person seen, by clients or customers contacting a company.  Although it may not appear to be particularly complicated career choice, it is; in fact, particularly important.  The receptionist’s role can be one which gains or loses the company a considerable amount of business.

A receptionist needs to have a good standard of English, excellent phone manner, accurate typing and must be exceptionally polite when speaking to the general public or clients.  There are many tasks a receptionist will do on a daily basis, including taking messages, receiving mail and signing for special delivery items, general clerical work and filing, booking appointments and in some companies, keeping holiday schedules.

A receptionist must be reliable, cheerful, know where everyone is, and what their role is, must be able to manage a busy telephone system, whilst remaining calm and keeping their cool.

A good general education is necessary, but a university degree isn’t required.

Read more:

– Receptionist CV Example

– Receptionist CV Template

– Receptionist cover letter example

The interview

Although there are receptionists of all ages, the majority of them start after leaving school or college.  This may be the first interview which you have attended and so you are likely to be nervous.  Find out some information about the company before the interview, and then if you are asked if you have any questions, you can comment or enquire about something on the website.  This also shows the interviewer that you are interested in the company.

What can you do for this company? Interview Question
Why are you the best person for the job? Interview Question
Is there anything I haven’t told you? Interview Question
What do you know about this company? Interview Question
Why do you want to work here? Interview Question

Dress smartly for the interview, although it isn’t necessary to wear a suit.  Make sure that you know where the company is, and take a practice run the day before so you are certain where you are going.  Allow plenty of time for travelling and arrive at the interview in good time.

When you meet the interviewer, make sure that you smile.  When you answer questions, keep the answer straightforward, and keep on the topic.  Look at the interviewer and not at the floor.  If you don’t hear a question properly, ask for it to be repeated.  If the interviewer wants more information from you, they will prompt you with another question.

Are you willing to travel? Interview Question
What are your salary expectations? Interview Question
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Give some examples of teamwork – Interview Question
What motivates you? Interview Question and Answer
What is your greatest weakness? Interview Question
Why do you want this job? Interview Question
What is your greatest strength? Interview Question

The interviewer may suggest that they can arrange day release at college.  It is always good to accept these offers which may lead to a qualification, and may mean that you get an increase in salary.

Tell me about yourself.
Why should we hire you?

The interviewer will make it obvious when the interview has ended.  Thank him and ensure that you say that you would like the job if it is offered to you.

View more typical interview questions.

  
Interview Tips and Questions for Waitress

Although being a Waitress isn’t considered to be a skilled job, there are several attributes necessary to be successful.  Many students look for part-time waitressing work and this is often their first paid employment.

A Waitress needs to look smart and take care with their appearance.  Hair and nails need to be groomed – you wouldn’t want your meal being served by someone with dirty fingernails!  Good hygiene is essential for everyone who works in the catering industry.  There may be a simple uniform – often a black skirt and white blouse or top but is there isn’t this is still a good choice.  Wear comfortable shoes as you will be on your feet for several hours.  A Silver-Service Waitress will need specific training, but they will usually have had some restaurant experience.

A wage for a Waitress is usually the minimum allowed for the age of the applicant.  There are opportunities to increase the basic wage by earning tips for good service.  Some establishments arrange for all tips to be collected and divided out to all staff, but in other restaurants each Waitress retains their own tips.

If the Waitress is unhappy for some reason they should still always smile at the customer.  Always be polite, and be attentive so that when diners have finished eating the dirty plates can be removed almost immediately. The customer will leave a larger tip if the service from the Waitress has been good but don’t let the customer see you’re disappointed if they don’t leave a tip.

The customer may want details about the food, or for you to recommend a dish.  Tables should be ready for the next customer so all tablecloths should be replaced regularly.   Write the order, so there can’t be errors.  When the restaurant is busy it is easy to forget or confuse orders.

Read more:
Waitress CV Example
Waitress Salary
Waitress Resignation Letter
Waitress Cover Letter Example

The Interview

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? interview question
What type of work environment do you prefer? Interview Question
How do you evaluate success? Interview Question

Don’t overdress or wear too much make-up.  Ensure that you arrive in plenty of time for your appointment.  It doesn’t create a good impression if you are late.

The interviewer will ask you about yourself – your hobbies and interests, whether you are a student and when you can work.

The customer’s bill will be automated so there isn’t any need for the Waitress to be particularly good at maths. A clear speaking voice is essential, together with the ability to remain calm, even if there is an irate customer.

Thank the interviewer for seeing you, and ask when a decision will be made.  Confirm that you want the job if you are selected.

Waitress interview questions:
How do you evaluate success? Interview Question
What can you do for this company? Interview Question
Why are you the best person for the job? Interview Question
What are your salary expectations? Interview Question
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Give some examples of teamwork – Interview Question
What motivates you? Interview Question and Answer
What is your greatest weakness? Interview Question
Why do you want this job? Interview Question
What is your greatest strength? Interview Question

View the full list of typical interview questions and answers!