Midlife Career Change - Interview Questions For a Midlife Career Change

Are you considering a midlife career change? If so, the following information on preparing for a job interview and the answer to some tough interview questions will help you in the process.

As a rule, we do not get many job interviews in a lifetime, so it is not something that comes naturally for us. It is important to prepare and practice for any interview. Because we do not necessarily have experience in the new industry, and if we are making a midlife career change, it will be important to discuss how our core business principles such as problem-solving, people management, and project completion, apply in every business.

Midlife career change job interviews or any job interview require two ground rules. First, it is important to deal with the objectives and needs of both you and the interviewer and, second, it is important to retain control over the job interview. The purpose of your first job interview is to get to the second job interview. A job offer will usually not be tendered in the first job interview. This is your time to establish rapport with the interviewer, find out what they want/need and express what you want/need.

Midlife Career Change - Interview Questions For a Midlife Career Change

When preparing for a midlife career change job interview, keep the following in mind:

*Always arrive on time - which means getting there early. It gives you a chance to survey your surroundings and get comfortable.
*Be prepared with knowledge on the industry - Do research on the industry overall and the company in particular, especially if it is a new industry. Access trade magazines and industry journals. By "talking the language" you reinforce that you have the ability to pick up industry-specific knowledge quickly.
*Cover your main points - Know the main points you want to get across to the interviewer and cover them early and as often as you can since you won't know how long the job interview will last.
*For a new industry, be prepared to field questions concerning your lack of experience in the industry - It is important that you understand and can convey your shift of industries and the expertise you bring to it. The interviewer will potentially have to field these questions from others if you are to move forward in the interview process and you will too. So, give a reason for the change and solid reasons why you are a good fit for the company.

Here are some examples of tough interview questions that might be asked when you're changing to a new industry in midlife:

Midlife Career Change Interview Question #1 - "Does this job represent a career switch for you?"

Answer - "While I have never been in this industry, I will be using the same abilities and skills to solve problems, meet deadlines and manage people that were needed in my previous positions. For example, (give examples of your abilities which form a connecting link between your skills in previous jobs and the one in which you are being interviewed.)"

Midlife Career Change Interview Question #2 - "After reviewing your qualifications, I find that you do not have...?"

Answer - "That is true, but I do have..." Give examples. Again, relating your skills to the position. Keep the interviewer's attention focused on the real issue - your ability to do the job.

Midlife Career Change Interview Question #3 - "You do not have experience in this industry, so why do you want to work here?"

Answer - You may not know yet - so say that but follow it with "but here is what I know about your company... How accurate am I?" If you do know why you want to work for this company it will usually relate to one of three areas - the company (reputation, high-profile, growth, offering of ground-floor opportunities), the position (variety, pace, technical orientation, scope of authority) or the people (personality match). Always articulate what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you.

Midlife Career Change Interview Question #4 - How will you deal with subordinates and peers who have more experience in the industry than you?

Answer - "Just as I have dealt with subordinates and peers in the past. Of course, I will learn from them when I can and take their suggestions if valid. But I will also demonstrate that my experience and knowledge is transferable to this industry."

Midlife career change, while difficult, allows us to pursue our "dream" job. Or, we may just be trying to downsize our work life, taking a position that does not require our current level of skill, so we have more time for life. If we are prepared and confident in our abilities, we will have a greater chance to connect to the interviewer, move through the process and get the job offer. You can never be too prepared!

Visit http://www.activ8careers.com for other free career articles.

Midlife Career Change - Interview Questions For a Midlife Career Change
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David Hults author of the book "From Cornered To Corner Office" Overcoming the most unexpected obstacles that stand between you and your career dreams http://www.fromcorneredtocorneroffice.com

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Weaknesses In Job Interviews - How To Answer Interview Questions About Your Weaknesses

"How do I answer questions about my weaknesses in job interviews?" is the most common question we're asked as interviewers.

It's also a common job interview question so you're right to want to be prepared for it.

Few people are so here's your chance to get ahead of your competition.

Weaknesses In Job Interviews - How To Answer Interview Questions About Your Weaknesses

We interview for a living and here's our advice.

When asked about your weaknesses remember to talk about something you've perceived as a 'weakness' but worked hard to overcome or something which you find harder than others but can still do, using some strategy or another.

And make sure it's not something central to the role!

Good answers might be:

For a job where organisation is important, but not central:

"I'd like to be more naturally organised like my manager who remembers everything and never has to write anything down. Although my memory's not as good as hers I am able to keep on top of things by using a to-do list and keeping a diary so I know where I am with my work all the time".

For a job where working as part of a team is important:

"I prefer working in teams to working alone. Although I'm able to stay focussed and complete the task, I prefer the sharing of ideas and achievements which happens when you work in teams. Some of my colleagues work better alone and this is something I am working on to improve".

Notice how, with a little forethought, you can give your 'weakness' a positive spin? In this answer, you're showing that you work well in teams, which is a quality most employers look for.

Finally, never identify emotional states or personality traits as weaknesses, only skills, experience, knowledge or preferences. Don't ever say you get stressed, bored, demotivated, angry, upset etc.

People have said this in interviews with us. Although, as employers, we might accept shortcomings in people's skills, experience and knowledge, few of us want to take on employees with attitude issues!

Weaknesses In Job Interviews - How To Answer Interview Questions About Your Weaknesses
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http://www.job-application-and-interview-advice.com/job-interview-strength-and-weakness.html

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Tough Interview Questions - How to Answer Difficult Interview Questions

Many of the people that I work with in my career coaching practice express a concern about how to answer what they define as tough interview questions. It will come as no surprise that people define tough in different ways. So for example the person that has not prepared for an interview may class a lot of the questions as difficult. Whereas if they have prepared there is a certain type of question people see as tough.

Preparation

Preparation for any interview is the key to success and there is a separate article by me which gives much more detail on this. However the key points to good preparation are:

Tough Interview Questions - How to Answer Difficult Interview Questions

Make sure you can run through your CV in three or four minutes Consider in advance the type of competencies an employer may be looking for in the successful candidate. So for example many roles require the ability to deliver results against tough deadlines. The interviewer will be looking for evidence of this and may ask a question like 'can you give me an example of where you had to deliver results against a difficult deadline. What did you do? What was the outcome?' If you can work out the competencies most of the questions are likely to follow this format So if you haven't prepared and you are going for a job that requires creativity you may well find this type of question tough 'describe a time where you had to be particularly creative. What did you do and what was the result?' Make sure you look at your experiences and achievements for examples of the competencies the interviewer is likely to be looking for in a good candidate. Be ready to give an example of where you have shown each competence, what you did, and the result

The Tough Interview Questions

In this group of questions I include all those questions that it is difficult to anticipate and for which it is hard to prepare. These are much less likely to be based on the competencies for the job. They are often questions that the interviewer has been asked before and found difficult. Alternatively they might be questions that are a favourite of the interviewer. From a candidates perspective they often seem to act to create a black hole in the interview, but they do not need to. I have listed below some of the questions my clients have reported back to me as being tough. Beneath each is a guide to providing a good answer which is unlikely to risk your prospects of getting the job.

Q If you were doing this interview what question would you want to ask next?

A Find a question that allows you to highlight your strengths and not one designed to reveal weaknesses. For example 'What strength do you think would be most valuable to our company?'

Q What has been your biggest mistake at work and what have you learned as a result?

A Find an answer that reveals a weakness that may be strength from an employer's point of view. For example, 'I have learnt that my drive to get results can be detrimental to the moral of team members who do not see the urgency and importance of a project. I am much more aware of this now and make sure I ask people if they are going to be able to hit deadlines beforehand'.

Q What do you see as the five greatest successes in your life?

A Give an answer that has at least three work achievements, an educational achievement or one related to an interest and one related to family and friends. This demonstrates your achievement orientation and a balance in your life.

Q What are you three greatest strengths and weaknesses?

A This is a chance to shine as well as show self-awareness. Give three positive strengths that are related to the requirements of the job. For the weaknesses find two that are strengths in disguise, and one minor weakness that will not impact your employment chances. For example, 'I know that sometimes I find it difficult not to finish a job before I leave and this sometimes means I stay longer at work than I should. I can be a bit of a perfectionist so my drive for top quality can sometimes irritate others. My wife sometimes says I should have more outside interests'.

Q Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

A With this type of question you need to balance your ambition with the expectations of the interviewer and reality. Firstly do not say you see yourself in a job outside the company. Do not say you see yourself as a Director if you are 18 and taking a role at the first level in the organisation. A safe answer would be 'I would hope to have demonstrated my skills and progressed to a level more senior to this job. This shows ambition and drive, as well as a realistic level of career aspiration.

Q Are there any questions you would like to ask us?

A Some candidates see this question as a kind of trap - it isn't. It may be an idea to ask a question to show an interest in the job but you don't have to. A good one that shows you are motivated to succeed would be 'can you tell me about the training and development I can expect to receive?'

There will be a lot of other questions similar to the ones listed here that come up in interviews. But by following the principles given here you will be able to answer them and give yourself the best chance of getting the job. I'm always interested in collecting more tough questions to help my clients. So if you get one please send it to me.

Tough Interview Questions - How to Answer Difficult Interview Questions
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Tony Goddard is the Director of Tony Goddard Consulting, an Executive and Career Coaching Company. Prior to becoming a Coach, Tony was a Director of Human Resources and has many years experience of selecting candidates for roles at all levels of seniority and across all functional areas. More information is available about Tony and his Executive and Career Coaching Company at:

http://www.tonygoddardconsulting.com/career-coaching/

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Tips on Third Interview Questions

Third interview questions are polished tools used by the company to select appropriate candidate. Companies arrange the third round interview for dealing with the things like package and conveyance. It contains negotiations and explanation. A summary of the second interview might be asked in the third interview.

Some questions, which may be asked in third interview, are as follows.

* What was your last salary and how much salary do you expect now?

Tips on Third Interview Questions

* What are your plans?

* What is your commitment?

* Are you comfortable with different shifts?

* What did you like most about this job?

* What are your hobbies?

List of some tips for third interview questions are mentioned below.

* It may happen that you are getting bored with the consecutive interviews. However, as a candidate it is expected from you to appear to the third interview

* Moreover, you should take the third round seriously as it is the final round. After that, you may be selected for the particular job

* Preparation for the third interview is different from your previous rounds. because The reason is that you have to be prepared for more than your resume and educational background

* Before going to the third round, you should examine and evaluate your previous performances. As a result, you will get a hint about where you were and where you should go now

* Dressing style is one of the factors, which matters in the interview. You should dress smartly and properly

* Continue with your positive attitude and inspire yourself. Do not underestimate yourself, as it will affect your performance

* You should have some notes about your previous interview. These will help you to keep you on right track

* Do not forget the dates of previous interviews; keep in mind the names of the chief persons in the organization

* Brush up your topic knowledge. You may be asked some suggestions on the issues in the project they are handling

Tips on Third Interview Questions
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Sherri White is a career counselor, helping many jobseekers in making their resumes and cover letter stand out. An expert coach, she has given many interview tips which have helped job hunters grab the desired job. Check some more tips on Third Interview Questions

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