During our growth phase here at LocalWork.com, we are in the process of interviewing many candidates. We find there are a few questions we tend to lean on to help us give some insight in the type of person we’re meeting with. To our surprise, candidates look shocked when we ask them to rate themselves in different areas. Here is a list of interview questions we like to ask and why.
Rate Yourself on a Scale of 1-10 in The Following Areas:
- Work Ethic: From our perspective, if the candidate says anything lower than a 9, they really mean a 2-4. An employer is hiring to help productivity in their company. Why would they hire someone who has poor work ethic? If you want the job, and you’re willing to put in the time, that number should ALWAYS be a 10.
- Honesty: The way we look at this is simple, someone who tells the truth 99% of the time is still a liar. The interview is over if we hear anything other than a 10.
- Sales Ability: In any position with inside a company, sales skills are a must. Sales skills are not just when you’re trying to take money. You are always selling. If you’re in a presentation with you boss sharing some ideas you have to make your job better, knowing how to communicate your message properly is critical. It is recommended to always sharpen your sales skill no matter the position you’re interviewing for.
- Personality: This is a great way to get some insight into the type of person you’re talking with. Having a rotten egg to work with is the worst! What a great way to see how they rate them self. Similar to work ethic, we can expect any answer lower than a 9, to mean there are some deeper issues which are not coming out.
WHEN I call your references, what will they tell me you need to improve on?
Now, the last thing an employer wants to hear are answers like this, “Over working myself. I work too hard for my employer.” Now come on, we know this is a brown nose answer. Show some sincerity and explain yourself something like this, “My previous employer put a high demand on [responsibility], Although I showed improvement over that past 6 months, I would have liked to master it more.”
At the end of the day, an employer interviewing can smell out the garbage answers. Take the time to share examples (don’t tell stories) of growth and productivity. Share moments how you have been an asset in the past, and give confident reasons why you’ll be an even bigger asset in the future.
