WATCH OUT!! 10 Interview Questions Designed to Trick You

For the long-term unemployed or those workers looking for a change, getting an interview in today's market may feel like a win in itself. But once you're in the door, interviewers often put you through an obstacle course of depceptive questions with double meanings or hidden agendas. Do you know how to read the subtext?

"On the other side of the desk, hiring managers spend countless long hours inteviewing candidate after candidate," says Joyce Lain Kennedy, a nationally syndicated careers columnist and author of Job Interviews for Dummies. " A tricky question may be used as a time management tool to quickly eliminate a less qualified candidate."

Kenney says that even if job hunters have rehearsed anticipated topics, an unexpected question may jar loose an authentic answer that exposes hidden problems. She outlines the top 10 most common questions designed to trick you.

1. Why have you been out of work so long, and how many others were laid off? This question may also be followed by the more direct, "Why were you laid off?" Kennedy says it is an attempt to figure out if there is something wrong with you that your former company or that other potential employers have already discovered.



2. If employed, how do you manage time for interviews? "The real question is whether you are lying to and short-changing your current employer while looking for other work," says Kennedy. The interviewer may wonder: If you 're cheating on your current boss, why wouldn't you later cheat on me?



3. How did you prepare for this interview? The intention of this question is to decipher how much you really care about the job or if you're simply going through the motions or winging it.



4. Do you know anyone who works for us? This one really is a tricky question, says Kennedy, because most interviewees expect that knowing someone on the inside is always a good thing. "Nothing beats having a friend deliver your resume to a hiring manager, but that transaction presumes the friend is well thought of in the company," she says. Because the interviewer will likely associate the friend's characteristics and reputation with your merits, she recommends only mentioning someone by name if you're certain of their positive standing in the organization.



5. Where would you really like to work? "The real agenda for this question is assurance that you aren't applying to every job opening in sight," says Kennedy.



6. What bugs you about coworkers or bosses? Don't fall into this trap. Kennedy says you always want to present yourself as optimistic and action-oriented, and hiring managers may use this question to tease out whether you'll have trouble working with others or could drag down workplace morale and productivity.



7. Can you describe how you solved a work or school problem? Kennedy says that, really, no one should be too taken aback by this, as it's one of the most basic interview questions and should always be anticipated.



8. Can you describe a work or school instance in which you messed up? This one is a minefield. "One question within the question is whether you learn from your mistakes or keep repeating the same error," says Kennedy. Similarly, the interviewer may be trying to glean whether you're too self-important or not self-aware enough to take responsibility for your failings.



9. How does this position compare with others you're applying for? "The intent is to gather intel on the competitive job market or get a handle on what it will take to bring you on board," says Kennedy.



10. If you won the lottery, would you still work? It's another opportunity to underscore your motivation and work ethic. Kennedy advises acknowledging that you' d be thrilled to win the lottery but would still look for meaningful work because meeting challenges and achieving make you happy.

Information provided by Forbes.com and written by Jenna Goudrea. To see article in full.

TEAMBUILDING: The Most Rewarding Act of Leadership

The experience of great teamwork is one of life's greatest thrills. Unfortunately, it is also rare and fleeting. If you want to turn your own working group of individuals into a magnificent, all-conquering team, you need to guide them on a journey of 5 steps, from Unshared Certainty to Shared Certainty.

1. Unshared Certainty - At the first stage of teambuilding, the team are no more than a disparate group of individuals without any close links. Their main aim is to look after number one and they do this by seeking personal advantage in any situation. As a result, there is no risk and no teamwork.


2. Loose Links - At the second stage of team development, the group start to find reason for working together. They may do this initially because they see some personal advantage for themselves, for example, by working with others whom they like, or with others who have information they need, or who have skills that complement theirs.


3. Shared Certainity - A breakthrough in teambuilding is achieved when the group start to share a purpose, mission, or goal which can only be realized by working together. This is nearly always a big goal and one that excites and motivates at an emotional level.


4. Team First - At the fourth stage of teambuilding, the group now starts to put the team before themselves. This only happens when they see that they have far more to gain from working together than from working on their own.


5. Shared Uncertainity - Once a team sees themselves as a distince, cohesive unit with a huge pool of resources to call on and an exciting goal to strive for, they start to realize that they can achieve far more together than apart.

For additional information see the article in full in the EOE Journal Volume 22. Article is written by: Eric Garner

Insight into Diversity Makes for Bette Job Interviews:

An Informed Process for Job Seekers

What is diversity and why should it matter? It matters because the more you know about corporate diversity, the more successful you will be in your job search process and interview experiences.

• What components must be in place for a diversity program to succeed? Find out what it takes to run a successful diversity program, in essence, all of the components that must be in place and the infrastructure need for sustainability.


• What facts can you discover about the company? Next, collect background information on the company, namely, the nature and breadth of its ties to diversity. Once you have digested what has been collected so far, develop a list of conversation starters, interesting points, and questions that might help to fill in the blanks and clarify what seems curious or motivating.


• What is the company's reputation as an employer? Move on to third-party endorsements for firsthand experiences and hearsay renderings. These sources offer insight into the company's reputation.


• What role should advisors and recruiters play in the process? Engage school placement counselors (Career Services) and/or recruiters in meaningful diversity conversations using the information you've gleaned as a starting point. Ask for their thoughts and insights, use them as a sounding boards, and have them engage you in practice runs.

For further information see the article in full in EOE Journal, Vol. 22 - Num. 91 - March 2012 by Dr. Kathryn Alexander