Engineer position and need to entertain customer? Sounds Sales to me... Have you double-checked the job scope and sure that it's what you want?

Entertaining customer is 'out of the scope' and the interviewer tells you this so that you're prepared to face it when the time comes. This also means you'll need to drink a lot - depending on the type of customers. Some of them makes sure you're drunk before you get home while some are nicer and let you off the hook. Those are just stories I heard from my manager and colleague sounds bad to me though.

Hi.... everyone....i am panic now on answering the standard interview question... can anyone help me in giving me some ideas on the questions below:-

1) Please describe what appeals to you about our firm and the career opportunities we are offering.

2) Based on your academic background, qualifications and job experiences, please indicate what skills would assist you in your career.

3) Please describe any other special areas of interest of strengths that you feel are relevant to your application.

Really appreciate ur help.... thanks so much.!!!!

hey there The Speed,

First of all dont panic, have done your research about this firm that you intend to apply for?

just answer somewhere in the lines of, my interest in this line of industry runs deep as it was from my early years that ive always wanted to build up my career and to achieve my carer objective's in this field, your firm provides me with a great platform for me to develop and hone my skills and to further strengthen my foundations from what ive already experienced before hand

as for the 2nd and third questions they are somehow related as your skills and they are indeed your strengths thus elaborate more on your skills to reflect them as your strength

good luck!

1. No doubt, research what the firm is strong in - and bring it up.

2. Think about it and fit the answer to your advantage.

3. It's basically about your strong points. So tell them what you're good at and how it would benefit the company. Special interest could mean studying language lesson, extra courses, learning a skill, or simply a hobby. If you're going to answer a hobby you can phrase it as such: I enjoy going out - especially with my friends because I can maintain my network and relationship with them and bla bla bla

talking about interviews..i have an interview coming up this wednesday..a phone interview...want the job badly...hope all goes well, this and the other thread helped me loads...

what should i expect if the company call me for a second interview? Will they ask those generic interview questions again?

Ya, System Application Engineer position. Its not sales. Its a supplier company. Need to check about the entertaining customer part.

Yes, preferably you check with them on that part.

In my previous company, I noticed that both the Application Engineer and Sales Engineer does the same job. Quote MRO, prepare tender, drawings etc.

Something I want to add that might or might not be useful.

Some companies do use phone interview, so it pays to have good phone curtsy. A friend got a call from a OnG company via phone, and with bad reception and he was in a bad mood he couldn't really hear who was on the line, yelled/raised his voice and then cut the line off. Obviously he never got call again.

And my story arrr. I was sleeping after a night of intense gaming when they called me. Big 4 firm called at 10am, and I slept at 7am! Sh*t, they say conduct phone interview there and then, I have asleep bodoh bodoh said yes (should have said busy ), then had an interview as I was lying in my bed with my brain not functioning....

X_X fml.

I'm curious, what do you say when you are say with :

"Have you applied to X firms" or "I noticed you interned with X firm, did you apply or why didn't you join then"

On one hand, I figure it is best to be honest. Because when you said you didnt apply back to the firm you had your internship is obviously a lie or you're not proactive enough (especially if you're applying in the same industry).

However when you do tell true, it opens a lot of loophole for the interviewer to "attack" you. Like once, the interviewer kept pushing to their rival as their rival have a better development structure. (To def, I kept saying I like their firm working culture and global initiative better) Or a second time when the interviewer just said "Oh, we can't offer you. They might counter offer you."

I once got bombarded by interviewer asking "Now tell me what can you offer, I have a guy who has a PhD in X, one with a degree from Cornell and a master from Brown. another with a double degree from NUS. You're just have a local degree plus not a very strong one too. What can you offer me?" Any suggestion for that too?

I agree. It's a tricky one. Even so, you can honestly admit that you weren't proactive enough back then and you realized the mistake, knowing that one has to take the initiative etc. By admitting and learning from your mistake - it shows that you have improved on that aspect

Damn, I hate interviewers who ask questions like that. If you think the other 4 guys are better, why bother calling? Okay, keep that to ourselves.

underpressure, what is a "degree" to you? Tell the interviewer how you are different from them and show your strengths and enthusiasm. He is indeed testing you. Indeed, what can you offer the company? Don't give the mundane I am willing to work hard bla bla bla. You will need to come up with an answer that's different from the others... say something that the interviewer might not expect (element of surprise?) but don't pull his leg.

Sigh can't really help you on the last question. It's for one to ponder about it. Nevertheless, you have given me something interesting to think about.

There are no big problem to let the interviewer you are into game with their rivals. This make your more higher demand. If they can;t offer, so be it & keep forward for company that can offer you.

1.) When a interviewer call you up for an interview, technically you are generally fit their requirement base on your resume.
2.) Qualification is a stepping stone for a candidate to call up for interview
3.) Mostly candidate does not know how to differentiate their capability because they do not relates their capabilities to the position they applied. Hiring manager nowadays looking forward candidate with capable of multi task and knowledge. When a hiring manager comparing you with others qualification means you are nothing practical that outstanding & impress them. So tell your experience & knowledge exposure that you may comply to your position applied. Also, personality and attitude is a very important criteria that a hiring manager looking at which whether you are suit for the jobs. So, get the right attitude to your hiring manager, impress them.

Please be in control and clear in mind what you want to achieve out of the interview. Not vice verse. Thats why a lot candidates walk into the interview merely don't know what is their objective.

What position you applied?

Hi ppl here,

If you were ask to interview as a trainee Database Administrator, what are the standard question you can ask?

hi guys,

what questions usually ask for field engineer position..i got interview next week.

Why do you choose our firm?
Why do you think we should employ you rather than someone else with similar qualifications?
What skills do you have that will be useful to our company?
Do you mix well with people?
Do you like to organize and lead or prefer to be led?
Do you enjoy working with other people, or would you rather be left alone?
What do you particularly like about this job?
How long do you think you will stay with us?
How much do you know about our company?
Can you work independently?
Do you like traveling?
What do you think would be particularly difficult about this job?
What will you do when things go wrong?
How do you think we can achieve vision 2020?

can some body provide me some best answer for above question? cause is part of my interview this thursday

i'm embarking on a next interview for sony music. what will be the standard questions?

warning, this may be a long post...

...the effect of stress and tension to study 2 stupid things simultaneously (i brought this death upon myself), too much caffeine and being unemployed (i'm unemployed because the selection process for this job i wanted, took longer than expected) and lack of sleep. If my post is too long or deem not useful, please let me know and I shall refrain from doing so in the future.

Well I prefer to be honest than say I made mistake of not being proactive, opens a LOT MORE loopholes for them to grill you. But I must say once in a while those interview are good, for example I get to share my exp with everyone while thinking on how to counter the next one better haha.

If you really ask me what a degree to me? I did mine locally, and find it a waste of time. Sure I may have learnt stuff but I felt the local environment was not competitive enough or the exposure was lacking. I remember my finance lecturer scolding the class saying, "you call yourself finance graduate and you dont even know what the subprime/credit crunch is all about?!". Some how its the lack of knowledge beyond the text book. If I wanted to know about the stuff in books I would just stay at home and write a list of books and write about how well I know the topic in my resume. I wanted to develop myself beyond the knowledge and leave a bit of my ideology behind when I passed on. However there are a few exceptional people that rise up and most get sent overseas. Sorry if I may sound too critical, but this what happens when you have a few cousins whom graduated from Oxford and Harvard. You get a bit competitive/kiasu hehe. So having said all that, you might have a rough idea on how I set myself a part. (To everyone, If you respect and accept the idea of free opinion please accept this as my opinion and don't start a flame war. However constructive criticisms are always welcome)

Thanks for that info Gary, will keep them in mind. But some times the adrenaline kicks in and you get a bit too nervous or excited haha. That is why I always emphasise on how different and capitalise on my strength. Sadly my grade miss the mark and got a borderline close to 3.5/second upper. A mistake that cost me greatly and some thing I have to move on. So I hardly even get called for interview for the "cool" jobs(or jobs I want) but I have no problem getting the less competitive ones.

As for the job that compared with others, I got that(job interview) by a long shot! I applied for something else (some thing I didnt quite liked) and manage to get referred to some thing I loved! Sadly I didn't get that, either I didnt manage to impress them or they give priority within the firm. I will never know...

This is quite simple if you do a lot of research and attend a few interviews. Or what I do is "predict" what the interviewer going to ask and run it over and over in your head till it sound flawless to you.

Why do you choose our firm?
- I chose your firm because X factor like how the company position itself in the global or competitors, it culture/ideology/products (maybe)
Why do you think we should employ you rather than someone else with similar qualifications?
- Because I can offer X factors (again) like I did this (subject to specific industry) eg engineering you did X project give you a hands on approach or the long term aspiration to excel and exceed beyond expectation.
What skills do you have that will be useful to our company?
- quite similar to above
Do you mix well with people?
- up to you, but i would say Yes, name situation or event and some confrontation and how you solve it.
Do you like to organize and lead or prefer to be led?
- I would say depending on the situation, if I feel there are others that may a better leader I will encourage that some one to take lead while supporting him/her. However when the situation arise and I believe I am fit, I will take command.
Do you enjoy working with other people, or would you rather be left alone?
- quite similar to mixing with ppl question
What do you particularly like about this job?
- subjective, think hard yourself.
How long do you think you will stay with us?
- subjective, I would say as long as can continue to be an valuable asset to the firm and deliver what is expected of me.
How much do you know about our company?
- up to you to do the home work. I manage to impressing the interview by telling them I couldnt find much about them but I found their annual report and made a few assumption based on the financial statement. (Lucky for me, I was dead on)
Can you work independently?
- Depends on the jobs. Just go for flexibility. (either way is good)
Do you like traveling?
- depends on your job but be honest, you wont want to say yes and find yourself travelling too much. Dont want to be a hypocrite
What do you think would be particularly difficult about this job?
- subjective I once said the expectation to always deliver (if its a very competitive environment)but it will always keep me on my toe and pushing my own expectation(try to save yourself, like some ppl who posted before, try to save yourself from loopholes)
What will you do when things go wrong?
- subjective, but quick to admit mistake(if it yourself) and start a recovery or rescue plan.
How do you think we can achieve vision 2020?
- huh?! Less corruption! Let me be the PM (<--this is a joke)

Ok hope this help and dont kill me for such a long post... the effect of stress and tension to study 2 stupid things simultaneously (i brought this death upon myself), too much caffeine and being unemployed (i'm unemployed because the selection process for this job i wanted, took longer than expected) and lack of sleep. If my post is too long or deem not useful, please let me know and I shall refrain from doing so in the future.

Wow I would have complex issues if some of my cousins graduate from a world class renowned insitution. But again, University is just the ground of your identity before establishing your own "credibility". In the end it depends on their performance in the company so don't think about it too much.

Well yes, in University students are expected to establish a strong foundation so as to prepare them for what's coming in the working world. Unfortunately education syllabus these days aren't even up to par so I really couldn't comment on this (just heard that secondary students in school are reading Enid Blyton books!). Lots of things have dropped especially the 'quality' of graduates but again, this is an issue to debate over in another thread/ section.

It's great to hear that you're constantly improving yourself. Not many people have the tendency to do that as they're busy complaining about the workload that the lecturers/ coordinators have place upon them

hi...what should i answer if asked,

"Did you apply to other company also?"

Usually i would just said 'No' eventhough i have applied to a few... not sure whether this is appropriate...and why would interviewers ask this question?

sorry, was trying to look for this question in this thread but unable to find it, perhaps i missed it or it was never asked before...

thanks!!

This post has been edited by ranul: Mar 18 2010, 02:43 PM

1Q, how do u c urself in 5 years time?
A --> i will be sitting in ur position????

how to answer that?