Company Culture Questions Company culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions. Interviewers ask questions related to company culture to ensure that the employees they hire are a good fit for the organization. Company culture includes a range of issues—from how employees dress to how they interact with company leaders to how often employees volunteer to work after hours. Some questions related to company culture may include: • How do you feel about working with a diverse team? • What would be the ideal company culture for you? • Why are you the best person for the job? • What do you know about this company? • What can you do for this company? • Do you prefer a private, quiet office or an open setting where you can readily interact with your colleagues? Strategies for Successful Job Interviews Enthusiasm . Conduct yourself with optimism and a positive attitude from the moment you walk into the company. Act friendly to everyone you meet. Know the interviewer’s name and use it during the interview. Using a person’s name personalizes the conversation and adds warmth. Try to get a business card from each interviewer, if possible. Also, get the assistant’s name if you need to call back or have questions. Assistants can have some influence on selecting the final candidate. Bring extra copies of your resume and other supporting materials . This demonstrates that you are prepared. In cases of panel/team interviews, you should have enough copies so that each person has one. At the beginning of the interview, ask if anyone needs a copy of your resume. Do not be embarrassed by nervousness . The interviewer(s) are probably nervous, too. In fact, nervousness can be a good sign—it shows you are taking the interview seriously. Do not exaggerate . It will come back to haunt you. Follow the interviewer’s lead. Do not try to take over the interview. Stick to the subject at hand, but do not dwell too long on one point.
solid response. The idea is to tell a story, using supporting facts to explain your actions and the outcome. It is important to use an actual event or situation and not a fictional one. The key to successfully answering behavioral and technical questions is to provide enough details to support your response without rambling. S stands for situation. • Explain the situation. What was going on at the time? Include important details to describe the situation. T stands for task. • What was the assignment or job being done or needing to be done? A stands for action. • Explain in detail the action you took or initiated to deal with the situation and resolve the problem. R stands for result. • What was the final result of the situation? Was the outcome what you expected? Select one question from the provided examples of behavioral or technical questions and develop your STAR response. Question: _______________________________ ________________________________________ Situation: ________________________________ ________________________________________ Task: ___________________________________ ________________________________________ Action: __________________________________ ________________________________________ Result: __________________________________ ________________________________________ Character Questions These questions attempt to assess your dependability in a position, your enthusiasm for the work you do and your interest in the company. When answering these questions, you should also include some information that supports your response. Some character questions may be: • Why did you leave your last job? • What is your greatest strength? • What is your greatest weakness/challenge? • What is more important to you—the money or the work?
CCAC Job Search Manual 49
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