Fresh English Curriculum Lead Interview Preparation Guide

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Both are extremely important. A good product is essential, but without the customer service to back it up, there is no reason for someone to buy it here as opposed to somewhere else or on line.
Fast, friendly service can make a bargain product that much more attractive to customers.

A superior product will speak for itself, and friendly, efficient customer service is what will set us apart from the competition.

"What is your greatest strength?" may seem like one of the easier interview questions you'll be asked, but it is also one of the most important. The interviewer wants to know if your strengths align with the needs of the company and the qualifications for the particular job. Asking this question helps the employer decide whether or not you are the strongest applicant for the position.

When you are asked questions about your strengths, it's important to discuss attributes that will qualify you for the specific job and set you apart from the other candidates.

Interviewers expect a candidate for employment to be able to provide the details of their compensation history. Be prepared to tell the interviewer how much you earned at each of your prior positions.

Pressure is very important to me. Good pressure, such as having a lot of assignments to work on, or an upcoming deadline, helps me to stay motivated and productive. Of course, there are times when too much pressure can lead to stress; however, I am very skilled at balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines, which prevents me from feeling stressed often. For example, I once had three large projects due in the same week, which was a lot of pressure. However, because I created a schedule that detailed how I would break down each project into small assignments, I completed all three projects ahead of time, and avoided unnecessary stress.

I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful. For example, when I deal with an unsatisfied customer, rather than feeling stressed, I focus on the task at hand. I believe my ability to communicate effectively with customers during these moments helps reduce my own stress in these situations, and also reduces any stress the customer may feel.

I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment. As a writer and editor, I thrive under quick deadlines and multiple projects. I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.

If you didn't fail at anything, say so. If you can think of an example, be sure that it's a minor one and turn it into a positive. For example, if you were working on a project that was behind deadline, explain to the interviewer how you adjusted the workload and the timeline to get back on track and ahead of schedule.

I appreciate a work environment where supervisors try to make personal connections with their employees.
In my last job, I liked the fact that management did not show favoritism and they were understanding of employees needs, as well as their strengths. Of course, these things take time to know, but I would want my supervisor to try to know me in that way.
I would like to be able to go my manager if I have an issue or idea and to be able to feel comfortable to expressing my thoughts. I would also expect my supervisor to be open and honest with me and to let me know if there is anything I could do to improve upon or do differently in my work.

Interview questions about what was most rewarding and least rewarding can be tricky. You want to make sure that the things you say are least rewarding aren't responsibilities that are going to be a major part of the job you are interviewing for.

For example, if the last job you had involved extensive customer service telephone work that you hated, and if being on the phone doing something similar is even a minor part of the new job, don't mention it.

Instead, focus on the tasks that were most rewarding and highlight those.

When an employer asks you, "Why should we hire you As Lead?" she is really asking, "What makes you the best fit for this position?" Your answer to this question should be a concise "sales pitch" that explains what you have to offer the employer.

A typical interview question to discover what assets you have that are specific to the company's goals is "What can you do for this company?"

First of all, be sure to have researched the company prior to the interview, so you are familiar with the company's mission. Respond by giving examples why your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience will make you an asset for the employer.

Take a few moments to compare your goals with objectives of the company and the position, as well as mentioning what you have accomplished in your other jobs.

Be positive and reiterate your interest in the company, as well as the job.

I've learned from each boss I've had. From the good ones, what to do, from the challenging ones - what not to do.
Early in my career, I had a mentor who helped me a great deal, we still stay in touch. I've honestly learned something from each boss I've had.
My best boss was a manager who enabled me to take on more responsibility as I progressed in my job. I've had other bosses with a more hands off management style, but I appreciated the interaction with the first manager I mentioned.

When you are asked questions related to the experience that qualifies you for the job, it's important to be very specific about your skills and experience.

The best way to respond is to describe your responsibilities in detail and to connect them to the job you are interviewing for. Tie your responsibilities in with those listed in the job description for the new position.

That way, the employer will see that you have the qualifications necessary to do the job.

am equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. In researching the LMN company, your mission statement and the job description, I could see similarities to my previous position where there were some assignments that required a great deal of independent work and research and others where the team effort was most effective.

I'm a hard worker with the experience to get things done efficiently.
I can contribute my organizational skills and my ability to work well in a group.
I have the experience, contacts, and knowledge to contribute to the rapid growth of this business.
Vision. I am experienced in the areas this company needs to grow, and my ability to plan ahead will help facilitate that growth.

An answer that works well is: "It depends on the situation and the personality of the supervisor." To elaborate, give examples:

My present supervisor does not like to have his authority questioned. He's fairly new on the job and almost all of the people he supervises have been on the job longer than he has.

He's never bothered to learn the procedures, how things are done or how the computer system works. But if any of us tell him that how he wants something done won't work, he gets extremely angry. So, I never tell him he's wrong. Never. Whatever he tells me to do, I smile and say "okay." Then if I know a way to get it done that will work, I do it that way, give him the results he wants and never tell him I didn't do it the way he told me to. He got the results and is happy. I saved myself the stress of being yelled at and gave him what he wanted, so I'm happy.

My prior supervisor was more easy-going and if I told her "You know, I think it might work better if I do what you asked in such and such a way," she would say "Okay, try it."

During a difficult financial period, I was able to satisfactorily negotiate repayment schedules with multiple vendors.
When the software development of our new product stalled, I coordinated the team which managed to get the schedule back on track. We were able to successfully troubleshoot the issues and solve the problems, within a very short period of time.

A long-term client was about to take their business to a competitor. I met with the customer and was able to change how we handled the account on a day-to-day basis, in order to keep the business.

I'm looking for a position where I can have the opportunity to successfully use my skills.

I want to be able to provide a company with the best possible work.

I am looking for the opportunity to use the skills that I have developed during my years in marketing to engage your sales force and increase productivity and international sales.

I am excited by the opportunity to learn about your company's innovations, and utilize the experience I have in technology to help streamline your products for even more successful implementation.

In my next job, I would like to be able to have a positive impact on my patients. Your facility offers patients a total recovery program, and I feel that my experience, education, and specialization would make this a good fit for me.

I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellent employee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.

I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job hunt part time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time
I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.

I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.

I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.

After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.

I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.

I recently received my degree and I want to utilize my educational background in my next position.
I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge.

The best way to respond to the interview question "What are your goals for the future?" or "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is to refer to the position and the company you are interviewing with.

Don't discuss your goals for returning to school or having a family - they are not relevant and could knock you out of contention for the job. Rather, you want to connect your answer to the job you are applying

In your answer, you should be cognizant of the type of job you're applying for. Whereas a large corporation might place all their emphasis on the bottom line, a non-profit would measure success not in money but in social impact.

Do your research before the interview: browse the company's website, research their presence in the news and media, and see if you can find any information about their mission statement.

When answering these questions, give one or two concrete examples of difficult situations you have actually faced at work. Then discuss what decisions you had to make to remedy the situations.

You want to come across as confident and capable of making big decisions. Avoid examples that make you seem indecisive or uncertain.

Also keep your answers positive ("Even though it was a difficult decision to lay off that particular employee, I did so in an extremely professional manner, and this decision ultimately led to improvements in efficiency and productivity throughout our department").

A good answer to this question will speak specifically about what you are going to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it. Examples of good responses include:

☷ I plan on gaining additional skills by taking related classes and continuing my involvement with a variety of professional associations.
☷ I noticed that XYZ company (the company you are interviewing with) provides in-house training for employees and I would certainly be interested in taking classes that would be relevant.
☷ I will continue my professional development my participating in conferences, attending seminars, and continuing my education.

I was responsible for several projects where I directed development teams and implemented repeatable processes. The teams achieved 100% on-time delivery of software products. I was motivated both by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that achieved our goals.

I have always wanted to ensure that my company's clients get the best customer service I can provide. I've always felt that it's important, both to me personally, and for the company and the clients, to provide a positive customer experience. My drive to constantly develop my customer service skills is the reason I earned top sales at my company two quarters in a row.

I have always been motivated by the desire to meet a deadline. Setting and reaching deadlines gives me such a sense of accomplishment. I love creating an organized schedule for completing a task, and achieving my deadlines. For example, when I ran a fundraising event last year, I set multiple deadlines for a variety of tasks leading up to the event. Achieving each deadline motivated me to keep working, and made the event run smoothly.

The leader's role is to communicate the strategic vision with clarity. To translate the vision into concrete direction and plans. To identify and communicate priorities, short term objectives, timelines, performance measures, clear responsibilities and performance agreements. To provide quality judgment and advice.

Be careful answering this question. You don't want to imply that you are criticized consistently on the job, but you also don't want to imply that you're perfect.

It makes sense to mention things that are not specifically related to the job for which you're applying. You want to emphasize that the criticism or weakness does not affect your ability to perform the job well.

You might also choose to mention a "weakness" that might actually be considered a strength on the job. For example, you might say that some people have said you are very critical of your work, but you can explain that you have a keen attention to detail, and you bring that detail-oriented nature to the workplace.

Integrity- being truthful and trustworthy and having conviction - is an essential leadership competency. The effective leader demonstrates values and ethics in personal behavior and integrates these values and ethics into organizational practices and activities.

A good leader acts with the courage of his/her convictions. While leaders are open with their employees and model honesty, transparency and fairness, they do not violate confidences or divulge potentially harmful information.