Hardest Horticulturist Expert Interview Preparation Guide

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This is probably the MOST common first question asked. It sets the stage for the whole interview. Be careful. Keep it short. The interviewer doesn't want to hear your whole life story. Mention education, personality traits and interests which are job-relevant.

Obviously things irritate you at work, but try to avoid saying it. Rather say you prefer to focus on the job.

Try to keep your answer positive. You may love the pressure and the pace of the job. Try to avoid saying you'll crumble. If the job demands stress and you cannot deal with stress, maybe the job is not for you.

This is a good point to hint you're in demand. Try to avoid being too arrogant. Be honest and mention the companies, but try to avoid going into details.

If you have lots of relevant* experience mention all of it. If you are changing careers then you need to think creatively, but honestly, how your experience could benefit the company.

'Because I'm great!' or 'I really need a job' are not the answers the interviewer is looking for. This is a good time to give the interviewer a list of all your relevant, positive attributes: for example: your education, work experience, personality traits, etc that would make you the ideal candidate for the job. Try to avoid any negative feedback.

Be careful, this question could trip you up. Try to avoid mentioning money at this point. Even if you have been retrenched or are struggling - try to remain positive at all times. Try to avoid sounding desperate. If you were fired, you need to think about your answer and have a good explanation. Give this some thought before the interview and really think about the reasons for wanting the job. A good reason could be that the position will allow you to grow and get experience.

This is your time to shine! It's the one time you can let the interviewer know why you're perfect for the job. Remain positive at all times. For example: you're a good motivator or … a team player … or you're dedicated and reliable … or you thrive under pressure, etc.

This is a test! Be careful. Avoid falling for this one. The interviewer is testing to see if you would speak badly about your previous boss or company.

Money is NOT the answer! Try to avoid saying this even if it's true. You may want to consider that getting recognition for a job well done is what motivates you.

Answering YES or NO could be dangerous. If you say YES, it means you don't respect yourself and your family and if you say NO, it might mean you're not dedicated to the company. Be careful how you answer this question. Finding a balance between the two is important.

It's fine to say money is important, but remember that NOTHING is more important to you than the job. It really is an unfair question but sometimes it's asked.

'Feared or Liked?' - Believe it or not, this question is often asked. The clever answer is: neither, I'd rather be respected. Fear does not motivate people - being liked, may not get the job done because others are taking advantage of you.

Understand the word 'implemented'. This means your idea was put into action. If you have many ideas and they only live in your head, they are no use to anyone. Try thinking of an idea of yours that has a positive ending. Keep your story short and sweet.

If you say you haven't got one - you're lying. We all have weaknesses. This is a horrible question but one that needs asking. If you get asked this question, think of a small work-related weakness … then say you're trying to work on improving it.

This is the part where you link your skills, experience, education and your personality to the job itself. This is why you need to be utterly familiar with the job description as well as the company culture. Remember though, it's best to back them up with actual examples of say, how you are a good team player.

It is possible that you may not have as much skills, experience or qualifications as the other candidates. What then, will set you apart from the rest? Energy and passion might. People are attracted to someone who is charismatic, who show immense amount of energy when they talk, and who love what it is that they do. As you explain your compatibility with the job and company, be sure to portray yourself as that motivated, confident and energetic person, ever-ready to commit to the cause of the company.

This is probably the most common final question in an interview. While doing research on the company - some questions may come to mind. Write them down. Having questions prepared shows the interviewer that you're interested and motivated.

This is a difficult question to answer. Try to avoid saying a number right away. In the work place - you want as much as possible and the company wants to pay as little as possible. So you need to be careful how you approach this question.

You may want to research the market place to find out what the average pay is for this kind of job.

You may say that, with your background and experience you are worth between R? and R? per month. Or, you could just say that you're more interested in what this position could do for your career.

Do some homework and research the company. Find out all kinds of facts. For example: Has the company been in the news lately? If yes, make sure it's a positive news story or don't bring it up.

Once you have researched the company you can then work out how your own goals and career plans would benefit from this position. Think before answering.

Hopefully if you're applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that's the case you should mention it all. But if you're switching careers or trying something a little different, your experience may initially not look like it's matching up. That's when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management positions, and so on.

► Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.

► Employers look for applicants who are goal-oriented. Show a desire for continuous learning by listing hobbies non-work related. Regardless of what hobbies you choose to showcase, remember that the goal is to prove self-sufficiency, time management, and motivation.

► Everyone should learn from his mistake. I always try to consult my mistakes with my kith and kin especially with elderly and experienced person.

► I enrolled myself into a course useful for the next version of our current project. I attended seminars on personal development and managerial skills improvement.

If it's relevant - it's worth mentioning. This could include night classes, hobbies or volunteering positions, etc. If you have gained any experience through these fields - it's experience!

Note that if you say no, most interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find a conflict. The key is how you behaviourally reacted to conflict and what you did to resolve it.
For example: "Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but there have been disagreements that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it helps to fully understand the other person's perspective, so I take time to listen to their point of view, and then I seek to work out a collaborative solution. For example . . ."
Focus your answer on the behavioural process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively.

This is a common and tricky question to answer. No-one can really predict the future. Think carefully before answering - it could either show you're focused, ambitious and a hard worker or it could imply that you're directionless or unmotivated if you answer: I don't know.

Most companies are looking for employees who will stay and grow with the company. An answer that reflects this is advantageous.

Think about the job and how the experience and/or training will help your career. Will it help you move forward and upward? Do you have goals you're working towards? Are you willing to learn?

If you're a team player and you're applying for a job in a large company/organisation - then the answer will always be YES! You cannot survive otherwise. You may also let the interviewer know what kind of role you'd like to play in a team, for example: team leader, organiser, or follower. However, if you're not a team player, maybe the job is not suited to you.
If you've had negative personal relationships with fellow co-workers try avoid mentioning them. Try thinking of positives comments some of your co-workers would say.

► Describe a difficult problem you have had to deal with.
► What do you feel were the most significant things you got out of going there?
► Why did you choose your major?
► What civic organizations do you belong to?
► Give me an example of a decision you made that benefited your company.
► What do you really want to do in life?
► What other positions have you had that qualify you for this position?