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Got a big interview coming up?

Has it been a while since you have had to use your interview skills? Here are 24 questions and answers for interview practice.

First off, be sure to practice for your interview several times. Practice:

• Wearing your interview clothes
• Seated at a table with a notepad and pen, along with a couple of copies of your resume
• Sit straight, hands on table or la
• Shoulders back, chin up, slight smi

I know this is not the actual interview, but it will help your body know what to do in the real thing!

Here are 24 common interview questions along with tips for answering them

Tell me about yourself.

Tell a story about a job or experience you had, why you chose what you chose.

What is your greatest weakness.

Pick something honest and how you have learned to overcome it.

What is your greatest strength.

Tell a story as an example, especially if you can find one that pertains to the organization you are interested in.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Tell about your dreams and things you are interested in and people you like to work with.

Why should we hire you?

Think of this as a way to mention something that was not addressed before. Have an extra story.

How did you hear about this job?

Answer in a way that shows you want to work for this organization.

What is your biggest professional achievement?

Choose a story that is relevant to the job you are interviewing for.

Tell about a time where there was conflict with a colleague. How did you handle it?

Tell a story that shows problem solving skills. (Do not blame-shift.)

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Try not to talk ugly about your current job, instead, focus on what you would like to see happen next.

What kind of work environment do you prefer?

Find out what you can about the organization’s values and culture. Bring that into your answer.

How do you deal with pressure?

Share a story where you had a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.

How do you stay organized when you are working on several projects at once?

If you have your own system, describe it. It might be a good time now to learn some organizing tools and strategies if you don’t already have them down.

How would you describe your work style?

Concisely describe your work-style strengths and the way you manage priorities.

How do you handle stress?

Give an example of a stressful work situation where you managed the stress well, include some specific tips on how you do stress management.

What kind of personality do you work best with?

Give and example from where you have worked before about the variety of personalities you have enjoyed working with. You do not need to describe specific personalities. Rather, you are letting the interviewer know you have flexibility to handle different kinds of people.

What attracted you to this company?

Make sure you have done your research, discuss something from the organization’s mission and values that you like.

What do you know about this industry?

Again, do your research. Be able to discuss the basic goals, strategies and challenges that the industry holds.

What do you know about our company?

Be sure that you have read the “about us” and “history” from the company’s website. Also, do an internet search to see if they have been in the news lately.

What salary are you seeking?

Check job title and description and find salary ranges on several of these websites: 

• Glassdoor
• LinkedIn Salary
• Salary.com
• Payscale
• Indeed

If selected for this position, what would be your strategy for the first 90 days?

Put in your own words these points. You will:

• Start by reviewing the position and the organization’s goals and mission
• Work diligently on any training you need
• Learn the organization’s culture 
• Get to know your team and other colleagues
• Develop strategies for accomplishing the goals for your position

What is your salary history?

Some states or cities do not allow questions about salary history. However, many states allow this question. You may answer this question in several ways:

• Give a history of your salary at your current job: “I started my last position in the $50,000s and am now earning $65,000, plus bonuses.”
• Only share general information: “My salary right now is in the $60s.”
• Or you can simply share exactly what you are earning now: “I earn $65,000, plus bonuses.”

Do you have any questions for me?

Take some time and ask a question or two that show you have interest in the organization and/or specific job. For instance:

• Will this position be hybrid or solely at the office?
• Are there opportunities for growth in the organization?
• What other departments or organizations will this position be working with?
• How is success measured in this position?
• What attracted you (the interviewer) to this organization?
• What do you (the interviewer) like about working here?

How do you handle the goofy/creative questions some interviewers ask, such as:

“How do you bake a cake?” “How do you measure an office desk if you have no ruler?”

Do not get rattled at these questions. The interviewer is not looking for the actual answer to their question. Rather, they are watching you handle stress creatively so have fun with it. They want to see that you can stay calm, do teamwork and can communicate.

You can plan ahead for these questions in one of these ways:

• Say something like, “Hmmm. That reminds me of the time my team had to plan for the____. I sent a Slack message to everyone, then got them together. We developed a strategy and pulled the ___off. We all got accolades!”
• Or use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result): “The situation is that I was asked to bake a cake. The task is to pull it off asap. For the action, I will assemble my most creative colleagues and we will divvy up the supplies and creation process. The result will be a cake you could take to the CEO.”

End with a thanks for the interview and ask about next steps.

Remember, it may feel cheesy but practicing answers will help boost your confidence. Not only that, but practicing will make it easy to adapt your memorized answers to unexpected questions. You can get help with your job hunting skills. Schedule a coaching appointment.

This has been a LONG pandemic. Who would have thought in March 2020, when many of us went on a “two-week lockdown”, that many of us would still be impacted a year later.

Some folks have returned to working at their workplaces and other aspects of normal lives, thanks to vaccines and lifted restrictions. However, many Americans are still facing daily isolation: working from home and loss of in-person support systems and activities.

A number of the folks I work with have expressed experiencing anxiety as they continue to work-and socialize-from-home. Here are some of the anxiety triggers they have shared and suggestions for handling them so they don’t defeat you (have you notice any of these?):

Technology glitches: The internet goes down and other glitches that are out of our control.

What to do? Try to avoid catastrophic thinking such as “This is a disaster!” or “I can’t handle this!”. Instead, take a deep breath and say something with a positive but realistic expectation, “I don’t like this but we’ll get through it.”

Zoom fatigue: So many digital meetings! Zoom fatigue is a real thing.

What to do? Try these tips to help: Give your eyes a break frequently (screen time strains and dries the eyes), turn off your camera when you can (looking at yourself is exhausting), remind yourself NOT to compare yourself to your colleagues (the Zoom equivalent of Pinterest-perfection envy).

Work/life imbalance: When your office is in your bedroom (or anywhere else in your home), it’s easy to be on call 24/7.

What to do? Remember that you can’t have the most of all worlds, all the time. Adjust expectations and set times when you are off-duty.

Single person, living alone: SO much isolation! Long-term isolation is definitely a trigger for anxiety.

What to do? Get outside for a walk (if you have a friend you can social-distance walk with, that’s even better). Find museums or other institutions that have Covid-safety protocols in place and visit. Check meetups online for Covid-safe activities. Increase your mindfulness activities to keep anxiety under control.

Kids at home for their education: How do you manage hybrid or full-time school situations PLUS get your work done responsibly?

What to do? Work on lowering current expectations and remember that kids are resilient (they will recover from a less-than-optimal situation). Work on 3R’s: Routines, reassurance, regulation. (Create gentle routines to reduce household anxiety, reassure your kids of your love and protection, help them learn self-regulation with deep breathing and 3Ws.)

More on what to do: Avoid “Mom Guilt”! Motherhood is all about guilt but doesn’t have to be. Remember: There is NO perfect mom. We just need to be good enough!

Friend and family division on how to handle COVID: Many people have experienced stress (and even, strife) with friends and family on different ways to handle the pandemic. I’ve heard about arguments over wearing masks, getting vaccines, and attending large family events.

What to do? Remember you are not alone: Many people have experienced stress with friends and family on different ways to handle the pandemic. ALSO remember: It’s not your job to make anyone agree with you (even when you are right), so it’s okay to just refuse to argue.

More on what to do: Remember that it’s okay to make space between you and them for now. You will also need to move on from some people (especially those who are more casual “friends” on social media).

Too much same-same-same: Our brains work best will good care (hydration, healthy food, stimulation). Through the pandemic many of us have had way too much of the same old, same old. Same four walls, same activities.

What to do: Get outside (and if you can’t get outside, at least spend a while looking out the window), take up a new hobby or learn something new, contact old friends, find an online volunteer opportunity.

Too much time social media causing mental health issues: Americans have been spending more time on social media throughout the pandemic. It helps people feel less lonely and more connected to something. BUT have you noticed that the social media algorithms tend to serve you things that will get you riled up? Scary or anxiety producing posts tend to draw us in and keep us on that medium’s platform longer. We can get addicted to the anxiety inducing posts, thus creating our own anxiety and feelings of helplessness.

What to do: Be your own scientist. Experiment with noticing which platforms and posts cause the most anxiety then refuse to engage those posts. Spend more time on posts that bring you joy. This will change the algorithm for you. Know when to get off a platform altogether by watching how much stress that platform causes you.

Working from home or working under pandemic stress has caused some people to reevaluate their lives and careers. If you are at that place and are ready for life or career coaching, contact me: https://vickitillmancoaching.com/contact/

Exploring the Job Search in Newark: Popular Jobs and Companies

Guest Post by Sydney Frazer of Glassdoor.com

Spring has sprung and is commonly the time for fresh starts. Many people decide to start looking for a new job and if you are looking in the Newark area, consider yourself lucky! I have rounded up much of the information you need to perform an informed job search — from the local labor market to popular job searches and companies in Newark.

Newark is located in New Castle County and is a part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The local labor market in Newark looks pretty ideal for job seekers. The unemployment rate in New Castle County was 3.6 percent in December 2016, considerably below the national average of 4.7 percent. The population in Newark grew by 7.3 percent from 2010 to 2015, but the competition for open jobs isn’t too fierce given the 15,857 open positions. While the cost of living in Newark is 4 percent higher than the average in Delaware and 17 percent higher than the national average, this is reflected in the above average salary in the area. In addition, Delaware’s cost of living is significantly cheaper than most of its neighboring states in the Northeast.

The next step in the job search is getting an idea of the kinds of job openings available. A great place to start is with popular job searches and companies in the area.

3 Popular Job Searches in Newark

1. One of the more popular job searches in Newark is Administrative Assistant. With 162 open admin positions in the area, job seekers have their fair share of choices. While admins in Newark on average make less than the median base salary in the city, they do earn more than the average admin in the United States. Administrative Assistants in Newark can expect to earn approximately $35,327. Interested in applying for one of the open jobs? The interview will likely assess your ability to manage time, communicate efficiently, and stay organized with behavioral questions. Prepare for the interview with the following questions:
   • Name a time when you knew your immediate supervisor was wrong about an issue. What was the issue, and how did you handle it?
   • How would you handle multiple projects and deadlines from different supervisors?
   • Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
2. Another common job search in the area is Store Manager. There are 461 open store manager positions in Newark. Looking to snag one of these positions? The average salary for a Store Manager in Newark is $47,569, which is a bit below that of the median base salary in Newark, but above the national average for the position. If you land an interview, expect questions that try to tease out your ability to lead in a positive manner that keeps things running smoothly and fosters a positive work environment. Some common questions to practice with include:
   • What would you do if one of your employees came to you with a very personal problem that did not have anything to do with their job?
   • Describe your management style.
   • What is the most important decision you make everyday as a store manager?
3. Medical Receptionist is another popular job search in Newark. With 86 open jobs at companies ranging from MedExpress to St. Francis Hospital, people looking to work in this field have a wide variety to choose from. Prepare yourself for an interview that focuses on your interpersonal skills. The interviewer will try to determine what kind of first impression you will leave on patients, as well as your ability to use critical thinking skills to efficiently handle issues that pop up. Consider preparing for these common questions:
   • How would you handle an angry patient?
   • What previous experience do you have working in a stressful environment?
   • How would you handle a situation where you have a patient in front of you, your manager asks you to do something, and the phone starts ringing?

None of these roles fit what you are looking for? You might instead consider applying for a job at one of the popular companies in Newark that are hiring.

2 Popular Companies in Newark

1. University of Delaware employs over 4,000 people in Newark. With a 4.1 star rating, significantly above the average 3.3 star company rating, employees appear to be pretty satisfied working there. There are 7 open jobs at UD, ranging from a Police Officer, to an Outreach Specialist, to a Sales Consultant. UD employees cite a benefits package that is “above average with affordable employee contributions.” This includes a PPO or HMO plan that is inexpensive, but comprehensive, a pension plan, and an FSA for health care and dependent care expenses.
2. J.P. Morgan is headquartered in New York, but employs over 8,700 employees in Delaware; the company is expanding operations in Newark and has designated it as one of seven “strategic technology hubs” in the United States. With 145 open jobs in Newark alone, job seekers have quite a bit of runway to find a position that fits their skills. The benefits and perks package at J.P. Morgan includes a 401(k) plan with matching up to five percent, as well as great social events that allow employees to meet and network with many other professionals and executives. In addition, a mobile phone discount and commuter checks are common.

These jobs and companies might not coincide with your exact desires and expertise, and that is perfectly okay. One of the many multinationals with offices in Newark might be more what you are looking for. Air Liquide, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, and QPS all have locations in Newark.

If you are looking to go a completely different path, it might be time to consider attending some career coaching sessions. Get help dusting off your resume, preparing for interviews, and understanding what you are truly looking for. Now get out there and get started!

Sydney’s bio: As a Partnerships Manager at Glassdoor, Sydney works with hundreds of accounts across universities, libraries, and blogs, helping to provide them with content and tools to aid job seekers. Outside of work, Sydney enjoys running, hiking, and searching for the perfect burrito.

Exploring the Job Search in Newark: Popular Jobs and Companies