Common Job Interview Questions and my answers

Due to popular demand, and the constant text messages that I keep receiving from my students when they're applying for a job, here are some common call center job interview questions and how I would answer them. Please take note that these are MY answers, you can use them as a pattern in formulating your own. When you recite your answers, do it with enthusiasm and don't sound desperate. You have to be excited about the opportunity to work in the organization that you're applying for.


1. Tell me something interesting about yourself.

My friends call me Migs. I'm a jolly person by nature, I usually smile amidst adversities. It is also one of the reasons why people value my friendship. Humor has been attached to my name, I tend to crack a lot of jokes to my friends to cheer them up. I value human interaction which why I can say that I'm a people person as well. I work best under pressure, I guess this can be attributed to all those cramming up for exams during my college years. One good thing that came up from my nerve racking experience during my college years is my ability to handle stress in so many different levels. I don't easily crack when under pressure. I would like to integrate professionalism into my career hence I applied in your company because I know that in the path to career growth, this is one of the first steps that I have to undertake. In line with your companies objectives, I would also like to provide quality in everything that I do and I believe that I can achieve through your company.

Note: No one knows you better than yourself, so this questions shouldn't be difficult for you. Steer away from one-liner answers for not only will it bore the interviewer, it will also leave him room to ask more questions. I know the last part is a little too sounds like you're sucking up to the company, but do keep in mind that you are selling yourself during the job interview and what better way to sell yourself and build rapport by letting the company know that you researched about their company objectives. You're not only giving them compliment, you're also letting them know that you're really interested to be part of their team. With that said, I encourage you to research about the company that you're applying for before you go there. Make a list of the companies that you want to apply in. Whether it's Etelecare, Eperformaxx, Sykes,Teletech, IBM, Convergys, People Support, Chase, Dell, HSBC, NCO, CTI or what have you, it pays to know what they're all about. Take it as part of your preparation.

(Continuation...)

2. Why should we hire you?(no call center experience)

(Assuming that I'm a fresh graduate)
"back in college, as a student, I always make it a point to put quality in everything that I do. Whether it's a project or term paper, I'm very meticulous about my work in school. I have good work ethics and my professors and classmates can vouch for that. When I work as part of a team, I always make sure that everyone is performing to the best of their abilities. I also liked to boost my team mates morale during those long hours of preparing for our thesis. I may have no experience in this field yet I'm highly trainable, I'm excited to work. I can be your open canvass, you can do whatever you want with me as an employee. I believe that with your aid, I can realize my potentials and use it to my advantage. This will allow me to contribute to the company's productivity. I can be your clay, you can mold me into anything you want me to be. Of course, I can only prove all this if you give me a chance and hire me for the position that I'm applying for, right?" (assumptive close!)

Note: This is your chance to sell yourself! So focus on your strengths and capitalize on it. These will be your selling points. Be confident when you tell them about your skills. Use an assumptive close when you're about to end your statement. Let the interviewer know that you're excited to work. Be enthusiastic. Do not forget to smile. A pleasant disposition is always an attractive quality especially for an employee.

3. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.

My strength comes from the fact that I always see the positive side of every situation. I always see the opportunity in every difficult situation and I try to keep myself calm amidst the adversity that surrounds me. I believe that you should always keep your anxiety levels at a minimum in order for you to make a rational sound judgment. I also believe that my strength comes from my sense of humor. I find comfort in the fact that I can laugh at my mistakes and bounce right back up to correct it. I acknowledge my imperfections and the fact that everyone is different. With these two qualities combined, I believe that I am also a good motivator because people can relate to me. I have good rapport building skills. I am confident but not cocky. I always tell myself that no matter how difficult the task may be, I can do it if I focus on it. This enhances my flexibility. I'm a people person that's why I know that I'm the right man for this kind of job. I have a genuine interest in helping other people which I think is essential for this type of industry. As for my weaknesses, I have always wanted to learn how to be a good cook. The only things I'm good at, as far as the kitchen is concerned, is putting food inside the microwave. But right now I am asking some friends to teach me the ways of cooking. I am also a bit impatient when it comes to my work. I always want to finish the task that is given to me the soonest time possible. I've realized though that through the years, being impatient, I have a platform to achieve immediate results thereby making me productive.

Note: It is always helpful to establish a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths are always those that set you apart from others. These are attractive qualities that people like about you. So in making this list, it would help if you consult some of your friends and family what they like about you. This will also help you in elaborating on each quality. As for your weaknesses, it is always best to be non-technical when it comes to giving out some of your weaknesses. Try to stick to weaknesses that does not affect work. It can be your little frustrations in life. It is not enough though that state your weaknesses, you must also tell the interviewer what you are doing about your weaknesses.
Another thing that you need to remember when asked about weaknesses, do not tell the interviewer that you have none or that you cannot think of any weaknesses. This can create a negative impression for it implies that you are not acknowledging your imperfections. No one would hire an employee who thinks that he or she is perfect. They are also hard to train.

Crying when you have problems

Blog entry for June 17, 2008

I was about to hit the sack last night when my phone suddenly beeped, it was a text message from an unregistered number. It's almost 2AM so what I would normally do is ignore the text message and get my well deserved rest in my comfortable bed and just read it in the morning. But for some reason I got curious. So I read it. As I browsed through the message I realized that it came from one of my students. The question that my student wanted to ask me is if it's ok to cry when you have problems. Obviously this person is in distress and needs help, so I replied saying that crying is normal when you have problems, if you feel the need to cry then let it out and cry. Don't hold it in. As soon as you've cried it all out, wipe your tears and try to breathe deep and tell yourself that I'll be ok. In the face of adversity, some people may perceive crying as a form of weakness, I think otherwise. I admire people who are not ashamed of crying. It's not a sign of weakness for me. It's an unspoken statement that tells the world that you're only human, with real emotions, imperfect and prone to make mistakes. You're not doing it to invoke sympathy. You're doing it for yourself. Because you know that holding it in is not good for you. It will only cause your stress levels to go up, the end result of which is not pretty.

Stress is a part of our daily lives. Oftentimes we find ourselves confronted by a situation that puts our adaptability skills to the test. This should not be a cause for panic. Just breathe and think about all the obstacles that you overcame in your life and tell yourself that you will get through it. Just breathe.

Accent Neutralization

As I sit here and try to put my thoughts into words, i cannot help but look back at my previous classes in Accent Training. Whenever I start a new class I always tell my students that learning the proper way of speaking is not hard, the challenging part is unlearning what you already know. With that said, in Accent training, if you want to make the most out of it, you have to keep an open mind. Why do I say this? As you go through the course, you will encounter a lot of surprises that will challenge the foundation of all the stock knowledge that you've had since you were a child.If you got used to saying "one, two, tree" or "my pader is a carfenter" and your comfortable saying it then there is a lot of work to be done on your speech but it's not your fault. Most of the problem can be attributed to our Filipino Alphabet. We do not have the consonants th, v, f and z among others. All of our vowels are short vowels. This is the reason why we have to clear our heads when we study the proper way of speaking. Remember that you cannot fill a cup that is already full.

Filipinos are the best language learners in the world because our country, though relatively small in size, has many regions that have their own subcultures and dialects. Upon reading this, ask yourself, how many people do you know who can speak more than two languages? This is in regards to Filipino and English. Aside from Tagalog and English, most of us can speak Ilokano, Bisaya, Bicolano, Ilonggo, Waray, etc. Hence, language training should not be very difficult for us.

In the call center industry, in order to communicate effectively to our customers, we must learn to speak in a certain manner that is understandable to the native English speakers in all regions in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. It must be clear and properly enunciated. For the sake of learning, we will focus more on the American Accent because a majority of our clients are Americans.

If you are going to ask me, there is no doubt that we can speak English very well. We just need to achieve a standard accent that will help our listeners understand us better. Do not get me wrong, accent is beautiful because they tell other people where we come from. For instance, if you have an Ilonggo accent, people automatically associate you to your hometown hence it gives you a sense of identity. On the other hand some people may have a hard time understanding the words that you are saying. If we want to sound professional, we have to speak in a manner that everyone else understands. It has to be clear, concise and properly enunciated. Hmmm, I like the sound of that. The first person that comes to mind whenever I think about speech clarity and good diction is Lea Salongga. I have seen her perform and I have heard her sing on stage and every word that she utters is very clear whether she is singing or not.

Let us take into consideration the U.S., they have 50 states in different regions across America. Every region has a distinctive accent. If this is the case, one might probably ask, what the standard accent is. A standard accent is the one that newscasters across the nation use whenever they deliver their report. To be more specific, the accent that most Americans consider as standard is the Midwestern accent. Oprah Winfrey is from the Midwest and has a Midwestern accent,oh and did I mention a popular figure in America?

There are three tips I can give you in Accent Neutralization.

1. Vowel sounds. It's all about opening your mouth and letting the air flow freely. Remember facial muscles are relaxed when you are pronouncing lax or short vowels and they are tensed when you are pronouncing long (tensed) vowels.
2. Consonant sounds. It's all about obstructing the airflow to produce the sounds. The main distinction between voiced and unvoiced consonants is the vibration that you feel in the points of articulation in your mouth. Remember, V=Voiced;V=Vibration.
3.Blending. Otherwise known as linking. Do not speak word per word. Learn to connect the last sound of the first word to the first sound of the next word. This will give rhythm to your speech and ensure that you don't sound like a robot.

If you want to learn more, then you have to attend my class. That's it for now. I am open to any comments and suggestions. Until next time. Ciao!

The job interview (call centers)

After passing a series of tests,(I.Q., grammar, listening, etc.) the next phase of the call center job application process is the interview.

A lot of people are petrified by the dreaded call center job interviews. This springs from that certain feeling that makes your mouth dry and your heart raise while your hands feel cold and a little shaky then slowly, you feel a drop of sweat trickle down the side of your cheek as you wait for your turn to be interviewed. In short, you're nervous!

Easy, chill, relax. That expression is something that I got from a close friend who shared the same interest in helping people gain confidence in facing a crucial step in their job application process... the INTERVIEW. While most people will take it as a walk in the park, sadly, the case is not the same for everybody else. So for those who are having problems with the interview. This is for you.

The first thing that you should do before you go on a job interview or when you are waiting for your turn to be interviewed is to condition your mind. Psyche yourself out.Get rid of any negative thoughts that may serve as clutters in your head. Remember that if you think it, it will happen. If you think that it's hard then it only becomes harder. Tell yourself that you can do it and you're halfway there.

Do not think of the interview as an interrogation, instead, think of it as a conversation between you and an new acquaintance who just wants to know you more. Do not be intimidated by the presence of the interviewer.

If you find this technique difficult, try a different approach. Think about your favorite spot in your house, it can be the living room, your bedroom, the kitchen or even the bathroom. This is what I call, the "comfort zone". When you've come up with your choice, try to imagine the interview room as your "comfort zone", no one can harm you in your comfort zone and you can do just about anything this will keep your anxiety levels at a minimum and you will feel more relaxed in turn this will give you a competitive advantage because you are more alert and you can focus your energy on confidently answering the questions that the interviewer will ask you.

If you still find this difficult, you can try yet another approach, but this comes with a bit of a warning.

Try to think of yourself as the owner of the building/company and imagine the interviewer as a subordinate who is just updating your information. Be careful with this approach though, because this borders on delusions of grandeur, remember that you are also making an impression when you are undergoing the interview and you don't want to come off as too cocky or arrogant, right? Remember that there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Remember to do this for the sole purpose of building your confidence, do not internalize the role too much if you don't want to rub the interviewers the wrong way.

When you feel that you're all "psyched out", then you are ready for the next step which is the interview proper.
Once your name has been called by the interviewer and upon entering the room, do not forget to smile, greet the interview and firmly shake hands. Maintain eye contact to convey sincerity. A smile on your face gives the impression that you're enthusiastic and confident. It will also let the interviewer know that you are comfortable with him/her.

When the interviewer starts asking questions, remember that this is a call center job interview, so more often than not, the interviewer is trying to assess your speech prowess so the only way to ace this is to SPEAK UP.Keep on talking. Remember that the interaction you have with the interviewer is limited and therefore you have a very short window period to give out a good impression. Speak clearly and pace yourself. Stretch your statements and steer away from one liner answers. Short answers will just give the interviewer more room for questions. And the next questions are usually harder than the previous ones. So stretch your answers as much as possible.

Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Do not forget to ask questions, this will show the interviewer that you are really interested in establishing a career with them.

Do not forget to thank the interviewer before you leave, a simple courtesy always leaves a good impression.