How does it benefit you as an employer? What benefit does the employee bring to the employer? What salary level are you applying for?

Choosing an employer In Japan, when meeting, entrepreneurs first exchange meishi, that is, business cards that will tell a representative of the Western world only the name, position and place of work of the person, but will indicate to the Japanese who should bow first when meeting, whose

Want to find a job? Then you should know exactly what you should never do when looking for a job and what misconceptions can interfere with successful employment.

1. A good resume guarantees a job.

A very popular misconception among job seekers. Many people believe that a resume is the key to successful employment. However, this is not quite true. A bright resume is just a ticket to an interview. In order to subsequently get a job, the most important thing is to pass an interview with the employer and demonstrate yourself well.

As experts say, in your resume you should highlight your achievements to attract attention, and at the interview you should talk about them in detail, confirm your successes and show how all this can benefit your potential employer.

2. You can send the same resume to all companies

Do you boast that you send out dozens of resumes every day? Then we will disappoint you: this tactic will bring you practically nothing. The main reason is that in most cases, job seekers send the same resume to all potential employers. And for your job search to be truly effective and for you to receive an invitation to an interview, your resume must be maximally tailored to the requirements of a specific company. You must speak the same language with the employer, using the same vocabulary as him, focusing on what is important to him. All this can be understood if you carefully read the job description. Thanks to this approach, you will be able to stand out qualitatively from your competitors.

3. No need to leave gaps in your resume.

Due to the situation on the labor market, many job seekers take at least six months to find a job. As a result, gaps form in their work history, which negatively affect the quality of their resume. Most likely, what you did while you weren’t working will be of interest to HR. However, this does not mean that you need to write about this in your resume, indicating a specific period when you did not work and did something else. According to recruiters, it's best to explain any gaps in a cover letter, or even better, during an interview.

4. You should send your resume to everyone

Many job seekers think that they will find a job faster if they send as many resumes as possible. However, it is not. Do you know what HR people do with unsuitable resumes? Right. They put them in the trash. According to experts, when looking for a job, it is much better to focus on a few companies and try to get a job there. Agree, you don’t care where you work, do you? Therefore, monitor the labor market, understand in which direction you would like to develop, and make a list of 5-10 companies that really interest you. Take action!

Only with a conscious and targeted approach will you be able to create a good resume that will be adapted to the requirements of the company, prepare for an interview and show yourself well.

5. The resume must include all places of work.

HR people, as a rule, spend no more than one minute on each resume, and they have no desire to understand all the intricacies of the applicant’s professional path. If your resume takes up more than two pages, you risk that the employer will not read it and will simply close it.

The main principle when writing a resume is that less is better. If you have changed many jobs, leave in your resume only those that are directly related to the position for which you are applying. Your resume should contain only the information that the employer needs.

Tricky questions from employers. What to answer?

Positivity, Openness, Confidence, Competence - this is what the employer will evaluate during the interview.

Be prepared to complete the test task.

Otherwise, some applicants may say: I will perform any tasks only if they pay me for the work. This is an immediate refusal.

Why do you want to work with us? Level of lies of applicants

In Moscow they lie much more than in the provinces.

Moreover, this lie is multifaceted and colorful. To the question: “Why do you want to work in our company?” Most often they answer like this:

I want to discover new facets of myself...

I am interested in the opportunity to study in your company...

All my life I dreamed of working in a large company like yours...

I like your friendly staff and the reviews about your company on the Internet...

Your company is a leader in the market, I would like to be part of your legend...

You provide great opportunities for professional growth...

I love responsibility, I like to work hard, I can’t imagine myself without work, but you have irregular hours...

In St. Petersburg, the answer most often is 50/50:

The level of income that your company offers and opportunities for professional growth are important to me...

I want to put into practice the knowledge I acquired at the university...

We need to feed our family!

I want money! - this can often be heard.

Draw your own conclusions.

What salary level are you applying for?

The form in which you give your answer is very important.

I indicated 90 thousand in my resume. This is what you should focus on. (This is a rude answer. Most likely, there will be a refusal).

How much do you offer?

(Unacceptable, bazaar form of answer. However, they often resort to it).

I indicated 90 thousand in my resume.

But I am open to different proposals, especially if there is a prospect of financial growth during the year. (Much better already)

At my last job I received a stable salary of 90 thousand.

I would like to find a job with a similar starting salary.

(After this, it’s better to remain silent and not put pressure on the employer at the first interview with remarks like: “Do you have such an opportunity?”)

The last two answers give the greatest chance of success.

Should I call back after the first interview?

Feel free to ask when leaving: “Can I ask if I have a real chance of passing this competition?” Most interviewees say a generic “Thank you for your time” and walk away. Such communication is not specific. Feel free to say one of the following phrases:

Thank you for your time.

I am very interested in this particular vacancy and will look forward to your call.

Thank you for your time. May I ask you to let me know the results, whatever they may be?

I was very pleased to communicate with you. I would be grateful if you allow me to be active and learn about the results.

When could I call you?

Thanks for the interview. I learned a lot from you in a short conversation.

Will they call me back or is it better to inquire about the results myself?

Let's say you feel the answer is probably no. Then, in order not to languish in anticipation, ask the question directly:

What can you give to the company?

General questions when applying for a job

If so, be honest and briefly describe the situation, avoiding negative statements about people or the organization. You must desire this question.

It gives you a chance to highlight your best qualities regarding the job being discussed.

Indicate what you are strong in and what the organization needs.

Don't mention other candidates to make comparisons.

Have a good answer ready. Make sure that what you proposed then was accepted and was a success.

This is a trap question. Pretend that you thought hard, but couldn’t come up with anything.

A short statement that you get along well with people will be appropriate.

Want to know what questions are asked most often in interviews? Here is the complete list (with the best possible answers).

Some companies take an unconventional approach to interviews, but for the most part they ask standard questions (and get standard answers).

Here is a list of the most common interview questions with the best possible answers:

1. "Tell me about yourself"

If you're interviewing, you probably already know a lot. You've read the resume and cover letter, and looked at the candidate's LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

The purpose of any interview is to find out whether a particular candidate is suitable for the vacancy to be filled, i.e. whether he has the skills and personal qualities that will allow him to do the job. Do you need a leader who can put himself in another person's shoes? Try to find out if the candidate can become one. Do you want the general public to know about your company? Ask if the candidate can convey the information.

If you are looking for a job, tell us why you did what you did. Explain why you left your previous job. Describe how you chose the university. Tell us why you decided to study in graduate school. Don't forget to mention that you spent a year traveling around Europe and the experiences you had during that time.

When answering a question, do not limit yourself to listing the facts (they can also be read in the summary). Tell your interlocutor why you did certain things.

2. "Name your main weakness"

Every candidate knows how to answer this question. You need to choose an abstract weakness and turn it into a strength.

For example: “Sometimes I get so caught up in my work that I lose track of time. When I come to my senses, I see that everyone has already gone home. I know that I need to keep track of time more carefully, but I really like what I do and I just don’t I can think of nothing else!"

So your "flaw" is that you spend more time working than everyone else? Hmmm.

It would be much better to describe the actual flaw you are working on. Talk about what you are doing to improve. There are no perfect people, and you must prove that you can evaluate yourself objectively and strive to improve.

3. "Name your main strength"

I don't know why company representatives ask this question. The answer to this is always contained in the resume.

If you are asked about this, formulate an accurate and specific answer. There is no need to argue for a long time. If you are a problem solver, be sure to provide examples that are relevant to the job you are interested in. Confirm your words! If you are a leader with high levels of emotional intelligence, provide examples that prove you can answer questions that have not yet been asked.

4. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

When answering this question, candidates follow one of two possible scenarios. Some begin to describe their ambitions (it seems to them that this is exactly what the interlocutor wants to hear) and with all their appearance they show: “I need this job!” Others are modest (they also think that the interlocutor is waiting for such a reaction) and give a self-deprecating answer: “There are so many talented people around... I just want to get a job and see what success I can achieve.”

Both types of answers do not provide any information about the candidate - except perhaps their ability to sell themselves.

If you're interviewing, rephrase the question: "If you could start your own company, what would it do?"

This is a universal question because everyone needs employees with an entrepreneurial spirit.

The answer will tell you about the candidate's dreams and hopes, his interests and true passion, his work preferences, the people he gets along with easily... All you need to do is listen carefully.

5. "Why should we hire you?"

Since the candidate cannot compare himself with those whom he does not know, he can only describe his love for the business and a burning desire to benefit. In fact, the company makes candidates beg it to meet them halfway. Having asked this question, representatives of many companies lean back in their chairs and cross their arms over their chest. This gesture seems to say: “Come on, I’m listening! Come on, convince me!”

Unfortunately, this is another uninformative question.

But it can be changed: “What do you think we forgot to talk about?” or “If you could answer one of the previous questions again, what would you say?”

At the end of the interview, it’s rare that candidates feel like they’ve shown everything they’re capable of. Perhaps the conversation took an unexpected direction. Perhaps the interlocutor placed emphasis in his resume in his own way, focusing on some skills and forgetting about others. Or maybe the candidate was too nervous at the beginning of the interview and was unable to correctly formulate everything he wanted to talk about.

After all, interviews are about learning as much as possible about a candidate, so why not give them a second chance?

Be sure to keep the conversation going at this stage and don't let the candidate talk to himself. You should not listen in silence and then say: “Thank you, we will contact you.” Ask clarifying questions. Ask for examples.

If a candidate asks you a counter question, be sure to answer it and try to post new information that previously remained in the shadows.

6. "How did you find out about the vacancy?"

Job search portals, advertisements in newspapers and the Internet, job fairs... Many people look for their first job there, and there is nothing wrong with that.

But if a candidate constantly uses these channels, most likely he has not yet decided what and how he wants to do.

He's just looking for a job. Any job.

Therefore, you should not just talk about how you found out about the vacancy. Let them know that a colleague or employer told you about it, that you were keeping an eye on the vacancies of a particular company because you want to work for it.

Companies don't want people who just want a job. Companies need people who need company.

7. "Why do you want this job?"

Let's go a little deeper into the details. When answering this question, you need to talk not only about the fact that you want to work for this particular company, but also about why the vacancy is ideal for you and what you want to achieve in the short and long term.

If you don't know why a position is right for you, look for another job. Life is too short.

8. “Name your greatest professional achievement.”

The answer to this question should be directly related to the vacancy. If you say that over the past year and a half you have increased production volume by 18%, claiming to be the head of the personnel department, the interlocutor will find your answer interesting, but not at all informative.

Instead, tell us about a problem employee you “saved,” or a conflict between departments you resolved, or a subordinate who received a promotion in the last six months...

9. “Tell me about your last conflict with a colleague or client. What happened?”

When people work hard to achieve a common goal, conflict is inevitable. We all make mistakes. Of course, the good is remembered better, but the bad cannot be forgotten either. Ideal people don't exist, and that's okay.

However, people who seek to shift their blame and responsibility onto others should definitely be avoided. Employers prefer those who focus not on the problem, but on the solution.

Everyone needs employees who are willing to admit when they're wrong, take responsibility for the mistake, and, most importantly, learn from the experience.

10. “Describe your ideal job.”

When formulating your answer, remember - it must be relevant to the vacancy!

However, it doesn’t have to be invented at all. You can learn and grow no matter what you do. Try to determine what skills you can gain from the position you're applying for, and then imagine how those skills could be useful to you in the future.

Don't be afraid to admit that one day you may leave to find another job or maybe even start your own business. Employers no longer expect employees to stay with them forever.

11. “Why do you want to leave the job you have now?

Let's start with what you don't need to talk about (if you represent an employer, you should be wary):

Don't say that you don't like your boss. Don't talk about how you can't get along with your coworkers. Don't throw mud at the company itself.

Focus on the benefits this step will bring you. Talk about what you want to achieve. Tell us what you want to learn. Tell us about how you plan to develop. At the same time, do not forget to mention the benefits for the potential employer.

People who complain about their bosses and colleagues are like gossips. If they gossip about someone else, the day will come when they will start gossiping about you too.

12. "Which work environment do you find most attractive?"

If you like to work alone but are applying for a call center agent position, an honest answer may not sound right.

Think about the job and the company culture as a whole (every company has a culture - artificial or spontaneous.) If flexible work hours are important to you, but you are not offered it, focus on something else. If you need constant management support and your employer encourages self-management, forget about it for now.

Find ways to combine your needs with company rules. If you can't do this, you should probably look for another job.

13. “Tell me about the hardest decision you’ve made in the last six months.”

By asking this question, the employer wants to assess the candidate's ability to solve problems and find arguments, as well as willingness to take risks.

If you don't have an answer to this question, that's too bad. Everyone has to make difficult decisions, regardless of their position. My daughter once worked part-time as a waitress at a nearby restaurant. She constantly made difficult decisions, such as how to deal with a regular customer whose actions sometimes bordered on harassment.

A good answer should include the arguments that helped make the decision (for example, analyzing large amounts of data to determine the optimal direction to take).

A great answer also describes the relationships with everyone involved in the decision-making process, as well as its consequences.

Of course, the results of the analysis are a great argument, but almost every decision affects people. The best candidates usually look at issues from multiple angles and make informed decisions.

14. "Describe your management style"

This is a question that is difficult to answer without resorting to platitudes. Try to give examples. Say, "Let me tell you about some of the challenges I've faced as a leader. I think they'll give you a good idea of ​​my style." After that, describe how you solved a problem, motivated a team, overcame a crisis, etc. Explain what you did and why, so that the interlocutor understands exactly how you manage other people.

Don't forget to mention the results you achieved.

15. "Tell me about a situation in which you did not agree with the decision of the majority. What did you do?"

People around us sometimes make decisions with which we do not agree. And this is normal, the only important thing is how we show our disagreement. (We all know those who like to stay after meetings to challenge a decision they publicly supported.)

Showcase your professionalism. Prove that you can express your concerns constructively. If one day you manage to change the general opinion, and this change is successful, good. If there are no such examples, emphasize that you can support a decision even if it seems wrong to you (we are not talking about unethical or immoral decisions).

16. “How would other people describe you?”

I hate this question. This is a waste of words! True, one day I did ask it and received an answer that I really liked.

“People would say I am what I appear to be,” the candidate responded. “If I say something, I do it. If I promise to help, I definitely help. I don’t think that everyone likes me, but they can count on me because they know how I work.”

What could be better?

17. “What should we expect from you in the first three months of work?”

Ideally, this question should come from an employer who wants to set his expectations for a new employee.

You need to answer like this:

• You are trying to determine how your work benefits you. You don't just pretend to be busy. You do what needs to be done.
• You learn to help all participants in the process - management, colleagues, subordinates, clients, suppliers, implementers...
• You figure out what you do best. You were hired because you have specific skills, and those skills need to be applied.
• You achieve positive results, work with enthusiasm and feel part of the team.

Use this response plan, adding details that are specific to your job.

18. "What do you like to do when you're not working?"

Many companies believe that their culture is very important and use information about a candidate's preferences outside of work to determine whether they will fit into the team.

When trying to convince someone that you're a perfect fit, don't rave about activities you don't actually enjoy. Focus on activities that allow you to develop - learn something new, achieve higher goals. For example: “My children are still very young, so there is almost no free time, but on the way to work and back I learn Spanish.”

19. “How much were you paid at your previous job?”

It's a difficult question. This is usually asked before making a salary offer, and you must answer honestly, but not go wrong.

Try the method suggested by Liz Ryan. Say: “Currently, I am focusing on jobs that would allow me to earn approximately 50 thousand rubles. Your vacancy fits this criterion, right?” (Actually, you probably already know the answer, but why not play along?)

20. “A snail sits at the bottom of a well 9 meters deep. Every day it crawls 2 meters, and at night it slides down 1 meter. How many days will it take for it to crawl out of the well?”

These types of questions have become increasingly popular lately (thanks, Google!). Perhaps your interlocutor does not expect you to immediately rush to calculate. Most likely, he wants to understand how you think.

Try to solve the problem, commenting on each step. If you make a mistake, don't be afraid to laugh at yourself - maybe it's a stress test and the other person wants to see how you react to failure.

21. "Did you want to ask something?"

Don't miss the opportunity! Ask a smart question - not only to highlight your personality, but also to make sure you choose the right company. Don't forget that an interview is a two-way process.

Examples of questions:

22. “What results should I achieve during the first three months of work?”

If you haven't been asked this question, ask yourself. For what? Good candidates are eager to hit the ground running. They don't want to spend weeks and months "getting to know the organizational structure better." They see no point in orientation events and prefer to learn as they go.

They want to be useful now.

23. “Name three qualities that your best employees have.”

Good candidates want to be good employees. They know that every company is different and requires different qualities to be successful.

Maybe all the good employees work late. Maybe you value creativity more than the ability to strictly follow protocol. Maybe you are trying to conquer new markets, so attracting new customers is more important to you than long-term relationships with old ones. Or maybe you need someone who is willing to spend an equal amount of time on a first-time buyer and a regular wholesale customer.

Good candidates need to know this. They want to make sure not only that they will fit into the team, but also that they can achieve success.

24. “What actually determines the results of work in this position?”

By investing in employees, employers expect them to bring profit (otherwise why pay them at all?).

In every job, there are activities that provide greater returns than others. You need an HR professional to fill open positions, but in reality they need to find the right people, thereby minimizing turnover rates, reducing the cost of training new employees and increasing overall productivity.

You need a repairman to fix appliances, but in reality he needs to effectively solve customer problems and build relationships with them so that they come back to him again and again.

Good candidates want to know what qualities will enable them to make the greatest contribution, because their personal success depends on the success of the entire company.

25. "List the company's priorities for this year. How can I contribute if I take this position?"

Every candidate wants to know that their work matters to others.

Good candidates want to do meaningful work, serve a higher purpose, and work with people who share their values.

Otherwise, the work becomes meaningless.

Employees who love their work are sure to recommend the employer to their friends and acquaintances. The same goes for managers - they always bring with them those with whom they have worked before. It took them a long time to prove their competence and build relationships based on trust, so people instinctively follow them.

All this speaks about the quality of the working environment and the atmosphere in the team.

27. “What will you do if..?”

Every company has problems - technologies become outdated, new competitors appear on the market, economic trends are constantly changing. Not everyone has economic moats to protect them.

Even if a candidate views the employer as a launching pad for a high jump, he still hopes for growth and development. By accepting the employer's offer, each employee hopes to leave him of his own free will, and not because the company was forced out of the market.

Let's say you own a ski shop. Another store has opened about a kilometer away. How do you plan to deal with competition? Or let's say you have a poultry farm. What will you do to reduce your feed costs?

Good candidates don't just want to understand how you think. They want to know what you are going to do in the near future and whether there is room for them in your plan.

Jeff Haden inc.com. Translation: Airapetova Olga

• Career and Self-development