An interview is the decider. Your answers at the interview will tell the interviewer whether you fit their job profile or not.

It may not be possible to be 100% right or meet expectations but if you can match most, you can be sure the job is yours. Preparation ahead of the event gives you confidence and more chances of success.

“So many people out there have no idea what they want to do for a living, but they think that by going on job interviews they'll magically figure it out. If you're not sure, that message comes out loud and clear in the interview.”-- Todd Bermont

How you tackle a job interview determines your success in landing a job. There are questions most interviewers will ask and expect you to answer right. A few of these questions you may face and the appropriate answers are given below as a guideline to help:

1 Why would you want to work in our company?
To give the best answer to this question, research the company before you go for the interview. In your answer give a recap of the positive attributes of the company and close by stating that the company provides you with just the right sort of stable and happy work environment that will encourage you to deliver your best. Emphasize that pay is of secondary importance. You can say that you enjoy your work, you are proud of your skills and that you would like to share the company's values and become an asset.

2 An interviewer will ask you what you liked or disliked about your previous or current job that moves you to seek a change.

Explain keeping in mind what the interviewer said while introducing the company before the start. You can take your clues from his statement. You may state that you liked everything about your previous job, are quite happy with your existing job and that you have learned a lot along the way.

Refrain from negative statements of current or past employers. You can say that you would like to make a greater contribution and are looking for a company that will give you full scope to put your skills and training to better use. Praise the company and say you see in it a greater scope to deliver more.

3 Another question that most interviewers are likely to ask is what you would like to do in five years' time.
A safe answer is to say you see yourself as a professional and a team player.

You may state that your promotion depends on working with the right manager. An acceptable response is to say that you have an idea of the company's operations and since you specialize in it, you see yourself giving the best in that area. You could say you will focus on your areas of expertise and obtain still more skills while at work to forge ahead.

4 If an interviewer asks about your biggest accomplishments till date, the answer is to “focus”
on your job achievements so far yet take time to say that your biggest achievements are still to come. What you have achieved thus far is a contribution as a key team player, learning all the while and that you are fine honing skills to achieve still more. Never exaggerate or underplay achievements.

5 If an interviewer asks if you can work under pressure.
Don't give a simple Yes or No reply. Elaborate. It is an opportunity to state your special skills and sell yourself to the interviewer. This is a chance to say you enjoy working under pressure but, like everyone else, appreciate planning and management of time.

In every interview I have ever read or seen or taken part in, the final question in our future-oriented society is always, What next? - Jessica Savitch

7 How do you take direction? The purpose of this question is to find out if you are receptive and are a team player. Companies like team players and low maintenance professionals who likes to clarify questions before proceeding with a job in hand. If there are doubts, such employees ask for directions on how to proceed. Companies also like to know how employees react to criticism. The answer should take care of both matters. You could elaborate by saying that you are amenable to taking directions that help get the job done faster and better. Criticism, for you, is a positive thing that helps you improve and grow.

8 Tell me about yourself?
This is a tricky one and you could end up talking a lot about yourself. It is best to ask a question about which aspect he would like to know. The interviewer will respond by giving you the right pointer and you can take it up from there and mention relevant matters. The deliver could include key profile of yourself, highlighting your integrity or other qualities. If you like communicating with people, say so and give an example from personal life as well as work. Talk about matters you think are relevant to the job and the company you wish to work for.

9 What is the most difficult situation you have faced?
When an interviewer asks this question he wants to know how you interpret the word “difficult” and how you handle situations. Have a story ready that will highlight your handling of a tough situation and show you in a good light. Elaborate how you resolved a situation in the best interests of the company.

10 What are some of the things that bother you? Your pet peeves and hates? Tell me the last time you felt anger while on the job. You must, in your answer, establish beyond doubt that you are capable of maintaining balance and calm even in situations that are irritating and provoking. Employers do not like scenes nor provocations. The higher up a corporate ladder a person climbs, the more he is expected to keep his cool, even in the most trying circumstances. In your answer demonstrate how you have tried the best to keep calm, stating examples from your current or previous jobs.

11 Do you prefer working alone or as a team player with others in the office? Know beforehand whether the job needs you to be a team player or a lone wolf. Answer appropriately stating that you are comfortable working alongside others in order to achieve a common company objective but when and where needed you can work alone and handle situations. It may not be possible to be 100% right or meet expectations but if you can match most, you can be sure the job is yours. Preparation ahead of the event gives you confidence and more chances of success.

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One Killer Job Interview Question: You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about. Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car. Think before you continue reading.

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again. The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

What did he say?
He simply answered: “I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams!”

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations.
----- Never forget to “Think Outside of the Box."