MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016/PRNewswire / -- A job interview can be nerve-racking, but add oddball questions to the mix, and you have a formula for a challenging discussion. The good news for job seekers is that many employers prefer to stick with standard inquiries, according to a survey by staffing firm Accountemps. Questions about applicants' interest in the position and company were most frequently cited as senior managers' favorites (39 percent), followed by asking about candidates' previous experience (22 percent).
However, unique questions are never off the table. Some senior managers cited these as their go-tos:
- 'What kind of animal would you be?'
- 'If you could have all the ice cream in the world, how many different flavors would you take to make a sundae and how many toppings would you pick?'
- 'Use an ad slogan to describe yourself.'
- 'Tell me something different about yourself that's not written on your resume.'
- 'Which magazines do you read?'
- 'What did you want to be when you grew up?'
Senior managers were asked, 'When interviewing job candidates, what is your favorite question to ask?' Their responses fell into the categories below*:
Pertaining to the position or company | 39% |
Previous or current experience | 22% |
Personal attributes and characteristics | 18% |
Personal goals and interests | 10% |
Theoretical questions | 6% |
Other | 6% |
101% |
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding |
'While you can't predict every question you may hear during an interview, candidates should practice responding to commonly asked questions to impress hiring managers,' said Bill Driscoll, district president for Accountemps. 'Knowing your audience is crucial. Learn as much as you can about the company and position by conducting research, reading relevant news and reaching out to your network for insights.'
Senior managers reported the following interview questions among their favorites, and Accountemps offers the reasons they are commonly asked:
Category | Questions | What the hiring manager is trying to learn |
Company or position |
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Experience |
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Personal attributes or characteristics |
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Personal goals |
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About the Research
The survey was created by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 300 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the United States.
About Accountemps
Accountemps, a Robert Halfcompany, is the world's first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. The staffing firm has more than 325 offices worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the company's blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.
SOURCE Accountemps
For further information: Shilpa Ahuja, 925.913.2796, shilpa.ahuja@roberthalf.com
RHI - Robert Half International Inc. published this content on 28 September 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 28 September 2016 12:25:09 UTC.
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