Interview Questions, more detailed

You can tell the holidays are upon us. I will apologize in advance for not posting as frequently. Our holiday store keeps me very busy!

Here are 3 interview questions. The question you will likely hear from the potential employer is indicated in bold but you should remember to "drive-it-home" by answering the associated unspoken part of the question in parenthesis:

1) Where do you see yourself in 5 years? (Answer this question as it relates to growth within the company. Would you like to become a manager? Or, would you like to work with a team to develop a new program or model? The point is: How are you going to grow professionally? The point is not: I want a brand new convertible, 4 kids and a huge house.)

2) What do you know about this company? (You can give a few general statements like their mission or company goals. However, you want to choose a specific piece of information about the company and relate it back to your skills. For example: "Your company has a target of becoming carbon neutral by 2025. Two years ago I was the team leader with a company and we were able to reduce our carbon footprint by 50% by implementing a, b, and c policies that I developed.")

3) Describe your work ethic. (First you can list characteristics like dependable, goal-oriented, hard-working, etc. HOWEVER, these characteristics mean nothing unless you provide the interviewer with examples that STICK. For example: "While I was working for XYZ organization I developed an educational program for young children on a limited budget. In order to accomplish my goal and execute the program on-time I networked with local teachers to gather resources. My educational program was engaging for the children and I was asked to give the program again at a local school.")