Dated August 17,2005
Recently, one of the interview panel members asked me, "Are you a self-starter? Support your response with suitable examples." How should one go about answering this question?
RUDRARAJU
Visakhapatnam
The answer to this question should always be a "yes", and the ideal answer includes an example of how you work with minimal supervision, keep your skills current without being told, or talk about an instance when you took it upon yourself to be more efficient, accurate or productive.
Example: "Yes, I am definitely a self-starter. When I worked at _______ Corporation, I was positive that the firm would be adopting a new operating system within a year, so I started taking classes at a local institute after working hours in order to prepare myself for the development. I was the only one in the office who knew how to operate the equipment when it was installed, so I was appointed trainer. I subsequently trained the rest of my co-workers. I did receive a reward for my work on that project."
In a recent interview I was asked, "How do you react to criticism from supervisors that you consider to be unjust? Did you ever encounter any such situations?" Please suggest an appropriate answer.
VV VISHWANATHAN
Chennai
The only way to answer this question correctly is to present yourself as a person who can handle criticism without becoming angry, defensive, vengeful or arrogant, yet, not let others intimidate or blame you when you don't deserve it.
Example: "There was a time when I was deeply hurt when a supervisor pointed out a mistake I had made in an area I needed to improve. And, felt somewhat defensive. However, through the years, I have learned that no one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes and needs to improve in certain areas, so I shouldn't take criticism so personally. Therefore, I have learned to take it on the chin without becoming defensive or feeling hurt. I just take a few days to think about what was said and if I feel the criticism is warranted, I take steps to improve my performance.
If I feel the criticism was unjustified, I will sit down with my supervisor and calmly discuss the reasons why I feel the criticism was unjustified."
"How do you resolve disputes with co-workers and handle conflicts?" What's the appropriate answer for this interview question?
CHITRA
Mysore
Don't claim that you never had a dispute with a co-worker. The interviewer will know you are fibbing, since getting along with all co-workers is unusual - there will always be at least one person you cannot stand. The best answer to this question tells the interviewer about a dispute you had with a co-worker and how you resolved it so that the outcome was positive. Your answer should convey the interviewer how you resolved it on your own, and hopefully, that you and this other person are able to work together productively.
Also, concentrate on offering an example of how you resolved a work-related conflict rather than disclosing a personal feud over some petty subject. For example, telling the interviewer about your problems getting a co-worker to take your suggestions on a specific project seriously is a much better topic than telling the interviewer about your feud with another over borrowing a magazine in the office library.
In addition, don't tell the interviewer that you resolved a dispute by approaching the boss or scheming against him. Employers are sick of dealing with employee conflicts and they want a mature person who can resolve conflicts on their own without tattling or complaining to the boss.
The FAQ column deals with career concerns addressed to the C&K Management Ltd. P.O. Box 2178, Secunderabad 500003 or emailed to faqs@cnkonline.com
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