There are quite a lot of managerial vacancies today. But there are even more people who want to get this position. How can you prepare to be at the forefront of this race for office? Especially if you feel that working as a manager is exactly your path in life?
The labor market in the modern world is like gladiator fights. And to get through this battle, you need significant advantages, will and a constant desire to achieve the maximum. In this article we will look at the main points when preparing for an interview. What should you pay attention to, how to be confident and how to show your competence?
Employer requirements
But let's start with how do employers look at candidates? Seeing the situation from their point of view, we can soberly assess ourselves. Adjust the direction of your personal growth. What do they require? It is important for employers that an employee devotes himself completely and unconditionally to the needs of their company. In most advertisements we find the following requirements:
- Ability to build relationships and negotiate.
- Efficiency of decision making.
- Dedication to work, responsibility.
- Self-organization and ability to organize others.
- Scrupulousness.
- Self-development skills.
- Ability to set goals and develop plans.
- Orientation to achieve success.
- Ability to manage your time.
That's right. The company that has a comfortable moral and psychological climate works better., where employees are jointly responsible for the results of their work and are not afraid to take initiative. To do this, the person who is at the head of all processes must be an undoubted leader. He must develop strategic thinking, have a high level of self-control, and also need to understand his motives and subordinates. After all, if a person does not have a motive for activity, it is impossible to “force” him to work. Working with people also involves great responsibility.
The manager is responsible for all the work performed by his subordinates. And, if necessary, he must intervene and help solve the difficulties that have arisen. This means that he needs to know thoroughly the entire process that he controls. You need to plan your time according to the importance of the tasks.
Based on the above qualities, we can draw a picture of an ideal manager. Now ask yourself, what is your motivation? Are you ready to move closer to this ideal step by step, achieve better results, climb the career ladder, and at the same time sacrifice the interests of your personality?
Create a "face". Secrets of a leader's image
We found that those with leadership abilities and exceptional analytical thinking have a better chance of getting a job as a manager. Your task at the interview is to demonstrate all these qualities to the interviewer with your appearance and behavior.
Show that you have your own view of things and events around you. Show that you have formed as a person and you have your own image. But don't overdo it. Your behavior should be natural. Otherwise you will look funny. Creating your image takes a little practice.
- Exude confidence. Work in front of the mirror with facial expressions and gestures. If your facial expressions or posture indicate tightness or stiffness, then fortune may turn away from you. You can't put your hands together. You should also avoid crossing your legs. The best position is to sit upright with your hands on the table or on your knees. Watch your posture. While talking, make eye contact. Otherwise, your interlocutor may get the impression that you have a problem with contacts.
- Polish your speech. The leader must express himself clearly, concisely and to the point. But at the same time, speech must be free. Don't let anxiety spoil your impression of yourself. Remember that communication skills are essential for a leader.
- Appearance. You will benefit if you dress presentably and tastefully. Think about what shoes you will wear. Choose accessories. Your appearance shows your inner state. Show that your credo is neatness and accuracy. Your hair, arms, cuffs - everything should look perfect. But by no means pretentious.
- Openness and optimism. It is important to show the interviewer that you are optimistic about the future: you have personal goals that you are striving for. If the interviewer sees that you are full of enthusiasm and are ready to move mountains for the sake of a goal, you can safely count on success. But still, personal goals cannot contradict corporate ones. On the contrary, they need to be brought as close as possible.
- Brave, active position and quick mind. You can show these qualities in conversation. To do this, find out everything about the company in advance and tell us what you think about its position in the market. Ask what priority tasks the director of the company sets for you. Find out if the owner plans to expand his business. All these questions will show your competence, maturity, and intelligence at the same time.
Types of interviews and principles of behavior
Since competition in the labor market is high, education and experience do not play a decisive role in the choice. So prepare yourself for trials and tribulations. The interview may be arranged to test your knowledge, mental stability or other criteria. Everyone knows about the usual biographical interview. But let's talk about some types of interviews that go beyond a simple one-on-one conversation. And how to behave in front of them.
Panel. During such an interview, two or three people may talk to you. Each of them evaluates a certain criterion. And then he gives his verdict to the director who makes the decision.
Principle of behavior. Each interviewer has his own plan of questions. Don't interrupt him. You will be able to ask prepared questions at the end of the interview. Don't make excuses. Be honest and friendly in your answers.
Stressful interview. It is carried out by one person or several at the same time. Their task is to take the applicant beyond the comfort zone. That is, a person is deliberately enraged: they can shout or, on the contrary, turn away and not listen at all. Try to be calm and natural. The candidate is deliberately made angry to see how he copes with stress.
Principle of behavior. Be friendly and answer the questions asked with dignity. If you remain calm and behave confidently when communicating with a clearly inadequate interlocutor, you will successfully pass the selection.
Competency interview. You are asked a series of questions that will be analyzed further. The questions will relate to the content of your work. Or simulate a situation from which you must exit in a certain way. This is how the employer extracts the necessary information about the applicant and assesses his level of training. The problems of psychological compatibility of employees often fall on the shoulders of the manager. Perhaps the employer wants to know about your experience in solving such problems.
Principle of behavior. Try to imagine this situation and find at least some solution.
By being aware of all the pitfalls that can block your path to obtaining the desired position, you can be better prepared. By working on yourself, you will certainly achieve your cherished goal. After all, luck favors the strongest.
To understand how to pass an interview for a leadership position, what answers to questions need to be given, let’s first figure out who is conducting the interview.
Interviews for management positions may be conducted: owner or head of the organization, HR director, line manager, HR manager, selection and hiring of personnel.
The interviewer must have the necessary knowledge about the needs and state of the employing organization, the structure, the role of departments, the nature of the business, be able to understand people, be sociable, and have the skills to conduct an interview with a candidate for a leadership position.
He must understand the difference between how to interview for the position of store director, department head in a large company, financial director or manager.
Search, initial selection and interviews when selecting candidates for top managers have recently been trusted to independent recruiting agencies or Executive search agencies.
Executive search (qualitative search) is a new technology for recruiting highly qualified personnel, including managers at various levels, for Russia.
Includes studying the validity of the order, the capabilities of the customer organization, determining the desired psychotype of the proposed employee, an active search for candidates, collecting detailed data about applicants and their analysis, pre-selection and interviewing, preparing the customer and the applicant for an interview.
Qualities required for a leader
What kind of leader should a company or enterprise be? 
Extensive knowledge in a particular field of activity, professional skills and abilities are necessary, but are not decisive in the choice.
A competently conducted interview reveals the presence of qualities and competencies inherent in an effective leader.
For example, responsibility, ability to work, acceptance of corporate norms, mission, rules, pace and intensity of work.
Qualities and skills required for a leader:
- skills of conducting effective negotiations at different levels (intra-collective, intermediary, international), attracting clients, successful interaction with partners, subordinates, managers;
- the ability for self-education, self-analysis, rapid adaptation to new working conditions, perception, evaluation and optimal use of innovations, critical assessment and in-depth analysis of commercial situations, the market, and the production environment;
- optimal behavioral reactions in everyday, critical, extreme, conflict situations;
- experience in selecting a successful and efficient team, team building, gaining authority and respect from subordinates, creating optimal interpersonal relationships;
- the ability to correctly identify and set realistic goals and objectives, clearly plan work, provide optimal conditions for implementing the plan, make optimal use of time, material, financial, human and third-party resources;
- high intellectual level, creative thinking, independence in decision making, initiative, self-control, discipline.
The interview allows you to determine and mutually adjust the level of payment, claims in relation to personnel growth and self-realization, provision of benefits, social security, and motivational mechanisms.
That’s why it’s important to have a clear understanding of how to properly interview for a leadership position and how to prepare for it.
Algorithm
How to behave during an interview for a leadership position? What questions to ask a manager during an interview? An interview with a future manager requires more thorough preparation than the procedure provided for workers and employees. 
Preparation for an interview for a manager or assistant manager includes::
- compiling a profile of an applicant for a vacancy;
- collection of detailed information, feedback on personal, professional and leadership qualities, implemented and failed projects, previous places of work;
- study of resumes, recommendations;
- choosing the type of interview, interviewer and interview strategy, drawing up a questionnaire;
- preliminary telephone conversation with the applicant;
- creating comfortable conditions for carrying out, assigning time, duration and place.
The interview procedure itself consists of getting to know the candidate, interviews, announcement of preliminary results, notification to the candidate about the time of making a final decision or additional tests.
Types of interviews
Based on the goals set, several types of interviews or a compilation of them are used, and, accordingly, the questions at an interview for a leadership position can be very different.
Biographical
It involves answering biographical questions about education, marital status, work experience, personal strengths and weaknesses, habits, interests.
Most often used as a preliminary stage of an interview. The information received, willingness to give answers, sincerity, and demeanor are assessed.
Behavioral
Aimed at collecting information about previous activities, experience, relationships with the team and management at the previous place of work, work methods usual for the applicant, behavior in case of failures, conflicts, and stressful situations.
Situational interview
When conducting (case interviews, interviews), the level of analytical thinking and the ability to analyze the problem that has arisen are revealed.
And also, logically justify the methods, possibilities, ways of solving it, the presence of analytical and creative thinking, methods of intra-group interaction, the ability to take responsibility for the decision, professional competence.
Case interviews can be conducted individually or in a group. Applicants are asked to find an effective solution to a real or abstract problem in a limited period of time.
For example: “How to tear a thick magazine in half with your hands?”, “How to increase the impact of your department’s activities?”
Panel interview (carousel)
Gives an idea of the participant’s communication skills. It is carried out in a group with the involvement of department heads and personnel department employees and consists of solving a problem that requires collective discussion, distribution of roles and responsibilities and making a final decision.
The candidate may be asked to draw up an implementation plan for a specific project. Together with critically minded interview participants, he will have to answer the questions posed to several interviewers at once, evaluating the answers to the interview for a leadership position from different points of view.
Stressful interview
It is used when selecting candidates for a position that requires resolving frequent conflicts when working with “difficult” colleagues.
The applicant is placed in obviously uncomfortable conditions. A fast pace of conversation may be set, unfavorable conditions for the procedure may be created (conversation “on the run”, presence of strangers, absent-mindedness, inattention, rush of the interviewer). Inconvenient, impartial, provocative questions may be asked during an interview for a managerial position: “We know that you have been caught in bribery, please comment?”, “Are you still single because of your quarrelsome nature?”
In this tough way, the candidate’s resistance to stress, ability to control himself, find a solution and maintain his ability to work in critical situations are tested.
Free-form or mixed interview
Done most often. The structure is determined based on the specific vacancy, the nature of the company’s activities, and the customer’s preferences.
At the request of senior management, an applicant for a leadership position may be offered:
- pass qualifying, psychological;
- pass a written exam for literacy and knowledge of certain areas of activity;
- write an essay about your future job;
- make a presentation;
- take part in a business lunch to get to know each other better.
Standard questions
Regardless of the chosen type of interview with the future leader, it usually contains biographical, goal-setting, motivational, professional categories that determine the leadership, managerial, and personal qualities of the applicant.
The most frequently asked questions are::
- What attracts you to our company?
- How do you assess the company’s potential and its development prospects?
- What are your expectations? How well do you understand the area of the proposed activity?
- Your successes and failures?
- How are you going to build relationships with future subordinates? What are your working methods?
- Do you plan to improve your professional qualifications, expand your scope of activity, and in what ways?
- Acceptable minimum payment?
How to pass an interview successfully
So how do you interview for a leadership position? And most importantly, how to properly pass an interview for a leadership position? To obtain a management position You should prepare for the interview and follow simple rules:
- get acquainted with information about the activities of the organization that has opened the vacancy, its history, prospects, partners, management;
- study the requirements for the candidate in detail;
- think through answers to expected questions based not only on professional knowledge, but also on personal experience, select possible examples from your practice;
- prepare short, accurate, non-clarification answers about your biography and previous place of work;
- make a list of 3-4 questions for a potential employer, showing interest in future work and awareness of the state of affairs in the organization;
- delve into the essence of the question, assume the most desirable answer for the employer, answer as sincerely as possible, focusing on your actions as a leader, a professional in successful and problematic situations;
- watch your speech. The answer must be logically structured, specific, and comprehensive;
- It is necessary to observe business etiquette and adhere to the corporate dress code. Adhere to a tactful, polite, confident demeanor even with provocative, harsh interviewing methods;
- At the end of the interview, clarify the timing and form of the answer.
Be prepared that a second interview with your supervisor may be scheduled.
results
During the interview for the position of manager, notes are made about the impression made, demeanor, and communication style. The necessary information is recorded.
If the interview was not conducted by the manager directly making the decision, the manager is provided with information about the most promising candidates and recommendations for accepting the position or holding an additional meeting. In this case, a second stage of interview with the manager can be organized.
The results must be communicated to the applicant within 10 days in writing, by phone, Skype or email.
If candidates are rejected, they must be informed with an apology for wasted time. It is advisable to provide the reason for refusal.
Business etiquette requires an applicant for a leadership position, if the interview lasts more than 20 minutes, to send a letter of thanks for the attention shown in the next 3 days. A week from the date of the interview, you can ask the HR manager about the decision made, thereby emphasizing your interest in the vacancy.
An effectively conducted interview with candidates for the position of manager makes it possible to determine the degree to which the professional and personal qualities of the applicant coincide with the goals of the organization. Identify the most suitable candidate and significantly shorten the subsequent adaptation period.
We hope you now know how to prepare and how to successfully pass an interview for a management position, what questions may be asked and the answers to them, and also what cases exist for an interview for a manager.
Watch the video: 7 rules for a successful interview for a manager position.
Good afternoon, dear friend!
In cab The candidate comes into the General's Internet. General: “I can only give you five minutes! We already know something about you, everything is clear to me.” “Of course, of course... I won’t detain you.” — the candidate became noticeably nervous. What are such lunges and hard attacks used for? questions during an interview for a leadership position, today we’ll talk.
The dialogue described above is a real situation from the practice of the author of these lines.
After the meeting, the general, in my questioning glance, said the following:
“Why so tough? My friend, we are selecting a candidate for the position of Director of Operations. I need to know who I'm dealing with. Did you see how he flashed it? The heads of the workshops will simply peck him and all the issues will have to be resolved by me.”
We must be prepared for such twists and turns during interviews. Especially if we are applying for a leadership position.
Please understand that the tough interview stage has nothing to do with how qualified or experienced you are for the position. It relates to you personally.
Typically, a manager (less often a recruiter) uses tough tactics for one of two purposes:
- Test your strength. Is it possible to deal with you as an equal partner or can you dictate terms now and in the future?
- Make you weaker. If you don’t act out the attack, fall into a stupor, or show excessive emotions that will interfere with you, you become weaker and can be pushed through, for example, over salary. To the very bottom.
They negotiate with the strong, dictate terms to the weak.
Typical psychological attack techniques
- Personal attack.
“Are you even competent in this topic? How are we going to talk to you?”
- Status pressure
Long waits in the corridor, limited conversation time (as in the example I gave).
“You were still in kindergarten when I was sorting out issues like this!”
- Creating an uncomfortable situation
A low or too high chair, light in the face from the window.
When you experience awkwardness at the body level, you do not gain strength. The lion's share of your energy goes into maintaining this uncomfortable position.
- Silent dialogue
“Well, you tell me first, and I’ll listen and see what your level is.”
To be fair, I will say that the tough part of the interview is precisely the part, the initial test.
The content of the business part of the conversation largely depends on how you go through it.
Rules of the game
To survive a tough interview, you need to correctly play the games that are offered to you.
At each point in time, you should test what stage the interview is at and what state you are in.
It is important to separate emotion and technology.
The main principle of a tough interview is to create uncomfortable emotions.If you are led, you become weaker.
If you understand: yes, I have negative emotions, but this is part of the game, you can move on.
If you know that status attack is an emotional game, you simply play by those rules.Try to win back the attack.If you didn’t win back, you were demoted one rank lower.
Know that after the first attack, a second one may follow until you reach the bottom.
Try not to start the main part of the conversation if you have not regained emotional balance.
Provocation is part of this tough interview technique.
Response Strategies
It's important to understand here:
1. What is this game for?.
What type of person does a leader select for his team? Or why the recruiter does this.
If this is just a test of your emotional stability, you can simply ignore the attack.
2. What status in further conversation and possibly relationships will suit you?. If you want to show the personal strength of a person of equal level with whom you need to negotiate, I recommend avoiding the following mistakes:
A) Ignore the attack. You will immediately be counted in the weaker category. If a suitable answer doesn’t come to mind, use it. Make a joke? You can try it if you are sure it will be funny.
b) Make excuses. “Oh, I’ll explain now, the thing is... you see...”
You are giving up your position.
V) Go into conflict
Argue, prove, if you understand that this is an attack on you, and not an ordinary fair question.
This is very important to share.
Worst response strategy — carry on a conversation from a state of need. Neediness is the fear of failing an interview. Dependency on the outcome, vulnerability to the final outcome.
You seem to become so small and dependent on the person opposite.
Markers of state of need/fear:
- verbosity - as if you are afraid of being late, that they will not hear you, will not understand you.
- no pauses or questions
- talk more about yourself, and not about the tasks of the company and partner
- not accepting the answer “no”. You make concessions because you are afraid of getting a “no” answer.
Best Response Strategy — keep dignity, inner contact with your value and the benefit you can bring.
Conviction of your value and usefulness for the people with whom you communicate is a state of dignity. And there is no need to prove or convince anything.
It is from this state of dignity that one should communicate. Like Vysotsky: “You can’t rummage through something like that...”)
Markers of the state of dignity:
- You are talking with the interlocutor, and not with your internal dialogue.
- Ask questions.
- You can start talking freely about him and his needs. If necessary, you really want to talk about yourself.
One of the markers of this state: can you say the phrase: “You can refuse...”?
Just make an offer: “You can say no and you and I won’t waste our time.” In a state of need it is very difficult to say this phrase.
Techniques for repelling a psychological attack
In this article we said that you have a preliminary offer. This is what you go to the manager with.
If not, these may be your advantages, the answer to the question “?”. This is your strong point.
Deflecting an emotional attack is not a substantive response.
This is not an excuse, a rebuttal, or an argument.
This is the bridge to your skate.
The answer in most cases begins with the words “You are absolutely right...”, or something like that. Accompanied by a slight smile at the tips of the lips. Just not to your ears and God forbid with laughter.
1. Strengthening the attack
- I can only give you five minutes!
Let’s pause. “You’re absolutely right, I think 4 minutes is enough to understand whether it’s worth continuing to communicate.” That is why I will be brief and get to what I would like to say...
2. Breaking the pattern
- No need for a portfolio, tell me quickly... And he expects you to fuss and apologize...
- You are absolutely right. Don't show it. If you're willing to make a decision based on a short verbal conversation, great. It is important that this will be your decision...”
The main thing is that you have shown that you have value and that you value your time and are not afraid to leave.
3. Clarification of content
— I heard your managers are dishonest...
— You are absolutely right, sometimes employees are dishonest (remember?). I hope you have strong arguments and evidence. We can devote time to analyzing them or move on to what I would like to say.”
You have no need, you are not afraid that work will elude you. And when you're not afraid, you're much more likely to get it.
4. Compliment the attack
“You are absolutely right, Lev Abramovich. Thank you for clearly and most importantly loudly conveying your position. Now please listen to my..."
5. I'm flattered
“There are rumors that you need to be kept on your toes...”
“I am flattered that a person of your level is interested in me, but I am surprised that he stands on other people’s opinions. That is why we can give each other the opportunity to discuss this issue in today's conversation.”
It is very important that your answers do not contain irony, let alone mockery.
6. Game in the fog
Read more about this technique. You can also use other techniques from this article to relieve anxiety.
So, let's summarize:
- Distinguish between the business side and the tough emotional part of the conversation.
- In the tough phase of the interview, there are rules and response strategies.
- It is important to constantly monitor your condition and what phase of the interview you are in.
- Reflecting any psychological attack is not a meaningful discussion. This is a way to jump on your skate.
You may find the techniques for fending off emotional attacks difficult. Especially if you are not one of those who won’t go out of their way to say a word. Indeed, people often get lost in the event of unexpected collisions.
But the very understanding that this is just a trick is an important step towards the ability to repel attacks and behave with dignity. The skill will come gradually. And it will serve you faithfully not only during the interview.
Thank you for your interest in the article.
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Have a nice day!
An interview is an extremely important event, not only for a potential employee, but also for the head of the company. The first wants to get a job, the second wants to get a highly qualified employee. Read on in our article about how to pass an interview for a managerial position (what to look for and what questions the recruiter will ask you). We will also tell you what answers should be given to the questions posed to you and what should not be done under any circumstances.
First, let's say a few words about the preparation stage on the eve of the interview - what can you do for yourself in advance (while still in your home)?
Preparatory stage before the interview
Of course, before going to an interview, any person strives to be as prepared as possible for it. This is the right decision, because only in this way can you impress a potential boss and demonstrate to him your best qualities, which the company so needs. Therefore, you should start preparing for this event in advance - and not “feverishly” and vaguely figure out what to say, already in the employer’s office. In fact, this is the most common mistake among applicants - not taking a particular interview very seriously.
If an institution conducts interviews for a management position, the selection is carried out according to the most stringent criteria. Only the most outstanding of all possible candidates will be selected. Working in any position requires the availability of appropriate knowledge and skills. But someone who wants to become a leader must have other virtues - just having knowledge is not enough. A potential manager must show his personal qualities, solid work experience and achievements in this field. He should be different (for the better) from an applicant applying for an ordinary position (for example, a consultant).
What is the recruiter interested in?
What is the recruiter interested in?
When conducting such an interview, the recruiter will try to carefully study the candidate from every available angle. The applicant will have to answer a huge number of questions from a variety of areas. Most of all in such cases, the candidate’s qualities are studied such as:
- intellectual level;
- qualities inherent in a leader (does this applicant have them);
- innovative thinking (will he be able to offer some new ideas that will contribute to the development of the company);
- the ability to influence others;
- views and ideas;
- commercial savvy;
- strategic vision;
- attracting resources from outside;
- effectiveness;
- ability to negotiate with third parties;
- ability to attract attention and lead in relationships;
- solid work experience.
Questions from the candidate
Often the interview is carried out according to the following scheme: first, the potential boss talks about the position itself, listing the responsibilities, likely prospects and career growth. Further clarification of details and details follows. Only after this the candidate himself has the right to ask the recruiter his questions during the interview.
A small but important clarification: the applicant not only has the right, he is obliged to ask such questions! If he has nothing to ask his potential boss, then he has no interest in the future job and position. There is no need to prepare a huge list of these questions - you can limit yourself to two or three.
Do not forget that the main goal of the interview is to identify as many details as possible about each candidate. In other words, we are talking about “probing” them, testing their abilities and skills. You can ask about all other issues that concern you only when you have already been offered to enter into an employment agreement.
Sometimes, at the very beginning of the interview, the employer asks the candidate to tell him what his life position, goals and plans for the future are. In other words, what would he like to achieve in his career. It is necessary to provide clear and comprehensive answers to such questions, so it is better to prepare for them in advance - while still at home.
Of course, any applicant is concerned with the following question: how to successfully pass an interview for a leadership position?
Questions from the candidate
What does a manager ask most often?
What questions should someone who wants to get a leadership position answer?
The interview includes not just standard questions for each case (a story about yourself, the company, about your strengths and weaknesses, and so on). It also asks questions directly related to future responsibilities. They sound like this:
- What leadership qualities do you have?
- Tell me, what professional mistakes have you made in the past? What conclusions were drawn?
- Can you influence employees?
The recruiter also often asks the candidate to come up with a specific case and asks how the applicant will solve the current situation.
Since the main purpose of the interview is to find a leader, they may also ask the following question: “What (in your opinion) qualities are inherent in an excellent leader?” You will have to list them.
It is worth remembering the following important point: competent management of working personnel requires the presence of the following qualities in the manager:
- He must give the impression of a person confident in himself and his abilities.
- Must be brave.
- Have a worldview.
- Possess communication skills.
- Must be able to conduct self-analysis.
- Must be able to create a cohesive team without any problems (one that will listen to him without unnecessary objections).
- Must be able to provide support to any of his subordinates.
All of the above qualities of an excellent leader are highlighted when answering the question posed by the manager. Of course, when answering questions from a manager or employer, there is no need to fall into demagoguery. That is, you should not start lengthy explanations and clarifications - this will definitely not lead to anything good for you - the interlocutor will simply get tired of you and consider you a talker (and will try to “get rid of” you as quickly as possible under any euphonious pretext).
At the same time, the “dry” circumstances of your experience will also not make the best impression, since competent and beautiful speech is extremely important for a leader - while observing the “golden” mean.
If you are talking about your own experience, be sure to explain how you resolved the problem that arose, what problems you dealt with in your time, and what you were able to achieve. Here you need to remember this important point: make sure that your story is consistent (step-by-step). At the same time, you should not regularly insert the word “I”. The manager may consider that you are an upstart, an egoist, which will not increase your chances of getting the desired position.
Questions and answers: how to give competent answers
So, you are facing an interview because you have a desire to find a job in a management position. You enter the office and see the manager (or direct employer) who previously invited you for an interview. Now everything depends solely on you - how you prove yourself and build your future career. How to build a competent dialogue? How to answer manager's questions?
What should you pay attention to? For the following features.
Feature one: Listen to your interlocutor’s questions carefully and with concentration. There is no need to be distracted by anything or think about something extraneous. This is completely unnecessary. Did you listen to the question to the end? Great, now quickly conduct a mental analysis: what answer would the employer like to receive from you? If something is not entirely clear to you (the question asked to you is not fully understood), it is better to apologize and ask to ask it again. This is much better than a vague or incorrect answer to the question posed.
Try to provide your manager with evidence that the most important thing for you in your work is achieving your goals and results!
Candidate Qualities
What qualities do you need to have to get hired?
What qualities should a potential candidate for a leadership position have? Naturally, any boss prescribes for himself specific criteria according to which applicants will be selected for a vacant job. At the same time, there is a list of those qualities that a candidate must have when passing any interview (regardless of the level of the desired position).
The candidate must:
- Don't doubt yourself and your abilities.
- Look neat and tidy in appearance.
- Have letters of recommendation - for example, from a previous place of work from a satisfied employer.
- Behave culturally.
- In addition, the applicant must be distinguished by sociability - be moderately sociable and not uptight, otherwise he will never become a leader. This quality is extremely important, since a person working in such a position must be able to find a common language with different people - including his own subordinates.
It is worth noting that all of the above qualities are considered standard for any candidate for a leadership position. But there are also those that should be inherent directly to the leader himself. He must:
- Be able to manage and work with a team entrusted to him.
- Be able to work with a team.
- Offer your initiatives to achieve the desired result.
- Be able to solve several things at once, and not just one.
- Be not only responsible and serious, but also with a good sense of humor.
In other words, he must be able to laugh where it is appropriate - and concentrate where serious work is involved.
Summarizing
To summarize, we would like to point out the following: be sure to read and learn all the above criteria before going to an interview for your dream job. What should you do if it seems to you that you do not have all the above qualities? Is it really worth refusing and not going to a leadership position? Not at all.
Sometimes we show our best qualities after we begin our official duties. Just remember all these characteristics and try to live up to them! You will definitely succeed!
The purpose of each interview is to identify the positive and negative qualities of the applicant and make a decision on whether to hire him or not. An interview with a candidate for a leadership position can be quite specific. In this case, it is necessary to determine not only the professional qualities of the new employee, but also the level of competence in the field of personnel management. Therefore, an interview for a managerial position is quite difficult.
Questions that may be asked to a future manager during an interview may cover various aspects, not only long-term thinking and organizational characteristics. First of all, you should define parameters such as:
- leadership skills;
- level of influence on other people;
- way of thinking;
- strategic planning skills;
- effectiveness.
First of all, personnel officers touch upon the topic of the prospects for this position, explaining not only the functions of the manager, but also the general direction of the company’s activities. At this stage, applicants are encouraged to ask more questions to determine whether the position is right for them.
It is very important that during the interview the HR employee notes such basic qualities as:
- communication skills;
- confidence;
- the ability to analyze one’s own activities;
- the ability to introduce innovations that are positive for the company’s activities;
- ability and desire to maintain a positive attitude among subordinates.
In addition, to the future manager, whose task is to determine the applicant’s ability to think creatively. As a result of the interview, the personnel officer should see in the applicant for the position of manager a person focused on achieving a positive result.
The most common questions
An interview for a management position includes a number of typical questions that applicants are most often asked. First of all, the task of personnel officers is to determine the level of competence of the new manager. The applicant must talk about his past activities, as well as demonstrate his ability to change his profile and apply skills in another field of activity.
The leadership qualities of a manager are important. You need to show your ability to manage staff, talk about your merits, and not over-praise yourself.
The main indicator of skills is the result of past activities. Therefore, all statements should be supported by specific figures and facts. It is recommended to constantly emphasize that a high level of results was achieved thanks to teamwork and team cohesion.
To answer the question of how an applicant plans to achieve success in a new position, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in detail with the requirements for the vacancy in advance. After analyzing the information, an experienced manager is able to outline at least an approximate direction for the company's development.
One of the key topics that will have to be discussed during the interview is employee management. In particular, the applicant will be asked about methods of motivating staff that he knows about and which he has used previously. This aspect should concern not only a certain period of time: an experienced manager should know how to further develop the system of relationships between employees and how to strengthen motivation.
It is natural to ask questions about the previous failures of a candidate for a vacant position. In this case, you need to talk not only about mistakes and errors, but also inform the HR department about how the problems were resolved. As for personnel development, in almost all cases it is necessary to insist on the need to conduct trainings, seminars, and various training sessions aimed at increasing the level of qualifications of employees.
Based on the answers and information provided, HR department employees sum up the results, taking into account possible actions of the manager in the future. Therefore, every question, especially such an important one, should be thought about very carefully.
