Common Interview Questions And Answers

I was browsing the net and came over to one site that has a good articles or tips about most common jobs interview and I decided to write one in my blogs for my own purpose only or maybe for all of you who has just graduated and don't know a thing or two about it. Good luck..

Review these typical interview questions and think about how you would
answer them. Read the questions listed; you will also find some
strategy suggestions with it.

1. Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short
statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound
rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise.
Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to
the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest
back and work up to the present.

2. Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major
problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers
or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep
smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an
opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking
reasons.

3. What experience do you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for.
If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.

4. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good
explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are
on track to achieve the others.

5. What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific
statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith
Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It
is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.

6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization
before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are
going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?

7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement.
Have some good ones handy to mention.

8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus
on this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else is
a distraction.

9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the
research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremely
important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term
career goals.

10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This
can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not
relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought
of.

11. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if
you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like,
That's a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position?
In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not,
say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide
range.

12. Are you a team player?
You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready.
Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather
than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag,
just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.

13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I'd like
it to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job.

14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you
like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the
right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the
individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the
organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in
force.

15. What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here.
Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That's the
type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a
benefit to the organization.

16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type
of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.

17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying
negative things about the people or organization involved.

18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to
highlight your best points as they relate to the position being
discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.

19. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not
mention any other candidates to make a comparison.

20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted
and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work
applied for is a real plus.

21. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with
anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get
along with folks is great.

22. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability
to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your
professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude



23. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you
are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another
job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with
this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something
like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and
can't wait to get to work.

24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.

25. What are you looking for in a job?
See answer # 23

26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization,
violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections will
label you as a whiner.

27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is
no better answer.

28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,
Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver

29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of
your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a former
boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and
develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.

30. What has disappointed you about a job?
Don't get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.

31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an
example that relates to the type of position applied for.

32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want
another job more than this one.

33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition

34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.

35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a
success.Your boss tell you that you are successful

36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if
you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get
the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems
later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself
future grief.

37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead ofyour own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about
the deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.

38. Describe your management style.
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive,
salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions
depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational
style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the
situation, instead of one size fits all.

39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make
it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An
example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.

40. Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind
spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do
their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.

41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.

42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well
qualified for the position.

43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about,
bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working
quick learner.

44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of
humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All
bosses think they have these traits.

45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute betweenothers.
Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique
and not the dispute you settled.

46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.

47. Describe your work ethic.
Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to
get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.

48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show
acceptance and no negative feelings.

49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.

50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will
be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be
productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? are
examples.

BIOS Beep Codes

Have you ever had experience or head your computer sounds beep when you restart them? well below I'll let you know what cause your PC to beep and who knows after reading this you might know why they do what they do.

When you power on a computer the BIOS immediately takes control of the computer and performs the P.O.S.T (Power On Self Test). At the end of the POST the computer will play an audible 'BEEP' through either the PC's internal speaker of through speakers attached to the sound card (if you have a built-in sound chip). If the POST completed successfully without detecting any problems with then system will play a single short beep to let you know the test is complete and the computer will continue to startup and load the operating system.

If during the POST the BIOS detects a problem it will normally display a visual error message on the monitor explaining what the problem is. However, if a problem is detected before the BIOS initializes the video card, or a video card is not present or not detected then the BIOS will play several 'BEEPS' through the speaker to let you know there is a problem. Depending on the type of the BIOS you have the BIOS may play beeps in a specific pattern to indicate what the problem is, or play the same beep a number of times indicating the problem. It is very important that you pay close attention to the number and/or pattern of the beeps your computer plays on startup.

Below is a table of the most common AMI, Phoenix and Award BIOS beep codes.

AMI (American Mega trends International) BIOS Beep Codes.
AMI BIOS uses beeps of the same length and pitch. The error is displayed as a number of beeps. For example, 4 beeps indicated a timer failure.

BEEP CODE MEANING POSSIBLE CAUSE
1 Beep (No video) Memory refresh failure - Bad memory
2 Beeps Memory parity error - Bad memory
3 Beeps Base 64K mem failure - Bad memory
4 Beeps Timer not operational - Bad motherboard
5 Beeps Processor error -Bad processor
6 Beeps 8042 Gate A20 failure - Bad CPU or Motherboard
7 Beeps Processor exception - Bad processor
8 Beeps Video memory error - Bad video card or memory
9 Beeps ROM checksum error - Bad BIOS
10 Beeps CMOS checksum error - Bad motherboard
11 Beeps Cache memory bad - Bad CPU or motherboard

Award BIOS Beep Codes
Award BIOS uses beeps of varying duration. A long beep will typically last for 2 seconds while a short beep will last only 1 second. Award BIOS also uses beeps of different frequency to indicate critical errors. If an Award BIOS detects that the CPU is overheating it may play a high pitched repeating beep while the computer is running.

BEEP CODE MEANING POSSIBLE CAUSE
1 Long, 2 Short Video adapter failure - Bad video adapter
Repeating (Endless loop) Memory error - Bad memory or bad connection
1 Long, 3 Short Video adapter failure - Bad video adapter or memory
High freq. beeps (while running) CPU is overheating - CPU fan failure
Repeating High, Low beeps CPU failure - Bad processor

Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes
Phoenix BIOS uses beep code patterns to indicate problems. In the table below the '-' indicates a brief pause between beeps.

Example: 1 - 1 - 2 would sound like BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
BEEP CODE MEANING POSSIBLE CAUSE
1 - 1 - 2 CPU / motherboard failure - Bad CPU / motherboard
1 - 1 - 3 CMOS read/write failure - Bad motherboard
1 - 1 - 4 BIOS ROM failure - Bad BIOS chip
1 - 2 - 1 Timer failure - Bad motherboard
1 - 2 - 2 DMA failure - Bad motherboard
1 - 2 - 3 DMA failure - Bad motherboard
1 - 3 - 1 Memory refresh failure - Bad memory
1 - 3 - 2 64K memory failure - Bad memory
1 - 3 - 3 64K memory failure - Bad memory
1 - 3 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
1 - 4 - 1 Address line failure - Bad memory
1 - 4 - 2 Parity error - Bad memory
1 - 4 - 3 Timer failure - Bad motherboard
1 - 4 - 4 NMI port failure - Bad motherboard
2 - 1 - 1 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 1 - 2 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 1 - 3 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 1 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 2 - 1 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 2 - 2 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 2 - 3 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 2 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 3 - 1 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 3 - 2 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 3 - 3 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 3 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 4 - 1 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 4 - 2 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 4 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
2 - 4 - 4 64K memory failure - Bad memory
3 - 1 - 1 Slave DMA failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 1 - 2 Master DMA failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 1 - 3 Interrupt controller failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 1 -4 Slave IC failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 2 -2 Interrupt Controller failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 2 - 3
3 - 2 - 4 Keyboard control failure - Bad motherboard
3 - 3 - 1 CMOS batter failure - Bad CMOS battery
3 - 3 - 2 CMOS configuration error - Incorrect setting
3 - 3 - 3
3 - 3 - 4 Video memory failure - Bad video card or memory
3 - 4 - 1 Video init failure - Bad video card or memory
4 - 2 - 1 Timer failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 2 - 2 CMOS shutdown failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 2 - 3 Gate A20 failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 2 - 4 Unexpected interrupt - Bad processor
4 - 3 - 1 RAM test failure - Bad memory
4 - 3 - 3 Timer failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 3 - 4 RTC failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 4 - 1 Serial port failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 4 - 2 Parallel port failure - Bad motherboard
4 - 4 - 3 Coprocessor failure - Bad motherboard or CPU.
9 - 2 - 1 Video adapter incompatibility - Use a different brand of video card

Keep Your Computer Cool

Heat is a vicious enemy of a computer. The large computers of yesterday were kept in special climate-controlled rooms because computer chips and other mechanical components had to be kept cool. While today's personal comptuers (PC) don't need such extraordinary care, they should be kept at a normal temperature and never be left in a car in the summer heat or in direct sunlight in high temperatures.

oday's computers have built-in cooling fans that keep the computer from overheating during normal use. If your computer's cooling fan malfunctions, the computer will overheat and cause irreparable damage. Keeping the computer fan in tiptop shape is fairly easy. Just follow these simple steps:


Keep Cool Tips

1. Do not block any air vents on your PC's case. You can also extend the life of your computer monitor by giving it a little breathing room. Don't block the air vents on your monitor by piling papers or books on top of it.

2. Most fans are on the back of the computer, so position the computer a few inches from the wall.

3. Keep draperies and other fabric away from the fan.

4. Keep the fan clean and free of debris.

5. Keep dogs, cats, and other hairy pets away from the computer.

6. Keep your computer in a clean, well-ventilated area.

7. Open your case once or twice a year and use a computer vacuum or can of compressed air to clean out built up dust and debris. Do this more often if you have a cat or dog that sheds a lot.

8. The room where your system is kept should never be too hot. How hot is too hot? If it's uncomfortable for you, it's probably uncomfortable for your PC as well.

9. Don't put the CPU unit of the computer on the floor. This is one suggestion that even I don't always follow. Yet, if this is feasible, your computer will accumulate less dust and dirt if kept off the floor.


Detecting Fan Failure

Most Pentium-class computers have two fans. The one which is generally visible from the back of the computer cools the power supply. The other which is inside the computer cools the processor.

These cooling fans are often some of the first components of a computer to fail. The first indication of a fan failure is a difference in the sound that it makes. As you use your PC, you become familiar with the way it sounds. When a fan is failing it will usually alert you with some unusual sound. This noise may be an unusual whirring, clicking, clunking, or groaning. Any loud or unusually weird sounds should be investigated. In most cases, these unusual sounds are the only indication that you will have of a malfunctioning fan. Some computers, however, will actually alert you with a computer-generated sound if the fan starts to fail. The computers that I have encountered with this feature have each had a musical sound as an indicator rather than a beep. However, the computer manufacturer may program in any sound that they wish. I have read reports about a computer that actually played the first few bars of Beethoven's Fur Elise as its fan failed.

While often a fan gives some audible indication that it is starting to fail, sometimes it does not. If either fan goes out suddenly, in most cases the computer will boot up properly, but shortly after booting, the computer will start to overheat. The most common response to this type of overheating in Windows computers is what is affectionately referred to as the dreaded "blue screen of death". If your computer gives you constant Windows errors that turn the entire screen blue, you may want to check out the cooling fan.


Not All Fans Work Constantly

Most older computers have fans that work constantly. However, some newer computers have cooling fans that can be set to spin only when the temperature gets too high. So hearing the fan turn off and on is not necessarily an indication of failure. If you are concerned that the fan never seems to be moving, take the computer in and have it checked out, or call the manufacturer. If the fan is a newer one that operates intermittently, the manufacturer can help you reset the BIOS to make the fan run constantly. Then you will be able to check it out.

The Death of a Fan

If the fan has failed, the computer components may start to overheat. The components can actually burn from overheating. If you smell something burning inside your computer, turn it off immediately and have it checked.

Overclocking

Overclocking your CPU is speeding it up to push it past its recommended limits. If anyone suggests that you do this, please ignore his or her proposal. While this can speed up a computer, it often causes overheating problems.

Replacing or upgrading cooling components

In most, if not all, cases, replace don't repair. Repairing a defunct fan is seldom economically viable. If you suspect that you have a problem, have a computer technician check it out. If you find the fan is not functioning properly, replace it immediately. It is generally an inexpensive repair. If you are mechanically handy, replacing the cooling fan is a fairly easy endeavor, but if you have never opened a computer case before you may want to have someone knowledgeable install your new fan.

It pays to keep your computer cool. Following these suggestions and replacing failing fans will definitely extend the life of your computer.