Licensed Practical Nurse

I was responsible for several projects where I directed development teams and implemented repeatable processes. The teams achieved 100% on-time delivery of software products. I was motivated both by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that achieved our goals.

Give concrete examples of difficult situations that actually happened at work. Then discuss what you did to solve the problem. Keep your answers positive (Even though it was difficult when Jane Doe quit without notice, we were able to rearrange the department workload to cover the position until a replacement was hired) and be specific. Itemize what you did and how you did it.

If possible, tell about a personal disappointment i.e. the early death of a parent, child or school friend. Believe it or not, it is okay to have not had a "greatest" disappointment.

There is no on-going criticism. I'm open to personal and professional growth and welcome the opportunity to improve. One of the things that I am sometimes criticized for is being too much of a perfectionist. I tend to expect very high standards of work from myself.

★ I would listen to their concerns and reassure them that I was doing my very best for their loved one.

★ Sometimes family members are looking for someone or something to blame for what their loved one is going through. I would try to reassure them that the patient was getting the best quality of care available.

★ I would listen to their concerns and make sure that if any were well founded they were addressed immediately.

You should be ready to share an issue or two that has surfaced over time. Pick a performance area that is not central to the job you're applying for. If possible, pick an issue that you have addressed and improved upon.

Example: If in your past job, your supervisor critiqued your public speaking skills, leading you to take steps to enhance your skills, you might share that story. This approach would work best if excellent public speaking skills are not crucial in the new position.

The thing to remember with the tricky questions is that it is fine to take a moment or two to frame a response. Then be honest, relatively speaking, so you are answering the question but not in a way that would make the interviewer not want to hire you. Keep it positive as much as you can.

★ I offer my patients the very best care and advocacy I can.

★ I believe that I offer my patients comfort and confidence that they are being well cared for.

★ I feel that my patients know that I am there to provide comfort and understanding, that I will listen to their concerns and that I will act as their advocate if necessary.

Your answer should contain two components, first a description of the situation that angered you and then a reference to how you processed the event and handled your anger.

One important dimension of your interpersonal style is how you motivate others, especially if you will be supervising staff, managing projects or leading teams of co-workers. In addition, you may also encounter this type of questioning while interviewing for jobs in sales and public relations, where you need to motivate customers and clients.

Finally, pick three aspects of your past or current job that held the least interest to you. Make sure that any tasks you mention are not likely to be prioritized by your target employer nor should they be frequently performed or highly important aspects of the position.

You might reference a fascination with how groups function or the dynamics of effective communication.

Example: Think about projects you have completed or specific courses which you have taken in your major that have the closest connections to the job. Use them as examples during the interviewer.

Since an employer is essentially assessing your adaptability, you need to convey how you have adjusted to new situations and demands in the workplace. Take an inventory of the transitions you have negotiated in the past. Consider the variety of bosses for whom you have worked and their different supervisory and leadership styles. If your workplace has retrenched, reorganized, merged or undergone any other challenges in the past, be ready to discuss how you dealt with those changes.

Fortunately, this should not be a difficult question to answer. To start, you should be honest and engaging. If you get the job, your interviewer will likely take your response into account when assigning and prioritizing your tasks, so it is important to be genuine and forthright in your answer.

I am sure if you asked my friends that question they would say you should hire me because I have the skills outlined in the job description and I bring 10+ years of expertise to this position. Words they have used to describe me are:

★ Hard working

★ Professional

★ Trusted and a team player.

I am equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. In researching the company, your mission statement and the job description, I could see similarities to my previous position where there were some assignments that required a great deal of independent work and research and others where the team effort was most effective. As I said, I'm comfortable with both.

An answer that works well is:

It depends on the situation and the personality of the supervisor.

To elaborate, give examples:

My prior supervisor was more easy-going and if I told her "You know, I think it might work better if I do what you asked in such and such a way," she would say "Okay, try it."

I was part of team responsible for evaluating and selecting a new vendor for our office equipment and supplies. The inter-departmental team reviewed options, compared pricing and service, chose a vendor and implemented the transition to the new vendor.

★ Sometimes I find it difficult to leave work at work, as I tend to become very involved with my patients.

★ I think the most difficult part of being a nurse is when I have a patient that is very unhappy or in a lot of pain and I can not comfort them to the degree I would like.

★ I prefer to look at difficulties as challenges, and I enjoy conquering challenges.

When I was working on a software implementation team at ABC Company, we took over another company and had to transition many clients to a new product in a short amount of time. It took a lot of planning, time, hard work and effort, but we were able to complete the project in a timely manner.