Exercise for Preparing for Follow-Up Questions
Here's a simple exercise that will help you prepare for follow-up
questions. It will also help you take a look inside yourself
and begin to think about what you want more of, and what you
want less of, in your next job. People usually perform at a
higher level if they are satisfied with the work they do and
are, therefore, motivated to give 100 percent plus.
Start by making a list of the responsibilities and tasks you performed at your last job. These would be the projects or tasks that you were particularly proud of or were energized by. Think about the last time you were so involved in a project or task that you woke up thinking about how you could improve the situa¬tion. Write those experiences down and try to determine what the factors were that were satisfying for you.
Let’s say you were a project leader. The tasks list would read something like: “Led a team; coordinated and monitored project progress; ensured the flow and completion of work on schedule; monitored expenditures and budget.” Now you have solid examples of your skills that you can use for any follow-up question.
After you have written this list for your most current job, try doing the same thinking for previous jobs. If you recently graduated from college, use the classes that were most stimulating and interesting for you or the projects you worked on with teams when you were in school.
By making lists of motivating experiences from your last two or three jobs, you will begin to notice patterns of projects and tasks that stand out. Analyze what those tasks involved. Do you want more or less of this type of responsibility in your next job? The answer will tell you what you want and may suggest some possibilities for fulfillment in future jobs that have similar responsibilities. Knowing what you want will make you feel more confident about finding the right job.
Start by making a list of the responsibilities and tasks you performed at your last job. These would be the projects or tasks that you were particularly proud of or were energized by. Think about the last time you were so involved in a project or task that you woke up thinking about how you could improve the situa¬tion. Write those experiences down and try to determine what the factors were that were satisfying for you.
Let’s say you were a project leader. The tasks list would read something like: “Led a team; coordinated and monitored project progress; ensured the flow and completion of work on schedule; monitored expenditures and budget.” Now you have solid examples of your skills that you can use for any follow-up question.
After you have written this list for your most current job, try doing the same thinking for previous jobs. If you recently graduated from college, use the classes that were most stimulating and interesting for you or the projects you worked on with teams when you were in school.
By making lists of motivating experiences from your last two or three jobs, you will begin to notice patterns of projects and tasks that stand out. Analyze what those tasks involved. Do you want more or less of this type of responsibility in your next job? The answer will tell you what you want and may suggest some possibilities for fulfillment in future jobs that have similar responsibilities. Knowing what you want will make you feel more confident about finding the right job.