More Interview Questions and Answers

Is this the first time you have made an effort to move away from your current employers?

Alternative and related questions:

Have you been tempted to leave your current employers before?

The meaning behind the question:

This is a good question, from the interviewer's point of view.  It helps them to probe further into your reasons for wishing to leave your current employers.  It helps them to get a better grasp on the way you manage your career.  It helps them to better understand what makes you tick.

Your answer:

It's superficially a closed question with an obvious "Yes" or "No" answer.  But it's actually a lot more complicated than that.  For a start, you need to decide if you want to tell the truth or not!  The choice is yours.  But, whether you answer "Yes" or "No", you should aim to support your answer with your reasoning and to justify that reasoning.  If you haven't been tempted to leave before then why not.  If you have then why did you decide to stay.

In Chapter 2 we covered the highly popular question, "Why do you wish to leave your current position?"  You need to bear in mind your answer to this when formulating your answer to this new question.

Example:

No, it's not the first time I've considered moving on.  An opportunity did previously arise via my network.  However, at the time I still felt sufficiently challenged in my role and still had plenty of things I wanted to achieve.  So I declined the offer.  Clearly, things are different now and I feel ready to embrace a new challenge.

Word of warning:

If you answered that you have indeed previously been tempted to leave but you don't explain your reasons for deciding to stay then there's every chance you'll be hit with the obvious follow-up question, "Why did you decide to stay?"  Pre-empt that question by explaining your reasoning up front.

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More interview questions and answers

Talking about your current employment

• Can you tell me what you enjoy about your current job?
• What will you remember most about your last job?
• Is this the first time you have made an effort to move away from your current employers?
• How do you feel about the possibility of leaving your current job?
• How would you describe your current employer?

Talking about this vacancy

• Wouldn’t you be better suited to working in a larger/smaller organisation?
• How do you feel this vacancy differs from your current role?
• What reservations do you have about your ability to undertake this job?
• Can you describe your ideal working environment to me?
• How do you feel we compare to our competitors?
• What would you say is our Unique Selling Point?
• What would be your analysis of the current trends in our industry/sector?

Understanding your career path, plans and ambitions

• What aspects of your career path would you like to have been different?
• What are your greatest regrets about the path your career has taken?
• What has been the greatest challenge you have faced in your career to date?
• What do you think are your main career options for the next five years?
• What exactly does the word ‘success’ mean to you?

Addressing problems in your career history

• Why did you only stay with this organisation for such a short time?
• Why did you stay with this organisation for such a long time?

Coping with stress and pressure

• Are you able to multitask?
• Can you juggle a number of different projects simultaneously?
• How do you handle rejection/disappointment/failure?

Defining teamwork

• How do you deal with interpersonal conflict?
• What does tact and diplomacy mean to you?
• What makes for a successful team?

Management and leadership

• Would you describe yourself as a good manager?
• Do you really think you’re management material?
• What is your attitude to delegation?
• Can you give me an example of a time when you had to lead from the front?
• Have you ever had to fire or lay off a member of your staff?
• How would you describe your ideal team member?

Personal and professional development

• In what ways do you intend to improve upon your performance?
• How has your current job prepared you for greater challenges/responsibility?

Interests and activities

• What book are you reading at the moment?
• What newspaper do you take?
• Are you interested in current affairs?

The amateur psychiatrist

• If you won the lottery what would you do?
• Can you tell me about the best teacher you ever had?
• If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and why?
• What are you most afraid of?

Money, money, money

• Why aren’t you earning more?
• How much do you think you are really worth?
• How much does money matter to you?
• Would you still be interested in this job if you current employer offered a pay rise?
• Have you ever had to take a pay cut to keep your job?
• Have you ever asked for but been refused a pay rise?

Health

• Do you have any medical conditions to declare?

Relocation

• Why do you want to relocate?
• Can you perceive any problems in relocating?

Deal-making

• How would you react if I were to offer you this job on the spot?