Common Interview

Questions

Common
Interview
Questions
WITH TOP NOTCH

ANSWERS

I N C L U D E S

20 Bonus Tips
for Underrepresented Populations

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 I N C L U D E S
In this guide, you will view:
§ Common interview
questions
§ Reasons why employers
§ would ask the question
§ What NOT to say
§ What TO say (best
practice answers)
§ Bonus Tip (as
applicable) for UPs
§ Sample answers

Hi! I’m Jennifer

I’m the founder and CEO of Jennifer Tardy, LLC, JenniferTardy.com.
Our Mission: Forging career success at the intersection of employers
and historically underrepresented populations (UPs).

I am a career P R O G R A M S
coach, strategist,
and consultant.
We will keep you posted as we have new
Our organization
developments for our signature Career Success
provides
Programs:
coaching and
training to UPs.
• Career Success for Women
• Asian Career Success
• Latino Career Success
We provide
• Black Career Success
consulting to
• Career Success for People with Disabilities
employers
• Veteran Career Success
seeking to attract,
• Career Success for the Next Generation
recruit and retain
(e.g., Millennials)
Ups.
• LGBTQ Career Success

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

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 Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Why THEY care:
This question is typically an ice breaker.
It helps to get the interview started.
What to NOT say:
Do not tell them your life story
and do not add in a lot of
personal information that is not
directly connected to the job
to which you are interviewing.
What TO say:
Tell a brief story of how your
education and on-the-job
experience from previous jobs
led you to where you are
today—applying to this current
role. Make sure that your story
also indicates how your
education and on-the-job
experience makes you qualified
for the role.
UP Success Tip:
There are so many initiatives to
hire military veterans. If you are a
military veteran, this is a great
opportunity to weave this
information into your conversation
(naturally).
Career Success by JenniferTardy.com
Sample Answer
I graduated from UVA with an
engineering degree and
decided to work at
Westinghouse after completing
two summer internships there
prior. I enjoyed my experience
and was there for three years
(and was even promoted to an
Engineer II) before landing a job
opportunity with Duke Energy as
a Senior Engineer where my
duties were [….]. I was there for
two years before my manager
took another job opportunity at
Constellation Energy and
recruited me to join his team
there. I’m still here today and
enjoy my work; however, my
husband received a job
opportunity in Michigan
recently. And I know that this
company is premier and had an
opportunity available. And, that
is what brings me here today.
 What are your top weaknesses?

Why THEY care: The employer is taking the “easy way out” to
determine your red flags. What easier way to discover what is
wrong with you than by simply asking you the question outright?

What to NOT say:

“Never say that you are weak in an area with NO explanation and
NO plan of strengthening that weakness!

What TO say:
The greatest way to answer this question is to share something that
is a weakness for you but a strength for the company.

UP Success Tip:
Do not point out something that reminds the employer that
you are a member of an UP. For example, this is not the time
to point out that you speak English as a second language. It
then becomes a distraction and sends a signal to the
employer that it is acceptable for them to also feel that this
is a weakness. It is not a weakness. It is a difference.
Difference does not equal weakness.

Sample Answer
My weakness is that oftentimes, I work so hard that I rarely stop
to “smell the roses.” I’ve often been told that I need to slow
down and appreciate my accomplishments more often before
just moving on to the next goal.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What made you decide to apply to this job?

Why THEY care: The employer wants to be sure that if you are
hired, this job would be mutually beneficial. Mutually beneficial
jobs where the employer and employee gain benefits and
rewards from the employee working there are more likely to
increase your retention.

What to NOT say:

Do not say anything regarding higher pay! An employer will feel
that if you are coming there only for the money, then other
companies will easily be able to lure you away for the same
reason.

What TO say:
Your response to this question should show alignment with how the
company can help you meet your professional (and sometimes
personal) goals.

Sample Answer
There’s great work and challenging work happening here! That
excites me. I’m hoping to utilize my experience, gain top notch
skills, and build many strong and long-lasting relationships with the
team along the way.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What do you hope to gain through
working here?

Why THEY care: The employer wants to discern whether you are
applying to every random job online or if you are really
interested in them as an employer.

What to NOT say:

“I applied to this job because it was down the street from my home.”

What TO say:
Tell the employer what you see as the benefits of working there (although you
need not mention pay). You can mention things like how you appreciate the
mission of the company, how the company has a great brand/reputation, how
you’ve noticed great reviews on Glassdoor.com, and/or you can talk specifically
about the benefits you perceive from working in the actual role that was posted.

UP Success Tip:
It is acceptable for you to say that you wanted to apply to this job
because you heard that the company was recognized as “working
mother friendly” environment, or some other area of diversity and/or
inclusion. Here are two caveats to this, however. First, make sure that you
did not just hear a rumor about this. Make sure that you saw something
published on their website or online about this. Second, make sure that this
is not the ONLY reason you specify. Add this on to two or three other
reasons that are non-diversity related.

Sample Answer
I can really identify with the mission of this company which is to [….].
Being able to do my job in a company that believes [….] and has a positive
reputation among its employees is a company I want to work for.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 How do you manage competing
priorities?
Why THEY care: If this is a job where you will be really busy,
the employer wants to confirm that you will be able to
manage your workload.
What to NOT say:
“I just remember all of my
duties in my mind.” Even if
you have an eidetic
memory, employers will not
believe you and will think
that you are too cavalier
about keeping up with your
to-do list.
What TO say:
Infuse proper stakeholder
communication and a
priorities tracking mechanism
into your answer. Ensure the
employer knows that you are
already used to working in a
busy environment where you
often must manage
competing priorities.
Career Success by JenniferTardy.com
UP Success Tip:
I’ve heard many women respond
with, “Oh, I’m a mother of three
kids, I can do anything!” And
although this may generate a
laugh and easily answer the
question, it can also be the one
moment that reminds the
employer that you are a mother.
In most environments, that’s okay,
but in the wrong work
environment, an employer could
feel that being a mother would
take you away from your job.
Sample Answer:
I have a lot of experience working
in really busy environments. In
order to keep pace, I typically
write down each of my to-dos
and I communicate to the person
waiting for the deliverable. If one
person hands me multiple hi-
priority tasks, I will ask them to tell
me which is more important so I
can work on that first (but that is
only if I do not already know).
 What are your strengths?

Why THEY care: They want to make sure that your strengths are
strengths that can be applied directly to their company.

What to NOT say:

“I’m good at everything,” or “I cannot think of a strength right
now.”

What TO say:
Share one or two strengths that align with what you’ve learned the
department or company needs in order to be successful.

UP Success Tip:
Diversity is a huge bonus here. By being a member of a UP,
you have a distinct advantage of being able to better
relate to external clients / customers of the employer who
are also within the same population. It is completely
acceptable to bring this up as a strength. This is a direct
advantage to organizations who believe that diversity is a
competitive advantage.

Sample Answer
I am a great leader and one of my key abilities is that I’m able
to build high performing teams that trust me, believe in the
company and want to perform well.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 Where do you see yourself in five years?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to make sure that you will
still be working at their organization. They also (sometimes) want
to see how fast you are trying to move up the ladder (i.e., are
you trying to get their job?)

What to NOT say:

““I see myself owning my own business.” Even if that is the case, do NOT
tell the employer interviewing you. They will see you as a retention risk
and will not hire you.

What TO say:
However you answer this question, make sure that it involved insinuating that you
will be loyal to them and the organization.

UP Success Tip:
As a woman, this is not the time to share with the employer your intentions
of being married and having children. Keep that information to yourself, at
least until after you get the job offer AND start working there.

Sample Answer
I see myself continuing to grow and learn and add value to the work we do.
Ideally, I’d like to be in leadership by that time, if the timing is right.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 Why did you leave your
last employer?

Why THEY care: The employer is looking for red flags and
potentially a history of red flags.

What to NOT say:

Do not say anything negative about your last supervisor or
organization. Period.

What TO say:
Insinuate that you left to go toward something great and not to
move away from something negative.

UP Success Tip:
If you’ve relocated often, it is completely acceptable to say
that you moved to be with your partner, husband, parents,
or you’ve had to relocate for the military. Each of these
scenarios will also explain why you left your employer.

Sample Answer
I received a job offer that broadened my responsibilities and
gave me the management experience I was seeking.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 How would your co-workers
describe you?
Why THEY care: They want to get other people’s opinions about
you in order to catch red flags. In addition, they want to see
how aware you are about how others perceive you in the
workplace.

What to NOT say: UP Success Tip:

Do not say, “Oh, they think I
am awesome.”
What TO say:
In your response, focus on your
behaviors and deliverables rather
than your personality. Ensure that
your answer aligns to what the
employer is seeking for their team.
Nicknames, especially those
that point out our UP (i.e., “The
Youngster on the team”)
should not be brought up as a
term of endearment during
the interview as it may be a
distraction to the interviewer.
In this example, if they are
already concerned about you
being too young for
leadership, this nickname will
just add to their concern.

Sample Answer
My co-workers would describe
me as a person who gets the
job done, no matter what,
easy to work with, and one
who cares about her co-
workers success too.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What motivates you?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to know what motivates

you in case they hire you on their team. They want to make
sure that they will be able to keep you motivated and
engaged.

What to NOT say:

“Everything motivates me! I find motivation everywhere.” This will
just make you sound like you are all over the place.

What TO say:
Select a motivator that affects you because it positively affects the
entire team or department.

UP Success Tip:
This is a great time to add in how feeling heard and seen
and having your opinions respected is highly motivating for
you.

Sample Answer
I am highly motivated when I see people come together and
leverage each other effectively to complete a project or
initiative. When team effort produces great results, it feels good!

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What demotivates you?

Why THEY care: The answer to this question will signal to an

employer whether or not you will thrive in their work environment.

What to NOT say:

I am motivated by everything! Do not say this as the employer would see
right through it.

What TO say:
Pick a demotivator that affects you only because it would negatively impact an
entire team. Also, select a demotivator that can easily be fixed (by you). And end
your statement with how you would actually fix it.

UP Success Tip:
Lack of inclusion is an honest demotivator. But instead of saying it this way,
you can say that it demotivates you when voices aren’t heard and when
opinions aren’t respected, so you try and do your part to give the right
people a seat at the table and a voice to be heard.

Sample Answer
It is rare that I am demotivated, but I would say that continuously missing
deadlines on a team can be demotivating. So that this does not happen, I
do my part to make sure that SMART goals are established across the team
and follow up to ensure we do not miss deliverables.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What did you do at your last job?

Why THEY care: Employers want to get a sense of the number of

duties you did on your last job that are like the duties you will do
on the current job. They also want to see what insights and
transferrable skills you can bring to this job.

What to NOT say:

Do not just list your hour to hour, “in the weeds” duties. Even if your
duty is to day to day inquiries about the tuition aid policy, for
example, share with the employer the bigger picture. You were
responsible for interpreting and enforcing employment policy to
the organization’s employees and leaders.

What TO say:
Give the employer the bigger picture of what you owned,
managed, had oversight to, etc. Share the big picture of why your
job was so valuable to meeting the goals of the department and
company. Also, share with your employer any highly visible special
projects that you worked on at the company.

UP Success Tip:
You can also share things that you did in support of your UP or
other UPs. This really shows your leadership and your passion, if
applicable, for underrepresented populations. Maybe you started
an LGBTQ affinity group. If so, say it.

Sample Answer
At my last job, I had oversight and management of the on-
boarding, new hire orientation, and offboarding programs for our
Human Resources department.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What can you offer us that
someone else cannot?

Why THEY care: Employers are trying to gain a sense of

what makes you stand out from your perspective.

What to NOT say: UP Success Tip:

Do not talk about your
personality and how it
will add to the team
morale, unless one of
the major challenges
on the team is morale.
What TO say:
Address palpable, value-
added attributes that
directly relate to how you
can get the work done.
Again, here is another time where
diversity is a huge bonus. By being
a member of a UP, you have a
distinct advantage of being able
to better relate to external clients
/ customers of the employer who
are also within the same
population. It is completely
acceptable to bring this up as a
strength. This is a direct
advantage to organizations who
believe that diversity is a
competitive advantage.
Sample Answer
I have experience managing
projects like the one you
referenced earlier. I can bring
insight and best practices that will
save the team time and money.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 How do you deal with conflict?

Why THEY care: An employer can learn how well you work
under pressure and during conflict. This is another area where
they can discover red flags.

What to NOT say:

Any answer related to avoiding or escalating conflict would be a
poor answer.

What TO say:
Employers will look for you to say that you address conflict head on
in a professional manner that gets to the root of the problem so
that it can be solved in a timely and effective manner.

UP Success Tip:
You can also share things that you did in support of your UP
or other UPs. This really shows your leadership and your
passion, if applicable, for underrepresented populations.
Maybe you started an LGBTQ affinity group. If so, say it.

Sample Answer
I handle conflict directly and in a professional manner. I handle
it quickly so that it does not become a distraction to the team
or department. Once addressed, I look for win-win solutions,
where possible.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 How do you make decisions?

Why THEY care: An employer will want to make sure that you are
making timely and effective decisions for the department and
company.

What to NOT say:

Do not say anything negative, or anything that can be interpreted as
adding more work onto the employer. For example, don’t say, I make
decisions my going to my boss for approval for everything.

What TO say:
Make sure that the employer knows that you use the information that you have in
the moment, that you are resourceful when you need to be, and that you are a
very decisive person.

Sample Answer
I review the information that I have. If there’s information I don’t have and
need, I am resourceful enough to gather the additional details, but ultimately,
I do not delay and make decisions for the best impact of the team and
organization.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 Are you interviewing for other jobs?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to know if they have

competition. If there is competition, they may consider speeding
up their decision making so as to extend you an offer first.

What to NOT say:

I would prefer to keep that answer to myself.

What TO say:
Be honest in your answer. If you are interviewing for multiple
jobs it is completely acceptable to say so.

UP Success Tip:
When you are a person of color interviewing for multiple jobs
in an industry that has been striving to increase its racial
diversity, interviewing with multiple organizations at once
(and verbalizing it to an employer) is a great move. It will
most likely speed up your interview process and create a
more lucrative offer.

Sample Answer
Yes, I am actively interviewing for one other job at the
moment. I recently had my final interview on Tuesday.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What type of co-worker do
you work well with?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to ensure that you will

work well in their team dynamic / working environment.

What to NOT say:

I find that I work better on
my own, in general
What TO say:
Let the employer know that
you have worked with many
different personalities and you
have found that you can work
with most, even if it means
adjusting your behavior and
communication style to work
most effectively.
UP Success Tip:
If you are interviewing to work on
a homogenous team and you are
different, the employer will take
this into consideration. How will
you (i.e., your difference) affect
the team and how will the team
affect you. If you’ve had
experience working effectively
with people who are different
from you (and the team is
homogenous), you should share
that experience.
Sample Answer
I’ve learned how to work
effectively with most people. A
big part of that is
understanding each person’s
style of behavior and
communication style. Once
you understand both, you can
easily form solid working
relationships.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What type of co-workers do
you not work well with?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to ensure that you will

work well in their team dynamic / working environment.

What to NOT say:

I cannot work with too many people. I’d prefer to work on my own.

What TO say:
Let the employer know that you have worked with many different
personalities and you have found that you can work with most,
even if it means adjusting your behavior and communication style
to work most effectively.

UP Success Tip:
If you are interviewing to work on a homogenous team and you
are different, the employer will take this into consideration. How will
you (i.e., your difference) affect the team and how will the team
affect you. If you’ve had experience working effectively with
people who are different from you (and the team is homogenous),
you should share that experience.

Sample Answer
Overtime, I’ve learned how to work effectively with most people. A
big part of that is understanding each person’s style of behavior
and communication style. Once you understand both, you can
easily form solid working relationships.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What type of manager do
you work well with?
Why THEY care: An employer wants to know if you will mesh with
their management style.

What to NOT say:

I can work with any type of manager. Experienced employers know that
this is untrue.

What TO say:
Tell your truth but keep it professional. Think of managers from your past that
you’ve worked well with. What were their attributes.

UP Success Tip:
Although great answer could be that you work well with an “inclusive
manager” you are risking making the employer feel uncomfortable
especially if they do not (know if they) fit this attribute.

Sample Answer
I work well in an environment where I have the autonomy to get my work
done and where I can leverage my manager if I run into roadblocks or have
challenges or need though partnership.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What type of manager do you
not work well with?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to ensure that you will

work well in their team dynamic / working environment.

What to NOT say:

An employer wants to know whether you will mesh with their
management style.

What TO say:
Do not say that you can work with any type of manager.
Experienced employers know that this is untrue.

UP Success Tip:
Tell your truth but keep it professional. Think of managers from your
past that you have not worked well with. What were their
attributes. Always end your message on a positive note (even if
you must repeat an earlier answer).

Sample Answer
I do not work well with managers who micromanage. I work better
in an environment where I have the autonomy to get my work
done and where I can leverage my manager if I run into
roadblocks or have challenges or need though partnership.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What have you learned from
previous on-the-job mistakes?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to know that you are

learning from your mistakes.

What to NOT say:

Do not say to the
employer that you do
not make mistakes.
Also, do not say that
you do not remember.
What TO say:
This is an opportunity to
show your maturity and
to share just how your
lessons learned have
helped you to evolve as
a person.
Sample Answer
I’ve learned that it is
important to fail forward.
This means to consider
the lessons learned and
use them to add greater
value in the future. Also,
pay your lesson forward
too!

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 Why should we hire you?

Why THEY care: They want to know if there is something about

you that stands out or is better than your peer competition.

What to NOT say:

Do not say, I don’t know or do not say because you have a good
personality.

What TO say:
Always relate your answer to the necessary requirements of the
job, but make sure the employer knows that you bring knowledge,
skills and experience above those necessary requirement

UP Success Tip:
Do not tell the employer that they should hire you on the job to
diversify the department. Odds are that a good employer will
already know that this is an added bonus to hiring you but not the
foundation for why they are making their decision.

Sample Answer
You should hire me because the top three challenges you
mentioned your department faces are challenges that I’ve taken
on in the past and have successfully solved. I would love the
opportunity to do the same here.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 What is your desired salary?

Why THEY care: An employer wants to know if your desired salary

fits within their budget.

What to NOT say:

“I will take anything!” Again, if you appear eager, that becomes a red
flag to the employer.

What TO say:
Do your research on the market and tell them the salary range you desire based
on what your peers in the market earn.

UP Success Tip:
Many companies are still improperly asking job seekers how much they
currently make. As we know, this question is what keeps the current wage
gap causing women and minorities to earn less than their white, male, peers
performing the same work. Even if you are asked this question, “how much
do you currently make,” you can still respond with the same reply above. If
they continue to pressure you to be specific about what you make, give
them the market rate. Period.

Sample Answer
Say, “I’ve done some research on this position and understand that the
average salary for someone doing this work at my level in this industry is [$..]
rage. I am seeking something comparable to the market.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 How soon are you available
to work?
Why THEY care: The employer wants to ensure that your availability
matches their timeline for when the role needs to be filled.

What to NOT say:

Do not tell the employer that you are ready today, as your
eagerness could be mistaken as a red flag. Also, do not tell the
employer that you won’t be ready to work there for a few months
(unless you are a rising graduate and it is understood that you are
graduating first and then going to work for an employer).

What TO say:
An ideal response is two to three weeks depending on your level in
a company. The higher you are in an organization, the more
acceptable it is that you will need to give a longer notice to your
current employer.

UP Success Tip:
As a member of an UP, we often feel so happy to get a new job
(especially if we did not expect it) that we jump right into the next
opportunity without taking the needed and necessary break in
between jobs. The best vacation you will get is the time in between
jobs because no one is waiting on you to turn anything in and no
work is waiting for you when you return. Really take this question
seriously and think about your timeline beforehand. Take time out
for you.

Sample Answer
Ideally, I’d like to be able to give a standard 2-3 week notice at
work which will also allow me to complete a major project I’m
working on currently.

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com

 Do you have any questions for us?

Why THEY care: An employer is trying to formally “close” the

interview and they want to ensure that your questions are
answered before you exit.

What to NOT say:
“No. No questions”
What TO say:
Use this prime opportunity
to ask the employer for
feedback on your
interview. This will give
you an opportunity to
close the loop on their
concerns, but you MUST
ask this question in a
specific manner (see
sample response below).
UP Success Tip:
If you are a person with a disability,
this is not the time to ask questions
regarding job accommodations.
Odds are, the person with which
you are interviewing does not have
the information you are seeking,
and you are shining a light on your
disability during the interview. This
question is best addressed with a
person in HR after your have
accepted your job offer unless the
accommodation is needed during
the interviewing process.
Sample Answer
Say, “Yes, I have one last question
for you. Is there anything that
would prevent you from feeling
100% confident that I am the best
person for this role?”

Career Success by JenniferTardy.com