Congratulations!
Your job search journey has just ended to your satisfaction.
You have just received a job offer for your dream job, choose to accept
it and would like to thank the employer for this new job opportunity.
If you have already negotiated, agreed to and accepted the job terms
& conditions and the salary package, the job offer is the last
document before the job contract is signed.
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Needless to say, you may send this letter either by email or by post.
Here is the 1st sample of a thank you letter after receiving the job
offer that you may edit and personalize according to your needs:
Dear Mr. / Mrs. Last Name
It is with great [honor/delight] and appreciation that I thank
you for the job offer received on [date], reference [re:] for the
position [job title].
I gladly accept the job offer.
I see my new position as a [great/exciting] opportunity to [work
with/be part of] such a great [team /company] and to [contribute/do] my
utmost for the company’s success.
Again, thank you for giving me this opportunity.
I look forward to starting my position on [date, as per job offer].
Sincerely,
[First name, last name]
You may be required to present certain documentation, complete some
paperwork and formally accept some terms of the job offer before the
contract is signed.
In this case, here is a second sample of a Thank You Letter after a Job Offer:
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Dear Mr. / Mrs. Last Name,
This is in regards to the job offer [dated].
I take immense pleasure and pride in informing you that I accept the offer to work at your company.
I accept the terms indicated in the job offer – points 1, 2, 3 ..
As required, I shall complete all the [formalities/paperwork] and the
delivery of [other documentation] before the job contract is signed and I
will join the office on [date].
I would like to reiterate my desire to do my utmost for the company, and my determination to enhance the company’s progress.
I look forward to meeting you at the office,
Sincerely,
[First name, last name]
Further reading on
why you should send this letter:
Acceptance of job offer – thank you letter Sample.
In case you would like to thank the employer for the job offer but choose to reject it, Declining a job offer: How to decline a job offer.
Accepting a job offer - why send an acceptance letter
Once your job interviews are completed and you are accepted to the job-position, the company will send you a job offer.
If you decide to join the company based on the terms indicated in the job offer, you should inform the company of your decision.
Without sending an acceptance letter, the entire job hiring process will
be in limbo and there will be no documentation confirming whether you
have accepted (or are inclined to accept) the job offer terms.
Hence, it is mandatory that you send an acceptance letter for the said job offer as soon as you decide positively.
How to accept a job offer
You may call the company’s HR department informing that you accept
the job offer and you have already sent (or intend to send) an
acceptance letter for the same.
The letter should be simple, concise and to the point. You may send the acceptance letter either by email or by post.
The letter informing the company of your decision to accept the job offer should contain the following:
1. A thank you note for the organization for giving you a chance to work with them.
2. A concise, basic acceptance of the job offer.
3. The terms and conditions that have been agreed
upon by both parties – the ‘would be employee’ as well as the ‘would be
employer’.
4. The conclusion should be the starting date of employment.
Once these four aspects are covered, you can be sure that you have
done your part according to the regulations and it may be used for this
purpose.
Job offer: acceptance letter sample
Here is an example of an acceptance letter; please edit/rewrite according to your needs:
Dear Sirs/Mesdames,
This is in regards to the “job title” employment offer that was
presented by your esteemed company on “date”. I take immense pleasure
and pride in informing you that I accept the offer to work at your
company.
I accept the terms indicated in the job offer – points 1, 2, 3 ..
As per our discussion, I shall complete all the formalities and
paperwork before the job contract is signed on “date” and I will join
the office on “date”. I will also complete the delivery of other
“necessary documentation – insurance etc.” before this date.
I would like to reiterate my desire to do my utmost for the company, and my determination to enhance the company’s progress.
I look forward to meeting you at the office,
Thanks and Best Regards,
Declining a job offer: How to decline a job offer
The process of receiving a job offer is quite tedious and
complicated. There may be some job offers that appeared lucrative when
you first received them, but now seem not to be the best possible avenue
for your abilities.
This gives rise to a situation wherein you would have to decline the job offer.
When declining a job offer, you should keep in mind several aspects that are important for your future professional life.
How you may decline a job offer while trying to keep the door open
Rejecting a job offer should be done with much consideration. Here
are just some of the points for you to consider on how to decline a job
offer:
Timing and Proper documentation:
Make it a point to turn down the job offer with the proper letter, and
that the letter is sent to the person or people involved in due course.
Make it a point not to save the declining of the job offer as a text
file only or only as a voice call.
Speak to the people: Aside
from that, before you send a document discussing your declining of the
offer, it would be a good idea to actually speak to the people with whom
you had interacted and verbally inform them of your declination before
it is put onto paper.
Be Frank: There might be
several reasons why you do not wish to join a particular company and
therefore turn down a job offer. These reasons may be logistical,
financial, or even purely professional. If you are interested in a job
but are apprehensive about joining the company due to only a couple of
issues, chances are that the company may put across another job offer to
with special attention given to the points with which you were
uncomfortable.
Always Keep Communications Line Open:
In the corporate world, one of the most important aspects of success is
networking. Keeping the right network open and putting the right people
in your network will make a world of difference in your professional
life.
Therefore, even when you are declining a job offer, make sure that you
make it clear that you are declining the job offer with great regret. If
possible, try to count the positive aspects of the job position that
you were offered, and discreetly demonstrate your willingness to work
with them either on a future occasion or if certain factors change.
Positive image: Additionally,
declining a job offer depends on the position to which you applied. If
you were offered a job that was a very senior position, you would have
met many more people than you had earlier anticipated. Logically, there
is a chance that these people may cross your path in the future.
Therefore, it is necessary to keep networking and maintaining your
positive image.
Time Frame: Make sure that
you inform them about your decision to decline the job offer well in
time. A situation where you inform them a day or a week before you were
supposed to join would not work well for your professional life. Make
sure to inform the company that you have rejected their job offer as
soon as you make a decision, and also be sure that you make the decision
as soon as possible.
The above points should answer your question – How to turn down a job offer in an appropriate professional manner.
Free Sample Letter Declining a Job Offer
The following is a sample letter draft that can be used for declining a job offer:
Dear Sirs/Mesdames,
Thank you very much for the letter offering me the position of “job title”.
I am grateful for the time and effort you spent considering me for the “job title”.
Because I was impressed with ABC Company, making a decision was challenging.
After careful thought, however, I have decided not to accept the job offer.
The following points are the reasons for my decision: a, b, c, d.
I hope you can revise the job offer based on the aforementioned points.
I wish you and ABC continued success.
Thank you again for your time and consideration,
Sincerely,
Please rewrite according to your needs.
How should I deal with the salary question during interviews?
The salary aspect is one of the most important aspects to be covered during a job interview.
If a person does not handle the salary aspect to their complete
satisfaction, one may end up having a non satisfactory pay package and
that may decrease their job satisfaction, which may have a detrimental
effect on the complete job experience.
Therefore, it is very important that one handles the salary questions in an interview in the right manner.
How should you handle the salary questions in an interview?
Here are some tips on how to negotiate your salary during an interview:
1. Wait for the Interviewer to ask about the Salary:
The salary question in an interview is quite important due to several
aspects. In some cases, like if you have had two or three phases of
interviews, if the interviewer asks you about the salary, it means that
you are a definite probability for the job. If the job interview has
just a single phase, asking about the salary means that the initial
interview has come to an end.
Therefore, you should never raise the question about the salary
yourself. Wait for the interviewer to ask the question, and make sure
that you answer the question about salary with confidence.
2. Be Open to Ideas:
Though the salary is one of the major aspects that will decide whether
you are hired by the company or not and whether you would like to work
with the company, speaking about a salary first and being too firm (or
tough) on the amount is a serious put off for the interviewer.
Remember that you and the company both need each other.
Needless to say, that the company has many other options than you – who
has limited options when it comes to good job opportunities. Also, if
you do not get the required or expected pay package, remember that once
you are inside the system, you can easily do stellar work and get
noticed to have an increase in your pay package.
How to Negotiate a Salary – Negotiation Tips
Here are some negotiation tips to keep in mind when negotiating the job salary once the job has been offered to you:
1. Being professional: Being professional during
your interview not only helps you in securing the job, but it also makes
sure that you get the best possible deal from the company.
2. Discuss your job salary only when the employer does:
An early question about the salary will not only mean coming across as
immature but will also convey the idea that you are more interested in
the money than the job. Therefore, the best idea is to ask or talk
about the salary only when the interviewer speaks about the salary. This
will not only mean that you are being considered for the job, but also
that the interviewer is serious about the entire job interview process.
3. The figures you have in mind: As an aside,
remember that you should not disclose the amount you have in mind at the
outset. It is only further on in the meeting that you will get a
clearer picture of the responsibilities and get more information about
the job. If you quote a lower salary at the beginning and wish to
increase your previous quote as the interview progresses, it will be
very difficult or even simply impossible.
4. Steer clear of figures in your job interview:
Even when you finally get an idea of what you are in for on the job and
the interviewer makes sure that you do not directly discuss the figures
of the financials that they have in mind for you, in order to find out
the ball park figures for your salary try to find out the salaries of
the people who are working at posts closer to you and in the department
that you will be assigned to (if possible).
5. Use a bracket instead of solid figures in the job interview:
It is wise to use a bracket, which begins a bit lower than what the
employer has offered and ending a bit above what the employer has
offered. This way, you will put your point across, as well as keep
avenues open when it comes to salary negotiations.
6. Keep Your Emotions in Check During the job offer acceptance:
If the amount that the company offers as your salary is an amount that
you are very happy with, make sure that you do not make it evident to
the interviewer. This may cause the interviewer to actually review
whether you are worth the salary that they have in mind for you.
7. The One Last Try: So okay, the interview is over,
the salary that is offered is good enough, but you think that if you
take the bargaining a bit further, you will get a better deal. In such
cases, you should make sure that you give the interviewer a clear
picture that you are more than interested in the job, and the salary is
now just a minor issue that can be resolved. Otherwise, you might lose a
very lucrative job over a few hundred dollars.
Accepting a job offer
Once you are negotiating your salary, keep in mind that the initial
job offer and salary is just the beginning and if you work well and
prove yourself to the company, the sky is the limit.
Remember that evaluations take place in a company every six months or
one year, and this is a time when the company simply cannot refuse you a
salary hike if you work well and prove your worth. The job hunting
process is a long and complicated one. There are several aspects to the
job interview, one of them being salary negotiations. If you negotiate
your salary properly, you are sure to get a hefty raise, if not, you may
even lose your chance of being employed by the company.
The right time to ask for or negotiate your salary is once a concrete job offer is made.
Last words:
Another thing to keep in mind is that unless you have been out
of work for a long time, or you were released from your previous company
for dubious reasons, there is no reason why the hiring company you will
not give you a raise. So, you can rest assured that a salary
negotiation is on the way, and the issue will be raised even if you do
not bring it up.
However, it would be good for your salary prospects, if when asked about
your salary expectations, you reply with a figure or a baseline higher
than your current salary. If the interviewer asks you about your current
salary several times during the interview, you should inform him or her
about your salary and make it a point to tell them that you are seeking
a salary increase.
Normally, if you are asked about the reasons for leaving your previous
jobs, if you answer ‘for better job prospects’, you have more or less
informed the interviewer that you are looking for a higher salary than
you are currently receiving
Very rarely, the interviewer will not even mention the issue of salary.
In such a case, it is right for you to ask what the financial aspects of
the position that you have been offered are. But you will have to
remember to bring this up only at the very end of the job interview.
When you ask the question, make sure that you ask it with a certain
level of curiosity. If at any point in time the interviewer feels that
you are attending the interview and looking for a job change solely for a
salary increase, this will guarantee your elimination from the
interview.
It goes without saying that the person attending the interview has got
leeway to negotiate the salary only if he/she is offered a job with the
company.
Therefore, all you can do until you are offered a position with the company is – Wait for it.
3. During the Interview – Salary Expectations should be Logical:
Every professional thinks that he or she is in the best profession and
that is the best resource that is available in the given line of
business. This might not always be true. Sometimes, we are destined to
be in a low paying profession, or we end up in a position where the
salaries are really less. Keep these thoughts in mind while demanding a
salary and be practical.
Also, remember that this is the first interaction that a company is
having with you and therefore every aspect of your interview would be
under a scanner. Therefore, make sure that you make the right moves
during the interview.
What Are Your Salary Expectations – Question In an Interview
You would be wise not to focus completely on salary expectations
during the interview, as you will probably want to know more about the
job and consider the other job benefits being offered to you by the
company.
However, you may be asked a question about your salary expectation (i.e salary requirements) during an HR interview.
Tips for the Human Resources Interview
The HR, Human Resources Interview is quite different from the other interviews that make a job interview –
1. A behavioral interview:
While the other interviews will gauge whether your skills are fitted for
the job, the Human Resources Interview is more of a psychological
interview or behavioral interview, that strives to find out whether your
aptitude, temperament and attitude will gel well with the company and
its employees.
2. The questions: Some of the
questions may seem ambiguous and even senseless to people who are
attending such interviews for the first time. They may give weak
answers, or answers to which they haven’t given much thought. Such
actions may cost them a job which they might otherwise have obtained as
per their qualifications and experience.
3. Weigh your answers before replying:
The Human Resources Interview consists of several seemingly simple
questions, but which are actually a way of finding out several aspects
about you. Therefore, the potential employee and interviewee should
weigh his or her answers before replying to the interviewer.
Sample Human Resources Interview Questions
Here are some of the questions generally asked in a Human Resource Interview:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Tell us about your professional life.
3. What are your short term goals in your professional life?
4. What are your long term goals in professional life?
5. What are your financial expectations from any job in your life?
6. What are your financial expectations from this job?
7. Why have you chosen this career?
8. If not this career, which other career would you have chosen?
Once these types of questions are asked, the Human Resource
Department will try to find out more about your attributes and whether
you fit the bill for future growth in their company. Therefore, the
questions will veer towards leadership, team building and general
managerial questions.
Some of the HR interview questions will be:
1. Have you ever lead any number of individuals in your department?
2. Have you ever assumed leadership on an impromptu basis?
3. Have you ever had differences with your colleagues related to work? If so, how did you clear that up?
4. Did you ever experience colleagues having differences amongst
themselves? Did you try to iron out their differences? If so, did you
succeed? If not, what do you think is the reason behind your
unsuccessful attempt?
These are just some of the questions that you will face during the
Human Resources Interview. Remember that these questions are quite
important for you in order for you to clinch the deal.
Answering the Human Resource Interview Questions
Recommended answers for the above Human Resources, HR interview questions can be found in the following articles –
* Tell us about yourself.
“Tell Me about Yourself” Interview Questions and Answers
In brief: “During a job interview, the interviewer can ask many
questions. Some of the common questions are the ‘Tell Us about Yourself’
interview questions. Your answers to these questions are crucial. Make
sure that you are prepared for these types of interview questions.”
A job interview is one of the most important personal interactions
that an individual conducts. It is therefore of utmost importance that a
person is well prepared for every aspect of a job interview. In fact, most of the interview time schedule is spent on many aspects of the tough interview questions – “Tell Me about Yourself” and your interview answers.
4 common “Tell Me about Yourself” interview questions and answers
1. A brief summary of your personal details:
You have to give your name, where you are from and a brief review of
your resume. You may also provide any other personal detail that you
choose to provide.
2. Education:
You should tell the interviewer about your educational qualifications
and any relevant miscellaneous educational qualifications that you might
have amassed.
3. Professional experience:
Standard questions during a job interview are “tell me about your
professional experience”. Depending on whether you are a novice or an
experienced professional, you should share your previous job
experiences. If you are a novice, then, you could tell anything that you
think would be relevant for the job. You may provide a scope of your
educational capabilities and strengths or any of your hobbies, etc.
4. What are Your weaknesses and strengths: One of the tricky interview questions that you might be asked is “tell me about your weaknesses and/or strengths”.
Therefore, you should prepare for such questions. A common mistake is
to take strength and present it as a weakness. You should be honest. You
may share one-two of your weaknesses and the way you have
(successfully) corrected or handled these weaknesses. On the other hand,
do not boast your strengths. Tell about some of your strengths as
having a positive impact on your professional capabilities.
5 tips for “Tell Me about Yourself” interview answers
Try to be as clear, precise and frank as possible. When interviewing
and answering “tell me about yourself” questions, you should avoid
common mistakes and stick to the facts as follows:
1. Keep the information crisp and relevant:
One of the first things to remember is to keep the information crisp
and relevant. Try to speak in short sentences and moreover, try to give
them as much information as possible in the least amount of time. Here
is a brief idea of what you would be saying, refer to: How to Describe Yourself in an Interview.
2. Do not repeat information from the CV:
You should ascertain that none of the information that you provide
about yourself is repeated or duplicated from your curriculum vitae.
Therefore, even your curriculum vitae should only contain the necessary
and relevant information, while all other miscellaneous information
should be disclosed during the answer.
3. Fabricated or false information:
Another important thing that you should remember is that you should not
give any fabricated or false information while answering the Tell Me
about Yourself Interview question. Background checks today have become
very important and strict. Companies are known to sack people even after
years of working, simply on the basis of some false information
provided to them during the initial interview.
4. Irrelevant and unnecessary information:
It is very important that no irrelevant and unnecessary information is
given out during the question. The question seems to be quite simple,
but it is actually one of those make or break questions, from which an
interviewee can never recover and hence loses the job opportunity.
5. Facts and figures:
While telling about yourself, be prepared to be asked further questions
about any facts and figures that you have provided. For example, if you
have said that you have a Bachelor’s degree, make sure that you provide
further details if asked, or even (in some countries) carry a copy of
the same. Any information given without the relevant proof may be deemed
suspicious and ambiguous.
6. Do Not Tell them about:
You should not disclose too much information . You might tell the
interviewer that your hobby is fishing, but telling about your last
fishing trip in which you missed a big fish would be too much
information, unless the interviewer is a big fishing fan and actually
goads you into telling the details. Also, even if asked, you should not
give them too much information about your family members. Of course, you
would have to inform them about the number of family members that you
have, and whether they work or not, and if yes, where, those kinds of
details, but telling them anything apart from that is not suggested.
The manner in which you deal with any question, especially a salary
issue question, can affect the outcome of the interview, so it is worth
being prepared.
It is worth being prepared to answer this question wisely because you
can, accidentally, make some critical mistakes that will greatly weaken
your negotiating power down the road.
First thing, I would like to point out that you should never negotiate a salary in an interview… only after a job offer is made.
You can discuss your expected salary, but in vague terms, in an interview.
Job Interview Salary Question: Starting Salary Expectations
How should you respond to ‘the salary expectation’ question?
In the interview, if the interviewer asks about your salary
expectations, you can say something like “well, my salary expectations
are $xxx – $xxx.”
If he or she keeps asking “what is your current salary?” you may say
“I’m earning $xx right now and I would hope for an increase.”
You reply with a figure or a baseline higher than your current salary.
Salary information, if not offered by the interviewer, should be
requested only at the very end of the interview and only in a “curious”
tone of voice.
If you want to know the salary range, at the end of the interview you
may ask “Could you tell me what the salary range for this position is?”
Don’t leave the employer with the impression that all you are
interested in is how much they pay…it’s a guaranteed way to get
eliminated from consideration.
Therefore, be careful when you answer salary interview questions –
the only time you negotiate salary in the interview is if they offer you
the job on the spot.
So, how do you negotiate a salary?
Wait for an offer before you take it any further!
4. Do Not Underestimate Your Worth:
This may be the most important aspect to remember while negotiating your salary with the interviewer.
Every profession and profile has a base salary. This is the unspoken
truth in professional circles. Any professional that offers their
services beneath this base salary comes across as a person who does not
exactly know the actual value of their services.
These are just some of the aspects that should be kept in mind while talking about your salary during your job interview.
How to Get a Raise at Work: Getting the Pay Raise You Deserve
You work, you work, and you work…
While your paycheck shows up like clockwork on paydays, after a while
it’s common to become frustrated because you feel you should get a pay
raise, and yet you don’t. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. The
good news is we’ll show you how to get a pay raise.
Getting a Raise during Economic Troubles
Getting a raise during good time might be a little tough, but getting
a raise during an economic downturn can be next to impossible unless
you possess the right skills.
If you were thinking you should just not bother, you’d be wrong. Unless
your employer is about to shut its doors you should go ahead and ask.
Show Your Employer why YOU are Valuable
Companies invest in their good employees because they value them.
What you need to do is show your employer why you are an asset to the
company. The last thing a company wants is to lose their best employees
during economic troubles, because it’s likely those employees are
playing an integral role in the company’s current health. By showing
your employer what you do for their business, you are much more likely
to get your raise when you ask.
Show Your Employer the Big Picture
Before you approach your employer for a raise, take some time to research and get the big picture.
You must know by heart the reasons you deserve a raise in your salary package.
Find out what others in your position are earning, before you make an
appointment with your employer to ask for your raise. Not only will you
be ready to show them what you do for the business, you’ll be ready to
show them what your equals in the industry are making.
How to Find Out What Others are Earning
According to Forbes.com
if you want to find out what
others earn you can talk to a recruiter from your industry or use sites
such as PayScale.com who collect data on salaries.
There are many other sites such as Salary.com, Glassdoor.com, or Jobnob.com
Meeting With Your Employer
It’s time to make that appointment to speak with your employer.
After all, if you don’t ask you’ll certainly not get the raise. Set up a
time that’s convenient for both of you. Don’t go into the meeting
expecting to get a firm “no,” but nevertheless you do have to be
prepared for it.
It May be all in the Words
Whatever you do don’t open the conversation by telling your employer he/she underpays you.
That could get their ire up and when they feel insulted you are far more
likely to get a “no” for an answer. Instead start by telling them
something important about what you’ve done for the company in the last
year and move into talking about why you are valuable.
What You are Worth
From there you can move onto telling your employer what others in your
industry are making and what the fair market value of your job is.
Your employer is going to either say yes or no. If it’s a yes then
you’ll want to thank him/her properly. If it’s a no, then ask your
employer to consider non-salary benefits such as health insurance, or
training. The majority of employers will agree to a raise when asked in a
manner that justifies it.
“Because I have work to care about, it is possible that I
may be less difficult to get along with than other women when the
double chins start to form.”
Team leader – interview questions
The questions will focus on determining the following:
Are you a team player?
One of the initial requirements of being a team leader is to be a team
player. The team leader interview will feature many questions pertaining
to this. If you have already been a team leader in your previous
company, the questions will be to the point and basic. However, if you
were not a team leader in your previous company, but your interviewer
sees you as a potential candidate for team
leader, then the questions will be more ambiguous and require a better
understanding on your part.
Have you handled a team earlier, in any capacity?
This question is more geared towards knowing whether you are comfortable
with handling a team or not. In every company, there comes a time when a
person needs to become an “impromptu” team leader and handle the team.
This basically happens in smaller companies and startups, where a
particular employee assumes dual or multiple responsibilities.
How do you handle differences between your teammates?
There is no workplace that is without any differences between two
employees. However, whether it makes a difference to the production and
development in the company depends on how these differences are sorted
out. The interviewer will try to find out whether you had any
differences with other employees, or whether you ever worked with two
employees who had differences, in a bid to iron out their differences.
How did you handle difficulties?
If you provide them with satisfactory information about how you worked
with the employees, or even worked out your differences with others,
your chances of being hired as a team leader increase.
Team Leader Competency based Questions
The following are questions that are asked during a competency interview for a team leader position
- Give examples of steps taken to make each team members feel important.
- What are the key values of a leader? How do you demonstrate these values?
- What is the difference between a manager and a leader?
- How open-minded are you to other member’s ideas?
- Do you consult members?
- How do you take decisions in general?
- Give an example of risk that you had to take? Why did you decided to take the risk?
- What are the steps that you take to maintain a good co-worker’s relationships?
- How do you network? What is the importance of networking?
- How do you keep relations with a person in cases where you cannot agree upon certain issues?
- How frequently do you support others and get a support from others?
- How do you keep each member of the team involved and motivated?
- What were the steps you needed to take to achieve goals?
- Give an example of a creative solution to unexpected situations when your leadership skills are needed.
- Have you ever acted as a mentor to a co-worker?
- Provide an example of a situation where you had to create an
agreement between parties that were originally differed in opinion,
approach, and objectives.
- How do you keep yourself and your teammates staying motivated?
- Does a leader need a power or an authority? How do influence people?
- Did you have faults as a leader? Describe the situation.
- Describe a situation when you had to convince others.
- Give an example when you had to present complex information in a simplified manner in order to explain it to others.
- How do you establish good communication and information flow with others?
Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers
During the behavioral based interview it is important to carefully select what to say.
This article suggests samples of behavioral job interview questions and the way to answer these questions.
It may be a good idea to prepare your answers to behavioral interview questions before the interview.
Why?
When it comes to job interviews, what you do not say is much more important than what you say.
The behavioral based interview is a complete review of your behavior,
attitude, technical information and other knowledge about your
profession.
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions and Behavioral Interview Answers
There are only a few behavioral based interview questions that stand the risk of being over-answered.
Here are some tough interview questions and the suggested answers for the same:
1. Working with your colleagues:
Questions about working with your colleagues are some other behavioral
interview questions which may be difficult to answer. Remember, the
interviewer is not looking for loyalty and camaraderie as much as he or
she is looking for a person who is responsible for getting a particular
assignment done in a good and amicable way. Therefore, you should give
them the idea that you are a responsible colleague who can become a
natural leader given the reason and the managerial support.
2. Situations of pressure:
Another important question would be the how you handle pressure
situations. It is well known that the best people are always found
during a pressure situation and that every company wants someone who can
handle any pressure situation. Therefore, your answer to the question
should give them the idea that you are willing and able to handle any
pressure situation that might occur in the workplace.
3. Use of judgment, logic or interaction:
In essence, you can also be asked to give an example of a specific time
when you used your judgment, logic or interaction to solve a problem in
your professional life.
4. Personal goal: You would
also be asked to give an example where you set a personal goal in your
professional life and whether you were able to achieve it.
5. Your skills: Another
question would be giving an example of when your presentation skills
have changed the minds of your colleagues or your superiors. You would
have to give a brief description of how you have introduced and
implemented your ideas after supporting them with facts and practical
reasoning.
6. Working out of your job profile:
You may also be asked to give an example of when you have worked out of
your job profile and above and beyond your normal job profile to make
something happen for the company.
7. Your hobbies and likes and dislikes:
Another question that may be over-answered is your hobbies and likes
and dislikes. You should be careful while talking about your likes and
dislikes. You should ensure that you are not actually being judgmental
about what others do and others do not. Instead, try to use the
opportunity to tell what you actually like doing. Also, make sure that
you do not give completely superficial hobbies, likes and dislikes.
Superficial hobbies, likes and dislikes are instantly recognized and
come across as hackneyed.
How to negotiate your salary: negotiation tips, tactics, skills & techniques
Here are my dozen salary negotiation tips:
Do you know how much you’re worth?
First thing to do is to look up salary surveys online in your local
area. You may also ask friends and colleges. Find the right time to tell
them during an offer interview about the market average salaries for
your position. They probably know these numbers. Now, the deal becomes
transparent and more importantly –with every hand revealed!
Research Salaries
The second task depends on your connections inside the company. If you
research the salaries of the company, which you can find if you have
friends inside, you might be lucky in finding out the base salaries that
the company offers. All companies have an amount in mind and they would
never offer more than this amount. Of course, you would not get an
exact number immediately, but if you would research a bit, you would get
an idea of the amount that the company has in mind. Make sure that your
negotiations never go above this amount.
Salary – Base amount
Another negotiation tip is to keep in mind that your current salary is
the base amount that you currently draw. Unless you have taken a career
break for a while, there is no reason to settle for a lower or even the
same salary. Therefore, always aim at a twenty or thirty percent salary
raise when you negotiate with a company for a salary. Anything above
fifty percent is quite difficult to achieve, unless and until you have
held a very high position in your previous company.
The art of using bracketing tactics in negotiation
You might be asked about your current salary. Try, if possible, to evade
the question providing an indirect answer. Give your salary
expectations using brackets. You want the company to be the first one to
quote.
Using brackets is an effective negotiation tactic. Getting the other
side to make the initial bid requires negotiation skills and
manipulation. The art of negotiation is to get the other person to make
the next move. Keep in mind that your low bracket should be slightly
higher than the salary you would like.
Is there a ‘room’ for negotiation?
An important salary negotiation tip – try to sense if there is room for
negotiation. In case your position is similar to others, they won’t
change their regulations for you. However, if you have unique
qualifications (i.e. you are a “star” in your field), you get that power
key.
Negotiation – Power keys
Gauging the company’s need to hire you is a key factor. If you have
reached the stage where the company is not only impressed by your
profile but actually offers you a job, you have a higher negotiating
leverage. This can be determined by the general interaction that takes
place between the interviewers and you.
In addition, remember that it is more economical for a company to hire a
professional once they have reached the job offer interview as compared
to continue looking for other options. Assuming that they really want
you if you got to the job offer stage, even though you might have this
power key in your hands, use it cleverly.
Salary limits
Every company has its limits and it is possible that some other
candidates are still in the picture. When it comes to limits, you just
want to touch their upper limit.
Hence, insist on a salary increase when you feel that the power key is
in your hands. Again, it may be cheaper for them to increase your salary
than keep looking for candidates.
It is not only a salary issue
Drawing attention to other aspects is a good salary negotiation
technique. Emphasize that you don’t only want the job for the pay. Show
your interest – ask about your new project’s tasks and demonstrate your
confidence in handling the job.
Make them feel they need you.
Provide examples
Why do you deserve more? Provide examples – start reviewing your
experience, background, qualifications and skills. If you deserve a
better salary, they might consider changes.
Ask for Salary Benefits
Some jobs require expenses while others depend on yields. The company
may prefer to give you bonuses rather than increases in salary. In many
cases, the company’s financial needs may improve your chances of getting
some salary benefits.
Mention that you have other choices (risky!)
Competition is great if you actually have another job offer or you want
to play a risky game. Depending on the case, and without telling exact
numbers, you can hint (carefully) that you have other choices. They have
3 alternatives: an improved job offer, staying cool or if you annoyed
them – the game is over…
Job Offer – Time to consider
You may also ask for time to consider, if you need extra time to think
about the proposal before signing the contract – take your time. When
you’re away from the negotiating table, you can discuss and compare job
offer components that you might have missed.
Declining/accepting a job offer
In case you are not satisfied, bring up the points of contention and
leave the negotiating table for second thoughts. Keep your emotions in
check.
Declining a job offer is a confusing decision. You shouldn’t feel obligated to reject or accept the job offer on the spot.
Compromise – Ask to renegotiate your salary later
You can take the job offer and try to make some improvement after
joining the company. There might be an option to increase your salary
down the road. The company does not know your real value yet. Prove your
worth and leave some room for a salary increase later. Therefore, as
your last move, ask that the salary be renegotiated a couple of months
after starting. Verify that they include this term in your job contract.
Summing up these negotiating tactics in a job offer interview:
While negotiating for anything in life, not only salaries, it is very
important for you to have options. If you have options, and the distinct
knowledge that you will be hired not only by the company to which you
are currently applying, but at least by some other companies, it will
show in your behavior and will definitely enhance your negotiation
skills.
Of course, you have to make sure that you are subtle and do not come across as a know-it-all.
How to Negotiate a Salary – Negotiation Tips
Here are some negotiation tips to keep in mind when negotiating the job salary once the job has been offered to you:
1. Being professional: Being professional during
your interview not only helps you in securing the job, but it also makes
sure that you get the best possible deal from the company.
2. Discuss your job salary only when the employer does:
An early question about the salary will not only mean coming across as
immature but will also convey the idea that you are more interested in
the money than the job. Therefore, the best idea is to ask or talk
about the salary only when the interviewer speaks about the salary. This
will not only mean that you are being considered for the job, but also
that the interviewer is serious about the entire job interview process.
3. The figures you have in mind: As an aside,
remember that you should not disclose the amount you have in mind at the
outset. It is only further on in the meeting that you will get a
clearer picture of the responsibilities and get more information about
the job. If you quote a lower salary at the beginning and wish to
increase your previous quote as the interview progresses, it will be
very difficult or even simply impossible.
4. Steer clear of figures in your job interview:
Even when you finally get an idea of what you are in for on the job and
the interviewer makes sure that you do not directly discuss the figures
of the financials that they have in mind for you, in order to find out
the ball park figures for your salary try to find out the salaries of
the people who are working at posts closer to you and in the department
that you will be assigned to (if possible).
5. Use a bracket instead of solid figures in the job interview:
It is wise to use a bracket, which begins a bit lower than what the
employer has offered and ending a bit above what the employer has
offered. This way, you will put your point across, as well as keep
avenues open when it comes to salary negotiations.
6. Keep Your Emotions in Check During the job offer acceptance:
If the amount that the company offers as your salary is an amount that
you are very happy with, make sure that you do not make it evident to
the interviewer. This may cause the interviewer to actually review
whether you are worth the salary that they have in mind for you.
7. The One Last Try: So okay, the interview is over,
the salary that is offered is good enough, but you think that if you
take the bargaining a bit further, you will get a better deal. In such
cases, you should make sure that you give the interviewer a clear
picture that you are more than interested in the job, and the salary is
now just a minor issue that can be resolved. Otherwise, you might lose a
very lucrative job over a few hundred dollars.
Accepting a job offer
Once you are negotiating your salary, keep in mind that the initial
job offer and salary is just the beginning and if you work well and
prove yourself to the company, the sky is the limit.
Remember that evaluations take place in a company every six months or
one year, and this is a time when the company simply cannot refuse you a
salary hike if you work well and prove your worth. The job hunting
process is a long and complicated one. There are several aspects to the
job interview, one of them being salary negotiations. If you negotiate
your salary properly, you are sure to get a hefty raise, if not, you may
even lose your chance of being employed by the company.
The right time to ask for or negotiate your salary is once a concrete job offer is made.
Last words:
Another thing to keep in mind is that unless you have been out
of work for a long time, or you were released from your previous company
for dubious reasons, there is no reason why the hiring company you will
not give you a raise. So, you can rest assured that a salary
negotiation is on the way, and the issue will be raised even if you do
not bring it up.
However, it would be good for your salary prospects, if when asked about
your salary expectations, you reply with a figure or a baseline higher
than your current salary. If the interviewer asks you about your current
salary several times during the interview, you should inform him or her
about your salary and make it a point to tell them that you are seeking
a salary increase.
Normally, if you are asked about the reasons for leaving your previous
jobs, if you answer ‘for better job prospects’, you have more or less
informed the interviewer that you are looking for a higher salary than
you are currently receiving
Very rarely, the interviewer will not even mention the issue of salary.
In such a case, it is right for you to ask what the financial aspects of
the position that you have been offered are. But you will have to
remember to bring this up
only at the very end of the job interview.
When you ask the question, make sure that you ask it with a certain
level of curiosity. If at any point in time the interviewer feels that
you are attending the interview and looking for a job change solely for a
salary increase, this will guarantee your elimination from the
interview.
It goes without saying that the person attending the interview has got
leeway to negotiate the salary only if he/she is offered a job with the
company.
Therefore, all you can do until you are offered a position with the company is – Wait for it.
Negotiate Salary Using Your Marketing Skills
Your Research is Important
Take time to learn about the pay scale of the hiring company.
You should also learn what the industry average is. In some work
environments the union limits employer salary flexibility no matter how
much post secondary education you have. To negotiate salary you need to
know what your expectations are and what the minimum salary is you will
accept.
Put on Your Poker Face
Don’t let the potential employer know what you are thinking is the right amount of money for the position.
On the application forms leave it blank. You need to make it to the
interview stage and then on to the offer stage without anyone feeling
you are asking too much in the way of salary.
Understand Your True Worth
Consider what it is you will be doing and what type of responsibility lies on your shoulders.
Are you in demand by other companies? Use this to your advantage, but
don’t get too over confident because it can backfire. Is it a powerful
position your salary should reflect this.
Negotiation tip: Let the Employer Broach the Salary Negotiating
You shouldn’t be the first to bring up the salary discussion.
If they don’t seem to be moving in that direction then try to start the
dialogue by telling them you are looking for a fulfilling career with an
acceptable compensation package. Hopefully they bite.
Salary Negotiation Tactics
If not you may be forced to be the one to bring up the salary range you’d be open to discussing.
It’s to your disadvantage to be the one to tell them what your
acceptable minimum salary is. If you need to negotiate your salary you
need to be prepared to do so.
Emphasize Your Skills
Be sure to brag a little.
After all you have many skills and accomplishments that can save the
company money in increased productivity, possession of valuable
knowledge, and a benefit to the entire team. These skills should
translate into a higher salary.
Blink You Lose
Pay attention to how the company presents the salary offer to you.
When your potential boss or the interviewer give you a salary figure,
give an acknowledging nod so they know you are considering it, but don’t
say a word. If the company is presenting a low ball offer in those
minutes of silence that offer may go up considerably.
If You Don’t Believe In You Why Should They?
Whatever tactic you find you have to use to achieve the salary you desire, you must always believe in yourself.
Put your cards on the table but always with the end game in mind and never self doubt yourself.
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
(Donald Kendall)
You need to get through the interview in order to have a job offer come your way.
During the interview stage, many interviewers will bring up the subject
of job and salary expectations. You need to be prepared; otherwise, this
is going to become an awkward moment that will not be to your
advantage.
What is your Worth?
When the subject of salary expectations arises, it can feel a bit like your character is under the microscope.
And in a sense it is. You need to be ready for this moment by having
evaluated your worth. When asked you can tell your interviewer what your
job and salary expectation are and why you are worth it. You do not
have to be arrogant but this is the time for you to sell your skills so
put your best sales foot forward.
You Are Worth It!
One of the most common mistakes is to assume the employer will hire the
person who is qualified and asking for the least amount of money.
That would be wrong. If you impress the employer they will be willing to
pay you more even if your salary expectations are higher than others.
Those first impressions are important.
Negotiating Salary
First thoughts are around the following – What are my salary
expectations? What to say and how to answer salary expectations
question?
Your salary expectations should be built around 6 factors:
- How much you earned at your last job
- What the industry standards are for salary
- Your work experience – the more experience you have the more you are worth
- Your qualifications and credentials – the more qualifications/credentials the higher your salary should be
- The current market situation – it’s really all about supply and
demand. If the demand is high but the supply is low you are worth far
more than if the supply is high but the demand is low
- What’s the salary you are aiming for
When to Bring up the Question of Salary Expectations
Salary negotiating is a delicate and complex, so you should postpone it as long as possible.
If it doesn’t get brought up in during your interview that’s okay. Once
you’ve made a positive impression and the job has been offered to you if
the employer doesn’t bring up the salary and benefit package you’re
going to need to. You never want to accept an offer for employment until
you’ve negotiated your salary. You may be surprised to learn that
employers actually respect potential employees more if they aren’t
afraid to be forthright with this difficult topic.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Salary Negotiation
Do
- Be honest when asked as to what your salary expectations including benefits
- Evaluate your total package offer
- When determining if the salary is acceptable include other important
factors such as career growth opportunities, location, and job
satisfaction
- Make sure you show you are committed to the job during salary negotiating
- Be rational with your salary negotiations
Don’t
- Bring up salary before the employer does
- Act in a devious or manipulative manner
- Pursue salary negotiations at the first interview unless the interviewer brings it up
- Start negotiating until you know you have been selected as the candidate of choice
- Wait until the offer of unemployment arrives in the mail to begin to negotiate salary
Two things to remember – don’t underprice yourself and don’t overprice yourself!
“Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need”
(Voltaire)
How to Ask Your Boss for a Pay Raise
The salary of a person has a huge effect on the general satisfaction that they derive from their work.
In fact, even if the person is working in the best company and has the
perfect position, s/he may not be completely satisfied with his/her job
because of being underpaid, or paid less the worth in the market.
Any company that respects its employees will always look at ways of
rewarding their productive employees – either in way of appraisals or
other types of recognition.
Many companies have a talk with their employees before they decide on a salary raise.
If you have your homework done for these kinds of meetings, you can
actually negotiate the raise that your company is offering you.
But if this is not the case and no salary raise was offered to you
when you feel like you deserve it, you would want to ask your boss for a
pay raise.
In this case, you should prepare the tactic to approach/convince you
boss with the right message – “I deserve a salary increase because of A,
B, C…”
Moreover, you have to make a plan B – plan your next steps if you don’t get what you want from your superiors.
How to Ask For a Pay Raise?
Here are some of ways in which you can ask a raise in salary – tactfully.
Ask for a meeting
You may prepare and send a letter on which you ask for a metting to discuss a pay raise.
Prepare a report of your contribution to the company:
A raise in the salary will be given to you based on your productiveness for the company and your performance value.
These are the most important aspects.
It is always suggested that you create a comprehensive, detailed and
easy to digest report about your work in the company. The report should
basically speak about how you have achieved the targets that have been
set for you by the company.
Therefore, write about your performance level: goals you’ve reached,
initiatives and solutions you’ve implemented, revenues you’ve met and
the hard extra/non-paid hours you’ve contributed. You may also write
about the tasks you took above and beyond your job requirements.
Your performance record will strengthen your case for a pay raise. If
your boss is not aware of your achievements or deliberately prefers to
ignore them, then let the works you have done speak for you – write it
down.
Know the Market Rates of your Job profile:
Another important thing to keep in mind before requesting a pay raise is the market rates of your position.
While asking a raise, you should ensure that the amount that you are
asking for is not too over and above the current market offerings for
your job.
Also, while preparing the document for the market rate, make sure that
you include only those instances where the employees have the same
experience and qualifications as you do.
Do not haggle too much:
Too much of a haggling leaves a bitter taste for the employer as well as the employee.
Of course, this does not mean that you should not try hard to make your
case convincing. Just try to ensure that your general approach does not
seem to be only about the money that is paid to you.
Make it a point to put across to the employers about how you want to be
even more productive to the company and what you see yourself doing for
the progress of the company.
Therefore, you can consider asking for more responsibilities, if your current job volume doesn’t justify a pay raise.
Timing – when to approach your boss for a raise?
The best times to ask for a salary raise are after the annual
performance review or right after reaching a major goal (successfully).
Be sure your boss in the right mood.. And s/he is not having a high
workload when asking a raise.
If your request is denied:
You may receive a negative answer for the pay itself but get the
impression that other salary components are still negotiable. Therefore,
consider asking for an improvement in benefits or bonuses, such as:
vocation days, work hours, sales quotas etc.
You may also ask your boss for a future raise when and if you reach some performance objectives or getting new responsibilities.
If possible – Have an Offer in Hand:
To negotiate for a salary increase in the right manner, you should have a material picture of your worth in the market.
You can get this only if you actually apply for job posting and find out
how much others are willing to pay you for the same profile. Remember
that the individual worth and the worth of the work that you are doing
for the company are two different concepts – and never the twain shall
meet. Once you have the offer in hand, you will be able to ask/negotiate
your salary raise in a better manner.
Lastly, be prepared to negotiate
After doing your homework, be prepared with an idea of the amount of the
salary increase to ask – the high pay raise and the lesser one.
Good luck!
