by Erin Steeley

Created on: November 19, 2010   Last Updated: November 20, 2010

When you walk into a job interview, will you want to look at this as a positive situation. The person on the other side of the desk started out just like you, nervous about getting hired and wondering just what to say. If you remember that he or she is also a human being, the entire process is a lot easier. This individual will have a list of questions that must be asked, and some of them can be seen as difficult. But if you prepare in advance and stay calm, you will have no problem.

What is your greatest weakness?

This is the question that everyone dreads. You never feel quite sure how to answer it, thinking that anything you say will be the wrong thing. The worst thing you can do here is to panic or lie. Do not, under any circumstances, told the interviewer that you have no weaknesses. Not only is that not true, but it's literally impossible as every person has a weakness. Instead of using of focusing on the word weakness, look at what the question is really asking. The employer is essentially wanting to know what you need to work on in your life. Now, this is not the time to talk about family problems or that you are trying to quit smoking. The focus here is on the position that you are applying for and your ability to handle the job. One way to answer this is with an honest and direct statement, saying something to the effect of, "I would really like to pursue further education," or, "I would like to get more training to improve my skills." This is a perfectly honest statement if you are considering going back to school and in that everyone needs more training that can help them do better at their job. You do not want to point out any major characteristics about yourself such as having trouble paying attention or having problems getting up on time in the morning. These are sure killers for this question. Instead, find something positive about yourself that you can improve on:  education, training, knowledge base or similar area.

What was one thing that you didn't like about your last job?

This question is a common interview breaker. How you approach this question is critical because the interviewer is looking to see what kind of an employee you will be. In this context, you want to avoid negative statements about your past employment even if you hated your former job immensely. For instance, going on a gripe-fest about your last boss, your coworkers, schedule or place of employment screams of a bad attitude. You also want to avoid being personal

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