The dreaded questions about... your resume
10 August 2012
Read by 1907 persons
Job application advice books almost always focus on "soft skills," abilities that are important in almost every field and every position. But don't forget that "hard skills" are much more important in almost all professions: formal qualifications, technical skills, core competencies. You should always adapt universal advice to your specific field and resume.
Understandable for laypeople
Hiring managers spend the relevant part of the job interview mainly verifying the data on the resume. Such questions are particularly important for professions with very strict formal criteria: in the health sector, in scientific and technical professions, and for legal professionals. The higher the qualification, the more specialized your profile; your qualifications will therefore be evaluated accordingly.
There is a risk that the hiring manager may not be from the same field. Be prepared for questions about your qualifications and background by explaining your resume and activities to laypeople. You can practice with family and friends. The goal is to explain your specialized skills in a simple, yet conclusive and complete way. In an interview with people who are not in the same profession, you must clearly describe specialized terms.
Identifying relevant skills
Carefully read your resume, asking yourself what skills each of your professional positions has given you. Identify those that are particularly important for the position you are applying for. Look for any skills you may have acquired in less relevant positions.
Typical questions:
"What was the specialization in your training X?"
"Describe the subject of your diploma thesis/dissertation/final year project"
"What were your tasks in company X?"
"How did your tasks in company X change during your time there?"
"Do you consider year X a career break on your resume?"
"Why do you change employers every two years?"
"Describe an exceptional success in your work at company X!"
"What responsibilities have you already held? Have you had personnel or budget responsibility?"
"Have you worked in a team? How did you work in company X? What were your areas of responsibility in company X?"
"What are the areas in which you have particularly extensive experience (in terms of content)?"
Monster.fr
Posted on August 10, 2012.
Understandable for laypeople
Hiring managers spend the relevant part of the job interview mainly verifying the data on the resume. Such questions are particularly important for professions with very strict formal criteria: in the health sector, in scientific and technical professions, and for legal professionals. The higher the qualification, the more specialized your profile; your qualifications will therefore be evaluated accordingly.
There is a risk that the hiring manager may not be from the same field. Be prepared for questions about your qualifications and background by explaining your resume and activities to laypeople. You can practice with family and friends. The goal is to explain your specialized skills in a simple, yet conclusive and complete way. In an interview with people who are not in the same profession, you must clearly describe specialized terms.
Identifying relevant skills
Carefully read your resume, asking yourself what skills each of your professional positions has given you. Identify those that are particularly important for the position you are applying for. Look for any skills you may have acquired in less relevant positions.
Typical questions:
"What was the specialization in your training X?"
"Describe the subject of your diploma thesis/dissertation/final year project"
"What were your tasks in company X?"
"How did your tasks in company X change during your time there?"
"Do you consider year X a career break on your resume?"
"Why do you change employers every two years?"
"Describe an exceptional success in your work at company X!"
"What responsibilities have you already held? Have you had personnel or budget responsibility?"
"Have you worked in a team? How did you work in company X? What were your areas of responsibility in company X?"
"What are the areas in which you have particularly extensive experience (in terms of content)?"
Monster.fr
Posted on August 10, 2012.
