Questions to ask (and avoid) when interviewing for a job

Robert Half International — 5/10/2013 2:55:35 PM

The success or failure of a job interview doesn't rest solely with the answers you give the hiring manager. The questions you choose to ask can also speak volumes.

In a recent Robert Half survey, human resources managers recounted the most unusual or surprising question they've received from a job seeker during an interview. Some of the highly questionable queries included:

"Do I have to be at work every day?"
"Would you consider going on a date with me?"
"Can I have three weeks off every three months to pursue my music career?"
"Can my husband finish this test for me?"
"Is the boss single?"
"Do you want to take a ride in my new car?"
"Can you help me search for an apartment?"
"What job is this for?"

Pec....

How to spot an interviewer's red flags

Susan Ricker, CareerBuilder Writer — 4/11/2013 6:01:12 PM

Interviewers are prepared to instantly spot strengths and weaknesses in a job candidate. Naturally, they want to find somebody who's the best fit for the role and weed out job seekers who aren't up to the challenge. However, don't forget that the company is interviewing for you, too. It's up to you to spot the strengths and weaknesses of a company.

To avoid taking a job that's not right for you, look for these red flags in an interview and learn how to respond to the warning signs.

There are hints of high turnover
Whether it comes up naturally in an interview or if you ask yourself, find out about the history of the job you're applying for, as well as the employees who formerly held the role. Hopefully, those employees have gone on to better positions or have been promoted within the company. However,....

How to survive brain-teaser interview questions

Larry Buhl, Special to CareerBuilder — 5/8/2013 5:28:24 PM

Is it not enough to have a résumé bursting with accomplishments, an action plan for how you can benefit the company and a winning interview style to land the job? Now, you're also expected to answer brain-teaser questions? Seriously?

Seriously. "This trend toward asking off-the-wall questions started in high tech a few years ago and has now emerged in interviews for jobs in a variety of fields," says John O'Connor, president of North Carolina-based CareerPro Inc., a professional career-coaching and branding company.

These questions are often brain teasers and can be anything from a complex, multilayered math and logic problem to a wacky question with no real answer. Some examples include:

How many rocks are on the face of the....

How to juggle multiple interviews

Alan Carniol, founder of InterviewSuccessFormula.com — 3/8/2013 10:11:40 AM

We often hear of job seekers struggling to land interviews. However, what if you're one of the lucky ones to be offered multiple job interviews with different companies?

Though you are in a good position, you may slip up since there is so much on the table. For instance, you could mix up company values. You may forget important documents. You could even accidentally name-drop an executive at one of the other companies. All of these don't represent you as the awesome candidate you are -- and they certainly don't help your chances.

However, juggling multiple interviews shouldn't be seen as added stress. It should be used as an opportunity to steer your interviewing experiences in the right direction. Check out these tips to make it happen.

6 ways to kill your chances in an interview

Susan Ricker, CareerBuilder Writer — 1/23/2013 12:03:48 PM

From applicant tracking systems to appropriate résumés, there are more than enough hurdles to overcome before getting a job interview. The interview itself might be the biggest challenge for some job seekers, who leave having no clue how it went.

CareerBuilder surveyed hiring managers to find out what's going on in job interviews and why a promising candidate may not get picked. Six factors contributed to why interviews go badly for some, and while these....

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Questions to ask (and avoid) when interviewing for a job

How to spot an interviewer's red flags

How to survive brain-teaser interview questions

How to juggle multiple interviews

6 ways to kill your chances in an interview