Why don't you choose SMK?

 

Choose the correct word in the bracket to complete the sentences in the paragraph below!

When I was a third-year student of SMP, SMP 1 TULIS, I had been dreaming of being a student of SMK JUTEX PEKALONGAN, which belongs to the textile group. My choice met the economic conditions of my parents, as only poor villager-farmers in CLUWUK, SUBAH. At that time, I thought that being a graduate of SMK was (easier, more easy) to getting any job; (compared, comparing) with a graduate of SMA. Students learning in SMK will study a lot of life skills, such as; typing, operating computers, repairing machines, etc

Hence, (being, be) a student of SMK is (more skillful, skillfuler)than those of SMA. SMK students will get (applicativer, more applicative) courses; which are needed in the world of work. I enrolled to be a student of SMA, however; instead of being a student of SMK. One of my teachers in SMP led me (be, to be, being)a student of SMA Negeri 1 PEKALONGAN. My teacher said, "There, you'll be (more competitive, competitiver)than that in other schools; more over, you're smart enough to be one of the students in that favorite school." Finally, I was (happy, happier)to be a (commuting, commuted)student in(better, the best) SMA in the Residency of PEKALONGAN, SMANSA PEKALONGAN. A senior high school that brought me to be a student of the ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, FACULTY of LETTERS, UNS SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY, SURAKARTA; through PMDK, new student recruitment for the big ten rank students in the classroom. Now, I'm an English teacher of SMK 1 BATANG, however. After being a three-year honorarium teacher and getting the certificate of teaching license, AKTA  IV, from UT, UNIVERSITAS TERBUKA, I'm a candidate for stabled teacher of government.

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Presentation

 

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English Discussion

 

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Practical English

 English is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England.^[3][4][5] It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the island of Great Britain. Existing on a dialect continuum with Scots and then most closely related to the Low German and Frisian languages, English is genealogically Germanic. However, its vocabulary also shows major influences from French (about 28% of Modern English words) and Latin (also about 28%),^[6] plus some grammar and a small amount of core vocabulary influenced by Old Norse (a North Germanic language).^[7][8][9] Speakers of English are called Anglophones.

The earliest forms of English, collectively known as "Old English", evolved from a group of North Sea Germanic dialects brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century and further mutated by Norse-speaking Viking settlers starting in the 8th and 9th centuries. Middle English began in the late 11th century after the Norman Conquest of England, when considerable Old French (especially Old Norman French) and Latin-derived vocabulary was incorporated into English over some three hundred years.^[10][11] Early Modern English began in the late 15th century with the start of the Great Vowel Shift and the Renaissance trend of borrowing further Latin and Greek words and roots into English, concurrent with the introduction of the printing press to London. This era notably culminated in the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare.^[12][13]

Modern English grammar is the result of a gradual change from a typical Indo-European dependent-marking pattern with a rich inflectional morphology and relatively free word order to a mostly analytic pattern with little inflection and a fairly fixed subject–verb–object word order.^[14] Modern English relies more on auxiliary verbs and word order for the expression of complex tenses, aspects and moods, as well as passive constructions, interrogatives, and some negation.

Modern English has spread around the world since the 17th century as a consequence of the worldwide influence of the British Empire and the United States of America. Through all types of printed and electronic media in these countries, English has become the leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many regions and professional contexts such as science, navigation, and law.^[3] English is the most spoken language in the world^[15] and the third most spoken native language in the world, after Standard Chinese and Spanish.^[16] It is the most widely learned second language and is either the official language or one of the official languages in 59 sovereign states. There are more people who have learned English as a second language than there are native speakers. As of 2005, it was estimated that there were over 2 billion speakers of English.^[17] English is the majority native language in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland (see Anglosphere) and is widely spoken in some areas of the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.^[18] It is the co-official language of the United Nations, the European Union, and many other international and regional organisations. English accounts for at least 70% of speakers of the Germanic language branch of the Indo-European family.

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Interviewing

1. Interviewer: Hello, Dan. 
2. Dan: Hi. 
3. Interviewer: Can you tell me about a typical day in your life for the school magazine? 
4. Dan: Yeah, sure. 
5. Interviewer: So, what time do you get up? 
6. Dan: Oh, I get up very early. I get up every day at 5 o’clock and go to the pool. Then I swim from 6 o’clock to 8 o’clock. 
7. Interviewer: You get up at 5 o’clock? Wow, that’s early! 
8. Dan: Yeah. Then at 8 o’clock I have a shower, I get dressed and I have breakfast. I have a big breakfast: cereals, toast, bacon and eggs and orange juice. 
9. Interviewer: What do you do after breakfast? 
10. Dan: At 11 o’clock I go to university. I’m studying sports science and I have classes from 11 o’clock to 4 o’clock. 
11. Interviewer: When do you have lunch? 
12. Dan: I have lunch at about 2 o’clock at the university. 
13. Interviewer: What do you do after classes? 
14. Dan: Sometimes I go to the gym and sometimes I meet my friends at a café. 
15. Interviewer: What time do you have dinner? 
16. Dan: I have dinner at 7 o’clock, then I watch TV or go online and I usually go to bed at 10 o’clock. Interviewer: Thanks, Dan. That’s a busy day!
17. 
    
    
    
    

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Speaking Section

A.Speech

By SMK N 1 BATANG 2004 

 Good morning, Your Excellency Mr. And Mrs. Examiners (Jurists), entire the speech and debate contestants, and all the distinguished guests. Thanks to the examiners who give a chance to give my speech in front of you. Ladies and gentlemen, in this occasion I will speak about how to overcome the juvenile delinquency as my topic of speech. As we understand that young people we sometimes call teenagers are periods when they try to find out their identity. So that, in this period, a young men and women is looking for what she or he will be, wants to be, and dreams of. She or he is in trial and error period. We can imagine that that a young boy is looking for something he does not understand much. Of course, he will find some failures anytime. Think of also! A young girl who tries to influence her idol, perhaps a well known actress, while she does not know who she is, of course, will get a disappointment then. A young boy and girl who dream of something but their dreams never come true; hence he will get frustrated easily. From this typical period; ladies and gentlemen, we can guess what the teenagers who are emotional, very green in experience and norm or religious values, will do. They, indeed, will run to something bad and wrong both in the point of view of religious and social values. Smoking, drinking drug, and uncontrolled interaction, such as, join the bad gangs, etc. will be easily done by these frustrated young men and women; especially by the teenagers. Consequently, many teenagers do bad and wrong activities; like, playing truant, stealing their friend’s money, fighting among the gangs from the same school or different school gangs, speeding by their motorcycles on the road etc. Those bad conduct and activity are some of juvenile delinquency, or teenager crime. Ladies and gentlemen, we can imagine that our country will be …if our next generation is in such bad condition that our generation becomes weaker and weaker, more stupid, lazier. Consequently, our country will loose the good human resource. It means, our country will becomes worse and worse. So that, ladies and gentlemen, we should think of the best solution for this juvenile delinquency; otherwise we will find our next generation are a generation that does not competitive with other generation in the world. Of course, we do not want to see that our generation will underdog in the global competition. We do not want to see that or generations are smokers, drug drinkers, and troublemakers on this world. Ladies and gentlemen, we should make a great effort to solve these problems. And the best solution for those problems is a much better religious and social value education. With this solution, we will overcome the social problems in general; and particularly juvenile delinquency in the society. Ladies and gentlemen, I think that’s all; the better religious and social values education should be carried out; other wise we will loose our good generation in the future. And this is the end of my speech, thanks. B.Debate National Examination is still needed Affirmative: A1: National exam is such exam done by the school nationally. It means this last test determining the final result of teaching and learning process for the students in the last year in a certain school; such as, College, etc. As the test is very carried out integrally, this test is very effective to measure the students’ ability objectively. Consequently, the result of test tends to be used as a standard of measurement. A2: As we know, our government is building the national program for the education on the basis of global standard. So that, we can think of it! How powerful, important the national exam is since the test will be same in their difficulty, easiness, and complexity. A3: As the national exam is a kind of standard test, the students in our country will have the national capability and ability. In addition, national exam is a national standard of measurement for the students in our country to compete objectively. Negative N1: In my opinion, as national exam is done nationally, integrally, it will bring many difficulties in procedures and fees. We can imagine how complex is the problem should be done by our government to prepare that kind of test. It means our government will be busier to face that national test. N2: Well! Everybody, as the national exam is done in the same time, difficulty; this test sometimes can not measure the students’ ability accurately, since the preparation needs more times, more attention. N3: And the last! How can this national exam measure accurately if the students’ ability is different from other students in different regions? A clever student in a certain region will be considered an average one in another region. Western Culture is a threat for Indonesian society A1: Western culture is a culture coming from the western countries, especially American-English countries. This culture usually refers to a bad culture in the point of view of eastern society. It means, the culture from western countries is considered bad, negative, or not suitable in eastern countries, such as in Indonesia. A2: Everybody! We can watch western films in TV, how dangerous are the western culture for our society. Free sex, violence, and other irreligious conducts are often seen in western films. So that, it will influence our society; well known as a familiar, civilized, and religious society. A3: And the result? We can observe our society; our young generation nowadays. They wear, live, and dream of like what the western young generation does. Hence, the western culture is a threat for our society, because of its bad impacts. Negative N1: Western culture, in our opinion, does not always bring bad, negative, wrong and useless things. Many aspects of western culture also bring positive effects toward our society. Their science, technology and knowledge will help our society to develop. N2: Beside that! We can imagine ‘can a country develop from their own culture with out the influence of other culture?” Ok! We may live in peace; But, can our country live isolatedly in this global age? I think it’s such an impossibility…ridiculous thing to live without other culture’s influence. N3: And the last but not finished! The western culture is not a threat for our society; if …our people are clever enough to accept it. A threat or support the western culture will be. It depends on the way we see, accept and use. If we see only the wrong, bad, and useless aspect of the western culture, of course, we’ll find out that western culture is bad, wrong and useless; but if we see it as the positive, good, and useful aspect; we’ll get many advantage from the western culture. All depends on us. 3. TV Program is NOT good for Student Affirmative A1: Well, everybody! TV program is a program managed by TV crew for TV. TV program is usually arranged timely, like a schedule or timetable of our lessons. It can be entertainment, science, education, or culture. A2: My brother and sisters! If we observe the TV program nowadays, we can see that TV program is mostly entertainment. They can be quiz, film, telenovela, and music, as the like. And we know, the school age children, for example, mostly see film. It means most students almost watch TV daily. We can imagine what will happen if the students spend their times for film daily. They will be lazy to study; even they have no time for study since their times are for the serial films they like most. A3: And, consequently; as we know most films often offer a life style; such as free sex, violence and profane life style; a life style which thinks just worldly life; the easy going life style. That bad impact, of course, will influence the student’s life style. That’s all… Negative N1: Well, guys! We admit that most TV program is entertainment. And everybody, including student, enjoys the entertainment. But, there are also other good aspects from TV program, such as; knowledge, science, education, culture and technology. N2: And in addition, it is not wrong for students to have entertainment for relax, such as film, tele novela, etc. The important thing is how we can choose which is the bad or wrong, not suitable for students. Furthermore, clever students, of course, will not spend their times for films since they can see which is bad or wrong. N3: And the last! Let’s think what will happen if there is not TV in the world; or students are allowed to watch TV. The students need many knowledge, science and information. With TV program, the students can improve their knowledge, information and skill. That’s all, thanks.

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The Final Works of XII OTKP 1

Here are some assignments done by the students as final tasks

Group 1 Topic Procedure "The Procedure of Book Borrowing in City Library"

1. Amelia (02)
2. Angelina (03)
3. Arum (07)
4. Dewi (10)
5. Monic (21)

Group 2 Topic Tourism Spot  "Pandan Sari Arung Jeram"

1. Ahla Fatihatul Karimah
2. Lia Febianti
3. Mita Sifa Devitasari
4. Nofa Hawa Sagita
5. Sekar Mairani

Group 3 Topic Tourism Spot "Kliwonan"

1. Anita Ali Mufti
2. Harnik
3. Trimulyaningsih
4. Windayani

Group 4 Topic Tourism Spot "Hutan Kota Rajawali"

1. Mifkiana Zulfa
2. Naida
3. Narda Azizah
4. Stefani Putri Damayanti

Group 5 Topic Traditional Food "Megono"

1. Arifah Miladiyah
2. Bella Azzahra
3. Elisa Anggraeni
4. Liviangi Putri H

Group 6 Advertising Kerajinan Bambo 

1. Hera Anjarani
2. Juanesta Lovileana
3. Lailatus Swaranisah
4. Siti Marsela

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Asking and giving opinion

It's the new trend to have a motorboat on the highway; just to enjoy the excellent and proud full of development managed by the humble leader in this country.

Asking Opinion in Formal Situation

Ungkapan meminta pendapat jenis ini berlaku saat kamu berada dalam situasi formal. Misal seperti saat meeting bisnis bersama kolega, bertanya mengenai tanggapan dari guru atau dosen, and so on. Berikut contoh ekspresi asking opinion yang cocok untuk digunakan:

• Would you give me your opinion on …?
  (Maukah Anda memberi saya pendapat Anda tentang …?)
• What are your views on  …?
  (Apa pandangan Anda tentang  …?)
• Do you have any idea  …?
  (Apakah kamu punya ide  …?)
• What is your feeling about  …?
  (Apa perasaan Anda tentang  …?)
• Have you got any comments on  …?
  (Apakah Anda punya komentar tentang  …?)
• Could you tell me your opinion about ..?
  (Bisakah Anda memberitahu saya pendapat Anda tentang ..?)
• Please give me your thoughts on …?
  (Tolong beri saya pemikiran Anda tentang ...?)
• I’d like to know your views on …?
  (Saya ingin tahu pandangan Anda tentang ...?)
• Do you have an opinion about …?
  (Apakah Anda memiliki pendapat tentang …?)
• What is your view on …? 
  (Apa pandangan Anda tentang …?)
  
  

Expression of Asking Opinion in Informal Situation

Yap, seperti yang kamu tahu, situasi informal biasanya akan lebih santai dan suasananya pun tidak terlalu kaku. Situasi ini umumnya ditujukan untuk berbagai aktivitas yang “tidak resmi”, misal saat berlibur dengan keluarga, hangout bersama teman, menonton film dengan pasangan, dan masih banyak lagi. 

Agar lebih pas jika ingin meminta pendapat dalam situasi ini, kamu bisa gunakan beberapa contoh asking opinion berikut ini:

• What do you think about …?
  (Apa yang kamu pikirkan …?)
• Any comments?
  (Ada komentar?)
• How do you feel about …?
  (Bagaimana perasaanmu tentang ...?)
• I need your opinion about …
  (Aku butuh pendapat kamu tentang…)
• What is your opinion?
  (Apa pendapat kamu?)
• What do you think of …?
  (Apa pendapat kamu tentang ...?)
• Please tell me your opinion on …
  (Tolong beri tahu aku pendapatmu tentang…)
• In your honest opinion …?
  (Menurut pendapat jujur kamu ...?)
• What’s your reaction to that?
  (Apa reaksi kamu terhadap itu?)
• How about ..?
  (Bagaimana tentang ..?)

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Dialog dealing Asking and Giving Opinion

Many years ago, Sawahan and  Beji were never flushed by the big flood. But why did the big flood almost make those two regions disappear because of the water?

Contoh Percakapan Sehari-hari Menggunakan Common Expression Asking and Giving Opinion

Supaya kamu bisa berlatih untuk asking and giving opinion, coba simak percakapan di bawah ini, yuk!

Dialog 1:

Practice Dialogue: Resti bought a new dress.

Resti: Mom, look! I bought a beautiful dress!
Resti: Mama, coba lihat deh, aku habis beli gaun yang cantik!

Mom: Hmm, how much does it cost?
Mom: Hmm, berapa harganya?

Resti: It's not expensive, really. It's only one million. Do you have any ideas?
Resti: Nggak mahal, kok. Harganya cuma satu juta. Gimana menurutmu?

Mom: It's beautiful, but in my personal opinion,  it's too expensive for a dress.
Mom: Cantik sih, tapi menurut mama ini terlalu mahal untuk sebuah dress.

Resti: But in my mind, it's really worth it, because the material is good and it's from a popular fashion brand.
Resti: Tapi menurutku ini sangat layak, soalnya bahannya bagus dan dia dari brand terkenal.

Mom: Next, I reckon that you should be wiser in spending money. There are many dresses that are much cheaper with good quality.
Mom: Ke depannya, mama pikir kamu harus lebih bijak dalam menghabiskan uang. Kan banyak dress yang harganya jauh lebih murah tapi kualitasnya bagus.

Resti: Yes, but I don't think there's anything wrong with buying expensive clothes once in a while.
Resti: Iya sih, tapi aku pikir nggak ada salahnya juga sesekali membeli baju mahal.

Mom: Well, how do you feel when you wear the dress? Are you happy and feel confident?
Mom: Ya sudah, bagaimana perasaanmu saat memakainya? Apakah kamu senang dan merasa percaya diri?

Rest: Of course! It makes me feel more beautiful and elegant.
Resti: Tentu saja! Ini membuatku merasa lebih cantik dan elegan.

Mom: I believe you’ll look more beautiful if you match the dress with a brown hijab.
Mom: Mama percaya kamu akan terlihat lebih cantik kalau memasangkan baju ini dengan hijab warna coklat.

Resti: Okay mom, I will do it. Thank you!
Resti: Oke ma, aku akan melakukannya. Thank you!

 

Dialog 2:

Practice Dialogue: Asking and giving opinions over the telephone.

Alfi: Hi Intan, thanks for picking up my call. I'm confused, Intan.
Alfi: Hai Intan, makasih ya udah angkat telepon aku. Aku lagi bingung nih, Intan.

Intan: Are you having problems? Just let me know.
Intan: Kamu lagi ada masalah? Sini cerita.

Alfi: So, I really want to continue my master's degree with a scholarship, but I'm not sure where to start. I need your opinion about it.
Alfi: Jadi aku tuh pengen lanjut sekolah S2 pakai beasiswa, tapi bingung harus mulai dari mana. Aku butuh pendapatmu.

Intan: From my point of view, you should make a scholarship plan, starting from deciding the major and what category of scholarship you want.
Intan: Aku pikir kamu harus bikin scholarship planning, mulai dari nentuin jurusan apa, sampai kategori beasiswa apa yang kamu pengen.

Alfi: I think I’ll take public policy, this major is absolutely in line with my previous bachelor's degree. Any comments?
Alfi: Aku pengen ambil jurusan kebijakan politik biar sesuai sama jurusanku sebelumnya. Ada komen?

Intan: As far as I know, you can choose Sweden, there are several campuses that offer this course.
Intan: Menurutku, kamu bisa coba pilih di Swedia, di sana ada beberapa kampus yang menyediakan jurusan tersebut.

Alfi: Wow, that's great. I really want to study in a Scandinavian country. Do you have any scholarship info?
Alfi: Wah, bagus tuh. Kebetulan aku pengen banget kuliah di negara skandinavia. Kamu punya info beasiswanya?

Intan: Of course, I have heard of a full scholarship called the Sweden Scholarship. You can search more on Google.
Intan: Oh ya, aku pernah dengar ada beasiswa full namanya Sweden Scholarship. Coba deh kamu browsing.

Alfi: But, fist I have to take an English certification, right?
Alfi: Tapi, aku pasti harus punya dulu sertifikat bahasa Inggris, kan?

Intan: Of course. You can take a course first at the English Academy by Ruangguru, they use the Cambridge curriculum as an international standard.
Intan: Tentu. Kamu bisa ambil kursus terlebih dahulu di English Academy by Ruangguru, di sana kurikulumnya sudah berstandar internasional.

Alfi: Alright, how long will it take to prepare all of the documents?
Alfi: Kira-kira butuh waktu berapa lama untuk mempersiapkannya?

Intan: I think 1 year is enough, as long as you have to be really focused and serious.
Intan: Kayaknya 1 tahun cukup, asal kamu harus benar-benar fokus dan serius.

Alfi: Okay, Intan, feel that I should make the plan correctly. Thank you, Intan. I'll call you back when the plan is done, I need your opinion.
Alfi: Oke deh Intan, aku rasa aku harus membuat plannya dengan benar. Terima kasih intan. Aku akan menelponmu kembali jika plannya sudah selesai, aku butuh pendapatmu.

Intan: Sure, you can call me anytime.
Intan: Sure, kamu bisa telpon aku kapanpun.

Alfi: Thanks Intan, bye!
Alfi: Makasih Intan, dadah!

Intan: With my pleasure, Alfi. Bye!
Intan: Dengan senang hati, Alfi. Dadah!

 

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Because of Your Deed

Quran says that what happened on the earth ( on both the land and the ocean) is sometimes due to mankind's deeds. So, what do you think about this natural disaster, i.e flood?

 

When the water in Kali Gebang met the one in Kali Kethek, two rivers in the village, Cluwuk; my former Elementary School buildings is covered by red muddy water.

MAKING JOB INTERVIEW

What is a Job Interview?

Simply put, it is when the employer meets with you to determine if you have the right qualifications to do the available job.  It is also an opportunity for the employer to identify whether or not you fit the company culture.  Are you a team player?  Do you have the same values and work ethics as other employees?  It is also a chance for you to show evidence that you have the right qualities needed.  

The S.T.A.R Method

Your job as an interviewee is to promote your brand (THE BEST YOU).  Share concrete examples of ways in which you have excelled in class and in the workplace using the STAR method: 

For the S – briefly describe a situation most relevant to the question.

For the T – briefly, describe a challenge you faced

For the A – Describe specific steps you took to solve the problem

For the R – the result is always positive.  Even when a learning experience.

If you follow these steps you will be a star at every interview!

Pre-Interview Research

Research and analyze the position and the company before the interview in effort to determine whether or not there is a fit.  Take the time to prepare your own thoughtful questions for interviewers to respond to during the interview so that you are able to better determine whether or not the position and company are a fit for you. Glassdoor– a job-search app, can be a useful tool for your research.

Things to consider in your research:

• Is this where you want to go to work every day?
• Does the job description interest you? Are their values well aligned with your own?   
• Know how long they have been in business.  
• What their major product is.  
• Know why you would want to work there and what you will contribute to the company.
• What are they known for?
• Who are their customers/clients (profile)?
• What is the “culture”?

Be your best self

 Should you be yourself during the interview?  Yes!  Your very BEST self!  Don’t sit in the waiting room with your legs stretched out, phone in hand, with a chilled out demeanor. Leave your phone in the car!  Stand up and greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, and certainly not a limp handshake which might suggest a weak character. Smile and make eye contact. Remember that those first few seconds are a great opportunity to create a great impression.

Avoid the classic negative body language traits; don’t cross your arms as this can be interpreted as defensive and try to sit forward and make direct eye contact to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the position.

The #1 traits hiring managers look for in candidates is a positive attitude.  SHOW them that, if you work for them, you will be a team player who will follow directions and take initiative.  That you can do the work!

The interview

Most interviews have a schedule – which makes it easier to follow along and prepare.  The employer will talk about their organization, ask about your skills and experience and what you have to offer.  A sample problem or situation may be offered for you to offer a solution.  Think through it and analyze it like a class problem. Teamwork is important to offer as are concise answers. A timeline will usually be offered. If not, ask for one. 

When asked a question during an interview remember to keep your answers short. While it is true that you should answer many of the questions in a precise manner, there are also instances where you have to give detailed and somewhat longer answers. If you are asked about a specific task in your previous job that you performed really well, be sure to elaborate on your answer. Providing too short of a response to a question requiring an example means you’re not selling yourself well enough. That said, be sure not to ramble. Generally, limit your more detailed responses to 2-3 minutes. You can practice this by rehearsing verbal presentations of key qualifications in your resume. 

Be ready to convey your relevant skills, interests, and goals. Practice explaining your strengths and accomplishments ahead of time and have your elevator pitch ready.  If they ask you what your salary expectation, it is a good idea to know the starting salary range for your major so that you are able to provide realistic information. Indeed.com or glassceiling.com are good Internet sites to use when checking into general salary ranges.  Generally, salary is not discussed during the interview. The key objective for you and the employer is to determine the mutual fit and how you can add value. Compensation talk comes last – after they’re sold on you.

How to answer common interview questions

1. Question: Tell me about yourself.

How to answer:  This is your opportunity to discuss who you are as a professional. Be sure to mention your education, experience, skills, possibly even why you chose this career path. Keep your response focused on who you are as a professional. 

2. Question:  What are three of your greatest strengths?

How to answer:  Be thoughtful and honest in your response. Describe the skills you have that are most relevant to the position. Be prepared to back up your response with an example. You can provide examples of how your strengths have worked for you in the past and discuss the ways the skills could benefit you in the position you are interviewing for. 

3. Question:  What are three of your weaknesses?

How to answer:  Be honest, but be cautious of stating that your weakness is what they are looking for an employee… Think about the job duties described in the job postings and try not to point out weaknesses that would be a major obstacle should you be hired. It is also wise to discuss how you are working on the weakness.  Do not respond with “I can’t really think of anything”. 

4. Question:  Why should we hire you?

How to answer:  Be sure to point out qualities/skills/attributes that you possess that may set you apart from other candidates. Do you have certifications that others may not? Demonstrate confidence without sounding conceited. Illustrate your worth as an employee by talking about what past and present supervisors would say about you. Make sure you highlight your uniqueness to show you would be the best candidate for the position. 

5. Question:  Describe a leader you admire.

How to answer:  You do not have to know the person in order imitate their leadership, but it may be more realistic if you do. Be sure you list someone that you believe has effective leadership and know why you feel they are successful in leading. Refrain from choosing a controversial leader. Discuss why you admire this person, what is it about their leadership that made you choose them. What are some of the lessons you learned from this person and how could you incorporate that into your life.

6. Question:  Tell me about a time when you had to extend a deadline.

How to answer:  You do not want to give a negative view of your accountability. Your answer should not indicate that you have poor time management skills or poor work ethic. Discuss your willingness to adjust a deadline if you think it will add to the overall quality of the project. What could happen if you had not adjusted the deadline. What steps did you take to extend the deadline? 

7. Question:  Where do you see yourself in five years?

How to answer:  This is one question you would not answer specifically. If you would like to see yourself in management, it is fine to say so, but you may not want to list a specific title you would like to hold. Be realistic. Consider the company you are interviewing with, their opportunities for advancement and how that will fit into your five year plan. 

8. Question:  Why are you leaving your current job?

How to answer:  Give two or three reasons why you are looking for a new position. Regardless of your feelings towards your supervisor and co-workers, refrain from talking negatively about them. This is a good opportunity to discuss the fact that you will be obtaining (recently obtained) a degree and you are looking for an opportunity to use the knowledge you gained through your education. 

9. Question:  Why do you feel you would be a good fit for this position?

How to answer:  Consider the skills and characteristics that you possess that could help you succeed in the position you are interviewing for. Think about the kind of person that would be perfectly compatible with the job duties. Discuss how you stay current in the field. 

10. Question:  What do you look for in a good supervisor?

How to answer:  Be sure to discuss the qualities, traits, characteristics that you look for in a supervisor. Discuss the characteristics, do not just list them. 

11. Question:  If you were hired how could your supervisor help you do the best on the job?

How to answer:  Discuss what you would want to see from your supervisor in the first weeks of your new position… Training, what type of supervision would you expect as you begin, things they could to do assist you in getting acclimated to the position, etc. 

12. Question:  Tell me about your relationship with your current and past supervisors

How to answer:  This question will give the interviewer a sense of your personality and how it relates to the prospective supervisor. How you discuss your past supervisors will give insight to the way you work and any potential problems that may arise. AVOID being negative! Be honest, but try to put a positive spin on it. If you didn’t get along well discuss what you learned about yourself, etc. 

13. Question:  Talk about a work environment that you think would be ineffective for you.

How to answer:  What do you need to have a positive work environment, or things that could have been better at a previous environment? Discuss how it would be ineffective without those things. You could consider the importance of: communication, feedback, ability to infuse a personal touch on projects, etc. Would having these items make the work place more or less effective? 

14. Question:  In your previous experience, would you say you were known for taking the initiative? If so, provide an example.

How to answer:  If you are known for taking the initiative be sure to provide a good example of what you did and why it was taking initiative. If you have not been known to take initiative in the workplace, provide an example of why. 

15. Question:  Do you prefer a stable day-to-day routine or a dynamic constantly changing environment?

How to answer:  Be sure to consider the position you are interviewing for. If you prefer consistency, will this job provide that? If you prefer dynamic constantly changing, will this position provide that? 

16. Question:  How well do you handle criticism?

How to answer:  You may consider responding that constructive criticism allows you to grow as a professional.

17. Question:  Tell me something about yourself that I will not find in your resume.

How to answer:  This is your opportunity to discuss experiences that you may have omitted from your resume to keep it at one page. Be sure the information you provide is relevant and not found in your resume. You want to give them something new. If you have won awards that weren’t noted, if you are currently working on a certificate, but didn’t include it on the resume because it is not finished… now is the time to bring those things up. 

18. Question: Tell me about a time when you showed real determination.

How to answer: Talk about a time when you persevered to accomplish a goal. Choose something that that will reflect an interest in developing new skills, demonstrates your ability to gather resources and manage stressful situations. Discuss the results you obtained. 

19. Question:  How do you manage stress in your daily work?

How to answer:  The interviewer is attempting to gain information to see if you have a tendency to crack under pressure. Be sure you show that you can manage high-pressure situations. Think of ways you manage your stress throughout the day. Stay professional, and be sure not to give an example of something that would display you are unproductive during work hours because of stress. 

20. Question:  What do you bring to this job that is unique and would make us want to hire you?

How to answer:  Your answer should demonstrate confidence in your abilities without sounding conceited. Consider what past and present supervisors or co-workers would say about you. What specific skills do you have that relate to this job? What specific tasks do your current co-workers/supervisors come to you to complete and why? Be sure to answer the question, do not just list the same skills that are displayed on your resume. 

21. Question:  What would your ideal job be like?

How to answer:  Your answer should demonstrate confidence in your abilities without sounding conceited. Consider what past and present supervisors or co-workers would say about you. What specific skills do you have that relate to this job? What specific tasks do your current co-workers/supervisors come to you to complete and why? Be sure to answer the question, do not just list the same skills that are displayed on your resume. 

22. Question:  Do you prefer working alone or in a group?

How it works:  Be honest, but also appear flexible. Consider the values and mission of the company… is teamwork something they strive for? If you are best at completing tasks alone, you can honestly say that, but also state that you can work in a group setting, and if you are better working in a group, that is okay, but be sure to mention you can also complete tasks individually. Be sure that you consider the typical work day in this position and if you would normally be working alone or in a group… 

23. Question: Why do you want to work here?

How it works:  Be sure to consider what you know about this company, their mission, values, reputation, etc. (be aware of these, but do not recite them in the interview.) Discuss the reasons why a position in this company is appealing to you. Be sure to be insightful

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