1. Is there anything that would prevent you from meeting the work schedule I’ve described?
What you want to do:
[If you can meet the schedule, say so. If you cannot, tell the employer specifically where you will need changes. If there is a conflict with your religious obligations, now is the time to say you would need an accommodation for that.]
2. Here are our attendance requirements. Will you be able to meet these requirements?
What the employer really wants to know:
Will you have a dependable attendance record?
What you want to do:
Reply with a strong “yes” or “definitely.”
Then, if you can, give a specific record from your previous job.
“In my last job I maintained an exceptional record for attendance, with fewer than 3 unscheduled absences per year.”
3. What motivates you to do your best work?
What the employer really wants to know:
Employer wants to know if you are motivated by something other than money.
What you want to do:
Make a statement that indicates you have internal motivation to perform well.
“Knowing that I have done a job to the best of my ability is motivating to me.”
Then, name something specific that others can do to help you perform a job well.
“It helps me if I know what is expected of me and get feedback about what I am doing well and where I need to improve.”
4. What is most difficult for you to do in a job? How do you deal with that?
What the employer really wants to know:
The employer wants to know if there are difficulties that will prevent you from doing a good job. The employer may also be looking for whether you will criticize others.
What you want to do:
Name something specific that is not a weakness in you and is not critical of others.
“It is difficult for me when I’m not sure which of my tasks that I have been assigned are highest in priority.”
Then, state a clear way of dealing with the difficulty that is focused on performance.
“When I’m uncertain about that, I ask my supervisor to help me set priorities so that I’m sure I am going to be working on the most important things first.”