The ability to motivate employees is one of the greatest skills an entrepreneur can possess. Two years ago, I realized I didn’t have this skill. So I hired a CEO who did.

Josh had 12 years in the corporate world, which included running a major department at Comcast. I knew he was seasoned, but I was still skeptical at first. We were going through some tough growing pains, and I thought that a lack of cash would make it extremely difficult to improve the company morale.

I was wrong.

With his help and the help of the great team leaders he put in place, Josh not only rebuilt the culture, but also created a passionate, hard-working team that is as committed to growing and improving the company as I am.

Here are nine things I learned from him:

1. Be generous with praise…

Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.

2. Get rid of the managers…

Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.

3. Make your ideas theirs…

People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”

4. Never criticize or correct…

No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.

5. Make everyone a leader…

Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.

6. Take an employee to lunch once a week…

Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.

7. Give recognition and small rewards…

These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.

8. Throw company parties…

Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.

9. Share the rewards – and the pains…

When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.

Article taken from: Ilva Pozin on Inc.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) discovered this when they asked 19,000+ people their reasons for leaving as a part of exit interviews they conducted for clients. The top 10 reasons why employees quit? Check out the responses below.

Yes, compensation was a factor in 12% of the cases, but look at some of the other issues that drove people away — growth, meaningful work, supervisor skills, workload balance, fairness, and recognition — to name a few.

What type of environment are you providing for your people?

Author, speaker, and consultant Leigh Branham, who partnered with PwC to analyse the results of the study, identifies that trust, hope, worth, and competence are at the core of most voluntary separations. When employees are not getting their needs met in these key areas, they begin to look elsewhere.

Wondering how your company would stack up in these areas? Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself. How would your people respond if they were asked to rate their work environment in each of the following areas?

• I am able to      grow and develop my skills on the job and through training.
• I have      opportunities for advancement or career progress leading to higher      earnings.
• My job makes      good use of my talents and is challenging.
• I receive the      necessary training to perform my job capably.
• I can see the      end results of my work.
• I receive      regular feedback on my performance.
• I’m confident      that if I work hard, do my best, demonstrate commitment, and make      meaningful contributions, I will be recognised and rewarded accordingly.

Don’t wait until it’s too late

Better compensation is only a part of the reason why people leave an organisation. In most cases it is a symptom of a more complex need that people have to work for an organisation that is fair, trustworthy, and deserving of an individual’s best efforts. Don’t take your people for granted. While you may not be able to provide the pay increases you were able to in the past, there is nothing stopping you from showing that you care for your people, are interested in their long term development, and are committed to their careers.

Published by Leigh Branham on Leader.Co.Za

Even if you car broke down or the subway derailed, do everything you can to get to that job interview on time.

“If you have a legitimate excuse it’s still hard to bounce back,” says Pamela Skillings, co-founder of job coaching firm Skillful Communications. “People are suspicious because they hear the same excuses all the time.”

On the flip side, you don’t want to show up too early and risk appearing desperate, but you do want to be there at least five minutes early or at the very least on time.

2. Don’t Show Up Unprepared

It seems simple, but countless people go on job interviews knowing very little about the company they are interviewing with when all it would take is a simple Google search to find out. As a result, they end up asking obvious questions, which signal to the interviewer that they are too lazy to prepare.

“Don’t ask if the company is public or private, how long it’s been in business and where they do their manufacturing,” says Mark Jaffe, president of Wyatt & Jaffe, the executive search firm. “Sharpen your pencil before you go to school.”

3. Don’t Ask About Salary, Benefits, Perks

Your initial interview with a company shouldn’t be about what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company. Which means the interview isn’t the time to ask about the severance package, vacation time or health plan. Instead you should be selling yourself as to why the company can’t live without you.

“Your interest should be about the job and what your responsibilities will be,” says Terry Pile, Principal Consultant of Career Advisors. “Asking about vacation, sick leave, 401K, salary and benefits should be avoided at all costs.”

4. Don’t Focus On Future Roles Instead Of The Job At Hand

The job interview is not the time or place to ask about advancement opportunities or how to become the CEO. You need to be interested in the job you are actually interviewing for. Sure, a company wants to see that you are ambitious, but they also want assurances you are committed to the job you’re being hired for.

“You can’t come with an agenda that this job is just a stepping stone to bigger and better things,” says Jaffe.

5. Don’t Turn The Weakness Question Into A Positive

To put it bluntly, interviewers are not idiots. So when they ask you about a weakness and you say you work too hard or you are too much of a perfectionist, chances are they are more apt to roll their eyes than be blown away. Instead, be honest and come up with a weakness that can be improved on and won’t ruin your chances of getting a job.

For instance, if you are interviewing for a project management position, it wouldn’t be wise to say you have poor organizational skills, but it’s ok to say you want to learn more shortcuts in Excel. “Talk about the skills you don’t have that will add value, but aren’t required for the job,” says Pile.

6. Don’t Lie

Many people think its ok to exaggerate their experience or fib about a firing on a job interview, but lying can be a surefire way not to get hired.  Even if you get through the interview process with your half truths, chances are you won’t be equipped to handle the job you were hired to do.  Not to mention the more you lie the more likely you are to slip up.

“Don’t exaggerate, don’t make things bigger than they are and don’t claim credit for accomplishments you didn’t do,” says Jaffe. “You leave so much room in your brain if you don’t have to fill it with which lie you told which person.”

7. Don’t Ask If There’s Any Reason You Shouldn’t Be Hired

Well meaning career experts will tell you to close your interview by asking if there is any reason you wouldn’t be hired. While that question can give you an idea of where you stand and afford you the opportunity to address any concerns, there’s no guarantee the interviewer is going to be truthful with you or has even processed your information enough to even think about that.

“All you are doing is prompting them to think about what’s wrong with you,” says Skillings.

Fortunately, stress isn’t inevitable, even in today’s hyper-connected, highly competitive world. Here are some simple techniques to lower your own stress.

1. Create an Oasis

In the past, people worked 9 to 5; in today’s business environments, there’s pressure to work (or at least be available) 24/7. Needless to say, that pressure generates oodles of stress.

An absurdly easy way to get reduce that stress is to shut down your computer and your cell–not just while you sleep, but also an hour before and after you sleep.

This takes discipline, because you’re probably in habit of checking email, texts and so forth. This also takes self-confidence, because you must believe that you need to be at the constant beck and call of your boss, colleagues and customers. Do it anyway.

2. Find the ‘Sweet Spots’

Having a overlong to-do list can a huge source of stress, because it feels like you can never get them those tasks completed. Here’s a thought: Why bother?

Instead, categorize each task by difficulty (e.g. easy, medium, hard) and then by potential impact (e.g. large, medium, small). You’ll probably find there are about 10 tasks that are both easy and will have a large impact. Hit those “sweet spots” first.

In most cases, you’ll achieve 80 percent of your goals by only doing 20 percent of the work. And that takes the pressure off, thereby reducing stress. As a bonus stress-reliever, ignore those tasks that are hard and won’t have much of an impact anyway.

3. Renegotiate Your Workload

Unreasonable expectations of what you’re capable of accomplishing are a huge source of stress–regardless of whether those expectations come from yourself, from your boss, or from your customers.

The cure for this kind of stress is a dose of reality. Look at how much time you’ve got to spend, assess the amount of work that needs to be done, and, based on that, be realistic about what’s actually going to get done. If you’re expected to accomplish A,B,C and D, and there’s only time to achieve three of the four, decide–or force your boss to decide–which three will actually get done and which one will not.

4. Turn Off the News

The news media, like every other form of entertainment, makes money by producing strong emotions in its audience. Outside business news, those emotions are almost exclusively negative: anger, fear, anxiety, dread, and frustration.

While those manufactured emotions do provide momentary distraction from work stress, they do it by adding more stress. Watching or listening to the news in order “to relax” is like having a beer to dull the pain of a hangover; it only makes things worse in the long run.

So whenever there’s a news story that starts to make you angry or upset, change the channel–unless it’s 100% relevant to your life–or click to another page.

5. Disconnect from the Uncontrollable

There are always events that you simply can’t control: the economy, traffic, politics, other people’s emotions, customer decisions, and so forth.

While it can be useful to observe and predict such events (in order to know how to react to them), once you’ve decided how you’ll deal with them, it’s stressful (and, frankly, a little nutso) to continue to focus on them.

Worrying about stuff you can’t control isn’t going to make an iota of difference either in the short or the long run. It’s wasted energy and extra stress you don’t need. Change what can change and shrug off what you can’t.

6. Avoid Stressed People

You may not realize it, but your physiology is programmed to mirror the physiology of the people around you. (This is a neurological phenomenon resulting from the”mirror neurons” in your brain.) In other words, you can “catch” stress from other people.

So although it may not be possible to avoid stressed people all the time, you should try, as far as possible, to limit your contact with such people–at least until you’ve conquered your own stress. At that point, the opposite effect kicks in, because the calmness you will have achieved is also contagious–provided you’ve made it into a strong enough habit.

Published thanks to Geoffrey James from Sales Source

Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of “troops” to order about, demonize competitors as “enemies,” and treat customers as “territory” to be conquered.

Extraordinary bosses see business as a symbiosis where the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive. They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers … and even competitors.

2. A company is a community, not a machine

Average bosses consider their company to be a machine with employees as cogs. They create rigid structures with rigid rules and then try to maintain control by “pulling levers” and “steering the ship.”

Extraordinary bosses see their company as a collection of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and therefore to the community–and company–at large.

3. Management is service, not control

Average bosses want employees to do exactly what they’re told. They’re hyper-aware of anything that smacks of insubordination and create environments where individual initiative is squelched by the “wait and see what the boss says” mentality.

Extraordinary bosses set a general direction and then commit themselves to obtaining the resources that their employees need to get the job done. They push decision making downward, allowing teams form their own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children

Average bosses see employees as inferior, immature beings who simply can’t be trusted if not overseen by a patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from this attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses treat every employee as if he or she were the most important person in the firm. Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all levels take charge of their own destinies.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear

Average bosses see fear–of getting fired, of ridicule, of loss of privilege–as a crucial way to motivate people. As a result, employees and managers alike become paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses inspire people to see a better future and how they’ll be a part of it. As a result, employees work harder because they believe in the organization’s goals, truly enjoy what they’re doing and (of course) know they’ll share in the rewards.

6. Change equals growth, not pain

Average bosses see change as both complicated and threatening, something to be endured only when a firm is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo change … until it’s too late.

Extraordinary bosses see change as an inevitable part of life. While they don’t value change for its own sake, they know that success is only possible if employees and organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing business.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation

Average bosses adhere to the old IT-centric view that technology is primarily a way to strengthen management control and increase predictability. They install centralized computer systems that dehumanize and antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses see technology as a way to free human beings to be creative and to build better relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the tools, like smartphones and tablets, that people actually want to use.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil

Average bosses buy into the notion that work is, at best, a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously define themselves as oppressors and their employees as victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses see work as something that should be inherently enjoyable–and believe therefore that the most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to put people in jobs that can and will make them truly happy.

Published with thanks to Geoffrey James from Sales Source

Here’s a take on the rules and values underpinning his success. Any of us can adopt them to unleash our “inner Steve Jobs.

1. Do What You Love.

Jobs once said, “People with passion can change the world for the better.” Asked about the advice he would offer would-be entrepreneurs, he said, “I’d get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about.” That’s how much it meant to him. Passion is everything.

2. Put A Dent In The Universe.

Jobs believed in the power of vision. He once asked then-Pepsi President, John Sculley, “Do you want to spend your life selling sugar water or do you want to change the world?” Don’t lose sight of the big vision.

3. Make Connections.

Jobs once said creativity is connecting things. He meant that people with a broad set of life experiences can often see things that others miss. He took calligraphy classes that didn’t have any practical use in his life — until he built the Macintosh. Jobs traveled to India and Asia. He studied design and hospitality. Don’t live in a bubble. Connect ideas from different fields.

4. Say No To 1000 Things.

Jobs was as proud of what Apple chose not to do as he was of what Apple did. When he returned in Apple in 1997, he took a company with 350 products and reduced them to 10 products in a two-year period. Why? So he could put the “A-Team” on each product. What are you saying “no” to?

5. Create Insanely Different Experiences.

Jobs also sought innovation in the customer-service experience. When he first came up with the concept for the Apple Stores, he said they would be different because instead of just moving boxes, the stores would enrich lives. Everything about the experience you have when you walk into an Apple store is intended to enrich your life and to create an emotional connection between you and the Apple brand. What are you
doing to enrich the lives of your customers?

6. Master The Message.

You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can’t communicate your ideas, it doesn’t matter. Jobs was the world’s greatest corporate storyteller. Instead of simply delivering a presentation like most people do, he informed, he educated, he inspired and he entertained, all in one presentation.

7. Sell Dreams, Not Products.

Jobs captured our imagination because he really understood his customer. He knew that tablets would not capture our imaginations if they were too complicated. The result? One button on the front of an iPad. It’s so simple, a 2-year-old can use it. Your customers don’t care about your product. They care about themselves, their hopes, their ambitions. Jobs taught us that if you help your customers reach their dreams, you’ll win
them over.

There’s one story that I think sums up Jobs’ career at Apple. An executive who had the job of reinventing the Disney Store, once called up Jobs and asked for advice. His counsel? Dream bigger. I think that’s the best advice he could leave us with. See genius in your craziness, believe in yourself, believe in your vision, and be constantly prepared to defend those ideas.

1. What are your policies surrounding benefits and vacation time?

Asking about job perks early on will make you appear self-indulgent. “It’s kind of weird when someone gets into the nitty-gritty of the benefits,” says Alison Green, from Ask A Manager. “I’ve had people ask me who the health care provider is, if we have dental plans, how many vacation days we offer.” Once you’re offered the job, that’s when discussion about benefits starts.

2. Can you tell me about your company?

Hopefully you’ve already done your research on the company. Ask more specific questions that show you’ve done your research.

3. Will I have to work overtime?

Instead, ask what a typical day looks like, reports CNN/Career Builder. This way, you’ll learn more about your daily responsibilities, including who you’ll be interacting with, and perhaps if people often work overtime.

4. Why did the last person leave?

Rephrase this with, “Am I replacing someone or is this a new position?” That way, you put a positive spin on the question, and you’ll know whether you’ll be blazing new territory or working within established parameters, reports CNN/Career Builder.

5. Do you think I’d be a good fit? OR What reservations do you have about me?

This puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on your potential employer. If he or she thinks you’d be good, they’ll let you know. Focus on selling yourself, suggests CNN/Career Builder.

6. Will I have to travel or relocate?

This question makes you look inflexible. Wait for your potential employer to bring these topics up, according to John Kador, who is the author of 301 Best Questions To Ask On Yur Interview.

7. So what’s the salary for this job?

Never ask about this during a first interview. Better yet, wait for your interviewer to ask you about salary range, reports Yahoo Finance.

8. How long do you think this interview will take? I have to be somewhere afterward.

Don’t ask this, or glance at your watch or cell phone during the interview. Generally, the longer an interview takes, the better. If you’re already asking how much work you need to put in, you’ll be seen as a whiner, not a winner, says JPC Services.

9. What’s your policy on telecommuting and flex time?

This makes it appear as though you’re the type to skirt responsibility. Unless telecommuting or flex time was mentioned in the job description or your prospective employer brought it up, skip this one.

10. How long does it usually take to get promoted?

Stay away from questions on your growth opportunities in the company, says career coach Jeff Neil. This will make your interviewer question your intentions.

11. Saying, “No, I don’t have any questions” at the end of the interview .

An interview should be a conversation. “One of the greatest mistakes you can do is wait until the end of the interview to ask all your questions,” says career coach Neil. “By then it’s far too late.” A good way to sneak in your first questions is after the inevitable “tell me about yourself” question at the start of interviews. You can do it by saying “I can talk about my experiences for hours, but today I want to focus on what’s most important to you,” Neil says, and then ask you your interviewer a question. But save a few good questions for the end.

Posted, thanks to Aimee Groth and Eric Goldschein on Business Insider.

View the full article at:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-11-worst-questions-to-ask-during-an-interview-2011-10?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+%28Business+Insider%29

1. Beef Up Your Resume.

Write a résumé with strong language that emphasizes results. Replace hackneyed expressions like “strong team player” and possess organizational skills” with strong, active verbs that demonstrate results. Whenever possible, use numbers to indicate performance. Instead of saying “Managed a team of three” say “Managed a team of three employees who interacted with clients and had a 100% client retention rate over two years.” Include keywords related to your skill set and background, since many big
companies use computers to screen résumés for phrases like “analyst” or “financial modeling.” Have a friend double-check your résumé for spelling and grammatical errors, and always be honest. “You cannot succeed in this competitive market if your résumé isn’t 100% accurate,” says Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, a career coach and former chief operating officer for Merrill Lynch Campus Recruiting.

2. Write A Killer Cover Letter.

Write a one-page cover letter that makes a compelling case for why you should be hired. It shouldn’t be a regurgitation of your résumé. The introductory paragraph should state the position you’re applying for. The middle few paragraphs should highlight the critical three elements of the job description, explaining why you’re a good fit for the job. Use the hirer’s language. If the job ad says the candidate needs 10 years of experience using communication skills, describe how your communication skills brought in new business at a previous job.

3. Focus Your Job Search.

Make a list of the companies where you’d most like to work, and use your personal network and sites like LinkedIn to find connections at each one.

4. Be Smart About Social Media.

First, make sure that your online reputation is clean. Either set your Facebook settings so prospective employers can’t see your updates and photos, or choose to post information that presents you in a positive, professional light. Post your résumé and a good photo on LinkedIn.Start a Twitter account that you use professionally, and follow human resources people at companies that interest you. Retweet what they write when it’s good, and comment on any interesting posts. After a few weeks of following them, send them a message directly, saying, “I’d love to talk about your company. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to work, and I’d love to hear about your experience there,” suggests Dan Schawbel, author Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success.

5. Ace Your Interview.

Learn as much as you can about the company and the position before you go in or an interview. Always prepare at least three smart questions in advance. In the actual interview, don’t be afraid to look eager. Be enthusiastic, and convince the hiring manager that you truly want the job. Don’t boast, but boldly state your accomplishments, and tell stories that illustrate your best qualities. Never badmouth a former boss, co-worker or company. Try to mirror the interviewer’s tone; if he or she is casual and friendly, try to loosen up. Be prepared for common questions like “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” The key to answering the weakness part–and you should always have an answer–is to spin it in a positive light. You might say, “I’m not the strongest  analytically, but I’ve been working on that, and when I put together a report, I always have someone check it.” “The interviewer
wants to know that you’re self-aware and mature enough to talk about your weaknesses,” says Thanasoulis-Cerrachio. “You have to know how to describe a weakness the right way.”

6. Stay In The Game.

Use the time between jobs to keep existing skills fresh and develop new ones. If you have the resources, take a class in a topic that’s relevant to your field. Volunteer or find freelance work through your network or on Craigslist. “The worst thing to do is go into an interview, and when they ask what you’ve been doing, you stare at them with a blank face,” says Schawbel.

7. Network, Network, Network.

Develop your network, and don’t be shy about broadcasting your job search. Ask your friends and contacts who they know and whether they can make introductions for you. Spin your situation in a positive light by telling people you’re excited to have new opportunities. Prepare a 15- to 30-second “elevator pitch” that summarizes your job experience and ambitions, and that you can use in social situations, like an alumni cocktail hour.

Posted on Forbes.Com

1. Tell me about a time when you were a member of a great team. What role did you play in making the team great?

2. Tell me about a time when you were given a task to accomplish without any direction.

3. Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone you did not get along with.

4. Tell me about a time when you felt that a decision was unfair. How did you handle it?

5. Tell me about a time when someone asked you for assistance outside the parameters of your job. What did you do?

6. Tell me about a time you had to multitask.

7. Tell me about a time when you were creative in solving a problem.

8. Tell me about a time when you were the leader of a team and the team disagreed with your decision. How did you handle it?

9. Tell me about a time when you were a team leader and had to mediate with members who disagreed with each other.

10. Tell me about a project that did not go well.

11. Tell me about a time that you worked hard to accomplish something but didn’t.

12. Tell me about a time when you suggested a better way to do something.

13. Tell me about a time when you had to handle conflict within your group.

14. You are a team member and you disagree with an important decision that you believe will have a negative impact on the project. How will you proceed?

15. Tell me about a time when someone told you that you had made an error. Describe how you would react and what you would say in your defense.

16. You are a new employee at our firm and I have asked you to speak to a group of 10 employees. What would you talk about and what would you say?

17. You are part of a team working on a project with a one-week deadline. The team leader does not seem to be on top of things and you are worried about reaching the deadline. What do you do?

18. How do you handle a crisis? Describe one that you handled well.

19. Describe one that you didn’t handle well and what you would have done differently.

20. It’s five o’clock on Friday and your supervisor gives you an assignment that needs to be finished by 8:00 am Monday morning. You have plans to be away for the weekend. What do you do?

21. Describe a situation that was a great learning experience.

22. Describe a challenge you faced in school and how you handled it.

23. Describe an experience that you felt was rewarding.

24. Describe a situation where you were mentored.

25. Describe a situation where you were given feedback on your performance that wasn’t what you had hoped for.

26. Describe a situation where you resolved a problem.

27. What would your last boss/manager say about you?

28. How would your co-workers describe you?

29. What do you think is the best part of working in teams?

30. What do you think is the worst part of working in a team?

31. How do you define “work ethic”? How would you describe yours?

32. How do you make decisions?

33. What type of people do you like to work with?

34. What motivates you?

35. Give me 10 adjectives to describe yourself.

36. How do you like to be managed?

37. Tell me about your best manager. Why do you consider them the “best”?

38. Tell me about your worst manager. Why do you consider them the “worst”?

39. What book are you reading now?

40. What books have you read about leadership?

41. Describe your ideal job.

42. What was the most creative thing you have ever done?

43. What are you most proud of?

44. How do you handle stress at work?

45. What would you liked to have done more of in your last internship?

46. What would you like to have done less of in your last internship?

47. Why did you choose your last job/internship?

48. Why did you choose your school?

49. If you could have done anything different during your college career, what would it have been?

50. What are your short- and long-term career goals?

51. In what areas would you like to develop further?

52. What skills did it take to succeed in your internships?

53. What do you know about our company?

54. What makes you the best candidate?

55. Why should we hire you?

56. What made you apply for this job?

57. Where else are you interviewing?

58. How would you describe client satisfaction?

59. What do you think is most important in great customer service?

60. What will you do if you don’t get this job?

1. Get specific…

When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. “Lose 5 pounds” is a better goal than “lose some weight,” because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you’ll “eat less” or “sleep
more” is too vague — be clear and precise. “I’ll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights” leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you’ve actually done it.

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals…

Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it’s not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers. To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., “If it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I’ll work out for 30 minutes before work.”) Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go…

Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress — if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don’t know how well you are doing, you can’t adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently — weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist…

When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don’t underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good…

Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed — that no matter what we do, we won’t improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills. Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong — abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit…

Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The good news is, if you aren’t particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don’t have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking …. well, there’s no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle…

Your self-control “muscle” is just like the other muscles in your body — when it doesn’t get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals. To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you’d honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother — don’t. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur (“If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.”) It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that’s the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.

8. Don’t tempt fate…

No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it’s important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don’t try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don’t put yourself in harm’s way — many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do , not what you won’t do…

Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., “Don’t think about white bears!”) has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior — by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken. If you want change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off
the handle, you might make a plan like “If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down.” By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely. It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. Remember, you don’t need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It’s never what you are, but what you do.

Published thanks to Heidi Grant Halvorson on Linked In