You have been working with this current firm for a long time. Don’t you think it would be difficult now to switch over to a new company?

The interviewer is worried that you would find it difficult to adapt to new ways of working. The best way to tackle this is to show how you have had many changing scenarios within your current firm and how you have adapted to them and grown with them. You can demonstrate the different responsibilities you have held and the changing situations you have conquered. This way you have learnt to adapt quickly to whatever comes your way and even thrive on the challenge.

You can also show how the needs of the position in question are similar to the work you have been doing so far. This would help to reassure the interviewer that you will be a good match for the requirements of the job.

42. Can I contact your current employer for references?

In all probability you wish to keep your search for a new job to yourself. If this indeed is the case, you will not want the interviewing company to contact your present employer. However if you show reluctance, it would seem that you are hiding something. Therefore the best strategy is to show your concern openly and say that you would like to keep this private. However you can also assure them that it will be perfectly okay in time.

E.g. “I haven’t informed my current company about my job search, for obvious reasons. I would prefer to keep it confidential right now. However when the time appears right to both of us, you should by all means contact them for references. I have an impressive record with this company and I am sure you will find the information useful to you”

43. Tell us an instance of your creativity/ analytical abilities/ managing skills etc.

Being prepared with examples is the key to success here. If you fumble for an answer, it appears that you can’t recall the last time you did anything worth mention. Like question 2, you should have a ready list of your recent and greatest achievements. When you have a list at the tip of your tongue, it is easy to narrate an example that matches the quality the interviewer seeks to probe. The astounding success you managed with the sales promotion of the last season, an out-of-box solution you brought to a nagging logistics problem, could all be examples.

44. What are the areas where you need some improvement?

This is another way of getting you to confess a weakness. Handle this with care. Frame a positive answer. You can for instance mention a new, exciting branch of your profession that you would like to add to your skills in the next few months. But be careful to mention only areas that are not very essential to the needs of the employer.

45. What are the areas of your worries?

You cannot afford to look like a worrier. A worrier sounds like a loser. However it doesn’t sound credible to say that you seldom worry. Therefore you should give ‘worry’ a new twist so that it appears as a positive quality.

E.g. “Well I can’t really call it worry, but I am very focused on goals. I keep analyzing factors that might be coming in my way, and keep going till I solve them. I guess it is part of my tenacity”