Question 1 [20] Read the article Tackle 5 tough job interview questions by Stephanie Vozza and then answer the questions

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Question 1 [20]
Read the article Tackle 5 tough job interview questions by
Stephanie Vozza and then answer the questions that follow. Your
answer should reflect that you are familiar with the content of the
article and your answer should be written in your own words. The
article was published in Journal of Accountancy in February
2021.
Article to Read
Looking for a new job is stressful enough, but to make matters
more challenging, some interview questions seem like minefields.
However, understanding more about what hiring personnel want to
know when asking these questions can help you prepare. You can then
formulate an answer ahead of time, which can help calm your nerves
and allow you to tackle the challenge with insight instead of
guesses. We asked human resources experts for their insider
knowledge on traditional but tricky interview questions. They
shared what these questions are designed to reveal about a
candidate, good ways to reply to them, and mistakes you should
avoid in your answer. 'What can you tell me about yourself?' What
the hiring manager wants to learn Your answer to "tell me about
yourself" gives an interviewer a first impression of your
communication style, confidence level, understanding of the
position, and personality, said Sue Arth, a San Diego-based career
consultant who coaches professionals in accounting and other
fields. This question is also designed to reveal clues about your
emotional intelligence, said Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle
Network, a national staffing, recruiting, and culture firm that
specializes in accounting and finance recruiting. "This is about
whether or not you're a fit for their cultural environment," he
said. "Your answer should share information beyond your résumé
about how you view yourself and how ultimately that can relate to
your job." Good strategies for answering the question Arth
suggested starting with general information about your education
and experience and moving into how the strengths you've acquired
relate to the position, using the "STAR" structure to formulate
your answer: Share a "situation" you experienced. Describe the
"task" you were assigned. Detail the "action" you took. End with
the "result" you achieved. "This format will increase your
confidence, make you appear more professional, and lead into a good
conversation of the job and your qualifications," Arth said. What
not to say While it's tempting, don't summarize your résumé word
for word, said Sarah McEneaney, CPA, a partner and U.S. digital
talent leader for PwC, who is based in Chicago. "Instead, discuss
highlights that are relevant to the position and come with examples
of your best qualities," she said. Avoid getting too personal, said
Arth, who noted, "This is about your professional history, not
family, friends, and relationships." 'Why are you leaving your
current employer?' What the hiring manager wants to learn Hiring
managers ask this question for two reasons: to learn why you are
looking for a new job and to see how you choose to talk about your
current employer, said Michelle Armer, chief people officer at
sales and marketing firm C.A. Fortune, located in Chicago. "If you
bad-mouth your current employer, it is a red flag for hiring
managers; whereas if you speak highly of them but simply talk about
how you're looking to take the next step in your career, it shows
that you are mature, professional, and goal-oriented," she said.
Your answer may also provide clues about your goals, said Gina
Curtis, executive recruiting manager and career coach for the
career coaching firm Employment BOOST in Troy, Mich. In some cases,
those goals indicate that you might not be the best fit — for
instance, if you say you are looking for advancement but are
interviewing at a smaller organization that can't offer you as many
opportunities. Good strategies for answering the question Lindsay
Gaal, COO/chief human resources officer at accounting firm Friedman
LLP in New York City, suggested researching the organization you're
interviewing with and using what you've learned to frame your
answer. For example, you might say something like, "I want to join
an organization that is growth-oriented and innovative. I see that
in the past year your firm grew its employee numbers by 15% and
expanded to new practice areas." That response is "not about the
past; it's about the future," Gaal said. Another strategy for
answering the question is to share the kinds of tangible changes
you want to make in your career, such as opportunities to take on
more responsibilities or work with different types of clients,
Armer suggested. What not to say An honest answer to this question
may include some negative reasons for leaving, such as a difficult
boss or demanding schedule, but Armer said candidates should not
share that type of information with the hiring team. "Instead,
focus on positive ideas first," she said. "And if asked directly,
you can speak lightly about areas for improvement." 'What's your
greatest weakness?' What the hiring manager wants to learn By
asking this question, "the interviewer is likely interested in
hearing about your personality traits," McEneaney said. "This
answer can give potential employers quite a bit of insight into
your level of self-awareness and commitment to professional
growth." The question also reveals potential obstacles the
candidate might bring to the position, Arth said. Good strategies
for answering the question "Candidates mess this question up the
most," Gimbel said. "They say, 'I'm a perfectionist' or 'I care too
much about work.' They try to turn a positive into a weakness to
look good, but that's not helpful." The most important way to
answer the question is to be honest, he said. "Share a mistake
you've made," he suggested. "For example, you could say, 'I used to
take criticism personally, but I've been working on this with my
manager.'" This type of answer is best because it presents a real
weakness as well as a plan on how you're working to overcome it, he
said. What not to say When answering the question, don't point out
that you lack skills that are needed for the position, Arth
cautioned. Also, don't say you don't have the temperament for the
position or that you have issues that directly contradict workplace
expectations. For example, she said, avoid saying something like,
"I have issues with authority and don't feel I need to be managed."
'What salary are you looking for?' What the hiring manager wants to
learn Unlike many challenging interview questions, this one is
pretty straightforward, Armer said: The hiring team needs to know
how much money you want to make if you are offered the job. They
also want to learn if your salary expectations are a match with
what they are offering and with your level of experience, Curtis
said. Good strategies for answering the question Formulate a good
answer by doing your research, Curtis said. Websites such as
Glassdoor, Salary.com, PayScale.com, and the U.S. Department of
Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics offer salary ranges that can be
helpful. You can also consult accounting-specific salary guides
such as the ones produced by Robert Half and Accounting Principals.
You can then take a couple of different approaches to answer the
salary question. "If you are being underpaid in your current role,
you may want to give a target salary and not share your current
compensation," Curtis said. "If you feel like you are being
compensated well and are looking for something competitive, then it
may be appropriate to share your current salary." Armer suggested
providing the hiring manager with a salary range that would be
acceptable to you. Once you state a range, you can follow up by
asking if it falls within the organization's target, Gaal said. "If
the answer is 'no,' ask what they were thinking" of offering, she
said. If you are offered a salary at the top of your range, "you
should be willing to accept that offer," Armer said. What not to
say It can be tempting to answer by simply saying, "It's
negotiable," but Curtis advised against that tactic. "It can be
very hard for hiring managers to move you forward in the process if
you do not give a specific answer," she said. Avoid giving a flat
number; it removes the opportunity for negotiation if your target
is met from the get-go, Armer said. And while it's a good strategy
to provide a salary range, make sure the range is not too large,
Curtis said. 'Why should we hire you?' What the hiring manager
wants to learn The main reason hiring managers ask this question is
to determine your fit, said Michael Steinitz, Washington,
D.C.-based senior executive director for accounting staffing firm
Accountemps, a division of Robert Half. "Overall, they want to see
how you are able to articulate your strengths and what you bring to
the table," he said. "They want to see how well you think on your
feet." The question can also be a test of your confidence and
poise, according to Nicole Gable, chief of sales for Accounting
Principals, a national accounting staffing firm based in
Jacksonville, Fla. "Answering it takes self-awareness and the
courage to self-advocate in a professional manner," she said. Good
strategies for answering the question "You can tailor your response
to show that you're not just a fit for the position, but for the
organization as well," Steinitz said. "It's a sales pitch to some
extent." The best strategy for crafting your answer is to identify
the qualities and skill sets that would be key to success in the
role and to hit those points with anecdotal examples to back up
your assertions, Gable said. For example, if you believe the
ability to work in a fast-paced environment is a key requirement
for the employer you're interviewing with, talk about your
experience in similar roles and give examples of how you have shown
agility and quick turnaround, she said. What not to say Remember,
you're not being asked why you want the job, Gable cautioned. If
you talk about why the job will be great for you as opposed to why
you are the right choice for the employer, "you will miss an
opportunity to solidify that you are a candidate well worth their
investment," she said. One way to keep from sounding arrogant when
talking about why you're a good candidate is to mention others who
helped you achieve your successes. "No one accomplishes anything
100% on their own, and demonstrating that you are a person who
recognizes this and is openly grateful for that is a
differentiator," Gable said.
1.1 What does the interviewer expect to learn about an applicant
when posing the question “What can you tell me about yourself?”
(5)
1.2 What does using the STAR structure for your answer entail
according to Sue Arth? (4)
1.3 What should not be included in your response to the question
“What’s your greatest weakness?” (3)
1.4 What useful advice is given for your response to a question
about your reason for leaving your current employer? (4)
1.5 Applicants often find the question related to expectations in
terms of a salary difficult to answer. What is the purpose of this
question and in which instance should you not refer to your current
salary? (4)