The Ehsaas strategy by Dr. Sania Nishtar, Published in The News International

The Ehsaas strategy

The Ehsaas Strategy has been released today (pass.gov.pk/) to solicit public input, prior to its finalization. The strategy elaborates on the prime minister’s vision of a welfare state.

This is the first time that a government document has gone to government officials and the public for review at the same time, introducing a culture of openness and transparency.

Ehsaas is unique for three reasons. One, with currently 134 policies and programme elements, Ehsaas is the most ambitious umbrella initiative the Pakistan government has ever undertaken aimed at social protection and poverty alleviation.

Two, it takes a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach, recognizing the importance of the private sector, civil society and multisectoral across-government collaboration.

Three, Ehsaas is embedded in a theory of change, reflected in four pillars: action against elite capture; safety nets; livelihoods and jobs; and human capital formation with a focus on lagging areas.

Safety nets are the short-term priority within Ehsaas in view of the current fiscal austerity measures. To expand safety nets, the social protection budget has been increased and to promote integrity, the Ehsaas Governance and Integrity Policy has been prioritized. Work on the new national socioeconomic database has been fast-tracked to enable precise targeting.

The soon-to-be-launched ‘One-window Ehsaas’ will address fragmentation. To promote policy coherence and coordination, the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division ‘the Ehsaas Ministry’, was established, and the previously fragmented federal social protection agencies were placed under its administrative control. BISP’s digital payment system is being revamped after a nine-year delay.

Under the new BISP programme, ‘Kifalat’, the 5.7 million BISP beneficiaries, which were previously receiving ‘cash only’ will now have access to bank accounts, mobile phones, financial literacy, digital hubs, labelled cash transfers, and graduation opportunities. The National Poverty Graduation initiative – comprising interest-free loans, asset transfers, and vocational training – and projected to impact 16.28 million individuals over four years has already been launched.

‘Tahafuz’ – Pakistan’s first shock-oriented precision safety net, will be launched by December. Ehsaas also includes welfare policies for the differently-abled, the homeless, orphans, street children, seasonal migrants, transgender, victims of child and bonded labour, daily wage workers, substance abusers, workers abroad, informal labourers, and domestic workers.

Under Ehsaas, undergraduate scholarships are on the anvil in collaboration with the HEC. A new health and nutrition conditional cash transfer programme to address stunting is in the final stages of planning, and education conditional cash transfers are being upscaled for five million children.

Beyond social protection, Ehsaas recognizes that the determinants of poverty and inequality are complex – as are the measures to address it.

Global lessons show that massive poverty reduction is the result of overall robust and sustained economic growth, when combined with economic freedoms and the will of governments to counter organized vested interest and elite capture. In Pakistan, elite capture is the root cause of poverty and is evident in water management, crop choices, land use priorities, labour laws, the taxation system, cartelization trends and nepotism patterns.

The government’s vision is driving change at various levels to address this. In its framework, Ehsaas has included objectives under Pillar I ‘Address Elite Capture’ to assist that overarching mission.

For too long, the levers of our system have been in the hands of a small group of elites. As an attempt to break that system, a constitutional amendment to move Article 38(d) from the ‘Principles of Policy’ section into the ‘Fundamental Rights’ section reflects the philosophical change within Ehsaas, while on a practical basis, Ehsaas stipulates pro-poor goals, and conflict-of-interest norms for every ministry; polices to protect resources for pro-poor initiatives; and guidelines for parliamentarians on use of development expenditure.

Ehsaas Pillar III is predicated on the understanding that human capital development is a significant contributor to the wealth of a nation in this digital age. Therefore, to catalyze action, provincial Ehsaas plans are being developed.

Ehsaas aims to create safety nets for at least ten million families, livelihood opportunities for 3.8 million people, and financial access to healthcare for ten million families. Scholarships/education incentives for five million students (50 percent girls); financial and digital inclusion for seven million individuals (90 percent women) and an enabling environment for poverty reduction by promoting mutli-sectoral partnerships and innovations. These goals will be expanded based on new partnerships. A new policy and framework of commitments will allow the private sector and the civil society to make commitments.

The strategy document outlines the government’s vision, or Ehsaas’ bedrock; the principles which drive it; the context which has shaped it; the Theory of Change, which underpins its conceptualization; and the four pillars under which its goals, policies, and programmes are organized. The strategy also outlines the manner in which 21st century approaches can be used to build a welfare state – data and technology for precision safety nets; financial and digital inclusion; human capital formation; women’s economic empowerment; value chain building for agriculture and crafts; Solutions Innovation Challenges to develop solutions for poverty; measures to address malnutrition, and multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approaches for solutions at scale.

Ehsaas’ premise is grounded in the importance of strengthening institutions, transparency and good governance. We realize that the limited capacity of public institutions, and governance challenges often impedes their ability to deliver. Therefore, Ehsaas is also planned with the ambition to fight through all such challenges – in that respect, implementation of the Ehsaas Governance and Integrity Policy assumes great importance.

To be fully successful, Ehsaas will need to effectively use all government levers to drive change in one direction. I strongly believe it is possible to achieve that with a constructive approach to collaboration.

The writer is the special assistant to the PM on poverty alleviation and social safety.

Twitter: @SaniaNishtar

How to Rehearse for an Important Presentation by Carmine Gallo, Published on Harvard Business Review

How to Rehearse for an Important Presentation  

Carmine Gallo

Steve Jobs was the most astonishing business speaker of his time. Bill Gates once called him a “wizard” who “cast spells” on his audience. Fortune magazine proclaimed that his keynotes could set “hardened hearts aflutter.” Jobs is one of the few CEOs whose presentations have a dedicated Wikipedia page; his keynotes alone could spark a surge in Apple’s stock.

But if you pull back the curtain, you can understand why his presentations were so magical: practice, and lots of it. “Most people don’t realize that what looked spontaneous was rehearsed over and over and over,” John Sculley, the former Apple CEO, told me. “Steve thought about every word, every step, every demo.”

The best speakers make presentations look effortless precisely because they put so much effort into perfecting their delivery.

For nearly 20 years I’ve worked with leaders at some of the world’s largest brands — including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Intel, and McKinsey — to transform them from good speakers into great ones. They’re often surprised when I share this advice, but rehearsing is the single best use of time before a critical presentation. More preparation means less panic and more confidence.

Think of it this way: Astronauts, airline pilots, and Navy SEALS are not born with the ability to remain calm in a crisis. They train for pressure-packed situations under conditions similar to those they’ll face in the field. In the same way, repetitive exposure to public speaking will reduce the anxiety that often precedes a big event. Far from making you appear robotic or canned, rehearsing frees you up to enjoy the moment and deliver your message with passion and energy.

These five guidelines will help you get the most out of your rehearsal time.

Commit to 10x Improvement

The “gospel of 10x” is a popular business philosophy that traces its origin to Google cofounder Larry Page. Where most leaders are happy with a 10% improvement, Page expected his team to create products 10 times better than the competition’s. Anything less, Page reasoned, meant the product or company looked like all the others. The same strategy applies to public speaking. If you want to deliver a spellbinding presentation, one that’s significantly different from your competition’s, be prepared to rehearse far more than you’ve done in the past, and 10 times harder than your peers.

One executive I worked with was preparing to kick off an annual sales meeting. He planned to practice his 20-minute presentation about 15 times beforehand. I told him that Jill Bolte Taylor rehearsed her 18-minute TED Talk about 200 times before stepping onto the stage — giving her a 10x advantage. Her speech, “Stroke of Insight,” has been viewed 25 million times on the TED site alone.

Committing to 10x rehearsal is not as intimidating as it might seem. Repeating the first few minutes of your introduction as you drive somewhere or take a walk counts toward your goal. If there’s an especially complex or technical section of the presentation, spend more hours practicing those slides out loud.

Start as Strong as You End

At this point, you might start to fear that you sound too rehearsed. This is where communication becomes more art than science. Your goal is to feel confident without memorizing every line, and to leave room for spontaneity.

Remember that the two most important parts of your presentation are the beginning and the end. The intro sets the stage for the rest of the presentation and gives your audience a reason to care. Your conclusion determines what parts of your idea people will walk away with, and how they will feel about the presentation overall.

A TED Talk is one of the few cases where it makes sense to memorize each and every word, because there is a strict time limit of 18 minutes. For a general business meeting, nail down the first two minutes and the last two minutes of your presentation, as well as the first and last lines of each slide you share. If you do, you’ll be far ahead of your peers in practice time.

Practice Under Mild Stress

Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, is a self-described introvert who has battled a lifelong fear of public speaking. Accepting a TED Talk invitation was far outside of her comfort zone. On the Friday night before her talk, Wharton professor Adam Grant, a friend of Cain’s, gathered about 30 of his students and alumni to watch her practice. Rehearsing under “real-world” conditions gave Cain an opportunity to expose herself to the thing she feared and to face it in manageable doses. Cain’s talk on the power of introverts has been viewed over 24 million times since, and today she enjoys a career as a public speaker.

Researchers agree that the best way to deliver the presentation of a lifetime is to practice under stress. For her book Choke, Sian Beilock examined individuals who perform their best when it counts the most. “Even practicing under mild levels of stress can prevent you from choking when high levels of stress come around,” she writes.

Remember, going over a presentation in your mind is not the same as delivering the presentation in front of a crowd. The more you practice doing so, the less chance you will crack under pressure. At first, your body may react the way it was built to: Your heart rate may increase and your palms may sweat. But as you grow accustomed to being in front of an audience, even if it’s just one or two people, your body will stop exhibiting fight-or-flight symptoms. Soon enough, you’ll think of your speech as an opportunity instead of a threat.

Record Your Rehearsal

The most valuable practice tool you have fits right in your pocket: your smartphone. Set your phone on a tripod or prop it up against a book, press record, deliver your talk, and then play it back.

By watching your presentation, you will instantly catch distracting habits such as fidgeting, averting eye contact, or flipping your hair. Look for areas where you seem unsure of yourself or fumble your words. Those are the sections you’ll want to rehearse out loud or on the drive home.

Ask for Feedback

Before delivering his first TED Talk, author and podcaster Tim Ferriss practiced delivering his presentation to a small group of strangers in a friend’s house to put himself under pressure. But what he did afterwards was even more critical. He asked the crowd for feedback and incorporated their suggestions in his next rehearsal.

John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco, has a similar practice. In his book, Connecting the Dots, he writes that it “stuns people” to find out how much he prepares for every presentation and media interview. Chambers is a Silicon Valley legend and was considered an effective communicator during his 20 years at the company. Humility, he says, is an attribute that served him well. Everything about his presentations was meticulously rehearsed — body gestures, delivery, messages, interactions with other speakers on stage. He would spend hours upon hours practicing, recording his sessions, watching them back with his team, and asking them for feedback — and still does so today. “As in sports, practice always pays off, and it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a pro,” he writes.

There’s no magic involved in delivering a great presentation, but if you rehearse effectively, your audience will be mesmerized. Steve Jobs made presentations look easy because he put in the time, and his keynotes eventually became his competitive weapon.

An effective presentation can be your competitive weapon too. A great presentation can do so many things: launch careers, inspire employees, attract customers and investors and partners. Set aside hours of rehearsal time before your next critical presentation. It will pay off more than you can imagine.

Be Creative

Chances of Success

The One Resilience Skill You Need to Overcome Life Stress. Melanie Greenberg Ph.D. Published on Psychology Today ‏

The One Resilience Skill You Need to Overcome Life Stress

Surprisingly, It’s not grit, gratitude, or feeling in control

On a recent trip to New York City, I had the privilege of visiting the 9/11 Memorial Museum.  This experience touched me deeply and inspired awe. The exhibits showcased human malevolence and hatred, but they also vividly demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit in the face of even the most awful events. This visit renewed my interest in human resilience – the ability to experience negative events yet still maintain a sense of wellbeing and not get derailed by them.  Some research shows that resilience is actually the most common response to potentially traumaticevents. It’s also true that not everyone is resilient; some people succumb to the long-term negative physical and psychological effects of chronic stressand trauma. What makes the difference?  A 2017 study suggests that a single character strength is the prime predictor of continued wellbeing in the face of negative life events.

Which character strength has the strongest protective effect?

In this study, published in the Journal of Personality, researchers from George Mason University (including fellow Psychology Today blogger Todd Kashdan) compared the effects of seven different character strengths in their ability to predict resilience, defined as continued wellbeing despite the occurrence of negative life events. In this study of almost 800 adults from 42 countries, participants completed questionnaires assessing different strengths (hope, grit, meaning in life, curiosity, gratitude, beliefs in the ability to control life outcomes), their use of strengths in everyday life, subjective well-being, and negative life events. Subjective wellbeing was defined as a combination of satisfaction with life, happiness, and low depression. Negative life events were defined as experiencing serious conflict, financial or job loss, disappointment, illness or injury, or a loved one having a serious problem.

The data were analyzed using lagged analyses (meaning the variables were measured at different time points).  Character strengths were measured 3 months prior to subjective well-being and negative life events were measured in the intervening time period. In other words, the researchers looked at which character strengths predicted future wellbeing and happiness, despite the negative life events that participants experienced in between.

Of all the character strengths assessed, only hope was a significant moderator of well-being in the face of negative life events. In other words, hope acted as a protective factor; in those with high hope, wellbeing was high even when many negative life events occurred. The other strengths, including grit, gratitude, meaning and so on did not protect against the negative impact of adversity. 

How was this character strength defined?

What does it mean to be hopeful and why does hope have such a strong protective effect?  Hope, as defined in this study, is different than just being optimistic about things getting better in the future.  Rather, hope was defined as a positive and goal-oriented type of motivation. Hope involves having goals and pursuing them energetically and flexibly, finding many different pathways to getting positive results. Seeing hope in this way makes it clearer why it can help us withstand negative life events. Hope involves having a flexible approach in which we see many different paths to a positive end result. If you have high hope and you encounter obstacles, you can just take a different path. You are therefore less likely to see the failure as terminal or the result of personal deficiency. This attitude can carry you through hard times with both continued optimism and continued, flexible problem-solving efforts. With this approach, you are more likely to feel good about yourself and about life in general.

Putting the research results into practice

Below is an exercise to help you become more hopeful:

(1) Think of some important life goals. Describe them in general terms, rather than being too specific (e.g., good relationships, building wealth, meaningful work, being healthy etc.)

(2) Pick one or two life goals that are most important to you and describe as many different strategies as you can for achieving them. For example, if your goal is “being healthy,” you might write down “regular medical checkups,” “eating more fruits and vegetables,” “exercising regularly,” “getting more sleep” and so on.

(3) Think about any obstacles you may face to achieving these goals (e.g., lack of time, money, lazy habits, lack of self-confidence etc.)

(4) Now think about what coping strategies you can use to overcome these obstacles. For example, you may eliminate some things from your schedule to make more time or you may use positive self-talk and environmental structuring to overcome a lazy habit.

11 Life Quotes To Live By. By Aric Mitchell (Published in Life'd)

11 Life Quotes To Live By

Need a few words of advice? Looking for an inspirational pick-me-up to remind yourself why you get up every day? We’ve hunted down 12 Life Quotes to Live By that will help. Give them a look and get back to living!
1. “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.” – Charles Schulz
If you ever switched majors a few times or found yourself to be a late bloomer, then you can relate to what the creator of Charlie Brown is saying. The longer you’re here, the more you get the hang of it.
2. “However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.” – Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden, offers one of the most profound life quotes to live by when he advises you to let life be what it’s going to be and roll with the punches. Don’t try to hammer your life into a hole it doesn’t fit.
3. “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” – Robert Byrne
Expert pool and billiard writer Byrne makes a great point here. As long as you have goals, you have the possibility of fulfillment. That gives life purpose.
4. “Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth.” – Martin H. Fische
Fische, a physician, adds this short but sweet quote to our life quotes to live by, and we agree. Life isn’t meant to be spent in front of a TV screen. It’s a show you’re the star of.
5. “Life is a sum of all your choices.” – Albert Camus
French author Camus (The Stranger) raises a very good point here. Life isn’t about the little milestones you set for yourself, but for the good (or the harm) you’ve done with your decisions. Choose wisely.
6. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
With this selection on our life quotes to live by, Einstein’s making a case for believing in something or nothing and committing. Those on the fence should choose a side. You’ll be happier that way.
7. “Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others.” – Helen Keller
Ms. Keller’s message represents the essence of what it means to be a good person. Living for others. Try it if you haven’t yet. It reminds you how great life can be.
8. “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.” – Joseph Campbell
Campbell (The Power of Myth) reminds us through this entry on our life quotes to live by that getting the most out of life means not living to a rigid plan but being adaptive to the changes.
9. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch (Conversations with God)
Or, to really experience something beyond numbness and boredom, you really must challenge yourself to do more than you would otherwise.
10. “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Breault
Breault, a tenor, may not be who you think of for emitting life quotes to live by, but this is a good reminder of life and its shifting priorities.
11. “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.” – Charles R. Swindoll (Author, Clergyman)

25 Common Interview Questions (and How To Answer Them). By Susan Gunelius (Published in Life'd)

Job interviews are auditions. You need to deliver the performance that the hiring manager wants to see or you won’t get hired. Unfortunately, most people aren’t prepared when they step into the spotlight on the interview stage.
It’s true that each job interview is unique depending on the job, the interviewer, the industry, and so on. However, there are some questions you can expect to hear in every job interview. These are the tried-and-true questions that interviewers feel like they’re required to ask.
Make sure you stand out from the crowd in your next interview by practicing and perfecting your answers to these questions. You’ll feel more confident in any interview situation, and you’ll get points from the hiring manager for being prepared! To get you started, following are 25 common interview questions and tips to answer them.

Part 1: Work History Interview Questions 
Part 2: Goals and Salary Interview Questions
Part 3: “Test” Interview Questions

Work History Interview Questions

1. Can you tell me about yourself?
The vast majority of interviews begin with a vague question that could be answered a myriad of ways. Remember, you’re auditioning for a role, so pretend this is your movie trailer. Don’t deliver your life story. Instead, give a quick snapshot that provides specific highlights of your education and career which make you a desirable candidate for the job. The key is to be poised, confident, and cover the points that are likely to be most important to the interviewer. Therefore, your response to this question will vary depending on each interviewer, job, and company.
2. How does your experience make you right for this job? Why should I hire you?

This is your chance to shine. Again, be specific. Mention big achievements in your past jobs that apply to the new role. Discuss how your skills and experience can benefit the company and make an impact in the short- and long-term. Review the job description in great detail before the interview and be sure to speak to the responsibilities and requirements stated within that description. Provide examples that demonstrate how you can fill those responsibilities better than anyone else.
3. Why are you looking for a new job? Why did you leave your previous job?
It’s important to put a positive spin on your reasons for leaving your previous job. What do you like about the company or job that you’re applying for? Use those as the basis for your positive response. For example, if you’re interviewing with a larger company than you worked with previously, you can mention that you’re interested in advancing in your career and a larger company offers the growth opportunities that you’re looking for.
4. Could you explain the gap in your resume?
These days, many people have gaps in their resumes. If you have one, it’s likely you’ll be asked about it. If you were laid off, be honest about it. A quick reference check to your previous employer will reveal the truth about your employment history, so explain that you were a victim of the economic downturn (or whatever your personal situation was), and that you used your time to re-evaluate your career goals, seek additional training and educational opportunities, and find a job with a company that you planned to stay with for a long time. This shows the interviewer that you weren’t just taking an extended vacation during the gap in your resume, and that you’re not planning on quitting shortly after you’re hired.
5. Can you describe a typical day in your previous job?
Depending on the position you’re applying for, this question could serve multiple purposes from the interviewer’s perspective. He might want to learn if your previous position was tactical or strategic. He also might try to determine if you’re a leader, a team player, an independent worker, or used to being micro-managed. Describe your day by highlighting tasks, projects, and interactions with colleagues that match the type of work you’d be doing if the interviewer hired you.
6. Could you describe a situation where you achieved great success in your previous job?
Have a detailed story ready for this question and really toot your own horn when the interviewer asks it. Be sure to choose an achievement that is directly applicable to the job you’re interviewing for, and provide specifics by quantifying your success.
7. What did you like and dislike about your previous job?
As always, cater your response to the company and job you’re interviewing for. With that in mind, mention positive things about your previous position that will be part of the new job and mention negative things about your previous position that won’t be part of the new job. For example, if you’re applying for a customer service job and you worked nights but the role you’re interviewing for offers daytime hours, that’s a great thing to discuss as something you didn’t like about your previous job.
8. Have you ever worked with a difficult boss? What made it difficult? Can you describe your perfect boss?
An interviewer could ask you one or more of these questions, so be prepared to answer all of them. Spin negative experiences with previous bosses into personal learning experiences. Describe the difficult boss as “challenging” but also share something positive that you learned from working with that person. When describing your perfect boss, be sure to mention attributes that your supervisor in the job you’re interviewing for would have. For example, if the job description calls for a person who can work independently, mention that you prefer not to be micro-managed.
9. Can you give me five words that your previous boss would use to describe you?
Think of the job description for the position you’re interviewing for and be sure to reiterate some of the adjectives used within that description when you answer this question. Don’t ramble. If you’re asked to give five words, provide exactly that, and make sure they’re highly relevant to the open position. The person who wrote the job description included buzzwords that are meaningful to him. Use them to describe yourself!
10. Can you give me five words you’d use to describe your work style?
This question could also be phrased as, “How would you describe your work style?” Basically, the interviewer wants to get a better understanding of what you’re like to work with in order to determine if you’re a good fit for the organization. He wants to know if you’re a leader, a team player, innovative, organized, productive, and so on. Again, use words from the job description to describe your work style, so it’s clear to the interviewer that you’re a great match for the job and the company.
11. What is your greatest strength?
This question is asked in most interviews, and you should be able to knock it out of the park with a well-prepared answer. Read the job description and find a quality that you possess which is required for the person who gets the job. When this question comes up, you can say this quality is your greatest strength. Be sure to provide an example from your work history to demonstrate that you actually possess that quality.
12. What is your biggest weakness?
This is another question that is asked in most interviews, and it’s easy to have a stock answer ready to go. Just turn one of your weaknesses into a positive. It’s even better if that weakness is unrelated to the position you’re applying for. If the hiring company offers opportunities to grow in your areas of weakness, mention that you’re aware of the training opportunities and can’t wait to take advantage of them. For example, the company might offer technical training, leadership training, networking groups, and so on.

Goals and Salary Interview Questions

13. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The interviewer asks this question to make sure you don’t plan on leaving the company a month after you’re hired. Depending on the job you’re interviewing for, this question can also flag unmotivated employees who want a job anywhere rather than a career with this specific company. Therefore, state your desire to stay with the company for many years where you can learn, grow, and advance in your career. Depending on the job, you might need to ramp up your answer to demonstrate you’re a go-getter.
14. Can you describe your dream job?
This is another way that an interviewer tries to determine if you’re a good fit for the job and the company. Model your response after the job description and company culture. Demonstrate that you want to continue to advance in your career but be realistic. It’s great to dream big, but the hiring manager just wants to know that you’ll be happy at the company for more than a few years.
15. What is your ideal working environment?
Again, the hiring manager wants to make sure you’re going to be happy working at the company. This is a particularly important question for companies with highly unique working environments or highly structured working environments. Do your homework and have a clear understanding of the work environment at each company where you interview. When asked what your ideal working environment is, make sure you match the company in your response.
16. What salary are you looking for?
This is always a difficult question to answer because you don’t want to undervalue yourself or price yourself out of a great position and company. Know how much you need to make, and if you’re forced to disclose a figure, go higher than that amount. However, the best response to this question is to turn it back on the interviewer by saying something like, “What is the salary range budgeted for the position? I’m sure we could negotiate something that would work for everyone if I were to be offered the job.”
17. What is your salary history?
This is a touchy question because the only information you should have to disclose is your starting and ending salary for your most recent job. That’s all corporate personnel departments disclose when they receive employment verification calls, so an interviewer who knows what he’s doing shouldn’t ask for more information than that. Unfortunately, most interviewers have no idea what they should or shouldn’t ask in an interview, so this question may come up. If an interviewer asks you this question, tell them what you’re currently making and be sure to include any bonus amounts as well as benefits and other perks. Your goal is to show the full package of your earnings which could be quite different than what is actually reflected in your paycheck.

“Test” Interview Questions

18. What do you know about our company?
The only reason an interviewer asks this question is to test you. He wants to know if you did your homework and prepared for the interview by researching the company in advance. In other words, he wants to find out if you are really serious about this position and company or if you just need a job. Show him how important this position is to you by giving a succinct rundown of the company’s business, competitors, customers, products, recent news, and so on. What you choose to focus on will vary depending on the job and interview.
19. Why do you want to work here?
This is another test question asked to determine if you’re serious about working for the company or just looking for a job. Therefore, use some of your research knowledge to offer specific reasons why you want to work for the company. Is it one of the top 10 companies in its industry? Does it have a global presence? Is it know for its social responsibility and philanthropic ventures? Choose a few specific reasons why the company would be a great place for you to work and use them to answer this question.
20. If your boss gives you a mountain of tasks at 3:00 and says she needs them by 5:00, but you know you can’t finish them in time, what do you do?
This question is asked to test your work ethic and could be asked in many ways to put you in a problem situation and ask how you would deal with it. Do you ask for help? Do you go home and pick up the tasks again in the morning? Depending on the job you’re interviewing for, your answer to this type of test question might vary. Certainly, an entry-level employee would act differently in this situation than a seasoned executive. Therefore, tailor your response to fit what you know about the position and the company culture.
21. If your boss or another higher-level colleague does something wrong, or asks you to do something wrong what would you do?
This is another business ethics question meant to ensure you’re an honest employee. Explain to the interviewer that you would always do what’s right for the company, and you would always act in a professional manner.
22. What motivates you?
Money might be your greatest motivator, but don’t tell that to the person interviewing you for a job. Instead, mention things that are related to the job. For example, if you’re applying for a sales job, say that you’re motivated by closing the deal and fulfilling customers’ needs. If you’re interviewing for a technical support role, explain that you’re motivated by solving difficult problems and making things work.
23. Where else have you applied?
This test question is intended to learn how serious you are in your job search. It’s also asked to determine if you’re applying to companies within similar industries or if you’re applying to any job opening you can find. Mention a few other companies in your response, but don’t go into detail. You want the interviewer to know that you’re serious in your job search and that includes your strong interest in the company and position he’s interviewing you for.
24. What was the last book you read?
This question is intended to reveal a bit more about you personally, but could also be a test. Similar questions include, “Do you belong to any organizations related to our industry (or your field)?” and “Do you read any websites or magazines about our industry (or your field)?” The interviewer might be genuinely curious, but he might be trying to determine how committed you truly are to your field and the company’s industry. For example, if you’re applying for a job in a company’s marketing department, the interviewer might be trying to learn if you read books, magazines, and websites or belong to professional association’s dedicated to the marketing field. Consider the position and the company, and provide a relevant response. However, be truthful. If the interviewer asks follow-up questions to get more details, you could get caught if you lie.
25. Do you have any questions to ask me?
The common thread throughout all of these interview questions and answers is making sure you do your homework and research each company you interview with in advance. The more you know about the job and the company, the better prepared you’ll be to answer the common questions and surprise questions. You’ll also be prepared to answer the last question asked by recruiters in most interviews, “Do you have any questions for me?” Show you’re motivated by asking when the company expects to extend an offer for the position, and show you’re interested in learning more details about the job by asking what the first priorities and projects would be for the person who fills the position.