Yahoo Answers

I haven't joined it.

My dog Buster has though.

He contributes to it daily.

Assuming the referee is willing and able to discuss you, here are some questions your prospective employer might ask:
Questions Likely to Be Asked 1. When were you employed? (This is to check the validity of your resume/CV information, and also to get an idea of the amount of experience in your field.) 2. In what capacity were you employed? (This is also to check the validity of your resume/CV, and also to see how well the previous experience matches with the duties of the job for which you are applying.) 3. What was her/his relationship (that is, the referee) with you at the organization? (This is yet another "truth" check, and also to determine the value of the information given by the referee.) 4. Does the referee consider you to be: * Co-operative * Loyal * Trustworthy * Assertive and outgoing * A good team player * Taking initiative * Hard-working 5. What special skills does the referee think you possess? 6. How would the referee characterize your abilities in: * Management * Supervision * Leadership 7. What is the referee's overall assessment of your job performance? 8. What are your 'character strengths'? 9. More important, what are your weaknesses that the referee thinks should be discussed and that the referee needs to work on for further improvement? 10. Overall, would the referee's organization employ you again (or work with you again) if the referee's organization has a suitable vacancy or opportunity to contract with you? Questions might also be asked about the referee her- or himself, such as:

1. Confirming the referee's position with her or his organization;
2. Confirming the referee's contact information.

The most feared question of the job interview is "What is your biggest weakness?" There are many ways to get this wrong:

The worst thing to do is to admit a weakness that's so bad that nobody will hire you, such as: # I'm really lazy. # I can't control my temper. # I killed my last boss.

Don't do that. But people are so afraid of making this mistake that they do the opposite: They try to BS their way through this question by pretending a strength is a weakness.

# I'm so good at what I do that I make the people around me look incompetent. # I work too hard. # I care too much. Don't do that either. You'll come off as shallow, manipulative, and insincere.

If an interviewer asks you this question in an interview, he or she wants to find out if you can take criticisms, and if you can admit your flaws and mistakes. And that you're working towards either correcting them or working around them.

Don't just look at this question as a crisis to be survived. Look at it as an opportunity to shine.

Your best strategy is to admit a real weakness, calmly and sincerely, while also showing why I'd be so happy that I hired you.

Here's one example:

"Usually I'm able to inspire my team, and I usually do a good job aligning their passions and skills with the company's needs. But when I can't get a person to want to do the job, and I have to have the tough conversations, I struggle. That's when I have to turn to my manager for some guidance and support. Sometimes you've got to be tough, but it doesn't come naturally for me, and it's a real challenge for me when this happens."

That answer helps you show who you really are, and why I should hire you. You admitted a real weakness, and showed that you take it very seriously, but the weakness was wrapped inside a bigger strength. And in the answer, you showed me what you're passionate about at work.

Here's a final example: "When I sit in a bug-review meeting and somebody can say 'Lower the priority on that, raise the priority on that, defer this, close that…' I'm always so impressed, because I can't do that. I can't think that fast. I always need more time, to think about different perspectives. I wonder what's the problem behind the problem, and I try to find a solution that gets the best of all worlds. And that's great, when there's time, but you can't do that on every bug in your bugbase. I've always managed to complement myself with people who are really good at making quick decisions. And I've always positioned myself so I can apply my strengths, analyze the bigger questions, and propose solutions. But stress-free rapid-fire decision-making… I've tried, and I've found the best solution is to find people who are great at it and work with them."

This is a little riskier, because some people will never respect you for just accepting a weakness and working to your strengths instead. But it's often worth it, because even if it risks losing a job you'd be miserable and terrible at, it increases your chances of finding the job that matches your strengths. Note how in that answer you show where you can really help the company, and you show how much you appreciate other people and their skills.

Finally, these kinds of answers, if they're sincere and personal, will make you stand out. If there are a lot of people competing for a single job, your best bet is to stand out in a positive way, and ironically the "What is your weakness?" question is a great opportunity to do that.

In summary… don't just repackage a strength as a weakness. Take the risk, and admit a real weakness, but in a way that also shows off your strengths, your sincerity, and who you are.