Congratulations! You've made it to the Agriculture Job interview, a time when
both the company and you have the opportunity for mutual assessment.
The key ingredients for a successful interview are preparation and
performance.
During the interview, make certain that you express the
following qualities, with brief examples to support each trait.
- Strong Work Ethic
- Flexibility
- Dependability
- Capability
- Resourcefulness
- Confidence
- Enthusiasm
- Pleasant Nature
Generally, the candidate who shows the most enthusiasm for the
job, the opportunity and the company is the one who gets the offer.
If you desire this opportunity, convey a positive attitude, smile,
maintain good eye contact, and express your genuine interest.
Be prepared to answer specific questions regarding your skills,
knowledge, and experience. You can be persuasive as to why the
employer should hire you by creating a vivid and detailed image of
your achievements with supporting examples.
The following are a few examples of potential questions that you
could be asked during the interview. You may want to practice your
answers.
- Tell me about yourself. (Focus on recent events and hold your
response to less than 2 minutes.)
- What do you know about our organization? (Its history) What do
you know about our products and services?
- Why should we hire you?
- What can you do for us? (That someone else can't is implied
here.)
- What are you looking for in a job?
- What skills and qualifications do you believe are essential
for success in this position?
- How long would it take for you to make a meaningful
contribution?
- How does this assignment fit into your overall career plan?
- Describe your management style.
- What, in your opinion, is the most difficult thing about
managing others?
- How would your colleagues describe you?
- How would your boss describe you?
- How would you describe yourself?
- How do you feel about your present (or past) boss?
- What are the three most significant accomplishments in your
last assignment?
- What are the three most significant accomplishments in your
career so far?
- Do you work well under deadlines and pressure?
- What are your salary requirements?
- Have you kept up in your field with additional training?
- What other positions are you considering?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- What are your career goals?
- What are your key strengths?
- What are your weak points?
- How did you do in school?
- What position do you expect to have in two to five years?
- If you take this job, what will you accomplish in the first
year?
- What was wrong with your last position? (Or, what is wrong
with your current position?)
- What hours are you used to working? What hours would you like
to work?
- How do you deal with difficult people? (Provide an example and
explain.)
- What are some of the best ideas you have initiated and sold to
a superior? What was your approach?
- Describe any significant project ideas you have initiated or
thought of in the past year. Were they used? Did they work?
- What are the most difficult decisions you have made in the
last six months? How did you formulate these decisions?
- Give me an example of when you have worked the hardest... and
felt the greatest sense of achievement.
- What are your standards for success in your job (or school)?
What have you done to meet these standards?
- We have all had occasions when we were working on something
that "just slipped through the cracks." Can you give me some
examples of when this happened to you? What happened?
- In order to survive in the world, people have to bend a
little. What is the farthest you have had to bend your standards
in order to succeed?
- What do you do to manage stress?
- What were your objectives for last year? Were they achieved?
How?
- How do you feel about working for a company of this size? What
do you see as the benefits and drawbacks?
- Why did you choose this particular career?
- What is the greatest influence in your self-development?
- Describe the ideal organization for which you would like to
work.
- How do you schedule your time? How far ahead can you schedule?
Can you walk me through the last week and tell me how you planned
the week's activities and how the schedule worked out?
The interview is a two-way process. A portion of the interview
should be dedicated to questions which you might have about the
company. These questions should be well thought-out and prepared
ahead of the interview. Write them down if you feel the need to do
so.
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Why is this position open?
What would you like done differently by the next person who
fills this position?
What are some of the objectives you would like to see
accomplished in this job?
What is most pressing in the beginning? What would you like to
have done within the next three months?
What are some of the more difficult challenges one would have to
face in this position? How do you think these could best be handled?
How are work objectives, deadlines, and methods of measurement
set?
What advancement opportunities are available for the person who
is successful in this position, and within what time frame?
In what ways has this organization been most successful over the
years in terms of products and services?
What significant changes do you foresee in the near future?
How is one evaluated in this position?
After the Interview
Always ask the interviewer for his/her business card. Send a
thank you note immediately following the interview (e-mail is
perfectly acceptable). Reiterate your interest in the opportunity in
the thank you note and briefly state how you think you could
contribute to the team.
Remember, with preparation and research you can have a successful
job interview and an excellent chance at landing a great job
opportunity.