Gorgon Project Job Interviews | London Aug 26/27 | Dublin Aug 28/29/30

Construction and Engineering Jobs in Australia

JobContax in association with our Australian partners are currently recruiting for a number of large civils projects in Australia. We are currently looking for Project Engineers and Construction Supervisors to work on the $43 Billion  Gorgon LNG Project. The Australian contractor is flying over to conduct interviews in London on August 26/27 and in Dublin on August 28-30. Visit our Gorgon Project Jobs page for full job details.

All roles come with excellent packages including relocation costs and employer sponsored family Australian 457 visas. These positions represent a fantastic opportunity to progress your career and gain large project experience. For more information on Australian 457 Visas and the Gorgon Project click the links below:

Gorgon LNG Project information         

 Australian 457 Visa information

To be considered for interview, apply through our website, www.jobcontax.com, for the job or jobs which you feel you are qualified for and one of our consultants will contact you and explain the interview process in detail.

Contact Details

Website: www.jobcontax.com
   E-Mail:  info@jobcontax.com
   Skype:   JobContax
   Phone: 353-1-7978720

        

Job Interview Research

Preparing for an interview? Need to impress your boss? Want to improve your lot in your career? Here are points to research, know and use accordingly. You don’t need to look far, but taking the time to consider these four points about a company you may want to work for will serve you well.

The Company’s Goal:  What is the company’s stated reason for being?  What do they need to accomplish and when?

1. What problem does the company’s products or services solve? This may have been easier to answer before the Internet and some of the social solutions we see today. But hey, Twitter gets the word out to followers fast and in many instances that can serve a purpose. Knowing this can help compare the company and industry to other opportunities you may consider.

2. What is the value of solving the problem? In other words, what audience is willing to pay for the products and services and if so how much and for how long? It doesn’t take a marketing whiz to Google and find the data or at the very least ask a few knowledgeable people and take your own swag. And, at the end of the day can help quantify the value of the opportunity.

3. What makes the company’s offerings unique? Compare to competitors own words, research analysts in the market and find out if the opportunity stands with the company or if you should set your sites on another.

4. Does the company have a defined culture known and accepted by the employee base? Almost all companies have grand statements describing their culture – great. Now call into the company or hang out at a lunch spot close by and question any employee about the company in question. If you ask three separate employees and get three different answers, you can bet the company is all talk. Or as we say in Texas, all hat and no cattle. Find the company where the culture is known by all and the prouder the employees recite and describe the culture obviously the better.

We all research a company before an interview or a chance at a promotion, and Glassdoor.com, a jobs and career community, is a great place to get opinions and insight from current and past employees. If you want to know more, show that you’ve done some research and have data that can help make the right decision.

Questions to ask at interview

Answering questions doesn't cut it anymore. While job seekers focus on knowing all the right answers and impressing their interviewers, knowing which questions to ask can tell employers much more about you than any answer you might have. We spoke with a number of career coaches, headhunters and hiring managers who couldn't stress this enough. What will stick with them is that you asked the right questions, paid close attention to the answers and really fathomed what their organization is all about.Here's a list we gathered of the best questions you can ask, how to ask them and the right time to do it.

1. What sort of candidate are they looking for?
It's very important to ask questions near the beginning of the interview. Why? "The key to a good interview is understanding what an employer needs, so you know what it is you have to sell." A good questions can be: "What is the most important thing that you need someone in this position to complete in the first 30-90 days at the company?"

2. Get specific: You want to ask questions as "a doctor or analyst might do while conducting a thorough exam"
You’ll want to hear where this organization has been, where they are today and what type of goals they’d like to achieve. "What’s the history of this particular role? How did they come to define it as such? How will they recognize top performance and by what method will they calibrate results?"

3. "If I started this afternoon, what would I be working on?"
You should have a 3x5 card with the three things you most want to tell them about yourself, and the three questions you have for them, says career coach Win Sheffield. Good questions would be: "If I started this afternoon, what would I be working on?" or "How would I be spending most of my day?"

4. Don't ask: "Where might I end up in three years?"
Stay away from questions on your growth opportunities in the company, says Neil. This will make your interviewer question your intentions.

5. DO NOT ask about benefits or vacation time
"It's kind of weird when someone gets into the nitty-gritty of the benefits," says Alison Green, from Ask A Manager. "I've had people ask me who the health care provider is, if we have dental plans, how many vacation days we offer." Sheffield agrees: "Nothing about payment, or any kind of question that is self-indulgent." Once you're offered the job, that's when discussion about payment starts.

6. And whatever you do, don't ask these two questions
A - "Do you drug test?"
B -  "When can I go home?"

7. At the end of the interview, you can finally ask: "I'm wondering where you are in your hiring process?"
Win says the questions you ask at the end of an interview are also equally important, but they all depend on your interviewer's reaction. This question allows you to know when to follow-up with your interviewer.

8. Then ask: "I'm very interested in this job, I'm wondering where I stand compared to your ideal candidate?"
This is a great question, Win says, because depending on what they say, you will know what to write in your follow-up message. In a second or third interview, or if you've developed a friendly relationship with your interviewer, you can reword the question to: "How do I stand against the people you have interviewed?" Like the question before it, their answer can give you clues as to what to write in a thank you note, or how to answer other questions better.

9. After you ask your questions, be sure to listen to your interviewer's answers -- and judge their reaction
"Listen to how they self-diagnose while you make your own private diagnosis. Consider whether your assessment matches theirs," says Jaffe. "Never mind whether you’re the right person for this role. You can think about that later, in the car on the way home."

10. Express concerns you have about the company (within reason)
"Hiring managers honestly want to flush out any questions you might have about the company," says Green. "One of our worst nightmares is having someone take a job and three months after realize that they're miserable and have to start all over again."

11. Your enthusiasm for the job should come across in your answers
Goldman Sachs' head of human resources once said that the most important thing someone can show her in an interview is enthusiasm for the job, according to Sheffield. "If you're not asking questions about a job you're interested in, then I wonder why you're interviewing for it in the first place," he says.

12. The worst thing you can do is wait until the end of the interview to ask your questions

"One of the greatest mistakes you can do is wait until the end of the interview," says Neil. "By then it's far too late."A good way to sneak in your first questions is after the inevitable "tell me about yourself" question at the start of interviews. You can do it by saying "I can talk about my experiences for hours, but today I want to focus on what's most important to you," Neil says, and then ask you can your interviewer a question.

However, phone interviews are different.
In-person interviews allow you to judge someone's reaction. Phone interviews, on the other hand, tend to be more structured, Green says, so it's fine to wait until the end to ask questions.

What Your Interview Body Language Reveals about You

Poor body language can derail an interview regardless of how confident and well-spoken you are. Body language is as much a part of your communication style as what you say verbally – it’s really about how you say it. Impressions are made within seconds of reviewing body language.

Consider the first step to entering an interview – the handshake. While it may take less than 10 seconds to complete a handshake, in that time, the interviewer has already developed an impression of your character based on eye contact and the firmness of your shake.  A weak handshake and lack of eye contact can leave the impression that you are timid and insecure. A sincere and firm handshake with eye contact expresses professionalism and confidence. An overpowering handshake with a fixed gaze may come across as overconfident and arrogant. So, be cautious with your next handshake and start the interview off with a positive impression.

Posture:
Whether you are sitting or standing, your posture projects a level of confidence and engagement in the conversation. When one slumps, it implies to the interviewer a lack of confidence and interest. Sitting stiff as a rock implies nervousness and it creates an uncomfortable situation for building rapport. Sitting at the tip of the chair implies you don’t want to be there. Lying back on the chair with your ankle on top of your other knee may come off appearing unprofessional and too relaxed. In general, crossing your arms and legs may be interpreted as building a barrier.
To project professionalism, confidence and engagement, consider sitting on the chair with your lower back touching or close to the back panel while leaning 10 degrees forward. Keep your hands relaxed in your lap and feet grounded on the floor.  When standing, avoid crossing your arms or placing them in your pockets. The point is to project a balanced posture that is not limp or overly stiff.

Eye Contact:
Eye contact allows you and the interviewer to connect beyond words alone. However, there is a fine balance between good eye contact and when eye contact becomes a weird gaze or stare that can make the other person feel uncomfortable. When you stare without having breaks in between, a casual conversation can come across as a lecture.
Whether you are listening or speaking, maintain eye contact with your interviewer for a couple of seconds at a time (no more than 7 to 10 seconds) and then glance away before returning eye contact again. If you are looking down to take notes, look up occasionally, especially when it appears a special point is being made or when you are asked a question.

Voice:
Speed, tone and pitch combined presents an impression. Talking too fast can be hard to understand and appear as nervousness. When your tone projects apology or defense, you can come across as unconfident and insecure. When you don’t make changes between your tone and pitch, you can sound monotone, making it more difficult for the other person to stay engaged.
Learn to take control of your voice.  If you are nervous, it can come across in your pitch so take a breath to help you relax before speaking. Be conscious of your tone and pitch to offer variation and to help emphasize certain points. 


Bobble head:
 Some people have a tendency to bobble their head as a gesture of agreement, but when you nod in excess during a conversation, it becomes a distraction and can be interpreted as though you are agreeing on everything for the sake of wanting to please. You can lose credibility in such instances.
To avoid appearing like a bobble head, nod occasionally to show you are still engaged and have control over how you nod. You can also tilt your head slightly to the side as though you are trying to listen more carefully as another way to show you are engaged. 


Extremities:
There are people who do certain things out of habit, such as flaring arms while talking, twirling hair, playing with a pen in hand, rocking back and forth on a chair and shaking or thumping their feet. Many of these actions occur unconsciously, however, these are distractions to the person you are speaking to and may be perceived as signs that you are bored or have trouble focusing. Some people also touch their nose or face frequently when they are nervous.  An interviewer may perceive this as a sign that you are not being totally honest.

Be conscious of what you do with your hands, legs and feet and that will help you take control of your movements.
Be aware of your own body language and also read your interviewer’s body language to give you hints about how she is responding to you. The interview may start off very formal, but as you both become acquainted with one another, the mood may relax and you may adapt your body language to reflect what you sense from the interviewer.

There is no absolute rule around body language, but it would be wise to avoid any chance of being misinterpreted. You can properly prepare your body language before heading into an interview by watching yourself in the mirror act out how you introduce yourself and speak. Another helpful way is to have someone interview you and video record the entire session. Review how you present yourself and become aware of problem areas to adjust before your interview.

Questions to ask at Interview

How frustrating when, at the end of interview, you get an opportunity to ask questions and you can’t think of anything! This happens to many candidates – Interviews are stressful situations, they can be emotionally draining and mentally challenging. So at the end of it, interview fatigue might set in and your normally sharp and inquisitive brain can freeze up when you are put on the spot.

This is an important moment in the interview, where you get to show serious interest and initiative. You can also gain critical information about the job, organisation, supervisor and colleagues by asking good questions, whilst also demonstrating your knowledge and research. Of course, don’t ask obvious questions!

Here are a few examples of things to ask – But remember, if the issue was already discussed don’t repeat the question! Take a few sample questions into the interview with you on a note pad to help you along.

What are the most important characteristics someone in this position should have?
What attracted you (The interviewer) to your current role or organisation?
What do you enjoy most in your job?
What do you expect from your staff?
What is your management style?
How would you characterise the management philosophy of the organisation?
What are the current strengths and weaknesses of the staff that would report to me?
How has the organisation changed in the recent past, and where does it expect to go in the future?
What is the top priority of the person that accepts this job? How would this be measured?
What opportunities are available for professional development?
Why are you hiring for this position?
What are the next steps in the selection process?
What is the timeline for hiring?
When can I expect to hear from you?

Telephone interview tips

You might think that the best thing about a telephone interview is that, like a radio presenter, you don't have to worry about how you look. But, an interview is still an interview even if you don't have to go to their offices. You need to be as prepared and well presented as you would be for a face to face interview.

Initial interviews by telephone are more common than they used to be. It's an inexpensive way to screen candidates in the initial stages of a recruitment campaign. The recruiter may just be looking for a confident manner and intelligent responses to some set questions. But don't take anything for granted. You may find you are on the phone for an hour and a half and are expected to answer detailed questions about previous roles and achievements.

Don't allow yourself to be caught on the hop. If you're not able to make some quiet time when they call then set a time for the interview to take place. You have to be a bit more organised about the telephone interview because it's on your home turf. Make sure you won't be interrupted and be sure to charge your phone in advance. Keep a copy of your CV by the phone and all the other relevant information you might need. Prepare and compose yourself in advance. If you sound confused and disorganised you might not get a second chance.

You should have some information from the prospective employer about the role and company. Think about answers you might give to their questions, particularly with regard to competency based questions. Do your research and prepare some questions to ask them exactly as you would for a regular interview.

Smile when you talk on the telephone. You'll be more relaxed, you'll sound more confident and assertive. Seriously think about using a headset for telephone interviews. Apart from the fact that it will make it much easier to take notes you'll be able to concentrate on the conversation rather than on balancing the phone between shoulder and ear while you search for a pen.

In all other respects treat the interview as you would a one to one but remember that time tends to be limited for a phone interview. It's a good idea to ask at the start, if not before the interview, about the structure or sequence of the interview process so you know what to expect. If part of the process is going to be that you are offered a choice of topics to brainstorm you don't want to be taken by surprise.

A phone interview is likely to feel less spontaneous and flexible than a one to one. The interviewer may well have a set script of questions and while you may feel rushed, at some points, if the interviewer thinks they have the information they need they will want to move on. This is the tricky thing about the telephone interview - you can't judge reactions in the same way as when you are face to face with an interviewer. It's a little harder to engage the interviewer in a two-way conversation if she has a schedule of questions and a row of tick boxes. As you don't get the feedback or body language information that help in the face to face situation, it might be useful to ask questions such as "is that what you needed to know?" or "do you want me to go into more detail?"

Other things to bear in mind? Make sure you sound enthusiastic, the sort of person they want on the team. Pace yourself, a good interviewer knows you may need a little time to compose a good response, so do take time to think about answers. Be aware that they may be pushing you to answer as part of their interview technique. Listen carefully and if you don't fully understand the question, ask for clarification. Don't allow yourself to become flustered, especially if some of the questions seem either irrelevant or overly-specific. And remember the interviewer may need some time to make notes between questions so don't worry unduly about short silences, be patient.

Make sure you have the interviewer's email details so that after the interview ends you can write them a thank you note, so as to reiterate your interest in the role and outline key points discussed and what you think you bring to the table.

Advice for Common Job Interview Questions

The job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for even the most seasoned workers, and even more so for a recent graduate fresh out of college. Here’s a secret: it doesn’t have to be! A little preparation can go a long way toward not only helping you impress your interviewer, but also giving you the confidence to go in and be yourself.

Before your interview, take some time to go through these and other common interview questions. Think about your responses, write them out, and practice them a few times in front of a mirror. Even better—practice them with a friend or family member. A few minutes spent rehearsing today will pay dividends when you’re sitting in a hiring manager’s office.

Below are some of the most common job interview questions, and our advice on how to tackle them.

Tell me about your previous job—was there anything you particularly loved or hated about it?

The main thing to keep in mind when facing this question is to avoid being too negative about your previous employers. Using this question as an opportunity to launch into a tirade about how your boss was an idiot and your coworkers were lazy will make you look petty and unprofessional.

Rather, use this as an opportunity to bring up positive points about yourself, and even the interviewing company if possible. Something like “I didn’t think my last job allowed me the creative freedom necessary to really make a difference in the company, and that’s a big part of the reason I’ve applied with you.” (A note of caution, however—use common sense and make sure you know what you’re talking about. For example, don’t say you’re looking forward to enjoying creative freedom in your new job if you’re interviewing for an assembly-line position.)

“Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?”

When asked about your future, be honest—but not too honest. If you want to start your own company or go back to school or travel the world, that’s great—but telling potential employers you’re not going to stick around isn’t the best way to land a new job.

At the same time, don’t pander to them. Saying that you’d hope to be working for your interviewer in five years will make you come across as presumptuous and sycophantic. You can imply it, however: give them your career goals—if there are any skills you’d like to gain, if there are any specialties or areas of expertise related to your field you’d like to learn, particularly if they’re related to the operations of the company you’re interviewing with.

And use this question as an opportunity to show your genuine interest in the company. After giving your answer, ask follow-up questions about the typical career path for people in the position you’re seeking, ask how long most people in the department have been with the company—if you feel comfortable with the rapport you’ve established with the interviewer, you can even ask them where they started in the company.

“What is your greatest weakness?”

Try not to give a pithy answer like, “my greatest weakness is that I’m too much of a perfectionist,” (even if it’s true!) or “I try to do too much and take on too much responsibility.” The interviewer knows you’re human, and knows you have flaws, and if the only flaw you’re willing to admit to is that you spend too much time being perfect and trying too hard, it’s going to come across as insincere and possibly even irritating.

Be honest in answering this question, but to a point. Don’t get into personal details, and don’t give say your greatest weakness is a crucial skill for the job you’re applying for. Before going into your interview, think about this question—think about something about you that you’d like to improve, or that you’ve already taken steps to improve, or something for which you’ve found tools to help with. You could say something like, “Personally, my greatest weakness has always been time management, and I’ve found that having a calendar that syncs between all my computers and my phone has been a great help—I’m still not perfect at scheduling my time, but I’m a lot better, and still improving.”

“How do you handle stress?”

Again: honesty is the best policy here—to a point. If you deal with stress by chain-smoking and screaming at anybody who tries to talk to you, it might be a good idea to leave that out.

Be mindful of the company you’re applying for, and the type of job. It’s sometimes helpful to break the question down into different kinds of stress. If you’re applying for a position that involves rigid deadlines and multi-tasking on several projects at once, hopefully you’re adept at handling that kind of stress—many people work best under tight deadlines.

You can give examples of how you try to minimize stress. Careful scheduling, planning, and communication between team members are the best way to keep unexpected stress at manageable levels.

Finally, you can mention ways you try to minimize stress in your personal life. Do you work out, do yoga, or meditate? Maybe you garden, or volunteer?

Breaking the stress question down into components can help clarify your answer, show your employer that you’re familiar with the ebb and flow of workplace stress, and that you’re comfortable handling it.

“Can you give an example of times you’ve worked within a team?”

Don’t overthink this question. Whatever your level of experience, whether you’re right out of college or you’ve been working for years, you’ve no doubt been in situations where you’ve had to collaborate with others. Talk about that experience, and discuss your role within the team, taking care to frame it within the job you’re applying for.

If you’re applying for a management position, talk about projects you’ve led, groups you’ve coordinated, or even sports teams you’ve captained. If you’re applying for a position that will entail working within a team but not leading it, try to discuss times you’ve contributed strongly to a team—and it’s worth mentioning even in this situation times you’ve led groups or shown leadership.

The point of this question is to figure out whether or not you’re comfortable working with others, and how you best fit into groups. Pick examples that show you can adjust to the work habits of others, that you can communicate effectively, and that you can work within a group environment to get things done.

“Tell me a little about yourself.”

This question is the most likely to make interviewees freeze up if they’re not prepared. How do you summarize yourself in a brief, concise answer? It’s not that tough if you think about it—so it’s best to spend some time before your interview thinking about this one.

There are two schools of thought, generally thinking, on this question. Some people ask it seeking to get a little better understanding of who you are outside of the workplace. They want to know what you’ve done that’s not on your resume. There are others who ask it looking for a brief summary of your professional qualifications and skills. So it’s best to have an answer in mind for both.

In certain instances, it’s best to mix it up. Give a brief summary of your recent experience touching on the skills most applicable to the job you’re interviewing for, and then spend 15-20 seconds talking about your interests outside of work.

If you’re not sure what your interviewer is looking for—ask them to clarify! You don’t want to ramble on about your love of windsurfing if they were looking for an oral version of your cover letter. Likewise, if your interviewer was hoping to get to know you a little better, you can come across as too stiff if you recite your qualifications when asked this question.

“What did you have in mind in terms of salary?”

The salary question is an uncomfortable one for most people, and understandably so. If possible, try to avoid being the first one to give an actual number. If you give a number that’s too low, you can devalue yourself—or get stuck in a job being underpaid. If you give a number that’s too high, you risk pricing yourself out of the running before the employer even gets a chance to really know you.

Before your interview, do some research into salaries in your industry and in your region; our career profiles can be great resources. Also, look at your own finances, and get a realistic idea of what you need to earn. If you absolutely have to give a number, try to give a range—say something like, “based on my research, it looks like positions in the area with similar job responsibilities as what we’ve discussed here usually pay between $X and $Y; is that about what you had in mind?”

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Always come prepared with questions for the interviewer. A flat “no” to this question makes it look like you’re not particularly interested in the job or the company, or that you’re not well-versed in the industry to understand what you should want to know about either.

Try to think about your last job—if you could do it all over again, what would you want to know about your position or the company before you started?

It’s also a good idea to ask general questions about the company, but take the time to investigate beforethe interview—asking a lot of questions about the company that you could have found the answers to by spending ten minutes on their website can make you look disinterested and lazy.

You can ask about the position itself—ask about why the position is open in the first place, or ask about the typical day or week in the job. Ask about what made previous people in the position successful or disappointing.

Finally, you can even ask the interviewer directly if he or she has any reservations about you as a fit for the job—this can give you a chance to polish up any rough edges in the impression you made.

How To Ace A Job Interview On Skype

If you haven’t conducted an interview by Skype yet, I’m willing to bet that it’s coming to your laptop screen or iPhone soon. With gas prices skyrocketing and plane tickets more costly too, employers are increasingly looking to Skype and a handful of online interviewing sites and tools to conduct the first interview. Video interviews on Skype are used to “get more comfortable with the candidate” and see how they handle face-to-face communication and technology tools, said Matt Berndt, director of communication career services at the University of Texas.  Some also use a recorded video interview so they can be certain they’re using the exact same questions with all potential candidates.

“Telephone interviews are going to video interviews” via Skype or another mode, Berndt said. He offers some savvy suggestions for making Skype interviews sparkle:

• Try it out with friends. Ask them to critique how you look, whether the lighting washes you out. Check your Internet connection too; low signal strength could ruin your interview. If you’re using the webcam on your smart phone, make sure you have the battery charged and know exactly where to sit the phone so it captures you and your environment attractively.


• Have a backup plan. Know the interviewer’s phone number and email. Have them handy – just in case your Internet access gets knocked out or your camera malfunctions. Create a Plan B to show you’re proactive and know how to develop workarounds.


• Think about what the background says about you. Control the entire image. Create a great frame for the picture of yourself. Or keep it simple if you want to keep yourself neutral.  Berndt’s backdrop was a full shelf of books, a deep blue wall and a framed Kandinsky print. “It bugs me a little bit that my door’s open,” he said.


• Organize your notes in front of you. The interviewer cannot see all the desktop around you. So put it to good use with notes and prompts as well as material pulled up on your computer screen. The extra information could enhance the answers you give – and remind you to ask great questions too.


• Turn off your pop-ups and email. They slow down your computer a bit and they may distract you from the interview. “If you receive an email from a friend with a very very funny joke, it could be bad news,” he said.


• Know Skype’s features. One that may be useful: For example, you can share your screen with the interviewer which allows you to showcase your original graphic designs or your in-progress app or something else.

My experience with Skype has been interviewing executives, authors and experts for the articles I create. Here are three suggestions that apply to job interviews too:

• Give a dog a bone. If you have an affectionate or noisy pooch, give her something to distract her – so she won’t distract you in the middle of your interview. Or ask your roommate or partner to take doggy for a walk during the interview.


• Consider who will hear you. If you’re keeping your job search a secret, you may need to schedule the interview before or after work. Even if you have an office with a door, someone could overhear you – or just knock and come in as you’re telling the recruiter your best saved the day story.


• Videotape yourself during the interview. This gives you the chance to review how you did, to seek feedback on the interview – and to follow up on any question you mishandled.

The final tip comes from both of us:  Practice, and practice some more. “Reduce the variables in the job interview” by preparing to answer the question you dread, Berndt said. Practice for the awkward moments – a dropped connection, both talking at once or an interruption by dog or daughter. Practice with the tools so you can manage them effortlessly before the recruiter sets up your Skype screening interview.

http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/ace-job-interview-skype/

Weird Interview Questions

In an interview, you'll probably hear a lot of the same, overused questions: What's your biggest weakness? Why do you want to work here? Where do you see yourself in five years?  (You know the drill.) If you've prepared answers to these, you're golden.

But what happens if you're asked an oddball question that comes out of nowhere? There's always a chance you'll be asked a weird question that you weren't expecting. Lucky for you, we have collected a few; from the difficult to the bizarre.

Here are our 10 favourites:

1. "If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out?" Asked at Goldman Sachs.

2.  "How many basketball[s] can you fit in this room" Asked at Google.

3. "If you could be any superhero, who would it be?" Asked at AT&T.

4. "You have a birthday cake and have exactly 3 slices to cut it into 8 equal pieces. How do you do it?" Asked at Blackrock.

5. "Given the numbers 1 to 1000, what is the minimum numbers guesses needed to find a specific number if you are given the hint 'higher' or 'lower' for each guess you make." Asked at Facebook.

6. "An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents, how much is a pear?" Asked at Epic Systems.

7. "How many traffic lights in Manhattan?" Asked at Argus Information & Advisory Services.

8.  "How do you weigh an elephant without using a weigh machine?" Asked at IBM.

9. "You have 8 pennies, 7 weigh the same, one weighs less. You also have a judges scale. Find the one that weighs less in less than 3 steps." Asked at Intel.

10. "What would you do if you just inherit a pizzeria from your uncle?" Asked at Volkswagen.

Courtesy of:   http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/03/weird-interview-questions.html

Follow Up After an Interview Without Being a Pest

Comparisons between job hunting and dating are common, and never are they more true than when it comes to the follow-up. After a date, you want to let the other person know you're interested, but you don't want to appear desperate. Plus, you don't want to feel foolish if he or she had no intention of contacting you again. On the other hand, what if he or she is waiting for you to make the call and if you don't, you'll miss out on a great romance?

So many questions and no definite answers to any of them. Ultimately you have to use your judgment and hope for the best.

Following up after a job interview is similar. As if you weren't nervous enough, you end up asking yourself a dozen questions and imagining hypothetical situations. "If I follow up now, do I seem desperate? If I wait too long, will they think I'm lazy? What if I'm the front-runner but I bug them and they cross my name off the list? What if I'm tied with someone else and my initiative gives me the edge?"

As with dating, job hunts don't have rules set in stone. At best, you can do what feels right and see what happens.

Here are three possible methods for following up with an employer and ways to know if you've crossed the line from eager to annoying.

1. The thank-you note is necessary after an interview, and no job seeker can afford to forgo it. Thank-you notes tell hiring managers that you respect their time. They have packed schedules and can afford to spend time interviewing only a select group of applicants, so your note acknowledges how grateful you are to get some face time.

Appropriate: An e-mailed note on the same day of the interview shows that you are courteous and don't dawdle. For most employers, an e-mail is an acceptable form of thanks because e-mail is a part of everyday business life and arrives quickly. A handwritten letter can be sent as a supplement to the e-mail if you want to stress your gratitude or you know the interviewer is old-fashioned.

Overkill: If you're going to follow up with a letter after your follow-up letter, think again. You already said thank you, so what else do you need to say? Both you and the hiring manager know that another letter is your way of asking, "Did I get the job?" Don't clog the hiring manager's inbox with more notes unless you want to be thought of as a pest.

2. The phone call is daunting and not the right move in every job situation. In fact, many job postings specifically state, "No phone calls." Unless you're feeling brave, you might want to skip it.

Appropriate: Unless you were specifically instructed not to call the hiring manager or another contact, you can make the call after an appropriate amount of time has passed. In this case, if you were given a deadline for when a decision would be made, let it pass and wait a few extra days and then make the call. Just once (unless instructed to call back).

Overkill: The phone call is one of the easiest ways to sabotage your image. Call once, when appropriate, and don't call again unless you've been told to. Phone calls are a nuisance in a way that letters and e-mails aren't. You can decline to open a message or just read it and ignore it. A phone call is harder to ignore if it requires the hiring manager to screen his or her calls once you become a repeat offender. If the company wants you, it probably won't forget to call you.

3. The pop-in causes you anxiety when your in-laws do it. Your place is a mess and suddenly you're forced to entertain people who you might not like very much anyway. Don't do that to an employer if you want to be considered for a job.

Appropriate: Stopping by to visit the company is rarely acceptable. Unless you have an explicit indication that you're welcome to show up uninvited, which would actually imply that you are invited, showing up in person is inappropriate. This follow-up is one case where once is almost certainly too much.

Overkill: When you show up and the hiring manager or receptionist gives you a look that says, "Why are you here?" you'll know you've crossed a line. Employers are busy -- they have schedules, meetings, clients and tasks. By showing up unannounced, you not only disrupt their routine but also imply that you are more important than their obligations and deserve their immediate attention.

Of course, you're bound to meet someone who broke one of these rules and impressed the hiring manager by his or her audacity. Perhaps going against etiquette will work for you. Just be aware that you're risking your professional reputation and could be removing yourself from the running for a job where you were a top candidate.

Courtesy of:  http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1605-Job-Search-Strategies-Follow-Up-After-an-Interview-Without-Being-a-Pest/