These questions are used for software tester or SQA (Software Quality Assurance) positions. Refer to The Real World of Software Testing for more information in the field.
1. The top management was feeling that when there are any changes in the technology being used, development schedules etc, it was a waste of time to update the Test Plan. Instead, they were emphasizing that you should put your time into testing than working on the test plan. Your Project Manager asked for your opinion. You have argued that Test Plan is very important and you need to update your test plan from time to time. Its not a waste of time and testing activities would be more effective when you have your plan clear. Use some metrics. How you would support your argument to have the test plan consistently updated all the time.
2. The QAI is starting a project to put the CSTE certification online. They will use an automated process for recording candidate information, scheduling candidates for exams, keeping track of results and sending out certificates. Write a brief test plan for this new project.
3. The project had a very high cost of testing. After going in detail, someone found out that the testers are spending their time on software that doesnt have too many defects. How will you make sure that this is correct?
4. What are the disadvantages of overtesting?
5. What happens to the test plan if the application has a functionality not mentioned in the requirements?
6. You are given two scenarios to test. Scenario 1 has only one terminal for entry and processing whereas scenario 2 has several terminals where the data input can be made. Assuming that the processing work is the same, what would be the specific tests that you would perform in Scenario 2, which you would not carry on Scenario 1?
7. Your customer does not have experience in writing Acceptance Test Plan. How will you do that in coordination with customer? What will be the contents of Acceptance Test Plan?
8. How do you know when to stop testing?
9. What can you do if the requirements are changing continuously?
10. What is the need for Test Planning?
11. What are the various status reports you will generate to Developers and Senior Management?
12. Define and explain any three aspects of code review?
13. Why do you need test planning?
14. Explain 5 risks in an e-commerce project. Identify the personnel that must be involved in the risk analysis of a project and describe their duties. How will you prioritize the risks?
15. What are the various status reports that you need generate for Developers and Senior Management?
16. You have been asked to design a Defect Tracking system. Think about the fields you would specify in the defect tracking system?
17. Write a sample Test Policy?
18. Explain the various types of testing after arranging them in a chronological order?
19. Explain what test tools you will need for client-server testing and why?
20. Explain what test tools you will need for Web app testing and why?
21. Explain pros and cons of testing done development team and testing by an independent team?
22. Differentiate Validation and Verification?
23. Explain Stress, Load and Performance testing?
24. Describe automated capture/playback tools and list their benefits?
25. How can software QA processes be implemented without stifling productivity?
26. How is testing affected by object-oriented designs?
27. What is extreme programming and what does it have to do with testing?
28. Write a test transaction for a scenario where 6.2% of tax deduction for the first $62,000 of income has to be done?
29. What would be the Test Objective for Unit Testing? What are the quality measurements to assure that unit testing is complete?
30. Prepare a checklist for the developers on Unit Testing before the application comes to testing department.
31. Draw a pictorial diagram of a report you would create for developers to determine project status.
32. Draw a pictorial diagram of a report you would create for users and management to determine project status.
33. What 3 tools would you purchase for your company for use in testing? Justify the need?
34. Put the following concepts, put them in order, and provide a brief description of each:
system testing
acceptance testing
unit testing
integration testing
benefits realization testing
For more information & latest freshers&exp jobs go to www.sureshkumar.net
1. What are two primary goals of testing?
2. If your company is going to conduct a review meeting, who should be on the review committe and why?
3. Write any three attributes which will impact the Testing Process?
4. What activity is done in Acceptance Testing, which is not done in System testing?
5. You are a tester for testing a large system. The system data model is very large with many attributes and there are a lot of inter-dependencies within the fields. What steps would you use to test the system and also what are the effects of the steps you have taken on the test plan?
6. Explain and provide examples for the following black box techniques?
Boundary Value testing
Equivalence testing
Error Guessing
7. What are the product standards for?
Test Plan
Test Script and Test Report
8. You are the test manager starting on system testing. The development team says that due to a change in the requirements, they will be able to deliver the system for SQA 5 days past the deadline. You cannot change the resources (work hours, days, or test tools). What steps will you take to be able to finish the testing in time?
9. Your company is about to roll out an e-commerce application. Its not possible to test the application on all types of browsers on all platforms and operating systems. What steps would you take in the testing environment to reduce the business risks and commercial risks?
10. In your organization, testers are delivering code for system testing without performing unit testing. Give an example of test policy:
Policy statement
Methodology
Measurement
11. Testers in your organization are performing tests on the deliverables even after significant defects have been found. This has resulted in unnecessary testing of little value, because re-testing needs to be done after defects have been rectified. You are going to update the test plan with recommendations on when to halt testing. Wwhat recommendations are you going to make?
12. How do you measure:
Test Effectiveness
Test Efficiency
13. You found out the senior testers are making more mistakes then junior testers; you need to communicate this aspect to the senior tester. Also, you dont want to lose this tester. How should one go about constructive criticism?
14. You are assigned to be the test lead for a new program that will automate take-offs and landings at an airport. How would you write a test strategy for this new program?
Sunday, April 04, 2010
TURBO C 2.0: ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
TURBO C 2.0: ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------Q. How do I install Turbo C?
A. Run the INSTALL program from the INSTALL/HELP disk. To start
the installation, change your current drive to the one that
has the install program on it and type INSTALL. You will be
given instructions in a box at the bottom of the screen for
each prompt. For example, if you will be installing from
drive A:, type:
A:
INSTALL
At this point, the INSTALL program will appear with menus
selections and descriptions to guide you through the installation
process.
Q. How do I run Turbo C?
A. After you have installed Turbo C, type "TC" from the DOS
prompt and you're ready to go. Chapter 2 (Getting Started)
of the Turbo C User's Guide will guide you through your
first Turbo C program.
Q. What is the difference between TC.EXE and TCC.EXE?
A. The Turbo C package comes with two compilers, an Integrated
Environment named TC.EXE and a command-line compiler named
TCC.EXE. The Integrated Environment is essentially
the command-line compiler with an integrated editor,
linker, and debugger. Please refer to the Turbo C
User's Guide for details on using both systems.
Q. What is a configuration file?
A. A configuration file tells Turbo C what options to default to
and where to look for its library and header files. TC.EXE
looks for a configuration file named TCCONFIG.TC, and
TCC.EXE looks for a file named TURBOC.CFG. See the User's
Guide, pages 40 and 143 for more information.
Q. How do I create a configuration file?
A. When you run the INSTALL program it creates a configuration
file named TURBOC.CFG for TCC.EXE. This file is just an
ASCII file which you can change with any text editor. It
contains the path information for the library and header
files for TCC.EXE to use. The INSTALL program does not
create a TCCONFIG.TC file for TC.EXE because it installs
the directory information directly into TC.EXE. You can
create a configuration file for TC.EXE by running TC,
setting your options however you want to set them, and
typing Alt-O/S.
I n t e g r a t e d E n v i r o n m e n t
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why is Turbo C not able to find any of my #include files?
A. The compiler searches for include files in the Turbo C Include
Directories. This option is specified under the Options/Directories
menu. The INSTALL program initially sets this option to the
directory where it copied all the Turbo C *.h files.
Q. Why do I get the message:
Linker Error: Unable to open input file 'C0x.OBJ'
A. The linker searches for Turbo C start-up and library files in the
Turbo C Library Directories. This option is specified under the
Options/Directories menu. The INSTALL program initially sets this
option to a directory where it copied the start-up and library
files.
Q. How do I get Turbo C to link in my own libraries or use multiple
source files?
A. Turbo C's Project facility is designed to allow you to work with
multiple files. Refer to Chapter 3 of the Turbo C User's Guide,
under "Projects: Using Multiple Source Programs".
Q. Why does the linker tell me that all the graphics library
routines are undefined?
A. The Options/Linker/Graphics Library item must be set ON, if
you are using any Turbo C graphics functions and have not
specifyed GRAPHICS.LIB in a project file.
Q. Why does Turbo C report "Unable to open include file 'stdarg.h'"
when I try to #include
A. The most probable reason is that you have exceeded the number
of files that DOS can have open simultaneously. Add the line
FILES=20
to your DOS CONFIG.SYS file. This allows DOS to open up to 20
files at the same time. CONFIG.SYS will only be effective
after you have rebooted your computer. See the IBM DOS Reference
Manual for details on the CONFIG.SYS file.
Q. How do I change the colors of the editor and menus in TC?
A. The utility TCINST.EXE allows you to customize your colors.
Q. How do I get a listing of my source code to my printer?
A. From within the Turbo C editor hit
. This will
print a marked block to the printer. If no block is marked
this key sequence will print the entire file in your editor.
Q. When I Make, Run, or Trace a program Turbo C sometimes goes
through the compile and link process even when the object files
are up-to-date.
A. Turbo C's MAKE logic works solely on a file's date and time
stamp. If one of your source files is marked with a date
that's sometime in the future, the object files that are
created from it will always be older than the source file,
and Turbo C will always try to rebuild the file. You can fix
this by using TOUCH.COM to set the file to the current date
and time. You should also make sure that your system's date
and time are always properly set.
C o m m a n d - L i n e C o m p i l e r
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why is Turbo C not able to find any of my #include files?
A. The compiler searches for include files in the Turbo C Include
Directories. This option is specified by the -I switch. The INSTALL
program initially writes a configuration file (TURBOC.CFG) that
sets this to the directory where it copied all the Turbo C *.h
files.
Q. Why do I get the message:
Linker Error: Unable to open input file 'C0x.OBJ'
A. The linker searches for Turbo C start-up and library files in the
Turbo C Library Directories. This option is specified by the -L
switch. If you allow TCC to invoke the linker, it will search the
directories in the configuration file (TURBOC.CFG) written by the
INSTALL program. If you run TLINK, the configuration file is not read.
Q. Why does the linker tell me that all the graphics library
routines are undefined?
A. TCC will not search the graphics library unless you tell it to.
You should specify the graphics library on the command line. For
example, to compile BGIDEMO, type
TCC BGIDEMO.C GRAPHICS.LIB
G e n e r a l I / O
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. The '\n' in cprintf() does not return the cursor to the
beginning of the line. It only moves the cursor down one line.
A. cprintf() no longer interprets '\n' as a Carriage Return/
Line Feed combination. The '\n' only outputs a Line Feed. To
force the cursor to the beginning of the line, manually
insert a Carriage Return:
cprintf("\n\r");
Q. How do I print to the printer from a Turbo C program?
A. Turbo C uses a FILE pointer (stdprn) defined in the STDIO.H
file. You do not need to open stdprn before using it:
#include
main()
{
fprintf(stdprn, "Hello, world\n");
}
Note that if your printer is line-buffered, the output is
flushed only after a '\n' is sent.
Q. I am reading and writing binary files. My program is
translating the Carriage Return (0x0D) and Line Feed (0x0A)
characters. How do I prevent this from happening?
A. Files opened in text mode will translate these characters for
DOS. To read a file in binary mode, open it in binary mode.
For example
#include
main()
{
FILE *binary_fp;
char buffer[100];
binary_fp = fopen("MYFILE.BIN", "rb");
fread(buffer, sizeof(char), 100, binary_fp);
:
}
The default file mode is text.
Q. Why don't printf() and puts() print text in color?
A. Use the console I/O functions cprintf() and cputs() for color output.
#include
main()
{
textcolor(BLUE);
cprintf("I'm blue.");
}
Q. How do I print a long integer?
A. Use the "%ld" format:
long int l = 70000L;
printf("%ld", l);
Q. How do I print a long double?
A. Use the "%Lf" format.
long double ldbl = 1E500;
printf("%Lf", ldbl);
E x a m p l e P r o g r a m s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. How do I compile the MICROCALC spread sheet?
A. See Appendix G of the Turbo C Reference Manual.
Q. How do I compile the BGIDEMO program?
A. 1. Make sure that the following Turbo C files are in your
current directory:
BGIDEMO.C
*.BGI
*.CHR
2. Run TC.
3. Load BGIDEMO.C into the Editor by hitting F3 then typing
BGIDEMO
3. Go to the Run menu and choose the Run item.
Q. How do I create a COM file?
A. DOS versions 3.2 and earlier include an EXE2BIN utility that
converts EXE files to COM files. For users who do not have
EXE2BIN, the Turbo C command-line linker, TLINK will create
a COM file instead of an EXE file if the /t option is
specified. For example:
tcc -mt -lt tiny
will create TINY.COM instead of TINY.EXE.
There are certain limitations in converting an EXE file to a COM
file. These limitations are documented in the IBM Disk Operating
System manual under EXE2BIN.
Turbo C's TINY model is compatible with the COM format, but programs
that use Turbo C's floating point routines cannot be converted to a
COM file.
G r a p h i c s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why do I get the error message:
BGI Error: graphics not initialized (use 'initgraph')
when I use a graphics function? My program has already
called initgraph().
A. For some reason initgraph() failed. To find out why, check
the return value of graphresult(). For example:
#include
main()
{
int gerr; /* graphics error */
int gdriver = DETECT, gmode;
/* Initialize graphics using auto-detection and look
for the .BGI and .CHR files in the C:\TURBOC directory.
*/
initgraph(&gdriver, &gmode, "C:\\TURBOC");
if ((gerr = graphresult()) != grOk)
{
printf("Error : %s\n", grapherrormsg(gerr));
exit(1);
}
:
}
M a t h / F l o a t i n g P o i n t
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why do I get incorrect results from all the math library
functions like cos() and tan()?
A. You must #include
Turbo C math functions. In general, Turbo C assumes that a function
that is not declared returns an int. In the case of math functions,
they usually return a double. For example
/* WRONG */ /* RIGHT */
#include
main() main()
{ {
printf("%f", cos(0)); printf("%f", cos(0));
} }
Q. How do I "trap" a floating point error?
A. See the signal() and matherr() functions in the Turbo C Reference
Guide. The signal() function may be used to trap errors in the
80x87 or the 80x87 emulator. The matherr() function traps errors
in the Math Library functions.
L i n k e r E r r o r s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why do I get the message:
Linker Error: Unable to open input file 'C0x.OBJ'
A. See "Integrated Environment" section above.
Q. Why do I get the message:
Linker Error: Undefined symbol '_main' in module C0
A. Every C program must contain a function called main(). This
is the first function executed in your program. The function
name must be all in lower case. If your program does not
have one, create one. If you are using multiple source files,
the file that contains the function main() must be one of
the files listed in the Project.
Note that an underscore character '_' is prepended to all
external Turbo C symbols.
Q. Why does the linker tell me that all the graphics library
routines are undefined?
A. See the "Integrated Environment" and "Command-line Compiler"
sections above.
Q. What is a 'Fixup overflow'?
A. See the listing of TLINK error messages in Appendix D of the
Turbo C Reference Guide.
Q. I am linking my own assembly language functions with Turbo C.
The linker reports that all of my functions are undefined.
A. Make sure that you have put an underbar character '_' in front of all
assembly language function names to be called by Turbo C. Your assembly
language program should be assembled with Case Sensitivity. See
the Chapter 12, "Advanced Programming," in the Turbo C User's Guide
for details.
O t h e r Q u e s t i o n s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. How do I change the stack size?
A. The size of the stack of a Turbo C program is determined at
run-time by the global variable _stklen. To change the size
to, for example 10000 bytes, include the following line in
your program:
extern unsigned _stklen = 10000;
This statement must not be inside any function definition.
The default stack size is 4096 bytes (4K).
Q. I'm getting a 'Stack Overflow!' message when I run my program.
How can I work around this?
A. You may increase the stack size by following the procedure above. Stack
overflows are usually caused by a large amount of local data or
recursive functions. You can decrease the amount of stack space
used by declaring your local variables static:
main() main()
{ {
char x[5000]; --> static char x[5000];
: :
} }
Of course, you should be aware that there are other effects
that the "static" keyword has, as applied here.
Q. My program comes up with the message 'Null pointer assignment'
after it terminates. What does this mean?
A. Before a small-data model Turbo C program returns to DOS, it will
check to see if the beginning of its data segment has been corrupted.
This message is to warn you that you have used uninitialized pointers
or that your program has corrupted memory in some other way.
Q. Why are .EXE files generated by TC.EXE larger than those
generated by TCC.EXE?
A. In the default configuration, TC.EXE includes debugging
information in the .EXE files that it creates, and TCC.EXE
does not. If you don't want to produce this debugging
information, you can shut it off in the Integrated
Development Environment by selecting Alt-D/S/N.
Q. Why do I get "declaration syntax error" messages on DOS.H?
A. You have set the "Ansi keywords only" option ON. Keep this option
OFF when using any keywords specific to Turbo C .
Q. I have a working program that dynamically allocates memory
using malloc() or calloc() in small data models (tiny, small,
and medium). When I compile this program in large data models
(compact, large, and huge) my program hangs.
A. Make sure that you have #include
Q. I am linking my own assembly language functions with Turbo C.
But the linker reports that all of my functions are undefined.
A. See answer above in the "Linker" section.
Q. My far pointers "wrap around" when they are incremented over 64K.
How do I reference a data object that is greater than 64K?
A. Use huge pointers.
Q. Can I declare more than 64K of global variables?
A. You may have a total of up to 64K global and static data in
the Tiny, Small, Medium, Compact and Large memory models. In
the Huge model, the maximum is 64K per source module.
Q. How do I declare an array that's greater than 64K?
A. Arrays greater than 64K must be allocated off the heap. If,
for example you wanted a two-dimensional array of characters
that was 1024 by 128, the declaration you would expect to
write would be:
char array[1024][128];
But since the size of this array is greater than 64K, it must
be allocated off the heap. An example of this is:
#include
char (huge *array)[128];
:
main()
{
:
array = farcalloc(sizeof(*array), 1024);
:
}
The array can be accessed with the same code as an array not
allocated off the heap. For example:
i = array[30][56];
will assign "i" the value stored at the 31st by 57th element
in "array".
The use of the "huge" keyword is necessary in the declaration
of "array" since only a huge pointer can address objects
greater than 64k. For further discussion of huge pointers,
refer to the User's Guide.
Q. How do I interface Turbo C routines to a Turbo Pascal program?
A. See the example programs CPASDEMO.PAS and CPASDEMO.C on disk.
These files are packed in the file EXAMPLES.ARC and you will
need to UNPACK them before using them.
Q. How do I get Clipper to link with Turbo C?
A. If you are having trouble, contact Nantucket Technical Support.
Interview Preparation
The Interview
Interview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information. The employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will fit in with the organization's current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans. The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.
Interview Preparation
Research is a critical part of preparing for an interview. If you haven't done your homework, it is going to be obvious. Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.
Step 1: Know Yourself
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process. In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your skills.
Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself "What could I have learned by doing this?" "What skills did I develop?" "What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?" Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counselling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skills
Generic skills are those which are transferable to many work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.
Analytical/Problem Solving
Flexibility/Versatility
Interpersonal
Oral/Written Communication
Organization/Planning
Time Management
Motivation
Leadership
Self-Starter/Initiative
Team Player
Often when people think of skills, they tend to think of those they have developed in the workplace. However, skills are developed in a variety of settings. If you have ever researched and written a paper for a course, you probably have written communication skills. Team sports or group projects are a good way to develop the skills required of a team player and leader. Don't overlook any abilities you may have
When doing the research on yourself, identifying your experience and skills is important, but it is not all that you need to know. Consider the answers to other questions such as:
How have I demonstrated the skills required in this position?
What are my strong points and weak points?
What are my short term and long term goals?
What can I offer this particular employer?
What kind of environment do I like? (i.e. How do I like to be supervised? Do I like a fast pace?)
What do I like doing?
Apart from my skills and experience, what can I bring to this job?
Step 2: Know the Occupation
The second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills required for that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. With this information uncovered, you can then match the skills you have (using the complete skills/experience inventory you have just prepared) with the skills you know people in that occupational field need. The resulting "shortlist" will be the one that you need to emphasize during the interview.
It is also in your best interest to identify the approximate starting salary for that position, or those similar. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:
Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human
Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.
The Career Resource Centre has general information files on a variety of occupations. Make sure you have read through the appropriate file and are updated on the occupation. If you belong to a professional association related to the occupation, use its resources. These associations often publish informative newsletters and sponsor seminars. It is also a good way to meet people working in the field. Conduct information interviews with people working in the field. Read articles about people in the occupation, and articles written by people in the occupation. Sources include newspapers, magazines and the internet. Find out what the future trends are in the area. Is technology changing the job?
Step 3: Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
Where is it located?
How big is it?
What are its products and who does it serve?
How is the organization structured?
What is its history?
Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
There are a number of ways in which you can access this information. Most medium- to large-sized organizations publish information about themselves. You can access this a number of ways:
On campus at the Student Employment Services (company literature and business directories) or at the Drake Centre Library
The Winnipeg Centennial Library has a business microfiche with information on over 5000 Canadian companies and business directories
Many companies have internet home pages which you can locate by searching by industry and company name
Finally, you can visit or phone the organization and request some information on their products, services or areas of research
If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.
Step 4: Prepare Questions
Having completed your background research, you are now ready to prepare questions to ask the
interviewer(s). Try to think of questions for which the answer was not readily available in company
literature. Intelligent well thought-out questions will demonstrate your genuine interest in the position. Be
careful how many questions you ask, however, as too many can imply you feel the interview was not
successfully run. Pick your questions with care - this is your chance to gather information, so ask about
what you really want to know. Avoid sounding critical by mentioning negative information you may have
discovered. This is one of the most effective ways to compare different employers, so for issues of
particular importance to you (for example, whether they support staff upgrading), you should ask the same
questions of each employer. Some sample questions are:
What are the most significant factors affecting your business today? How have changes in technology most affected your business today?
How has your business/industry been affected by the recession?
How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?
What future direction do you see the company taking?
Where is the greatest demand for your services or product?
Where is most of the pressure from increased business felt in this company?
Which department feels it the most?
How do you differ from your competitors?
How much responsibility will I be given in this position?
What do you like about working with this organization?
Can you tell me more about the training program?
Have any new product lines been introduced recently?
How much travel is normally expected?
What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance?
Will I work independently or as part of a team?
How did you advance to your position?
What are the career paths available in this organization?
When can I expect to hear from you regarding this position?
It is very important to ask the last question because employers want to hire individuals who are interested in the position - and asking this question definitely helps to demonstrate interest on your part. Exercise judgement when asking questions to an employer. When being interviewed by a large company that has a high profile, one would not ask the question
"What is the history of your company and how was your company started?" You can find the answer to this question in the company's annual report or articles in magazines/newspapers. However, small- and medium-sized companies do not always produce publicly available annual reports and it may be difficult to access information on the company and its role in the industry. This question is appropriate if you have exercised all other ways to find out the answer.
Interview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information. The employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will fit in with the organization's current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans. The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.
Interview Preparation
Research is a critical part of preparing for an interview. If you haven't done your homework, it is going to be obvious. Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.
Step 1: Know Yourself
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process. In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your skills.
Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself "What could I have learned by doing this?" "What skills did I develop?" "What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?" Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counselling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skills
Generic skills are those which are transferable to many work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.
Analytical/Problem Solving
Flexibility/Versatility
Interpersonal
Oral/Written Communication
Organization/Planning
Time Management
Motivation
Leadership
Self-Starter/Initiative
Team Player
Often when people think of skills, they tend to think of those they have developed in the workplace. However, skills are developed in a variety of settings. If you have ever researched and written a paper for a course, you probably have written communication skills. Team sports or group projects are a good way to develop the skills required of a team player and leader. Don't overlook any abilities you may have
When doing the research on yourself, identifying your experience and skills is important, but it is not all that you need to know. Consider the answers to other questions such as:
How have I demonstrated the skills required in this position?
What are my strong points and weak points?
What are my short term and long term goals?
What can I offer this particular employer?
What kind of environment do I like? (i.e. How do I like to be supervised? Do I like a fast pace?)
What do I like doing?
Apart from my skills and experience, what can I bring to this job?
Step 2: Know the Occupation
The second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills required for that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. With this information uncovered, you can then match the skills you have (using the complete skills/experience inventory you have just prepared) with the skills you know people in that occupational field need. The resulting "shortlist" will be the one that you need to emphasize during the interview.
It is also in your best interest to identify the approximate starting salary for that position, or those similar. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:
Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human
Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.
The Career Resource Centre has general information files on a variety of occupations. Make sure you have read through the appropriate file and are updated on the occupation. If you belong to a professional association related to the occupation, use its resources. These associations often publish informative newsletters and sponsor seminars. It is also a good way to meet people working in the field. Conduct information interviews with people working in the field. Read articles about people in the occupation, and articles written by people in the occupation. Sources include newspapers, magazines and the internet. Find out what the future trends are in the area. Is technology changing the job?
Step 3: Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
Where is it located?
How big is it?
What are its products and who does it serve?
How is the organization structured?
What is its history?
Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
There are a number of ways in which you can access this information. Most medium- to large-sized organizations publish information about themselves. You can access this a number of ways:
On campus at the Student Employment Services (company literature and business directories) or at the Drake Centre Library
The Winnipeg Centennial Library has a business microfiche with information on over 5000 Canadian companies and business directories
Many companies have internet home pages which you can locate by searching by industry and company name
Finally, you can visit or phone the organization and request some information on their products, services or areas of research
If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.
Step 4: Prepare Questions
Having completed your background research, you are now ready to prepare questions to ask the
interviewer(s). Try to think of questions for which the answer was not readily available in company
literature. Intelligent well thought-out questions will demonstrate your genuine interest in the position. Be
careful how many questions you ask, however, as too many can imply you feel the interview was not
successfully run. Pick your questions with care - this is your chance to gather information, so ask about
what you really want to know. Avoid sounding critical by mentioning negative information you may have
discovered. This is one of the most effective ways to compare different employers, so for issues of
particular importance to you (for example, whether they support staff upgrading), you should ask the same
questions of each employer. Some sample questions are:
What are the most significant factors affecting your business today? How have changes in technology most affected your business today?
How has your business/industry been affected by the recession?
How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?
What future direction do you see the company taking?
Where is the greatest demand for your services or product?
Where is most of the pressure from increased business felt in this company?
Which department feels it the most?
How do you differ from your competitors?
How much responsibility will I be given in this position?
What do you like about working with this organization?
Can you tell me more about the training program?
Have any new product lines been introduced recently?
How much travel is normally expected?
What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance?
Will I work independently or as part of a team?
How did you advance to your position?
What are the career paths available in this organization?
When can I expect to hear from you regarding this position?
It is very important to ask the last question because employers want to hire individuals who are interested in the position - and asking this question definitely helps to demonstrate interest on your part. Exercise judgement when asking questions to an employer. When being interviewed by a large company that has a high profile, one would not ask the question
"What is the history of your company and how was your company started?" You can find the answer to this question in the company's annual report or articles in magazines/newspapers. However, small- and medium-sized companies do not always produce publicly available annual reports and it may be difficult to access information on the company and its role in the industry. This question is appropriate if you have exercised all other ways to find out the answer.
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