Questions about Your Dreams and Aspirations
Of all the conceivable questions that you could be asked, these are perhaps the most basic. But your
answer has to do a lot more than simply cover off on the basics. It needs to be thorough enough to
make your interviewer treat you like a serious contender, and inspired enough to make your
interviewer wish to get to know you a lot better. That’s right. A really great answer will encourage
your interviewer to ask you even more questions.
6. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
A. Certainly, Mark. I grew up in Rochester, where, as you know, the Kodak company has always
had a huge presence. My fascination with photography started at the age of five, when my older sister
took an amazing picture of me swimming in our parents’ pool. By the time I was eight years old, I was
spending an hour a day in a dark room, experimenting with retouching. Then, when I turned eighteen, I moved to Manhattan so that I could major in Photography at the School of Visual Arts. At the time, it was one of the only respected art schools on the East Coast. But at some point later on, I decided that I was really more of a business person than an artist, and so I started repping commercial fashion
photographers, which I’ve been doing successfully for the last ten years. While I was working during
the days, I completed my MBA at night. And I really think that the fact that I have both a BA in
Photography and an MBA from a great business school makes me the ideal candidate for a
management position here at Kodak.
Why This Technique Works?
1. You’ve drawn a line between your childhood all the way to the present, proving that you were born
to do this job and have spent your entire life working to achieve your destiny. Way to go!
2. Your two degrees prove that you’re one of those rare individuals who is both creative and
business-oriented, two traits that will serve you well in your future career.
How to Pack for Your Interviews?
Pack light. If you show up carrying a lot of physical baggage, your interviewer may assume that
you’re also lugging around the emotional kind. But pack thoroughly. You need to be prepared for
any contingency.
When you really want to impress a certain interviewer (which is any interviewer that you
happen to meet), here are the ten essentials to pack into your briefcase or handbag:
1. Your cell phone (which will remain OFF during your meeting).
2. Directions to your appointment—including your contact’s name, phone number, address of the
office, and floor.
3. A few extra copies of your resume.
4. One pen and one small pad of paper (so that you can jot down notes after your meeting).
5. One roll of breath mints. (Just do it, okay?)
6. One comb.
7. One small mirror (or compact) for last-minute inspections before entering the office building.
Nothing wedged between your teeth? Excellent.
8. One lint brush (in case the last people in your cab happened to be bringing their pet ferret to
the vet).
9. One folding umbrella (to avoid arriving wet and wrinkled).
10. One picture ID (so that you can get past security in the lobby).
Inside Information
No matter what field you are in, you need to be passionate about the reason you like it. It’s not a
day job; it’s your career. This is your calling. You were put on the planet to do this. Even if you
work in a field where cynicism runs rampant, you must come off as a True Believer. You are the
disciple of your profession, a future leader waiting in the wings. Don’t be ordinary. Dare to be
extraordinary.
7. Can you describe your dream job?
A. This is my dream job, Mara, and that’s why I approached you about it in the first place. I am
excited about the prospect of helping your promotion agency upgrade and fine tune your loyalty
programs. I believe that rewarding repeat customers with movie tickets is a killer idea, and I can’t
wait to bring it forward to the Coca Colas and Dr. Peppers of the world.
8. What are your short-range and long-range goals?
A. My immediate goal, humble as it may sound, is to “start at the very bottom” of your talent
agency. I will do anything it takes to get my foot in the door here: type contracts, organize files, make
phone calls on your behalf, make coffee, scout for athletes, contact coaches—you name it, and I’ll do
it. I have always felt that being an agent is the world’s best occupation, and I will devote myself to
learning your business from the bottom up.
I am a very quick study, and have been the personal assistant for Marlene Summers for the past two
years. Even though much of my job entailed setting up personal appointments and dinners for
Marlene, whom, as you may know, founded the Ladies Network, I found myself much more drawn to
the occasional task that I would be asked to handle for her husband, Charlie Summers. Charlie started
as a professional wrestler, and sometimes he would ask me to review his contracts, contact his agent,
and negotiate small points for him.
My long-range goal is to “grow” into a talent agent in my own right. But as that’s probably years
down the road, right now, I’m keen to start as your “assistant agent slave.” Charlie and Marlene know
that this is my burning desire, and they wrote a letter of recommendation for me, which I brought
today to share with you. (Then, pull it out.)
Know your place, and embrace it enthusiastically. It will magnify your attractiveness to
employers exponentially.
9. What two or three things are most important for you in a job?
A. I have to believe in the core vision of the organization, and I really respect yours, because, as far
as I can tell, it’s very much on trend. Over the last few years, thousands of companies have had to
make deep cuts in their staffs. This has lead to a situation where “outsourcing” has become a way of
life. Entire departments are now outsourced, and of course, your firm is meeting the need, brilliantly.
You are supplying over fifty companies with talented labor, on an as-needed basis, for far less money
than it would ordinarily cost. Fortunately, I’m a pretty good juggler. I get real satisfaction from
bouncing from one project to another. The nature of your business virtually guarantees that this will
be the case, and I’m really excited about the possibility of working here.
10. How do you set and manage goals?
A. My first life goal was to figure out my strengths, and, by the age of sixteen, I had decided that I
was logical, articulate, resourceful, and enjoyed solving problems. These strengths led me to pursue a
double major in political science and history at Dartmouth. Directly afterwards, I went to law school.
I started as an associate at Brimble, Brimble & Brimble, but couldn’t take the ninety-hour weeks.
So, after a couple of years, I moved over to the corporate side, and became the in-house counsel at
CGH Systems. After three years at this post, I decided that I was really more suited to a job in
business development. CGH encouraged me to make the switch, and for the following three years, I
helped the company look for acquisitions. I find that business development enables me to use all of
my natural talents, and it’s my goal to continue to pursue my calling at your firm.
Discuss the acquisitions in depth. Show how they helped CGH Systems embrace its
corporate mission, grow, and make money.
Tale of Three Cities: Tenacity, Felicity, and Electricity
If you have tenacity, you’ll find that most interviewers will return your calls, schedule meetings
with you, and generally pay attention to you.
Felicity is luck. And as Thomas Jefferson once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the
harder I work, the more I have of it.” So work diligently at finding a job, and anticipate that one
day soon, you’ll get the lucky break that you deserve.
Electricity is chemistry. Interviewers are attracted to candidates who possess both tenacity and felicity.
Of all the conceivable questions that you could be asked, these are perhaps the most basic. But your
answer has to do a lot more than simply cover off on the basics. It needs to be thorough enough to
make your interviewer treat you like a serious contender, and inspired enough to make your
interviewer wish to get to know you a lot better. That’s right. A really great answer will encourage
your interviewer to ask you even more questions.
6. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
A. Certainly, Mark. I grew up in Rochester, where, as you know, the Kodak company has always
had a huge presence. My fascination with photography started at the age of five, when my older sister
took an amazing picture of me swimming in our parents’ pool. By the time I was eight years old, I was
spending an hour a day in a dark room, experimenting with retouching. Then, when I turned eighteen, I moved to Manhattan so that I could major in Photography at the School of Visual Arts. At the time, it was one of the only respected art schools on the East Coast. But at some point later on, I decided that I was really more of a business person than an artist, and so I started repping commercial fashion
photographers, which I’ve been doing successfully for the last ten years. While I was working during
the days, I completed my MBA at night. And I really think that the fact that I have both a BA in
Photography and an MBA from a great business school makes me the ideal candidate for a
management position here at Kodak.
Why This Technique Works?
1. You’ve drawn a line between your childhood all the way to the present, proving that you were born
to do this job and have spent your entire life working to achieve your destiny. Way to go!
2. Your two degrees prove that you’re one of those rare individuals who is both creative and
business-oriented, two traits that will serve you well in your future career.
How to Pack for Your Interviews?
Pack light. If you show up carrying a lot of physical baggage, your interviewer may assume that
you’re also lugging around the emotional kind. But pack thoroughly. You need to be prepared for
any contingency.
When you really want to impress a certain interviewer (which is any interviewer that you
happen to meet), here are the ten essentials to pack into your briefcase or handbag:
1. Your cell phone (which will remain OFF during your meeting).
2. Directions to your appointment—including your contact’s name, phone number, address of the
office, and floor.
3. A few extra copies of your resume.
4. One pen and one small pad of paper (so that you can jot down notes after your meeting).
5. One roll of breath mints. (Just do it, okay?)
6. One comb.
7. One small mirror (or compact) for last-minute inspections before entering the office building.
Nothing wedged between your teeth? Excellent.
8. One lint brush (in case the last people in your cab happened to be bringing their pet ferret to
the vet).
9. One folding umbrella (to avoid arriving wet and wrinkled).
10. One picture ID (so that you can get past security in the lobby).
Inside Information
No matter what field you are in, you need to be passionate about the reason you like it. It’s not a
day job; it’s your career. This is your calling. You were put on the planet to do this. Even if you
work in a field where cynicism runs rampant, you must come off as a True Believer. You are the
disciple of your profession, a future leader waiting in the wings. Don’t be ordinary. Dare to be
extraordinary.
7. Can you describe your dream job?
A. This is my dream job, Mara, and that’s why I approached you about it in the first place. I am
excited about the prospect of helping your promotion agency upgrade and fine tune your loyalty
programs. I believe that rewarding repeat customers with movie tickets is a killer idea, and I can’t
wait to bring it forward to the Coca Colas and Dr. Peppers of the world.
8. What are your short-range and long-range goals?
A. My immediate goal, humble as it may sound, is to “start at the very bottom” of your talent
agency. I will do anything it takes to get my foot in the door here: type contracts, organize files, make
phone calls on your behalf, make coffee, scout for athletes, contact coaches—you name it, and I’ll do
it. I have always felt that being an agent is the world’s best occupation, and I will devote myself to
learning your business from the bottom up.
I am a very quick study, and have been the personal assistant for Marlene Summers for the past two
years. Even though much of my job entailed setting up personal appointments and dinners for
Marlene, whom, as you may know, founded the Ladies Network, I found myself much more drawn to
the occasional task that I would be asked to handle for her husband, Charlie Summers. Charlie started
as a professional wrestler, and sometimes he would ask me to review his contracts, contact his agent,
and negotiate small points for him.
My long-range goal is to “grow” into a talent agent in my own right. But as that’s probably years
down the road, right now, I’m keen to start as your “assistant agent slave.” Charlie and Marlene know
that this is my burning desire, and they wrote a letter of recommendation for me, which I brought
today to share with you. (Then, pull it out.)
Know your place, and embrace it enthusiastically. It will magnify your attractiveness to
employers exponentially.
9. What two or three things are most important for you in a job?
A. I have to believe in the core vision of the organization, and I really respect yours, because, as far
as I can tell, it’s very much on trend. Over the last few years, thousands of companies have had to
make deep cuts in their staffs. This has lead to a situation where “outsourcing” has become a way of
life. Entire departments are now outsourced, and of course, your firm is meeting the need, brilliantly.
You are supplying over fifty companies with talented labor, on an as-needed basis, for far less money
than it would ordinarily cost. Fortunately, I’m a pretty good juggler. I get real satisfaction from
bouncing from one project to another. The nature of your business virtually guarantees that this will
be the case, and I’m really excited about the possibility of working here.
10. How do you set and manage goals?
A. My first life goal was to figure out my strengths, and, by the age of sixteen, I had decided that I
was logical, articulate, resourceful, and enjoyed solving problems. These strengths led me to pursue a
double major in political science and history at Dartmouth. Directly afterwards, I went to law school.
I started as an associate at Brimble, Brimble & Brimble, but couldn’t take the ninety-hour weeks.
So, after a couple of years, I moved over to the corporate side, and became the in-house counsel at
CGH Systems. After three years at this post, I decided that I was really more suited to a job in
business development. CGH encouraged me to make the switch, and for the following three years, I
helped the company look for acquisitions. I find that business development enables me to use all of
my natural talents, and it’s my goal to continue to pursue my calling at your firm.
Discuss the acquisitions in depth. Show how they helped CGH Systems embrace its
corporate mission, grow, and make money.
Tale of Three Cities: Tenacity, Felicity, and Electricity
If you have tenacity, you’ll find that most interviewers will return your calls, schedule meetings
with you, and generally pay attention to you.
Felicity is luck. And as Thomas Jefferson once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the
harder I work, the more I have of it.” So work diligently at finding a job, and anticipate that one
day soon, you’ll get the lucky break that you deserve.
Electricity is chemistry. Interviewers are attracted to candidates who possess both tenacity and felicity.
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