NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business / Economy / Employment

How to answer 'dreaded' interview question

By Alexis Carey news.com.au
news.com.au·
9 Apr, 2018 11:29 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Human resources expert Simone Allan says it is the questions you ask which could make or break your entire job application. Photo / 123RF
Human resources expert Simone Allan says it is the questions you ask which could make or break your entire job application. Photo / 123RF

Human resources expert Simone Allan says it is the questions you ask which could make or break your entire job application. Photo / 123RF

Thought job interviews were all about your future employer asking you questions? Think again.

Because according to human resources expert Simone Allan, it is the questions you ask which could make or break your entire job application.

Allan, the founder of Sydney human resources company Mondo, said even the most confident and prepared jobseeker can be stumped when their potential boss asks if they have any questions during an interview.

Read more: HR expert shares top interview tips

But she told news.com.au there were several questions that will wow an interviewing panel — and several that could cost you the job.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If you ask too many questions in the first interview like 'what are my hours?' it can come across as too presumptuous," she said.

"And if you ask about pay during your first interview, it's like asking 'are you going to buy me a diamond ring?' on a first date. It suggests that money is the only thing you are interested in."

Instead, Allan said it was essential to ask a question that paints yourself in a positive light.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If they ask if you have any questions to ask, it's far better to ask something around your performance, like 'If you hire me, what would you want me to nail in the first three months?' or 'How would you measure my performance after the first six months?'" she said.

Allan also offered some suggestions for one of the most "dreaded" interview questions of all time.

"They often also ask what you don't do well, and for your weaknesses. But if you are aware of your weaknesses and what you are doing to counter them, it shows you have self-awareness and that you are human," she said.

"So share a specific thing that you need to build your skills in, for example, 'I'm more creative rather than good with numbers, so I counter that by making sure I have a very good numbers person I can trust' or 'I'm an action person and I don't like talking about fluff, so I make sure I spend 10 minutes every day saying hello to people even though it's not my style' — show you are trying to counter your weakness in some way."

Discover more

Business

Big Read: Sharing economy hurtling ahead of NZ laws

09 Apr 09:46 PM
Business

Businesses remain pessimistic as worries over govt persist

09 Apr 09:52 PM
Business

Bankrupt Auckland builder blows $1.5m at casino

09 Apr 10:41 PM
Business

YouTube could be fined billions for child law breach

09 Apr 11:08 PM

Allan, who estimates she has interviewed more than 25,000 executives during her successful career, said other potential interview pitfalls related to salary expectations and previous jobs.

"If they bring up money, ideally state what you've earned in the past and say you want your salary to relate to your performance — that always sounds good," she suggested.

"And like a date, don't talk about your past negatively. If you say, 'I hated my last job, my boss was really awful' ... you don't want to hear someone ranting and raving, so it's better to be positive and say something like, 'I learnt a lot of things in the role.'"

Read more: Can you crack them? The 20 toughest interview questions

Allan said common CV mistakes include providing unflattering or inappropriate photos, resumes that are more than three pages long and forgetting to include your contact details on every page.

She suggested all employees should keep a running list of career achievements as it can be easy to forget your successes in the midst of a job application.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Keep a record of things you've achieved — because people often remember the bad but forget the good things they've contributed to," she said.

She said that record would also help when it came to performance reviews or negotiating a pay rise.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Employment

Premium
Employment

Women in the firing line again, as Govt mulls cutting ACC cover

16 May 05:21 AM
New Zealand

Health NZ confirms roles cut, despite ongoing legal challenge

16 May 04:15 AM
Premium
Business|economy

'Wave of opportunity' – 120 new jobs, some require no experience

15 May 03:00 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Review: Bubbah shocks audiences by shaving her head at comedy show
Reviews

Review: Bubbah shocks audiences by shaving her head at comedy show

17 May 01:36 AM
Teen claims she was kicked in the head for not handing over her $700 hoodie
New Zealand

Teen claims she was kicked in the head for not handing over her $700 hoodie

17 May 01:00 AM
The key factors for Auckland FC as Black Knights' A-League finals quest begins
Sport

The key factors for Auckland FC as Black Knights' A-League finals quest begins

17 May 12:22 AM
Fmr FBI director under investigation for 'threat' to Trump on social media
World

Fmr FBI director under investigation for 'threat' to Trump on social media

17 May 12:11 AM
'My bones are cracking': Boy's trauma as bike crash sparks hunt
Kahu

'My bones are cracking': Boy's trauma as bike crash sparks hunt

17 May 12:00 AM

Latest from Employment

Premium
Women in the firing line again, as Govt mulls cutting ACC cover

Women in the firing line again, as Govt mulls cutting ACC cover

16 May 05:21 AM

Minister fears scheme is too broad and unsustainable.

Health NZ confirms roles cut, despite ongoing legal challenge

Health NZ confirms roles cut, despite ongoing legal challenge

16 May 04:15 AM
Premium
'Wave of opportunity' – 120 new jobs, some require no experience

'Wave of opportunity' – 120 new jobs, some require no experience

15 May 03:00 AM
Premium
Liam Dann: After Orr – is it time for a Reserve Bank reset?

Liam Dann: After Orr – is it time for a Reserve Bank reset?

13 May 05:02 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search