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​In our series of answers to tough interview questions, “Tell me how you handle conflict at work” is the tough interview question that we are tackling today.In our series, we delve into what the interviewer is trying to uncover. For today’s question, the interviewer is trying to determine if the job seeker is level headed and fair when dealing with workplace conflict.Answer to tough interview question 7, “Tell me how you handle conflict at work.”“As a senior finance executive, I have been involved with 12 mergers and acquisitions, in three Fortune 500 companies, over a period of 25 years. For each merger and acquisition that I was involved in there were always conflicts in deciding which companies to merge and acquire, and how best to integrate the acquired companies into the existing one. In one situation, our CEO desperately wanted to acquire a company to get access to its technology, and was adamant about doing so. When I performed the due diligence, I discovered that doing so would put our company at risk. Our CEO did not respond very well to the news and refused to listen to me, but I remained calm throughout the meeting.After the meeting, I approached another senior level executive who went to university with our CEO, and I explained to him that the company that our CEO wanted to acquire for its technology was embroiled in a dispute about who owned the patent, and that the key people working on the technology had quit the firm. I inquired if having the conversation in a different environment would help and he indicated that the CEO loves to play squash. I invited the CEO to play a game of squash. After the game, the conversation turned to work and I was able to successfully make my case this time.”In the response you are demonstrating that you possess political and business savvy. You didn’t lose your calm when the CEO refused to listen to your point of view. Instead, you gathered information on how you could create an environment where the CEO would be more likely to listen to you. Your response to interview questions needs to be specific and succinct, as well as truthful and positive. Candidates who relate a particular situation to the interviewer for each question will be far more effective and successful than those who respond in general terms. The best way to answer tough interview questions is to briefly describe the situation and be specific about the action you took.The response offered to the seventh tough interview question, “Tell me how you handle conflict at work.” is only a guide, and therefore it is the job candidate’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​In our series of answers to tough interview questions, “Tell me about a specific situation where you failed” is the tough interview question that we are tackling today. In our series, we delve into what the interviewer is trying to uncover. For today’s question, the interviewer is trying to determine what lesson you learned from a mistake. It is a given that people make mistakes, and that adversity is the best teacher. Try to emphasize that, along with acknowledging openly that you made a mistake, that you can articulate what you learned from it. The interviewer wants to know that you already made that mistake, learned from it, and that it won’t happen again on their payroll. Answer to tough interview question 5, “Tell me about a specific situation where you failed.” “As a senior finance executive, I have been involved with 12 mergers and acquisitions, in three Fortune 500 companies, over a period of 25 years. About 15 years ago, a key member of our integration team became critically ill and was off work for most of the integration, another accepted another position midway through the process. We fell behind and were pressured to meet the original timeline despite having two fewer persons. To save time, I decided to eliminate steps in the integration process, which ended up adding an additional $2 million to the cost. We completed the process on time, but exceeded the budget. Immediately after that experience, I created a checklist, which outlines all the critical steps necessary to integrate all systems. Since then, whenever I am asked to accelerate the integration process, if it will jeopardize the organization, I build a case for why we shouldn’t and that has worked so far.” In this response you are not only demonstrating how you failed, but you are also demonstrating that a positive came out of a negative. And the interviewer can clearly see the lessons that you have learned from the failure. In addition, your response to interview questions needs to be specific and succinct, as well as truthful and positive. Candidates who relate a particular situation to the interviewer for each question will be far more effective and successful than those who respond in general terms. The best way to answer tough interview questions is to briefly describe the situation and be specific about the action you took. The response offered to the fifth tough interview question, “Tell me about a specific situation where you failed” is only a guide, and therefore it is the job candidate’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​Acing the employment interview requires that job candidates take the time to prepare. Tough interview questions force job seekers to think on their feet. And by participating in mock interviews, answering the toughest interview questions, any job candidate can survive even the most difficult and harrowing employment interview. In our popular blog post series, Answers to Tough Interview Questions, we deconstruct each of the seven questions, and provide a possible answer.​Why are you looking to leave your current position?The interviewer is trying to determine if a job seeker is unhappy or dissatisfied with her current job, and if the possibility exists that the same issues will arise if she is hired. For job seekers who are currently unemployed, the interviewer wants to know why you were laid off.​Why are you interested in this position/our company?The interviewer is really interested in what value you can add to the prospective employer and how your credentials can support the organization’s direction. He is also trying to discern if the job candidate is interested in the position and/or the company for the right reasons.​What makes you the best candidate for this role?The interviewer is trying to determine if the job seeker has the proper credentials, knowledge and experience for the job. She is also assessing the candidate’s self-confidence and ability to perform in the role.​Tell me about a specific situation where you failed.The interviewer is trying to determine if the job seeker is forthright when admitting to failure. He is also trying to discover if a job seeker learns from her mistakes, and if she is taking enough, too little, or too many risks on the job.​Tell me how you handle conflict at work.The interviewer is trying to determine if the job seeker is level headed and fair when dealing with workplace conflict. Conflict is unavoidable in the workplace so the interviewer wants to know if you manage conflict in a constructive or destructive manner.​When responding to questions in an interview, remember to keep it short (no longer than two minutes for each question), keep it positive and keep it truthful. Any job seeker who takes the time to practice answering each of the seven tough interview questions will find that the employment interview is less daunting and harrowing.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

There is no shortage of information on how to ace a job interview, and it is overwhelming when you take stock of the all the interview questions you must know how to answer. If you attempt to practice all of the recommended questions, you will never be prepared for the interview.​Based on his over 20 years of experience hiring employees at all levels at multiple Fortune 500 organization, Russell Tuckerton distilled his knowledge and understanding to identify seven tough interview questions that job candidates must get right. In a series of seven blog posts, we will provide a sample answer to each of the seven tough interview questions.​Answer to tough interview question, “Why are you looking to leave your current position?”“Like many organizations in the media industry, XYZ Media is going through major restructuring and downsizing. Unfortunately, this has meant the elimination of many positions, including my own. I am disappointed, of course, because I am proud of many of the contributions I made. However, I now have an opportunity to put my skills and experience to work in a new setting such as your organization.”​When drafting your statement, consider these three points:1. Keep It Short- Generally, the more you try to explain, the more difficult your explanation becomes. You will be prepared to answer follow-up questions, but only if they are asked.2. Keep it Positive- Negative statements about your former boss or organization will only hurt you.3. Keep it Truthful- A number of factors result in someone leaving. Pick the reason that is most positive and easiest to explain.​The response offered to the tough interview question, “Why are you looking to leave your current position?” is a guide, therefore it is the job seeker’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​“Why should we hire you?/What makes you the best candidate for this role?” is the tough interview question that we are tackling today.In our series on answers to tough interview questions, we delve into what the interviewer is trying to uncover. For today’s question, the interviewer is trying to determine if the job seeker has the proper credentials, knowledge and experience for the job. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the value that you are adding to the organization if they hire you.Answer to tough interview question, “Why should we hire you?/What makes you the best candidate for this role?”“Through my in-depth research, I have discovered that XYZ is in growth mode, and has recently acquired three companies. As a senior finance executive who has been involved with 12 mergers and acquisitions, in three Fortune 500 companies, over a period of 25 years, based on my experience, I guarantee that I will be able to successfully integrate your newly acquired companies into the existing business. I have written several case studies on the proper steps to take for the smooth integration of acquired companies, and these case studies are used in top business schools. Because of my expertise in the area, I am frequently asked to speak at international conferences, which has always benefitted my employers. I know without a doubt that I can successfully perform in this role. Do you have any follow-up questions I can address on this?”In the response you are demonstrating that you are both qualified to successfully perform in the role, and able to give your prospective employer visibility internationally. You are demonstrating how you can add value to the organization. In addition, your response to interview questions needs to be specific and succinct, as well as truthful and positive. Candidates who relate a particular situation to the interviewer for each question will be far more effective and successful than those who respond in general terms. The best way to answer tough interview questions is to briefly describe specific situations from your work history, and to also be specific in describing the action you took.The response offered to the tough interview question, “Why should we hire you?/What makes you the best candidate for this role?” is only a guide, and therefore it is the job candidate’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​In our series on answers to tough interview questions, today, we will tackle, “Why are you interested in this position/our company?”As is true with many of the toughest interview questions, there is usually a question hidden behind the question asked. In this case, when asked, “Why are you interested in this position/our company?” the interviewer is really listening for what you know about his/her organization, what value you can add to the bottom line, and how your background and experience can support the organization’s direction and strategy.  To answer this question first requires conducting research on the company.  The firm’s website, of course, is the starting point, but the successful applicant will likely have used a variety of sources to come up with a richer understanding of the company’s current position. (Link to Best Websites for Company Research for the Job Seeker). Your response to the question must demonstrate first that you have a sense of, and secondly that  you can contribute to the organization’s strategic initiatives.​Answer to interview question, “Why are you interested in this position/our company?”​“My research shows that you are growing through mergers and acquisitions, and your organization has recently acquired three companies, whose culture is very different from yours. As a senior finance executive, I have prepared several organizations, including XYZ, ABC, and ACME Materials,  for mergers and acquisitions, as well as played an instrumental role in merging and acquiring firms and overseeing the integration. I have firsthand experience on what pitfalls to avoid, therefore, I feel that my background can really help with these specific  strategic growth initiatives.” Your response needs to be specific and succinct, as well as truthful and positive. Candidates who tell the interviewer about particular situations that relate to each question will be far more effective and successful than those who respond in general terms. The best way to answer tough interview questions is to briefly describe the situation, what specific actions you took, and the effect – financial and otherwise -  on the situation, and the positive result or outcome.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​The Net Employment Outlook for the final quarter of 2020 is -3%, a steep increase of 25 percentage points when compared with the last quarter. However, hiring plans remain 8 points weaker in a comparison with 4Q 2019.The strongest labor market is anticipated by Transportation & Utilities sector employers (+5%) while weakest is in Manufacturing sector (-12%)Most employers anticipate hiring activity to return to pre-COVID levels in 10 to 12 months (26%)Out of the 7 Asia Pacific countries and territories, the strongest regional Outlook is reported in Taiwan while the weakest is in Singapore. SINGAPORE (8 SEPTEMBER 2020) – Job seekers can expect a muted hiring climate for the upcoming October to December period, reveals latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey report. The survey, conducted against the backdrop of COVID-19, reflects the impact of the global health crisis on the local labor market. ​Of the 462 employers interviewed, 7% forecast an increase in payrolls, 10% anticipate a decrease and 73% do not expect any changes, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of -3% after seasonal adjustment. Compared to last quarter, hiring prospects improve sharply by 25 percentage points, but are 8 percentage points weaker when compared with the same time last year. ​Hiring activity is expected to gradually recover to pre-COVID-19 levels – 26% of employers forecast it will take 10 to 12 months, 22% anticipate it to return within the next 3 months and 19% expect this to take 4 to 9 months. Meanwhile, 16% of employers estimate it will take longer than a year. Fieldwork for the survey was conducted during the last two weeks of July 2020.​When asked about existing members of the workforce that have been placed on a job retention or furlough scheme, 15% of companies suggest they plan to bring them back full-time, however, a portion (16%) had indicated that some of them will be let go.​On the results, ManpowerGroup Singapore Country Manager, Ms Linda Teo, comments, “While there continues to be a strong demand of IT and digital talents due to accelerating digitalization, companies are also leveraging on the subsidies provided under the SGUnited Traineeships Program to hire talents for various business functions.”​Employers in four of the seven industry sectors forecast hiring gains in the fourth quarter. The strongest labor market is expected to be the Transportation & Utilities sector, with a Net Employment Outlook of +5%. Elsewhere, employers in Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector anticipate limited job gains, reporting an Outlook of +3%, while Outlooks of +1% are reported in both the Mining & Construction sector and the Public Administration & Education sector. In contrast, employers in Manufacturing, Wholesale & Retail Trade and Services sectors report gloomy hiring intentions, with Outlooks of -12%, -7% and -1% respectively.​Compared to the previous quarter, hiring sentiments improve in six of the seven industry sectors, with Mining & Construction sector’s employers reporting the steepest increase of 58 percentage points. This is followed by the Services sector, where the Outlook is 33 percentage points stronger. ​Improvements in job prospects are also expected in the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector and the Manufacturing sector, where the reported hiring Outlooks have increased by 12 and 9 percentage points respectively. However, hiring sentiment weakens in the Public Administration & Education sector, declining by 7 percentage points.​“With the opening of the economy in Phase Two, companies are expected to step up hiring of locals to fill jobs left vacant by Malaysians unable to return to work due to travel restrictions during the survey period,” Ms Teo added.​Employers in all four organization size categories expect to reduce payrolls during the next three months, most notably in the Large-size category (-10%). The most resilient Outlook of -2% is reported by Small employers.​Employers in five Asia Pacific countries and territories expect to add to payrolls during the upcoming quarter, while staffing levels are expected to decline in two. In a quarter-over-quarter comparison, Outlooks weaken in three countries and territories but strengthen in four. When compared with last year at this time, hiring prospects weaken in six countries and territories while remaining unchanged in the seventh. The strongest regional Outlook is reported in Taiwan (+20%), while the weakest and only negative hiring climates are expected in Hong Kong (-2%) and Singapore (-3%).​To view complete results for the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, visit: www.manpowergroup.com.sg/meos.​NOTE: Net Employment Outlook: This figure is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating total employment to increase and subtracting from this the percentage expecting to see a decrease in employment at their location in the next quarter.​Please note that all data discussed in the commentary is seasonally adjusted, unless stated otherwise.​The next ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey will be released on 8 December 2020 and will forecast labor market activity for the final quarter of 2020. The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is available free of charge to the public through their local Manpower representative in participating countries. To receive an e-mail notification when the survey is available each quarter, please complete an online subscription form here.​About ManpowerGroup Singapore  Established in 1995 in Singapore, ManpowerGroup works with a range of manufacturing, resources, mining, transport and logistics, government, blue chip investment and retail banks, IT vendors and outsourcers, telecoms service providers and infrastructure, utilities and engineering services companies. In Singapore, the ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through Manpower®, Experis®, and Talent Solutions. More information on ManpowerGroup Singapore is available at:  www.manpowergroup.com.sg ​​About ManpowerGroup  ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis and Talent Solutions – creates substantial value for candidates and clients across more than 75 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. We are recognized consistently for our diversity - as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality and Disability and in 2020 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the eleventh year - all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent. www.manpowergroup.com.  ​​

​To perform exceptionally well in a job interview, the job candidate has to be prepared. In the series on Answers to Common Interview Questions, here is a possible response to “Tell me about yourself.” This question is usually the ice-breaker that sets the tone for the interview. For today’s question, although the interviewer is asking you about yourself, she is expecting you to tie in your response to the job that you are interviewing for. She is not interested in where you grew up or any of your hobbies. It’s not really about you, it’s about the company’s needs. Provide a complete understanding of your background and your aspirations as they relate to the prospective position. So throughout your response to this common interview question, focus on your knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences that will be likely the most relevant. ​The hiring manager has your resume, so in your response, incorporate some vignettes, and try to relax. Here is a possible answer to, “Tell me about yourself.” ​“I am currently the social media manager where I manage over 100 accounts for the organization. My main goal was to attract a large segment of Millennials who would likely buy our products. As a Millennial myself, I understand what’s needed and my team and I were able to successfully develop and implement a social selling campaign. At the end of the campaign, we had 1 million Facebook likes and 2 million Twitter followers. Likes and followers are important, but we sold $10,000,000 worth of products to our target group.  And while I enjoy what I do tremendously, your organization will allow me to dig deeper into social selling and expand into lead generation. This will allow me to grow my expertise.”​The answer works because it is giving a glimpse into the candidate’s background and her aspiration. Her response demonstrates how she is the answer to the organization’s problems in a very non-arrogant way. She is simply presenting the facts. Remember that the response offered to the common interview question, “Tell me about yourself” is only a guide, and therefore it is the job candidate’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

To perform exceptionally well in a job interview, the job candidate has to be prepared. The best way to do that is to put together a list of possible interview questions, then have mock interviews, where you video record your responses to dissect later. In the series on Answers to 7 Common Interview Questions, here is a possible response to “What questions do you have for me?” Let’s start off by saying that it’s unacceptable to say you do not have any questions for the interviewer. During a job interview, it’s a conversation. The employer is checking you out and you should be doing the same thing.As a rule, do not ask about salary and benefits until an offer is made, or if the hiring managers specifically opens that door. Don’t expect to ask all 15 questions because not only would that be overkill, but there wouldn’t be enough time to do that. A better approach is to think about the position that you are interviewing for, what information would you like to know that you cannot find elsewhere?These days with the prominence that social media plays in our lives, it is very easy to find information on organizations and the people that work there. Although, you will find 15 sample questions to practice with, in the interview, perhaps you could focus on the following four questions if they make sense for the position that you are applying for. What particular achievements would equate to success at this job? What would success look like?What are three key things that really drive results for the company?Corporate culture is very important, but it’s usually hard to define until one violates it. What is one thing an employee might do here that would be perceived as a violation of the company’s culture?In the recent past, how has the company acknowledged and rewarded outstanding performance?The above questions to ask the interviewer work because you need to know what success looks like for the company and for yourself, so you know which direction to take. These days, as more people are moving toward having career conversations, it’s fair game to understand how you will be rewarded for stellar performance. And in every organization, there are many unwritten rule. These are hard to figure out because they are unwritten, so it’s best to ask the question, so you know what behaviors to avoid.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.

​To perform exceptionally well in an job interview, the job candidate has to be prepared. ​The best way to do so, is to put together a list of possible interview questions, then have mock interviews where you video record your responses to dissect later. In the series on Answers to 7 Common Interview Questions, here is a possible response to “Tell me about a time when….” In the majority of interviews, hiring managers ask what are called behavioral interview type questions because they want find out how you behave and deal with specific types of situations. Some of the questions include:Tell me about a time when you failed.Tell me about a time when you managed a conflict.Tell me about a time when you dealt with a difficult customer.Tell me about a time when you missed an important deadline.Tell me about a time when you learned from a mistake.You get the picture? When you are answering the question, talk about what happened and what you did to resolve the situation. Here is a possible answer to the question, “Tell me about a time when you learned from a mistake.”​“About 15 years ago, I was in charge of developing a new suite of products for the company I was working for. Our team was getting pressured to add a lot of extra benefits that we were told the customer wanted. Because the company offers premium products and competes on impeccable customer service, I relented, even though I thought we should create a minimum viable product to let customers test.  Because of all the extra benefits and functions, production costs went through the roof. Fortunately, we recovered all the costs because the products sold well. But the customers didn’t value the extra benefits and functionalities that we spent time creating. Today, when developing new products, the team quickly creates a prototype – a minimum viable product, that we test. Based on feedback, we then create the product. This saved us a lot of time and money.”​The response above works because the candidate clearly outlines the problem and how she recovered from the mistake. Remember that the response offered to the interview question, “Tell me about a time when,” is only a guide, and therefore it is the job candidate’s responsibility to tweak the advice offered.​This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.