Interview Question: What can you contribute to this company? Why are you the best candidate for this job?

Work easy. Personalized Productivity by Tate Carson

Contribute personally to the team's success

Most of us have been involved in teams since we were young, from the local kids' soccer club or scout troop to the science club or high school discussion group. Problems and disappointments associated with relationships in the team continue in the future, in adulthood. And here they can become even deeper, although the stakes are higher here: at this stage, promotion, bonus, and position in the organization - commercial or political - already depend on the value of your contribution to team work.

To guarantee yourself a place in a high-class team and make a significant contribution to its success, you must first understand what exactly is your value to the team and the value of your colleagues.

The next time you plan to change jobs or get promoted, ask yourself the following questions before joining a new team:

What is my value to the team?

How can I contribute to team productivity?

What do I like about teamwork?

What do I dislike about teamwork?

What can I do to improve my effectiveness as a team member?

Part of the answer to these questions can be found by examining the characteristics of different productivity styles and the contribution each can make to teamwork. Review the following box and think about the information it provides in light of your personal experience collective labor. What type of contribution do you most often make to the work of the team you belong to? When you were part of a really successful team, what role did you play in it? Most people consistently follow a pattern of behavior once adopted that determines the quality of their participation in teamwork. It is very important to realize what your behavior pattern is.

Make it easier:

CONTRIBUTION TO TEAM WORK OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT STYLES OF PRODUCTIVITY

If you are a priority

Data analysis;

Logical information processing;

Diagnosing problems, threats and challenges;

Solving difficult tasks;

Financial and budgetary control;

Achievement of the set goals;

Clarification of controversial issues.

If you are a planner

Your contributions to the team may include:

Timely completion of project work;

Putting things in order;

Planning;

Focus on details;

Work with papers;

Performing structured tasks;

Making charts.

If you are an organizer

Your contributions to the team may include:

Building relationships;

Improving communication within the team;

Intuitive understanding of the political environment and/or organizational implications;

Communication;

Generation and promotion of ideas;

Listening to other people's opinions;

Mentorship.

If you are a visualizer

Your contributions to the team may include:

Ability to serve as a catalyst for change;

Foresight of the future;

original problem solving;

Integration of heterogeneous ideas;

Vision of the big picture;

Willingness to take risks;

Variation in thinking and performing tasks.

When you understand exactly what the strengths of different productivity styles are and how they can enrich the work of the team, you can much more accurately determine what exactly you can offer the team. And if you are empowered to hire or form a team, knowing the variety of qualities required to create a successful team will help you find the right type of people who will effectively complement and support each other.

Once I was invited to a major international pharmaceutical company to help bring about a revolutionary change in their meeting culture. But before I got down to business, I had to help the group of doctors and scientists who were supposed to lead the process to become a high-performance team.

Most of the team members proved to be prioritizers and planners, and their strengths greatly contributed to the development of the project in the early stages. The goal of the changes was clear and unambiguous: to hold meetings less frequently, but more effectively. The plan for achieving the goal was detailed enough, well structured and logical.

A little analysis showed what the root of the problem is. The fact is that the majority had the main voice in the group, and it consisted of prioritizers and planners who did not sufficiently appreciate the significant contribution of the organizers and visualizers. Although without the help of the latter, the communication of a new vision, the process of persuading employees to abandon ingrained habits and take risks, that is, to bring about the much-desired "cultural" revolution in meetings, would most likely fail.

Therefore, I invited all team members to evaluate the contribution of each of its members to the common cause. I asked them to break into four mini-groups based on their productivity style and discuss how they contribute to the team. Each group described their form of participation in collective work and made a list of their achievements, after which they hung the report on the wall.

I then invited all team members to go on a “walk” with me and analyze the significance of the contributions of all styles. We literally walked around all the diagrams posted and next to each I asked: “What happens if we do not appreciate the contribution of this productivity style and do not use its strengths in the implementation of the project?”. So, little by little, team members began to realize what they had not understood before: each style of productivity has its undeniable advantages, without which the overall result would not have been formed.

The team then pulled together and successfully implemented a revolutionary meeting culture program that saved 13,000 hours of meeting time. And all thanks to the use strengths everyone team member.

From the book Banking Law author Kuznetsova Inna Alexandrovna

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How to open a deposit in a foreign bank Since January 1, 2007, all restrictions on opening deposits in foreign banks have been lifted for Russians. To take advantage of this opportunity, you just need to go, for example, to Switzerland, open a bank account and deposit money into it.

From the book Great Team. What you need to know, do and say to build a great team by Miller Douglas

Cournot's contribution Cournot feared that his economic-mathematical book might seem too complicated for ordinary readers and at the same time would not attract attention. professional mathematicians. He wrote, however, that "there is a large class of people ... who, having received

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From the book Management Practice by human resourses author Armstrong Michael

Chapter 5 Teams Success Comes to the Small and Versatile In 1989, Jim Barksdale felt fear. To understand why this is really important to the reader, let me tell you about it. The easiest way is to use our "time machine"

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Put Friends in Your Schedule One of the most important things my mother taught me was the value of true friendship for life. It cannot be replaced by anything. With our closest friends, we can afford to completely relax, stop

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Often in job interviews, you will be asked how you will contribute to or add value to the company. This question gives you the opportunity to explain what makes you stand out from all the other candidates and how you will be an asset to that particular company.

How to prepare for an answer

The best way to answer questions about your contributions to the company is to give examples of what you have done in the past and link them to what you can achieve in the future.

First of all, be sure to research the company prior to the interview so that you are familiar with the company's mission. Try to define specific needs company, and then respond with examples of why your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience will make you an asset to an employer in meeting those needs.

Take a few minutes to compare your goals to those of the company and position, and mention what you've done in your other jobs. Be positive and confirm your interest in the company as well as the job.

Below are tips on how to answer the question, as well as sample responses.

How to answer a question

Here are some tips on how to answer the question: “What can you contribute to this company? "For an interview.

Highlight what you have achieved in the past and connect it to the future. Provide specific examples from past work to show how you have contributed to other companies.

Past examples show employers the kind of work you are most likely to do for them.

Describe specific examples of how effective you are in your other positions, the changes you have implemented and the goals you have achieved. Tell us about the depth and breadth of the experience you have. However, you will want to close by explaining that you will bring these achievements to this current company.

Use data. Interviewers ask this question because they want to know how you can add value to the company. To show this, you can use numbers to show how you added the value in the past. For example, did you increase your company's sales by a certain percentage? Have you allocated a certain amount of funds for the organization? The numbers offer a concrete example of how you have contributed to the company and how you are likely to be involved in the future.

Connect your response to the employer's goals. Whatever examples you focus on, make sure they are related to a specific job and/or company. You want the interviewer to know that you have the skills to do the job they are being hired for, the ability to solve problems effectively, and the flexibility and diplomacy to work well with other employees and with management. If there are any special qualities or skills that are especially important for this job or company, focus on them.

Answer examples

  • I can contribute to the optimization of office processes. For example, I developed new method scheduling client appointments, which resulted in an 85% reduction in scheduling errors. I would like to bring not only this method but also my general organizational skills to this job in your company.
  • I will bring my unique vision to your company. I have experience in many areas related to the current goals of this company, including the expansion of international sales. For example, I helped improve international sales at a previous company by more than 25%. My sales experience, along with my ability to plan ahead, will help this growth.
  • My previous work experience has included innovation in many areas, including strategies for working together more effectively. At my previous company, I developed strategies to improve teamwork and communication between members of team projects. I can bring not only my ideas from my previous job, but also my shared passion for innovation to your organization.

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One of the most reliable ways to strengthen your nest egg is to use special tax incentives offered by the IRS. This basic concept explains the popularity of separate retirement accounts, or IRAs, which have long been one of the cornerstones of asset planning in the US.

Like employer-sponsored 401(k)s, IRAs can significantly reduce the amount of income you must go to the federal government. Investors typically contribute pre-tax contributions and the balance increases based on deferred tax until retirement. Payments after age 59½ are then subject to normal income tax rates.

As the name suggests, these independent accounts are completely separate from your place of work. There are pluses and minuses to this autonomy. For example, it is easy to open an account with your brokerage firm, mutual fund company or bank. (For more see Follow these easy steps to open an IRA.) But unlike 401(k)s, the employer doesn't have the right funds to hold onto your savings. That's why it's beneficial to invest in 401(k) and maximize subsidies before adding to other accounts.

Once you've reached the limit in a company 401(k) match, IRAs are often a great place for the next one. First of all, you are not limited by the limited menu of investment options your company chooses. In addition to mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), many IRAs allow you to select individual stocks and bonds.

Keep in mind that there are limits on how much you can deposit. It's also worth bearing in mind that the two most common varieties of this savings machine, the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA, have slightly different rules.

Traditional and IRA restrictions

During 2015, the standard contribution limit for both traditional and Roth IRAs is $5,500. If you are age 50 or older, the IRS provides a catch-up feature that allows you to contribute an additional $1,000 each year. (If you are simply transitioning to another IRA retirement plan, these caps do not apply.)

This may not seem like a lot of money, but it is enough to do a great job in your account for a long period of time. For example, let's take a 30 year old who contributes $5,500 each year until he retires. Assuming an annual return of 7%, her account would have a balance of $813,524 by age 65. After taxes - assuming a 15% retirement tax rate - she's still worth $691,495.

Suppose her effective tax rate now that she earns stable income, is 25%. If she put the same portion of every paycheck into a tax savings account, she would only be worth $413,051. Why? Because the IRA tax credit gives her more purchasing power. Let's say after taxes that our 30 year old can only afford to put $4.125 into a standard savings account. If she invested in an IRA, it would reduce her tax bill, allowing her to add another 25%, or $1,375. And over time, this dramatically increases the size of her nest egg.

Picture 1. The tax benefits of an IRA can have a significant impact on savings over several decades.

Source: AARP

While anyone can contribute up to $5,500 (or $6,500 for individuals age 50 or older) to a traditional IRA, not everyone can deduct this amount on their tax return. If you have a retirement plan, you are subject to certain income-based restrictions.

If you are single and earn more than $61,000 and less than $71,000 per year, for example, you are allowed a partial IRA contribution deduction. Single developers who earn $71,000 or more cannot deduct it.

Figure 2. Whether or not you qualify for a tax credit on traditional IRA contributions depends on your income.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Here's what counts as an employer's retirement plan:

  • 401(k) accounts
  • Profit sharing programs
  • Fund bonus programs
  • IRA plans (including SEP or SIMPLE IRAs)
  • Pensions

If you or your spouse has one or more of these work plans, you will be subject to income-based restrictions. Cm. Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid in an IRA for additional warnings.

Various rules for Roth

When creating an IRA, most investors have two options: the traditional version of these savings accounts, and the Roth variety. In some respects, Rothn's tax treatment is simply the opposite of his older brother. Instead of getting a tax deduction on upfront contributions, account holders write after-tax money that they can withdraw tax-free when they retire.

The Roth IRA version has the same contribution limits as a standard IRA of $5,500 annually with a $1,000 endowment income for those aged 50 and over. But unlike traditional accounts, the government places limits on who can contribute.

To determine your eligibility, the IRS uses a slightly awkward sound metric called Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). Basically, this is your total income minus certain expenses.

Most taxpayers are eligible for the full benefit, although some higher income earners are only allowed a reduced amount. Single holders with MAGI over $131,000 per annum and joint holders that bring in more than $193,000 are disqualified from Roth IRA contributions as a whole.

Figure 3 Some taxpayers may only qualify for a reduced Roth IRA contribution, or none at all, depending on their income level.

Many job seekers would gladly come to interviews if they knew that it would really be about work.

When I teach clients the art of interviewing candidates, I ask them to imagine that they are hiring a plumber or an electrician. After all, it would not have occurred to them to ask such specialists: "What is your main drawback?"

We respect plumbers and electricians much more than our candidates. Of course, they are worthy of respect. The same goes for candidates.

For some reason, many HR professionals, recruiters, and department heads make the same mistake. They firmly believe that their company is omnipotent, and candidates are a dime a dozen.

I once worked as the head of HR for a Fortune 500 company. I knew that the only way the company could achieve its goals was to hire great people. The one who wants to win over to his side for real talented people, has to make concessions, and we quickly realized.

It is necessary to treat applicants as equals, but this task seems overwhelming.

Here are five offensive questions that are often asked in interviews, with examples of decent answers.

If you hear them from a company representative, you can get up and leave, but do not rush to make decisions in the heat of the moment. Listen to yourself.

The people who ask these stupid and overused questions are not as bad as they seem. They just don't know what else to ask.

Five worst interview questions:

All five questions are disgusting and somewhat similar. They have nothing to do with work! We wouldn't ask their plumber or electrician.

They make applicants crawl and prove their universal significance. This is not what good employers ask potential employees!

Good employers are interested in the experience of candidates and the way they work.

Bad employers put them in ballet slippers and make them dance. They force candidates to compare themselves to people they have never met.

In other words, they want to hear: "Hire me, please, I'm very smart, dedicated and hardworking!" We are all adults.

Adults do not need the veneration and worship of other adults, but many people forget about it.

When you ask the interlocutor about his shortcomings, you make an unforgivable mistake in communication. Only a few religions teach that people come into this world with flaws.

In many others, people are pure and pure, they are born to fulfill their destiny, and they have no flaws. The representative of the company is a complete stranger to you, who is he to evaluate your shortcomings?

Even if you know about your shortcomings, you should not tell about them to the first person you meet.

The question "What would your previous employer say about you?" sounds less offensive. This is another consequence of the misconception that employers have power over employees.

Who even cares what your previous boss thinks of you? Maybe he was fired a long time ago for disclosing unnecessary information about former employees representatives of other companies.

Why do we attach so much importance to what other people think of us? Why would anyone think you can accurately convey someone else's impression in your own words? Company representatives have no idea how rude and stupid their favorite question sounds.

Older people are very fond of asking, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

This hackneyed question should simply be banned! Who cares what you plan for yourself in five years? The employer does not guarantee that all this time will provide you with work. Maybe you'll quit in three months.

Your long term plans are your business. Plus, five years is way too long these days to plan anything in particular.

"What contribution can you make to the common cause?" - this is another attempt to belittle the applicant and elevate the company. Good companies they don't do that.

They don't make job seekers beg for a job, and you don't have to at all.

How to answer the five worst questions:

1. We have many other candidates, why should we hire you?

Maybe first I'll tell you how I see myself in this position, and you tell me what I'm wrong about?

2. Tell me about your main flaw.

I used to think that I had flaws. I read books and attended classes to eliminate them. But then I realized that there will always be things that I can't handle, so I decided to do what I can do and what I like. In particular, to create a design.

3. What would your previous employer say about you?

He would probably say that I was the driving force behind the whole enterprise and made him look at things from unexpected angles. What would your employer say about you?

4. Where do you see yourself in five years?

If I'm still alive in five years, I'll be working on something important with smart and driven people. What do you say?

5. What contribution can you make to our common cause?

If it matters, I like to rethink existing methods work and I would like to take advantage of the opportunities you provide. If you have questions about my experience, let me offer you another copy of my resume.

Liz Rhine, forbes.com. Translation: Airapetova Olga