If an interviewer adopts a competitive or adversarial attitude toward you in an interview, you should not take it personally. Many interviewers adopt a confrontational style to screen candidates for jobs which may involve some form of regular conflict, such as sales management or customer service supervisor. In order for you to pass the interview with flying colors, it is highly recommended that you prepare and rehearse the answers to these questions prior to the interview, and that you remain calm and rational throughout your interrogation.

The first consideration when preparing answers to these questions is honesty. You will need to read and analyze the description of the job you are pursuing, and match your skills and experience as closely to that job description as you can. It would also be of use for you to research the company as a whole, and attempt to discover what their culture and prevalent attitudes are. This information can help you frame your responses.

Finally, as you prepare your responses, consider carefully the purpose of each question. When an interviewer asks tests questions such as these, they may be looking for something other than simple information. They may be looking more for how you respond than what the content is of your response. Remember the importance of retaining your composure and professionalism as you answer the following in any interview:

1. Why are you leaving your current job?

If there is an issue or set of issues that you have as a candidate that may have affected your performance in the past, these same issues may well affect your performance for the company with whom you are interviewing. The interview is probing you for information about why you have chosen to leave your last employer, so he or she can assess whether or not you will leave this company for the same reasons. Therefore, respond from the perspective of yourself as a professional pursuing a career. Leave your former employer out of it. If you make critical or negative statements about your old boss, your prospective boss may get the idea that he or she is next in line for your negativism. Simply state that you are looking for a position that will challenge you to grow as a professional, and offer your thoughts as to why the position you seek is a good career move for you at this time.

2. Why should we employ you rather than one of the other candidates?

Testing you on your own knowledge of your unique strengths is a basic interview technique. In order to respond effectively to this question, you must have researched the company and analyzed the job description in great detail. You will then be in a position to compare and contrast the requirements of the job against your training, skills and accomplishments, point for point, while simultaneously demonstrating your enthusiasm for the opportunity.

3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

As loaded questions go, this one is a doosie. The person conducting the interview is looking for you to demonstrate how well you can assess yourself, and that you are continually looking to improve. When you respond, keep your answer in the context of the job interview. Present career strengths and contributions. Select a weakness that may seem like a strength in another context, such a being a perfectionist who puts in too many hours. Then offer a specific example of how you have successfully addressed this weakness, to demonstrate your desire to become a more complete professional. Keep yourself in a positive light throughout your response, and never mention any weakness that is directly related to the job under discussion.

4. Tell me about yourself.

Far from an invitation to idle chit-chat, this query is designed to let the interviewer determine how well you fit the job the company is offering. Confine your answer to two minutes or less, and keep the focus on how well your skills and accomplishments match both the position in particular and the company at large. Again, having researched the company and studied the job description will pay off.

5. Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Whenever a company hires a new employee, it is a major expense, both financially and administratively. They want some assurance that you intend to be around for awhile. By presenting a well-considered five year plan, you can assure them that you are worth the risk, especially if you have done your homework about the position and the company. If your defined goals are philosophically in line with those of the company, and you can communicate that you see this position as an important career step for you, you will be that much closer to an offer. If you can truthfully add that you plan to continue your professional development within the company, and will actively seek to advance within the organization, so much the better.

6. Why do you want to work for our company?

Quite simply, the person conducting the interview wants to know if you