What jobs did you have as a teenager?

What jobs did you have as a teenager?          

Answer this question honestly.  Either you had jobs or you didn't.  Household chores, mowing lawns, shoveling snow, and lemonade stands all count as jobs.  

Good answer 1:  "I worked part-time at both Burger King and McDonalds between the ages of 16 and 20 in order to earn money to buy my first car and help my parents pay for my college education.  I was able to handle both work and school without my grades suffering.  And when I was younger, around 13 to 16 years old, I babysat for families in the neighborhood on weekends."

Good answer 2:  "I didn't have any jobs as a child other than chores I was expected to do around the house such as helping my parents with housekeeping, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, and babysitting my younger sister and brother.  My parents placed tremendous emphasis on academics and extracurricular activities, and would not allow me to work."

Who are your references?  

It is a good idea to type up the names and contact information of your references on a sheet of paper and present it to the interviewer when the topic comes up.  Ideally, one should provide the names of current and former supervisors as references since these are the people prospective employers most want to speak with about your work performance.  Giving the names of others as references -- such as co-workers, friends, family members, etc. -- might be an indication that you do not want the interviewer to contact your supervisor.   If you do not have any work history, use teachers, professors, or business people you or your family knows as references.  

A good answer to this question:  "I have prepared a list of references here I would like you to have.  I have selected my current supervisor, Jane Doe, as my major reference since she can speak about my most recent work performance and accomplishments.  I also list the names of my previous two supervisors at Acme, Jack Wilson and Norma Smith."  

If one does not have any work references, a good answer might be, "I asked two of my engineering professors to be references for me and they agreed to do so.  I typed up their names, phone numbers and contact information on this sheet of paper.  They can attest to the work I completed as an intern over the past two years.  I also list Mrs. Sally Wilson, who is a prominent attorney and a friend of the family.  She has known me since I was a child and can attest to my character."  

  Do you mind if I contact your references? 

You should always inform your present employer that you are looking for a new position and someone will be contacting them to discuss your work history. If you don't want your current boss to know you're searching for a new job, then tell the interviewer that:  "I would prefer that you not contact my current employer as she is not aware that I am looking for another position, but you may contact Mr. Jack Smith, my former supervisor at Acme.  He supervised me for four years and agreed to be a reference for me.  Of course, if you decide to offer me this position, please let me know so that I can inform my current employer, and then, yes, you may contact her once I have received an offer of employment and given notice."

On the other hand, you might have already informed your current employer that you're interviewing for other jobs.  In this case, your answer might be, "Yes, you may contact my present supervisor, Mrs. Smith.  She is well aware of the fact that I am searching for a new position and knows that you will be calling her in the near future."

Will you take a lie-detector test?        

The interviewer is asking this question (1) because it is a requirement to get the job, or (2) to find out if you are afraid of the prospect of taking such a test.  Therefore, the only correct answer to this question is "Yes, I would be willing to take a lie detector test."  You don't need to say anything else.

How do you feel about air travel?  

Obviously, the interviewer wouldn't be asking this question if traveling by air wasn't an important component of the job, so the only correct way to answer this question is "No, I have no problem with air travel."  You might want to expand your answer by telling the interviewer that you traveled a lot in a previous job or in your personal life.  If you tell the interviewer you are afraid of flying or cannot do so for some other reason, such as a medical condition, you will not get the job offer.

Have you ever owned your own business?

The best answer to this question is yes since it shows initiative and that you have had some experience marketing services or products.  Good answer:  "Yes, I ran my own business while in high school.  I went door-to-door asking people if they needed their lawns mowed.  I earned quite a sum of money in just a few months, enough to pay for a car and my first year of college."

Are you in good health?

The interviewer is asking this question because providing health insurance to employees costs employers a small fortune.  Consequently, many employers prefer to hire those who try to maintain their health to keep the number of claims down and insurance rates as low as possible.  Keep in mind that employers can find out your medical history and many of them make the job offer contingent upon your passing a physical examination, therefore, it wouldn't be a good idea to blatantly lie about your medical history.  That doesn't mean you should offer information you don't have to, such as "I smoked cigarettes for thirty years, but gave them up last year" or "I've had two heart attacks and a stroke".  If your health is generally good, then answer this question briefly:  "Yes, I'm in good health" or "I have no health problems that would prevent me from doing this job" and don't elaborate further. 

What do you do to maintain your health?

Obviously, if you're in good shape, answering this question is easy:  "I jog two or three nights a week and lift weights at the Acme Gym three times a week.  I try to eat a balanced diet; I eat lots of salads and try to maintain my weight." 

If you're overweight or obese (as are 65% of adult Americans) answering this question isn't going to be easy.  Sample answer:  "Well, obviously I'm overweight, so I can't tell you that I get up and jog for an hour every day, but I do walk my dogs for 45 minutes every night.   I recently started the Atkins program and have already lost seven pounds.  It's a diet I can live with, so I know this time I'll be able to lose all the weight and start taking better care of my health." 

Do you have any physical problems that would limit your ability to perform this job?

Employers have to be very careful about asking this question as too much prying can violate your civil rights.  Therefore, they won't ask too many prying questions and you don't need to offer them very much information.  The best way to answer this question is to keep it short and simple:  "No, I don't have any physical problems that would affect my ability to perform this job."   

 What organizations are you a member of?    

The interviewer is interested in work-related memberships, not personal ones.  The fact that you are a member of the American Business Association is more important than the fact you participate in your local PTA (which reveals the fact that you have children).   It is also a good idea not to reveal religious and political affiliations, such as memberships in the Christian Business Association or the Republican Party or ethnic and cultural affiliations.

How do you balance career and family?

On the surface this questions appears to be illegal (see Section G), but it isn't the way that it's worded. The interviewer is hoping you will reveal information about things he isn't allowed to ask, such as if you are married, single, divorced, have children, or are straight or gay. If you don't want to reveal information about your personal life, offer a vague simple answer: "I haven't had a problem balancing my work and private life.   One has never interfered with the other.  I am capable of getting the work I need to get done without it interfering with my personal life." 

On the other hand, you might want to reveal a great deal of information if you think it will help you get the job offer:  "I can easily balance my career and family life as my children are now in college and my wife is starting a new career as a real estate agent.  We both work hard and have flexible schedules to work when we need to, but we still have a good personal life, spending time with friends and family every week."