How to Answer the Common Job Interview Questions for Maritime Graduates

1. Communication for Employment:
Common Job Interview Questions
for marine graduates
Jovy D. Elimanao – Mihm, MAEd

2. What is expected in
The Job Interview

3. What to consider always:
One of the most important steps in
winning an interview is gathering
information about a prospective
employer.
Researching an organization enlightens
applicants and impresses employers

4. What should we know about BSM?
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement
• It is a German company with training and
recruitment centers in over 40 locations
worldwide
• It has about 130 years of history in the
shipping industry
• It focuses on highly trained staff and crew
• It is dedicated to giving service at lowest
possible shipping costs

5. Arriving at the office for
The Job Interview

6. What should you do?
1. Exhibit a positive image
• Arrive a little early.
• Be courteous to everyone. Remember that
you are being judged not only by the
interviewer but by the receptionist and anyone
else who sees you before and after the
interview.
• They will notice how you sit, and how you
look.
• Introduce yourself to the receptionist and wait
to be invited to sit.

7. Exhibit a positive image
• Dress professionally. Even if some
employees in the organization dress
casually, you should look qualified.
• When you need to knock on the door, do so
twice.
• Open the door and say, “good morning /
good afternoon” as you peek inside.

8. Exhibit a positive image
• Greet the interviewer confidently. Look at
him/her directly and say, “I am pleased to meet
you madam/sir.”
• Wait for the interviewer to offer you a chair.
• Control your body movements.
– Keep your hands, arms, and elbows to your self.
– Don’t lean on the desk.
– Sit erect, leaning forward slightly.
– Keep your feet on the floor.

9. Exhibit a positive image
• Make eye contact frequently but don’t get
into the staring game.
• Smile enough to convey a positive attitude.
• Sound enthusiastic and interested-but
sincere.

10. What is expected in
The Job Interview

11. Guidelines for Answering Questions:
• Sometimes it is necessary to clarify unclear
questions.
• Always aim your answers at the key
characteristics the company is seeking;
expertise, competence, motivation, etc.
• Remember to focus on your strength. Don’t
reveal weaknesses for they will never have
you hired!

12. Guidelines for Answering Questions:
• Avoid slangy expressions like yeah, like, and
you know.
• Don’t ask for the job. Never say, “I needed this
badly.”
• Don’t trash your previous employer. The
interviewer will think you will do the same
with their company!
• Don’t be a threat to the interviewer. Whether
directly or indirectly, avoid suggesting that you
actually wanted his/her job!

13. Guidelines for Answering Questions:
• Don’t emphasize salary or benefits. Wait for
the interviewer to touch these subjects and
ask you point.
• Don’t interrupt.
• Give a firm handshake.
• Don’t accept the job immediately after
getting an offer. Ask for some time to make
an important decision.
• Thank the interviewer.

14. All-time Favorite Questions
During Job Interviews

15. What are the common questions?
1. Tell me about yourself. Experts agree that you
must keep this answer short (1 to 2 minutes)
but on target. Try practicing this formula:
My name is ____________________. I have
completed____________ degree with a major
in _____________________. Recently I worked
for _____________ as a _____________.
Before that I worked for ___________ as a
_____________. (this question asks for
personal data)

16. What are the common questions?
2. What was your major in college, and why did you
choose it? Express your interest towards your major
or how did you learn to love it. Recruiters expect
you to say you like what you were doing, and that
includes choosing a major to prepare for a career.
3. If you had to do it over again, would choose the
same major? Why? Be honest with your response or
you will stumble for answers. However, many agree
that choosing the same major is preferred since it
will send a message that you are consistent.

17. What are the common questions?
4. Tell me about your college and why did you choose it. Tell the
positive things about your school. If its reputation isn’t really
good, try to cover that up by citing some good academic/
extracurricular programs you’ve been into.
5. What are your short range and long range goals? Be specific.
For short range goals, assume that you will be hired and express the
desire to quickly learn new skills and master your tasks.
For long range goals, offer that you would like to serve and improve
the company to be more profitable, and advance to higher
positions of responsibility to aid, train, and motivate others.

18. What are the common questions?
6. Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?
Why? If the job description involves working with
people, tell your interest towards working with a
team, and provide certain situations that suggest
this trait.
7. How would you describe yourself? Stress your
dependability, achievement, and desire to get the
job done.
8. Why did you choose this career or field? Emphasize
the challenges present in the field of work, and
show knowledge of the subject. Be specific.

19. What are the common questions?
9. What are you strengths and weaknesses? For
strengths, specify the aspects that you are good at,
but avoid bragging. You can also reaffirm you
qualifications (I have no weaknesses that affect my
ability to do this job). Since it is not acceptable to
name a weakness that might cause your failure
during interviews, try to present your strength as a
weakness (Many people complain that I am a
workaholic or too attentive to details that I
sometimes need to review the same work again and
again.) You can also mention a corrected weakness
(I found that I really need to update my computer
skills so I took a course for two weeks)

20. What are the common questions?
10. What particular qualifications do you have for this job? Mention your
skills and abilities that answer the job description. Experience,
education, hobbies…
11. Why should we hire you?/ Why should we hire you when we have
applicants with more experience or better credentials? Remember
that employers often hire people who present themselves well
instead of those who have better credentials. Fluency is the name of
the game. Some people who got good credentials fail to impress
interviewers by not expressing their qualifications as expected.
Emphasize the advantage that you can give the company. Are you a
hard worker? How can you demonstrate it? Have you had any training?
Some people who have more years of experience but actually have
less knowledge because they have done the same things over and
over. Tell your experience using the latest methods and equipment.
Emphasize that you are open to new ideas and learn quickly.

21. What are the common questions?
12. Tell me about your part-time jobs, internships, or other
experience. Tell you responsibilities in your previous jobs, and
the things you learned from them that you can use for the
position you are applying for. If you didn’t have any part-time or
internship, you can mention about the volunteer work that you
did.
13. What are your most important accomplishments? Memorize
your most significant accomplishments and be brief and concise
when talking about them. Avoid sounding arrogant. Did you
receive any award or distinction in school or work? Did you
become the youngest employee in a demanding company?
Were you able to lead a team that did something great?
Remember to utter credit to those you have worked with, or
worked for. It shows how appreciative you are.

22. What are the common questions?
14. Why did you decide to change job? Express your
interest of expanding knowledge of the field, or the
challenges of new working environment.
Remember never to speak ill of your previous
employer.
15. What motivates you? Tell that you get motivated by
the satisfaction of the job you done well. The desire
to help and please customers or superiors, and
positive responses with regards to professional
growth and other similar responses that describes
an excellent employee.

23. What are the common questions?
16. What does success mean to you? Tell about your
definition of success in the workplace, and the
satisfaction that you can get from it.
17. How long do you expect to stay in our company?
Express the willingness to stay in the job for as long
as your talent will benefit the company.
18. How do you work under pressure? State examples
of your past deadlines that you have met and
projects with limited budget you have completed,
and other similar cases. You could even say that you
prepare ahead of time, and is more motivated by
the challenges of working under pressure.

24. What are the common questions?
19. What job functions do you enjoy most? Least? Why? For the
thing you enjoy most, you can mention the responsibilities of
the position you are applying for. You can also imply that you
enjoyed the things you did in your previous jobs. For the thing
you like least, you can mention things that are not actually
directly related to your job descriptions.
20. Where do you expect to be five years from now? It’s a sure kiss
to death to respond that you’d like to have the interviewer’s
job! Instead, show interest in the current job and in making a
contribution to the organization. Talk about the levels of
responsibilities you’d like to achieve. Career counselors suggest
showing ambition but not committing to a specific job title.
Suggest that you will have learned enough to have progressed
to a position where you will continue to grow.

25. What are the common questions?
21. If you got this position, what would you do to
be sure you fit in? State your willingness to
adjust and your ability to establish rapport
with the people, responsibilities and demands
of the job.
22. What major problems have you encountered
and how did you deal with it? Make sure that
your example is job related. You can state the
projects you have handled, and how did you
accomplish it despite the odds.

26. What are the common questions?
23. How much money are you looking for? One way to
handle salary question is to ask politely to defer the
discussion until it’s clear that a job will be offered to
you. You can say, “I’m sure when the time comes,
we’ll be able to work out a fair compensation
package. Right now, I’d rather focus on whether we
have a match.” Another possible answer is to reply
that you can’t know what to ask until you know
more about the position and the responsibilities. If
the employer continues to press you on a figure,
give a salary range. This is where you need to do
research about how similar jobs are paying.

27. What questions can you ask?
• You can ask the following questions:
• What will my duties be? (If not yet discussed)
• What is the salary for this position? (If not yet discussed)
• Tell me what it’s like working here?
• Who would be my immediate superior?
• How is my performance evaluated?
• What are the major challenges for a person in this position?
• How long do employees generally stay with this organization?
• What can I do to make myself more employable to you?
• When will I hear from you regarding further action on my
application?

28. After
The Job Interview

29. What to do after they ask questions?
After the interviewer told you to just
wait for the result…
1. Say, “thank you for the opportunity to
have an interview”
2. Never shake hands unless the
interviewer offer first
3. Leave the room gently

30. What to bring on October 20?
In a short white folder, organize the
following:
1. Edited and approved cover letter
2. Edited and approved résumé
3. Grading rubric for the final exams

31. What to do on October 20?
1. Dress up appropriately
– Summer white with complete
accessories
– Long sleeve shirt and slacks

35. What to do on October 20?
1. Be ready for the interview when
your number is called
2. Proceed to the CAS Office by
batch of 7 people only