Group A:Tell me something about yourself.
I like to knit in my spare time; I love the challenge of trying to figure out the ins and outs of a new pattern, and trying to get all of the different aspects right to make the pattern work. I guess that shows I have determination, because I will sometimes pull a project out and strat again five or six times until I am sure I have got it right.

Why should I hire you?
You should hire me because I am not only a specialist in my field, but also because I share many of the same goals and ambitions as this organization. In hiring me, therefore, you would not only be investing in my skills and knowledge, but also in my dedication and motivation.

What are your strengths?
My greatest strengths would be my determination, and my adaptability. I have the determination to persevere with any project and situation until it is completed or resolved; however, I also feel I have the adaptability to know when a project or situation demands a different approach or a fresh perspective.

What are your weaknesses?
My greatest weakness is my attention to detail: because I like to approach each task meticulously, I often find that I need to make a concerted effort to balance that attention to detail with appropriate time management skills.

Why are you applying for this position?
I am applying for this position because I am committed to the same goals as this organization, and feel strongly that my own skills and interests can make a valuable contribution to those goals.

How are you qualified for this position?
As well as the specialist knowledge necessary for this position, I am also able to demonstrate a number of transferable skills: I am organized and efficient, with excellent time-management and communication skills, and I have significant previous experience in positions similar to this one.

What can you contribute to this company?
I can contribute significant specialist knowledge and experience to the company, and I bring with me the networks and skill-sets obtained through long experience in this field.

Group B:
Describe a time when you had to use your best oral communication skills. What was the situation, and what was the outcome?
Once, as a student working a part-time shift in a fast-food restaurant, I had a customer whose small child suffered a potentially dangerous medical collapse on my shift. Because the child’s mother was extremely distressed, it fell to me to ensure that emergency services were contacted, and that they were given as much information as possible when they arrived. While waiting for the ambulance team to arrive, I communicated both with the mother and with the paramedics, eliciting as much as I could from the mother about the child’s medical history and needs, and relating to the paramedics the present condition of the child and what had occurred previous to his collapse. Because of the mother’s distress, and the disruption within the restaurant in general, it was very important that I utilised clear and effective communication skills in order to help the child, calm his mother, and assist the medical team. The child was resuscitated successfully by the paramedics, who thanked me for my valuable assistance, and the child was taken to hospital to recover.

Describe a time when you had to adjust to change. How did you cope?
When I was a small child, I moved from Europe to the United States, because my parents needed to relocate for work. It was extremely difficult to adjust to so many changes: a new environment, a new school, a new home, and differences in language, food, and culture. I coped by relying on the people around me; family and friends helped me to appreciate what was different and recognise the many similarities that made the situation both exciting and manageable. I grew to love both countries, and now feel equally at home in both.

Explain a role you filled as a group or team member.
In university, I played hockey as part of the official school team. I loved being a member of team in which no particular player was more important than another; instead every member had something valuable to contribute and everyone worked together to achieve a successful game. I played many different positions on the team in the years that I was a member, and always found the sense of trust and mutual dependence to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of the team. My experience in this has helped me to understand the dynamics of team work within a professional setting, and I often find myself utilising the strategies I learned then in my current roles.