If you had any formal performance reviews you could actually quote what you last boss said about you but if not think positively about your relationship with your last boss and what would he or she say about you.
If you had any performance issues and the comments could be less than favourable then focus on your positive skills when you answer this question.
Think about a time where you have been thanked for getting something done on time and efficiently then you can use this as an answer – my previous manager thought that I was very efficient and organised and was very grateful for me getting a project done in excellent time accurately.
Remember to match the skills you pick as your 3 positive things to the position that you are being interviewed for as this will help the interviewer link your good skills to what they are looking for.
Try to include:
1 example showing your ability to do the job.
1 example that shows your commitment to the work.
1 example that shows you are a good person to have in a team.
EG: “My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can always rely on me, and he likes my sense of humour.”
Remember that this is an opportunity to see yourself through someone else’s eyes and an interview is like a sales pitch, you are the product so sell, sell, sell.
Examples
Trustworthy / HonestGreat sense of humorHard workerWilling to work extra hoursFlexibleGreat under pressureKnows the professionEnergetic
Never had this question, but good to be prepared. I would have to say the following
Always willing to work extra hours
Honest & trustworthy
Excellent timekeeping
Three positive things your last boss would say about you are most likely written in your references. This is obviously assuming that you were held highly enough to get one.
This obviously reduces the opportunity to be creative with your answer. If you wildly over exaggerate the adulation you believe your ex-employer would have given you, a quick glance at your references could uncover you as a liar. This in turn could work to make you seem untrustworthy. Therefore, it would be wise to answer this question honestly. If you have spoken to your previous boss it would be worth asking them what they actually said about you.
You should try not to just provide the interviewer with a list. After giving each of the three positive characteristics make sure to expand and provide a reason why. For example, "I believe my last boss would have said I am trustworthy. This is because I was frequently trusted to work unsupervised and in confidence that work would be completed to a high standard and on time." In this statement, you have qualified why you should be considered trustworthy which, if backed up by references, will strengthen your claim.
To get the best response from this question you should make an attempt to tailor your answers to characteristics that may be seen as beneficial to the job you are being interviewed for. For example, you may be justly proud that your last employer frequently stated that you made the best mojito he had ever tasted. However, if you have applied for a job in administration at a bank, that specific skill will not be considered to be transferable and you will have wasted an opportunity to impress. A relevant transferable skill between a bar and a bank could be working as an effective member of a team, good with the public, well presented etc.
Ensure that you have considered these points. Then take time to prepare and rehearse your answers. This will help to give a confident answer when you are in the interview.