• Data shows that most hiring managers prefer to stick with more traditional questions in job interviews.
• Off-the-wall questions may reveal a job candidate’s candidness or some personality traits, but more common questions are better indicators of their suitability for the position.
• Candidates should practice their answers to common interview questions but be prepared to answer one or two unusual questions as well.

Some hiring managers like to ask off-the-wall job interview questions, such as “What color crayon would you be?” or “How would your archnemesis describe you?” to see how the job candidate reacts under pressure. However, new research finds that most interviewers would rather ask straightforward questions that apply to relevant work experience and skills than questions designed to throw unsuspecting candidates for a loop.

According to a 2019 study by LinkedIn, at least a couple of the questions asked in almost every interview are among the most common behavioral or accomplishment-based questions overall.

It makes sense: While some of those oddball interview questions serve to show a potential employee’s willingness to be candid, more traditional questions paint a more complete picture of the candidate’s suitability for the position. LinkedIn cited these traditional interview questions:

• “Tell me about yourself.”
• “What is your greatest strength?”
• “What is your greatest weakness?”
• “Why should we hire you?”
• “Why do you want to work here?”
• “Tell me about a time you showed leadership.”
• “Tell me about a time you were successful on a team.”
• “What would your co-workers say about you?”

Although job candidates can’t predict every question they’ll be asked during an interview, they are best served by practicing their answers to the most common ones, according to Bill Driscoll, district president for staffing firm Accountemps.

“Knowing your audience is crucial,” Driscoll said in a statement. “Learn as much as you can about the company and position by conducting research, studying relevant news and reaching out to your network for insights.”

To appropriately prepare for interviews, job seekers can use the data from LinkedIn and Accountemps to categorize senior managers’ favorite and most commonly asked interview questions – and to glean insight on what they are trying to learn by asking them.

Company or position

The interviewer has the candidate’s resume and cover letter and has likely already scoped out their social media accounts. However, the goal of the interview is to determine how good a fit a person is for a position. In all likelihood, every applicant has relevant experience and could be a strong candidate on paper. These hiring manager interview questions supply you an opportunity to connect the dots on your resume, explaining, for example, why you chose to attend a specific university or left a previous position.

Questions:

1. “Why do you want to work here?”
2. “What do you know about this company?”
3. “Why are you interested in this position?”
4. “What makes you a good fit for this position?”

Example answers:

1. “I want to work here because what your company does aligns with my values and interests in …” Explain these interests in a few short sentences.

Tip: Concise but meaningful answers are often best in job interviews.

2. “I know that [founder’s name] founded the company in 2023 and that your biggest [products or services] are …” For an especially powerful answer to this common interview question, you could share what you know about how the company’s products or services differ from competitors.
3. “I’m interested in this position because …” Describe how the position’s responsibilities match your interests. You should also mention how anything unique about the company ties into your interest in the position.

4. The answer to this question could be roughly the same as the one above, but replace your interests with your skills, background or other qualifications.

Experience

Just about every resume the interviewer receives should explain the applicant’s relevant career experience. The interviewer already has a list of your previous jobs and skills, so these questions about your job experience allow you to delve deeper and be specific. Rather than reiterate the information the interviewer already has, take this opportunity to state how your previous experience would directly transfer to this new company and how that could benefit the company.

Questions:

1. “What did you like or dislike about your last job?”
2. “Tell me about your work experience.”
3. “Why did you leave your last job?”

Example answers:

1. “I liked that I got to …” Name a few favorite tasks. Don’t be afraid to go into detail, but do keep it brief. “I disliked …” Name one thing, and keep it short – you don’t want to come off as ungrateful, snobby or difficult to work with.

2. “I got into this field with [describe your first job a bit]. I moved on to [describe your next job a bit].” If your resume is long and includes many positions, you don’t need to share extensive details about each one. Focus on the most meaningful, relevant jobs you’ve held.

3. “I was ready for a change. I liked what I was doing, but I knew I was capable of more and needed to go elsewhere to achieve that growth.” Of course, if your reason is different, state your real reason – just do what this example does and stay general but meaningful without saying anything negative.

Personal attributes or characteristics

These are some of the most notoriously difficult questions for job candidates to answer in interviews, because no one is truly comfortable talking about themselves. Interviewers know that as well, but these questions can provide valuable insights. This part of an interview is an excellent time to demonstrate how you stand out from the rest of the candidates. Providing examples of a time you overcame an obstacle at work or came up with a new system or solution the company used will make a lasting impression on the interviewer.

Questions:

1. “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”
2. “How do you interact with a team?”
3. “How do you handle stress at work?”

Example answers:

1. “I’m [give about three descriptors]. My greatest weakness is that I’m [describe a minor weakness], and I make up for it by [describe how you address this issue and are continuing to work on it].” Never mention more than one weakness.
2. “I’m a great team player who knows how to communicate with others, follow my supervisor’s guidance, and lead if necessary.”
3. “I handle stress by …” Discuss how you prioritize certain tasks over others, communicate if you’re feeling overworked, and remain calm through it all.

Personal goals

When asked some of the questions listed here, candidates often spin their answers into how they can benefit the company and help achieve its goals. However, these questions are some of the most valuable an interviewer can ask, because a good fit between the potential new hire and company is just as important – perhaps even more important – than skills. After all, job skills can be taught. Take special care to not only explain your immediate ambitions but also illustrate how the position aligns with your long-term goals.

Questions:

1. “Why did you choose this career?”
2. “Where do you see yourself in the future?”
3. “What are your hobbies outside of work?
4. “Why should we hire you?”

Example answers:

Rather than providing example answers for all these questions, our advice is to just be honest. No, you don’t want to say, “I’m in this for the money,” but you do want to paint a clear vision of your career trajectory and how the employer might fit into those plans. In doing so for the first three questions, you subtly answer the fourth.

Key takeaway: Tactful honesty makes for a good job interview.

Whether you are currently seeking a new position or do not intend to go into interviews for quite some time, understanding the reasons these common questions are asked – and being prepared to answer them thoroughly and confidently – will benefit you.

Remember that an interview goes both ways: You need to find out if the position and company will be a good fit for you as well. As such, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your own, to request clarifications, or to return to an earlier question if the relevant information didn’t come to you in time. Interviewers are human too, and they understand that no one is perfect, especially in stressful situations. Good luck out there.

GK Q&A for Class 9: Check below GK Q&A for class 9 that are based on biology, physics, chemistry, history, geography, etc., including current affairs.

There has been some good news on climate change. Not enough. But good news nonetheless.

First of all, over the past decade or so, several major economies including the United States have shifted away from burning coal to generate electricity. Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels, and historically speaking a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

There are still coal power plants being built in the world, but the overall trend away from coal toward cleaner options, like solar, is progress. The cost to build solar power plants has fallen enough that, in some cases, it is now one of the most price-competitive options for generating electricity. This is a significant financial milestone.

Cars that burn gas are a major contributor to planet-warming greenhouse emissions, but in the past few years some of the world’s largest automakers have launched aggressive efforts to pivot to making more electric vehicles while phasing out gasoline models. The importance of a significant polluting industry embracing this change, and competing with one another to be better at it, can’t be underestimated.

Car buyers have been responding. As recently as a half-decade or so ago, electric-car sales were negligible in many parts of the world, but have risen rapidly since. Electric vehicles aren’t perfect of course, but as a general rule they’re cleaner than gasoline cars. (If you’re interested in studying more about that, try searching this F.A.Q. for “How green are electric cars?”)

The spread of electric vehicles also means that some of the difficulties of owning one (for example, finding charging stations nearby) will likely resolve themselves more quickly as demand grows from drivers. That, in turn, could encourage sales.

In 2022 the United States passed new legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, that is widely considered the most important legislative effort to fight climate change in the nation’s history by encouraging a transition to cleaner energy and offering a range of incentives to businesses and individuals to clean up their act.

(This Times guide explains how you might be able to claim some of that money by, for instance, buying an electric car or installing a heat pump.)

Lastly, here’s a big one: For reasons like the above, in the past decade or so the world has made significant progress toward slowing global warming and avoiding particularly extreme consequences from climate change. Not nearly enough progress, mind you, but significant nonetheless.

Specifically, before the 2015 Paris Agreement, some estimates put the world on track to warm in the range of 3.6 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times. Scientists widely agree that if average global temperatures were to increase that much, it would be devastating socially and economically. Now, however, according to a United Nations report in 2022, the world is on track to heat between 2.1 degrees and 2.9 degrees by 2100.

That’s still very dangerous.

However, if the nations of the world act as aggressively as they promise, there remains a chance to hold that increase to below 2 degrees Celsius, according to scientists. That’s a big “if,” of course. It would require a tremendous amount of work by the nations of the world, on an extremely swift timetable over the next decade or two, to hit the lower targets for limiting global warming.

However, since you asked about good news, let’s keep it positive. Even if there’s a lot of hard work to do, progress has been made on important fronts.

There’s now even a movement, “OK Doomer,” that basically says, stop it with the gloomy takes and focus on things that will fix the problem.

Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc.

We are lucky to live in a time and place that understands, or is at least beginning to understand, that there really is no such thing as a universal “normal.” That doesn't mean that it's easy to be different; inviting yourself to identify on any branch of the LGBTQIA+ tree can still be both incredibly reassuring and utterly terrifying. But understanding that it is perfectly normal to call one of those branches home is the first step, and that's something that Uta Isaki's Is Love the Answer? excels at depicting.

The story follows Chika, a young woman who has begun to suspect that she might be an alien. Chika has come to this conclusion based on the fact that all of her friends have become enamored with the ideas of love and sex while she remains untouched by them. It's not that she doubts that they exist, it's more that she simply does not have those urges and feelings, and that makes her other in a way that is not entirely comfortable. The opening chapters of the book do an excellent job of capturing both what it feels like and the pitfalls that you can stumble into while trying to assert yourself that you are, in fact, normal. In Chika's case, this means that she accepts a friend's suggestion that they date only to be overwhelmed by the fact that she truly does not understand his expectations – and her friends' inability to understand that his expectations are objectively wrong regardless of whether Chika is into them or not. In other words, the opening of the story comes with content warning for sexual assault, as is noted on the table of contents in the book itself. Chika's erstwhile boyfriend does things like dictate how long she can wait before texting him back and assumes that when she comes over to his house, it is consent for sex, even though it is clearly no such thing. When he breaks up with her after her refusal to sleep with him, her friends seemed to be on her side, but she overhears them talking about how it's really her fault, because what girl would go to a guy's house if it wasn't implicit that she was willing to sleep with him? Chika doesn't have anyone to talk to about it, and when her friends push her to meet a different guy, they're annoyed with her when she declines to date him. It's an opening to the book that is both uncomfortable and intensely familiar, and it does a good job of setting up the story to come.

Chika's need for a clean start away from the friends who made her feel alien leads her to Tokyo, where she attends a university where a professor she admires teaches. Unsurprisingly, Chika is in the psychology department, a decision that speaks just as much to her need to understand herself as an interest in the field in general. It is here that she makes her first friends who make an honest attempt to understand her, and after an initial meeting with other first-years in her program that very quickly goes downhill, two of her classmates admit that they were uncomfortable with the situation as well, and that they also deviate from what is considered “normal” sexuality. One is a gay man in a committed long-distance relationship, and the other is a woman who is much more invested in fictional characters and fandoms than she is in finding a real guy. Between them, all three become more comfortable and confident, delighted that they have friends who like them for who they are, not in spite of it.

Also important is the fact that Chika is given the terminology that she's been lacking to describe herself. As you may know, having a word that explains things can sometimes be both comforting and freeing, and when Chika is told by her professor that it sounds like she falls somewhere on the asexual spectrum, Chika has that moment. She begins intensely researching the subject of human sexuality and asexuality in particular, striving to understand not just herself, but what the world is like for other people as well. Her experience with being so fully on the outside has made her want to ensure that she does not do that to someone else; although she never expressly states this, we can see it in the way that she strives to understand everyone around her. The story also delves a little bit into gender identity, with Chika realizing that she doesn't so much identify as a woman as assuming she was a woman because she was born with a female body, when she may in fact feel somewhere more in the agender region. What's important is that the book stresses that all of these are broad spectrums: there is no one right way to be queer or heteronormative. While this may make elements of the book feel inconclusive, it's a really important message to stress, because feeling like the alien or the ghost looking in on the rest of the world is nothing that anyone should have to experience.

Is Love the Answer? is a book that looks to start the conversation. It doesn't offer any clear-cut answers, nor does it settle all of its characters into a comfortable happily ever after. But what it does do is teach the questions to ask and stress that it's okay if you don't come up with a definitive answer, now or ever. There is no such thing that's “normal.” There's only who you are, and whoever that is, it's perfectly fine.

(WSAW) - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is answering questions still facing some patients in central Wisconsin.

Following coverage of confusion as Aspirus sent letters to patients and negotiated or declined contracts with various insurance companies in the fall, some patients of a once popular insurance plan still have questions. 7 Investigates has been working to answer those questions and has received responses from CMS. Those being:

1. Can a Medicare participating provider ask patients insured by an out-of-network Medicare Advantage plan with out-of-network coverage to pay the full cost of care upfront, and then direct patients to seek reimbursement from their insurance provider?

2. Does a Medicare participating provider have to accept a patient insured by an out-of-network Medicare Advantage plan that has out-of-network coverage as part of the plan?

First, here is some background. For many years a popular Medicare Advantage plan covered several patients in central Wisconsin. The plan was through Network Health, an insurance company based in Wisconsin and affiliated with Ascension. The plan allowed patients to be covered at the same rate whether they sought care at in- or out-of-network Medicare participating providers.

Aspirus was never in-network with Network Health except for a period of time last year as it completed its acquisition of Ascension facilities in central Wisconsin, in particular in Stevens Point. Aspirus noted it wanted to make sure patients had a smooth transition and would be covered as the transition was completed mid-year.

Sid Sczygelski, Aspirus’ Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, told 7 Investigates in October that while Aspirus had offered to “acquire the lives” -- or essentially transfer the insurance members from Network Health to its Medicare Advantage plan, the Aspirus Health Plan -- Aspirus had no interest in contracting with Network Health. Aspirus does not have to, either.

Some patients received letters saying that Aspirus would not be scheduling appointments with patients whose primary insurance coverage is with an out-of-network company. Sczygelski said they wanted to ensure patients would not be surprised by balance bills -- the amount difference between what the insurance provider covers and what the provider charges for services. However, CMS told 7 Investigates that Medicare participating providers cannot balance bill patients with Medicare Advantage plans; they have to accept the Medicare rate for services as payment in full.

That caused many patients to be confused and conflicted, as they loved their insurance coverage and the relationships they had built with their doctors. Many patients 7 Investigates followed up with over the fall and into the new year told us they had either kept their insurance and switched doctors, or they kept their doctors and switched their insurance. However, some have decided to try to keep both.

Those patients who spoke with 7 Investigates and their local Aging and Disabilities Resource Center said they asked Aspirus what would happen if they, as Network Health enrollees with that out-of-network provider coverage, scheduled an appointment with Aspirus in 2023. They explained that they were told by Aspirus that they would have to pay for the full service upfront and seek any reimbursement necessary from their insurance plan themselves. When those patients sought to get that protocol in writing they were, effectively, told that was not going to happen.

7 Investigates reached out to Aspirus for about a month to explain this protocol and why patients were being told this, but they did not provide a response. 7 Investigates asked CMS about that scenario to clarify whether a Medicare participating provider could do that and received a response from a spokesperson.

Q: Can a Medicare participating provider ask patients insured by an out-of-network Medicare Advantage plan with out-of-network coverage to pay the full cost of care upfront, and then direct patients to seek reimbursement from their insurance provider?

A: “Presuming that these are Medicare Part A or Part B services that are covered by the MA plan out of network, a provider that participates in Medicare should only collect the cost sharing that is owed by the MA enrollee and bill the MA plan for the remaining amount.”

“With respect to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, per section 422.214(a)(2) of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), out-of-network providers must follow original Medicare statutory requirements related to payment. Responsibilities of assigned providers are codified at 42 CFR 424.55(b). In short, the requirement specifies that a provider may only bill a Medicare enrollee for deductible and applicable coinsurance amounts. Similarly, with the exception of those who have complied with Medicare’s opt-out procedures, when a physician or provider furnishes a service that is covered by Medicare, the physician or provider is subject to the mandatory claim submission provisions of section 1848(g)(4) of the Act.”

“When enrollees obtain plan-covered services in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or Reginal Preferred Provider Organization (RPPO) from an out-of-network provider who participates in Medicare, they may not be charged or held liable for more than plan-allowed cost-sharing. Medicare non-participating providers permitted to ‘balance bill’ must obtain the amount in excess of the enrollee’s cost sharing (the balance) for services, directly from the MA plan and not from the enrollee. See section 170 of chapter 4 of the Medicare Managed Care Manual.”

So, in short, the answer is no except for any payments laid out in the patient’s plan like copays and deductibles and the patient cannot be placed in the middle between the provider and insurance company. This moves us to the next question and answer from a CMS spokesperson:

Q: Does a Medicare participating provider have to accept a patient insured by an out-of-network Medicare Advantage plan that has out-of-network coverage as part of the plan?

A: “Outside of emergency and urgent care, out-of-network providers are not obligated to see Medicare Advantage enrollees even if they are Medicare participating providers.”

So, Aspirus does not have to take on patients with Medicare Advantage plans for their regular care.

January through March is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period. This gives people who are already members of a Medicare Advantage plan the opportunity to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan -- with or without prescription drug coverage -- or drop their coverage and switch to original Medicare. This open enrollment period is less flexible than the general Medicare open enrollment period in the fall.

A spokesperson for Security Health Plan explained those with original Medicare coverage cannot enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or drug plan during this time.

“A member can make one change only during the open enrollment period, and it goes into effect the first of the month after the plan gets the change request,” the spokesperson said.

Copyright 2023 WSAW. All rights reserved.

© Boston.com Ask the Job Doc.

Question: Can an employer terminate your employment for any reason?  I was a supervisor for five years. I recently received an increase in pay and all of my performance reviews were excellent.  My company even hired an additional employee into my group.  Our business has been very busy and our company is growing.  I am shocked beyond belief. My direct boss gave all sorts of very confusing reasons why it was happening. He stated I was an “employee at will?” Do I have any grounds for a wrongful termination?

Answer: I am sorry that you were terminated.  Terminations are never easy but when they are a surprise, the terminated employee is often left feeling angry and confused.  Many managers have never received formal training and/or coaching around how to terminate an employee.  Terminating an employee is challenging, even for the most experienced managers.  It is often a responsibility that is dreaded and one of the most difficult management decisions. 

Most managers benefit by working with an HR professional to plan the termination.  I am not certain what happened in your individual situation.  Some companies offer outplacement too.  Outplacement is a service (typically paid for by your former employer) that assists the terminated employee with the transition to a new opportunity.  A strong outplacement offering can help an employee move beyond the feelings of anger, and instead focus on the future.  Most outplacement benefits assist the former employee with writing or editing a resume, how to interview successfully, developing a robust professional network, as well as how to negotiate job offers.    

Finally, most, but not all, employees can be terminated at any time. “At-will” means that you did not have an employment contract with your former employer.  Around 75% of all employees are “at will” employees.  In layperson’s terms, this means that you can be terminated at any time, but also you can leave your employer at any time.    Further, your employer does not have to provide you with a reason for termination.  It is a good practice to provide an explanation to an employee but it is not legally required. 

Any employee can sue their employer (or anyone else).  However, you will have to prove that your employer violated one or more of your rights and/or discriminated against you.  Based on my limited knowledge about your particular situation, it is difficult for me to assess whether you have a strong case for successful wrongful termination suit.  It may be worth discussing your situation in more detail with an employment attorney.   

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