Be sure to emphasize those activities that may complement your on-the-job duties. For Example, if you're applying for a  position as a book-store manager, mentioning that you read three books per a week is highly appropriate. 

The best way to respond to the interview question "What are your goals for the future?"

Don't discuss your goals for returning to school or having a family, they are not relevant and could knock you out of contention for the job. Rather, you want to connect your answer to the job you are applying for. Examples of good responses include:

=> My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can.

=> I see myself as a top performing employee in a well-established organization, like this one. I plan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in (related) professional associations.

=> Once I gain additional experience, I would like to move on from a technical position to management.

=> In the XYZ Corporation, what is a typical career path for someone with my skills and experiences?

Tips for answering this question:

No matter what kind of job you’re after, you will be asked to talk about yourself in the interview. This allows the company to evaluate whether your professional and personal qualifications are suited to the job.

This is your opportunity to make a positive impression. It’s important that you spend the time talking about your qualifications and present yourself in a positive light.

Aviod repetition and practise

This should only take a few minutes, so you must be prepared to talk about yourself and your background without trying to say too much. It’s a very good idea to write down a few keywords and follow the points you’ve thought about in advance. This will help you to avoid repetition and include all of the important details.

Always remember to practise what you want to say. You may want to ask someone you know – your spouse, partner or a friend – if they’ll listen to what you intend to say. This will let you practise your presentation and assess how it sounds.

Use the template below for your preparation:

- A little bit about your personal life

     Where you live, About your family etc.

- Work experience

     Your education and training

     Which companies have you worked for?

- Your qualifications for this job

     Professional qualifications for the job

     Personal qualities in relation to job

Leave out stories about your former boss treating you badly ,Or that because of the heavy workload and poor working environment you were off sick for a prolonged period.

All of this may well be true and be a part of your background, but keep your eyes on the goal.Talk about the positives in terms of work experience, professional skills and human qualities.

After your presentation, the company will usually ask you some questions.

Questions to expect from a head of department :

What do you know about our company?

Why do you want to work for us?

Why should we take you on?

What aspects of a job are most important to you?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

What are your pay expectations?

How flexible are you?

Questions to expect from a HR officer :

Who are you?

What are your strengths/ weaknesses?

Would you mind taking a test?

What do you understand by a good working relationship?

What do you think of your current boss?

What would your former colleagues say about you?

How is your financial situation?

How many sick days have you had in the last year?

Are you willing to take further training?

What do you do in your spare time?

Be frank. Some established designers use no or little computer software in their work. Others rely heavily on technology (CAD). Simply explain how you work. If you are an efficient designer, your use of computer software will not be relevant.

The areas are generally divided into three groups:

* street fashion (mass-manufactured high fashion);

*ready-to-wear (small collections);

* haute couture, where unique cat-walk garments are created mostly without practical considerations.

Don’t try to impress employees with what you are not. If you are an expert in high street fashion – you will be appreciated and find plenty of work.

This question can be answered in several ways. You can describe your education: fine arts with fashion/design focus. You can describe your work experience: fashion houses, employers, employees, and of course your actual work (the portfolio). Or you can describe your personal characteristics.

Designers stay current by reading magazines, browsing the internet, attending fashion shows, and studying technical manuals. They study the history of fashion to better understand its development and current tendencies.

Designers have to either combine marketing intelligence and artistic vision themselves, or be able to delegate business duties to hired specialists, agents, etc. while they focus on the art.