I USED TO BE A JOB INTERVIEWER. I have interviewed thousands of college graduates around the country. Believe it or not, my job was not to give out jobs. In fact, my job was to give turndowns. If I couldn't find any reason to trun you down, you'd earn a second interview and maybe even a job offer.

I know this sounds negative. So what? The whole job search process is a pretty negative business. (Remember, though, that 99 rejects and one outstanding job offer constitutes a successful job campaign for you.)

On average, I turned down 11 out of 12 applicants. The following are some great interview questions that have generated hundreds of turndowns. I've used them all.

1. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?
When an interviewer asks this, he or she is merely digging for a reason to turn you down. Applicants can be so accommodating. "The pressure of tests causes me to freeze up." "I am somewhat of a procrastinator." Turndown City. Many job candidates will tell the interviewer about a failing or weakness that generates a sure turndown. Here's what you should say instead:

"I am sometimes too sensitive to people." "Sometimes I'm impatient with others whose standards are not as high as mine." "I have trouble separating work from play." Now, can I turn you down because you are a) sensitive? b) impatient with sloppy work? c) a workaholic?

2. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE DOING IN 10 YEARS?
I love this question because under the guise and "safety" of 10 years away, job candidates talk about what they really want to do. Interviewees show their true colors. Here's a response that will not generate a turndown:

"It's difficult for any of us to know where we will be in 10 years, but I do have plans, First of all, I want to learn your business from the ground up. Long term, I hope to be in a position of greater responsibility that is mutually beneficial to the company and to myself."

3. HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE YOUR LAST BOSS?
Any negative about a prior employer is an absolute turndown immediately. Bad apples offer spur grapes, to mix a metaphor. Never bad-mouth a former employer, co-worker or boss. Never.

4. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH?
The recruiter is fishing for information here. He or she is giving you the opportunity to prove that you offer the most important prerequisite for this specific job. Always answer this question as if the recruiter really said, "Prove to me that you have what it takes for this job."

5. I NOTICE THAT YOUR SUMMER JOBS WERE NOT IN YOUR FIELD.
The recruiter may be worried that you are vocationally immature or that you don't really know what it is like to fill a job. If you worked as, say, a lifeguard, he or she may be concerned about your lack of drive and ambition. Here's what to say:

"My working as a lifeguard often raises questions because employers picture in easy summer on the beach. Actually, my experience as a guard was a valuable leadership training ground. I was promoted to supervisor of 10 lifeguards and was responsible for the safety of 5,000 people every day."

6. WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS INTERVIEW?
The interviewer is really saying, "Please prove that you have researched and prepared for this interview as a real career opportunity. Show me enthusiasm and an excitement that we are here together."

I wish I had a nickel, no, $500, no, $1,000, for every time a job candidate said, "I read the brochures on your company and it sounds like a great opportunity." What a piddly response. An employee is a potential million-dollar investment from my side and you tell me you read the generic spiel in the annual report? If you want the offer, this is the time to get excited and prove it.

7. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF.
This recruiter snare is about as wide open as it gets. The question is one notch above "Talk." You should answer this question with information that is at the very least tangential to the company and its product or service. Remember, the interviewer is gathering evaluatory information. The fact that you have two sisters who are Siamese twins is certainly interesting but not the slightest bit relevant. On the other hand, if you've been supporting your family or you have hobbies related to the field, jabber on.

The job search process is unfair. Those who achieve the best interview ratings get the best offers, often beating those better qualified. It happens all the time.

If you believe that your wit, intelligence, good looks and diploma are the ticket, you are doomed to fail. Your competition will always be better in those categories. Job search is not a game. It is the most important project you will ever undertake.