A superior candidate will demonstrate professionalism in attitude and communication style when dealing with others. Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills are key. Good candidates don't need to like everybody, but they must be capable of working with everybody. Solid candidates will show that they achieved a workable outcome in the face of any coworker-related difficulties. Bad candidates will blame others and shirk accountability.
Q2. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult manager or important client/customer.
The answer can reveal a candidate's behavior toward authority, communication, and problem solving. The person you want to hire will not allow personal feelings or disagreements to get in the way of working relationships inside the company. A good candidate should demonstrate emotional maturity and professionalism above all else.
Q3. Describe a situation where you needed to persuade someone to accept your point of view or convince them to change something.
This is another situational question exploring soft skills such as communication and relationship building. A candidate should demonstrate empathy and listening skills that allow him or her to understand the other side of a situation but also help bring about a change of opinion. Candidates should show how they negotiate and generally develop and strengthen relationships with others.
Don't just look for what candidates did; ask for the thought process behind their actions and how they like to approach problems in general. Being collaborative is one strength you might look for here. Did the candidate seek out feedback from others in understanding the problem, developing possible solutions, and implementing a workable solution?
We're all human, and candidates should be able to admit that they've made mistakes at certain times. This situational question is really more about finding out how a candidate learns, reflects upon mistakes, and takes lessons learned into the future. If a candidate refuses to admit to any past mistakes, then it's a sign that he or she isn't willing or able to learn anything from difficult situations.
Here, you are asking interviewees to tell a success story that demonstrates how they organized their workflow, dealt with pressure, and navigated through competing priorities. It's a good opportunity to hear a candidate's planning process, how they communicate with others, and how they collaborate with colleagues toward a common goal. Did the candidate try to extend the deadline if possible? Did the candidate ask for additional help? Most importantly, did they fully commit their own time to meeting the deadline and ask others to commit, too?
Like the mistake question, this illustrates a candidate's ability to learn. While being open to feedback is never easy, the best candidates will take it in, analyze it, and potentially make changes based upon the criticism. Of course, good candidates never take criticism personally. A good answer will show emotional maturity, adaptability, and leadership potential.
A good answer should show off the applicant's proactivity. The situation should be a case where the candidate recognized a problem that nobody else was resolving and took initiative to attack the issue. The action should show a willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty when required. Proactivity and problem solving are rare traits that firms should be looking for; this question can go a long way toward revealing these attributes in a candidate.
You are trying to gauge how a candidate adapts to change, especially when working with new people. This is obviously relevant for all new hires, who need to fit in to a company climate and hit the ground running. Top candidates will show that they are adaptable and open to change, that they'll focus on building relationships inside the company, that they know how to seek help when necessary, and that they don't judge people or processes too fast before knowing all the relevant facts.
Q10. Describe a situation where you needed to work with a client or customer who was very different from you.
Similar to the last question, this one asks candidates to demonstrate how adaptable they are when interacting with various personalities. Explore whether candidates can change up their style of communication for different people. This question allows you to evaluate emotional intelligence and people skills. What is the most important skill or attribute that companies should be looking for from applicants? Let us know what you think by commenting below.
This is a common question asked by hiring managers who work as part of a company's human resource department. This can be a great question, if you give the right answer -- but it could also be a deal breaker. It's important that you know the environment of the company, or department you're applying too, before you answer this question. Make sure to perform your due diligence about the company, it's culture and the working environment it provides, before you arrive for the interview.
Q2. Please provide an example of an improvement you made at your previous job that made a real difference.
Give a good answer to this question and you'll stand out from the competition. Give a bad answer and you'll like end up at the bottom of the list of job candidates. You want your answer to leave a lasting impression, so structure it in a storyboard fashion. Describe the probem you faced, the steps you took to resolve it, and the results of your efforts.
When answering this question, you want to share a work related challenge. This is a great question because it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and show the interviewer what you bring to the table. Suggestions for challenges you've faced include your previous employer losing or wasting money, inefficiently using time, or being impacted by a factor outside your control. If you are early in your career, and haven't faced any work-related challenges worth mentioning, you can use a personal challenge.
As you might guess, this question is designed to test your ability to stand firm and defend a decision when it's unpopular with other employees, or even superiors. This question allows the interviewers to see that you can demonstrate leadership and good judgement when the situation warrants it -- notwithstanding opposing pressure.
Dealing with discontentment in the work place and upset customers is a regular occurance. Hiring managers and employers want to know that you're able to resolve concerns of customers and work well with others -- if they aren't that easy to work with.
This one of those situational questions that's a bit more difficult to answer. There are several reasons an interviewer may be asking this questions, one of which may be that you're going to have a difficult boss to work for. However you respond, you want to stay positive. You want to show you can work with demanding people, you can stand up for yourself, that you're a problem solver and that you can get results -- even in a difficult situation.
Q7. What would you do if you were working on an important project and all of the sudden the priorities were changed?
When faced with this question, interviewees often assume the interviewer is trying to gauge how flexible they can be. In some instances, this may be true. However, the interviewer may just easily be trying to determine if you're the type of person who will put their foot down about it. Like all situational interview questions, the interviewer is trying to determine if you can think under pressure, how you analyze a situation, and how you're likely to interact with others.
No one is always perfect, and the interviewer knows this. The interviewer wants to see if you can admit that you've made mistakes, but more importantly how you dealt with the situation and learned from it. You want to share with the interviewer an example criticism that had a measurable positive outcome. Make sure to turn the negative criticism into a positive experience.
Employers want employees who contribute to the success of the company, and don't just show up to collect a pay check. This question is designed to see if you'll be a contributing team member, can adapt to changing situations and to ensure that you're flexible. You don't need to share something overly spectacular, but you do want to show that you're the type of person who will go above and beyond the call of duty.
Situational interview questions relating to goal setting provide an interviewer insight into your character, motivation and dedication. When asking this question, the interviewer wants to find out if you set goals, what are your priorities, how you go about accomplishing a task, and how you measure success. We recommend starting out by sharing a work related goal. However, sharing a personal goal gives an interviewer a deeper look into your character and values.
Q1. You’re working on a project with a tight deadline but you find that you’re unable to complete your section because your coworkers and your supervisor are unavailable to answer a few key questions. How do you deal with the situation?
“Hey, if they’re not there, there’s nothing I can do about it. If I’m responsible enough to be working on the project with the idea that I’m holding up my end to get us to deadline on time, then I would expect them to do the same. If I can’t reach them and they can’t help me in the way that they are supposed to help me, then forget them! Guess that means an early night for me! I’ve been meaning to go to the local comic book shop on my way home and pick up some new “Alchemy, the Congregating” for ages and now that the rest of my team is off slacking…this is my chance!” Whoa! Slow your (multi-sided dice) roll there! Interviewers ask situational questions like these because the interviewer wants to know how you would handle a problem that might actually arise if you’re hired for the job. Most of their questions are based off potentially real situations and the last thing you want to do is give them a reason to fire you before they even hire you! If your response includes any sort of passing off the task to another individual in order to absolve yourself of responsibility or as an excuse to cut out early from work…well, good luck.
“This is a tough one. The first thing I would do is really sit back for a moment and assess the situation. I would look at the project overall and see if there was a way for me to perhaps redirect my focus onto other areas I could work on by myself without their assistance and postpone the parts I need help on until they were again available. If that isn’t a possibility, then I would make sure to exhaust every avenue I have at my disposal to try to get in contact with them. I actually ran into a similar situation on a project a few years ago where I needed to get some specific answers to a problem before I was able to move forward to the next step. Unfortunately my co-worker who had the answers was in an area where I was unable to reach him in time. I managed to continue working on sections that didn’t require his input and by the time I was done with those, he was back in range and able to answer my questions. Not only did we make our deadline, but by getting the other sections done first, we were able to focus all our attention on the final segment and really bring it together in a way that exceeded our clients expectations. It was a real win! Staying calm and focused and making sure I was doing everything within my power to make the project a success gave me the ability to figure out how to work around the situation successfully.”
Q2. You’ve been assigned a major project and are halfway through when you realize that you’ve made a mistake that requires you to go back to the beginning to fix it. How do you handle that while still trying to make your deadline?
“First off I don’t make mistakes, so I have no idea why you’re even asking me this question. Secondly, if there’s a mistake…it must have come from whoever gave me the task in the first place…so I’d start there. If they’re not willing to double check their work, why should I have to do it? As for deadlines…it wasn’t my mistake, so it’s not my problem. You want me, you can wait for me.” Nobody is perfect. If you put yourself in the hero role in every scenario and make it sound as though you were the reason that things were ever done correctly in your past jobs and that you expect that to continue in all your future situational scenarios, it’s going to ring some warning bells. Part of a situational scenario question is analyzing the problem and coming up with solutions, but that also means applying what you’ve learned from the past…and that means what you’ve learned from past mistakes. Like I said, nobody’s perfect. Not to mention answering the question this way (and yes, we made it extreme to prove a point) just makes you look like an ass.
“The first thing I would do is stop whatever I am doing on the project and really investigate the mistake. Is it small enough that I can correct it without losing time? If so, I make sure that I rectify the situation immediately and move forward. If it’s a mistake that requires a full reworking of the problem and the solution is going to force me to come close or even miss my deadline, I would make sure to immediately inform my supervisors and let them know what is going on. Ideally it would be a situation where I could adjust my work accordingly and, if needed, put in the extra time to make the deadline without compromising the rest of the project. If the mistake is a result of my work, as painful as it might be, I have to come clean. If nothing else, it can provide a learning opportunity for any other people I might be working with who are in similar situations or dealing with similar scenarios. I was actually working one of my first jobs just out of college and ran into a situation just like this…”
Q3. You’re a team leader. What would you do if the work of one of your subordinate team members was not up to expectations?
INCORRECT: “I don’t tolerate dead weight. If someone isn’t pulling their fair share, then it’s not right they take up my valuable time or my team’s time. If it’s not something we can fix easily, then maybe it’s time that person look for another team to drag down. I’m a winner and I only work with winner.” Do you know who Machiavelli is? IF yes, then +10 to you. If not, here is a crash course: Machiavelli was a famous Italian philosopher who wrote the book on how to be a leader. Unfortunately his tactics were a little less than gentle and some of his solutions to leadership problems were brutal. If all your answers are centered around ways you’d dismantle the company and take over leadership positions through intimidation, torture and execution…you might try switching your job search circles from blue collar to mercenary. Remember, a situational scenario question is an opportunity to again demonstrate good teamwork skills and leadership qualities that don’t devolve into small dictatorships, no matter how tempting all that power can be.
“As a team leader, it’s my responsibility to keep the team moving forward and progressing through our tasks. If I have a member who is not living up to expectations, I would first try to investigate why the individual is having a problem and whether it is something I can help solve. The first step is to determine if the problem is personal or professional. If it’s professional, then it’s my job as the leader to try to help the individual get the assistance they need to bring them up to the level the rest of the team is delivering at and expecting. If it’s a personal problem, I would keep an eye on that person and make sure that it doesn’t continue to affect the professional work they’re doing. If it is a situation which requires time away and the company can afford to let them go for a while, I would encourage them to deal with the problem and then come back ready to rejoin the team. If it’s a situation where they need to take more time than the company can allow, I would try to suggest that the individual solve the problem on their own in such a way that it doesn’t continue to affect the rest of the team. I encountered a similar situation with a co-worker at my last job when…”
Q4. You have reason to believe that a co-worker is preparing to divulge company secrets to a rival corporation. These secrets have the potential to really damage the company. How would you deal with this situation?
“I gotta get concrete proof, baby! This is an amazing opportunity to monetize my position and I’m taking full advantage of it! If my co-worker is selling secrets I want in on that action…but only if the amount they’re getting paid is more than the amount I can collect as a bounty from the company for turning them in. Either way, I’m covering my own butt and making sure my information goes to the highest bidder. I wonder if I could leverage this into a new corner office or a serious bonus?” Uh wow. For the first time I’m actually speechless at our own scenario. I don’t think I need to tell you just how wrong this answer is. Wow.
“The first thing I need to do is stop and really look at the situation. Are my suspicions based on actual proof or are these unsubstantiated allegations? If I don’t have actual proof or hard evidence and am relying on suspicion, then I would approach my co-worker privately with my concerns. There are times when personal emotions cloud people’s minds and can lead them to say things that they might not actually mean and which might be misconstrued as something more than just venting. I would approach the conversation as a dialogue rather than a lecture and make sure I hear from them exactly what is going on. I would much rather confront the individual one-on-one and discuss the situation in private with them than run to superiors with nothing more than suspicions. Crying wolf in a situation like this could potentially ruin not only my co-worker’s career but my own as well. If I have hard proof of my co-worker’s intent to divulge information, then it’s absolutely imperative that I make sure my supervisor is aware of what is going on. As uncomfortable and difficult as it might be to turn in a co-worker, professional ethics are very important to me. If I don’t let the company know, I could be guilty of withholding information, which could have long term ramifications for me both professionally and legally. At my last job we actually had an employee who would joke about just this thing…”
Q5. How would you handle a customer who isn’t happy with your service even though you’ve done nothing wrong and they’re actually the ones who have made the mistake?
“Whoever said the customer is always right should be taken out into the street and kicked repeatedly with soccer cleats! The customer is hardly ever right and most of the time they’re so wrong, it’s funny!” Even if the customer is wrong in the scenario, it’s not your job to tell the hiring manager that. They don’t want to hear you go on and on about unrealistic customer expectations, rather, they want to hear how you’re going to solve the problem. The hiring manager wants to know you’re up to the task of handling a situation like this should it arise. They want to know that you’re level headed and can handle the customer with professional grace, even if that customer becomes rude, arrogant, or demanding. And remember, you’re not going to win every customer over…
“No matter what they’re unhappy about, it’s my job to make sure that they’re treated with respect, and the best way to demonstrate that respect is to listen attentively to their concerns. Ideally I’d like to make sure that I’m addressing the problem in such a way that I’m not missing any opportunities to turn what has started out as a negative experience for our customer into a positive experience. My goal is to ensure customer satisfaction, but I am also aware that there are individuals who will never be satisfied. If it’s a situation where I have tried my absolute best and done everything in my power to solve the situation in a way that maintains both my integrity and the integrity of the company, and I’m still not having any success with the client, I would then involve my superior as a last resort. I encountered a situation just like this when I worked retail one summer. We had a customer who was notorious for being difficult…”
Always ask these management interview questions. The interview question answers give you valuable knowledge about the candidate’s experience. Ask:
Q2. How many employees reported directly to you in your management job? (You are asking about the number of employees whom he or she directly supervised with performance assessment and compensation assignment responsibilities.)
Q3. Describe the exact responsibilities and activities over which you had oversight for these employees.
Q1. If I were to interview the people who have reported to you in the past, how would they describe your management style?
Q2. If I were to interview your reporting staff members, how would they describe your strengths and weaknesses as a manager and supervisor?
Q3. Give me an example, from your past work experiences, about a time when you had an underperforming employee reporting to you. How did you address the situation? Did the employee’s performance improve? If not, what did you do next?
Q4. Rate your management skills on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 representing excellent management skills. Provide three examples from your past work experiences that demonstrate your selected number is accurate.
- Describe the work environment or culture in which you have experienced the most success.
- Describe the management style of your manager that would bring out the best in your work—your capabilities, ability to contribute, and your daily engagement.
- Tell me about a time when you had a reporting employee who performed very well. The employee exceeded goals and sought more responsibility. Describe how you handled this situation day-to-day and over time.
- Describe three components of your philosophy of management that demonstrate what you value and add, as an individual, to an organization’s culture and work environment.
- What factors are crucial within an organization and must be present for you to work most effectively?
- Tell me about a time when you reorganized a department or significantly changed employee work assignments. How did you approach the task? How did the affected employees respond to your actions?
- One of the jobs of a manager or supervisor is to manage performance and perform periodic performance reviews. Tell me how you have managed employee performance in the past. Describe the process you have used for performance feedback.
- When you have entered a new workplace in the past, as a manager or supervisor, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.
- As a manager or supervisor, one of your jobs is to provide direction and leadership for a work unit. Describe how you have accomplished this in the past.
- What are the three to five most significant contributions to the role of a manager in the workplace? How have you demonstrated these in your past jobs as a manager?
- If you had to pinpoint the most significant contribution needed from a manager in the workplace, what would you identify as the key contribution?
- Please describe the significance of your three most important core values to the role of the manager in the workplace.
Use these examples to help develop and frame your answer depending on your needs and preferences:
- I appreciate a work environment where supervisors try to make personal connections with their employees.
- In my last job, I liked the fact that management did not show favoritism and they were understanding of employees’ needs, as well as their strengths. Of course, these things take time to perceive, but I would want my supervisor to try to know me in that way.
- I would like to be able to go to my manager if I have an issue or idea and to be able to feel comfortable in expressing my thoughts. I would also expect my supervisor to be open and honest with me and to let me know if there is anything I could do to improve upon or do differently in my work.
- I really appreciate managers who can give constructive criticism without making employees feel like they have failed or are being negatively judged. Everyone makes mistakes occasionally. When this happens, the best thing to do is to assess and learn from the mistake to avoid repeating it in the future, without belittlement or censure.
- I believe that the best supervisors convey their expectations in a timely fashion, as well as keeping their teams “in the loop” regarding new changes in the workplace. Although I feel I work very well independently, I also like to touch base regularly with my supervisor to ensure that our projects are all on track – either informally through emails or at formal weekly staff meetings.
- I think that it’s important that managers realize how important team morale is to job performance. While I hold myself accountable for doing the best work I can each day, it’s always a shot in the arm to be praised now and then for a job well done.
- When You Have Direct Experience: For example, you might answer the question as follows: "As you can see from my resume, I currently work as a production manager for a meat packing plant. I discovered shortly after taking on the job that there were several hand injuries from one of the packing machines. I learned from Human Resources that six workers in the past two years had received medical attention or missed work time when stationed in that area of the assembly line. HR staff had interviewed the workers in question and believed that fatigue was a contributing factor. I decided to decrease the amount of time between five-minute breaks from 90 minutes to 45 minutes, placed a safety reminder sign in easy view and personally reminded the workers stationed in that area before each shift about the need for optimal concentration. During the next year, there was only one incident of worker injury in that area. I also researched an alternative machine that would perform the same function with less risk and upper management is currently considering my proposal."
- When You Haven't Had Direct Experience: If you didn't have the opportunity to increase employee health in a previous work environment, whether that was due to lack of internal resources or lack of approval from a supervisor, you can still use the question as an opportunity to impress your interviewer. In this case, think of problems you noted and strategies you would have enacted if you had been able to. Explaining the issues you observed and the responses you came up with shows a high level of organizational engagement on your part, which your interviewer will see as an asset to the entire team.
- I've learned from each boss I've had. From the good ones, what to do, from the challenging ones - what not to do.
- Early in my career, I had a mentor who helped me a great deal, we still stay in touch. I've honestly learned something from each boss I've had.
- My best boss was a manager who enabled me to take on more responsibility as I progressed in my job. I've had other bosses with a more hands off management style, but I appreciated the interaction with the first manager I mentioned.
- My best boss was a woman who showed me the importance of suggestive selling. She was able to show a customer the perfect accessories to go with an outfit, without being pushy, and taught me to tremendously increase my selling abilities.
- I learned a lot about organization from my last boss. I've always been an organized person, but I learned new ways to organize and mobilize the staff from him, which was very valuable for my management abilities.
- My best boss was one who was able to recognize the strengths in his employees, and to utilize them to their fullest extent. He taught me to look at people more individually, and understand that almost everyone has something positive to offer.
- My best boss was a person who set such a wonderful example for her employees, that she inspired people to work harder. She was always 'up', even when she wasn't, and never let a customer leave unhappy. She would always have the right thing to say to provide encouragement for her customers and employees alike.
- If you are interviewing for a position in sales, public relations, marketing, or fundraising, where you need to convince customers to participate in some way, you should share how you learn about the needs and preferences of your customers or constituencies.
- Then you can mention how you emphasize the benefits of your products or services in light of those wants and needs, in order to prompt the desired response from your customers. Here are some example statements to consider as you prepare your answer.
- I believe that recognizing positive aspects of employee performance is critical to motivating most workers. For example, I manage a staff of five employees, and I noticed that one of the workers was somewhat introverted and tended to stay in the background. He performed adequately but was reluctant to contribute at meetings, and I thought he could be more productive if optimally motivated.
- I started a daily ritual of checking in with him and monitoring his output. I provided positive feedback regarding his daily achievements.
- I discovered that the quality and quantity of his output increased as I interacted with him more frequently. I was able to call upon him at meetings since I understood the details of his work better and ask him to share some of his successful strategies with colleagues.
- I believe that regular and concrete feedback is important when dealing with a worker who is not performing up to her potential. I heard complaints from a few of my restaurant customers that one of my bartenders was not as cheerful and attentive as they would have liked.
- I started asking her customers as they were leaving about the quality of service and informed her as soon as possible after they left about what I had learned. I let her know which behaviors were problematic and complimented her when the customer was satisfied. After a few shifts, I observed a transformation in her attitude and began to receive consistently positive feedback from her customers.
- I believe that staff are more highly motivated when they understand the impact of a project and their role. I also think that they are more likely to be motivated if they have input regarding how to accomplish group or departmental goals. When I launched a fundraising campaign for a new library, I called a meeting and clearly explained the purpose of the drive and how it would benefit the college.
- Then I asked the group to share their insights regarding the best process for achieving our goal. After brainstorming some strategies for getting the best results, I drew a consensus around a plan and designated responsibilities for each team member. The group was more invested in this campaign than in some past efforts, and we reached our goal ahead of schedule.
- As you can see from my resume, I have sold fundraising software in the past. My approach to motivating customers was to spend time uncovering the problems and challenges that confronted their development staff. Then I would pitch features of my product that would help them to meet those challenges. For example, I met with one museum development officer and found that they had no systematic way to identify particular donors based on their artistic interests.
- Staff relied on handwritten notes or memory. I showed her how our prospect files could be coded by different types of art and lists of past and potential donors could be generated. She decided to purchase a lease once she saw how the system could help her staff to focus their fundraising efforts on prospects with an interest in upcoming exhibits.
- Here are sample answers to the interview question, "Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager?" In an actual interview, be sure to tailor your response to fit your personal circumstances.
- I have been very lucky to have had terrific managers during my career so far. I have respected each of them and got along well with all of them.
- No, I am a hard worker, and my managers always seem to appreciate the job I'm doing. I've got along well with every manager I've had.
- I had a rocky start with a manager earlier in my career because we had different expectations for the flow of the workday. Once we talked about it, we realized that our goals were very compatible, and we were able to work very successfully together for several years.
- I once had a manager who brought her own problems to work with her on a daily basis. She was going through a difficult time in her personal life, and this tended to affect the atmosphere in the office. It didn't impact my work because I was able to sympathize with her circumstances, but the situation was challenging.
- I have found that if I take the time to talk with my manager at the beginning of a project, we can all get off to a great start on the same page.
- I did have an experience where I thought my new supervisor was unhappy with me. So I made a point to arrive early one day so that I could talk to her in private. It turned out that she was not unhappy with me at all and she apologized if she came across that way.
- During a difficult financial period, I was able to satisfactorily negotiate repayment schedules with multiple vendors. I developed a mutually beneficial payment plan and barter program that worked with both my company’s revenue flow and project schedule, and the vendor needs at the time. In addition, the agreement was easier for me to obtain because I worked very hard at developing a positive relationship with the vendor in the months that we’ve been working together. From this experience, I learned the importance of thinking outside-the-box while solving a problem. I also learned the importance of developing and maintaining good relationships with vendors.
- When the software development of our new product stalled, I coordinated the team which managed to get the schedule back on track. We were able to successfully troubleshoot the issues and solve the problems, within a very short period of time, and without completely burning out our team. I was able to do this by motivating the senior engineering team to brainstorm a technologically innovative solution that would solve the customer’s issues with fewer development hours on our end.
- A long-term client was about to take their business to a competitor. I met with the customer and was able to change how we handled the account on a day-to-day basis, in order to keep the business. From this situation, I learned the importance of being mindful of client relations, and operations, not just after issues arise, but for the duration of the relationship. As a result, other account managers have adopted my check-in and management processes and have also seen improved results with their accounts.
- Our company newsletter was frequently sent late — and worse, sometimes had errors or typos. It was a bad look for the marketing department. I reviewed this newsletter workflow with the team, which revealed several issues: There was no deadline for newsletter submissions and no one person had ownership of the project. Our marketing coordinator had recently requested more responsibility, so I asked her to oversee the process. Together, we created a schedule, a form for submissions, and a review process. Since instituting these changes, the newsletter has gone out precisely on time and error-free — plus, clicks and opens have increased.
- In some cases, you might relate stories where you coached employees towards a shift to a job more suitable to their background, skill set, or personality. Managers who employ this strategy can often save their company from the financially and administratively taxing process involved with a firing. It's not your job to be a psychologist but as a manager, you are in the position of having to deal with different personalities. If you are able to address the problem head-on and take action that demonstrates change you will be respected for your choice not to sweep it under the table.
- A few rare times in the past, I have spoken to a former employer about a particular error. Recently, my boss assigned our team a project, but I knew the data he gave us was a couple of years old, and that there was more current data. Working with the most up-to-date information was vital to the success of the project. I went into my boss’s office and spoke to him privately about the error, simply showing him the most recent data. He thanked me and immediately updated the information. We completed the project with great success.
- Occasionally in the past, I have spoken to a boss about an error, but only when I thought the error would negatively impact the company. For example, a former boss instituted a new online storage system and was unaware that the system was not easily accessible on employee computers. During her daily “open office hours,” I privately discussed the issue with my boss and pointed out the effect these problems had on our ability to complete assigned tasks. She was so glad I brought the issue to her attention that she put me in charge of a task force that solved the error, resulting in increased productivity for all employees.
- I believe that I have a lot to contribute to a team environment; I love to help resolve group issues through research and communication. For example, during planning for a major event, our team struggled to decide how to set up the room. Rather than getting into an argument about personal preferences, I did some research using event planning industry trade publications to find information on the best room setup for customer experience for our type of event. By sharing the research and the rationale, my coworkers and I agreed this was the best approach and we had a great event. Customer satisfaction was up several percentage points over the previous year's event.
- I enjoy working in a team environment, and I get along well with people. In my past work experience, I implemented a system to help organize the communication between my coworkers to enhance our productivity as a team. This helped us delegate tasks more easily, which led to earlier completion dates.
- I prefer teamwork. Different team members contribute different perspectives, and the synergy between team members can produce creative and productive results. I love to help draw out the unique skill sets of different team members. For example, I recently worked on a large group project in which one or two introverted members were not sharing their opinions with the group. I suggested breaking our large group into smaller teams for a brainstorming session. In these smaller teams, the quieter members became more vocal and shared some terrific ideas. These ideas became part of our strategy and helped us successfully complete the project.
Here are some sample answers:
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I define success in different ways. At work, it is meeting the goals set by my supervisors and my fellow workers. It is my understanding, from talking to other employees, that the GGR company is recognized for not only rewarding success but giving employees opportunity to grow as well. After work, I enjoy playing softball, so success on the field is catching the winning pop-up.
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For me, success is about doing my job well. I want to be recognized as someone who always does their best and tries their hardest to make my goals.
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I evaluate success based on not only my work, but the work of my team. In order for me to be considered successful, the team needs to achieve both our individual and our team goals.
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I define success based on outcomes. It's not always the path you take to achieve success that matters. Rather, it's quantifiable results.
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I tend to view success incrementally. As someone who is invigorated by new, complex challenges, I never want to find myself in a situation where I feel like there is nothing left to learn or achieve. If, over the course of my employment, I can leave work each evening satisfied that I’ve learned something new or useful, then this counts as success to me.
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To me, success is when I am performing well and satisfied with my position, knowing that my work is adding value to my company but also to my overall life and the lives of other people.
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For me, success comes from knowing that I’ve contributed in a significant way to finishing a challenging team project within established deadlines and quality standards.
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Success, for me, will always be about making a difference in other people’s lives. If I know that at the end of the day my work has helped someone to find a job or feed their family or turn their life around, then I sleep well at night and wake up eager to start work all over again the next day.
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I want to be a change-maker – to know that, through both my own focused efforts and our team projects, our community will hear and respond to the messages we are sending by initiating much-needed social and / or policy reforms.
- Pressure is very important to me. Good pressure, such as having a lot of assignments to work on, or an upcoming deadline, helps me to stay motivated and productive. Of course, there are times when too much pressure can lead to stress; however, I am very skilled at balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines, which prevents me from feeling stressed often. For example, I once had three large projects due in the same week, which was a lot of pressure. However, because I created a schedule that detailed how I would break down each project into small assignments, I completed all three projects ahead of time and avoided unnecessary stress.
- I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful. For example, when I deal with an unsatisfied customer, rather than feeling stressed, I focus on the task at hand. I believe my ability to communicate effectively with customers during these moments helps reduce my own stress in these situations and also reduces any stress the customer may feel.
- I actually work better under pressure, and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment. As a writer and editor, I thrive under quick deadlines and multiple projects. I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.
- I am very sensitive to the nuances of group dynamics. If there’s an unhealthy amount of competition or criticism between team members, this negativity can start to affect my own work performance. And so what I do is to try to proactively listen to the concerns of the people around me, checking in frequently to see if they themselves are under stress. If they are, I think about how I can help them with their workload so the collective stress of the team doesn’t escalate. When the team’s happy, I’m happy.
A handy approach to answering this question is to use the STAR approach. With this technique, you'll talk about a Situation or Task (S -T), the Action you took (A), and the Results achieved (R). This will help shape your answer while composing one that's uniquely yours. The technique also helps keep your answer focused, so you don't stray off-topic or speak for too long. Review these sample responses:
- I plan on gaining additional skills by taking related classes and continuing my involvement with a variety of professional associations.
- I noticed that your company provides in-house training for employees and I would certainly be interested in taking classes that would be relevant.
- I will continue my professional development by participating in conferences, attending seminars, and continuing my education.
- Over the next five years, I want to gain a deeper understanding of the stock market, build a list of clients, and start my own investment firm in the next decade. However, first I want to gain experience as an account manager with a large company like yours.
- I have a plan in place for getting my certification in the next two years. I have already completed the first exam and will be scheduling the second in six months. My completed certification will put me on the path to the larger goal of becoming a Senior Investment Analyst to take on higher level market analyses.
- After graduating in the top 15 percent of my class, my summer internship in marketing gave me solid experience from which to look for my first position. I look forward to working as a marketing assistant to develop my skills in the industry and advance internally from my role in the next several years.
Here are some sample answers:
- I define success in different ways. At work, it is meeting the goals set by my supervisors and my fellow workers. It is my understanding, from talking to other employees, that the GGR company is recognized for not only rewarding success but giving employees opportunity to grow as well. After work, I enjoy playing softball, so success on the field is catching the winning pop-up.
- For me, success is about doing my job well. I want to be recognized as someone who always does their best and tries their hardest to make my goals.
- I evaluate success based on not only my work, but the work of my team. In order for me to be considered successful, the team needs to achieve both our individual and our team goals.
- I define success based on outcomes. It's not always the path you take to achieve success that matters. Rather, it's quantifiable results.
- I tend to view success incrementally. As someone who is invigorated by new, complex challenges, I never want to find myself in a situation where I feel like there is nothing left to learn or achieve. If, over the course of my employment, I can leave work each evening satisfied that I’ve learned something new or useful, then this counts as success to me.
- To me, success is when I am performing well and satisfied with my position, knowing that my work is adding value to my company but also to my overall life and the lives of other people.
- For me, success comes from knowing that I’ve contributed in a significant way to finishing a challenging team project within established deadlines and quality standards.
- Success, for me, will always be about making a difference in other people’s lives. If I know that at the end of the day my work has helped someone to find a job or feed their family or turn their life around, then I sleep well at night and wake up eager to start work all over again the next day.
- I want to be a change-maker – to know that, through both my own focused efforts and our team projects, our community will hear and respond to the messages we are sending by initiating much-needed social and / or policy reforms.
- “Based on what you’ve said and from the research I’ve done, [company name] is looking for a [job title that you are applying to] who [is/has] [list top two qualifications/skills here]. I believe my experience aligns well with that, and makes me a great fit. I am [list your top two matching qualifications/skills] and bring to the table [mention how you stand out from other candidates]. I’ve exemplified this in the past when I [provide a brief real-life anecdote/example]. Accordingly, I believe I can add great value as [job title here], and I’d really love to continue to build upon my skills and grow with [company name].”
- “I think that my experience in the [your field] industry and my ability to [mention a unique, work-related skill/ability you have] make me a good match for this position. In my recent position, I [explain how you used this skill/ability to achieve a positive outcome].”
- “Your company provides many services that I have had experience with, in a variety of capacities. [Offer a few specific examples.] I believe that my familiarity with the industry would make me a good fit for this position.”
- “You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees. In my 15 years of experience as a sales manager, I have developed strong motivational and team-building skills. I was twice awarded manager-of-the-year for my innovative strategies for motivating employees to meet and surpass quarterly deadlines. If hired, I will bring my leadership abilities and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position.”
- “I have the savvy, experience, and superior communication ability to be an asset to your company. [Offer a few specific examples].”
- “I have top-notch administrative skills and I believe I'd be an asset for the office. My skill set seems to be a perfect match for what you're looking for. In addition, I enjoy working with people, and would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your team.”
- “You describe in the job listing that you are looking for a special education assistant teacher with an abundance of patience and compassion. Having served as a tutor at a summer school for dyslexic children for the past two years, I have developed my ability to be extremely patient while still achieving academic gains with my students. My experience teaching phonics to children ages 6 to 18 has taught me strategies for working with children of all ages and abilities, always with a smile. My previous employer often placed me with the students with the most severe learning disabilities because of my history of success. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position.”
- I can contribute my ability to streamline office processes. For example, I developed a new method for scheduling client appointments which led to an 85% decrease in scheduling errors. I would love to bring not only this method but my general organizational skills to this job at your company.
- I will bring my unique vision to your company. I am experienced in the many areas related to this company’s current goals, including expanding international sales. For example, I helped improve international sales at a previous company by over 25%. My sales background, with my ability to plan ahead, will help facilitate that growth.
- My previous work experience included innovation in many areas, including strategies for more effective teamwork. At my previous company, I devised strategies for improving teamwork and communication among members of team projects. I can bring not only my ideas from my previous job but my general passion for innovation, to your organization.
For example, if asked about how experience relates to the job in a marketing role, a strong answer would be:
- My years of experience have prepared me well for this marketing role. You mentioned that customer service is a big part of this job; I spent three years working in a high-volume call center, answering customer calls and identifying solutions.
- I developed extensive skills in working with customers, even when they were distressed. I'm excellent at deescalating situations and finding a way to make the customer happy. Our customer satisfaction rating rose 10 percent during my tenure at my previous employer. Since the role of your marketing department is to improve customers' impressions of the company, my experience will be an asset to your team.
- “Based on what you’ve said and from the research I’ve done, [company name] is looking for a [job title that you are applying to] who [is/has] [list top two qualifications/skills here]. I believe my experience aligns well with that, and makes me a great fit. I am [list your top two matching qualifications/skills] and bring to the table [mention how you stand out from other candidates]. I’ve exemplified this in the past when I [provide a brief real-life anecdote/example]. Accordingly, I believe I can add great value as [job title here], and I’d really love to continue to build upon my skills and grow with [company name].”
- “I think that my experience in the [your field] industry and my ability to [mention a unique, work-related skill/ability you have] make me a good match for this position. In my recent position, I [explain how you used this skill/ability to achieve a positive outcome].”
- “Your company provides many services that I have had experience with, in a variety of capacities. [Offer a few specific examples.] I believe that my familiarity with the industry would make me a good fit for this position.”
- “You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees. In my 15 years of experience as a sales manager, I have developed strong motivational and team-building skills. I was twice awarded manager-of-the-year for my innovative strategies for motivating employees to meet and surpass quarterly deadlines. If hired, I will bring my leadership abilities and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position.”
- “I have the savvy, experience, and superior communication ability to be an asset to your company. [Offer a few specific examples].”
- “I have top-notch administrative skills and I believe I'd be an asset for the office. My skill set seems to be a perfect match for what you're looking for. In addition, I enjoy working with people, and would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your team.”
- “You describe in the job listing that you are looking for a special education assistant teacher with an abundance of patience and compassion. Having served as a tutor at a summer school for dyslexic children for the past two years, I have developed my ability to be extremely patient while still achieving academic gains with my students. My experience teaching phonics to children ages 6 to 18 has taught me strategies for working with children of all ages and abilities, always with a smile. My previous employer often placed me with the students with the most severe learning disabilities because of my history of success. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position.”
- Focus most on your responsibilities that are directly related to the new job's requirements.
- Be descriptive and engaging in your summary of responsibilities
- “I am equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. In researching the LMN company, your mission statement, and the job description, I could see similarities to previous positions that I have held where some assignments required a great deal of independent work and research, while others were better completed as a group.
- I truly enjoy the variety of being able to work by myself on some projects and on a team at other times.”
- “I have experience with independent and team-based work and I see the value in both approaches.”
- “In high school, I enjoyed playing soccer and performing with the marching band. Each required a different kind of team play, but the overall goal of learning to be a member of a group was invaluable.
- I continued to grow as a team member while on my sorority's debate team and through my advanced marketing class where we had numerous team assignments. Working on a team energizes me in a positive way, although I’m also confident in my ability to work alone when I need to.”
- “I am very comfortable working on a team, but I can also work independently, as well.”
- “I am comfortable working alone and in a group depending on the situation. If the task is easy enough to tackle on my own without requiring collective brainstorming, I am happy to work on my own. However, if the assignment is a high priority one or is too much for one person to handle, I welcome working with a team to tackle the project together. In my experience, most projects require a combination of independent work and brainstorming depending on their various elements.”
- “As a graphic designer, I work best in a quiet, isolated environment when I’m actually at the drawing board. However, prior to actually beginning work on a project, I find I get my best creative ideas when brainstorming and collaboratively bouncing ideas off of other members on the design team.
- “Working in sales has strengthened my abilities to work both alone and with others.
- I am comfortable engaging with a customer face to face, but I also believe in the benefit of sitting and brainstorming with coworkers about best practices, sales goals, lessons learned, and alternative approaches. Additionally, having a team behind me gives me confidence that if I come across something I am unsure of while working alone, I have the resources to consult someone who can educate or help me.”
- I'm looking for a position where I can have the opportunity to use my written communication skills. As a marketing assistant at your company, I would be able to apply my years of experience as a successful grant writer and would be able to write the kinds of materials I most enjoy working on.
- I am hoping for a job that will allow me the chance to boost sales at an already successful company, such as your own. I am looking for the opportunity to use the skills that I have developed during my years in marketing to engage your sales force and increase productivity and international sales.
- I am excited by the opportunity to work with an innovative, successful company such as your own. I look forward to utilizing the experience I have in technology to help streamline a company’s products for even more successful implementation.
- In my next job, I would like to be able to have a positive impact on my patients and to be able to help them lead a more functional and healthy lifestyle. Your facility offers patients a total recovery program, and I feel that my experience, education, and specialization would make this a good fit for me.
- I look forward to working for a company whose mission I firmly believe in, such as your own. I look for jobs about which I am passionate because this allows me to be extremely productive and creative.
- My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much value as I can. I love that your company emphasizes professional development opportunities. I intend to take advantage of all of these.
- 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. I know this is a common path for many people in this position. However, for now, I am excited about focusing on and applying my technical skills in this job.
- Take a look at these sample answers, and retool them so they match your job experience and your perception of criticism.
- Then practice answering the question out loud so you’re ready when the interviewer asks you, “What do people most often criticize about you?"
- There's no on-going criticism. I'm open to personal and professional growth and welcome the opportunity to improve.
- One of the things that I am sometimes criticized for is being too much of a perfectionist. I tend to expect very high standards of work from myself.
- I had a supervisor many years ago tell me that I was too critical of other people’s work. I took that to heart and made sure from that point forward that my analysis and suggestions were always supportive and helpful rather than critical. More recently, people have praised my ability to give thoughtful and useful feedback.
- From the time I was a child, I always had a hard time making presentations in a group situation. A few years ago I took several courses in public speaking, and last year I received an award for a presentation I gave at the company’s yearly executive board meeting.
- If humor is appropriate, this is a good time to use it. However, keep in mind that an interviewer might then press you for a more serious answer, so have one ready. Example: I have a teenage daughter - few things I do are okay on her radar screen.
Take a look at these examples and think about how you could come up with similar answers:
- Decisions I have to make within a team are difficult, only because these decisions take more time and require deliberate communication between team members. For example, I was working on a team project, and my colleagues and I had to make a number of choices about how to use our limited budget. Because these decisions involved group conversations, our team learned how to communicate effectively with one another, and I believe we ultimately made the best decisions for the team.
- As a manager, the most difficult decisions I make involve layoffs. Before making those tough decisions, I always think carefully about what is best for the business and my employees. While I don’t relish making those kinds of choices, I don’t shy away from this part of my job. A few years ago, I had to let some employees go due to the economic climate. It was a hard decision that was ultimately necessary for the good of the company and everyone working for the organization.
- I find that the hardest decision I have to make is when I have to choose between strong team members for a promotion. There have been occasions when, even though I liked one person better than another, I nonetheless had to choose the other person based on their potential to assume the responsibilities of their new role. Sometimes I also had to promote younger employees over staff with seniority, simply because they were more skilled in the use of technology and more willing to work overtime. It’s never easy, but ultimately you have to think about who will be the most effective and productive in the new position.
Review these examples of answers, and tailor your responses to your credentials and the job requirements of the position.
- I have an extremely strong work ethic. When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. Last year, I even earned a bonus for completing my three most recent reports one week ahead of time.
- I have extremely strong writing skills. Having worked as a copy editor for five years, I have a strong attention to detail when it comes to my writing. I have also written for a variety of publications, so I know how to shape my writing style to fit the task and audience. As a marketing assistant, I will be able to effectively write and edit press releases and update web content with accuracy and ease.
- I am a skilled salesman with over ten years of experience. I have exceeded my sales goals every quarter and I've earned a bonus each year since I started with my current employer.
- I pride myself on my customer service skills and my ability to resolve what could be difficult situations. With five years of experience as a customer service associate, I have learned to effectively understand and resolve customer issues. On a related note, I also have strong communication skills, which help me work well with customers, team members, and executives. I am known for being an effective team member with a talent for giving presentations.
- Discuss Non-Essential Skills
- Mention Skills You Have Improved
I like to be part of a team with a lot of bright people who have interesting ideas.
- It really excites me to work with clients on a one-on-one basis and see positive results.
- I love preparing and giving presentations. Being in front of an audience and seeing them respond to my ideas is a real thrill, and making that connection is inspiring and exciting.
- I'm really driven by results — I like it when I have a concrete goal to meet, and enough time to figure out a strong strategy for accomplishing it. At my last job, our yearly goals were very aggressive, but I worked with my manager and the rest of my team to figure out a month-by-month strategy for meeting the year-end numbers. It was a real thrill to accomplish that.
- I'm motivated by digging into data. Give me a spreadsheet and questions, and I'm eager to figure out what's driving the numbers. At my current position, I prepare the monthly analytics report around sales. The data from these reports help drive and determine how the company charts its next steps and makes sales goals for the following months. Being able to provide that essential information is really motivating.
- Learning new things has always been a great motivator for me. In every job I've had, I believe I've always been able to learn something new, or discover a new way to look at a problem.
- I'm very deadline-driven and enjoy having the opportunity to figure out a new organizational system that will help keep me on track to meet the deadline.
- I really like providing mentoring and coaching to my colleagues. I'm everyone's go-to person when they have a question or need a second opinion, and I am always happy to help.
- I was responsible for several projects where I directed development teams and implemented repeatable processes. The teams achieved 100 percent on-time delivery of software products. I was motivated both by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that achieved our goals.
- I have always wanted to ensure that my company's clients get the best customer service I can offer. I feel that it's important, both to me personally and for the company and the clients, to provide a positive customer experience. My drive to constantly develop my customer service skills is the reason I earned top sales at my company two quarters in a row.
- I have always been motivated by the desire to meet a deadline. Setting and reaching deadlines gives me such a sense of accomplishment. I love creating an organized schedule for completing a task and achieving my deadlines. For example, when I ran a fundraising event last year, I set multiple deadlines for a variety of tasks leading up to the event. Achieving each milestone motivated me to keep working, as well as ensuring that the event ran smoothly.
- In a perfect world, the thing you found least rewarding about your previous job was something you and your manager were able to fix. Even if they weren't implemented, it's worth mentioning any possible solutions that you came up with to fix what was wrong. Doing so will show you to be solutions-driven and positive. And just because the solution wasn't implemented at your last job doesn't mean this company won't consider it, should the same situation arise.
- You don't need to pretend that everything at your last job was amazing, but an interview isn't the time to air all your grievances.
- Mention only the issues you can put some sort of positive spin on, whether it's a silver lining you found or a solution that was implemented.
- One of my greatest accomplishments at my current job has been leading the installation and implementation of a new software program in the office. As office manager, I quickly learned the software program before it was installed, and then led a seminar to instruct all employees how to use it. Within five days, everyone felt comfortable and confident using it. My employers said this was the smoothest technological transition we have ever had at work. I know I can bring this technological knowledge and leadership ability to your office as well.
- Last year, I made revisions to my school’s sixth-grade curriculum, particularly to the literacy curriculum. At the end of the year, we saw a 20-percent improvement in students’ literacy test scores. My ability to achieve success among students is part of why I love curriculum development.
- My initial salary was $X, and my final salary was $Y. However, this does not take into account the six bonuses I received while working there.
- My initial salary was $X. Over the years, I took on more responsibilities, including managing my own team and running projects; these are the type of responsibilities I know you are hoping your ideal candidate can handle. Due to this increase in responsibility, my final salary was $Y.
- When I began working at the company as a full-time grant writer, my salary was $X. Over time, that was increased to $Y, in large part due to my successful record of receiving grants. When I became a part-time employee, my salary became $Z. However, I continued to receive annual bonuses and other benefits for my exceptional work.
- I was hired as the marketing director at Company A at the salary of $Y. When I first started working for Company A, I supervised the introduction of a new cleaning product. Sales for the product exceeded expectations during both the first and second year, and I was rewarded with a raise to $Z, promotion to executive director of marketing, and an annual 10% bonus. Shortly thereafter, I started a family with the adoption of my twins, and decided to downshift my career for 3 years. The company convinced me to stay on as a marketing analyst for 3 days a week for the reduced salary of $M.
- I was making $L working as a communications director for my non-profit employer. I sacrificed pay because of my belief in the mission to support cancer research. In comparing communications director positions in the for profit sector in our region, I noticed that salaries were about 20% higher.
- I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellent employee, and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.
- There isn't room for growth with my current employer, and I'm ready to move on to a new challenge.
- I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career, but didn’t feel like I could give equal attention both to my job search and to my full-time work responsibilities. It didn’t seem ethical to slack off from my former job in order to conduct my job search, and so I left the company.
- I was laid off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.
- I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.
- I've decided that my current work role is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.
- After several years in my last position, I'm looking for a company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
- I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
- I recently received my degree, and I want to utilize my educational background in my next position.
- I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge.
- I left my last position in order to spend more time with my family. Circumstances have changed, and I'm more than ready for full-time employment again.
- I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for advancement.
- I was commuting to the city and spending a significant amount of time each day on travel. I would prefer to be closer to home.
- To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but I saw this job posting and was intrigued by the position and the company. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal match with my qualifications.
- This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience, which I am not able to fully utilize in my present job.
- The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those eliminated.