Common interview questions basic Interview Questions I "Tell me a little about yourself."

You can answer this question in numerous ways. But to make your answer effective, you should think of an answer that will show your strong points as a salesman. Make sure to cover your own traits that are important to sales. Here is an example.

"I like sales because I like talking with people and I’m good at making people feel comfortable."

"I enjoy sales because it requires strong communication skills and that’s one of my strong traits. I like the challenge of making a sale and I feel good whenever I make a good sale."

"I like sales because it fits my personality. I enjoying working with all sorts of people and I like to provide great customer service by answering questions about products professionally."

"I’ve always liked sales. I enjoy working with and talking to people. I’m good at making people comfortable and I also like the challenge. In the past with my friends, I heard comments frequently that I would make a good salesman even before I got into sales. So basically, I like sales because it fits my personality and I really enjoy it."

This is a simple short answer. Not everyone can be a salesperson. They need to have the right personality such as good communication skills. You don’t have to have a great answer for this question. But the most important aspect is showing that you enjoy sales.

12."Do you see that stapler? Convince me to buy it."

This is a test to see if you are an experienced salesperson. I do not have much sales experience but I would answer this question by thinking of salesman I encountered in the past that I felt was good. Think about your experience with sales people and list what they did. For example, they probably follow a format. First, they explain what the product is. Then they tell you the functionalities and where you can use it. Third, they should tell you how much easier it will make your work. Fourth, it should have a good warranty. The question didn’t give you details. So feel free to make something up. It will show your creativity. Continuing, the product should have a good return policy. Finally, you can talk about the reduced price, or the price guarantee.

"This stapler is the newest model with easier to use features such as quick loading and safety protection. It also comes with a money back guarantee for any reason if you are not satisfied."

"This stapler is on sale for 30% off. The manufacturer is a new company so their prices are great right now. They have a great warranty program and it will save your company a lot of money with the substantial discount."

"This stapler has the best value. With a 15% lower sticker price, it provides identical functionality with the more expensive brands. It’s durable and staples through more paper than the other brands."

"We are proud to carry this stapler. It’s very durable and easy to use. Loading the staples is as simple as clicking this button on the bottom to open the top. The design is made with more curves to make it more appealing on the desk. It also is designed with more safety in mind. If you accidentally drop the staple on your foot or hit it with your hand, the curves are smooth enough where it will not break the skin. The warranty on the stapler is great too. It comes with a five year guarantee. We are currently offering this stapler for a low price of $19.99, and we have a low price guarantee. If you find a lower price in the next thirty days, we will gladly pay you the difference."

If you are applying for a sales position, you have to be ready to be able to sell anything in the room. I would recommend thinking about an outline. Get that in your head. Then use the outline to practice selling variety of things. You can use my answer as an outline covering features, functionality, safety, design, warranty, and price. But don’t limit it to just these, if you have another idea, add it to this, or make up your own.

13."How long have you been looking for a job?"

I don’t know if this is legitimate question for an interviewer to ask, but it is definitely possible. I don’t like the question, but at least we should think about it and prepare an answer. If you have been looking for a job for like eight months, it could sound like you are a bad candidate because nobody wants to hire you. Instead, I would take a different approach than answering honestly. If the resume shows you have been out of work for a year, then you have to explain the one year. You have two options. First, you can be honest and say you have been looking for one year, or you can think of a good excuse. It’s hard to lie and sound believable so I’m going to give an honest answer. If you have a good excuse for not working for a long duration, feel free to use that as an excuse.

"I sent out my resumes just last week. I’m very excited to join a company where I can help out."

"I’ve been looking for about a month now. Because of the slow economy it’s taking a little longer than I expected, but I’m confident that I can be a valuable asset to any company."

"It’s been about 2 months now. I wasn’t as aggressive in the beginning because I was taking some classes, but now that I’m done with class, I’m really trying now."

"To be honest, I’ve been looking for a job for quite a long time. The job market hasn’t been that great and it’s been a little rough. But I spent my year productively by reading up on new technologies, self studying, and trying to challenge myself with small projects. I definitely learned a lot and I’m really ready to start working again."

If you have a real excuse such as a sick mother you have to take care of, here is an example.

"I have been out of work for a year, but I have only been looking for a job for about 3 weeks now. My mother had cancer and I wanted to spend the final months with her. She passed away and I can starting work again."

I don’t recommend lying for this question. It could turn bad if they find out the truth later. Telling them the truth like my first example shows honesty and shows that you tried to stay productive.

14."Why haven’t you received any offers so far?"
"What offers have you received so far?"

This is another type of question that most interviewers will not ask. But just in case, I’ll provide an example. For the question asking what offers have you received so far, you can simply list the ones you have received without details. For example, "I received offers from Boeing and InfoSpace." But if they ask you why haven’t you received any offers, then your answer will depend on if you have an offer or not. If you do, then you can politely correct them by saying, "Actually, I received an offer from Intel. But I didn’t respond with my answer yet because this company is my first choice." If you do not have any offers, then you can say something like this example.

"I just started interviewing this past week, so it’s a little too early to tell."

"I recently started looking for a job, but I’m hoping that I’ll receive offers soon."

"I received one offer from a smaller company, but I want to see what else is out there. I like what this company has to offer so I’m hoping everything turns out well today."

"I’ve only interviewed with two other companies so far and I have a second interview with one of them. It’s too early to tell if I’ll be receiving any offers right now, but I’m confident that I will get a couple."

This answer is suggesting that you are actively interviewing. Mentioning a second interview with another company also shows that you passed the first interview stage. You are not admitting to any fault by not receiving any offers, but simply saying it is too early because you haven’t been searching for a job that long.

If you have been looking for a job for a long time, then you will not be able to use an answer like I just showed. Instead, you might have to be honest and try to put the blame somewhere else. More likely you will not receive this answer, but just in case, here is one more example. This example admits directly to not receiving any offers but shows diligence and shows that this person doesn’t give up.

"Most of the jobs I have been applying for require more experience than I have. Also, because the job market is rough right now the competition has been pretty tough. But I plan on self studying continually and I know through my diligence that I will get a job soon."
15."If you don’t understand your assignment and you can’t reach your boss, what would you do?"

This question is seeing how you react to ambiguous situations. Also it checks to see how resourceful you are. The best way to answer this question is to provide step by step actions you would take in this situation.

"I would investigate the assignment deeper by searching for more information, asking coworkers or other managers and make the smartest decision on how to tackle the assignment."

"There are many places I can look for clarity. I would look through some books, or the Internet, or my peers, or even other managers. If I try to look for answers, most of the time I can find them."

"I would first see what the deadline is and if my manager will be back before the deadline. If not, then I would leave a message on my managers phone. Afterwards, I would ask my peers or other managers to see if they know the assignment. I believe investigating the assignment further will help me understand it."

"First, I would read the assignment again thoroughly to see if I missed a clue or anything. I could even turn to the Internet and look up other documentation if it was something like a difficult process I didn’t know. After investigating this assignment, and I still don’t understand it, then I could turn to my peers and see if anyone has done an assignment similar to the one I received. If my peers do not know either, then I could ask my boss’s manager and verify with him. After exhausting these options, then I would have to make a decision on how to do the assignment and make the best decision I can on how to tackle the assignment. Before engaging in the assignment, I would leave a message on my boss’s cell phone."

There might be a better answer, but in my experience many interviewers are looking for a process of reaching a goal. In this example, it shows each step from beginning to end. Feel free to add or change these steps after thinking about it.
Work Related Interview Questions III

1."If everyone on the team is a veteran, what will you do to fit in and be a beneficial team member instead of a person who appears to be in training?"

This is actually an easy question. Everyone should have a similar answer because there are only a few things that you can do. I’m going to be giving an example of preparing and reading up on information more than usual.

"In this situation, I’ll have to ramp up quickly and study notes from previous meetings before attending any. I’ll also do a lot of studying to catch up so I can participate in discussions instead of appearing to be in training."

"In the beginning, I’ll put a lot of effort into catching up on any existing projects I join. I believe studying a lot in the beginning to be aware of what is going on is very important."

"I’ll study as much as I can to fit into a group of veterans. I know I’ll have many questions along the way, but listening carefully and putting pieces together will allow me to catch up quickly. I know I’ll be able to be an effective team player in a short time by following this method."

"Even if everyone is a veteran, I feel confident I can fit right in. I would prepare as much as I can by reading existing material to catch up on the project. I would plan for meetings by making a list of questions I have and finding the answers to these questions before the meeting. I would also create a list of ideas through the documents I have read. A fresh mind could help with creative solutions. I know that I would be required to study a lot in the beginning, but I would be able to do so at home or by working late in the office."

This answer shows steps of becoming a team member that doesn’t appear to be in training. It is describing ways to limit training times in meetings, and includes that a new worker could benefit an existing team by making a list of ideas.
2."How do you intend to learn what you need to know to perform well for this job?"

We have a similar question here, but we can use this opportunity to see another example.

"I have experience in learning new concepts without training. I usually look through books or manuals to find answers. Because I’m good at learning, I’ll study relevant material to help me do my duties well."

"I have experience in this area so I won’t need much training. However, I know different companies have different ways of doing things, so I’ll learn company policies and methods quickly to apply my existing knowledge to do a good job."

"The first couple weeks are important. I think it’s important to study the correct material, ask the right questions, and put in extra effort to learn what I need to know. This is what I usually do to make sure I’ll be performing well."

"If the company provides training, I’ll utilize the training to learn. If not, then I’ll learn by being attentive to what other people do, read up on the documentation, and be willing to ask questions when necessary. I know the first couple of weeks are important and I’m willing to put in extra effort to start off on the right track."

This example is shorter and more to the point. It is not an answer that will astonish the interviewer, but it is an answer that will show couple good traits about yourself.

3."If your supervisor tells you to do something that you believe can be done in a different way, what would you do?"

This question is designed to see how you would react to your manager when you disagree. It is important to trust your manager, but at the same time, not follow blindly. That means I should ask questions to clarify, make suggestions, and after a discussion, follow the instructions of your manager. This is the steps I would take to answer this question.

"I will tell my supervisor of an alternative way and explain the benefits. If my supervisor is not convinced, then I’ll follow his instructions."

"I’ll suggest a different way of doing the assignment along with the benefits. If my supervisor disagrees and insists I do it a certain way, I’ll follow the instructions."

"I’ll suggest a different method and ask my supervisor if I can do this work the new way. If the result will be the same but would potentially save more time, then I believe my manager will allow it. However, if my manager wants it done a certain way for other reasons, I’ll follow his or her instructions."

"I would question my supervisor why he or she wants it done this particular way. If I still don’t agree with the method, I would suggest alternate ways of tackling the assignment and explain how my suggestion would be better. After having a good conversation, if we still can’t see eye to eye, then I would have to trust my superior and follow his or her instructions."

This is a solid answer because it is showing independence by having my own suggestion and thought, it shows I can think for myself, and finally, shows that I would be an employee that trusts the supervisor. Ultimately, this answer shows that I’m a smart person willing to make adjustments. I’ll take a moment here to clarify something. How does this answer show that I’m smart and a person willing to make adjustments? Well, many times, the interviewer will not see exactly what you want them to see. However, even if they don’t see all your good intentions, they will at least get a good feeling about you through your solid answers.
4."If you’re told to do something that you feel is illegal, what would you do?"

This is an easy answer. Unless you are interviewing to be a gangster, you should have a similar answer to mine.

"I would first verify if it’s legal or not. If it is legal, then I would continue with the work. If it’s illegal, I would not do the work and tell my manager that this work is illegal. I would also let Human Resources aware of the situation."

"I’d verify if the work was legal or not. If it wasn’t legal, then I’d confront my manager and my manager’s manager with this incident."

"I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions. I would rather question my manager to verify if it is illegal or not. If I’m not convinced through facts, then I would investigate through other means. If I find it is illegal, I will not continue with the work and inform Human

"If I’m not sure, I would verify whether it’s legal or illegal before performing the task. If I find it is legal, then I would continue with the task. If not, then I would report the request to the boss of the person who asked me to do it. If the boss does not take appropriate action, I would find out why and report the incident to Human Resources myself."

This is making you sound firm and stubborn. But in this situation, you have to be bold with your answer. You cannot let them think that you would hide the fact. This is especially true if you are interviewing for a finance or accounting position that deals with money or other important information.

5."If you were unfairly criticized, what would you do?"

This is the hardest question I have to answer here. Being unfairly criticized is one of my biggest pet peeves. I hate it when it happens and I usually blow up. I get mad and start to argue. But as you know, this is a bad answer to this question. They are asking you this question because they want to see if you will react professionally. Any answer that shows professionalism will be good.

"I’d probably ask for clarity on the criticism. I think it’s important to accept criticism for self improvement, but if it’s unfair, then I will clear things up by asking for clarity."

"When I’m unfairly criticized, I usually think about the criticism and try to view it from a different angle. If I still can’t see why I was criticized, then I’ll approach the person and initiate a dialog to resolve the unfair criticism."

"I usually use all criticism to help me grow. If I was criticized unfairly, there must be a little truth to it. I’ll learn as much as I can from it, but if it was really out of line, I would definitely approach the person and ask for clarity."

"If I was unfairly criticized in private, then I would initiate dialog asking why he or she thought this way. I would try to understand their point of view and explain my point of view. If I was unfairly criticized in public, then I would be a little upset but I would wait to address the problem until the person criticizing me was alone. I would do this because if I’m upset, I wouldn’t want to start an argument without thinking. So after some time, I would approach the person and ask him or her why I was criticized. If it was justified, then I would use that as constructive criticism to improve myself. If not, then I would tell that person that it isn’t good to publicly criticize someone when they are not sure if it is correct."

This is a professional answer, but it could sound like you are a weak person. If you want an example of becoming upset, then this is how I would get upset in a professional way.

"If I’m publicly criticized unjustly, I would immediately ask that person on what grounds he or she is saying that. One of my pet peeves is putting someone down in public and if I don’t say anything there, then this person is getting away with something terrible, and everyone there will think I did something wrong. I would keep my temper in check but make sure that people know the criticism wasn’t justified."

The answer will depend on where you are in your career. If you are new, then you want to gain more experience and learn a wide variety of things. If you have a lot of previous experience, you might want to find something challenging and more opportunities for growth.

"I want a position where I’ll be challenged. I want to learn a lot of new things and I want to continually grow. So I’m looking for a job that will provide these things for me."

"I want to gain experience in many areas of accounting. I want a position where things are not routine and where many of my accounting skills are utilized."

"In my next job, I want more opportunities to write automation. In my previous position, we didn’t have these opportunities because we outsourced this work to other groups."

"For the last several years, I have done a wide variety of things. I have set my goals and continually moved forward. I have worked in a time constraint environment, juggled many tasks at one time, and even managed several people. However, one of my goals is to improve my creative side of design. Working for a large company demands a lot of work from each designer. So although creating graphics came naturally for me, I never had the luxury of creating work without being pulled in four different directions. So I want to find a position where I can use more of my creativity."

This is a stronger answer than the generic one about learning and finding something challenging. This answer displays a lot of experience, ability to work hard, and the ability to deliver items quickly. This person answers by saying he wants to find a position where he can use more creativity, while showing off his credentials as a good worker.
7."What aspects of this job interest you the most?"

This is a question to see how interested you are in the position. For this question, how you talk will be more important than what you say. Many people fail interviews due to the lack of enthusiasm, so make sure you sound excited when you answer this question.

"I’m very excited about this job because of the variety of different work. I’m well rounded and it’s always exciting when I can use many of my skills for a job."

"The most interesting aspect of this job is the product you’re working on. I think it’s so exciting working on a product that twelve million people use. I want to be on a team where my work will make many people enjoy our product more."

"I like the fact that this position requires someone who is detail oriented. Because we’re working with sensitive data, it’s important that all the information is perfect. This type of challenge always interested me."

"Ever since I was studying mechanical engineering in college, I had a strong interest in automobile engines. This position is to help the engine design team to create better fuel efficient cars. When I read that, it really jumped out to me. I knew I really wanted this position because it combined my interest and my experience into one. So being on a team where I can work on something I love is what appeals to me the most."

Listen to how this example is said more than the words. You really have to convey the message that you are interested in the job.

8."If you are given work from your manager that is boring and tedious, what will you do?"

This is an important question for the manager. If you are hired on as a analyst and you have to do some data entry, you might not be happy about it. But if there it has to be done, then the manager has to assign the work to someone. They want to find out if you are the type of person who is willing to work on boring and tedious things. The long answer is the answer I gave when I was asked this question.