Is This How To Get Your Dream Jobs?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?
I am a result oriented person, highly energetic and in the course of my career,
I have worked in some organizations like Imperial Microfinance bank as customer care, and also in Westgate technologies limited as a marketing executive where I made a significant contribution towards the progress of those companies.

WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?
In my present job, my responsibilities includes developing customers’ loyalty, enhancing good customers’ relations and working continuously with the customers to discover ways to perform better etc.

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WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH?
As a seller, I am a high achiever in my selling career.
As a customer relation expert, I am a high achiever in my customer care career.
As a secretary or P.A. to the M.D. of my former company, I am very good at taking correspondences, scheduling appointment and itineraries for my boss etc.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?
In my position as a customer care executive, I always try to get even with customers the moment they start complaining or becoming over demanding but ever since I started listening and showing empathy and care to them, I discovered that they have ended up doing what is expected of them and even going further to recommend more clients for our company.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS?
I know very well that my best is yet to come; however I am very happy with how I led the customer service team which contributed significantly to the company’s growth and because of that, I was the staff of the month for 3 months consecutively for my performance in my unit/department.

TELL ME ABOUT A TIME YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF A PROJECT THAT REALLY CHALLENGED YOU. HOW DID YOU MEET THE CHALLENGE? IN WHAT WAY WAS YOUR APPROACH DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?
I was a management accountant and of the 14 regions in which my company was divided, I was responsible for and oversaw the financial reports of four of them.
It is also upon me to ensure that operating costs are effectively reduced at all times. When inflation increased and prices of our raw materials skyrocketed, the need to become more prudent arose. The first thing I did was to find out all the profit centres in my region and reduced funding of the least performing ones, I then looked at the high performing centres and developed cheaper sources of raw materials there. I also communicated with the managers there on the need to reduce their staff size and cut down on their allowances while maintaining their salaries. While my other colleagues were complaining about the steady drop in revenue in their area, mine was increased rather, although to a modest four percent. After two quarters, my directors reviewed our performances and my approach was officially adopted by the company.

WHAT PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE NECESSARY FOR YOUR SUCCESS IN YOUR FIELD?
To succeed in my field, one needs to have a good dose of analytical mind, patience and good communication skills.

WHAT WAS THERE ABOUT YOUR LAST COMPANY THAT YOU DID NOT PARTICULARLY LIKE OR AGREE WITH?
I was not happy with the way my colleagues were bothering management with requisition on all forms of bonus during December time, without much concern about cost of things and the overall state of the economy and how it affected our company’s operation.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?
Because, I want to be part of your company’s success story by ensuring that my skills, talents and experience are continually deployed to produce excellent results.

I will like to work here because, I have prepared myself to help in attaining set goals that will contribute immensely to your profits and overall performance while at the same time actualizing my career dreams.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE 5 YEARS FROM NOW?
I have plans and future ambition for myself. I believe the best way to do it is learn and grow at the same time. Therefore, within that time frame, I intend to have become a thorough bred professional with a clear understanding of the company, the industry and where the biggest challenges and opportunities lie. In short, I should be a distinguished professional by then.

WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS JOB?
I have been the marketing executive of my company and had initiated and implemented our sales plan that enabled us increase the revenue profile of our newly introduced product. We adopted a lot of measures that enabled us enter new markets easily. While my marketing manager took the credit for it, I was actually the driver of that plan.

I AM NOT SURE THAT YOU ARE SUITABLE FOR THIS JOB?
I admit that my ability in meeting monthly target is a low, however, among your customer base are people of high financial net-worth, and added to this, my relationship and management skills are excellent. This will enable me improve my selling skills, sell more as well as get better recommendations from them as well. I can also bring a depth of other experience to the job won’t you agree with me?

IN WHAT WAYS HAS YOUR JOB PREPARED YOU TO TAKE ON GREATER RESPONSIBILITY?
When I started work in my company, my responsibilities were only limited to my job description. After a while however, I began to solicit for more responsibilities, at first they were not forth coming. However, my boss eventually started giving me more responsibilities which I was handling with maximum efficiency and reporting back even earlier than was expected. Nowadays, he consults me regularly to discuss about directional changes so that he can keep management informed. I believe that shows both my growth and the confidence my management has in me as someone who can perform consistently above standard.

WHAT AREA OF YOUR SKILLS / PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE AT THIS TIME?
I think my personal profile and the job’s most crucial responsibilities. These areas are so important that I do not think that anyone can be too good or should ever stop trying to polish his or her skills.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF HOW INDUSTRY WORKS?
I think a company should be able to serve its customer interests in such a manner that will keep it profitable while also encouraging repeat business from the existing clientele base and new business from word of mouth and reputation. It is also every employee’s role to contribute effectively in order to achieve these goals.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR CURRENT JOB OR WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST / PREVIOUS JOB?
My reasons are what I called CLAMPS. An acronym for
Challenge – I felt that I was not growing professionally.
Location – Unreasonably long distance.
Advancement – I have the talent but have too many people ahead of me.
Money – I was underpaid for my skills and contribution.
Pride / Prestige – I wanted to be with a better company like yours.
Security – There is no stability in the company.

TELL ME HOW YOU MOVED UP THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION?
It was through my hard-work, dedication, consistent efforts, tenacity of purpose and of course substantial contribution.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR YOUR SUCCESS IN THIS PROFESSION?
I attribute my success to my determination to succeed, hard-work approach as well as support from my team members and co-workers also, my creative approach to solving problems and just relying on routine methods is also another factor.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM JOBS YOU HAVE HELD?
I have learnt that the good of the company is also mine. With this in mind, I take direction appropriately, learn very vastly and keep my boss informed of my actions.

I have also learnt that it is better to ask for directions than to let pride cause me problems that could have been avoided.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN YOUR NEXT JOB?
I am greatly looking forward to a great working environment, culture and people with whom I can maximally make contribution as I have always done in my career. And I also look forward to leadership that will help me develop professionally.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR COMPANY?
Yes, I personally know about your company’s well respected and acceptable
Products / services by the public.

ARE YOU WILLING TO GO WHERE THE COMPANY WILL SEND YOU?
Yes of course.

WHAT TYPE OF BOSS DO YOU LIKE?
A competent and inspiring leader who I can learn greatly from, who will guide but as well give me freedom to express my creativity and criticize me constructively when the need arises.

SEE THIS PHONE THAT I AM HOLDING, SELL IT FOR ME?
The features of this phone are…… and the can benefit you in these ways…… at such a cheap price. It is good enough for you to get for yourself as well as your loved ones. How many do I deliver Sir / Madam?

WHAT DID YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR LAST / PREVIOUS JOB?
Well I really liked everything about my job, but just that the work environment did not allow me to contribute as I would have loved to.

DESCRIBE A PARTICULAR DAY ON YOUR PRESENT OR PREVIOUS JOB?
I normally come a bit earlier than my resumption time which is 8.00am, prepare my activity sheet for the day and take time to make strategic plans for my work. But as an extra miler, I always make sure that I do a bit more than I planned for the day and eventually, make report to my boss and clear my desk for the next day.

HOW LONG WOULD YOU STAY WITH THE COMPANY?
I would really love to settle down here, take direction and learn for as long as I am growing professionally there is no reason for me to start looking for where to go.

HOW INTERESTED ARE YOU IN SPORTS?
I really enjoy sports, though I don’t get a lot of time to indulge myself, yet I am a regular member of my club football team.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?
I see rejection as an integral part of the sales process. Therefore, I normally take it that the customer in question may not want my product or service for that day and that I am closer to someone who will say yes.

CAN YOU WORK UNDER PRESSURE?
Yes, I usually find it stimulating, though I believe in planning and proper time management to reduce panic deadlines within my area of responsibility.

DO YOU PREFER WORKING WITH OTHERS OR ALONE?
I enjoy working alone when necessary, but I prefer to work in a group because I strongly believe that when we are together we can achieve much more.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD DIFFICULTIES GETTING ALONG WITH OTHERS?
No, not at all.

WHAT DIFFICULTIES DO YOU HAVE TOLERATING PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND INTERESTS FROM YOURS?
I don’t have any.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR CURRENT / LAST BOSS?
I respected him as a person, appreciated his professional approach to work which greatly inspired and guided me.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE THIS TYPE OF WORK?
Customer relation is my life passion which I have been able to prove over the years in my career. The challenges normally experienced in the job are the things I have come to take as part of what makes me successful.

WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO YOU WORRY ABOUT?
My greatest worries are meeting targets, deadlines and ensuring that my contributions to my company’s performance are very impressive and conspicuous. In short, I worry so much about how to make good things happen for my company continually.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THAT SHOWS INITIATIVE?
I took initiative of increasing my work time for one hour just to ensure that I do not leave off anything that was suppose to be finished for the following day. Because of that, my boss always delegates contingency responsibilities to me.

DO YOU LIKE ROUTINE TASKS / REGULAR HOURS?
Yes of course.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO BE INTERVIEWED WHILE STILL EMPLOYED?
It just happened that I had a short leave due and I went to my boss and requested that I needed a couple of days off for some personal issues. The favour I got was that he made it come earlier than expected. Though I want to change jobs, yet I don’t intend hurting my current employer or stagnating the work process in my unit.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF I TELL YOU THAT YOUR PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON IS LOUSY?
Well, I would like to know which aspects of my presentation were lousy.
If there was miscommunication, I would like to clear it up. If the problem was elsewhere, I would seek your advice and be sure that the misconception is corrected.

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH?
I find it difficult working with complainants who are more interested in what they are getting than what the company is giving them, slackers who do not care about the quality of their work and cannot bring solution to problems.

HOW HAVE YOU SUCCESSFULLY WORKED WITH THIS DIFFICULT TYPE OF PERSON?
I had a big problem with a colleague who was always complaining. However, I went out of my way to motivate and encourage him to be positive minded and give his best to the company on the grounds that he would be better off from it through what he will always learn along the way. After this my advice, he changed his attitude and began to be more contributory to our work process.

MAY I KNOW THE STEPS YOU TAKE IN SOLVING DIFFICULT PROBLEMS?
I always follow a five-step format with difficult problems.
One, I stand back and examine the problem.
Two, I recognize the problem as the symptom of others.
Three, I make a list of possible solutions to the problem.
Four, I weigh both the consequence and cost of each solution, and determine the best solution. And five, I go to my boss and outline the problem, make my recommendation and ask for my superior’s advice and approval.

DESCRIBE A SITUATION WHERE YOUR WORK IDEA WAS CRITICIZED?
I remained calm and listened very carefully without interrupting or defending myself. I asked for advice, we considered some other ideas and I was able to come up with a better idea. Eventually the criticism turned out to be positively challenging and constructive.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS ABOUT WHICH YOU AND YOUR SUPERVISOR DISAGREED?
Let’s not make an analysis on this one, since I did not disagree with him.

HOW DID YOU PAY FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY FEES?
I made some money by teaching students who were preparing for their WAEC/SSCE and Jamb exams.

WHY WERE YOU OUT OF WORK FOR SO LONG?
The truth is that I have always longed to be in a place where I can stay, contribute and experience fulfillment in what I am doing. It took me quite some time to find it and I do not consider it as being bad.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FIRED BEFORE?
No, not at all.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO RESIGN?
No, not at all.

WHAT IS YOUR GENERAL IMPRESSION OF YOUR LAST COMPANY?
Very excellent.

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH
Very dedicated and excellent achievers.

HOW HAVE YOU BENEFITED FROM YOUR DISAPPOINTMENTS?
I see disappointment as a blessing in disguise because I learn from them. I try to know what happened and how I would do things differently next time so as to get better results another time. That way, I put the disappointment behind me and move on with renewed energy to face the day’s activities.

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A NATURAL LEADER OR BORN FOLLOWER?
I would be misfiring to consider anyone as a natural leader. Leadership to me first of all stems from desire, and then it is a life time learning process. Because, anyone who reckons he has it all under control and has nothing more to learn is primarily deceiving him or herself and is not doing his employer any favour. As for me, I would always like to take counsel from my immediate boss and as well the input of those I am supervising. I am therefore one that grows into leadership by consistent personal development.

WHAT ARE YOUR SALARY EXPECTATIONS?
What figure do you have in mind for someone with my track record of experience?
I would expect a salary appropriate to my experience and ability to do the job successfully.

YOUR OWN QUESTION TIME AFTER THE INTERVIEWER MAY ASK YOU WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OR OBSERVATION TO MAKE.
A. Why is the job open? Who had it and what happened to him or her? Did he or she get promoted or fired?
B. Is there any written job descriptions? May I see it?
C. What would be my highest priority in the next six month?
D. How am I going to be evaluated on the job?
E. What are the company’s culture as well as promotion policy?
F. What has been the growth pattern of the company over the last five years?

AFTER THE FINAL INTERVIEW
Say something like this – It has been an exciting time being interviewed by you. I like this job very passionately and feel that I can do it very well in such a way that will contribute to your organization’s goals. I hope to hear from you very soon.

The next day, write a mail to your interviewer if you have his or her personal contact address expressing your appreciation for the interview like this –

Dear Sir / Madam,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed for the position of a customer relation. I so much like your goals. Your organization seems to me a conducive environment where I can contribute and in return develop myself professionally. I wait for your favourable decision.

Best regards.

If you do not receive a response after a reasonable period of time, you can telephone or send an inquiry mail.