Sample Answers

Tell me something about yourself.

Answer 1
“I have more than five years of experience as a technical project manager at top
Wall Street companies. Most recently, I led the development of an award-winning
new trading platform. I’m a person who thrives in a fast-paced environment so
right now I’m looking for an opportunity to apply my technical experience and
my creative problem solving skills at an innovative software company like this
one.”
Possible Answer 2
“I am a self-starter with strong interpersonal skills. I work efficiently both as an
individual contributor as well as along with a team. I seek new challenges and
try to think out-of-the-box while looking for creative solutions to a given problem.
Besides the details given in my resume, I believe in character, values, vision, and
action. I am a quick learner and believe in learning from my mistakes for I
strongly feel that this virtue will take me ahead in life and career.”

Why should the company hire you ?

Answer 1
Well, I have all of the skills and experience that you’re looking for and I’m
confident that I would be a star in this project management role.
It’s not just my background leading successful projects for top companies — or
my people skills, which have helped me develop great relationships with
developers, vendors, and senior managers alike. But I’m also passionate about
this industry and I’m driven to deliver high-quality work.”

Answer 2
Honestly, I almost feel like the job description was written with me in mind. I have
the 6 years of programming experience you’re looking for, a track record of
successful projects, and proven expertise in agile development processes.
At the same time, I have developed my communication skills from working
directly with senior managers, which means I am well prepared to work on high-
profile, cross-department projects. I have the experience to start contributing
from day one and I am truly excited about the prospect of getting started.”

What's your greatest strength?

Answer 1

I love to re-design processes to make them simpler and faster. It's fun for me and
over time I've got pretty good at it. At Acme Explosives I re-designed the ordering
process and got our average order turnaround time down from four business days
to one.

Answer 2

I like to solve thorny customer problems. At Angry Chocolates I took over the
account of a guy that nobody else wanted to deal with, because he was so difficult.
I spent a lot of time on the phone with that customer and built a great relationship
with him. He ended up doubling his order volume with Angry once he felt heard
and acknowledged.

What is your greatest weakness?

Answer 1
I think one area I could work on is my delegation skills. I am always so concerned
about everything being done right and on time that I can get stuck in that
mentality of “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Unfortunately, that’s not
always possible and I’ve realized that I can slow things down if I am too
controlling.
I learned this recently when given the opportunity to manage the department’s
summer interns. I had never managed direct reports before, so this was a hugely
educational experience in many different ways. It definitely taught me how to
delegate and my manager noticed the difference in my management style at the
end of the summer. I know that I can benefit from additional development in this
area, so I signed up for a management skills training course and am always
looking for opportunities to manage projects for our group.”
Sample answer 2
Honestly, I would say that public speaking is an area that I could work on. I tend
to get nervous when asked to present to a large group of people. In small team
meetings, I’m the first one to stand up and present. But put me in front of a big
group and I can get flustered.
I actually spoke to my manager about this and we set it as one of my development
goals for this year. I took an internal presentation skills class and attended some
meetings of Toastmasters, a networking group for people who want to practice
public speaking. With some practice, I started to feel more comfortable. Last
month, I even volunteered to represent our team at a division-wide town hall. I
only had to present for 10 minutes, but I did it and got great feedback! It was
actually kind of fun, so I plan on continuing to seek out opportunities to improve
in this area.”
What are your salary expectations for the job?
This is a great opportunity to sell yourself while putting the pressure on the
organization to make a fair offer by saying something along the lines of:
“I’m more interested in finding a position that’s a good fit for my skills and
interests. I’m confident that you’re offering a salary that’s competitive in the
current market.”

Situational questions and answers

1. Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

What They Want to Know: If you’re being considered for a high-stress job, the
interviewer will want to know how well you can work under pressure. Give a real
example of how you’ve dealt with pressure when you respond.

I had been working on a key project that was scheduled for delivery to the client
in 60 days. My supervisor came to me and said that we needed to speed it up and
be ready in 45 days, while keeping our other projects on time. I made it into a
challenge for my staff, and we effectively added just a few hours to each of our
schedules and got the job done in 42 days by sharing the workload. Of course, I
had a great group of people to work with, but I think that my effective allocation
of tasks was a major component that contributed to the success of the project.

2. How do you handle a challenge? Give an example.

What They Want to Know: Regardless of your job, things may go wrong and it
won’t always be business as usual. With this type of question, the hiring manager
wants to know how you will react in a difficult situation. Focus on how you
resolved a challenging situation when you respond.

One time, my supervisor needed to leave town unexpectedly, and we were in the
middle of complicated negotiations with a new sponsor. I was tasked with putting
together a PowerPoint presentation just from the notes he had left, and some
briefing from his manager. My presentation turned out successfully. We got the
sponsorship, and the management team even recommended me for an award.

3. Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?

What They Want to Know: Nobody is perfect, and we all make mistakes. The
interviewer is more interested in how you handled it when you made an error,
rather than in the fact that it happened.

I once misquoted the fees for a particular type of membership to the club where I
worked. I explained my mistake to my supervisor, who appreciated my coming
to him, and my honesty. He told me to offer to waive the application fee for the
new member. The member joined the club despite my mistake, my supervisor
was understanding, and although I felt bad that I had made a mistake, I learned to
pay close attention to the details so as to be sure to give accurate information in
the future.

4. Give an example of how you set goals.

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer wants to know
how well you plan and set goals for what you want to accomplish. The easiest
way to respond is to share examples of successful goal setting.

Within a few weeks of beginning my first job as a sales associate in a department

store, I knew that I wanted to be in the fashion industry. I decided that I would
work my way up to department manager, and at that point I would have enough
money saved to be able to attend design school full-time. I did just that, and I
even landed my first job through an internship I completed the summer before
graduation.

5. Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

What They Want to Know: The hiring manager is interested in learning what
you do to achieve your goals, and the steps you take to accomplish them.
When I started working for XYZ Company, I wanted to achieve the Employee of
the Month title. It was a motivational challenge, and not all the employees took it
that seriously, but I really wanted that parking spot, and my picture on the wall. I
went out of my way to be helpful to my colleagues, supervisors, and customers -
which I would have done anyway. I liked the job and the people I worked with.
The third month I was there, I got the honor. It was good to achieve my goal, and
I actually ended up moving into a managerial position there pretty quickly, I think
because of my positive attitude and perseverance.

6. Describe a decision you made that wasn't popular, and explain how you
handled implementing it.

What They Want to Know: Sometimes management has to make difficult

decisions, and not all employees are happy when a new policy is put in place. If
you’re interviewing for a decision-making role, the interviewer will want to know
your process for implementing change.

Once, I inherited a group of employees when their supervisor relocated to another

city. They had been allowed to cover each other’s shifts without management
approval. I didn’t like the inconsistencies, where certain people were being given
more opportunities than others. I introduced a policy where I had my assistant
approve all staffing changes, to make sure that everyone who wanted extra hours
and was available at certain times could be utilized.

7. Give an example of how you worked on a team.

What They Want to Know: Many jobs require working as part of a team. In
interviews for those roles, the hiring manager will want to know how well you
work with others and cooperate with other team members.

During my last semester in college, I worked as part of a research team in the

History department. The professor leading the project was writing a book on the
development of language in Europe in the Middle Ages. We were each assigned
different sectors to focus on, and I suggested that we meet independently before
our weekly meeting with the professor to discuss our progress, and help each
other out if we were having any difficulties. The professor really appreciated the
way we worked together, and it helped to streamline his research as well. He was
ready to start on his final copy months ahead of schedule because of the work we
helped him with.

8. What do you do if you disagree with someone at work?

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is seeking
insight into how you handle issues at work. Focus on how you’ve solved a
problem or compromised when there was a workplace disagreement.

A few years ago, I had a supervisor who wanted me to find ways to outsource
most of the work we were doing in my department. I felt that my department was
one where having the staff on premises had a huge impact on our effectiveness
and ability to relate to our clients. I presented a strong case to her, and she came
up with a compromise plan.

9. Share an example of how you were able to motivate employees or co-workers.

What They Want to Know: Do you have strong motivational skills? What
strategies do you use to motivate your team? The hiring manager is looking for a
concrete example of your ability to motivate others.

I was in a situation once where the management of our department was taken over
by employees with experience in a totally different industry, in an effort to
maximize profits over service. Many of my co-workers were resistant to the
sweeping changes that were being made, but I immediately recognized some of
the benefits, and was able to motivate my colleagues to give the new process a
chance to succeed.

10. Have you handled a difficult situation? How?

What They Want to Know: Can you handle difficult situations at work or do
you not deal with them well? The employer will want to know what you do when
there’s a problem.

When I worked at ABC Global, it came to my attention that one of my employees

had become addicted to painkillers prescribed after she had surgery. Her
performance was being negatively impacted, and she needed to get some help. I
spoke with her privately, and I helped her to arrange a weekend treatment
program that was covered by her insurance. Fortunately, she was able to get her
life back on track, and she received a promotion about six months later.