Job Interview Question Database:

Questions with Excellent Sample Responses

The Job Interview Question Database includes 109 of the most typical interview questions that you may face in your
job interviews. Questions are in no particular order, so take your time and go through the entire list!
Displaying Interview Questions 1-8

1. How would you describe yourself?

Sample excellent response:

My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become the very best financial consultant I can
become. Let me tell you specifically how I've prepared myself. I am an undergraduate student in finance and
accounting at _________ University. My past experiences has been in retail and higher education. Both aspects have
prepared me well for this career.

2. What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for your life?

Sample excellent response:

I want to be working for an excellent company like yours in a job in which I am managing information. I plan to
contribute my leadership, interpersonal, and technical skills. My long-range career goal is to be the best information
systems technician I can for the company I work for.

3. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?

Sample excellent response:

I have prepared myself to transition into the the work force through real-world experience involving travel abroad,
internship, and entrepreneurial opportunities. While interning with a private organization in Ecuador, I developed a 15-
page marketing plan composed in Spanish that recommended more effective ways the company could promote its
services. I also traveled abroad on two other occasions in which I researched the indigenous culture of the Mayan
Indians in Todos Santos, Guatemala, and participate din a total language immersion program in Costa Rica. As you
can see from my academic, extracurricular, and experiential background, I have unconditionally committed myself to
success as a marketing professional.

4. Please describe the ideal job for you following graduation.

Sample excellent response (equates ideal job with job he's interviewing for):
My ideal job is one that incorporates both my education and practical work skills to be the best I can be. Namely
combining my education in finance with my working knowledge of customer service operations, entrepreneurial
abilities, computer skills, and administrative skills. I want to utilize my analytical expertise to help people meet their
financial goals. This is exactly why I am convinced that I would be a very valuable member of the Merrill Lynch team.

5. What influenced you to choose this career?

Sample excellent response:

My past experiences have shown me that I enjoy facing and overcoming the challenge of making a sale. Without a
doubt, once I have practiced my presentation and prepared myself for objections, I feel very confident approaching
people I don't know and convincing them that they need my product. Lastly, I like sales because my potential for
success is limited only by how much of myself I dedicate toward my goal. If any profession is founded on self-
determinism, it surely must be sales.

6. At what point did you choose this career?

Sample excellent response:

I knew that I wanted to pursue information systems technology about my sophomore year in college. It was then that I
realized that my that my hobby (computers) was taking up most of my time. My favorite courses were IT courses. I also
realized that I was doing computer-oriented work-study that I enjoyed so much I would have done it for free.

7. What specific goals have you established for your career?

Sample excellent response:
My goals include becoming a Certified Financial Advisor so I can obtain a better working knowledge of financial
research analysis, which would allow me contribute to my client base as a better financial consultant since I would
have that extra insight into the companies they are seeking to invest in. Also this is the foundation block to advancing
my career to portfolio manager or even branch office manager.

8. What will it take to attain your goals, and what steps have you taken toward attaining them?

Sample excellent response:

I've already done some research on other workers at Merrill Lynch to see how they achieved similar goals. I know that
Merrill Lynch encourages the pursuit and will reimburse for tuition of a graduate degree. I plan on pursuing a MBA to
give me an even more extensive knowledge of business and financial analysis.

9. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?

Sample excellent response:

I believe successful salespeople put forth that extra effort that turns potential clients into first-time customers.
Salespeople who attend to the details by doing whatever it takes to win over a prospective customer distinguish
themselves from the countless others who don't go to any extra effort. Second, I think that if you label success as an
attainable goal, you will never consistently remain successful. You can only succeed if you learn all there is to learn
about your product, your competitors, and personal selling. Since this learning process is continuous, it's an
unattainable goal. With good reason, salespeople should not consider success an attainable ending point but an
objective that will always linger slightly beyond their reach.

10. How do you determine or evaluate success? Give me an example of one of your successful
accomplishments.

Sample excellent response:

Last semester I was hired by by university's Council for Student Activities. The group negotiates contracts of
entertainers, sets up sound equipment, markets the entertainers to students, and generally decides what kind of
programming should be done. When I got hired, I didn't know the first thing about how fill any of those responsibilities. I
decided, however, that I wasn't going to fail. Four months later, I have become the Webmaster for the group. I also
write our campus newsletter and created Game Night, a student competition of table games. That event yielded the
biggest audience ever for a non-concert event.

11. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career?

Sample excellent response:

I believe I have a combination of qualities to be successful in this career. First, I have a strong interest, backed by a
solid, well-rounded, state-of-the-art education, especially in a career that is technically oriented. This basic ingredient,
backed by love of learning, problem-solving skills, well-rounded interests, determination to succeed and excel, strong
communication skills, and the ability to work hard, are the most important qualities that will help me succeed in this
career. To succeed, you also need a natural curiosity about how systems work -- the kind of curiosity I demonstrated
when I upgraded my two computers recently. Technology is constantly changing, so you must a fast learner just to
keep up or you will be overwhelmed. All of these traits combine to create a solid team member in the ever-changing
field of information systems. I am convinced that I possess these characteristics and am ready to be a successful team
member for your firm.

12. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

Sample excellent response:

A recent satisfying accomplishment I was sent to one of our branch banks that was notorious for not growing their loan
base. The branch had logged $75,000 in new loans in an 18-month period prior to my arrival. Having a reputation as a
"hired gun" when it came to loan production I was successful in the solicitation and booking of $700,000 in my first six
months at the branch.

13. If you could do so, how would you plan your college career differently?
Sample excellent response:
I wouldn't change anything. All that I have done was a great learning experience that I will carry forward throughout the
rest of my life.

14. Are you more energized by working with data or by collaborating with other individuals?

Sample excellent response:

I like the validity of information and also like the energy that comes with working with people. The best thing about
working in a group is combining the great minds from different perspectives and coming up with something extremely
great, compared with when you're working alone. At the same time, information can generate vitality in the project
you're working on. No matter how many heads you've got together, without information, you can't go very far. The
perfect situation would be a combination of working with information and people, and I'm confident of my abilities in
both areas.

15. How would you describe yourself in terms of your ability to work as a member of a team?

Sample excellent response:

I have had many opportunities in both athletics and academics to develop my skills as a team player. My tenure as a
rower with my college's crew team serves as a good example. I learned a great deal about teamwork while rowing
because all the rowers in the boat must act as one, which meant that we incessantly worked to keep each movement
in the boat synchronized. On an individual basis, we still worked toward group goals through weightlifting and land-
rowing. My experience as a marketing research team leader also helped me to learn the role of "team player." I viewed
my position as that of group leader and of group member. I ensured that everyone in the group had equal opportunity
to contribute, maintained excellent communication among group members, and coordinated their energies toward
reaching our team's goal.

16. What motivates you to put forth you greatest effort?

Sample excellent response:

You would think that because I am interested in sales, only financial compensation would motivate me to achieve.
Although monetary rewards are important to me, I am driven to succeed internally. More than anything, I want to be
respected by my friends and coworkers for being the best at what I do. Whether I am considered to be the best car
detailer in my hometown or the best columnist for my college newspaper, I want to be recognized as the best.

17. Given the investment our company will make in hiring and training you, can you give us a reason to hire
you?

Sample excellent response:

I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other college students who have
the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best
person for the job -- my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself
into achieving it. In college and at my previous jobs, I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can
become. I think my leadership awards from my college, and my management positions are the result of possessing the
qualities you're looking for in an employee.

18. Would you describe yourself as goal-driven?

Sample excellent response:

Yes, and I demonstrated my goal orientation as president of the local Jaycees, a community service organization. I am
very proud of the fact that I set a goal of signing 50 new members by the end of the year, and I accomplished that.

19. Describe what you've accomplished toward reaching a recent goal for yourself.

Sample excellent response:

My first few years in banking had me on the fast track to branch management. I realized at some point along the way
that my true passion was in offering financial advice not limited to checking accounts and loans. It was at that point that
I made the necessary arrangements to go back to school full-time to pursue my goal, which I am just about to achieve.
20. What short-term goals and objectives have you established for yourself?

Sample excellent response:

My short-term objectives are to graduate from the Professional Development Program before the standard two years
and begin developing a clientele. As an intern, I prepared ahead of time by studying for the Series 7 and Series 64
exams that constitute a majority of a beginning financial consultant's time. I'd like to make make the company that hires
me wonder what it ever did without me.

21. Can you describe your long-range goals and objectives?

Sample excellent response:

My primary objectives are to learn as much as possible about your company's product offering, organizational
structure, and professional sales techniques so that I may become the most productive member of your sales team.

22. What do you expect to be doing in five years?

Sample excellent response:

Although it is hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I will become a very good financial consultant. I believe
that my abilities will allow me to excel to the point that I can seek other opportunities as a portfolio manager (the next
step) and possibly even higher. My ultimate goal continues to be -- and will always be -- to be the best at whatever
level I am working at within Merrill Lynch's corporate structure.

23. What do you see yourself doing in ten years?

Sample excellent response:

Ten years from now I see myself as a successful consultant for a world-class firm like yours. I want to have developed
a wonderful bond with my employer I will have proven myself a highly competent systems analyst and will represent
my company in helping others find solutions to their information-systems needs in a professional and timely manner.

24. How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict?

Sample excellent response:

I believe I am quite good at handling conflict. Working in retail and in the residence halls required that I make many
unpopular decisions at times, whether it was terminating an associate or taking judicial action on a resident. Often the
person in conflict with me would be upset and sometimes physically outraged. I would always make sure that I fully
explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those policies exist. Usually by the end of the
conversation, the person could see the other side of the situation.

25. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or instructor? How did you resolve the conflict?

Sample excellent response:

Yes, I had an incident with my Spanish professor. I turned in an essay that she said was too good to be mine. I was
honest with her; I told her that I had a native speaker review the essay, but he made very few corrections. However, I
had broken the Golden Rule of Spanish Composition -- the essay must not even touch the hands of a native speaker.
To prove to her that I was capable of producing an essay that exceeded her expectations of a non-native speaker, I
offered to re-write another essay in her office. I earned an A-minus.

26. Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you successful in resolving it?

Sample excellent response:

While working at K-mart, I was one of three people to work in the electronics department. One day upon arriving at
work, I was told the district manager was coming the next day to do a store inspection. The two other people who
worked in electronics were both over 55. Neither could lift heavy objects, and one refused to work at all. As a result,
the electronics department was usually left to me to keep stocked with product and kept in order. I had about five hours
of work time to get the entire department in order. Those five hours passed around, and there was still a substantial
amount of work to be done. I asked the store manager if I could stay and work after hours while the overnight stockers
were there. He said that because of the employment budget, he could not let me. I was faced with bringing the entire
store's rating down, so I suggested a creative staffing solution, allowing me to work the extra hours while temporarily
reducing the hours of the other two members of the department. Because of this solution, in a matter of hours, the
department was in tip-top shape -- and still under budget. And the results? The electronics department got a score of
95 out of 100.

27. Would you say that you can easily deal with high-pressure situations?

Sample excellent response:

Yes. My past experience as an Administrative Coordinator required me to deal with many serious situations since I
held emergency on-call duties as a supervisor. One example was when I was called by a Resident Assistant to deal
with an attempted suicide on her residence hall floor. The situation required that I think clearly and quickly in this life-
and-death situation. I had to weigh the many tasks that needed to be completed. I had to assign RAs to call 911, make
sure that EMS could get into the locked building, while at the same time applying first aid, and ensuring that the rest of
the residents on the floor were OK. I also had to make sure the privacy of the resident in need was respected. I
basically prioritized and dealt with each task by its importance. I delegated responsibility to RAs for things that they
were capable of handling because I could not physically be in many places at once. Once the resident was taken to
the hospital, I was responsible for paperwork and follow up to make sure the staff members, residents, and the
resident-in-need adjusted back to "normal" life. I know this is an extreme example not found in the financial consulting
field; however, it shows just how well I can deal with extreme pressure.

28. What quality or attribute do you feel will most contribute to your career success?

Sample excellent response:

My greatest strength is my flexibility. I have learned that work conditions change from day to day and throughout the
day, as well, no matter where I have worked in the past. I also have realized that certain projects require individual
attention and others involve a teamwork approach. These are just a few examples of the changes that happen in the
financial consulting field, as you are well aware. My flexibility to adapt to the different demands of the job has allowed
me to surpass my supervisor's expectations.

29. What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in school or on the job?

Sample excellent response (shows how he recognized his weakness and worked to improve):
My greatest weakness had been delegation. I would take it upon myself to do many small projects throughout my shift
as a manager that could have been done by others in an attempt to improve my workers' efficiency. Once I realized
that I was doing more work than the other assistant managers, and they were achieving better results, I reevaluated
what I was doing. I quickly realized that if I assigned each person just one small project at the beginning of their shift,
clearly state expectations for the project, and then follow up that everything would get done, and I could manage much
more efficiently and actually accomplish much more.

30. What were your reasons for selecting your college or university?

Sample excellent response (tells how education specifically will benefit the employer):
My college has always had a reputation as having an excellent accounting department, so I knew that if I enrolled
there, I would achieve first-class preparation for my chosen career field. It is also a highly accredited school known for
satisfying employers with the preparation of its graduates -- that's why companies like yours recruit at my school -- the
school produces top graduates. The school offers an excellent liberal-arts background, which research shows equips
graduates with numerous qualities, such as versatility and strong critical-thinking skills. Finally, having visited the
campus before enrolling, I knew that the business school emphasized group projects. During my four years in the
school, I participated in more than 35 group projects, which taught me invaluable teamwork, communication, and
interpersonal skills.

31. If you could change or improve anything about your college, what would it be?

Sample excellent response:

My major department had a wonderful internship program, and I was able to complete three valuable internships with
my department's guidance. Some other departments in the business school don't have internship programs that are as
strong as my department's. I'd like to see all the departments have strong internship programs so all my school's
business grads would have the same opportunities that I had.

32. How will the academic program and coursework you've taken benefit your career?
Sample excellent response (response is very specific to the job he is interviewing for):
As you will note on my resume, I've taken not only the required core classes for the finance field, I've also gone above
and beyond by double majoring in accounting. I doubled majored since I knew that the financial consulting field
requires much knowledge of portfolio analysis and understanding of the tax laws. I believe that my success in both
areas of study have specifically prepared me for this area. But it's not just taking the classes in these two areas that
allows me to offer Merrill Lynch clients more. I minored in Spanish to understand the growing hispanic clientele in the
Central Florida area, which as you are well aware is a growing source of revenue for the industry. If you like, I can
elaborate on other aspects of my education further.

33. Which college classes or subjects did you like best? Why?

Sample excellent response:

My favorite classes have been the ones pertaining to my major, which is marketing. These classes have laid the
groundwork for my career in marketing. They have also taught me skills that I can bring to my employer, ranging from
communication skills to interacting with others.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

34. Are you the type of student for whom conducting independent research has been a positive experience?

Sample excellent response:

Yes, I love it. I thoroughly enjoyed my senior research in college while many others in my class were miserable. I was
never tired of learning more about my topic and found it exhilarating to be researching something that had not been
studied before.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

35. Describe the type of professor that has created the most beneficial learning experience for you.

Sample excellent response:

My favorite professors were the ones who gave me hands-on learning experiences that I can apply to my career. Any
person can make you memorize the quadratic equation, but someone who can show you how to use it, and why, were
the professors I liked. I liked teachers who realized that sometimes there is more then one answer and everyone thinks
differently.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

36. Do you think that your grades are a indication of your academic achievement?

Sample excellent response:

I have focused much of my energy on work and obtaining real-world experience. I commend my classmates who have
earned high GPAs, but I also feel it's important to be well-rounded. In addition to work experience, I participated in
sports and extracurricular activities in school. These activities taught me leadership, communication, and teamwork
skills. Sometimes my heavy load has not allowed me to keep up with some of my studies, but I have learned an
enormous amount that I can apply in my future industry. As you will discover if you talk to my supervisors, my ability to
work effectively is much more reflective of my future potential than is my GPA.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

37. What plans do you have for continued study? An advanced degree?

Sample excellent response:

I plan to continue my education for the rest of my life. In any technology-related field, keeping up to date through
continuing education is of the utmost importance. Continuing education can include on-the-job training, courses
sponsored by the employer, and courses taken in new technologies as they emerge. I plan to be not only a career
employee but a career student so that I can be the best information systems analyst I can be. I will ensure, however,
that any education I pursue not only doesn't interfere with my job or the company's policies, but will enhance my value
as an employee.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

38. Before you can make a productive contribution to the company, what degree of training do you feel you
will require?

Sample excellent response:

My background has been focused on preparing me for the financial consulting industry, so I can be productive right
away. I already have obtained the educational credentials and skills to allow me to become an immediate asset to
Merrill Lynch. After interning for a semester, I am well aware of the shared beliefs of the organization and its corporate
values. I already have a very good working knowledge of the financial consulting business. I am confident of my ability
to get up to speed quickly in any assignment with which I'm not familiar.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

39. Describe the characteristics of a successful manager.

Sample excellent response:

A successful manager should have the vision and capabilities to formulate strategies to reach his or her objectives and
communicate these ideas to his or her team members. In addition to serving as a positive role model for co-workers,
successful managers must also be capable of inspiring others to recognize, develop, and apply their talents to their
utmost potential to reach a common goal. These are the traits I hope to demonstrate when I'm a manager.

40. Why did you decide to seek a position in this field?

Sample excellent response:

I want to work in the marketing and PR industry because ever since I took my first marketing course in college, I have
felt very passionate toward the industry and cannot imagine myself doing anything else.

41. Tell me what you know about our company.

Sample excellent response:

You're large and respected worldwide. You're both a clinical and teaching hospital. Over the last 60 to 70 years you've
produced award-winning research. In reviewing your Web site, I've familiarized myself with many of your corporate
goals and objectives.
[Submitted by "Judy"]

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

42. Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?

Sample excellent response:

I am convinced that there would be no better place to work than Accenture. You are the top consulting firm in the
United States. You provide your employees with the tools they need to stay competitive and sharpen their skills while
working in an open, team-based environment. I am also aware that you provide a mentor for all new employees, and I
would embrace any opportunity to work with a mentor and eventually become one myself.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

43. Do you have a geographic preference?

Sample excellent response:

Although I would prefer to stay in the Mid-Atlantic area, I would not rule out other possibilities.

44. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located?

Sample excellent response:

Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend several days in your community, and I fell in love with it. I love
the fact that you have a thriving riverfront. I'm impressed with the many cultural opportunities here -- opera, theater, art,
and independent films. I've also already become a fan of the Saints and the other sports teams based here. I have
conducted significant Internet research on this city, so I am quite comfortable with your location.

45. Would it be a problem for you to relocate?

Sample excellent response:

I'm open to opportunities within the company; if those opportunities involve relocation, I would certainly consider it.

46. To what extent would you be willing to travel for the job?

Sample excellent response:

I am more than willing to travel. I understand the importance of going above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy
customer requests is sometimes required and that Merrill Lynch's customer focus belief means that travel is expected
in some circumstances. I am willing to make this commitment to do whatever it takes to develop that long-term
relationship with a small business or client. It is only through this relationship that loyalty can be maintained and
financial gains and growth can occur for both the client and Merrill Lynch. It is my understanding from other financial
consultants that I have interviewed at Merrill Lynch that this occurs maybe one or two times a month.

47. Which is more important to you, the job itself or your salary?

Sample excellent response:

A salary commensurate with my experience and skills is important, but it's only one piece of the package. Many other
elements go into making up a compensation package, but more importantly, it's critical to me to enjoy what I'm doing,
fit into the corporate culture, and feel I'm making a genuine contribution.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

48. What level of compensation would it take to make you happy?

Sample excellent response:

I am not depending on money to make me happy. What makes me happy is having a satisfying job that provides
challenge and new situations daily.

49. Tell me about the salary range you're seeking.

Sample excellent response:

I am sure that I am the candidate you are looking for. If you feel the same, the I'm sure your offer will be fair and
commensurate with the value I can bring the company.

See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

50. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see
things your way?

Sample excellent response:

Recently my company asked for bids on a phone system for our new college campus. Two companies came in very
close with their bids, and most of my department wanted to go with a vendor that we have used in the past. After I
looked over the proposals, it was clear that this was the wrong decision. So, I talked individually with each member of
our staff and was able to change their minds and get the best product that would save money and provide the highest
quality.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

51. Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation.

Sample excellent response:

When I was a resident assistant at my college, a student I did not know asked me if he could use my phone to call
another room. Although I did not know the student, I allowed him into my room. He used the phone and in the course
of his conversation, he stated that he had just come from a fraternity party and was high from taking some drugs. Well
after his conversation, I had to enforce the student conduct code by writing him up. He became very hostile towards
me and would not give me any identification or information. I stood in the doorway to prevent him from leaving. I noted
the serial numbers on his keys, so when the situation got to the point where I felt unsafe, I allowed the him to leave. I
still preformed my job without jeopardizing my or his physical welfare.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

52. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

Sample excellent response:

I had a client come into the bank where I worked and request a $5,000 personal loan to "pay off some bills." In the
customary review process, I determined that what was really needed was a $25,000 debt-consolidation loan. Rather
than giving the customer a "quick-fix" to the problem, I logically solved the problem in a way that was in the best
interest of both the bank and the client.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

53. By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and
environments.

Sample excellent response:

I've shown my ability to adapt by successfully working in several very different jobs. For example, I lived with a native
family in Costa Rica. I worked as a nanny for a famous writer in Cape Cod. I was responsible for dealing with Drug
Court participants. And I catered to elite country-club clientele. I did it all well and had no trouble adapting.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

54. Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.

Sample excellent response:

Arriving at the language school I was attending in Costa Rica in the middle of the night with very minimal Spanish-
language skills, I found my way to a very small town with no street addresses or names and found my temporary
residence. I was scared, but I handled the situation very well, very calmly. In very stressful situations, I am always the
one in the group to stay calm and focused. My friends, family, and professors have always said that I am an oasis of
calm in a storm.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

55. Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.

Sample excellent response:

This happens often in the IT industry, but one recent example was when we had a core backbone switch die. It died at
the worst possible time -- during exams -- as they always seem to do, and I needed to get it back up and running
quickly. I analyzed the logs and system status, and using my previous experience,I made some quick decisions that
rectified problem and got the equipment back up only minutes later.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

56. Describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an important point across.

Sample excellent response:

As an Administrative Coordinator, I had a staff of 27 students. Having such a large student staff all working different
shifts and having varying class schedules meant that meetings could not be held with everyone at one time. I needed
to communicate with everyone about important policies and information often, so I came up with the idea of designing
a Web page for my staff with written announcements. Each Desk Assistant was required to check the Web page daily
at the beginning of his/her shift. I also sent email communications by a distribution list that allowed each Desk
Assistant to keep informed about anything. The one situation that stands out in my mind is a last-minute summer camp
that decided to come in a day early with only one day's notice. I had no staff scheduled to check in the camps or to
organize the keys. I posted an update to the Web page and sent an email. Within four hours, I had the following day
completely staffed and desk assistants there to organize room keys for the campers that night.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

57. Give me a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.

Sample excellent response:

When I worked at Home Depot as an assistant manager, I was always looking for way to boost my employees' morale.
Unloading trucks is a very routine and physical job and can become very boring and exhausting, so to improve the
unloaders' attitude toward their duties and make the best of the situation, I put a radio in the receiving dock. It worked;
however, the district manager did not approve of the radio in the workplace even though it did not interfere with any set
policy of company objectives. The radio was also out of any areas where customers would hear the music. I did not
agree with my DMs decision to remove the radio; however, I understood his point of view once he explained it to me
and promptly complied to his request. The employees were not happy that their radio was gone, so I found an
alternative method of reward and morale boosting by implementing a program in which we provided lunch for the
unloaders from any restaurant of their choice if they unloaded the trucks faster than normal. This program succeeded
by increasing their unloading time from 2 1/2 hours to only 1 1/2, a savings in payroll of 8 percent of sales for that shift.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

58. Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me about your success in
reaching it.

Sample excellent response:

As a senior in high school, my goal was to attend college and play college golf. But I was nowhere near the player I
needed to be to play or even get on the team. So over that summer I worked on my golf game to the point where I won
almost every tournament I entered. I spent every hour I had during the day to make myself a better all-around player. I
eventually walked on my freshmen year and was exempted from qualifying because I played so well in my first outing.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

59. Describe the most significant or creative presentation that you have had to complete.

Sample excellent response:

The most significant presentation I have ever had to present was at a national research symposium. I was presenting
research I had completed on digital analysis of mammograms and had to present to a panel of more than 100 judges
who were at the top of their field. I focused on the research, which could sell itself, and just let the information flow. It
went over very well, and I received many more invitations to present the research, including on national television.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

60. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

Sample excellent response:

Although I had already punched out, I stayed behind to help a colleague solve a problem. A customer was very angry
as he had waited very long for his coffee. My colleague was new, she was quite slow. I came out and explained things
to the customer. Although he was very angry at first, I just listened to him and told him that we try to bring our best out
to each customer who walks in to our store. After a one-hour discussion, he left with a happy face and was satisfied.
[Submitted by "Fizah."]

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

61. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even
when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).

Sample excellent response:

During my time in the theater, I had one director with whom I absolutely did not work well. However, because of my
track record, she would assign me as stage director and/or assistant director. I was usually involved in the day-to-day
operations of the play and the details of how the play would be performed. I handled the operation for the play by
directing scenes the best way I could and then showing them to her for approval. If she did not like the way a scene
worked, I gave her my opinion as to why it should be my way. If we still could not compromise, I would follow her
directions to the best of my ability. Understanding that people don't usually have malicious intentions is key, and
understanding that you will never be able to convince some people that your way is right is the best way to avoid
conflict and still get the job done.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

62. Sometimes it's easy to get in "over your head." Describe a situation where you had to request help or
assistance on a project or assignment.

Sample excellent response:

It's impossible to know everything in the IT field because of rapidly changing technology, so recently when we were
having troubles with our circuit emulation over our ATM network, I had to call in some engineers from North Carolina to
come help me out. The nice thing about asking for help is that when you get the assistance, you can learn from what
you are told and apply it to future situations.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

63. Give an example of how you applied knowledge from previous coursework to a project in another class.

Sample excellent response:

Last semester I was taking a microeconomics and a statistics course. One of the microeconomics projects dealt with
showing the relationship between the probability that customers would stop buying a product if the price was raised a
certain amount. Through what I learned in statistics I could find the median where the price was the highest and still
kept most of the customers happy.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

64. Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas. What did
you do?

Sample excellent response:

I was on a project team in a business class in my freshman year in college, The group brainstormed ideas for the video
we were assigned to produce, and everyone but me was leaning toward an idea that would be easy. I suggested
instead an idea that would be more difficult but would be something different that no other group would be doing. I
used my communications skills to persuade the rest of the group to use my idea. During the project, we really learned
what teamwork was all about, became a close team, and ended up putting a lot of hard work into the project. All the
team members ended up feeling very proud of the video, and they thanked me for the idea -- for which we earned an
A.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.