50 Top Job Interview Questions & Answers

Well, I come from a management background, having worked at The Sales Guys for over five years. While at TSG, I managed our sales team of roughly eight sales reps.

 

My team was constantly exceeding quota every quarter due to the great work environment that we had created. I am currently looking for a new challenge and the opportunity to manage a larger team.

 

I have a passion for renewable energy, cars, and sales so I can’t think of a better place to be interviewing than right here at Tesla. I would love nothing more than to bring my sales management expertise into the growing and amazing team here at Tesla.

After following your company on LinkedIn for years and doing a little personal research on your website, I have realized that you guys are revolutionizing the way vehicles are produced.

 

I was very impressed with your company’s vision and plans for the upcoming years as well as the background of your founder and CEO.

 

I would be honored to work for a company like yours and I am confident that my background, experience, and skills can be put to use while contributing to the company’s mission.

What interests me most about this position is the opportunity for me to work hands-on with the sales team.

 

Many other companies I have interviewed with for sales manager positions are too hands-off. They seem more focused on monitoring activity and pipeline than the actual development of the sales reps.

 

Training others and passing on my SaaS knowledge has always been a passion of mine, and I feel that ABC Company shares similar values.

 

I am confident that allowing me to train and mentor these sales reps will result in a huge increase in productivity and overall revenue gained.

I believe you should hire me because I am a very fast learner and I know how to get the job done.

 

I graduated with a four-year college degree in just over three years.

 

In addition, I worked all throughout college, giving me years of experience.

 

If you are looking to hire a recent grad, I can assure you that I am a motivated candidate who puts my all into every opportunity.

One of my strengths is that I am extremely ambitious. I love being social and meeting new people.

 

My mother always told me that I should become a sales person because I do not understand the word ‘no.’

 

I would love the opportunity to bring my competitive spirit and can-do attitude to the amazing sales team here at ABC Company.

I am not the best speech giver; however, I have been taking communications courses at my university in order to practice. I have given multiple speeches in front of the classroom and I am working to turn this weakness into a strength.

Last December, my company was struggling to meet their end of year revenue.

 

We had about eight days left till the New Year and we were short just over $1.5 million dollars.

 

As the sales manager, it was my responsibility to get my team pumped up and make sure that we met our goal.

 

Keep in mind; our average monthly revenue was around $1 million dollars so achieving $1.5 million in 8 days was a huge task to take on.

 

For the remaining days, I organized brief team meetings; call blocks and cash prizes for the reps that closed the most deals.

 

The end result was $1.9 million dollars in eight days. We not only saved the quarter but also greatly exceeded everyone’s expectations.

At ABC Company I was assigned a task by a member of the engineering team. She needed help from myself and a peer on the marketing team to finish a web page design.

 

Unfortunately, her deadline expectations were unrealistic for us. I had never met this individual since our departments were on separate floors, so I asked to get together with her for lunch.

 

I kindly asked her to walk me through her peer’s expectations for my role in this project. After she laid out her expectations, I walked her through the steps that we were taking to ensure the project was done correctly.

 

Once we had the chance to learn about each other’s processes, we had a much better understanding of the timeframes that were realistic.

 

We agreed on a doable timeframe that would help us both meet our goals and the conflict was resolved before it could escalate.

I am no longer being challenged. I’ve requested more responsibility but my day-to-day has become repetitive with very little room for growth.

 

Your company is constantly adapting and the employees seem to be learning something new every day. I would love to work for a revolutionary company such as yours.

From birth, I have always been an animal lover. I like to make animals happy and find valid solutions to any problems that they are having.

 

I thrive in environments that give me the opportunity to work using my problem-solving skills to provide them with the care they need.

 

My dream job would be in a workplace where I was able to do this and work with animals as much as possible.

My goal is to be the best at what I do and work somewhere where I’ll have opportunities to learn and develop my skills, work on exciting new projects, and be a part of an amazing team who can coach me and help me grow.

 

I believe that some of the most innovative creators work here and that’s a big reason why I would love to start my future at XYZ Company.

Yes. I’ve been interviewing at a few other SaaS companies in the area. However, so far from what I’ve seen here, I’d have to say that this would be my #1 company to work at.

My friends would describe me as outgoing and energetic. They’d also say I am determined and never give up.

 

One time, we were all rock climbing. About halfway up everybody wanted to turn around and go back down the mountain.

 

I turned our climb into a competition and proposed a $100 prize for whoever was first to climb the mountain. That quickly changed their minds and we decided to keep climbing.

 

Side note, I won the $100!

During my last job, I was very well-known for being a knowledgeable employee. I had memorized all of the content, statistics, and case studies for our company so everyone in the office would use me as their personal content encyclopedia.

My boss also commented on how punctual I was – I never missed a deadline or was late to work for the 3 years I worked there.

Finally, I would have to say that my boss would also bring up my team spirit. I was known for bringing in treats to the entire team after every successful event that took place. Everyone in the office looked forward to cookies or donuts after a huge sale, new product launch, or new milestone.

Thanks for asking! I love playing the piano. I am actually in a classical music band called the Classicools and we perform all around town at various venues. We meet up and practice every Saturday at my house.

What do you love most about this company?

 

What kind of a career roadmap can I expect in this position?

 

What’s the biggest struggle amongst members of this team?

 

What’s the most rewarding part of your day?

 

What would you expect of me in terms of performance on a day-to-day basis?

My last project involved a goal to reduce our employee turnover rate at XYZ Health Industries. I designed a unique hiring process and training, which began to show positive results by the following quarter.

 

Simultaneously, my team crunched the numbers and reworked the employee compensation plans.

 

I also led a team of experienced trainers and coaches as we established a learning and development program.

 

Together, these steps reduced the employee turnover rate from 32% to 14%, cutting it into less than half.

 

The development program was even rated #1 by Training Magazine last year.

When I was at ABC Company, we went through company-wide layoffs, which greatly affected our department.

 

The team of five that remained in the department had to absorb the duties of the two who had left. As a result, people were overworked and morale suffered.

 

More mistakes were being made because attention was so scattered. As the manager, it was my job to get performance back on track.

I’m only human, so I can definitely admit to receiving criticism of my work in the past. Honestly, the only thing you can do at that point is to thank the person for pointing out the flaw.

 

It’s like when you have to tell a friend they have food on their face. Some people don’t like that, but I see it as a way to protect them from greater embarrassment with someone else.

 

Last year, I received criticism from a coworker on my report writing.

 

She did not like how I sent each report in a separate email. Instead, she requested that all emails be sent in one email.

 

I had no idea this was what she preferred. As soon as she told me, I was easily able to make the change by compiling all documents into one email.

 

Ever since then, everything has been fantastic between the two of us.

It would depend entirely on what they were asking me to do. If a supervisor told me to do something that contradicts my moral beliefs, I would try my best to explain my feelings and then find a solution we both agreed with.

 

If it was an issue where I disagreed with the approach my manager took to doing something, I might politely recommend an alternative way and explain its advantages.

 

Regardless of the situation, I would take a closer look at what is being asked to ensure that I understand the details of the matter.

 

If needed, I would speak with my manager to find a solution that would achieve the same results without contradicting any opposing values.

About a year ago, a coworker and I had a disagreement about whom a specific account belonged to.

 

I requested to meet with my coworker one-on-one to discuss the situation.

 

First, I asked her to explain to me why she thought the account belonged to her.

 

After listening and understanding her side, we both agreed that the best way to resolve the issue would be to work the account together.

 

Both of us were happy to work on the account and we actually became very close friends after working together so closely.

I was a bank teller when a customer came in requesting a sheet of checks. When I went to print them out, another banker printed similar checks for another client.

 

Without looking, I handed the wrong checks to the client. She then wrote a check to pay her rent and the funds were eventually pulled from the other client’s account.

 

This was not figured out until the customer called and complained that their funds were missing. The clients actually reconciled this between themselves and were able to laugh afterward.

 

I then developed a system to make sure that I triple check the name before handing any client a sheet of checks.

A couple of years ago, I gave a new staff member the task of compiling and sending out our monthly e-newsletter.

 

She used images with very high resolution, which affected the newsletter’s formatting, making it unreadable for subscribers. We had several people unsubscribe as a result.

 

Rather than immediately confronting her, I put together a folder of lower-resolution images that she could use for future newsletters.

Absolutely. Having worked in teams quite frequently in my previous position, it was inevitable that this situation would arise.

 

Last year, I was assigned to work with the marketing team to create a marketing plan for a large account. Each member of this team was assigned a specific task that was to be completed by our set deadline.

 

One of the members was way behind and said that he probably could not finish his section of the project in time. I sat down with him to understand why he was unable to finish his portion of the project. After all, this was what we committed to and we all had equal parts.

 

He explained to me that he had been having internet trouble, and was unable to complete his research at home. For the next couple minutes, we brainstormed different places he could go to use the internet. After addressing this situation, he had agreed to work in Starbucks, in order to complete his portion by the deadline.

 

Taking the time to understand his situation, and figure out a solution was critical to our project completion. At the end, we were all able to finish our work on time, and the project was completed successfully.

While working with my last company as a sales representative, I had a meeting with a potential client.

 

In earlier discussions, the client had expressed their love for jelly beans. On my way to their office, I picked up a bag of jelly beans and a gift bag and wrote our company name on it.

 

Because of this, I was able to close the deal without using my normal pitch! My supervisors were very appreciative and as far as I know, the company still serves that client to this day.

I have been lucky enough to have a string of great employers. Each has pushed me to become a better professional while sharpening my skills in this industry.

 

I can remember specifically when Mr. XYZ was mentoring me as I was struggling with making cold calls. He didn’t let me off the hook and gave me some great tips.

 

Now I am one of the most efficient people I know with turning cold calls into long-term clients.

The first thing I’d want to do if I was approached by a difficult customer would be to understand their situation.

 

I’d want to sympathize with the customer and let them know that despite their negative feelings, I want to help them.

 

I’d patiently work with them to try and resolve any of their problems. Killing them with kindness.

 

I have a pretty solid track record of turning difficult customers into raving advocates and feel more than capable of doing this for ABC Company.

When I was in college, I worked at a solar company as a door-to-door outside sales person. I was constantly thinking of new ways to bring in business, outside of knocking on residential doors.

 

I developed a PowerPoint presentation and walked around to local businesses sharing a partnership idea.

 

Although the logistics sounded good, and I even received a few stores who were interested in partnering with me, I did not run the idea past my company first.

 

Sadly, they shut it down. I quickly learned that even great ideas can be turned down, and there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it.

 

In the future, I will consult with my company on any new ideas before trying to create a plan of my own.

At my previous place of employment, we would have weekly board meetings. It probably goes without saying that tensions would sometimes rise due to different perspectives on matters.

 

Unfortunately, there were times when people would begin raising their voices and on some occasions, even crying.

 

I made it a point to check my emotions at the door before these meetings. If voices were raised and it was my turn to talk, I would be sure to speak in a professional manner and at a normal speaking volume.

 

This usually calmed the room and we were able to get back to a productive meeting atmosphere.

 

I take pride in my ability, even as a junior employee, to calm the room if necessary. I believe this is one of my strongest traits!

During my time at (School Name), I took many courses that have given me the skill set to be successful in this position.

 

Being a Finance major, I found a passion for financial accounting.

 

Although my coursework was mainly based on financial analysis, I chose accounting as one of my upper division electives.

 

This course pushed me out of my comfort zone as most of my classmates were majoring in accounting.

 

Since entering the finance industry, I feel I have used a majority of what I learned in that class.

 

Since I have noticed that your finance department works directly with the staff accountants, I feel this position would be a great mutual fit.

As a business student, I really enjoyed the many management courses I was able to take. I met a lot of great people and learned many skills that I use in my profession.

 

I specifically found a passion for operations management and have never looked back. Because of this, I feel I would be a great fit for your management team and this company as a whole.

 

As far as classes I didn’t like, one jumps out immediately. I had a film class that was a night course and three hours long. We watched black-and-white movies during each class. At first, I felt it was a waste of time. I then gave in and paid attention and realized they were all pretty great movies!

 

By the end of the course, I realized it was one of my favorite classes of the semester. Although film-making has changed exponentially since those days, the course provided a fascinating glimpse into an earlier era.

Yes. While my intentions are not to go back to university to obtain another degree, I believe in continuous learning.

 

I am constantly reading, researching, and educating myself on new and improved ways of doing things.

Since I was a kid, I’ve had a passion for social justice. My parents encouraged me to believe in the ability of a single person to effect positive change, so it only seemed natural to pursue a degree in social work.

 

I have always enjoyed interacting with others and as such I excel in interpersonal communications. Majoring in social work enabled me to gain experience and skills along these lines.

 

A year-long internship with a local rescue mission gave me the opportunity to grow in these abilities.

 

I am ready to jump into a full-time position working with clients as a human resources coordinator and helping them improve their quality of life.

During the past 6-months I have been taking some time off work to travel, and spend time with my children.

After being laid off in May, I decided to postpone my job search until after my kids returned to school from their summer vacation. We traveled to Mexico and had a great time.

Beginning August, I kicked off my job search and that’s what brings me here today.

Over the last 5-years, I have been fortunate to be bombarded with amazing opportunities.

 

I worked for 3 years at FedEx before being recruited to an amazing management opportunity at Amazon.

 

After spending 1.5 years at Amazon, my previous manager at FedEx reached out to me for a new opportunity at Uber.

 

While I never actively looked for a job, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to take on more responsibility in a senior-position.

Having spent time considering the job description, I am confident that I have both experience and skills in the areas of expertise that you are seeking.

 

I believe this production management role would fit perfectly with my background leading similar projects over the past 12 years.

 

I also noted the need for superior public relations skills. I genuinely enjoy working with people, and have developed positive relationships with employees and managers across every level of the industry.

 

Finally, having a career in this industry is my passion, and I am highly motivated to perform quality work.

First 30 days: Focus on training, finding mentors, and embracing the company culture as it relates to both your job description and the people around you.

30-60 days: Implement your training and experience into action while working with your supervisor to optimize your performance.

60-90 days: Add your personal touch to the position. Be an effective leader/coworker and build relationships that benefit your position and the company as a whole.

Well, the industry itself has come a long way in the last few years. I’ll admit that at first I thought programs like x might be a departure from our roots, but developments like y and z have proved x more than helpful and has actually pushed us gracefully into the modern world.

If the answer is yes:

I have no problem with relocating for this company as I believe I am a great fit and this job would be the perfect opportunity to advance my career!

If the answer is maybe:

I love the area I live in currently, but I would consider relocating for the right opportunity.

If the answer is no:

I love the area I live in now and it is important to me that I stay near my family. That may change in the future, and at that point, I would consider relocating for this opportunity.

From researching this position on Glassdoor.com I found that 80-95K per year is pretty typical. Is that the same for XYZ Company?

Defer:

As this position is not exactly the same as the job I previously held, I would prefer to discuss the expectations for this position. Then we could determine a fair salary for this job.

Range:

Throughout my career, and particularly in the past 5 years, I have made anywhere from $60,000 – $80,000 per year. Depending on the job I accept and the work involved, I’d like to be at or above that range for my next career.

She really allowed her employees to use their strengths to accomplish their tasks. She did not micro-manage each position, which helped create a high level of self-confidence for my coworkers and me!

While working toward my graduate degree, I took on an administrative position as a graphic designer assistant with ABC Journal.

 

My supervisor, Jeff Smith, offered not only practical assistance, but also mentorship. He had high expectations, but also took the time to give clear instructions.

 

I’m grateful that he taught me how to use to use XYZ software, which I noticed your company also uses.

 

His commitment to excellence has rubbed off on me and I still use many of the techniques he taught me for efficiency in the workplace, such as…

Yes. About 10 years ago when I was 19 I was convicted of a felony for armed robbery. I’ve grown a lot since then and believe that if it wasn’t for that negative experience, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

My last job was a real eye-opener when it came to company culture. Prior to working at LinkedIn, I had only worked in cubicle offices with no team meetings, no company volunteer days, no diversity, etc.

 

Working at LinkedIn has shown me exactly the type of company culture I am comfortable with. That is, one that is united as a whole, filled with individuals who are passionately serving one mission. Everyday I was excited to go into work and contribute to an amazing team at an amazing company.

The ideal work environment for me is one in which I feel my talents are being used to the full. I love helping people improve their quality of life and your values-driven healthcare services offer just that.

Over the years I have learned a few things about my style of working. I have come to realize that there are three main things I possess that make me a great employee and coworker.

 

First, I am organized. I plan my days efficiently in order to get the most work done possible. However, I am also adaptable and can easily stop what I am doing, if needed, to focus on a higher-priority task.

 

Second, I genuinely enjoy being a team player. From experience, I’ve learned we can often accomplish more by working together. I am willing to help my fellow coworkers and eager to learn from my supervisors.

 

Finally, I’m dedicated to my work. Because I take pride in what I do, I will work long hours and do research on my own time. I will help improve this organization in any way possible.

My entire life I have aspired to become an enterprise level account executive at ABC Company.

 

I understand that in order to become an account executive I would need to spend years as a sales rep learning about and mastering the product you offer.

 

The reason I am so passionate about becoming an account executive is because of the lifestyle that it offers. I intend to absolutely crush my sales quotas every month and bring in the big bucks for our company. I also love traveling and have always enjoyed a long sales cycle that involves tons of nurturing and dedication.

 

Wining and dining potential clients on the company dime sounds pretty sweet to me! Of course, I know that I have to prove myself before I can have the job of my dreams.

One of my professors commented to me that I should focus my attention on school, instead of always being so active in extracurricular activities.

 

This wasn’t because my grades were hurting; I received an A in this class, however, there were times that I would arrive late, rushing from work to class.

 

After he made his comment, I adjusted my work schedule to make sure I was never late again.

Friendly: I’ve always enjoyed meeting new people and maintaining a lot of relationships. I’m your typical extrovert which has really helped me in my career. My natural networking abilities have allowed me to excel in sales roles such as this one.