100 Brilliant Answers To Tough Interview Questions

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com
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Welcome to your guide…
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100 BRILLIANT ANSWERS TO
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TOUGH INTERVIEW
ID
QUESTIONS!
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100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q1. Tell me about yourself.
Sample Answer:
“I am a diligent, hard-working, conscientious and supportive employee who has the
skills, qualities and
knowledge the meet the demands of this job. My experience includes dealing with
customers, building
relationship with co-workers, solving challenging problems, and working on time-
sensitive projects. I
consider myself to be a high-achiever. For example, in my last job, I won employee
of the month and I
helped the company achieve record sales for a new product they were launching.
Outside of work, I keep
myself fit and active which means my energy levels are always high. I am a
passionate and loyal person
and if you hire me, I will be a great role model for the company and take ownership
of my professional
development so I am always a useful asset to my team.”
Q2. Why do you want this job?

Sample Answer:
“I want this job because it is a role I am passionate about and my qualifications
are a match for the
position. I also want this job because it is with your company. You have a strong
track record of
achievement and you support your employees, which I find appealing. Finally, I want
this job because I
am seeking long-term employment in a position where I can make a real difference
while working
alongside talented people who all have a common goal.”
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Q3. How did you hear about this position?
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Sample Answer:
“I know someone who used to work for your company and they recommended I apply to
work here.
Therefore, I have been following your company for some time now and have been
waiting for the right
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position to be advertised. I set up an online alert to make sure I became aware as
soon as this job
became available. I was then ready to submit my resume.”
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Q4. Tell me something that is not on your CV.

Sample Answer:
“I once raised $1,000 for charity by running 10km. I was very proud of this
achievement because the
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money I raised was for a good cause. Another thing that is not on my CV is I
sometimes volunteer at a
local homeless centre. It’s a great experience because it keeps me grounded and I
get to contribute to
the community in a positive way.”
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Q5. Why do you want to leave your current job?

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Sample Answer:
“My employer has been great to work for, very supportive and we have achieve so
many positive things
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while I have been there. However, I feel I have reached my full potential there and
I am ready for my next
chapter of my career where I can put my skills to good use working on different
projects that will push
and excite me.”
Q6. Why are there gaps in your employment?

Sample Answer:
“There are gaps in my employment because I went travelling several years ago. I
always had the passion
for travel and wanted to get it out of the way before committing myself to my
career. It was a great
experience because I learned about different cultures, languages and got to meet
people with different
life experiences and points of view. Although I don’t plan to travel again, the
experience made me a more
compassionate, understanding and respectful person.”
Q7. Why should we hire you?

Sample Answer:

“You should hire me because I am a trustworthy person who can be relied upon to
carry out my work on
time and to expected standards. You should hire me because I am hungry to learn,
want to be the best I
can be, and support my co-workers to achieve a common goal. Finally, you should
hire me because I
want long-term employment with your company. This means I can become an integral
part of the
company’s long-term success and you won’t have to readvertise the position for many
years to come.”
Q8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Sample Answer:
“I see myself working for you in this role, or having earned promotion to a higher
level. In five years I
would have completed several training courses to enhance my skills, collaborated
with different people
on various projects, and be seen as a high-preforming, trustworthy and integral
employee. In five years, I
would also see myself as someone who could be used by the company to help grain and
develop new
employees whenever they join the team.”
Q9. Why do you want to work for us?

Sample Answer:
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“I researched your company before applying. I was attracted to your history, track
record of success, the
fact you want to be the market leader in a competitive industry, and your
organizational values align with
mine. I also want to work for you because you provide the right support and
training for your staff, listen
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to their ideas and suggestions, and promote an inclusive working environment where
there is opportunity
for all.”
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Q10. Describe yourself in 3 words?
Sample Answer:
“I would describe myself as conscientious, commercially-aware, and industrious. I
am conscientious
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meaning I will take pride in my work, and complete everything on time. I am

commercially-aware
meaning I understand I must help you increase sales, save money and provide
exceptional service to
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customers sop they become long term advocates of the business. Finally, I am
industrious because I am
hard-working, I take responsibility for difficult challenges and I am confident in
difficult when things get
tough.”
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Q11. What didn’t you like about your last job?

Sample Answer:
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“There wasn’t much I disliked about my last job. However, one thing that slightly
frustrated me was they
weren’t ambitious when it came to growth or creating new products. I saw a big
opportunity in the market
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to create products and services our customers wanted but when I put forward ideas
and suggestions,
they weren’t progressed.”
Q12. What are your greatest strengths?

Sample Answer:
“My greatest strengths include my fast pace of work, attention to detail, problem-
solving capabilities,
selfless attitude, positivity, and enthusiasm.”
Q13. What is your biggest weakness?

Sample Answer:
“My biggest weakness is finding it hard to let go of projects. I am aware of this
weakness and taking
positive action to overcome it by being mindful of letting go once I complete
projects and tasks.”
Q14. What are you looking for in your next job?

Sample Answer:

“I am seeking a positive team environment where the employer is supportive,

creativity is encouraged,
and there is equal opportunity for everyone. I want a job I am passionate about and
for a company where
I will be pushed, challenged, and kept busy.”
Q15. How would your friends describe you?

Sample Answer:
“They would describe me as friendly, driven, positive, loyal, and trustworthy. They
would also describe
me as someone they could turn to whenever they needed help.”
Q16. How do you handle pressure?

Sample Answer:
“I handle pressure by remaining calm, blocking out distractions, and working
through my list of
responsibilities. My list is prioritized based on the needs of my employer, and I
will work tirelessly until
each task is completed regardless of the pressure I am under.”
Q17. How would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?
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Sample Answer:
“I would first assess my actions to ensure I wasn’t contributing to the conflict. I
would then sit down with
my co-worker and find an amicable way forward that overcame the conflict for the
benefit of our team.”
Q18. What makes you angry or annoyed?

Sample Answer: 08
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“I rarely get angry. However, if I do it is generally because I’ve let myself down
or I am frustrated with
dishonest people. For example, I remember getting annoyed with a supplier in a
previous role who
promised to deliver some goods to our company on a certain day. When the day came
for the goods to
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arrive, they didn’t turn up and this had a negative knock-on effect for our loyal
customers who were
waiting for their orders. I decided to turn my anger into positive action, and I
started searching for a new
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supplier who could provide a better service at a cheaper price. Within an hour I
had found a new supplier
who went on to provide exceptional service which in turn helped to improve customer
service standards.”
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Q19. How would you deal with a difficult customer?
Sample Answer:
“I would remain calm, ask the customer questions to establish the exact problem,
listen to what they were
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saying, and create a solution they were satisfied with. I would apologize to the
customer if the company
was at fault, and try to learn from any mistakes.”
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Q20. Tell me about a time you provided excellent customer service.

Sample Answer:
“A customer called our business to enquire about a product we had available. They
arranged to come to
the company the following day to view the product. My task was to provide them with
excellent service
when they arrived. As soon as I got off the phone, I learned as much about the
product as possible, so I
could answer any questions they had. When the customer arrived the following day, I
made them feel
welcome, asked questions to establish their needs, and explained everything I knew
about the product
and its benefits. I then answered any questions they had in detail. The customer
thanked me for my
patience and the information I provided before buying the product.”
Q21. Tell me about a time you worked in a team.

Sample Answer:
“My manager asked the team I was a part of to come up with ideas to help promote a
new company
product. It was our task to work closely as part of a team to create a list of
solid ideas to ensure the

product launch was successful. We decided to hold a team meeting, and each took
turns to put forward
ideas while the rest of the team listened and took notes. I suggested we market the
product online, and
others in the group suggested promoting it to our customer database, offering a
discount. At the end of
the meeting we had five great ideas which we presented to our manager. He agreed to
implement all the
ideas, resulting in record sales for the new product launch.”
Q22. Tell me about a challenge you had to overcome.

Sample Answer:
“I worked on a critical, time-sensitive team project in my previous role. A
technical team member went off
sick three days before the project deadline. It was my task to find a way to still
get the project finished
despite being one team member down. I assessed the outstanding workload and
allocated some tasks to
the remaining team members based on their strengths. For the technical-related
functions, I found an
online contractor qualified to do the work remotely. By thinking outside the box
and acting quickly, I
overcame this challenge and completed the project on time and to the required
standard.”
Q23. Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone you didn’t
like.
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Sample Answer:
“In a previous role, there was one person whom I didn’t seem to get on with. We
were both very
competitive people, and I put our differences down to a simple clash of
personalities. When the
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opportunity came up to work closely with them on a project, I was pleased because I
felt this was a
chance to try and improve the working relationship. Throughout the project, I made
an effort to interact
with them more, and I showed a genuine interest in what they got up to outside of
work. My approach
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worked because we managed to find a common connection. This certainly went a long
way to improving
the relationship which in turn made the project more enjoyable and productive.”
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Q24. What does success mean to you?

Sample Answer:
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“For some people, success means being wealthy, having prosperity, or fame. However,
success means
something very different to me. Success means being healthy and happy in my life,
being happy in my
work, the feeling that I am constantly moving forward and achieving goals, and
being in a position where
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I am able to support my family.”
Q25. What areas do you need to improve on right now?

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Sample Answer:
“I need to improve my leadership skills. I’ve not formally led on a project yet but
this is something
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I most definitely want to experience in the future. I also need to improve my

knowledge and
understanding of the latest software packages that might be useful in this role.
However, I don’t
feel my lack of experience or skill in either of these areas will hinder my
performance in this role.”
Q26. When you start a new job, how do you adapt to the different working
environment?
Sample Answer:
“I always start out by looking at the company’s values and mission statement. What
responsibilities do I have in the role, and how am I expected to contribute to the
team? The
answers to these questions will enable me to adapt to the new working environment.
Also, at the
end of every job interview, I always ask the question, how has the company evolved
over the
years? The answer to this question gives me invaluable information that enables me
to quickly
adapt to my new working environment if I get hired. The final thing I do whenever I
start a new job
is to observe and listen for several weeks. I look at the team dynamics and how
people behave.

This again gives me some useful ideas as to how I can adapt and quickly fit into
the team working
environment.”
Q27. Tell me about a situation when you received negative feedback and how you
handled it.
Sample Answer:
“During a performance review in my previous role, my manager criticized me for how
long I talked to
customers on the telephone. Although I was trying to build positive relationships
with our customers, it
was my task to listen to my manager's feedback and then take steps to improve. Once
we had finished
the performance review, I enrolled in an online customer service training course to
learn additional
communication skills to speed up my approach while dealing with customers. Once the
course was
finished and I put what I had learned into practice, my customer call handling
rates improved
significantly.”
Q28. Who’s your greatest role model and why do they inspire you?
Sample Answer:
“My greatest role model is the former US President Barack Obama. He’s my role model
because I
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believe he always sets a good example to others, he’s a genuinely nice person, and
whilst in office he
fought for different important issues such as universal health care and same-sex
marriage.”
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Q29. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss.
Sample Answer:
“A customer contacted me requesting a refund because they were dissatisfied with
their purchase.
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Because the customer was one day outside of the permitted refund period, my manager
declined their
request. I felt this was the wrong decision, and so I tried to persuade my manager
to allow the refund to
go ahead. I explained that the customer was a long-standing visitor of the business
and we should relax
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the rules on this occasion because we didn't want to lose their custom in the
future. After listening to my
argument, he decided it was the right thing to do, and I was then able to issue the
refund to the
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customer's satisfaction.”
Q30. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer.
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Sample Answer:
“A customer came into the store requesting a refund, but they didn't have a
receipt. When I informed
them that I could not issue the refund, they started shouting. It was my task to
listen to the customer and
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take action to defuse the situation. I let the customer vent their frustrations,
and while they were talking, I
listened. I then explained that company policy prevented me from issuing a refund
without a receipt.
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However, I stated that if they reviewed their bank statement when they got home, it
would probably prove
that they purchased the goods from our store, which would be a suitable replacement
for a receipt. The
customer thanked me for this alternative solution, and when they returned the next
day with their bank
statement, I was able to issue a refund.”
Q31. Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to change.

Sample Answer:
“In my last job, a new manager took over the running of our department. She was
enthusiastic and
wanted to make numerous changes to our working practices. Some team members fought
against the
changes, but I saw it as my responsibility to embrace them and support the new
manager. I listened to
the new manager's brief and what she wanted us to do. I then learned all the new
tasks and encouraged
others in the team to do the same. After four weeks of implementing the new
changes, things started to
improve, and the team was far more productive and efficient than before.”
Q32. Tell me about a time when you challenged someone's behaviour.

Sample Answer:
“I overheard a member of another department making inappropriate comments about a
co-worker during
a break in the canteen. My task was to challenge the person calmly and explain why
their comments
were unacceptable. I asked them not to use that type of language and that they
should show more
respect to their co-workers. I also explained that their comments went against
company policy and
values, and if they used that language again, I would report them to the manager.
My actions had a
positive effect because they apologized and assured me they would never do it
again.”
Q33. Tell me about a time you helped a co-worker learn a new skill or develop an
existing one.
Sample Answer:
“A co-worker wanted to apply for a promotion, but they needed to learn about my job
to increase their
chances of success. I was happy to help them and saw it as my duty to teach them
what they needed to
know. I first assessed their level of knowledge and then put a plan of action in
place to teach them. They
spent an hour a day with me for a week, where I taught them my role and how to
carry out each duty to a
competent standard. At the end of the week, they thanked me for helping them, and
when they applied
for promotion, they were successful.”
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Q34. Tell me about a time when you improved a process.
Sample Answer:
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“I had some concerns in my previous role that our customers had no facility to make
suggestions to us
for improvement. Being passionate about customer service, I felt it was my
responsibility to develop a
new way for customers to provide feedback. After researching different options, I
found a website plugin
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that we could install on our website that allowed customers to fill in once they
had made a purchase.
Customers had the opportunity to rate their shopping experience and provide written
feedback on what
they felt we could do to improve. After my manager agreed to install the plugin, we
started receiving
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valuable feedback that enabled us to increase customer service standards. This, in

turn, helped to
increase sales and customer retention.”
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Q35. Tell me about a time you missed a deadline.
Sample Answer:
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“In my last job, my manager gave me a task to work on that included gathering data
and information from
the previous five years. He stated the task needed to be completed within 48 hours,
and despite knowing
the deadline would be tight, I was eager to meet it. I started gathering the
information and data but soon
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realized the magnitude of the task. Not being deterred, I took some of the work
home that evening and
spent three hours trying as hard as possible to make good progress. Despite working
very hard and
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additional hours, I just missed the deadline. If I had the same task again, I would
do things slightly
differently and delegate tasks to ensure the deadline was met. However, I have no
regrets because I
gave it my all and learned a lot about gathering data and information.”
Q36. Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.

Sample Answer:
“In my last job, I received a call from a local hotel informing me that the
company's scheduled meeting
the following day could not be held due to a flood that had taken place overnight.
Twenty people were
due to attend the meeting. I decided to show leadership skills and source a new
venue for the meeting. I
called around suitable alternative venues in the local area and chose one that was
cost-effective, close to
transport links, and could provide refreshments during the meeting. Once the venue
had been confirmed,
I informed my manager about the situation and the action I had taken. He thanked me
for showing
leadership initiative before permitting me to contact all meeting attendees with
the updated venue
change.”

Q37. Tell me about a time you made a mistake.

Sample Answer:
“When I first started studying for my exams, I spent many hours reading from
textbooks. This proved a
mistake because my mock exam results were not what I expected to achieve. It was my
task to learn
from this mistake to improve my actual exams. Immediately following my mock
results, I analyzed the
best way for me to learn, and it ended up being through visual infographics and
being tested with
flashcards. By being positive about my mistake and not dwelling on it, I changed
how I studied, and my
exam results improved significantly.”
Q38. Tell me about a time when you used your initiative to solve a problem.
Sample Answer:
“A supplier contacted our company to explain that a product they had been supplying
us with was no
longer available. This was a problem because we'd sold several of these products to
customers
overnight. My task was to use my initiative to find an alternative supplier to
supply the product moving
forward. I researched alternative suppliers and drew up a shortlist of three
suitable companies. I then
contacted all three companies to obtain quotes and to ascertain delivery times.
After speaking to all three
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companies, I chose the one that could provide the best value for money and speed of
delivery for our
customers.”
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Q39. Tell me about a time when you saved a company money.
Sample Answer:
“One Friday afternoon, I completed my work for the day, so I decided to see if I
could help the company
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save money. I was concerned for some time about how much we were paying for office
resources, so I
decided to source a new supplier. I assessed how much we spent each month on
resources and
contacted several new office suppliers to obtain quotes. One of them quoted a
saving of more than $300
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each month, equating to $3,600 per year. I presented my findings to my manager. He

thanked me for my
work and then switched to the new supplier.”
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Q40. Tell me about a time when you gave constructive feedback to someone.
Sample Answer:
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“While working in a previous role, I noticed a work colleague was making numerous
foolish mistakes with
their work. They appeared unfazed by their mistakes, and I was concerned they would
start to harm the
team if left unchecked. As their co-worker, I felt I was responsible for saying
something. I needed to use
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tact and diplomacy to encourage them to improve. I spoke to my work colleague in

private and asked
them if they were OK, to which they said they were. I then mentioned their mistakes
and asked them why
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they felt they were making so many. Initially, they were defensive, but I
persevered diplomatically. I said
that I was concerned that if they continued to make the mistakes, it would not only
affect the team, but
they could end up in trouble with our manager. I encouraged them to change and
offered to help them if
they were struggling with their work. Having the confidence to converse with my
work colleague made a
massive difference to their work. They never made the same mistake again from that
day onwards, and I
am glad I intervened.”
Q41. Tell me about a time when you asked a customer for feedback.
Sample Answer:
“I was dealing with a customer in a previous role on the telephone and they didn’t
sound particularly
happy with our service. Although they weren’t making a direct complaint, I could
detect in their voice that
they weren’t entirely satisfied. I asked them how their experience had been whilst
ordering from us and I
found their response enlightening. They said our website was not easy to navigate
and they were
disappointed there was no option for a faster delivery time other than the standard
postal service. I asked
them a few questions about the issues they were experiencing online and I took
notes as they spoke.

After they had finished placing their order over the telephone, I thanked them for
their feedback. I then
spoke to my manager to explain what the customer had said, and I gave my opinion
about how offering a
faster delivery service could increase revenue and customer satisfaction levels, to
which he agreed. Two
weeks later the navigation issues had been resolved and we had added a new next-day
service to the
website.”
Q42. Tell me about a time when you found a simple solution to a challenging
problem.
Sample Answer:
“I was working on a technical project and it was late on a Friday afternoon. To
finish my element of the
project before the end of the working day I needed advice from another team member
who was off on
annual leave. This was very frustrating because he wasn’t back at work until
Monday, but I needed to get
my part of the project finished by the end of the day to ensure we stayed on track.
I considered my
options and I came up with a simple solution. I went onto the website
StackOverflow.com to ask the
question I needed the answer to. Within a few minutes, I had a response but I
needed to double-check
the answer to make sure it was accurate. We always worked to very high standards in
the team so it was
vital I sought a second opinion. I then went onto the website UpWork.com and posted
a job for a
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developer. I paid a developer for one hour of work to answer the same question. He
confirmed the initial
answer I had received was correct and I then went on and finished my element of the
project by the close
of office that day.”
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Q43. Tell me about a time when you had to make a quick decision that was going to
have a
significant impact on the business.
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Sample Answer:
“I was working in a previous role deputizing for my manager who was away on annual
leave. A problem
occurred with one of our suppliers who informed us that they were not able to
deliver the products we
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had ordered for another 14 days. This delay would impact negatively on our
customers, so I needed to
make a quick decision. I had the option of either contacting all customers to
apologize for the delay which
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was out of our control, or I could quickly source an alternative supplier which
would eat into the
company’s profits but the customers would still receive their orders on time. In
total, 48 customers were
going to be affected by the delay, so I decided to quickly source a new supplier
and write off the profits
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for those sales. In this situation, I felt the potential negative impact on our
business far outweighed the
profit we would have made from those 48 sales.”
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Q44. Tell me about a time when you had to say no to a customer or client.
Sample Answer:
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“In my previous role, I was working as part of a project team that was responsible
for creating and
building a time-sensitive website for an important client. The client was difficult
to deal with and very
demanding, but I enjoyed working with him because he tested my skills, my
knowledge, and my project
management capabilities. The client started to ask for additions to the website
specification early on that
were outside of the initial agreed scope. I assessed his requests and I wasn’t
comfortable agreeing to
them because they were too expensive, and I felt this would set a precedent for
further additions to be
requested. I called him on the telephone and I was totally honest and transparent
when refusing his
requests. Although he was disappointed because of the amount of money he was
spending with us, he
respected my decision. Whenever I work on projects I have a responsibility to
balance going above and
beyond for a customer or client with the profitability of the business I am working
for.”
Q45. Tell me about a time when you were able to influence change in an organization
by only
asking questions.
Sample Answer:

“I was attending a meeting with other team members and we were discussing the
action plan for the
creation of a new company product that was going to be built. Partway through the
meeting, one of the
team members suggested that we could save considerable sums of money if we used a
cheaper product
part. Most people in the meeting felt this was a good idea but I wasn’t
comfortable. I asked him three
questions. The first question was, could we be sure that by using the cheaper part
the product would be
entirely safe? The second question was, how would product reviews and customer
trust be impacted if
someone found out the part we had used was cheap, especially when we were planning
on charging a
premium for the product? Finally, the third question I asked was, were we satisfied
that by using a
cheaper product part this was in line with the company’s customer service charter
and values. Just by
asking those three simple questions, I managed to convince everyone that using a
cheaper product part
was not a good idea.”
Q46. Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond what was required at work.
Sample Answer:
“My manager came into the office one day and he said that another department within
the business
needed someone to help out for a few weeks to cover a staff shortage. I looked
around the office and
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nobody was offering to help, so I decided to be the one to volunteer. Although this
wasn’t required, I
thought it would be a good opportunity for me to learn some new skills and to help
out the organization in
its time of need. The fact I had no idea what I was going to be doing didn’t
concern me. This was a
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chance to learn something new and to find out how another department within the
business operated.
The next day I started work in my new team and I was required to deal with customer
queries on the
telephone and by email. Although I found the work monotonous, it was a great
experience because it
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taught me the importance of always providing excellent customer service. Customer
service is the
bedrock of any successful organization and the work I did for that department just
served to reaffirm that
belief.”
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Q47. Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk at work.
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Sample Answer:
“I was working in a previous role for an experienced company that had a great track
record of success.
We were approached by a business start-up that wanted to collaborate with us on the
launch of one of
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our products. They were a new marketing company and they were offering to take care
of the product
launch for us for no fee. In return, they would receive the credibility of working
for a respectable company
such as ours, and they would hopefully get more business from us in the future.
Being part of the product
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development team, I agreed to assess the risks to the business by using their free
service. I carried out a
risk versus benefits assessment and after looking into the background of the
marketing company
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directors, and their suggested plan of action for marketing our new product, I felt
this was a risk worth
taking. The onus was on them to make sure this worked because the future success of
their company
very much depended on it. We agreed on the terms of the work they would carry out
on our behalf and
they went ahead and delivered an outstanding product launch for us.”
Q48. Tell me about a time when you made an unpopular decision.

Sample Answer:
“In my previous job, I noticed two team members were carrying out a task in an
unsafe manner. Although
we had risk assessments in place within the business, the two workers hadn’t
followed them and they
were putting themselves and others at risk. They were working at height without the
appropriate safety
equipment or procedures in place. I spoke to them and asked them to stop working
immediately. I
explained what they were doing was unsafe and that I would need to inform their
manager. They looked
at me with bewilderment, but I explained how important safety was at work and that
we all needed to
work safely and within the company procedures. Although informing their manager was
hugely unpopular
with them, it was the right thing to do because of their safety and the safety of
others.”
Q49. Tell me about a time when you communicated a difficult message to a team or
group of
people.
Sample Answer:
“I was working as part of a team in a previous role when a new manager took over
the running of the
department. She was very enthusiastic, a big believer in change, and she wanted us
all to take on more
responsibilities. During my first performance review, she asked me to get involved
with future team
briefings. I’d previously expressed an interest in eventually becoming a manager
myself, so she gave me
some tasks to complete that would help improve my experience in challenging areas.
One of those tasks
was to brief the team on some of the new working practices that she was bringing
into the department. I
knew some of the team members would not like the changes she was bringing in, so I
prepared myself in
advance of what they might say and the questions they might ask. Before giving the
brief, I asked my
manager for advice on the best way to approach things. Whilst delivering my message
to the team I was
confident, I spoke clearly and with clarity and I answered any questions they had.
It was a great
experience and I found that being transparent, upfront, and honest it made
delivering a difficult message
to a group of people much easier.”
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Q50. Tell me about a time when you had to work with incomplete data or missing
information.
Sample Answer:
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“I’d been given a task by my manager that required me to create a risk assessment
for a new piece of
machinery we were going to be using at work. The machinery was used to help members
of staff get
boxes down from height in the warehouse, and I was required to ensure a full risk
assessment was
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completed and disseminated amongst the staff. Whilst checking over the machinery, I
noticed the
manufacturer's operating instructions were not complete regarding the level of
personal protective
equipment (PPE) that must be worn whilst operating the machinery. I tried to
contact the manufacturer
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but they were not available. Because the risk assessment needed to be completed
that same day, I went
ahead with the task anyway but I put in additional precautions in respect of the
PPE that must be worn
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during the machinery’s operation. This included the wearing of a hard hat, safety
goggles, a high visibility
jacket, and steel toe capped shoes. Despite having missing information I was able
to carry out a suitable
assessment to complete the task. I determined the risk from injury to be high after
carrying out a careful
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analysis of the use of the machinery and also obtaining a second opinion from a
senior member of staff.”
Q51. Tell me about a time when you created or invented something.

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Sample Answer:
“At work, I was frustrated with the fact that we kept running out of internal
office supplies. There was no
O
system in place to keep a check on stock levels which meant once we had run out, we
needed to wait
three days for the new order to be delivered. I decided to create an online
inventory stock level sheet in
excel that everyone could update once they had taken stock from the supplies
cupboard. I created the
sheet so that once certain levels had been reached, I received a notification which
meant I could order
the supplies so that we never ran out. I uploaded the sheet to Google Docs and
asked everyone in the
office to maintain it. Although this was a small creation, it made things smoother
and more efficient in the
office and my manager praised me for using my initiative.”
Q52. Tell me about a time when you left a task unfinished.

Sample Answer:
“I generally don’t like to leave tasks unfinished but one situation comes to mind
where I made a
conscious decision to not finish a task. I had been working on a task for my
manager which involved
implementing a new project management software tool that was going to be used by
all managers across
the organization. Towards the end of the task, I had several concerns about the
suitability of the software
tool. The tool kept crashing whenever I tried to load it during the testing phase
and the previous data I
had entered was missing. I decided to leave the completion of the task and speak to
my manager about
my concerns. He agreed it was best to abandon the full implementation of the
software tool until we could
establish the main cause of the issue.”
Q53. Tell me about your proudest professional achievement.

Sample Answer:
“My proudest professional achievement was in my last position where I managed to
help the company
increase sales and customer satisfaction ratings. We had several fantastic products
for sale but the
business had no method for obtaining feedback from customers post-purchase. We also
had no way of
asking customers to leave product reviews after they had purchased from us and I
felt this was a missed
opportunity to increase sales, build trust with customers and obtain invaluable
feedback. I carried out
some research online and I found the best options for our needs would be to use the
review website
Feefo.com. After putting together a proposal, I presented it to my manager and he
was blown away by
the work I had done. I gave examples of businesses that had improved customer
satisfaction ratings and
increased sales, and we were both very excited about the opportunity this gave the
company. After
employing a web developer to set up the Feefo account for us and implement it
within our website, we
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soon started to gather reviews and invaluable feedback from our customers that both
increased sales
and helped us to make improvements to our products and services.”
08
Q54. Tell me about a time when you had no choice but to work with limited
resources.
Sample Answer:
“I was working as part of a team developing a marketing strategy for one of the
company’s clients. It was
00
a big client and one that was extremely valuable to the business. Halfway through
the project, two
members of staff fell ill and they were going to be off work for a couple of weeks.
This situation put the
project in danger of being completed on time, so I assessed our options. No other
members of staff were
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available to help from other departments and there was no way I was going to extend
the deadline. We
simply had to get the project finished, so I decided to assess which tasks could be
outsourced. I then
ID
hired a freelancer from the website Freelancer.com after getting approval from my
manager, and this
proved to be a great decision. The freelancer worked in a different time zone to
us, so as soon as we
came into work each morning, he had finished the tasks we had set him the day
before. By being
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creative, and by exploring our options, I was able to get the project finished and
delivered to the client on
time.”
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Q55. Tell me about a time when you used your knowledge or expertise to solve a
challenging
problem.
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Sample Answer:
“I have a diverse set of skills and I have found these to be useful over the years
in a variety of work-
related situations. We were discussing at work recently a product marketing launch
that had gone wrong.
The product was new to the market and the business had invested heavily in its
production. Everyone
was disappointed with how the initial launch had gone because sales we very low. I
suggested we should
look into the marketing campaign analytics to see how the conversion rate had fared
across the different
platforms. We had been promoting the product on Facebook, YouTube, and Google Ads.
I had some
experience from a few years back where I helped a friend launch her new business on
Google using
Pay-Per-Click adverts, so I had a bit of experience in this area. When we started
delving into the
statistics, it quickly became apparent we hadn’t been bidding on any specific
keyword. Instead, we had
solely been targeting all ages and demographics which is why the advertising spend
had been burnt so
quickly. I suggested we should relaunch the product but only this time, test a
small budget based on
specific searchable keywords and phrases that meant we would have a higher chance
of conversion,
This proved to be a great move because not only did conversions increase during the
second launch, our
advertising spend reduced considerably.”
Q56. Tell me about a time when you were not going to deliver on a promise you had
made.
Sample Answer:
“In my last job, I had to let down a co-worker who I had promised I would spend
time helping them to
develop a new workplace skill. They were seeking promotion and they wanted to
broaden their
knowledge in my area of expertise. My manager had asked me to carry out an
important task for her on
the same day that I was due to help my work colleague, and after weighing up which
was more
important, I decided to let my colleague down. I apologized, explained the reason
why I couldn’t deliver
on my promise, and then rescheduled for the following week instead.”
Q57. Tell me about a time when you did not manage a project properly to get it
completed on
time.
Sample Answer:
“I recall managing one of my very first projects several years ago and I made a big
mistake that I learned
a huge amount from. Communication in any project is crucial but because of my
hastiness and my
eagerness to get projects finished, I failed to listen to the brief fully. Instead
of confirming with my senior
72
manager the project specification, I assumed several things and this proved to be a
disaster for the
project. When I informed my manager that the project had been completed ahead of
schedule, he was
disappointed to see that it had not been completed correctly. I then had to go back
and make amends,
08
which took an extra four days to complete. If I am being truthful, although I was
embarrassed at the time,
I am glad that the experience happened because I learned so much from it. I never
made the same
mistake again and I now always check and reaffirm project specifications and
communicate with team
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members clearly and concisely.”
Q58. Tell me about a time when you made a decision without consulting your manager
or
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supervisor.
Sample Answer:
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“I was working at the weekend on an important project and I needed to get it
finished before Monday
morning. When I started work on Saturday morning, my laptop developed a fault that
I could not fix. The
clock was ticking and I needed to make a quick decision about the laptop. I
couldn’t get hold of my
er
manager to get clearance for buying a new laptop so I decided to go ahead and buy
it for the sake of the
project and then get approval later. Any purchase greater than $500 needed to be
approved by my
manager but this was not possible at the weekend. I went ahead and bought the
laptop that morning at
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my local store and finished the project the following day. When I spoke to my
manager on Monday he
agreed it was the right thing to do.”
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Q59. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a team member.

Sample Answer:
“I was tasked with working on a technical web-based project in a previous role with
another team
member. It was our responsibility to work together to get everything finished
within four weeks for the
client. At the start of the project, we both disagreed on an appropriate plan of
action, and a way of
working. This was because we both came from different technical backgrounds, and we
had very
different ways of working. I listened to my work colleagues’ suggested approach to
completing the
project, and I considered the best way forward that would ensure the needs of the
project came first. I
agreed to compromise on several areas of the project but stood my ground on the
ones where I felt I had
the strongest areas of expertise and experience. After in-depth discussions, and a
few heated debates,
we managed to agree on a great plan of action that would ensure the project was
completed on time and
to the necessary standard and specification.”
Q60. Tell me about a time when a work colleague was not keen to help you.

Sample Answer:
“When I first started working in a previous role, I needed help from a senior
member of the team but he
appeared to not want to help me. He kept saying he was too busy to help, which
meant I was unable to
carry out my tasks. He was very cold towards me but I was determined to get his
help. During a tea
break that morning, I decided to sit next to him in the office canteen and I
started to ask him questions
about how long he had been at the company for, and what type of work he did. I
managed to find a
common connection with him which helped to improve communications. Later that
morning, when we
started work again, he came over to me and said he now had some spare time to help
me. By altering
my style of communication during the tea break, I was able to build a bond with him
which enabled me to
get what I needed.”
Q61. Tell me about a time when you changed the view of a supervisor or manager.
Sample Answer:
“I once disagreed with my boss about how to deal with a customer who had made a
complaint. The
customer was extremely irate, and they were demanding not only a replacement
product but a full refund,
too. This went again company policy and my senior manager was refusing to give in
to their demands.
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Based on my experience, I felt we needed to meet the demands of the customer and so
I saw it as my
responsibility to challenge my boss professionally and amicably. I explained to my
boss in private how I
felt that not agreeing to the customers’ demands, it could potentially make the
situation worse. The
08
customer was threatening to speak to trading standards, and they were also going to
leave a negative
review online. I explained that we had an opportunity here to try and work with the
customer to improve
our service moving forward; something which I felt was important. After a few
discussions backward and
00
forwards with my boss, he agreed with my approach to dealing with the customer and
I then managed to
defuse the situation and make it work to our advantage by working with the customer
to improve our
customer service standards.”
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Q62. What would you consider when describing something technical to a non-technical
person?
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Sample Answer:
“To begin with, I would assess their knowledge by asking questions to gauge where
they were at from a
technical perspective. For example, if I were giving a technical presentation, I
would need to make sure I
er
tailored the presentation to the person who had the least amount of knowledge in
the group. I would
make sure I did not use any technical jargon when describing things to them. I
would use visual drawings
and diagrams to explain technical subjects and I would use familiar objects,
situations and terminology to
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explain what it was I was trying to describe. For example, if I were to use every
day terminology that they
understood, the information is more likely to be retained. I would take my time to
describe everything to
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them more than once and I would ask quiz-based questions to make sure they fully
understood my
explanations. Finally, I would leave ample time for them to any ask questions they
might have, and I
would make the feel comfortable asking them.”
Q63. How do you keep your technical knowledge up to date?

Sample Answer:
“I spend quite a bit of time online outside of work so I would like to think my
technical skills and
knowledge are always up to date. I follow a few online forums including TechSpot
and TechGuy. These
are also useful if I want to dive deep into a particular subject. I also subscribe
to TED.com and in
particular I will read the technology section at least two times a week. This is
great for emerging trends
and it gives me an insight into what is happening now and what is likely to happen
over the next few
years in my sector. I also make sure I undertake some form of technical development
online course via
the website Udemy.com at least once every quarter. For example, I recently
completed an online SQL
course to brush up my skills in this area and it only took me three days to
complete. I take my
professional development seriously and I will always make sure this is maintained
moving forward.”
Q64. How many golf balls can you fit into a school bus?
Sample Answer:
“OK, to answer this question I will need to use a number of assumptions. Having
personally sat behind
many school buses on my way to work, I would estimate the average school bus to be
8 feet wide x 7
feet tall by 22 feet long. I now need to convert that into cubic feet, which would
be 8 feet x 7 feet x 22 feet
= 1,232 cubic feet. I now need to convert this to inches because the volume of one
golf ball is
approximately 2.5 cubic inches. So, one cubic foot is 12 inches x 12 inches x 12
inches, which equals
1,728 cubic inches. If I multiply this number by 1,232 cubic feet, I get 2.1
million cubic inches, the
approximate volume of the bus. If I now divide 2.5 cubic inches for the golf ball
into the total area of the
bus (2.1 million cubic inches), I will get approximately 840,000 golf balls into
the school bus. However, I
also need to take into consideration the seats and the drivers cab etc, so I would
take off 20% for those,
leaving me with a calculated estimate of 670,000 golf balls in the school bus.”
Q65. How do you handle tight deadlines whilst working in a project?

Sample Answer:
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“The most important thing to always remember when working on any project are the
initial brief and
planning stages. If you get these wrong, the project will often fail to meet its
deadline. I handle tight
deadlines by making sure I have the necessary skills and competency levels to
complete all of the work
08
to the right standard. I give the members of my team, or anyone else involved in
the project, advanced
notice that they will need to clear their diaries until the project is completed. I
will assess any potential
threats there might be to the project. Is there anything on the horizon that could
cause us problems, such
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as a lack of resources for example. Finally, I will always make sure I am willing
to allocate additional time
outside of normal working hours to get the project finished just in case we run
into difficulties.”
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Q66. Tell me about a difficult challenge you managed to overcome whilst working on
a project?
Sample Answer:
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“I recently finished a challenging IT project for my previous employer that
required the team I was a part
of to work closely with an external Cyber Security firm. The challenge related
specifically to the website
we were working on and how the various plugins we were using posed a risk from a
hacking perspective.
er
We were up against very strict deadlines and unfortunately the Cyber Security firm
took too long to come
back to us with answers to the technical questions we had. I could see this was
going to be a major issue
for us in getting the project completed, so I needed to come up with a solution to
the problem. I made a
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suggestion that we should hold a four-hour online conference call whereby we could
ask them a
multitude of questions that would enable us to progress and complete the project
without the need for
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constantly waiting for their answers. This proved to be shrewd move because we were
then able to press
ahead with the project and we only needed to contact them a handful of times for
advice again.”
Q67. Tell me a time when you worked as part of a team to solve a complex technical
task?
Sample Answer:
“I was part of a multi-agency project building a software application for an
important client. Towards the
end of the project, we encountered a number of bugs and problems with the software
application, and
time was against us to get everything fixed before the official handover date. I
felt it was my responsibility
to come up with a solution to get the issues fixed. I stayed behind late that
evening with two other
experienced team members to come up with a plan that would ensure the bugs were not
only fully
rectified, but that a support system was in place to respond to any future issues
if they were to arise,
post-handover. We started off by CREATING A LIST of all bugs and issues. We then
attempted to
RECREATE EACH BUG so that we could assess what was causing the issue. We managed to
recreate
all of the bugs and it was then my task to CREATE A TIMESCALE for rectifying and
testing each issue.
Once we had a PLAN IN PLACE, we could then allocate tasks to team members based on
their area of
technical competence the following morning. By creating a plan of action, and by

working closely
together as a team, we were able to tap into the combined team expertise and
competence to not only
provide a time-sensitive solution to the problem, but to also implement a support
mechanism for our
client.”
Q68. How many streetlights are there in this country?

Sample Answer:
“There are approximately 70 million leaving in this country and on average there is
one streetlamp for
every two houses. If there are on average four people living in every house, this
means there is one
streetlamp for every eight people. If I divide 70 million by 8, this gives
approximately 8.75 million
streetlamps in this country.”
Q69. Tell me a time when something didn’t go to plan. What was the situation and
how did you
respond?
Sample Answer:
“In a previous role I had been working hard for two years and a promotion came up I
was very keen on.
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My manager gave me an indication that I would be a good fit for the role, and so I
studied really hard in
the evenings for four weeks prior to the interviews. However, a week before the
interviews were due to
take place, my manager left for a new company and she was replaced with a new one.
Unfortunately, he
08
promoted someone into the position from the previous company he had been working
at. I was
disappointed but I could understand his thought process. It’s better to have
someone you know than
someone you don’t. I didn’t let this deter me, and I worked hard to impress my new
manager and the
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following year I obtained the promotion I wanted.”
Q70. What can you bring to this role?

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Sample Answer:
“I will bring a fast pace of working, an in-depth technical knowledge of web
development and an
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understanding of what is working right now within your industry from a web
development perspective. I
will also bring strong project management skills, teamworking capabilities and the
understanding that
professional web development is critical to your organization’s success. Finally, I
will bring a positive
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mindset, the ability to fit into a team and an over-riding passion for web
development that I believe you
will witness in the results that I produce for you.”
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Q71. Tell me a time when you worked on a technical project that failed?
Sample Answer:
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“There was one particular project I was involved in that didn’t go well, but it is
also perhaps the one
project that I learned the most from. I was part of a team of six people who were
tasked with delivering a
time-sensitive website for an important client. Because there was not much time to
complete the project,
the initial brief and task allocation delivered by the project manager was
inadequate, in my opinion. This
obviously had a knock-on effect whereby important milestones were missed. In the
end the client
abandoned the project and I felt quite embarrassed having been part of the team
that failed. However, I
took a tremendous amount from that experience and I always use it now as a reminder
of what not to do.
Whenever I am part of a team-based project, I always ensure I obtain a thorough
brief, I ensure tasks are
allocated based on strengths and that we hold regular team meetings to monitor
progress. If things are
not going to plan, I will always take decisive action quickly and put things in
place to get them back on
track and to specification.”
Q72. Why are manhole covers round?

Sample Answer:

“They are round because if they were square or rectangular then the cover could
fall down the hole and
leave a dangerous situation for pedestrians crossing the road and vehicles. Because
they are round, the
cover cannot fall down the hole.”
Q73. What would the person who dislikes you the most say about you?
Sample Answer:
“They would probably say I am cold-hearted, selfish and that I only look out for
myself. Of course, I
wouldn’t agree with that, but what others think of me is none of my business.
Unless, of course, it’s my
employer, and then I would be concerned, and I would want to put things right if
they didn’t think I was a
productive and valuable employee.”
Q74. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

Sample Answer:
“This would have to be in a previous role when I was headhunted by a large
corporate organization who
wanted to promote me to their company and give me a much bigger salary. I turned it
down because not
only did I have an important job to do, but my employer had shown faith in me when
they hired me.
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Although my wife wasn’t particular happy with my decision I believed it was the
right thing to do at the
time and I believe it was. Loyalty is very important in my opinion and it helps to
build strong, log-lasting
professional relationships.”
08
Q75. When you encounter bugs and issues, what problem solving process do you use?
Sample Answer:
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“I always use the same, fundamental steps when solving any problem, bug or issue.
These are:
DEFINING THE PROBLEM and gaining CLARITY of the issue or solution I need to come up
with;
CONFIRMING the exact problem by utilizing all relevant facts and information
available whilst also
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tapping into the knowledge of the other team members; ASSESSING THE OPTIONS we have
available
to overcome the issue or problem; DEVELOPING A SOLUTION, TESTING THE SOLUTION and
then
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finally IMPLEMENTING THE SOLUTION through collaborative working and TESTING. I

would also need
to consider the TRAINING stage. Training may have to carried out by the end user(s)
so they aware of
how everything works and operates. This would normally form part of the
architecture
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development process.”
Q76. Tell me how you’d deal with a client or an internal manager who pushed back on
your
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recommendations?
Sample Answer:
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“This is a common situation in tech roles, and it would be my responsibility to

communicate the benefits
of my recommendations with clarity and purpose. I would start off by listening to
their concerns. I would
then address each concern individually and back up my reasoning with facts,
evidence and historical
examples of where my recommendations have been successful. I would seek to explain
the dangers of
not following my recommendations and the negative impact this could have on the
project. At all times I
would remain clam, I would use easy-to-understand language and I would work hard to
ensure my
recommendations were not only accepted, but embraced positively, too.”
Q77. What are your salary expectations?

Sample Answer:
I have carried out some research in relation to the average salary for this tech
position, and the general
range is between $44,000 and $55,000. Whilst I do personally feel I am worth the
higher end of the
salary scale, I understand and appreciate I need to prove to you my worth. On that
basis, I would be
comfortable with a salary of $52,000.

NOTE: Please carry out your own research in relation to the average salary for your
tech job position with
your chosen company and then amend the range accordingly.
Q78. Describe your work ethic.

Sample Answer:
“I would describe my work ethic as professional, focused on competence, obeying
company rules, and
accountability. I communicate clearly, support my co-workers, take responsibility
for problems and
challenges, take ownership of my professional development, and focus on mutual
trust and respect. I
studied your company’s culture and believe my work ethic will complement it
perfectly.”
Q79. How do you prioritize your work?

Sample Answer:
“I prioritize my work based on the needs of my team and employer. I write a list of
tasks, duties, and
projects I am responsible for. I then assess the list, place each one in order of
priority, and color code
them. Red tasks are urgent and come first, amber tasks second, and green tasks can
be left for when I
have more time available.”
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Q80. What will you do in the first 30 days of starting work here?
Sample Answer:
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“First, I will speak to my manager to obtain a brief of my responsibilities and
what is expected of me in
the position. Second, I will introduce myself to my team, get to know my co-workers
and their roles, and
determine how I can fit into the team. Next, I will quickly familiarize myself with
all company policies and
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procedures. Finally, I will prioritize my workload and set to work to show you what
I am capable of and
how I can help the business progress, grow and succeed.”
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Q81. What motivates you?

Sample Answer:
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“I am motivated by success, health and well-being, and progression.

I succeed by working hard, doing a great job, taking pride in my responsibilities,
and helping my
employer grow. If my employer is successful, I will receive recognition and a good
salary that will enable
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me to support my family. I am motivated by health and well-being because these
empower me to be the
best I can be and have strong energy and concentration levels that help me thrive.
Finally, I am
motivated by progression because I believe there is always something new to learn,
and we can achieve
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whatever we set out to achieve.”

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Q82. How would you handle a challenging client?

Sample Answer:
“While dealing with the client, I would remember that I am representing your
company, so I would be
professional, not take anything they said personally, and work hard to find a
positive way forward. I would
ask them questions to establish their needs, see what I could do to accommodate
those, and maintain
regular communication. I would try and build a connection with them to improve the
working relationship,
but above all, I would go out of my way to win them around and maintain their
custom for the benefit of
the business.”
Q83. What’s the difference between leadership and management?

Sample Answer:
“Management is the organizing, delegating, and controlling of resources to achieve
a specific goal.
Leadership, on the other hand, is influencing, motivating, directing and inspiring
people to contribute to
an organizations strategic objectives.”

Q84. What’s your leadership style?

Sample Answer:
“My leadership style is a combination of autocratic, transformational, and
delegative. There will be times
as a leader when I must give clear instructions of what is required, especially
when we must meet strict
timescales. During these times, I will be autocratic and authoritative. Other
times, when I want to coach
and motivate my team to drive through change or complete new projects and tasks, I
will be
transformational. Finally, I will use a delegative style of leadership almost every
day in my work when I
am distributing tasks and responsibilities to team members based on their
strengths.”
Q85. How would you motivate a team?

Sample Answer:
“There are seven principles I follow when motivating a team. The first is that I
set clear expectations and
goals from the outset. If people know what is expected of them, the standards they
must follow, and what
we are working towards collectively, they will feel motivated. The second is to
communicate with my team
members on a regular basis. Again, if you share your vision and you are open and
honest, people will
feel respected and motivated. The third principle is to provide the right training
and resources. One of the
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biggest demotivators for staff is when they feel they are not equipped to do their
jobs properly. The fourth
is to give praise for good work when it is due. The fifth is to give honest and
constructive feedback if team
members do not perform to the expected standards. The sixth principle is to make
sure I provide equal
08
opportunity for everyone in my team. If people feel left behind or excluded, it is
a massive demotivator.
Finally, the seventh principle is to make sure I give people in my team the space
to thrive. I never
micromanage. Instead, I provide support and guidance when it is needed. If people
feel trusted, and
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empowered to achieve great things, they will be motivated.”
Q86. What was the last podcast you listened to or book that you read?
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Sample Answer:
“I’ve been reading Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount which is giving me some new
ideas for opening
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sales conversations with prospects. It’s teaching me a lot about the mindset for
selling and I am trying a
few things from it that I am getting some traction with. I am also listening to
Tony Robbins’ podcast and I
am currently on episode 11 which is THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS. I love Tony’s work
and I find it
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keeps me positive and focused on my goals.”
Q87. What are the most important qualities needed to work in a team?
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Sample Answer:
“The most important qualities are good communication skills, collaboration,
listening, time management,
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leadership, decision-making, and problem solving. Good communication is essential

so that everyone
understands the objectives of the team and what is required of each team member.
Collaboration is
about working together and supporting each other to achieve the team goal. Time
management is
prioritizing and organizing your work to ensure you never miss a deadline.
Leadership is about having a
specific leader in the team but also ensuring you step up and take ownership of
problems when they
occur. Decision making is assessing information and data to make decisions that are
in the best interests
of the employer. Finally, problem-solving is using your team’s strengths to find
solutions to the challenges
you will inevitably face during team tasks and projects.”
Q88. Describe a time when you had to work at pace.

Sample Answer:
“In my previous job, my manager asked for a volunteer to take on the work of a co-
worker who was going
to be off sick for several weeks. I volunteered to be that person because I saw it
as an opportunity for me
to learn new skills. After my manager had briefed me, I spent an hour assessing her
workload before
creating a list of tasks, in order of priority, that I had to complete. Beside each
task, I wrote how long I felt

each one would take to complete. I then integrated my own work into the list and
set to work. To work at
pace, I blocked out my diary, I didn’t get involved in office discussions, I
reduced my break time, and I
focused on producing quality work whilst being consistent in task completion.
Because I am naturally an
enthusiastic person who enjoys a challenge, I made sure everything was complete on
time and to the
best of my ability.”
Q89. Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a disagreement.

Sample Answer:
“I was in a team meeting discussing a project we were going to be working on for a
new client. Two team
members suggested we should use substandard product parts for the project because
this would save us
money and increase the return we would make on the project. They argued that the
client would never
know we had used the substandard product parts, so it was fine for us to do so. I
strongly disagreed that
this was not the right course of action to take. I remained calm and put forward my
argument. I explained
that we had a moral and contractual obligation towards the client to deliver on
what was promised. I also
explained that the company had a set of values we had all agreed to work towards,
and that I would not,
under any circumstances, agree to their idea. Although it was an uncomfortable
disagreement to have
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with the members of my team, I felt it was important to speak up. After I had put
forward my reasons for
disagreeing, they decided not to pursue their idea any further.”
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Q90. Tell me about a time when you had a difficult interaction with a customer.
Sample Answer:
“I was working in a previous role dealing with a customer who was very annoyed
about the quality of a
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product they had ordered from our company. They were irate and asked to speak to my
manager. I
asked them if they would first allow me to try and resolve the problem for them, to
which they agreed. I
listened to the customer carefully, I asked them questions about the product issues
before showing
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understanding and empathy for their situation. I told them I would feel exactly the
same if I had
purchased the product. I then apologized unreservedly for the faulty product and
told them the steps I
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would take to rectify it. I then asked my manager for permission to give the
customer a 25% discount on
their next purchase in addition to a replacement product, to which he agreed. After
checking the
customer was happy with my proposal, I put steps in place to make sure the same
situation did not
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happen again. At all times whilst dealing with a customer, I would remember I am
representing this
company and go above and beyond to provide outstanding service.”
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Q91. Tell me about a time when you helped develop the career of a co-worker.
Sample Answer:
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“In a previous role, a co-worker was trying for an internal promotion. They asked
if they could shadow me
for a week to gain an insight into my daily tasks and how I approached my
responsibilities. They need to
develop skills in certain areas to meet the essential criteria of the role they
were applying for. I agreed to
help them. To begin with, I sat down with them and determined what they wanted to
learn and achieve
over the week they were with me. We drew up a list of the top 10 things they wanted
to learn before
starting work. I showed them how I prioritized tasks each day based on the
company’s commercial
objectives, and what I did to double-check everything was completed to the right
standard. Where
possible, I got them to perform some of my duties, so they gained real hands-on
experience. At the end
of the week, we had worked through everything that was on the list and they thanked
me for my
assistance. When my colleague went to interview, they managed to get the promotion
they wanted,
which was great news!”
Q92. How do you handle stress and pressure?

Sample Answer:

“I handle stress and pressure by first and foremost prioritizing my working day in
advance. I determine
which tasks need my attention, what the likely obstacles are, and how I can
potentially overcome them.
Prioritizing tasks and thinking ahead helps to minimize stress. If you understand
that stress and pressure
are part of your working day, you can remain calm and composed, and deal with the
situation much
easier. Finally, to handle stress and pressure I maintain a healthy lifestyle
outside of work. I attend the
gym several times a week which helps me keep a positive mindset and strong
concentration levels.”
Q93. Describe a situation when you went above and beyond for a company.
Sample Answer:
“In my last role, we had a challenging situation on a Friday afternoon whereby our
supplier was only able
to deliver a number of products we were eagerly waiting for late in the evening.
This was due to a supply
chain issue. Because we desperately needed the products, I agreed to cancel my
plans and stay behind
late after work to take delivery of the stock when it arrived. While waiting for
the delivery, I took the
opportunity to complete a risk assessment of the workplace which I’d wanted to do
for some time.
Because no one else was at work that evening, I was able to get on with the task
without distraction. The
delivery eventually rived at 8 pm, and it took me 90 minutes to check everything
was present and put it all
72
away safely. I am the type of employee who will willingly help out my employer
whenever I can.”
Q94. What’s your greatest achievement?
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Sample Answer:
“My greatest professional achievement was in my last position where I managed to
help the company
increase sales and customer satisfaction ratings. We had several fantastic products
for sale, but the
00
business had no method for obtaining feedback from customer’s post-purchase. We
also had no way of
asking customers to leave product reviews after they had purchased from us and I
felt this was a missed
opportunity to increase sales, build trust with customers and obtain invaluable
feedback. I carried out
:0
some research online and I found the best options for our needs would be to use the
review website
Feefo.com. After putting together a proposal, I presented it to my manager and he
was blown away by
ID
the work I had done. I gave examples of businesses that had improved customer
satisfaction ratings and
increased sales, and we were both very excited about the opportunity this gave the
company. After
employing a web developer to set up the Feefo account for us and implement it
within our website, we
er
soon started to gather reviews and invaluable feedback from our customers that both
increased sales
and helped us to make improvements to our products and services.”
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Q95. How do you stay productive under minimal supervision from a manager?
Sample Answer:
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“I stay productive by setting myself S.M.A.R.T goals. Goals that are Specific,
Measurable, Attainable,
Relevant, and Timely form part of my working day. For example, in my previous job,
one of the weekly
tasks I had was to collect sales data for all company products over the previous
twelve months. I broke
up this task into five daily goals based on each product using alphabetical order.
On Monday, I set myself
the goal of collating all sales data for products from A to E. On Tuesday, I worked
through F to J, and so
on. By the end of the week, I had fully finished the task and submitted the sales
data to my manager.”
Q96. Describe a time when you were flexible at work.

Sample Answer:
“It was 9 am on a Monday morning and my supervisor came into the work area to ask
for a volunteer to
go and work in another department within the company to help as someone from their
team had called in
sick. Despite not knowing anything about their area of expertise, I quickly put my
hand up because I saw
this as an opportunity to learn something new. When I arrived at the new department
the supervisor
briefed me on my duties for the day. I was required to deal with customers on the
telephone and respond
to their queries using a pre-determined systematic approach that was written down
on laminated cards. I
spent the first ten minutes familiarizing myself with the task and the cards before
setting to work
answering calls. During the day I was with the department, I managed to
successfully handle over 70
calls and it was a great experience for me to find out how a different side of the
company operated.”
Q97. Describe a time when you demonstrated excellent attention to detail skills at
work.
Sample Answer:
“In a previous role, my manager needed someone to collate historical company sales
data and input the
information into a new software system. I volunteered to carry out the work for
him. The task was
particularly challenging because the historical sales data had been previously
inputted incorrectly across
multiple computer devices and software systems. The work also needed to be
completed within a 24-
hour timeframe. I started by creating a plan of action of what I was going to do,
and I estimated it would
take me 13 hours in total to finish the work. I set to work in a quiet office away
from the hustle and noise
of the office as accuracy was vital to this task. Partway through the task, my
manager informed me that
the deadline had been brought forward, so to ensure the work was done on time I
stayed behind late that
evening to get it all finished. Throughout each stage of the task, I double-checked
the accuracy of my
work, and I asked a colleague of mine to verify it for me.”
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Q98. What are your hobbies and interests?
Sample Answer:
08
“My hobbies and interests include going to the gym, reading, and learning to play
the guitar. I visit the
gym three times a week and this helps to boost my confidence levels and my
concentration capabilities
for when I am at work. I love reading books because this helps to improve my
vocabulary and it enables
00
me to unwind. Finally, I have been learning to play the guitar over the past 6
months by following online
lessons which demonstrate my ability to absorb information and apply myself for
long periods of time.”
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Q99. What are your career goals?

Sample Answer:
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My short-term career goals are to get hired in this position and to learn the role
as quickly as possible so
I can become self-sufficient and continually achieve great things with my co-
workers. I believe the way to
self-improvement and development is through collaborative working, so I aim to
become a competent
er
team worker as soon as possible. My long-term career goals are to work for your
company either in this
position or in a more senior one, but I realize I will need to work hard and
impress you consistently to
achieve that, which I am committed to doing so. Outside of work, I am saving up for
a deposit to buy my
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first home, so my performance at work is definitely linked to that goal.”

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Q100. That’s the end of your interview. Do you have any questions for us?
Sample Answer:
Q1. What do you need me to focus on in the first 30 days of starting work here?
Q2. What advice would you give to the successful candidate who wants to excel in
the position?
Q3. What’s the one thing I can do in this role to help your company achieve its
aims?
Q4. What type of on-the-job training would I receive if I am successful?
How to Use These Interview Questions and Answers:

These interview questions and answers are intended to guide you in your preparation
for your job
interview. These questions have been picked by the PassMyInterview team because we
believe
that they are the best representative of what you will face in your interview.

The sample answers in this resource are collated from years of experience and
research in the
recruitment sector. The answers confidently display the appropriate qualities and
competencies
that the interviewer expects from successful candidates.
Read the sample answers carefully, and take note of what skills and competencies
they
demonstrate. You might notice that, when the question asks for examples, the answer
uses the
STAR method to construct the response:
Situation. Start off your response to the interview question by explaining what the
‘situation’ was and who was involved.
72
Task. Once you have detailed the situation, explain what the ‘task’ was, or what
needed to
be done.
08
Action. Now explain what ‘action’ you took, and what action others took. Also
explain why
00
you took this particular course of action.
Result. Explain to the panel what you would do differently if the same situation
arose
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again. It is good to be reflective at the end of your responses. This demonstrates

a level of
ID
maturity and it will also show the panel that you are willing to learn from every
experience.
er
In order to get the best possible results, apply this system to your own examples
and
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experiences in working life. These sample answers are intended to inspire you to
create your
own responses to the questions.
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Disclaimer:
PassMyInterview is not responsible for anyone failing any part of any selection
process as a
result of the information contained within this resource. PassMyInterview and their
authors
cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions within this resource,
however
caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned by any person acting, or
refraining from
action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by
PassMyInterview.

Get more guides, books and training courses at the website www.How2Become.com.
Copyright © PassMyInterview.com. All Rights Reserved. For personal use only.
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100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q2. Why do you want this job?

Q4. Tell me something that is not on your CV.

Q5. Why do you want to leave your current job?

Q6. Why are there gaps in your employment?

Q7. Why should we hire you?

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Q9. Why do you want to work for us?

meaning I will take pride in my work, and complete everything on time. I am

Q11. What didn’t you like about your last job?

Q12. What are your greatest strengths?

Q13. What is your biggest weakness?

Q14. What are you looking for in your next job?

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

“I am seeking a positive team environment where the employer is supportive,

Q15. How would your friends describe you?

Q16. How do you handle pressure?

Q17. How would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?

Q18. What makes you angry or annoyed?

Q20. Tell me about a time you provided excellent customer service.

Q21. Tell me about a time you worked in a team.

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q22. Tell me about a challenge you had to overcome.

Q24. What does success mean to you?

I am able to support my family.”

Q25. What areas do you need to improve on right now?

I most definitely want to experience in the future. I also need to improve my

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q31. Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to change.

Q32. Tell me about a time when you challenged someone's behaviour.

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

valuable feedback that enabled us to increase customer service standards. This, in

Q36. Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q37. Tell me about a time you made a mistake.

each month, equating to $3,600 per year. I presented my findings to my manager. He

tact and diplomacy to encourage them to improve. I spoke to my work colleague in

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q48. Tell me about a time when you made an unpopular decision.

Q51. Tell me about a time when you created or invented something.

Q52. Tell me about a time when you left a task unfinished.

Q53. Tell me about your proudest professional achievement.

Q59. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a team member.

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q63. How do you keep your technical knowledge up to date?

Q65. How do you handle tight deadlines whilst working in a project?

technical competence the following morning. By creating a plan of action, and by

Q68. How many streetlights are there in this country?

Q70. What can you bring to this role?

Q72. Why are manhole covers round?

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q74. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

finally IMPLEMENTING THE SOLUTION through collaborative working and TESTING. I

“This is a common situation in tech roles, and it would be my responsibility to

Q77. What are your salary expectations?

100 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS!

Q78. Describe your work ethic.

Q79. How do you prioritize your work?

Q81. What motivates you?