150 interview questions

8/8/2019 150 interview questions

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1. How would you describe yourself?

Sample excellent response:

My background to date has been centeredaround preparing myself to become the verybest financial consultant I can become. Let metell you specifically how I've prepared myself. Iam an undergraduate student in finance andaccounting at _________ University. My past

experiences has been in retail and higher education. Both aspects have prepared me wellfor this career.

See also this page of our Job InterviewingTutorial.

2. What specific goals, including thoserelated to your occupation, have youestablished for your life?

Sample excellent response: I want to be working for an excellent companylike yours in a job in which I am managinginformation. I plan to contribute my leadership,interpersonal, and technical skills. My long-range career



goal is to be the best information systemstechnician I can for the company I work for.


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


I have prepared myself to transition into the thework force through real-world experienceinvolving travel abroad, internship, andentrepreneurial opportunities. While interningwith a private organization in Ecuador, Ideveloped a 15-page marketing plan composed

in Spanish that recommended more effectiveways the company could promote its services. Ialso traveled abroad on two other occasions inwhich I researched the indigenous culture of theMayan Indians in Todos Santos, Guatemala,and participate din a total language immersion

program in Costa Rica. As you can see from myacademic, extracurricular, and experientialbackground, I have unconditionally committedmyself to success as a marketing professional.




4. Please describe the ideal job for youfollowing graduation.

Sample excellent response (equates ideal jobwith job he's interviewing for): My ideal job is one that incorporates both myeducation and practical work skills to be thebest I can be. Namely combining my educationin finance with my working knowledge of customer service operations, entrepreneurialabilities, computer skills, and administrativeskills. I want to utilize my analytical expertise tohelp people meet their financial goals. This isexactly why I am convinced that I would be avery valuable member of the Merrill Lynchteam.


5. What influenced you to choose thiscareer?



Sample excellent response: My past experiences have shown me that Ienjoy facing and overcoming the challenge of making a sale. Without a doubt, once I havepracticed my presentation and prepared myself for objections, I feel very confident approachingpeople I don't know and convincing them thatthey need my product. Lastly, I like salesbecause my potential for success is limited only

by how much of myself I dedicate toward mygoal. If any profession is founded on self-determinism, it surely must be sales.


6. At what point did you choose this career?

Sample excellent response: I knew that I wanted to pursue informationsystems technology about my sophomore year in college. It was then that I realized that my

that my hobby (computers) was taking up mostof my time. My favorite courses were ITcourses. I also realized that I was doing



computer-oriented work-study that I enjoyed somuch I would have done it for free.

7. What specific goals have you establishedfor your career?

Sample excellent response: My goals include becoming a Certified Financial Advisor so I can obtain a better workingknowledge of financial research analysis, whichwould allow me contribute to my client base asa better financial consultant since I would havethat extra insight into the companies they areseeking to invest in. Also this is the foundationblock to advancing my career to portfoliomanager or even branch office manager.


8. What will it take to attain your goals, andwhat steps have you taken toward attainingthem?

Sample excellent response: I've already done some research on other workers at Merrill Lynch to see how they



achieved similar goals. I know that Merrill Lynchencourages the pursuit and will reimburse for tuition of a graduate degree. I plan on pursuinga MBA to give me an even more extensiveknowledge of business and financial analysis.

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

Sample excellent response: I believe successful salespeople put forth thatextra effort that turns potential clients into first-time customers. Salespeople who attend to thedetails by doing whatever it takes to win over aprospective customer distinguish themselvesfrom the countless others who don't go to anyextra effort. Second, I think that if you labelsuccess as an attainable goal, you will never consistently remain successful. You can onlysucceed if you learn all there is to learn aboutyour product, your competitors, and personalselling. Since this learning process is

continuous, it's an unattainable goal. With goodreason, salespeople should not consider success an attainable ending point but an



objective that will always linger slightly beyondtheir reach.

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

Sample excellent response: Last semester I was hired by by university'sCouncil for Student Activities. The groupnegotiates contracts of entertainers, sets upsound equipment, markets the entertainers tostudents, and generally decides what kind of programming should be done. When I got hired,I didn't know the first thing about how fill any of those responsibilities. I decided, however, that Iwasn't going to fail. Four months later, I havebecome the Webmaster for the group. I alsowrite our campus newsletter and created GameNight, a student competition of table games.That event yielded the biggest audience ever for a non-concert event.

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



Sample excellent response: I believe I have a combination of qualities to besuccessful in this career. First, I have a stronginterest, backed by a solid, well-rounded, state-of-the-art education, especially in a career thatis technically oriented. This basic ingredient,backed by love of learning, problem-solvingskills, well-rounded interests, determination tosucceed and excel, strong communication

skills, and the ability to work hard, are the mostimportant qualities that will help me succeed inthis career. To succeed, you also need anatural curiosity about how systems work -- thekind of curiosity I demonstrated when Iupgraded my two computers recently.

Technology is constantly changing, so you musta fast learner just to keep up or you will beoverwhelmed. All of these traits combine tocreate a solid team member in the ever-changing field of information systems. I amconvinced that I possess these characteristics

and am ready to be a successful team member for your firm.




12. What has been your most rewardingaccomplishment?

Sample excellent response: A recent satisfying accomplishment I was sentto one of our branch banks that was notoriousfor not growing their loan base. The branch hadlogged $75,000 in new loans in an 18-monthperiod prior to my arrival. Having a reputation

as a "hired gun" when it came to loanproduction I was successful in the solicitationand booking of $700,000 in my first six monthsat the branch.

13. If you could do so, how would you planyour college career differently?

Sample excellent response: I wouldn't change anything. All that I have donewas a great learning experience that I will carryforward throughout the rest of my life.




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

Sample excellent response: I like the validity of information and also like theenergy that comes with working with people.The best thing about working in a group iscombining the great minds from different

perspectives and coming up with somethingextremely great, compared with when you'reworking alone. At the same time, informationcan generate vitality in the project you'reworking on. No matter how many heads you'vegot together, without information, you can't go

very far. The perfect situation would be acombination of working with information andpeople, and I'm confident of my abilities in bothareas.[Submitted by "Stacey"]

See also this page of our Job Interviewing

Tutorial.



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

Sample excellent response: I have had many opportunities in both athleticsand academics to develop my skills as a teamplayer. My tenure as a rower with my college'screw team serves as a good example. I learned

a great deal about teamwork while rowingbecause all the rowers in the boat must act asone, which meant that we incessantly worked tokeep each movement in the boat synchronized.On an individual basis, we still worked towardgroup goals through weightlifting and land-

rowing. My experience as a marketing researchteam leader also helped me to learn the role of "team player." I viewed my position as that of group leader and of group member. I ensuredthat everyone in the group had equalopportunity to contribute, maintained excellent

communication among group members, andcoordinated their energies toward reaching our team's goal.



16. What motivates you to put forth yougreatest effort?

Sample excellent response: You would think that because I am interested insales, only financial compensation wouldmotivate me to achieve. Although monetaryrewards are important to me, I am driven tosucceed internally. More than anything, I want

to be respected by my friends and coworkersfor being the best at what I do. Whether I amconsidered to be the best car detailer in myhometown or the best columnist for my collegenewspaper, I want to be recognized as the best.

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

Sample excellent response: I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other

college students who have the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring anadditional quality that makes me the very bestperson for the job -- my attitude for excellence.



Not just giving lip service to excellence, butputting every part of myself into achieving it. Incollege and at my previous jobs, I haveconsistently reached for becoming the very bestI can become. I think my leadership awardsfrom my college, and my management positionsare the result of possessing the qualities you'relooking for in an employee.


18. Would you describe yourself as goal-driven?


Yes, and I demonstrated my goal orientation aspresident of the local Jaycees, a communityservice organization. I am very proud of the factthat I set a goal of signing 50 new members bythe end of the year, and I accomplished that.


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





Sample excellent response: My primary objectives are to learn as much aspossible about your company's product offering,organizational structure, and professional salestechniques so that I may become the mostproductive member of your sales team.

22. What do you expect to be doing in fiveyears?

Sample excellent response: Although it is hard to predict the future, Isincerely believe that I will become a very goodfinancial consultant. I believe that my abilitieswill allow me to excel to the point that I canseek other opportunities as a portfolio manager (the next step) and possibly even higher. Myultimate goal continues to be -- and will alwaysbe -- to be the best at whatever level I amworking at within Merrill Lynch's corporatestructure.


23. What do you see yourself doing in tenyears?



Sample excellent response: Ten years from now I see myself as asuccessful consultant for a world-class firm likeyours. I want to have developed a wonderfulbond with my employer I will have provenmyself a highly competent systems analyst andwill represent my company in helping othersfind solutions to their information-systemsneeds in a professional and timely manner.


24. How would you evaluate your ability todeal with conflict?

Sample excellent response: I believe I am quite good at handling conflict.Working in retail and in the residence hallsrequired that I make many unpopular decisionsat times, whether it was terminating anassociate or taking judicial action on a resident.

Often the person in conflict with me would beupset and sometimes physically outraged. Iwould always make sure that I fully explainedthe situation, the policies behind my decision,



and why those policies exist. Usually by the endof the conversation, the person could see theother side of the situation.

25. Have you ever had difficulty with asupervisor or instructor? How did youresolve the conflict?


Yes, I had an incident with my Spanishprofessor. I turned in an essay that she saidwas too good to be mine. I was honest with her;I told her that I had a native speaker review theessay, but he made very few corrections.However, I had broken the Golden Rule of

Spanish Composition -- the essay must noteven touch the hands of a native speaker. Toprove to her that I was capable of producing anessay that exceeded her expectations of a non-native speaker, I offered to re-write another essay in her office. I earned an A-minus.




26. Tell me about a major problem yourecently handled. Were you successful inresolving it?

Sample excellent response: While working at K-mart, I was one of threepeople to work in the electronics department.One day upon arriving at work, I was told thedistrict manager was coming the next day to do

a store inspection. The two other people whoworked in electronics were both over 55.Neither could lift heavy objects, and onerefused to work at all. As a result, theelectronics department was usually left to me tokeep stocked with product and kept in order. I

had about five hours of work time to get theentire department in order. Those five hourspassed around, and there was still a substantialamount of work to be done. I asked the storemanager if I could stay and work after hourswhile the overnight stockers were there. He

said that because of the employment budget,he could not let me. I was faced with bringingthe entire store's rating down, so I suggested acreative staffing solution, allowing me to workthe extra hours while temporarily reducing the



hours of the other two members of thedepartment. Because of this solution, in amatter of hours, the department was in tip-topshape -- and still under budget. And theresults? The electronics department got a scoreof 95 out of 100.

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

Sample excellent response: Yes. My past experience as an AdministrativeCoordinator required me to deal with manyserious situations since I held emergency on-call duties as a supervisor. One example waswhen I was called by a Resident Assistant todeal with an attempted suicide on her residencehall floor. The situation required that I thinkclearly and quickly in this life-and-deathsituation. I had to weigh the many tasks thatneeded to be completed. I had to assign RAs tocall 911, make sure that EMS could get into the

locked building, while at the same time applyingfirst aid, and ensuring that the rest of theresidents on the floor were OK. I also had tomake sure the privacy of the resident in need



was respected. I basically prioritized and dealtwith each task by its importance. I delegatedresponsibility to RAs for things that they werecapable of handling because I could notphysically be in many places at once. Once theresident was taken to the hospital, I wasresponsible for paperwork and follow up tomake sure the staff members, residents, andthe resident-in-need adjusted back to "normal"

life. I know this is an extreme example notfound in the financial consulting field; however,it shows just how well I can deal with extremepressure.


Tutorial.28. What quality or attribute do you feel willmost contribute to your career success?

Sample excellent response: My greatest strength is my flexibility. I have

learned that work conditions change from dayto day and throughout the day, as well, nomatter where I have worked in the past. I alsohave realized that certain projects require



individual attention and others involve ateamwork approach. These are just a fewexamples of the changes that happen in thefinancial consulting field, as you are well aware.My flexibility to adapt to the different demandsof the job has allowed me to surpass mysupervisor's expectations.


Tutorial.29. What personal weakness has causedyou the greatest difficulty in school or onthe job?

Sample excellent response (shows how he

recognized his weakness and worked toimprove): My greatest weakness had been delegation. Iwould take it upon myself to do many smallprojects throughout my shift as a manager thatcould have been done by others in an attempt

to improve my workers' efficiency. Once Irealized that I was doing more work than theother assistant managers, and they wereachieving better results, I reevaluated what I



was doing. I quickly realized that if I assignedeach person just one small project at thebeginning of their shift, clearly stateexpectations for the project, and then follow upthat everything would get done, and I couldmanage much more efficiently and actuallyaccomplish much more.


Tutorial.30. What were your reasons for selectingyour college or university?

Sample excellent response (tells how educationspecifically will benefit the employer ):

My college has always had a reputation ashaving an excellent accounting department, so Iknew that if I enrolled there, I would achievefirst-class preparation for my chosen career field. It is also a highly accredited school knownfor satisfying employers with the preparation of

its graduates -- that's why companies like yoursrecruit at my school -- the school produces topgraduates. The school offers an excellentliberal-arts background, which research shows



equips graduates with numerous qualities, suchas versatility and strong critical-thinking skills.Finally, having visited the campus beforeenrolling, I knew that the business schoolemphasized group projects. During my four years in the school, I participated in more than35 group projects, which taught me invaluableteamwork, communication, and interpersonalskills.


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

Sample excellent response: My major department had a wonderfulinternship program, and I was able to completethree valuable internships with my department'sguidance. Some other departments in thebusiness school don't have internship programs

that are as strong as my department's. I'd like tosee all the departments have strong internshipprograms so all my school's business gradswould have the same opportunities that I had.




32. How will the academic program andcoursework you've taken benefit your career?

Sample excellent response (response is very specific to the job he is interviewing for): As you will note on my resume, I've taken notonly the required core classes for the financefield, I've also gone above and beyond bydouble majoring in accounting. I doubledmajored since I knew that the financialconsulting field requires much knowledge of portfolio analysis and understanding of the taxlaws. I believe that my success in both areas of study have specifically prepared me for thisarea. But it's not just taking the classes in thesetwo areas that allows me to offer Merrill Lynchclients more. I minored in Spanish tounderstand the growing hispanic clientele in the

Central Florida area, which as you are wellaware is a growing source of revenue for theindustry. If you like, I can elaborate on other aspects of my education further.



33. Which college classes or subjects didyou like best? Why?

Sample excellent response: My favorite classes have been the onespertaining to my major, which is marketing.These classes have laid the groundwork for mycareer in marketing. They have also taught me skills

that I can bring to my employer, ranging fromcommunication skills to interacting with others.


34. Are you the type of student for whom

conducting independent research has beena positive experience?

Sample excellent response: Yes, I love it. I thoroughly enjoyed my senior research in college while many others in myclass were miserable. I was never tired of learning more about my topic and found itexhilarating to be researching something thathad not been studied before.




35. Describe the type of professor that hascreated the most beneficial learningexperience for you.

Sample excellent response: My favorite professors were the ones who gaveme hands-on learning experiences that I canapply to my career. Any person can make youmemorize the quadratic equation, but someonewho can show you how to use it, and why, werethe professors I liked. I liked teachers whorealized that sometimes there is more then oneanswer and everyone thinks differently.


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

Sample excellent response: I have focused much of my energy on work andobtaining real-world experience. I commend myclassmates who have earned high GPAs, but I



also feel it's important to be well-rounded. Inaddition to work experience, I participated insports and extracurricular activities in school.These activities taught me leadership,communication, and teamwork skills.Sometimes my heavy load has not allowed meto keep up with some of my studies, but I havelearned an enormous amount that I can apply inmy future industry. As you will discover if you

talk to my supervisors, my ability to workeffectively is much more reflective of my futurepotential than is my GPA.


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

Sample excellent response: I plan to continue my education for the rest of my life. In any technology-related field, keeping

up to date through continuing education is of the utmost importance. Continuing educationcan include on-the-job training, coursessponsored by the employer, and courses taken



in new technologies as they emerge. I plan tobe not only a career employee but a career student so that I can be the best informationsystems analyst I can be. I will ensure,however, that any education I pursue not onlydoesn't interfere with my job or the company'spolicies, but will enhance my value as anemployee.


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

Sample excellent response: My background has been focused on preparingme for the financial consulting industry, so I canbe productive right away. I already haveobtained the educational credentials and skillsto allow me to become an immediate asset to

Merrill Lynch. After interning for a semester, Iam well aware of the shared beliefs of theorganization and its corporate values. I alreadyhave a very good working knowledge of the



financial consulting business. I am confident of my ability to get up to speed quickly in anyassignment with which I'm not familiar.


39. Describe the characteristics of asuccessful manager.

Sample excellent response: A successful manager should have the visionand capabilities to formulate strategies to reachhis or her objectives and communicate theseideas to his or her team members. In addition toserving as a positive role model for co-workers,

successful managers must also be capable of inspiring others to recognize, develop, andapply their talents to their utmost potential toreach a common goal. These are the traits Ihope to demonstrate when I'm a manager.


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



Sample excellent response: I want to work in the marketing and PR industrybecause ever since I took my first marketingcourse in college, I have felt very passionatetoward the industry and cannot imagine myself doing anything else.

41. Tell me what you know about our company.

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


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

Sample excellent response: I am convinced that there would be no better



place to work than Accenture. You are the topconsulting firm in the United States. Youprovide your employees with the tools theyneed to stay competitive and sharpen their skills while working in an open, team-basedenvironment. I am also aware that you providea mentor for all new employees, and I wouldembrace any opportunity to work with a mentor and eventually become one myself.


43. Do you have a geographic preference?


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

44. Why do you think you might like to livein the community in which our company islocated?

Sample excellent response: Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity tospend several days in your community, and I



fell in love with it. I love the fact that you have athriving riverfront. I'm impressed with the manycultural opportunities here -- opera, theater, art,and independent films. I've also alreadybecome a fan of the Saints and the other sportsteams based here. I have conducted significantInternet research on this city, so I am quitecomfortable with your location.

45. Would it be a problem for you torelocate?

Sample excellent response: I'm open to opportunities within the company; if those opportunities involve relocation, I wouldcertainly consider it.

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

Sample excellent response: I am more than willing to travel. I understandthe importance of going above and beyond thecall of duty to satisfy customer requests issometimes required and that Merrill Lynch'scustomer focus belief means that travel isexpected in some circumstances. I am willing to



make this commitment to do whatever it takesto develop that long-term relationship with asmall business or client. It is only through thisrelationship that loyalty can be maintained andfinancial gains and growth can occur for boththe client and Merrill Lynch. It is myunderstanding from other financial consultantsthat I have interviewed at Merrill Lynch that thisoccurs maybe one or two times a month.

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

Sample excellent response: A salary commensurate with my experienceand skills is important, but it's only one piece of the package. Many other elements go intomaking up a compensation package, but moreimportantly, it's critical to me to enjoy what I'mdoing, fit into the corporate culture, and feel I'mmaking a genuine contribution.


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



Sample excellent response: I am not depending on money to make mehappy. What makes me happy is having asatisfying job that provides challenge and newsituations daily.

9. Tell me about the salary range you'reseeking.

Sample excellent response: I am sure that I am the candidate you arelooking for. If you feel the same, the I'm sureyour offer will be fair and commensurate withthe value I can bring the company.


Tutorial.50. Describe a situation in which you wereable to use persuasion to successfullyconvince someone to see things your way?


Recently my company asked for bids on aphone system for our new college campus. Two companiescame in very close with their bids, and most of



my department wanted to go with a vendor thatwe have used in the past. After I looked over the proposals, it was clear that this was thewrong decision. So, I talked individually witheach member of our staff and was able tochange their minds and get the best productthat would save money and provide the highestquality.

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

51. Describe an instance when you had tothink on your feet to extricate yourself froma difficult situation.

Sample excellent response: When I was a resident assistant at my college,a student I did not know asked me if he coulduse my phone to call another room. Although Idid not know the student, I allowed him into my

room. He used the phone and in the course of his conversation, he stated that he had justcome from a fraternity party and was high fromtaking some drugs. Well after his conversation,



I had to enforce the student conduct code bywriting him up. He became very hostile towardsme and would not give me any identification or information. I stood in the doorway to preventhim from leaving. I noted the serial numbers onhis keys, so when the situation got to the pointwhere I felt unsafe, I allowed the him to leave. Istill preformed my job without jeopardizing myor his physical welfare.


52. Give me a specific example of a timewhen you used good judgment and logic insolving a problem.

Sample excellent response: I had a client come into the bank where Iworked and request a $5,000 personal loan to"pay off some bills." In the customary review

process, I determined that what was reallyneeded was a $25,000 debt-consolidation loan.Rather than giving the customer a "quick-fix" tothe problem, I logically solved the problem in a



way that was in the best interest of both thebank and the client.


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

Sample excellent response: I've shown my ability to adapt by successfullyworking in several very different jobs. For example, I lived with a native family in CostaRica. I worked as a nanny for a famous writer in

Cape Cod. I was responsible for dealing withDrug Court participants. And I catered to elitecountry-club clientele. I did it all well and had notrouble adapting.




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

Sample excellent response: Arriving at the language school I was attendingin Costa Rica in the middle of the night withvery minimal Spanish-language skills, I foundmy way to a very small town with no street

addresses or names and found my temporaryresidence. I was scared, but I handled thesituation very well, very calmly. In very stressfulsituations, I am always the one in the group tostay calm and focused. My friends, family, andprofessors have always said that I am an oasis

of calm in a storm. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-Rstory.

55. Give an example of a time in which you

had to be relatively quick in coming to adecision.

Sample excellent response: This happens often in the IT industry, but one



recent example was when we had a corebackbone switch die. It died at the worstpossible time -- during exams -- as they alwaysseem to do, and I needed to get it back up andrunning quickly. I analyzed the logs and systemstatus, and using my previous experience,Imade some quick decisions that rectifiedproblem and got the equipment back up onlyminutes later.


56. Describe a time when you had to useyour written communication skills to get animportant point across.

Sample excellent response: As an Administrative Coordinator, I had a staff of 27 students. Having such a large studentstaff all working different shifts and having

varying class schedules meant that meetingscould not be held with everyone at one time. Ineeded to communicate with everyone aboutimportant policies and information often, so I



came up with the idea of designing a Web pagefor my staff with written announcements. EachDesk Assistant was required to check the Webpage daily at the beginning of his/her shift. Ialso sent email communications by adistribution list that allowed each Desk Assistant to keep informed about anything. Theone situation that stands out in my mind is alast-minute summer camp that decided to come

in a day early with only one day's notice. I hadno staff scheduled to check in the camps or toorganize the keys. I posted an update to theWeb page and sent an email. Within four hours,I had the following day completely staffed anddesk assistants there to organize room keys for

the campers that night.


57. Give me a specific occasion in which

you conformed to a policy with which youdid not agree.



Sample excellent response: When I worked at Home Depot as an assistantmanager, I was always looking for way to boostmy employees' morale. Unloading trucks is avery routine and physical job and can becomevery boring and exhausting, so to improve theunloaders' attitude toward their duties and makethe best of the situation, I put a radio in thereceiving dock. It worked; however, the district

manager did not approve of the radio in theworkplace even though it did not interfere withany set policy of company objectives. The radiowas also out of any areas where customerswould hear the music. I did not agree with myDMs decision to remove the radio; however, I

understood his point of view once he explainedit to me and promptly complied to his request.The employees were not happy that their radiowas gone, so I found an alternative method of reward and morale boosting by implementing aprogram in which we provided lunch for the

unloaders from any restaurant of their choice if they unloaded the trucks faster than normal.This program succeeded by increasing their unloading time from 2 1/2 hours to only 1 1/2, a



savings in payroll of 8 percent of sales for thatshift.


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

Sample excellent response: As a senior in high school, my goal was toattend college and play college golf. But I wasnowhere near the player I needed to be to playor even get on the team. So over that summer I

worked on my golf game to the point where Iwon almost every tournament I entered. I spentevery hour I had during the day to make myself a better all-around player. I eventually walkedon my freshmen year and was exempted fromqualifying because I played so well in my first

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



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

Sample excellent response: The most significant presentation I have ever had to present was at a national researchsymposium. I was presenting research I hadcompleted on digital analysis of mammogramsand had to present to a panel of more than 100

judges who were at the top of their field. Ifocused on the research, which could sell itself,and just let the information flow. It went over very well, and I received many more invitationsto present the research, including on nationaltelevision.


60. Tell me about a time when you had to goabove and beyond the call of duty in order

to get a job done.Sample excellent response: Although I had already punched out, I stayedbehind to help a colleague solve a problem. A



customer was very angry as he had waited verylong for his coffee. My colleague was new, shewas quite slow. I came out and explained thingsto the customer. Although he was very angry atfirst, I just listened to him and told him that wetry to bring our best out to each customer whowalks in to our store. After a one-hour discussion, he left with a happy face and wassatisfied.

[Submitted by "Fizah."]


61. Give me an example of a time when youwere able to successfully communicate withanother person even when that individualmay not have personally liked you (or viceversa).


During my time in the theater, I had one director with whom I absolutely did not work well.However, because of my track record, shewould assign me as stage director and/or



assistant director. I was usually involved in theday-to-day operations of the play and thedetails of how the play would be performed. Ihandled the operation for the play by directingscenes the best way I could and then showingthem to her for approval. If she did not like theway a scene worked, I gave her my opinion asto why it should be my way. If we still could notcompromise, I would follow her directions to the

best of my ability. Understanding that peopledon't usually have malicious intentions is key,and understanding that you will never be able toconvince some people that your way is right isthe best way to avoid conflict and still get the job done.


62. Sometimes it's easy to get in "over your head." Describe a situation where you had

to request help or assistance on a project or assignment.



Sample excellent response: It's impossible to know everything in the IT fieldbecause of rapidly changing technology, sorecently when we were having troubles with our circuit emulation over our ATM network, I had tocall in some engineers from North Carolina tocome help me out. The nice thing about askingfor help is that when you get the assistance,you can learn from what you are told and apply

it to future situations.


63. Give an example of how you appliedknowledge from previous coursework to aproject in another class.

Sample excellent response: Last semester I was taking a microeconomicsand a statistics course. One of the

microeconomics projects dealt with showing therelationship between the probability thatcustomers would stop buying a product if theprice was raised a certain amount. Through



what I learned in statistics I could find themedian where the price was the highest andstill kept most of the customers happy.


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

Sample excellent response: I was on a project team in a business class inmy freshman year in college, The groupbrainstormed ideas for the video we were

assigned to produce, and everyone but me wasleaning toward an idea that would be easy. Isuggested instead an idea that would be moredifficult but would be something different that noother group would be doing. I used mycommunications skills to persuade the rest of

the group to use my idea. During the project,we really learned what teamwork was all about,became a close team, and ended up putting alot of hard work into the project. All the team



members ended up feeling very proud of thevideo, and they thanked me for the idea -- for which we earned an A.


65. Describe a situation in which you foundthat your results were not up to your professor's or supervisor's expectations.What happened? What action did you take?

Sample excellent response: Recently I was asked to put together a proposalfor a migration of network systems.

Misunderstanding my boss, I thought it was justan informal paper. When I presented it to himdays later, he was upset with the quality since ithad to be presented to our VP. I explained mymisunderstanding, apologized, reworked thepaper, and had it back to him with enough time

for him to review it before he presented itsuccessfully at the meeting.




66. Tell of a time when you worked with acolleague who was not completing his or her share of the work. Who, if anyone, didyou tell or talk to about it? Did the manager take any steps to correct your colleague?

Did you agree or disagree with themanager's actions?

Sample excellent response: During a group project in college, we had onemember who would do no work whatsoever.The project was to compare and contrast four companies in a single industry, so his work wasvital. We first discussed the situation and askedfor the bare-bones minimum of what we neededfrom him. We got just below that. As a result weas a group went to the professor and told her our situation -- not expecting or requesting

action -- just informing her the situation we weredealing with. Then we as a group split up thenon-contributor's work, and completed our workcollectively on his share. In phase two in which



we analyzed the information and reported howeach of our companies fared compared to theothers, we did not get a paper from the groupmember. As a result, we told the teacher thatwe had our work done, and were willing to dothe extra paper but that we would rather spendtime polishing our own work, and not picking upslack. She agreed and said to focus on thethree companies we had compiled the most info

on while not entirely neglecting the fourth. Thepapers came out very well, but wereunderstandably weak when comparing thefourth company. The professor understood, andwe received the grades we deserved. I waspleased with our teamwork and the way we

handled the situation.


67. Describe a situation in which you had to

arrive at a compromise or guide others to acompromise.



Sample excellent response: My first semester in college, I was a political-science major. My introductory governmentclass professor had a differing political viewthen I. We disagreed on everything, and manyclasses were filled with criticizing each others'view. However, on one test I answered aquestion with the view I believe in, and shemarked it wrong. So I asked her how an opinion

can be wrong, and she said because her opinion is the way she taught it in class. Ipointed out that my answer showed Iunderstood the concepts of the question. Sheagreed, and I also agreed not be so combativein answers on tests. Compromise is the key to

problem resolution.


68. What steps do you follow to study a

problem before making a decision.

Sample excellent response: Following standard models for problem-solving



and decision-making can be very helpful. Hereare the steps and how they helped me solve aproblem with a group project:

1. Define the problem to be solved anddecision to be made. For a project in anintroductory management class theassignment was to report on thecorporate structure and financial

situation of a couple of companies. Thedecision to be made was whatcompanies to profile and how to presentthe information.

2. Gather the necessary information.Some group members wanted to report

on automakers, while others wanted todo electronics firms. We gatheredinformation on both types of company.

3. List all possible choices. We madelists of companies in both categories.

4. Consider possible outcomes for

each choice. We decided that a reportabout car companies could have apositive outcome, but one aboutelectronics firms might be more futuristic



with high-tech products such as HDTV,video game consoles, and DVD players.

5. Check out how you feel about eachof the choices. Given that this was agroup project, we had to consider thefeelings of all group members.

6. Relate the choices to your valuesand priorities. Again, all group membersweighed in on their values and priorities.

7. From the possible alternatives,choose one. We decided that we'd doelectronics companies because wecould bring in products from eachcompany and show what lies ahead.

8. Commit yourself to your chosen

decision and disregard the others.Concentrate your energies in onedirection. Once we made our decision,we focused all our work on electronicsforms.

9. Take steps to turn your decision into

positive action. All group members gotinterested in how the companies weredoing.



10. Evaluate your progress from time totime. Change your decision if necessary. We were pleased with our progress and didn't feel a need tochange our decision. We got an A onthe project.

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

story.69. We can sometimes identify a smallproblem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example(s) of how youhave done this.

Sample excellent response: When I worked in a large retail store, thestandard procedure was to leave a product onthe shelf until it ran out, then place more itemsout. This practice obviously wasted a lot of man-hours. Of interest particularly to me were

the air conditioners. Not only did I have to putthe heavy thing on the shelves, but they wereselling at a very high rate. So if somehow ACunits ran out on a day in which I could not



restock them, they would not be available tocustomers. As a result I started making a list of products (including the AC units) that theovernight stock people could put on theshelves. As a result, the people on duty alwayshad a job to do, so labor hours were notwasted, and the shelves were always stockedfull of product.


70. In a supervisory or group leader role,have you ever had to discipline or counselan employee or group member? What wasthe nature of the discipline? What steps didyou take? How did that make you feel? Howdid you prepare yourself?

Sample excellent response: As president of a community-service

organization, I was faced with a board member not carrying out his duties as managementdevelopment vice president. I consulted withhim as to what we could do together to fix the



problem. We agreed that he really couldn'tdevote the time that it took to carry out certainprojects, and he ended up resigning hisposition, but he also stated he would help hisreplacement in whatever capacity he could. Itmade me feel as though we had come to theconclusion together, rather than him thinking Iwas criticizing his performance, which was notthe case. I had a plan of action and carried it

out successfully.


71. Recall a time from your work experiencewhen your manager or supervisor wasunavailable and a problem arose. What wasthe nature of the problem? How did youhandle that situation? How did that makeyou feel?

Sample excellent response: My supervisor was absent once when I was incharge of a soccer game. An actual assaulttook place at the game. A player hit the referee.



With no supervisor to turn to, I immediatelycalled the police, who quickly restored order tothe situation. I felt I made an effective decision.


72. Recall a time when you were assignedwhat you considered to be a complexproject. Specifically, what steps did you taketo prepare for and finish the project? Wereyou happy with the outcome? What one stepwould you have done differently if given thechance?

Sample excellent response: I had to give a marketing presentation whileattending community college. The project wasabout Anheuser-Busch. We were assigned toreport on key management personnel (CEO,Chairman of the Board, President, key VPs),

divisions and subsidiaries, major products/brands/services, key financials for themost recent year (sales revenue, expenses,total income, net income, sales growth or loss



for the last year), market share, keycompetitors, mission statement, productpositioning, and number of employees. Amongthe steps I took were visiting the company'sMiami branch to interview employees andgather visual aids for the project. I spent a lot of time organizing and writing the presentation.Then I spent time reviewing my speech over aperiod of several days. As a result I was calm

while giving the presentation and received an"A" for the project. The one additional step Iperhaps wish I'd taken would have been to talkto some consumers and store owners about theproduct.


73. What was the most complex assignmentyou have had? What was your role?

Sample excellent response: My senior research was my most complexassignment. It took two semesters to completeand was made up of many components. I had



to make many critical decisions along the waythat would affect the outcome of my research. Imade these decisions independently withminimal influence from my professor. I was verysuccessful and happy with my final product.


74. How was your transition from highschool to college? Did you face anyparticular problems?

Sample excellent response: The transition was somewhat challenging for

me because I traveled a great distance toattend college. To help myself adapt, I gotinvolved with as many organizations as I could.I also made it a point to get to know myprofessors. I used my interpersonal andcommunication skills to the best of my ability to

make a lot of friends, and college became oneof the best experiences of my life despite abeginning that seemed a bit overwhelming.




75. Tell of some situations in which youhave had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was theimpact of the change on you?

Sample excellent response: The bank in which I worked instituted a policythat centralized the lending process. Anapplication was to be taken from the client andsent off to be approved/declined, processed,prepared, and returned to the branch to besigned by the client. While the process wasstreamlined, it also took away valuable face-to-face knowledge about the client and the loan. If the employee did not have any prior lendingexperience, he or she couldn't answer simpleloan questions from the client. While Iappreciated the newly created time on my

schedule, I felt that the clients were beingslighted. I did adjust quickly to the newprocedure and did my best to help those aroundme by sharing my knowledge.




76. Compare and contrast the times whenyou did work which was above the standardwith times your work was below thestandard.

Sample excellent response: I was involved in two group projects in apsychology class. In the first, we had to decideon a research experiment to conduct andgarner results from it. The group I was in wasnot very motivated, and the members wanted todo a simplistic comparison on color preferencesof men and women. I felt that project was belowthe standard I was capable of. For the secondproject, I proposed a study in which wecompared how people of different age rangesvalued money. I knew the project would go over well with the teacher and would not be difficult

to conduct. I proposed the idea in a way thatsounded fun. Instead of collecting data insomeplace boring, I suggested we could go tothe mall. The group agreed and worked



relatively well on the project. Discussion is thekey to mediation, and the key to my achieving asecond project that I felt was above thestandard.


77. Describe some times when you were notvery satisfied or pleased with your performance. What did you do about it?

Sample excellent response: I failed my first business calculus test, whichmade me very unhappy. I wasn't going to let

this incident set the trend for the rest of thesemester. I went to my counselor and arrangedto meet with a tutor once a week. My tutor helped me out incredibly. My grades soonimproved, and I went on to redeem myself frommy one slip-up on the first test.




78. What are your standards of success inschool? What have you done to meet thesestandards?

Sample excellent response: I don't believe in trying to get by with the leastpossible effort, and I am always willing to askquestions to learn how to perform anassignment successfully. In my human-

resources management class, for example, wewere assigned a paper on "Why corporateculture is a practical way to increase incomeand productivity." All of the literature on thesubject was written in the language of PhDs. Iasked some other students what they were

doing, and they said just writing their opinionsand not doing any research to back up theclaims. I felt I could do better. So I workedclosely with my professor, who "translated" theacademic literature for me, and over time Iunderstood what was being written. Working

with the professor's guidance, I turned in a verygood paper. Asking questions is one thing I amnot afraid to do and realize that without them Iwill be turning in work that is not as beneficialas it could be.




79. How have you differed from your professors in evaluating your performance?How did you handle the situation?

Sample excellent response: After I wrote a paper for an English class, myprofessor told me that I was not doing the paper in the proper format or with the proper content. Iwent to him and asked if he would help melearn the correct way so that I could succeedwith the paper. He did help me, and I ended updoing well in the course.


80. Give examples of your experiences atschool or in a job that were satisfying. Giveexamples of your experiences that weredissatisfying.



Sample excellent response: I turned a dissatisfying experience into asatisfying one when I was on the cross-countryteam in college and had never run the wholerace in under 30 minutes. With only a month leftin the season, I decided that I would run therace in 25 minutes. I ran every day to build upmy stamina, and in that last race I achieved mygoal time of 25 minutes, which was a very

satisfying experience.


81. What kind of supervisor do you workbest for? Provide examples.

Sample excellent response: I like to work for a supervisor who allows me theautonomy to perform my job to the best of my

abilities. I also like constructive criticism andfeedback so I can improve myself and theorganization. One example was my boss at auniversity. He hired me as an administrativecoordinator because of my administrative and



organizational skills. He knew that I had manynew ideas and allowed me the opportunity toimplement many new programs. Of course, Ikept him constantly informed and sought advicewhen needed. I improved communications in the department by implementing adepartmental Web page. I also streamlined thecheck-in process by preparing the amount of work that could be done the day before. I

improved staff morale by implementing a desk-assistant-of-the-month, which led to lower turnover. These are just a few examples. I wasgiven the Recognizing Outstanding StudentEmployees Award for my efforts and uniqueideas. I gained not only my boss's confidence

and support but his respect as well.


82. Describe some projects or ideas (not

necessarily your own) that wereimplemented, or carried out successfullyprimarily because of your efforts.



Sample excellent response: I had been recently given the duty of being thehead swim team coach for the YMCA I wasemployed with. A swim meet was just aroundthe corner, but only five swimmers had enrolledfor the program, none of whom had ever been apart of an organized team. Funding would becut for the team if more interest could not begenerated. So I decided that I would take action

and actively recruit people to join. Not only did Ihave to run the practices and correct anytechnical mistakes the swimmers were making,but I had to contact other local swim teams toinvite then to join the meet. I had to meet withthe parents and the children separately and

organize a way to help pay for t-shirts,swimsuits, goggles, and swim caps. By the thirdweek of the program, I had gained 15 moreswimmers and every single one had beat his or her own time in practice. When the meet came,I organized the events, ordered ribbons, and

recruited volunteers. At the end of the meet, myteam had come in first place among four other teams. The parents were delighted, and the



profits from the swim team had skyrocketed tothe approval of the board of directors.


83. Describe a situation that required anumber of things to be done at the sametime. How did you handle it? What was theresult?

Sample excellent response: In my current job, I have to handle multipleresponsibilities in developing new projects,maintaining existing ones, and maintaining

good client relations. I allocate a certain amountof time for each area daily. That way clients cansee very clearly that projects are progressing,and I have more satisfaction in accomplishingmultiple tasks under pressure.




84. Have you found any ways to makeschool or a job easier or more rewarding or to make yourself more effective?

Sample excellent response: I find that taking a proactive mindset torecognizing and solving problems before theyhappen make any job more rewarding. It notonly saves time and effort but gives me a sense

of accomplishment and ownership in my job. Idemonstrated my proactiveness when I workedwith Food Lion. As a bookkeeper, I wasresponsible for the offices. The safe was keptoutside of the office in front of the cashregisters, where anyone could get inside of it if I

or another office associate had it open to drop adeposit or get money in and out. I realized thatthe situation was a security hazard. Althoughwe could not move the safe to the inside of theoffice where it was more secure, I ordered atimelock compartment and had it installed, and

the safe could be opened only at a specific timewhen the store closed each day. Only moneycould be dropped through a slot in thecompartment door. We kept large sums of money in that compartment. We kept operating



cash on hand since we needed some excessmoney to perform daily functions. One monthafter I left that store to attend college, I learnedthat it was robbed. Because of my efforts andforesight, the robbers only got a small amountof cash. My previous supervisor thanked me for my efforts, which gave me a great feeling, and Icarried this proactive mindset to my other jobsthereafter.


85. How do you determine priorities inscheduling your time? Give examples.

Sample excellent response: I took a time-management course in which Ilearned to prioritize all tasks on A, B, or C lists. Ialways try to tackle the A list first. In everyworking situation, co-workers have always

complimented me on how well I manage mytime. I enjoy the social atmosphere of the office,but I make it a point not to waste much time onchitchat with colleagues. I've also learned that



the average office worker spends about an hour a day handling e-mail. I make it a point not todeal with my e-mail more than once or twice aday, and I filter my messages into folders so Ican prioritize the way I deal with them.


86. Tell of a time when your active listeningskills really paid off for you -- maybe a timewhen other people missed the key ideabeing expressed.


When I presented my senior research incollege, I was questioned by the members of my major department as a "panel." My gradewas determined largely on my ability to answer the questions effectively and smoothly, whichdepended very much on my ability to listen

carefully to what was being asked. I had seenother students slip up when they misunderstoodwhat the panel was asking because they didn't





general name. I then gave each group a bookto read. Each group had to read it aloud. After each group read each book, I then explainedhow each group tackled the task. They all hadhandled the task differently. Each studentsuccessfully understood how they approachedtasks and from that how they would approachtheir job as a RA. Not only did I engage theaudience in what was being presented, I have

since seen the program adapted in other presentations by RAs in that class. Not only didthey enjoy it, they learned something aboutthemselves that would help them help their residents.


88. Tell of the most difficult customer service experience that you have ever hadto handle -- perhaps an angry or irate

customer. Be specific and tell what you didand what was the outcome.



Sample excellent response: I was making business phone calls behind themembership office at the YMCA when an angryman came up to the counter demanding arefund. He began yelling at the membershipworkers and complaining about the swimmingprogram, saying that it was a rip-off. The other workers were flustered, and even thoughmembership services were not my department,

I calmly asked the man what was wrong. Hethat his son had been in swimming lessons for four weeks and was still afraid of the water.Instead of instantly giving him the refund, Ioffered to personally give his son private swimlessons for a week, explaining to him that

sometimes children react differently to eachinstructor's teaching techniques. He finallyagreed to accept without the refund. After aweek of private lessons, his son was no longer afraid of the water and he could swim nearly alap of the pool. At the end of the lessons, not

only did he sign his child up for another paidsession of private lessons, but he bought afamily membership and apologized to me for hisbehavior the week before.




89. Give an example of when you had towork with someone who was difficult to getalong with. Why was this person difficult?How did you handle that person?

Sample excellent response: As a Resident Advisor, I had another RA whooften sought me as a person to confide her complaints to and shared quite a bit of information about activities she'd engaged inthat violated the rules. Although I did not mindbeing a resource for this person, I knew that Icould not compromise my integrity or her residents' safety. Although she became veryoutraged and angry with me, I talked to her about the situation and and told her that I wouldhave to tell my supervisor. She eventuallyunderstood my responsibility and why I had to

come forward with information. She knew thatwhat she had done was against the rules, butnever realized before I talked to her that shehad jeopardized her residents' safety.




90. Describe a situation where you foundyourself dealing with someone who didn'tlike you. How did you handle it?

Sample excellent response: When I first began working at the YMCA, I wasthe youngest member of the staff. An older woman really "knew the ropes" of the place.When I first got there she barely acknowledgedmy presence, and through word of mouth Idiscovered that she thought that I was tooyoung to successfully fulfill my duties because Iwas so inexperienced. She assumed I wasimmature. I did my job and took everyopportunity to make a good impression. I was avery diligent worker and behaved in a highlyprofessional manner at all times, learningquickly the best way to do things. After about

two weeks of the silent treatment from her, shecame up to me and told me how impressed shewas with me. She told me that I had done anexcellent job and was the fastest learner that



she had ever seen. She apologized to me for ignoring me and took me under her wing andshared what she knew with me.


91. Give me a specific example of somethingyou did that helped build enthusiasm inothers.

Sample excellent response: When I was coaching my swim team at their first swim meet, the swimmers on my teamwere intimidated by the other team because

they were bigger and obviously moreexperienced. The other team members lookedlike pros in their matching swimsuits, unlike myswimmers' mismatched suits. I encouragedthem and told them that they had practiced for so long and so hard that they deserved just as

much respect as those other teams. I told themthat it didn't matter whether we had matchingswimsuits or not and that I would stand behindthem 100 percent no matter what. They were so



excited and pumped after my speech. Theycheered each other on, and not only did everychild break his or her own record, but my teamwon first place in the meet among four other teams that had been together for a much longer time.


story.92. Tell me about a difficult situation when itwas desirable for you to keep a positiveattitude. What did you do?


While directing a play, I was faced withnumerous problems. The sets were not comingtogether; the performers were fighting and notworking hard; the technical aspects of the playwere far from complete, and in general it was amess. I was the "stage manager," which means

that I tell people when to go on stage and tellthe crew when to bring pieces of the set onstage. So I organized everything and toldpeople to do specific jobs and asked them in a



firm yet positive manner. People began to havefun, and the production went on extremely well(all performances sold out). The play wasregarded as one of the smoothest shows tohave been produced by the group.


93. Give me an example of a time you had tomake an important decision. How did youmake the decision? How does it affect youtoday?


My sophomore year was about to begin and Ihad to decide on a major. I could not waste anymore credits figuring out what I was interestedin. I took some personality and career assessments to get a better handle on myinterests, skills, and values. I talked to faculty in

several departments to decide which facultymembers I was most comfortable with. I studiedthe course offerings to see which coursesappealed to me the most. I decided on



communications studies and feel it is the bestdecision I ever could have made.


94. Give me an example of a time you had topersuade other people to take action. Wereyou successful?

Sample excellent response: I was the leader of my macroeconomics groupin college. As leader, I had to delegate parts of the assignment to other group members. Notonly did I do a written part for each paper, but I

gathered all of the props we needed for our oralpresentation, and I typed all of the five papersassigned. I was also taking four other classes atthe time. By the fourth paper, I decided topersuade some of the other group members toedit and finalize it. I learned a lot about

delegation and leadership when I discoveredthat they were happy to help out.




95. Tell me about a time when you had todeal with a difficult person. How did youhandle the situation?

Sample excellent response: I have participated in several groups throughoutmy academic career. Recently, I had to workwith a group in my statistics class and I hadsome personality clashes with one of the groupmembers. However, I realized the importanceof completing the assignment in a prompt andefficient manner. I made it a point to put mydifferences aside and complete my part, alongwith offering assistance to the other groupmembers. As a result, we finished our assignment without any conflict.

Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-

result) technique and see a sample S-A-Rstory.



96. Tell me about a time you had to handlemultiple responsibilities. How did youorganize the work you needed to do?

Sample excellent response: While attending college, I also worked at a lawfirm. I was successful because I practiced goodtime-management skills and I made a to-do listevery day. As I completed each task, I checked

it off the list. It is funny how something sosimple can keep you so organized. As a resultof my to-do lists, I was able to visualize my dailyprogress.


97. Tell me about a time when you had tomake a decision, but didn't have all theinformation you needed.

Sample excellent response: I had to make a decision recently between twoconfigurations on one of our routers. Time wasquickly moving away from me, and I had to



have all the equipment back up in a matter of minutes. I chose the configuration that I had themost data on because I knew at least that Icould better troubleshoot it if there was aproblem. My decision was the right one.


98. What suggestions do you have for our organization?

Sample excellent response: After examining several sources, including your company's annual report and Web site, as well

as some of your competitors' sources, I see thatyou have a strong product line with gooddemographic segments, in a growing industry. Idid notice that your competitors seem to directmore of their efforts to the baby boom market,and while that is certainly a large market for

your products, I think you have a greatopportunity to expand your target market andincrease your market share by marketing your product line to the Baby Boomers' kids --



Generation Y. These teens and preteens areextremely brand conscious and have a highdiscretionary income -- and you are in a greatposition to attract them to your product andbuild a very large core of brand loyalconsumers on top of your existing customer base.

99. What is the most significant contribution

you made to the company during a past jobor internship?

Sample excellent response: My organization was undergoing anaccreditation process. I developed two detailedaccreditation self-evaluation reports thatdocumented how the organization metaccreditation standards. These self-evaluationsserved as basis for accreditation site visits andenabled all eligible programs to be accredited inrecord time.




100. What is the biggest mistake you'vemade?

Sample excellent response: The biggest mistake in my life that I have madeis taking for granted the sacrifices my parentsendured for me. I look back and realize thateverything they did for me was so that I couldsucceed in life. I am thankful now and do

everything to my best ability to make themproud because I am so thankful that they havebeen there for me so that I can give back tosociety and to my job the opportunities that theynever had.


101. Describe a situation in which you hadto use reference materials to write aresearch paper. What was the topic? What

journals did you read?Sample excellent response: In my academic career I have had to writeseveral research papers. The most recent one I



wrote was on whether zero-tolerance policiesabout drugs and weapons in high schools arereasonable. To answer this question, I went toseveral high schools and interviewed their principal or top-level employees. I alsointerviewed students and parents. I visited theHealth Department to gather data. Finally, Iconducted the remainder of my research on theInternet. As a result, I was able to get

perspective from every group this topic wouldeffect.


102. Give me a specific example of a timewhen a co-worker or classmate criticizedyour work in front of others. How did yourespond? How has that event shaped theway you communicate with others?

Sample excellent response: Another manager became upset with me sincesome projects were not being completed.Without discussing the situation with me first,



she criticized me in front of one of theemployees I directly supervised. I was upsetthat she made me look bad in front of myworkers, but I remained calm and asked her tostep into the office so that we could talk about itin more detail. We discussed the problem, andshe learned that the non-completion of thetasks was not my fault. Another manager didnot receive his instructions telling him the tasks

he needed to complete. After that I learned notto jump to conclusions when dealing with othersthat I work and that sometimes amiscommunication can lead to a much larger problem. I've learned to get the complete facts.


103. Give me a specific example of a timewhen you sold your supervisor or professor on an idea or concept. How did you

proceed? What was the result?

Sample excellent response: Last summer, I wanted to help organize a



summer camp for local low-income children. Mysupervisor knew the demand would be therebut feared we would not have enough staff. Iconvinced her that since I went to the facilitydaily, I could network with acquaintances andconvince them of the importance of this camp.My supervisor trusted me. We had hundreds of children sign up for the program, and I hadreached so many people that we were able fully

staff the camp, as well as have a backup supplyof people who were willing to volunteer their time and services to the organization.


story.104. Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How doyou track your progress so that you canmeet deadlines? How do you stay focused?

Sample excellent response: I keep an electronic hand-held organizer that Isynchronize with a schedule on my computer. Ikeep track of each task in order of priority and



due date. I use an electronic organizer becauseit is very portable and has an alarm to remindme of about what is due so I don't have towaste time by looking at my organizer everyhour. I start with the projects with the closestdue date and the highest priority. I take thesetasks and then schedule times in my calendar for me to work on them to ensure I meetdeadlines. I stay focused by going over my

organizer each night before bed so I knowimmediately what I have accomplished andwhere I need to start the next day. Here let meshow you...



105. Tell me about a time when you came upwith an innovative solution to a challengeyour company/class/organization was

facing. What was the challenge? What roledid others play?

Sample excellent response: The trucks at Wal-Mart come loaded by



personnel at by a distribution center, box-by-box. After receiving a few trucks, I noticed thatmy employees were unloading brokenmerchandise that took a lot of time to clean upbefore the rest of the truck could be finished.The broken glass, paint, or whatever material itwas prevented the employees from precedingfarther into the truck, causing more person-hours than normal. I noticed that the

merchandise was broken because heavier boxes were on top of lighter boxes. After acouple of days of this situation, productivitydecreasing, I learned that the rest of the storesin my district faced the same problem. As aresult, I asked each store to take pictures of the

mess so the distribution centers could seeexactly what was happening. I also asked eachone to write down how many additional person-hours it took to clean up the mess. After wegathered this information for a four-weekperiod, we had a pretty a good estimate of how

much the company was losing, approximately$9.50 per person-hour...an average of $125 per store times 15 stores times 30 nights a monthamounted to a substantial sum. We took the



information as a group to our district manager.Once he realized how much money his districtwas losing each month because of brokenmerchandise in the trucks, he contacted hisregional manager, and the trucks after thatwere loaded more carefully. The district madeour Profit and Loss the next month by a 9percent increase.


106. Describe a specific problem you solvedfor your employer or professor. How did youapproach the problem? What role did othersplay? What was the outcome?

Sample excellent response: When I was working as a receptionist at anapartment complex, a tenant argued that hehad turned in his rent payment the day it was

due. He stated that he had slipped it under thedoor because our office was closed for the day.I decided to consult my manager because Irealized that maybe the office needed a sign



that stated that we did not accept rent moneythat is slipped under the door. My boss agreed,and we posted the sign. We never again had aproblem with tenants who claimed they'd paidtheir rent that way.

107. Describe a time when you got co-workers or classmates who dislike eachother to work together. How did you

accomplish this? What was the outcome?Sample excellent response: When I worked for a law firm, my co-workersand I had a huge mailing to complete. We hadthe choice of working more efficiently as a team-- or individually in a much more time-consuming manner. My two co-workers did notcare for each other and they wanted tocomplete the mail-out on an individual level.When I presented them with the evidence thatwe would finish at least an hour earlier byworking together, they decided that working

together was the right path to take. As a result,we finished the mail-out in a short period of timeand could work on other tasks that day.






109. Describe a time when you put your needs aside to help a co-worker or classmate understand a task. How did youassist him or her? What was the result?

Sample excellent response: I was studying right before a major finance test. As the class came into the classroom a coupleof students indicated that did not understand aconcept that I did. Although there was a smallsection of material that I had not completelymastered, I realized that I knew enough aboutthat section that I could perform well enough toearn a good grade. I knew that the section thatthe other students did not understand was amajor portion of the exam since the professor had an interest in this particular subject. Istopped what I was doing to explain to the small

group about the Multiplier Effect of BankReserves on the overall supply of money.Those students learned enough from what Itaught them that they did well on the exam. I



missed a few points on the section of materialthat I had not mastered, but I did well enough toget an A, and the satisfaction I got fromteaching others the concept made me feelproud.


110. Give two examples of things you'vedone in previous jobs or school thatdemonstrate your willingness to work hard.

Sample excellent response: The day we had inventory at Best Buy, I worked

a 13-hour day. I did this because I knew wewere understaffed and that a lot of the lower-level employees who would be working with theinventory team were very nervous about beingin charge of the inventory when many of themhad never done it before. Conveniently, I used

to work for the inventory company that washandling our store, so I still had a fairly deepunderstanding of their processes and methods.I typically work 8-9 hour shifts, but I stayed



longer after my shift to ensure that our lower-level employees felt comfortable and that theinventory got started on time and that it took off in the right direction. I met with a few of the thelower-level employees, and I told them a fewtips on how to solve problems they mayencounter, and it worked; they all seemed tofeel a little more comfortable. Then I walked thestore and made sure that it was presentable for

our guests and in case we got a surprise visitfrom headquarters. I couldn't stay for theinventory myself because I had class in themorning, and it would've put me over my 40hours for the week, but I was glad I could staylong enough to make everyone feel a little more

comfortable, and that I had time to make themall feel appreciated.

Another example of something that merited alot of effort on my behalf was my marketingresearch paper. I enjoy group projects because

I enjoy learning about the perspectives of others; however, sometimes the burdensappear to outweigh the benefits. Having agroup project such as this one with 5-6 teammembers was a difficult task when most of us



had school and jobs to juggle. We created anonline survey and sent it to everyone on our contact list. We were doing research for amuseum, and they had a contact list of award-winning artists whose perspectives they wantedus to use in our project. Anyone whose emaildidn't work or who didn't fill out the survey wetried to contact over the phone. Then we ran allof that data through SPSS and started to create

our paper -- in completion our paper was 120pages. The project was an amazing experienceand I am so proud to say I've done it, I lovehaving the opportunity to talk about what I haveaccomplished, but it merited a great deal of effort and a lot of learning along the way. My

group was good; they were a solid group of people who were smart and willing to put in thetime, and we got the highest grade in the class.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]





111. Describe the last time that youundertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.

Sample excellent response: During my internship with World Market, wewere asked to pick an area or a problem andcreate a way to improve World Market process.I noticed that our food vendors were not really

pulling their weight -- with the economicdownturn and the price of gas especially, our sales are down right now, which often meansdecreased payroll -- so at this juncture it wascritical that our vendors perform up to par so wedon't have to waste our payroll hours doing their

work. Initially I just wanted to change our vendor survey. The survey had 4 questions for each vendor, who got rated green (good) or red(bad) on each question -- that was it. So Iturned it into 10 questions that each fell under the categories of one of the initial 4 questions. I

also changed the rating scale to a 1-5 scale, 1-2 were red, 3-4 were yellow, and 5 was green. Idid a Likert scale rather than a simple red,yellow, green concept because I wanted to bebetter able to track improvement. This didn't



seem like enough to me; I decided there wereso many other ways I could tweak the process.So then I created a new vendor scorecard (their feedback -- this shows them their weeklyratings in each area) and a new Vendor notescard (this is where any comments go andshows them any specific dates we hadproblems with their products, like spoiled milk,for example). I also created a new vendor

expectations guide that was a little moreprofessional and attuned to be consistent withthe changed I made to the survey. Finally Icreated an idea for development, putting thesurvey on a hand-held scanning device so theTeam Leader in charge of that area of the store

could take the scanner around with her as shedid the survey, increasing its accuracy. Thesurvey would also show the vendors' scorecardhistory (last month, quarterly average, biannualaverage, and annual average) so we coulddetermine whether or not the vendor was

improving.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]




112.What is the most competitive work or school situation you have experienced?How did you handle it? What was the result?

Sample excellent response: I worked at a retail store, where we had acompetition to win an extra discount at thestore. Our task was to get more credit-cardapplications than any other employee. I handledthis task by presenting the customer with thebenefits of signing up for the credit card andtaking the time to explain to them what exactlythey were getting into. This seemed to be agreat way to deal with this task because peopleappreciated the honesty and were happy to getthe card because of the benefits. I did very wellwith this task and ended up wining the contest.[contributed by Keri]




113. Describe a project or situation that bestdemonstrates your analytical abilities.

Sample excellent response: During my Marketing Research course , we were assigned a group project to domarketing research for a local business. After we collected all of the data, we had to analyzethe data in a meaningful way for the business

and report the results. It turned out that I hadthe strongest analytical abilities in the group, soI led the rest of the group in analyzing the data.Because of my analytical skills, we found thatthe business had been targeting the wrongmarket all along and were able to show the

owner the market segment that the businessshould be targeting.[contributed by M. Kearney]


114. Give an example of when you took arisk to achieve a goal. What was theoutcome?



Sample excellent response: When I decided to study abroad in the spring of 2007, I had to weigh the pros and cons of thedecision. People who study abroad typically getworse grades abroad than at home because of the educational and cultural differences, so Ihad to consider the risk to my GPA. I also hadto consider how expensive it would be to liveabroad without being allowed to have a job, so

there was a financial risk as well. On top of this,when studying abroad at this particular university, because of the difference ineducation, I was allowed to take only 3 courses,which was significant to me because I alreadywas on a strict schedule from switching majors

so late in my college career. So I also had toconsider the risk of cramming my schedule withdifficult classes in my senior year. But I knewthat this was going to be a life-changingexperience that I may never get to participate inagain. So I took the risk and studied abroad.

Now, I have that experience, and it has mademe a better candidate for places in my career. Itshows that I can overcome great challengesand have been immersed into foreign culture,



which is important in my career in the artindustry.[contributed by M. Kearney]


115. Tell about a time when you built rapportquickly with someone under difficultconditions.

Sample excellent response: While managing a high-end mall jewelry store inwhich the clientele are usually quite well-mannered and soft-spoken, I returned from a

lunch break to find one of our newer salesassociates struggling with an irate andsomewhat irrational customer. Voices wereescalating, with the customer spewing negativecomments that could be heard from within themall. While maintaining good relationships with

our customers is a hallmark of our company,this particular situation was not ordinary by anymeans. I could tell the sales associate was inover his head with this encounter, so I quickly



walked into the conversation -- argument -- andproceeded to ask the customer several keyquestions so that I could both calm her downwhile also discovering more about her situationso that I could then defuse the confrontationand restore order in the store. In the process of talking with her, I found we had a common loveof dogs and were able to talk about our dogs --sharing some funny stories -- before getting

back to her specific problem with the store. Inthe end, it turns out the company that handlesour credit card had been double-billing her account, and I was able to make a phone calland solve her problem.


116. Some people consider themselves tobe "big picture people" and others are detailoriented. Which are you? Give an example

hat illustrates your preference.

Sample excellent response: I believe that to be successful, you have to be



both a big-picture person and detail oriented.You can't get caught up in just the details or youwill lose sight of the long-term goals. And youcan't get caught up in just looking at the bigpicture, or you will fail because of the lack of detail. As the group leader of a project for mymarketing class, I definitely had to be both abig-picture person and detail oriented. I had tomake sure that everyone was doing their part

and working toward the goal of the projectwhile, at the same time, checking every piece of the paper to make sure even the minusculeparts of the paper were correct and in place.Through using both skills, we earned an A onthe project.

[contributed by M. Kearney]


117. Describe a situation where you felt you

had not communicated well. How did youcorrect the situation?



Sample excellent response: Recently I had a situation where I was giving apresentation to a company and one of theupper managers had to step out during mypresentation. He returned after I was done andwas taking down my setup, and he asked if hecould ask a question, I jokingly replied "no morequestions" and then offered, "yes, of course, Iwould be happy to answer a question for you."

Despite the fact that he had laughed at myinitial joke, it was clear to me that it had notbeen received well. I then made certain that Iwent up to him and apologized and made itclear that I meant no disrespect and thatsometimes I just become comfortable with

people very quickly. He told me that I needed tobe aware of my audience. This is something Ihave always known, but I believe the sting of this specific event has really brought it to lightfor me.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]




118. Describe a time when you tookpersonal accountability for a conflict andinitiated contact with the individual(s)involved to explain your actions.

Sample excellent response: As a member of the executive board of myfraternity, I was involved in decisions withwhere to do our community-service projects at

times. At one point, the community-servicechairman asked me where I thought he shouldmake the next event. I told him we should do anevent at the Boys and Girls Club. Somefraternity members complained to thecommunity-service chairman for the decision

because they wanted an easier event. I tookresponsibility for the choice and spoke to theindividuals about my reasoning. I told them thatI felt the event would make more of a differencein the community than cleaning up a road as weusually do since it would allow us to be mentors

to troubled youth as well as provide them with acleaner building to use. It was better thansimply doing manual labor and ended up beinga successful event that everyone plans on



doing again in the future.[contributed by M. Kearney]


119. Give me an example of when you wereable to meet the personal and professional(or academic) demands in your life yet stillmaintained a healthy balance.

Sample excellent response: My sophomore summer I studied abroad inEurope for six weeks with a program throughmy university. We were in Innsbruck, Austria,

and I loved everything about the town and itssurroundings, as well as every place I traveledto on the weekends. There was alwayssomething to see or do that was more fun andexciting than class, but I also knew that Icouldn't make bad grades that would lower my

GPA. To get the most time out of my weekendtravels and weekdays in Innsbruck, I always didhomework on the train on the weekends and for a few hours every day after class. I ended my



summer abroad with many new friends, goodgrades, and great stories to tell of the cities Isaw and adventures I went on.[contributed by Carly Watson]


120. Everyone has made some poor decisions or has done something that justdid not turn out right. Give an example of when this has happened to you.

Sample excellent response: In my freshman psychology class, we had to do

a group project and presentation, and we got topick our group members. I was a freshman, andinexperienced with group projects, so I pickedtwo of my friends, even though I knew that theywere not hard workers and didn't care abouttheir grades. At the time, I didn't care that they

weren't good students, I just wanted to becomfortable with the people I was working with.I ended up doing most of the project very lastminute and by myself because I couldn't get



them to work on it with me. The project andpresentation were both really bad, and all threeof our final grades were almost 10 points lower because of it. Needless to say, I never picked afriend as a group member, again, unless I knewthey were diligent in school. I learned to bemore strategic about team members and alsohow to motivate people who are not asenthusiastic as I am.

[contributed by Carly Watson]


121. What do you do when you are facedwith an obstacle to an important project?Give an example.

Sample excellent response: When faced with an obstacle to an important

project, I always find a way to complete theproject in the best manner possible. As anintern at the insurance company I worked for last summer, I was responsible for designingthe marketing materials that are handed out at



the conventions and to insurance agents tokeep the company on top of their minds. Since Iwas unfamiliar with the materials and thedesigning software, it took me a little while toget a grasp on it. By the end of the workday onthe deadline, I did not have all of the materialscompleted. So I spoke to my supervisor andtried to work something out. She told me that Iwas not allowed to do more than a certain

number of hours in a week and that thematerials needed to be done to turn in toproduction early the next morning. So Isuggested that I stay after work that day tocomplete the project without hourlycompensation. After a little persuasion, she

allowed it, and I had the materials completed for the next morning successfully.[contributed by M. Kearney]


story.122. Tell about the most difficult or frustrating individual that you've ever had to



work with, and how you managed to workwith that person.

Sample excellent response: I had a boss who would micro-manage everysingle project, often causing missed deadlinesand frustration throughout the department. Weall worried about our department's reputationwithin the organization, but since he was our

boss, we felt helpless to try and changeanything. It was indeed frustrating knowing youcould complete a project on time, only to haveyour boss need to stop you and question whatyou were doing and suggest changes. But I gotthe idea that maybe if I talked with the boss and

showed him that we could get more done as adepartment if we all worked together to havebetter communications and to trust each other to ask for help and direction when we needed it.Since we worked together, rather than againsteach other, the boss gained confidence in us to

do our jobs, and we were able to do our jobsand also regain the reputation of thedepartment.




123. Tell about a time when your trustworthiness was challenged. How didyou react/respond?

Sample excellent response: For my public-relations course, we had to do agroup project to make a public-relationscampaign for an organization. At the same time,I had three other group projects and six classesthat were becoming extremely challenging to juggle. Some of the group members knew this,so they expressed their concern and somedoubt after I offered to take a significant portionof the project upon myself. I persuaded them totrust me and told them about the many things Iam able to successfully juggle. I asked them tolet me prove it to them, so in the end Icompleted my part early and we earned a high

grade on the project.[contributed by M. Kearney]




124. Describe a situation when you wereable to have a positive influence on theactions of others.

Sample excellent response: Last semester my organization raised morethan $1,500 for a local organization, TheChildren's Home Society. It was a last-minutefundraiser. We did this over the course of aweek, and it was right before the holidayseason. There were 16 children who we werelooking to help, and the goal of our campus wasto raise $200 per child. Ultimately the campus just took the total amount raised and divided itby the number of children; it came out to about$179/child. This money was to help get theseunderprivileged kids who came from brokenhomes a good holiday season. What the math

comes out to is that we made this happen for approximately 9 children. I was the one whotook on this challenge and made and distributedfliers to the business-school faculty. I



orchestrated the event, and I like to think thateveryone in our organization feels as goodabout it as I do. I get goose bumps talkingabout it because it is one of the things of whichI am most proud -- I really feel like I had apositive impact on a few lives, and that is what Ilive for -- I hope I made others in myorganization feel the same. I am fairly certain Idid.

[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]


125. Tell about a recent job or campusexperience that you would describe as a reallearning experience? What did you learnfrom the job or experience?

Sample excellent response: My recent internship would be the greatest

learning experience I have had lately. Theformat of the internship is to work in each of thevarying departments for a few days to get thelay of the land,. We were supposed to spend



the rest of our 10 weeks working on our projects and running the store (acting asmanager). I learned a lot about the processesof this specific organization and how they allwork together, but I also learned a lot aboutapplying management techniques. We hadmultiple training sessions that honed myleadership skills, but the application was whereI really learned. I learned a lot about how to

effectively interact with people. I made sure thatbefore I would coach a team member on how todo something correctly, according to brand, thatI knew exactly why that was the way we choseto do it, because I wanted them to understand. Ilearned that understanding is the key to

implementing -- I guess that's why I've alwaysliked math, if I understand why I need to do aformula a certain way, then I will remember itand even appreciate it.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]




126. Describe a team experience you founddisappointing. What could you have done toprevent it?

Sample excellent response: I recently worked on a project where we had tomake a film, a documentary of sorts, on anytopic we wanted -- it was really just about themedium of film. My team picked the project of

exploring Diet Fad trends through the decades;we thought it would be amusing to see thecrazy things people have done for a better bodyimage over the years. Although the projectturned out very well, and I am pleased with theend result, I was disappointed in the

communication, or lack thereof. Because of everything else I had going on this semester, Ihad opted not to be the group leader and thusthe main communicator -- which was good for me. I like taking on the leadership role but oncein a while I sit back and make sure somebody

else does it so I still know how to be asupportive follower. Regardless, some of thegroup members did not turn in their research atthe deadline, and our leader did not follow upwith them on it. After it was a week overdue I



had to jump in and map out a timeline for our team so we could get the project done. I hadwanted to make sure we did not put it off because I knew film editing would be muchmore time consuming than we would anticipate.We got everything done with time to spare butmost of our work ended up being during thebusiest week of the semester for me and for some of the other members, so I wish the

communications had been more thoroughearlier on in the project. To improve thesituation I could have jumped in earlier andbeen in touch with the leader about following upwith the rest of the team, but I wasn't certainshe hadn't followed up with them until I brought

it up in class and they all asked, "wasn't thatdue last week?" The lesson I learned was toensure that I am a consistently activeparticipant even when I am not the leader; thatway I am still maximizing my relationships withthe group and working to improve my skills as

well as those of the people working with me.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]




127. Recall a situation in whichcommunications were poor. How did youhandle it?

Sample excellent response: I worked on a team with several members, andwhile we worked in the same building, we oftenused email to communicate with each other.One of the members was not as comfortablewith email as the rest of the team, and wouldalways slow the team process down byrepeatedly asking people to repeat or rephrasetheir emails -- always reading way too muchinto whatever was written in the emails. At onepoint, after an agonizing day of emails back andforth trying to explain a critical part of the work, Idecided I simply needed to go to her office andtalk with her about the problem. We met, and I

listened to her issues, and together we workedout a solution in which the team still did most of its communications via email, but whenever thisteam member did not understand something,







Tell about such an occurrence and how youhandled it.

Sample excellent response: I worked for a magazine that had two maincompetitors, and at the time I worked there, theeconomy was a bit slow, and the competitionfor readers and advertiser among these threepublications was fierce. We had just finished a

market-research study that showed that our audience was just a bit larger and moreattractive (better educated, higher incomes)than our competition. We sent the good news toour publisher, who called us in for a meeting totell us he wanted to combine some numbers to

make our position appear even stronger -- andthen put those numbers in an ad campaigntouting how much better we were than our competition. We told the publisher that he wasmistaken and that you could not combine thenumbers the way he suggested, but he replied

he knew that, but no one else would, and itwould strengthen our position in a bad market.It took a lot of courage, but after the meeting, Iwent back and talked with him one-on-one soas not to embarrass him in front of my



colleagues, and told him that what he wasdoing was dishonest -- and could get us allfired. I knew I risked getting fired for eventalking to him this way, but I felt pretty sure hewas not dishonest at heart. He did not decideright then, bit he did call back the next day tosay he decided not to run the ad.



130. What are the most important rewardsyou expect to gain from your career?


I expect to be challenged and grow as a resultof my career. I would like to improve myself asa person and as an asset to this company andthis industry. I am confident that this position isone that will hone my leadership skills, improvemy knowledge of the industry, and challenge

me such that I continue to grow and improvewithin the company.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]







business. I took the initiative to plan andimplement our big events. My internship withSiemens made my experiences all inclusive asit gave me the opportunity to be one of thecentral components of such a large companyand I was able to truly understand the impact of the political and legal systems on this industry'scompetitive environment.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

134. What have you learned from your experiences outside theworkplace/classroom?

Sample excellent response: I have learned that the real world is muchdifferent from what you learn in the classroom,that some things you learn are similar to whatyou were taught, but that for the most partlearning is achieved through the process of doing. In the world of health-care marketing,things happen at a fast pace, and you must

take everything one day at a time while stillkeeping an eye on the future.[contributed by Jessica S.]



135. What criteria are you using to choosecompanies to interview with?

Sample excellent response: I want to work for a small company, preferably afamily business like yours. I want a companythat has similar values like honesty, individualdevelopment, and broadmindedness.

[contributed by Renee Poulin]

136. If you were hiring for this position, whatqualities would you look for (in a newcollege grad)?

Sample excellent response: I would be looking for someone who has greatcommunications skills, who can communicatewith a variety of stakeholder groups, alwayskeeping on message. I would also wantsomeone who had a good mix of teamwork andleadership skills. I would seek a graduate whohad a strong blend of academic success andindustry experience. Finally, I would wantsomeone who is ambitious, but also willing tolearn from others within the organization.



Interestingly, I would want a college grad whohad the same experiences and skills sets that Ibring to you.

137. How would you describe your leadership skills?

Sample excellent response: I am a leader who likes to give the people I am

leading the ability to shine. I think it is importantto take everyone's opinion into considerationand be willing to listen to what they have to say.I think my job as a leader is to organize thingsand keep them in order. Being the leader doesnot mean I know everything there is to know

because I can not possibly know more thaneveryone else about every topic. It is just notplausible.[contributed by Keri]

138. Which is more important: creativity or efficiency? Why?

Sample excellent response: I think that the key is a balance between thetwo, with efficiency being the most important.



You could have an extremely creative piece,but if the message of the piece is not clear thenit is not efficient and a waste of resources.[contributed by Jessica S.]

139. How has college changed you as aperson?

Sample excellent response: I have grown up during my college years. I amable to communicate better, think strategically,and multitask more than ever before. I canhandle an appropriate level of stress and stillget things done.[contributed by Renee Poulin]

140. What have you accomplished thatshows your initiative and willingness towork?

Sample excellent response: A 120-hour internship while going to school full-time. I juggled the two effectively, completingmy internship and classes with all A's. I wasalso able to apply the things I learned in eachone to the other.[contributed by Renee Poulin]



141. What was the toughest challengeyou've ever faced?

Sample excellent response: The day after I turned 15 I had to get a job tohelp support my Mom and myself as my Momstruggled to find employment. During mysophomore year of high school I worked two jobs, approximately 45 hours a week, to help

pay the bills. It was tough managing homework,six extracurricular organizations, and two jobs,but in the end I learned a valuable lesson abouthard work and the value of a dollar.[contributed by Jessica S.]

142. What two or three things are mostimportant to you in your job?

Sample excellent response: I want to be happy. I want to work in a job that Iam passionate about, and for a company thatrespects and rewards my contributions. I want

to have co-workers whom I like and respect. Ithink these things all work together for apositive work environment -- which increases



productivity -- resulting in happy employees anda happy employer.

I also seek fulfillment. I don't want to work in a job that I feel is below what I am capable of doing. I seek a job that will challenge me toperform at the highest levels and seek ongoingprofessional development so that I can be evenbetter at my job, making an even stronger

contribution to my employer. From everythingI've researched and seen, this job that I'minterviewing for meets all my criteria.

143. Some people work best as part of agroup -- others prefer the role of individualcontributor. How would you describeyourself?

Sample excellent response: I like a mix of both. I like to work in a group andget group input. I think a lot of good ideas comefrom talking things out with other people. I also

like to work by myself on some projectsbecause I think there are some projects that are just done better if one person is working on



them.[contributed by Keri]

144. When given an important assignment,how do you approach it?

Sample excellent response: I like to make a list, a timeline of how and bywhen things need to be done. I really like to getstarted on the assignment immediately becauseI've found that once I get started on a project Itend to get gradually more excited about it andinvolved in it, and I want to expand the projectmore and more as I go on. By getting startedearlier, I can get the most out of the project andmaximize it as much as possible while providingtime to give it that extra review.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

145. If there were one area you've alwayswanted to improve upon, what would thatbe?

Sample excellent response: Sometimes I have trouble admitting to peoplethat I am not understanding something theywant me to do or am struggling with a certain



task, I can be reluctant to ask others for help.This is something that I want to improve on andam taking steps toward becoming better atasking those around me for help when I need it.[contributed by Lauren Spalding]

146. When you have been made aware of, or have discovered for yourself, a problem inyour school or work performance, what was

your course of action? Sample excellent response: I realized my freshman year that my writing wasnot up to par. I struggled not only in my first-year English courses, but in other courses thatrequired writing papers. I used the university'swriting lab as much as possible, but toward theend of that first year, I knew I needed to domore to overcome my deficiencies. My solutionwas taking two additional writing courses over the summer between my freshman andsophomore years to truly grasp the

fundamentals of writing, but then to also takemy writing to the next level. Some of myproudest moments later in college have been



when professors have noted on my papers thatthey were impressed with my writing abilities.

147. What kinds of things have you done atschool or on the job that were beyondexpectations?

Sample excellent response: When I received a research grant, therequirement was to present our information atsome sort of poster contest. Instead of doingthis, however, I was involved with aprofessional organization and presented myfindings to faculty around the country at itsannual conference. I was the only studentpresenter at the conference, and mypresentation was one of the most highlyattended. It was made clear to me that I wentabove and beyond by presenting at thisconvention as opposed to a poster competition.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

148. What, in your opinion, are the keyingredients in guiding and maintainingsuccessful business relationships?



Sample excellent response: Communication is the key ingredient to guidingand maintaining successful businessrelationships. Being able to clearlycommunicate your ideas to others allows you tobuild and maintain a relationship with others. Itis also very important to be an active listener and address any concerns or questions theother party might have. Also, to maintain a

successful business relationship, you have tobe able to compromise and do what is best for both parties involved.[contributed by Lauren Spalding]

149. What sorts of things have you done to

become better qualified for your career? Sample excellent response: I have experience in multiple fields and under very different circumstances. I have obtainedinternships that were very diverse so I could getthe most out of each experience and feel like I

am well versed in the areas of managementand marketing. I have taken myriad classes atmy university that have helped prepare me for asuccessful career in business. Further, my



participation in our co-ed professional businessfraternity has given me the opportunity tointeract with other businesses and developmyself further personally and professionally.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

150. What motivates you to go the extra mileon a project or job?

Sample excellent response: Fortunately, I am highly self-motivated and donot require a great deal of external motivationon projects and jobs. I have an extremelystrong work ethic, and I am not really capable of doing anything less than going the extra mile. Ienjoy the satisfaction of completing a a projectthat goes above and beyond expectations.Sure, I like to be praised for my work as muchas the next person does, but the real rewardcomes in seeing an outstanding finishedproject, knowing my role in accomplishing theproject, and realizing that I put more than my

best effort into it.

WILD CARD QUESTIONS :-



1. If you could have dinner with anyone fromhistory, who would it be, and why?

Sample excellent response: I would chose to have dinner with Leonardo DaVinci. He was a man who inspired creativethinking and thinking beyond what is consideredtypical and accepted. He was a man who wasbrilliant and someone whom I could learn a lot

from -- not only in specific ideas and thoughts,but an entire way of thinking. He was willing toexplore different areas of thought beyond justone particular field. He also didn't let society or negative reactions stop him from continuing hiswork.

[contributed by Andra]2. What did you want to be when you were10 years old?

Sample excellent response: 10 years old would put me somewhere around

4th grade, I suppose, and at that point, as withmost of my childhood, I wanted to be a teacher and a writer. I really enjoyed reading, and whenI was young and had more time, I read a lot of



books well before most people in my grade. Iwas also very interested in writing at that point.Both of these are interests I still have, and theyare consistent with the path I have chosen, asthey both emphasize learning and experiencingother people's perspectives, which is mypassion; it sounds silly, but I really just like tounderstand things. I wanted to teach because Ireally enjoyed gaining an understanding of

things -- solving problems and coming up withsolutions, etc., and I wanted to help others tounderstand things as well.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

3. What would I find in your refrigerator?

Sample excellent response: I currently share a refrigerator with three other girls. So you never know what you are going tofind in ours! As for what you would find that ismine, I believe in always having the basics of anything as a good foundation. This translates

into all areas of my life. Since a balanced andhealthy diet will prepare you for life, I think it isvital to have healthy and a well balanced diet. Ihave fruits, veggies, milk, juice, eggs, chicken,



and seafood.[contributed by Andra]

4. List 3 words that describe your character. Sample excellent response: Authentic, Ambitious, Outgoing.

Authentic because I believe being true toyourself and having honest relationships with

your friends, family, and co-workers is essentialto success in life. Authenticity is about beingreal and having no pretenses. It's about havingintegrity.

Ambitious because I know what I want to do inmy life and my career -- I have certain goalsand plans to achieve those goals -- and I amwilling to work hard for my employer to achievethose goals. Furthermore, I like to perform mywork at the highest level possible, pushing bothmyself and my team members to perform at our highest levels

Outgoing because I am an extrovert who enjoysinteracting with people. I'm a goodcommunicator and have been told I have both





was told later that I was the only respondent(male or female) to answer in the affirmative. Ienjoy experiencing and understanding. I thinkthat it would be very strange to be the other gender for a week, but as long as I couldDEFINITELY come back to being meafterwards, I would relish the experience to gainbetter understanding of the male mind and howit works. This would enable me to be a better

communicator with the opposite sex --something I will have to do frequently in thework place -- and to better understand andperhaps have more patience with the oppositegender. As long as I can come back, I think itwould definitely be a rewarding experience.


7. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play thelead role as you?


I'd like to see the lead role played by either JuliaRoberts or Sandra Bullock; Julia Roberts if youreally want me to pick one. They are both highlyrespected actresses and have both played a



diverse group of roles without selling out. Theyare both good people and handle their famewith dignity and use their fame and fortune tomake the world better for others, not just for themselves. My goal in life is to make the worlda better place, I am doing what I can now but Iam hopeful for when I have additionalresources and can do even more as these tworole models have. That is why I would select

one of them to represent me; they representwhat I aspire to be.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

8. If you could be a superhero, what wouldyou want your superpowers to be?

Sample excellent response: I would want to have the power of multiplicity.That way I could have five of me all going indifferent directions and accomplishing five timesas much as I normally could. I could be fivetimes as productive, or see the same event

from five different angles. I could be able to dovolunteer work with one while another onecould be enjoying the beach.[contributed by Andra]



9. If someone wrote a biography about you,what do you think the title should be?

Sample excellent response: Never Give Up. The reason for this is thatthroughout my life I have walked into numerousmetaphorical walls, and I have just found a newpath each time without getting down.[contributed by Joseph F.]

10. If you had to be shipwrecked on adeserted island, but all your human needs --such as food and water -- were taken careof, what two items would you want to havewith you?

Sample excellent response: This begs a serious question with a lot to betaken into consideration. Since I won't have apower source to which I can plug in my laptopor phone charger, those would not be feasibleoptions. Arguably, I could also bring a

generator, but I don't know how long it wouldlast, and it would be horrible when it died, and Ilost both of my items at once. I guess I wouldwant to bring two really big notebooks. I should



be able to create some writing mechanism/pensubstitute out of what I find on the island. chosenotebooks even though I could arguably makepaper out of the island resources as well, but Ilike the order and chronology of a notebook -- itwould increase the odds that my writing wouldsurvive my stay. I think that with potentiallynobody with whom I could communicate, theability to keep an organized log of writing would

help me to stay sane.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS :-

11. 1. What would you do if the work of asubordinate or team member was not up toexpectations?

Sample excellent response: Luckily, I have quite a bit of previous teamexperience, and have faced this situation a fewtimes in the past -- so let me tell you how I'velearned to handle the issue. The most important





the department because the person's absencewill affect productivity.[contributed by Danielle S.]

3. Describe how you would handle thesituation if you met resistance whenintroducing a new idea or policy to a team or work group.

Sample excellent response: The best way to convince people is to be ableto understand where they are coming from andaddress their questions and concerns about thenew idea directly. It is also important to stayconfident and believe in yourself because if youdon't buy it no one else will either.[contributed by Alexis]

4. What would you do if the priorities on aproject you were working on changedsuddenly?

Sample excellent response: I would notify everyone working on the projectof the changes. I would then want to know whythe priorities have changed, and if there is riskof them changing again in the future. I would



hen meet with everyone involved with a newstrategy to address the new priorities.[contributed by Andra]

5. How would you handle it if you believedstrongly in a recommendation you made in ameeting, but most of your co-workers shot itdown?

Sample excellent response: I would continue to explain why therecommendation was good, giving concreteexamples what the benefits of myrecommendation could be. Ultimately if my co-workers continue to resist my recommendation Iwould have to let it go and move on.[contributed by Alexis]

6. In a training session, you find that thetrainer has a thick accent, and you can'tunderstand what's being said. What wouldyou do?

Sample excellent response: Certainly not call the trainer out on it. I would trymy best to understand what the trainer issaying, ask many questions to clarify any



unclear parts about the session and comparenotes with someone in the session afterwards.This way I could make sure that I understandwhat was being explained and discussing itafterwards would help reinforce the things Ilearned in the session.[contributed by Alexis]

7. List the steps that you would take to make

an important decision on the job. Sample excellent response: 1. How would the company benefit from this?2. How does it relate to the company's valuesand beliefs?3. What are the negative and positive impactsthis decision has on the company?

[contributed by Danielle S.]

8. What would you do if you realized atdeadline time that a report you wrote for

your boss or professor was not up to par? Sample excellent response: Hopefully this would never happen to me since Ialways make sure to plan my time properly to



ensure that my work is always done. If it ever did happen I would meet with my boss andexplain the situation and request an extension. Iwould also evaluate my actions and identifywhat I did wrong to not complete my work andmake sure that it did not happen again.[contributed by Andra]

9. How would you deal with a colleague at

work with whom you seem to be unable tobuild a successful working relationship?

Sample excellent response: This situation would certainly be unique to me.Ever since I can remember, I've had a knack for finding something in everyone that thenbecomes common ground for a friendshipand/or good working relationship. Certainlythere are all types of people, some lessmotivated to work in teams or simply unhappyin their jobs, but we're all people when you stripaway titles and such -- and it's at that base level

in which I find a connection that results in somedegree of rapport -- even when few others cando so. For example, in my senior year of college, I was placed onto a team that had one



member that the rest of the team disliked. Thisteam member was kind of an outcast, but Iknew we needed this full commitment to makethe project work. Even though I was not theteam leader, I took it upon myself to forge aconnection -- and discovered we had a mutualpassion for horses. We did not end best friendsor anything, but through our common interest, Iwas able to build enough rapport to connect

and engage him as a key team member. Thereis always something that bonds us all together -- it is just harder to find with some people thanwith others.

10. You disagree with the way your

supervisor says to handle a problem. Whatwould you do?

Sample excellent response: I would evaluate why I disagreed with mysupervisor and come up with a different waythat I think the situation should be handled. I

would then sit down with my supervisor -- inprivate -- and discuss with him what I had aproblem with and how I think it should have



been done.[contributed b

If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you dowith the time?

Sample excellent response: I would use those six months for traveling toeducate myself more in the art world to becomemore successful in my career and become abigger asset to the organization I worked for.[contributed by M. Kearney]

12. If you could compare yourself with anyanimal, which would it be and why?

Sample excellent response: A lion because they are independent, but theystay with the pack. I believe I possess thosequalities, as well, and am able to work aloneand with others successfully. Also, they areknown as "king of the jungle." I think of myself as a natural leader and I always put my all intoeverything I do.[contributed by Renee Poulin]



13. If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?

Sample excellent response: I would choose to be eggs. They are the perfectfood; they contain everything you need toremain healthy. They are so versatile in howthey can be cooked by themselves and used inother cooking. They are so easily adaptable for

different tasks.[contributed by Andra]

14. If you won $20 million in the lottery, whatwould you do with the money?


First I would take care of my family -- alleviateany present or pending financial obligations andset everyone up for the future as well. Then Iwould pick a few charities that I truly believed inand invest most of the money in them. I wouldspend a lot of time researching these charities

because I believe in helping people, but evenmore, I believe in helping people learn to helpthemselves -- so some charities would beresearch-based (American Cancer Society, St.



Jude's, etc.) and some of them would be aboutdevelopment and learning for those who don'thave the resources. I would also like to set up afew scholarship funds. But that's as much as Iknow. To be honest I haven't thought about itmuch before because I don't live my life ongambles. Don't get me wrong; I buy theoccasional Powerball ticket -- but I just don'tallow myself to rely on them.


15. If you were a car, what kind would yoube?

Sample excellent response: If I were a car I would be a Lexus; smart andelegant.[contributed by Danielle S.]

16. Who do you admire the most and why?

Sample excellent response: I admire my father most. He has never letothers negatively hold him back. He didn't letchallenges dissuade him from going after hisdream. He has also managed to be a wonderfulfather and a family man. He is a well-rounded



individual and successful. I aspire to be half theeffective individual person he has come to be. Ivalue any bit of advice he is willing to give me.[contributed by Andra]

17. In the news story about your life, whatwould the headline say?

Sample excellent response: "Clumsy girl develops anti-gravity shoes." Although I am not scientifically inclined andwouldn't actually develop any shoes, it's thekind of thing I would stumble across, and Imean that literally. I have a tendency to notalways look where I am walking, whichsometimes results in laughter for everyonearound me. I joke around how I am on this earthto serve as a warning for others and to makethem feel better about themselves sometimes.But I also have a great way of turning badthings into positives. Unless serious injury issustained when I fall or do something clumsy I

can laugh it off too -- I think it's funny, and Iknow if I wasn't in pain and it was someoneelse, I would want to laugh. So if once in a whilemy tripping or doing something accidental like



that leads to a few others smiling for a few extraminutes each day, then I'm okay with it;regardless, it makes me laugh so it all worksout. I truly believe that the littlest of things canmake the biggest difference, even if they aresometimes at the expense of my dignity.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

18. If you could be a candy bar, what would

you be and why? Sample excellent response: I'm going to go with Snickers. Snickers is notmy favorite candy bar, maybe pushing the top5, but even that isn't guaranteed. Butfiguratively Snickers is the most complex andthe most versatile of candy bars. Snickers hasthe chocolate (a necessity) with the nougat,caramel and nuts. No matter what you'recraving (unless it's specifically mint or peanutbutter, etc.) a Snickers can aptly satisfy your need. Snickers are layered; they are complex,

but they have a lot to offer. I think that's a lotlike me. I am layered, I am complex, and I amversatile and able to meet the needs of many --



I bring a lot to the table.[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]

19. If you were a Star Wars character, whichone would it be?

Sample excellent response: Luke Skywalker. He is a leader, genuine,breaking from his bad family history, a risktaker, and he has great hair.[contributed by M. Kearney]

20. If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous,living or dead, real or fictional, with whomwould you trade?

Sample excellent response: I would trade places with you and give me the job, because I know it's a choice that you wouldnever regret![contributed by M. Kearney]

11. Who would you talk to if you discoveredthat a co-worker was disclosing confidentialinformation that should not be divulged?



Sample excellent response: I would first sit down privately with my co-worker and let him or her know what ishappening. I would make it a dialogue rather than a lecture -- with the goal of helping the co-worker realize what a serious mistake he or sheis making and how it could impact both thecompany and their personal life -- and the livesof their family and friends. If nothing comes of

the meeting -- either the co-worker is defensiveand denies it -- or does not agree to stop doingthe disclosure, then I would be forced to godirectly to my manager with the proof that Ihave of the illegal activities.

12. When would it be appropriate to bring inyour supervisor while dealing with an angrycustomer?

Sample excellent response: As an employee it is my job to explore all thepossible options to satisfy customer demands.

However, if I see the customer is angry with mepersonally it is better to bring in a supervisor because they are more likely to listen to mysupervisor than me. Also it is important to stay



friendly and always stay respectful and politewhen dealing with customers even if they arefrustrated.[contributed by Alexis]

13. How would you attempt to makechanges in the process if you felt a policy of your organization was hurting itsmembers/workers?

Sample excellent response: I would ask my co-workers if they felt the sameway. I would want to make sure that I am notthe only employee that feels like the policy ishurting members/workers. If others agreed withme, I would try to set up a meeting with asupervisor or someone who is in control of changing the policy and explain my concerns. Iwould then develop an alternative solution andpresent the problem with my developedalternative solution to the head of theorganization.

[contributed by Alexis and Danielle S.]

14. What would a good manager do to buildteam spirit?



Sample excellent response: Most importantly, any plan to build team spirithas to be authentic. We've all seen -- or experienced -- work environments like in OfficeSpace or The Office. Anything less thanauthenticity will be seen as simply rah-rah -- or going through the motions.

A good manager brings the team together --

perhaps even a retreat -- to foster communications and develop common goalsand objectives. During this meeting, themanager should also show how all the teammembers play a role in making the teamsuccessful -- and that only by working together

and respecting each other can the team fullysucceed.

Sometimes, too, when the team is from differentdepartments or backgrounds, it's important for the manager address this issue from day one --if possible. I was once put in a team with a mix

of marketers and accountants and the manager sat us all down and told us a story of asuccessful competitor and how their accountingteam thought like marketers and how their



marketers understood the importance of returnon investment for new marketing initiatives. Byusing the story of a successful competitor, ithelped us realize that we had more in commonthan we had differences and that we couldcome together as a team and be successful.

15. How would you organize the steps or methods you'd take to define/identify a

vision for your team or your personal jobfunction?

Sample excellent response: I believe a good team vision starts first with astrong understanding of the organization'smission. So, my steps would be as follows.

First, review my organization's vision.

Second, develop some rough ideas of how Iwould word a team vision statement inpreparation for a team meeting to discuss theissue.

Third, I would call a meeting of the team andhave a discussion of what we do best, howwhat we do fits with the organization. Then I



would discuss the organization's vision and askfor ideas and suggestions for the team'smission. If asked, I would mention some of mythoughts on our team vision.

Fourth, following the meeting, I would craft avision statement -- perhaps with the help of oneor two other team members -- and thendistribute it to the team and ask for feedback.

Fifth, I would finalize the vision statement fromthe comments and feedback from the team...and then post our vision statement in placeswhere all the team members could see it on aregular basis.

16. How would you react if two teammateswere embroiled in a conflict that kept theteam from completing its task?

Sample excellent response: To build team spirit, it would be important thatall team members are on the same page andagree on a common goal. Team buildingexercises bring a team closer together andstrengthen team spirit. For example, there's anexercise called "Hammeroid" that involves



comparing a hammer, string, ruler, and table towork style preferences. Participants are taskedwith bringing a team in conflict into harmony byperfectly balancing the hammer, string, andruler on the table. Team members should alsobe made to feel like their opinion matters andtheir input/ideas are valued by their manager.[Contributed by Alexis]

17. You don't have the information you needto prioritize your projects. Your co-workersand supervisor are unavailable for you toask for assistance. How do you handle thesituation?

Sample excellent response: This is a great question because in all my workexperience, I have never faced this issue.Whenever I'm given a new task to accomplish, Iimmediately seek to understand its importanceand priority given my other projects andassignments.

So, my first inclination would be that I would sitdown and review all the projects and examine acouple of key issues -- things like deadlines,



potential impacts, and involvement of others.Obviously projects that are mission-critical andhave the shortest deadlines need to beaddressed first.

If I was still stumped -- and my manager andteam members were truly unavailable -- rather than sitting there paralyzed, I would probablyconsult a mentor within the organization and

seek his or her advice -- more as a soundingboard for my own thoughts than seeking asolution from them.

18. As a supervisor, you've made anunpopular decision. What action would youtake so that morale in the department is notnegatively affected?

Sample excellent response: I would call for a meeting to let my employeesknow that their opinions about my decision arevalued, however I would also explain to them

why the decision needed to be made.Sometimes people are more empathetic oncethey know the reasons for a certain action. Iwould also ensure employees that positives are



to come from this decision and reinforce thattheir opinions and ideas are valued, but that thiswas a decision that needed to be made.[Contributed by Alexis]

19. In a team-leadership role, you discover that a team member has gone "over your head" to propose an idea or complain aboutan issue without talking to you first. How do

you handle the situation? Sample excellent response: Too often something like this happens when anindividual feels his or her opinions or ideas arenot being heard, so rather than assume theperson is simply trying to make some sort of power play or make you look bad to your boss,you first need to get the details of the situation.Sometimes someone does deliberately does goover your head, but sometimes these thingshappen because of a chance meeting betweenthe person and your supervisor, and the

conversation is spontaneous, not malicious.

If you discover the discussion was in fact aplanned action, the first thing you need to do is



evaluate how you -- and your team -- havetreated this person. Next, I would call a privatemeeting with the person and simply have aconversation about the situation and how andwhy it happened -- and how this person can gethis or her voice back within the team so that thesituation will not repeat itself.

Finally, if it turns out the person is simply a

disgruntled employee and there is little that canbe done to change his or her future actions, andyou've exhausted all options to bring the personback into the team and the organization, thenyou need to meet again with your boss andthen with the person and have a discussion

about possible consequences of futureoccurrences.

20. You been placed in charge of a projectteam for a new project. What are your firststeps to get the team going and completethe project?

Sample excellent response: I would call the team together for an initial meetand greet -- and make sure we all know each



other on some basic level -- and to set someinitial expectations for the team. Once the teamhas been established, I would move ahead withthe project in these basic steps:

First, make sure we fully understand theproblem and task at hand. We need to definethe problem that will be solved by the project.

Second, we need to brainstorm possiblesolutions to accomplish the project.

Third, we get back together and choose thebest path/process to completing the project.

Fourth, we divide the process into smaller partsand assign individual team members parts tocomplete -- based on their individual skill sets --assigning deadlines and budgets.

Fifth, we execute the plan and deal with anycircumstances that arise as we move forwardtoward completion.

Sixth, we complete the project -- as planned, ondeadline and budget (hopefully) -- and meet asa team one final time to discuss anyunanticipated problems or issues that arose



and how we can prepare and better addressthem in the future.

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