15 Ways to Describe Yourself in an Interview

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March 6, 2013 By Ken Sundheim 4 Comments In just about every interview, the interviewer asks the question, How would you describe yourself? While this is something that should be anticipated and practiced, many job seekers overlook the importance of this question and fail to take the time to formulate the right answers. Moreover, when describing ourselves, we should approach our answers in an honest, candid manner. Even though some answers are laid out below, always ensure that you phrase these in our own words; authenticity is important. To better give you some guidance, here are 15 ways to describe yourself for your next interview:

I would say Im
1. Someone who has high expectations for my results. I am confident in my ability to produce, and while I prepare for the worst, I do the work necessary to tilt the odds so that the best will happen. 2. Someone who wants to be judged by individual performance and rewarded for my efforts based on my ability to execute. 3. Someone who wants to work for a successful company with strong leadership and vision, one that recognizes and rewards performers. 4. Someone who is consistently growing and takes the time to continue learning even though its not a direct requirement of the job. I find that many times, my professional growth is based on what I study, both directly and indirectly related to work. 5. Someone who is modest, hard-working and consistently sets firm goals for myself. Then, once Ive defined my benchmarks, I take the necessary steps to achieve those milestones. 6. Someone who aims to keep lines of communication open and is concerned with clients needsconsistently asking questions to uncover the what the client truly wants and then making sure Im able to meet those requirements. 7. Someone who thinks positively and can execute difficult tasks. Im not an individual who needs to be micromanaged. Rather, when gi ven a specific task, I can figure out the best ways to solve the problem in an autonomous manner. 8. Someone who is able to control a situation rather than allow a situation to control me. 9. Someone who has an unwavering resolve. I am determined to do well in my job and have a successful career, as well as to make the company I work for more competitive. 10. Someone with a need to produce results. I am the type of person who meets challenges head-on rather than sweeping them under the rug and hoping they go away. While Im an optimistic person, I am also realistic about the current situation and how satisfactory or unsatisfactory it is. 11. Someone who has been able to not only meet my employers expectations, but has consistently exceeded those markers.

12. Someone who takes responsibility for their actions when things go wrong. I dont look for outside forces to blame; rather, Im someone who looks at what I can improve upon the next time around. Pointing fingers solves nothing. 13. Someone who demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult. 14. Someone who is committed to building something larger and puts aside personal gain for the well-being of the group. 15. Someone who is mature, candid and believes in integrity. Every day I work to improve myself and my skillsthats part of becoming better at what I do.

50 interview questions and answers, really helpful! (long post) Register to remove banners from posts This is the most comprehensive list of questions commonly asked in Job Interviews, why they are asked, if they have any hidden motives and exactly how to answer them! This list of was sourced from several websites on the internet and compiled for your convenience. I know first hand how difficult it is to find such a big list of questions, because having gone through many of these lists, I found that the majority of the questions were duplicates, and after about 20-30 questions, it was all the same questions given in different word. Anyway without further ado, here it is! 1. Why Do You Want To Work For Us? 2. What interests you about this job? 3. What do you know about our company? 4. What challenges are you looking for in this position? 5. Who was your best boss and who was the worst? 6. Why did you choose this particular career path? 7. What are your aspirations beyond this job? 8. Why do you think this industry would sustain your interest in the long haul? 9. Tell me about yourself. 10. What has been the biggest disappointment in your life? 11. What are your pet peeves? 12. If you could relive the last 10 years of your life. 13. How has your education prepared you for your career? 14. When was the last time you were angry and what happened? 15. How do you evaluate success? 16. What are the major reasons for your success? 17. Describe a typical work week for you. 18. How would you describe the pace at which you work? 19. Give us an example of a situation where you didn't meet your goals or objectives. 20. Give me proof of your persuasiveness. 21. Would your current boss describe you as the type of person who goes that extra mile? 22. Give us an example of a situation where you faced conflict or difficult communication problems 23. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved? 24. If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something, how would you handle this? 25. Where do you see yourself in 3 / 5/ 10 years time? 26. How do you plan to achieve those goals? 27. What drives you to achieve your objectives? 28. What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you? 29. What would your current manager say are your strengths? 30. What would your current manager say are your weaknesses? 31. Are you overqualified for this job? 32. Why should we give you this job? 33. We're considering two other candidates for this position. Why should we hire you rather than someone else? 34. What would you do if one of our competitors offered you a position? 35. What are your biggest accomplishments? 36. What did you like/dislike about your last job? 37. Can you work under pressure?" 38. What environments allow you to be especially effective? 39. What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? 40. Give us an example of when you have worked to an unreasonable deadline or been faced with a huge challenge. 41. Tell me about a special contribution you have made to your employer. 42. What is the most difficult situation you have faced? 43. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate customer. How did you handle the situation? 44. How do you take direction? 45. What colour is your brain? 46. Do you prefer working in a team or on your own? 47. What do your work colleagues think of you? 48. Tell me about your salary expectations. 49. What will you do if you don't get this position? 50. What is the first thing you would change, if you were to start work here?

Question 1: Why Do You Want To Work For Us? Its rare for an interview not to include this question. The good news is that its an easy one to prepare for. Most companies want to recruit people who are enthusiastic about the company and its products. They dont want people on the team who ended up there by accident. So this is your chance to show why working for the company is important to you and why you think you w ill fit in. They will be looking for evidence that you can make a contribution and will be able to grow into the role they are recruiting. This question is designed to screen out candidates who arent serious about the company or may be using it as a stop -gap, while they look for something better.

Its also your chance to make the most of the company research you have done. You can use this opportunity to add comments th at show you understand the companys position in the market place; the role of its competitors and any challeng es it may be facing. Sample Answer: I'm not looking for just another pay check. I enjoy my work and am proud of my profession. Your company produ ces a superior product/provides a superior service. I share the values that make this possible, which should enable me to fit in and complement the team." Question 2: What interests you about this job? When you're asked what interests you about the position you are interviewing for, the best way to respond is to describe the qualifications listed in the job posting, then connect them to your skills and experience. That way, the employer will see that you know about the job you're interviewing for (not everyone does) and that you have the qualifications necessary to do the job. For example, if you were interviewing for a Human Resources Manager job where you would be responsible for recruiting, orientation, and training, you will want to discuss how you were responsible for these functions in your past positions, and why you are interested in continuing to develop your expertise in Human Resources management. Another example would be if you were interviewing for a Programmer / Analyst position. In that case, you would mention your interest in learning and excelling at new technologies, your experience in programming both new applications, and your interest in and your ability to problem solve. In all cases, you will want to convey your enthusiasm for the opportunity to interview, along with your solid ability to do the job. Question 3: What do you know about Our Company? A typical job interview question, asked to find out how much company research you have conducted, is "What do you know about this company?" Prepare in advance, and in a word, research, so, you can provide relevant and current information about your prospective employer to the interviewer. Start by researching the company online. Review the "About Us" section of the company web site. Google the company, read blogs that mention it, and check Discussion Boards and social networking sites. Use the information you have gathered to create a bulleted list of relevant information that you can easily remember during the interview. Taking the time to research will help you make a good impression with how much you know about the company. Question 4: What challenges are you looking for in this position? A typical interview question to determine what you are looking for your in next job, and whether you would be a good fit for the position being hired for, is "What challenges are you looking for in a position?" The best way to answer questions about the challenges you are seeking is to discuss how you would like to be able to effectively utilize your skills and experience if you were hired for the job. You can also mention that you are motivated by challenges, have the ability to effectively meet challenges, and have the flexibility and skills necessary to handle a challenging job. You can continue by describing specific examples of challenges you have met and goals you have achieved in the past. Question 5: Who was your best boss and who was the worst? I've learned from each boss I've had. From the good ones I learnt what to do, from the challenging ones - what not to do. Early in my career, I had a mentor who helped me a great deal, we still stay in touch. I've honestly learned something from each boss I've had. Question 6: What have you been doing since your last job? If you have an employment gap on your resume, the interviewer will probably ask you what you have been doing while you were out of work. The best way to answer this question is to be honest, but do have an answer prepared. You will want to let the interviewer know that you were busy and active, regardless of whether you were out of work by choice, or otherwise. As I said, it doesn't really matter what you did, as long as you have an explanation. Hiring managers understand that people lose their job - it can happen to anyone - and it's not always easy to find a new job fast. Also, there are legitimate non-employment reasons for being out of the workforce. Question 7: Why did you choose this particular career path? Sometimes in interviews, you will be asked questions that lend themselves to be answered vaguely or with lengthy explanations. Take this opportunity to direct your answer in a way that connects you with the position and company, be succinct and support your answer with appropriate specific examples. Sample Answer: "I chose advertising because I have always been a strong communicator with a good eye for design. I have a particular interest in creating dynamic eye-catching pieces that support a new product being introduced to the market. I also like the fast-paced high-energy environment that seems to be commonplace in the advertising industry." Advice: Your answer needs to convince the interviewers that your skills are exactly what they want. They want to know if you have a realistic view of what it is like to work in their industry. Be specific; show them that their industry and your career goals are in sync. Question 8: What are your aspirations beyond this job? Again, don't fall into the trap of specifying job titles. Stick to a natural progression you see as plausible. How should this job grow for the good of the organization? Then turn your attention once again to the job at hand. If you seem too interested in what lies beyond this job, the interviewer will fear that you won't stick around for long. Sample Answer: Beyond this job as a marketing assistant, I see myself moving up through marketing analysis into brand management and eventually running a category. I'm aware that there are several skills I need to develop in the interval, and I believe with your continuing-education program and my own motivation for self-improvement, I'll have those skills when the opportunities arise for greater responsibility. That's why I'm determined to learn from the ground up, starting as a marketing assistant. Question 9: Why do you think this industry would sustain your interest in the long haul? What expectations or projects do you have for the business that would enable you to grow without necessarily advancing? What excites you about the business? What proof can you offer that your interest has already come from a deep curiosity-perhaps going back at least a few years-rather than a current whim you'll outgrow? Sample Answer: The technology in the industry is changing so rapidly that I see lots of room for job enhancement regardless of promotions. I'm particularly interested in the many applications for multimedia as a training tool. Question 10: Tell me about yourself? This is not an invitation to ramble on. If the context isn't clear, you need to know more about the question before giving an answer. In such a situation, you could ask, "Is there a particular aspect of my background that you would like more information on?" This will enable the interviewer to help you find the appropriate focus and avoid discussing irrelevancies. Whichever direction your answer ultimately takes, be sure that it has some relevance to the world of your professional endeavours. The tale you tell

should demonstrate, or refer to, one or more of your key behavioural profiles in action--perhaps honesty, integrity, being a team player, or determination. If you choose "team player" (maybe you're the star player on your team tennis group), you can tell a story about yourself outside of work that also speaks volumes about you at work. In part, your answer should make the connection between the two, such as, "I put my heart into everything I do, whether it be sports or work. I find that getting along with teammates--or professional peers--makes life more enjoyable and productive." Or you might describe yourself as someone who is able to communicate with a variety of people, so give an example from your personal life that indicates an ability to communicate also at work. This isn't a question that you can answer effectively off the cuff. Take some time in advance to think about yourself and those aspects of your personality and/or background that you'd like to promote or feature for your interviewer. Question 11: What has been the biggest disappointment in your life? Your response to the question "What has been the greatest disappointment in your life?" will help the interviewer determine know how easily you are discouraged. Sample Answer: If possible, tell about a personal disappointment i.e. the early death of a parent, child, or school friend. Believe it or not, it is okay to have not had a "greatest" disappointment. Question 12: What are your pet peeves? Your response to the question "What are your pet peeves?" will help the interviewer determine if you would be a good fit with the company culture. Sample Answer: I do not have a pet peeve. If something is bothering me, I step back, analyse "why", and find a good solution. If you asked my teenage daughter she would tell you my pet peeve is the volume on her radio! Question 13: How has your education prepared you for your career? This is a broad question and you need to focus on the behavioural examples in your educational background which specifically align to the required competencies for the career. Sample Answer: My education has focused on not only the learning the fundamentals, but also on the practical application of the information learned within those classes. For example, I played a lead role in a class project where we gathered and analysed best practice data from this industry. Let me tell you more about the results . . . Focus on behavioural examples supporting the key competencies for the career. Then ask if they would like to hear more examples. Question 14: When was the last time you were angry and what happened? When the interviewer asks "When Was the Last Time You Were Angry? What Happened?" he or she wants to know if you lose control. The real meaning of the word "angry", to an interviewer, is loss of control and it's important to know how you handle situations when you're angry. Sample Answer: Anger to me means loss of control. I do not lose control. When I get stressed, I step back, take a deep breath, thoughtfully think through the situation and then begin to formulate a plan of action. Question 15: How do you evaluate success? I evaluate success in different ways. At work, it is meeting the goals set by my supervisors and my fellow workers. It is my understanding, from talking to other employees, that the GGR Company is recognized for not only rewarding success, but giving employees opportunity to grow as well. After work, I enjoy playing softball, so success on the field is catching the winning pop-up. Question 16: What are the major reasons for your success? This is not the time to become extremely self-centred and arrogant. Keep in mind that employers are often looking for team players rather than Lone Rangers. A good response to this question may relate to a mentor/and or philosophy of work or the people you work with. Also, use this question as an opportunity to inquire about an appropriate "fit for success" with this company. Question 17: Describe a typical work week for you. Interviewers expect a candidate for employment to discuss what they do while they are working in detail. Before you answer, consider the position you are applying for and how your current or past positions relate to it. The more you can connect your past experience with the job opening, the more successful you will be at answering the questions. It should be obvious that it's not a good idea talk about non-work related activities that you do on company time, but, I've had applicants tell me how they are often late because they have to drive a child to school or like to take a long lunch break to work at the gym. Keep your answers focused on work and show the interviewer that you're organized ("The first thing I do on Monday morning is check my voicemail and email, then I prioritize my activities for the week.") and efficient. Question 18: How would you describe the pace at which you work? When you're asked to describe the pace at which you work, be careful how you respond. This is another question where faster isn't necessarily better. Most employers would rather hire employees who work at a steady pace. Someone who is too slow to get the job done in a reasonable time frame isn't going to be a good hire. Neither is a candidate who works frenetically all day. Options for answering this question include saying that you work at a steady pace, but usually complete work in advance of the deadline. Discuss your ability to manage projects and get them done on, or ahead, of schedule. If you work at a job where you have set criteria (i.e. number of calls made or responded to) that measures accomplishments, discuss how you have achieved or exceeded those goals. Question 19: Give me proof of your persuasiveness. This is a question about leadership, but try not to use an example in which you were the designated leader. If possible, describe a time when you didn't really have authority but instead used your powers of persuasion to get people on your side. Describe your goal and the outcome of your efforts. Why did people trust or believe you? Sample Answer: During my summer internship I was assigned the task of conducting a benchmarking study for all the communication expenditures for a major utility. I had to get the consensus of employees in several different departments. Unfortunately, they resented the fact that I was just a summer intern, and they refused to cooperate. I had to schedule individual meetings with every employee and persuade each one that I was doing what would be ultimately to his or her own department and to the company. After a frustrating month, I finally got everyone's cooperation, the project went flawlessly, and in the end I received a bonus for my efforts.

Its the New Year and our thoughts turn to getting a new job. In this article we have asked our panel of experts for the top interview questions. We have also included pointers on how to deal with them.

Also, if you are recruiting for staff you may find that this provides you with a few tricky questions to ask.

Interviews for a senior contact centre role

All interviews will be different both in structure and the approach taken by the interviewer but I hope the following suggestions may assist in the generic preparation for forthcoming interviews. It is important to note that whilst research and preparation is critical, your adaptability to their questions, being relaxed and confident in your responses must also come through clearly.

Ensure you do your research. Undertake a number of Google searches on the organisation, look over their website and try to obtain as many independent articles on the company you can gather from the media or trade presses. Look to understand more about your interviewer, look to understand their background. If you are going through an agency ask them what they know of the person.

Almost all interviews will include a competency based element. There are many different questions that the interviewer can use to determine whether you possess certain competencies. However, by matching the role profile competencies to specific examples from your past in preparation for the interview, you will be able to cover most eventualities.

During the interview make the right first impression..

1. Why do you want to work here?

Mark Lightburn

To answer this question you must have researched the company. Reply with the companys attributes as you see them and how your qualities match them. About you..

2. Tell me about yourself.

This is not an invitation to ramble on. If the context isnt clear, you need to know more about the question before giving an answer. Whichever direction your answer ultimately takes, be sure that is has some relevance to your professional endeavours. You should also refer to one or more of your key personal qualities, such as honesty, integrity, being a team player, or determination.

3. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in work in the past 12 months?
This is often an opening question, as it allows you to use one of your strongest examples and may help you relax. To the interviewer it is also an indication of where your natural focus or achievements may be people development, process, cost reduction, change etc.

Mark Lightburn, Artis Recruitment (www.artiscc.co.uk)

4. What do you know about the centre/company/role?

You are not required to be an expert on the organisation or role, but a genuine interest and basic understanding is expected. If you are working with a recruitment consultant then they should be able to provide you with extra details and assist with preparation. In addition, look for and use press releases, corporate and social websites. Ring the call centre to see how they handle your call: do they offer up -sell, cross-sell, how was the service? Read the job description to prepare for this question, a few key facts or some knowledge show a genuine interest and commercial awareness.

5. Why do you want this job?

Whilst more money, shorter hours or less of a commute are all potential factors for your next role, they are unlikely to make you the stand out candidate of the day. Know what the company are looking for, the potential job available and align this with your career to date. Highlight your relevant experience, goals and aspirations in line with the role, to showcase why you are the best person for the job.

6. How would your team/manager describe you?

Try to think about how you would describe yourself if someone asked you for your strengths, then relate these to what people say about you; peers, agents, managers and stakeholders. Have three or four at the ready, ideally in line with the role you are being interviewed for. Have the examples or situations ready, in case your interviewer wants to drill down as to why you think or believe these are your key strengths.

7. What is your biggest achievement?

If possible, think work related. There will hopefully be a number of things you are most proud of in your career to date. Think about your key achievements, were they commercial, people or process orientated? What was the cause and effect? How were you involved, what was improved, saved or developed? If you are short on career-based examples then use personal achievements which demonstrate the commercial skills required for the role, such as team work, commitment, empathy, determination, attention to detail, etc.

8. Can you give me an example of ?

Michelle Ansell

These questions will more often than not be based around the role competencies. Preparation and rehearsal are key to answering these effectively. You will need two or three instances of how you may have: delivered change, managed conflict, improved performance, reduced absence, increased customer satisfaction, etc. You need to be able to clearly and concisely communicate the problem, solution and outcome.

9. What have you done to promote great customer service?

Firstly, know what you think great customer service looks like. Look for situations and examples when you had an idea, a client, or customer call, where you personally went that extra mile. Did you change a process or procedure? Or perhaps a staff member you mentored, coached or advised delivered a great customer service win or result for your team, brand or business.

10. What are the key factors which make a successful call centre?
Fundamentally, if you look under the skin of the best teams and call centres, they do have certain things in common: clear communication, environment, consistency, fun, performance management, leadership, engagement, incentives, etc. Think what made up the best team or company you have been a part of or have seen. Have examples to back up any statements for how you would play a part in, or create, this team or environment yourself.

11. How do you manage change?

Change is an essential part of life in any call centre environment, as the industry strives to achieve best practice for their customers and stakeholders. Have some examples on how you personally managed, or, were affected by some change. What was your focus, what were you aiming to achieve and how did you deliver the outcome? Know what the problems encountered were and what was learnt through and following the transformation.

12. What was your reason for leaving?

Wherever possible be positive, even if your role was short term or didnt quite work out as expected as it will have added extra experience, industry or skills to your career history. Although you are now looking to move on, acknowledge what you learned and what was on offer at the time. Demonstrate your good reasons for the decisions you made and that you understood what was to be gained, or acknowledge what you have learnt from past employer experiences.

Michelle Ansell, Douglas Jackson (www.douglas-jackson.com)

13. Give me an example of how you have dealt with an under-performing team member in the past.
This question is a typical example of competency-based interviewing (CBI) in practice. It is the most popular interview approach, based on the premise that future performance can be predicted by past behaviour. The best way to prepare for CBIs is to revisit the job description and person specification before your interview and ensure that you have covered off all bases and can comfortably provide examples for each competency. You must be able to describe the particular scenario, the actions you took and the impact it had on the business. Approach this particular question by outlining the processes you followed to investigate and resolve this issue. It is also important to explain the outcome. For example, you may have set an agenda of required actions following on from the meeting you held with the particular team member can you describe what that was? If you created a performance plan that included clear training and development objectives make sure you say so. Always finish by explaining how the action you took impacted on the business, for example, the team member started to meet all targets and bring in more revenue.

14. Within the interview process you may be required to perform a role-play. A popular example of this is being asked to role-play an escalated call with an unhappy customer.
It is vital to have clear objectives before initiating conversation with the customer; what is your end goal? Ensure you are aware of the parameters, rules and regulations within the company. For example, if the issue is over money, can you refund it? What else can you offer to pacify the customer? It is important to remain calm, confident, be clear and always remember to ask questions. The interviewer is looking for a patient and composed response. If you are still unsure about how best to approach role-plays contact your local recruitment consultant who should be able to offer you thorough advice.

15. Can you give me an example of a time when you had to motivate and develop a team in a challenging work environment?

Geoff Sims

During interviews difficult or awkward questions could come your way. The intention is not to catch you out, but to test how you operate under pressure. This question is again in the format of CBI; remember to outline the specific actions you took to motivate your team. Interviewers want to see evidence of handson experience. Make sure to describe all processes undertaken, for example, did you use incentives to motivate the team or did you implement training programmes? If you improved internal communications to help engage staff, make sure you mention it. Did you implement or revisit career development plans to make the team feel valued? Did you take the time to understand each individuals motivations? Be clear and precise and be sure to convey any previous first-hand experience you have they will want to feel confident that you can handle similar issues within the new role.

Geoff Sims, Hays Contact Centres (www.hays.com/contactcentres/)

16. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Many interviewers will ask you to name your strengths and weaknesses. Typically, people find it easier to express their strengths, but struggle when it comes to identifying even one weakness. Part of the reason for this may be that they do not want to disclose a particular weakness, as this may result in them failing to be successful in getting the job.

A good initial answer (bearing in mind you are applying for a telephone position) to the strengths, part would be I have been told that I am an excellent communicator, especially on the telephone, but I feel I have good interpersonal skills generally and find it easy to get along with all sorts of people.

For weaknesses you need to think of something which is really a strength but put it across as a weakness. It is also important to make it clear what you are doing to address that weakness.

A good example would be I am a very conscientious worker and I get irritated by colleagues who dont share this value and take any opportunity to tak e time off work or do the minimum required when they are there. I am learning, however, that these people generally get found out and I leave it to my supervisor to recognise these problems and address them.

An answer such as this would probably make the interviewer think well thats not such a bad thing, actually.

17. Give an example of this behaviour

Having given your strengths and weaknesses, you are then likely to be asked to give examples of when you have displayed this behaviour. Your credibility will plummet if you cannot give an example of the strengths you have stated. So, for instance, with the strengths listed above a good response would be in my present job, I am often asked to handle difficult customer situations because my supervisor knows that I will handle them politely, efficiently and diplomatically and therefore only a few cases would ever get referred to her. Also, because of my strong interpersonal skills, I have often been asked to buddy up with new team members, to make them comfortable in their new role at the earliest stage possible.

When asked to give examples on the weaknesses, you need to think very carefully, and plan in advance what your response will be, as many people dig a very deep hole here. A good response to the weakness quoted would be: I had a situation once where I knew that a more experienced colleague was regularly absent from work following nights out drinking, but she would say that she had a migraine. When this happened my workload increased significantly and whereas I undertook this willingly, I must admit I was annoyed that this person was taking advantage of me and the company. However, I decided to let the supervisor do their job and just get on with mine. In quite a short space of time, the issue was addressed and the problem was resolved.

18. Can you give me an example of a particularly difficult customer you had to deal with and how you used your skills to successfully overcome the problem they had?

Clive Harris

Many interviewees freeze at this question, simply because they cannot think of an example, rather than the fact that they have never dealt with one. So have an answer prepared and make sure it is one where you resolved the issue, not one where you had to refer the customer to a higher authority (its amazing how many people do this). What the interviewer is looking for are the skills you possess in handling difficult customers, not the intricate detail of the particular issue the customer had.

So, in your pre-prepared answer include the following:

1. I listened carefully to what the customer had to say. 2. I apologised and empathised with their situation. 3. I confirmed my understanding of their concern. 4. I took responsibility to resolve the issue. 5. I offered a solution (plus alternatives if possible). 6. I confirmed the customer was happy with this. 7. I thanked the customer for raising the issue with me. 8. I took immediate action following the call to resolve the situation. 9. I remained calm throughout the whole process. 10. (If appropriate) the customer wrote in to my supervisor congratulating me on my efficiency.

This may seem like a very long answer, but by explaining the situation, without going into the minutia of the product or the complaint, your response need be no more than one minute or so and you will impress your prospective new employer that you already have the skills necessary to handle the most difficult calls.

Clive Harris, Specialist Contact Centre Services (www.specialistccs.com)

Other interview questions that you may get asked include the following. We do not have answers for any of these, so if you have any suggestions, please send them in.

Change Management
19. Describe how you have brought about business change through use of technology and process re-engineering, describing what particular techniques you have employed, e.g. 6 sigma, Lean management, etc.

Motivation and Drive

20. Tell me about a difficult obstacle you had to overcome recently at work? How did you overcome this?

Managing Performance

Mark Lightburn

21. 22. 23. 24.

Please tell me about a situation where someone was performing badly in your team. What was the situation? How did you deal with it? What was the outcome?

Planning and Organising

25. How do you plan daily and weekly activities?

Gathering and Analysing Information

26. Please tell me about an occasion you had to analyse a large amount of complex information which led you to identifying an im provement in service delivery or cost.

Commitment to Results
27. Please outline and describe your current targets and KPIs How do you ensure you achieve these?

Strategic Thinking and Awareness

28. How do you ensure that your departments goals are in line with the overall company goals?

Inspiring Leadership
29. Describe a situation in which you inspired trust and respect in your team. 30. How did you recognise the level of trust or respect your team held for you and how did you ensure this continued?

These questions are not complex, they do not have to be long to be effective, and can be asked in many ways. The structure of your response, the relevance of the example, its detail and your evident accomplishment will determine your success.

Mark Lightburn, Artis Recruitment (www.artiscc.co.uk)

Examples of direct interview questions:

31. Discuss your current role and your reasons for applying to organisation.

32. What is your greatest success and achievement to date?

33. How would you measure the success of you and your team over a 3, 6 and 12 month period?

34. If successful in joining the organisation what do you envisage your biggest challenge will be in joining the organisation as a Sales Team Leader?

35. How would you manage your time and objectives in your role? 36. How do you keep yourself motivated?

37. What key factors drive you?

38. What attracts you to the position?

Consider the organisation as an attractive employer and make any reference to recent success or news research their website.

Francesca Randle

39. How often do you challenge the way your current company does things or challenge something that you feel needs to change? 40. How creative are you in comparison to your colleagues: i.e. in incentivising, managing, developing, encouraging and motivating your team?

41. How do you measure the success of your incentives?

Examples of competency-based interview questions: (Here you must give strong examples and talk through situations)
42. How have you utilised customer feedback to ensure business excellence?

43. How have you utilised customer complaint feedback to improve how your team are selling?

44. What is your experience of the whole end-to-end feedback process (talk through this process) and how you ensure this feedback improves the service to customers?

45. How have you educated your front-line agents to ensure this feedback results in customer excellence? 46. Give an example when you have been really stretched for a deadline and how did you achieve it?

47. How do you mange time and priorities?

48. Give an example of an occasion where you have given constructive criticism to a member of your peer group.

49. Give an example of a time when things happened in work to dampen your enthusiasm and how did you motivate yourself and your team?

50. How do you deal with work issues how do you demonstrate you are having a bad day? (would anyone know do you show it or keep it to yourself?)

Some key tips:

Must research the organisation fully on the web and available sources of information: latest company information, performance, etc. Must demonstrate for a sales position that you are motivated by money and driving performance with a keen focus on figures. Need to demonstrate you have drive and are able to think outside the box when there are problems, whilst following regulations and company procedures.

Demonstrate that you are brave enough to take risks but not afraid to run them by your manager first. Must show and be able to demonstrate/back up examples of your experience and success to date.

Dos and donts:

Do talk about what you have done within your team. Do not always use the words the company or we, try to explain examples and situations as I. Do acknowledge mistakes if asked but do put a spin on it that shows you came round and showed success from it and resolved the issue. Use the above examples to make sure you give well thought-out answers and examples to questions. Make sure you have questions prepared for them (its likely that you will be asked if you have any questions). At this level organisation are looking to recruit the leadership team of the future so bear in mind that they are looking for career-minded individuals who will progress up the ladder as quickly as possible.

Francesca Randle, Cactus Search (www.cactussearch.co.uk)