Interview Questions - About Me Flashcards
Ace Your Interview
Tell about yourself and your previous experience
I am a results-oriented professional with 11 plus years of experience in technical support and customer service. I am accustomed to working in fast-paced environments and capable of managing priorities without compromising service or quality. I am an MBA graduate, who is a competent communicator and committed to delivering exceptional service and enhancing customer satisfaction.
What is your leadership style?
I adjust my leadership style to meet the needs of the project or people I am managing. For example: “I like to lead by example. I lead from the front by taking action, demonstrating what needs to be done, and keeping my team organized to make sure we’re all on the same page and contributing equally.” Lead by facilitating communication: “Communication is one of my greatest strengths. I lead by facilitating open communication, and trying to bring out the best in every team member”. Lead by delegating and making others better: “I’m great at delegating and finding the strengths of other team members. I try to give each person a chance to do what they’re best at and create a team effort that delivers a result that’s greater than the sum of its parts”
What are your salary requirements?
My salary requirements are negotiable. I need to understand and evaluate the total compensation package before I give you a salary number. Could you share the standard benefits you provide?
After being in management, would you feel comfortable in an entry-level job?
Sometimes you need to take a step backward to move your career forward. Starting in an entry-level role would allow me to learn your business from the ground up.
Why did you leave your last job?
I was part of a staff reduction as the result of a reorganization. The company eliminated middle management. I am confident, however, that it had nothing to do with my job performance, as exemplified by my accomplishments.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself growing and advancing in my career over the next few years. What I really like about this company is how they actively develop employees.
When can you start?
I am available and my schedule is flexible.
What is your greatest strength?
One of my greatest strengths is perceptiveness. I have a natural ability to pick up on peoples’ emotions. This gift served me well over the past years in my leadership position. When I was promoted to manager, the service desk department was facing high turnover. I was able to identify when team members were burnt-out, discouraged, or stressed out and address the problem on the spot. Ultimately, I was able to reduce attrition of frontline associates from 45 percent to 28 percent over an 18-month span.
What was the hardest point in your career/life?
Professionally, the hardest point in my life was learning that my position and those of my fellow managers were being eliminated. We all worked for the company for at least 10 years. Like always, we aided one another in the transition. Fortunately, the company was very supportive also. Surprisingly, this experience ended up being one of the most memorable times in my life as well.
What’s your biggest failure?
Professionally, my biggest failure was not taking advantage of opportunities to advance because I was comfortable in my role. Personally, my biggest failure was taking for granted the sacrifices my parents endured for me. Fortunately, I was able to show my gratitude while they were alive to appreciate it. I am so thankful for them. They are the reason I am able to be a good steward and give back to society.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
Professionally, it was developing and training analysts for promotional advancement within the company to the extent that 20 percent of upper tier IT staff started as first line technical support analysts. These were my people. I hired, trained, coached, and assisted them in their career journey. I am very proud of them. My biggest personal accomplishment was obtaining my MBA.
How do you handle stress?
When I’m under pressure, I focus, and get the job done. I try to react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn’t become stressful. For example, when I deal with an unsatisfied customer, rather than focusing on feeling stressed, I focus on the task at hand. I believe my ability to communicate effectively with customers during these moments helps reduce my own stress in these situations and also reduces any stress the customer may feel.
What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?
The biggest risk I took in my career was volunteering to be the IT Business Continuity Project Coordinator. Colleagues with experience in the area were inundated with projects. So our supervisor asked for a volunteer. To prepare for the task, I had to acquire FEMA certifications and update the technical recovery plans. The manual was over 200 pages, including addendums. It was a massive project and required collaborating with all areas of the department and business.
Name a time you conquered a difficult situation?
At one point, silos in the IT department caused a bottleneck in incident resolution times. I was assigned the task of improving the situation. I created a resolution task force made up of the team leaders for each area. I facilitated the meeting with open communication, established goals, and set deadlines. The cultivated relationships resulted in team unity and functional improvements.
What was the most stressful thing on your last job?
I did not feel my responsibilities were challenging enough” I would change the system we were working on as I believe if it was faster, we would have all been a lot more productive.
