COMPETENCY GUIDE
How to use this guide:
A competency constitutes the skills, knowledge and abilities that a person should demonstrate to be successful in any job. We have listed 40 of the more popular competencies for this guide. Some questions may appear in more than one competency as some of them can overlap in terms skills, knowledge and abilities.
Here are 5 steps to using this guide.
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Look at the job description for the position that you will be interviewing for.
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List at least 5 key words/competencies that describe what you understand are requirements for the job. Select the closest competency from the list.
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Based on those key competencies, scroll to the competency to anticipate likely questions.
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Develop excellent answers.
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Prepare, practice, and succeed.
COMPETENCIES |
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Adaptability
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Decision Making
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Interpersonal Skills
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Motivation
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Presentation Skills
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Ambition
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Delegation
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Integrity
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Motivating Others
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Pressure
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Analytical Thinking
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Detail Oriented
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Job Knowledge
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Negotiating
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Problem Solving
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Building Relationships
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Flexibility
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Judgment
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Organization Skills
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Reliability
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Communications
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Follow up
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Leadership
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Performance
Management
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Sales Skills
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Conflict Resolution
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Goal Setting
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Listening Skills
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Personal
Effectiveness
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Strategic Thinking
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Critical Thinking
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Initiative
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Manage Change
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Persuasion
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Teamwork
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Customer Service
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Innovation
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Management
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Planning & Organizing
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Time Management
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Adaptability: The ability to modify one’s approach as the requirements of a situation or person change, and to change or easily accept changes within the company or job requirement.
q Describe a major change that occurred in a job that you held. How did you adapt to that change?
q Tell me about a situation in which you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How did you handle it?
q Tell me about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation. What did you do?
q What do you do when priorities change quickly? Give me one example of when this happened.
Ambition: Is a dedicated hard worker who works diligently towards achieving his/her ambitious goals; is not a quitter.
q Give two examples of things you’ve done in previous jobs that demonstrate your willingness to work hard.
q Tell us about the last time that you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.
q Tell us how you keep your job knowledge current with the on going changes in the industry.
q What impact did you have in your last job?
q What projects have you started on your own recently? What prompted you to get started?
q What is the most significant contribution you made to the company during a past job or internship?
Analytical Thinking: The ability to understand a situation by breaking it apart into smaller pieces, or tracing the implications to a systematic step-by-step manner.
q Describe the project or situation which best demonstrates your analytical abilities. What was your role?
q Developing and using a detailed procedure is often very important in a job. Tell about a time when you needed to develop and use a detailed procedure to successfully complete a project.
q Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
q Tell us about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation. What kind of thought process did you go through? What was your reasoning behind your decision?
q Tell us about your experience in past jobs that required you to be especially alert to details while doing the task involved.
Building Relationships: The ability to create meaningful relationships and to leverage those relationships for both organizational & individual success.
q What, in your opinion, are the key ingredients in guiding and maintaining successful business relationships? Give examples of how you made these work for you.
q Tell us about a time when you built rapport quickly with someone under difficult conditions.
q It is very important to build good relationships at work but sometimes it doesn’t always work. If you can, tell about a time when you were not able to build a successful relationship with a difficult person.
q Give a specific example of a time when you had to address an angry customer. What was the problem and what was the outcome? How would you asses your role in diffusing the situation?
Communication: The ability to articulately express thoughts and ideas both oral and written – in individual and group situations.
q Describe a situation when you were able to strengthen a relationship by communicating effectively. What made your communication effective?
q Describe a time when you were able to effectively communicate a difficult or unpleasant idea to a superior.
q Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person, even when that individual may not have personally liked you, or vice versa.
q How do you go about explaining a complex technical problem to a person who does not understand technical jargon? What approach do you take in communicating with people?
q Tell us about a time when you had to present complex information. How did you ensure that the other person understood?
q Tell us about a time when you had to present complex information. How did you ensure that the other person understood?
q Tell us about a time when you had to use your verbal communication skills in order to get a point across that was important to you
q Tell us about a time when you were particularly effective in a talk you gave or a seminar you taught.
q Have you ever dealt with a situation where communications were poor? Where there was a lack of cooperation? Lack of trust? How did you handle these situations?
Conflict Resolution: The ability to resolve conflicts collaboratively, building consensus and balancing the need for resolution in a timely manner.
q When you disagree with your manager, what do you do? Give an example.
q Describe a time when you took personal accountability for a conflict and initiated contact with the individual(s) involved to explain your actions.
q How do you typically deal with conflict? Can you give me an example?
q Describe a situation where you had to use conflict management skills.
q Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job. What did you do. What was the outcome.
q Give me an example of how you have handled problems caused by the clash of different cultures or nationalities in your organization?
q Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or instructor? How did you resolve the conflict?
Critical Thinking: The ability to resolve identify patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related and to determine key underlying issues in complex situations.
q Describe a recent imaginative solution you came up with which solved a workplace problem. Is that a common occurrence for you?
q Tell me about a project that really extended your thinking processes? Could you have pushed yourself further?
q What steps do you take when you have to make an immediate decision but you do not have access to all the relevant data?
q When you are given a large project to so, what are the first things you do? Can you give me a recent example?
q Tell me about the last time you had a very complex problem to solve. Were you happy with the way you handled it? Did you learn any lessons from it?
Customer Service: The ability to deliver exceptional and meaningful service to customers both internal and external.
q How do you handle problems with customers? Give an example.
q How do you go about establishing rapport with a customer? What have you done to gain their confidence? Give an example.
q Tell me about a difficult customer that you recently had to deal with. How did you handle the situation? What did you do to resolve the problem? Give examples.
q Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy a customer.
q How did you go about deciding what strategy to employ when dealing with a difficult customer?
Decision Making: Identifies problems first. Does not panic. Can then prioritize and create an effective plan to solve the problem.
q Discuss an important decision you have made regarding a task or project at work. What factors influenced your decision?
q Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
q What was your most difficult decision in the last 6 months? What made it difficult?
q Give an example of a time when there was a decision to be made and procedures were not in place?
q How have you gone about making important decisions? Give an example.
q Tell us about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. Describe the situation. Describe the outcome.
Delegation: Delegates routine activities; fact-finding assignments; preparation of rough drafts of reports for new policies to his/her staff, takes overall responsibility.
q Do you consider yourself a macro or micro manager? How do you delegate?
q How do you make the decision to delegate work?
q Tell us how you go about delegating work?
q What was the biggest mistake you have had when delegating work? The biggest success?
Detailed Oriented: Is quality conscious; a hard worker and always strives to maintain an excellent reputation for quality work.
q Describe a situation where you had the option to leave the details to others or you could take care of them yourself.
q Do prefer to work with the “big picture” or the “details” of a situation? Give me an example of an experience that illustrates your preference.
q Have the jobs you held in the past required little attention, moderate attention, or a great deal of attention to detail? Give me an example of a situation that illustrates this requirement.
q Tell us about a difficult experience you had in working with details.
q Tell us about a situation where attention to detail was either important or unimportant in accomplishing an assigned task?
Flexibility: Is flexible and agile in adapting to a fast moving environment. Can make good decisions in and even enjoy a fast moving business environment.
q How have you adjusted your style when it was not meeting the objectives and/or people were not responding correctly?
q What do you do when you are faced with an obstacle to an important project? Give an example.
q When you have difficulty persuading someone to your point of view, what do you do? Give an example.
Follow-up/Control Keeps detailed records/files of activities. Monitors work and checks information to ensure accuracy.
q How did you keep track of delegated assignments?
q How do you evaluate the productivity/effectiveness of your subordinates?
q What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision?
Goal Setting: The ability to set realistic short and long term goals and to develop a plan to achieve them.
q Tell us me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful? Why?
q Give me an example of when you took a risk to achieve a goal. What was the outcome?
q What specific goals have you established for your career?
q Where do you see yourself in the next 3 to 5 years?
q What goals have you set for career advancement for the next year?
q Describe what steps/methods you have used to define/identify a vision for your unit/position.
q How do you see your job relating to the overall goals of the organization?
q In your current or former position, what were your long and short-term goals?
q Tell us about a time when you anticipated the future and made changes to current responsibilities/operations to meet future needs.
q Describe how you develop a project team’s goals and project plan?
q What have you done to further your own professional development in the past 5 years.
q Describe what you’ve accomplished toward reaching a recent goal for yourself.
Initiative: One who demonstrates bias and self-motivation for actions and results by proactively doing things.
q Give me an example of when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
q Give me examples of projects/tasks you started on your own.
q How did you get work assignments at your most recent employer?
q What changes did you develop at your most recent employer? hat sorts of projects did you generate that required you to go beyond your job description?
q What sorts of things did you do at school that were beyond expectations?
q Describe a situation when you demonstrated initiative and took action without waiting for direction. What was the outcome?
q Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
q Describe the last time you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.
Innovation: Illustrate your ability to think logically and imaginatively about problems; you expend great energy and imagination when completing projects.
q Sometimes it is essential that we break out of the routine, standardized way of doing things in order to complete the task. Give an example of when you were able to successfully develop such a new approach.
q There are many jobs in which well-established methods are typically followed. Give a specific example of a time when you tried some other method to do the job.
q When was the last time that you thought “outside of the box” and how did you do it?
q Describe the most creative work-related project which you have carried out.
q Tell us about a problem that you solved in a unique or unusual way. What was the outcome? Were you satisfied with it?
q Tell us about a suggestion you made to improve the way job processes/operations worked. What was the result?
Interpersonal Skills: The ability to effectively build cooperative relationships with people. The ability to manage differences and resolve conflicts.
q Describe a situation in which you were able to effectively “read” another person and guide your actions by your understanding of their needs and values.
q Tell us about the most difficult or frustrating individual that you’ve ever had to work with, and how you managed to work with them.
q What have you done in past situations to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
q What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
q Are you more energized by working with data or by collaborating with other individuals?
q Describe a situation where you found yourself dealing with someone who did not like you. How did you handle it?
Integrity: Places a high value on honesty, trust and ethics in the workplace and personal life, but is not naive.
q Describe a time when you were asked to keep information confidential.
q Give examples of how you have acted with integrity in your job/work relationship.
q If you can, tell about a time when your trustworthiness was challenged. How did you react/respond?
q On occasion we are confronted by dishonesty in the workplace. Tell about such an occurrence and how you handled it.
q Tell us about a specific time when you had to handle a tough problem which challenged fairness or ethnical issues.
Job Knowledge: The ability to demonstrate comprehension and application of job responsibilities.
q Tell me what you know about the position in which you have applied for?
q What do you know about XYZ Company?
q Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career? Explain.
q Why did you seek a position in this field?
q What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in this company?
q What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
Judgment: The ability to think through a situation to reach a timely and sound decision within the scope of one’s authority.
q Give me an example of when you were responsible for an error or mistake. What was the outcome? What, if anything, would you do differently?
q We work with a great deal of confidential information. Describe how you would have handled sensitive information in a past work experience. What strategies would you utilize to maintain confidentiality when pressured by others?
q When have you had to produce results without sufficient guidelines? Give an example.
q Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. Describe the problem. Describe the outcome.
Leadership: One who understands that true leadership is helping people and groups achieve their aims and solve their problems.
q Give an example of a time in which you felt you were able to build motivation in your co-workers or subordinates at work.
q Give an example of your ability to build motivation in your co-workers, classmates, and even if on a volunteer committee.
q Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach? Did it work?
q Have you ever been a member of a group where two of the members did not work well together? What did you do to get them to do so?
q What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from?
q What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from? Describe how you handled it. What was the outcome?
q Tell us about a time when you used your leadership ability to gain support for what initially had strong opposition.
q Describe your leadership style and give an example of a situation when you successfully led a group.
Listening Skills: Demonstrates strong listening skills, will probe further with probing questions while continuing to focus with honed listening skills; clear focused thinker; will always seek clarification on any unclear points.
q Give an example of a time when you made a mistake because you did not listen well to what someone had to say.
q How often do you have to rely on information you have gathered from others when talking to them? What kinds of problems have you had? What happened?
q What do you do to show people that you are listing to them?
q When is listening important on your job? When is listening difficult?
q Give an example of a time when you had to ask direct questions to clarify an important issue during a discussion with vendors.
Manage Change: Seeks to employ staff that are positive, enthusiastic, adaptable to change, effective under pressure and who want to pursue and achieve the company's aims as well as their own.
q Have you ever had to introduce a policy change to your work group? How did you do it?
q Have you ever met resistance when implementing a new idea or policy to a work group? How did you deal with it? What happened?
q When is the last time you had to introduce a new idea or procedure to people on this job? How did you do it?
q Tell me about a time you had to persuade employees to make difficult changes to their work practices? What steps did you take? Were you successful?
q Tell me of some situations in which you have had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was the impact of the change on you?
Management: Is a decision maker who can create and forge strategic alliances with others with common interests to achieve their objectives?
q Do you consider yourself a macro or micro manager? How do you delegate?
q Describe your management style?
q Give an example of how you have been successful at empowering either a person or a group of people into accomplishing a task.
q How do you handle a subordinate whose work is not up to expectations?
q How do you coach a subordinate to develop a new skill?
q Tell us about a time when you had to take disciplinary action with someone you supervised.
q Tell us about a time when you had to tell a staff member that you were dissatisfied with his or her work.
q Tell us about a time when you had to use your authority to get something done. Where there any negative consequences? When do you give positive feedback to people? Tell me about the last time you did. Give an example of how you handle the need for constructive criticism with a subordinate or peer.
q Describe a situation where you had to use conflict management skills.
q Describe a characteristic of a successful manager.
Motivation: To be able to promote a sense of achievement. A concern for working against high standards of excellence.
q What motivates you to put forth you greatest efforts?
q Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the actions of others.
q Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty.
q How would you define “success” for someone in your chosen career?
q Tell us me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful? Why?
q Give an example of how you have been successful at empowering either a person or a group of people into accomplishing a task.
q What have you done that shows a willingness to work hard? Give me some recent examples?
q How do you keep up to date with recent developments in __________.
Motivating Others: The ability to create an environment that inspires people to exceed.
q Have you ever had a subordinate whose work was always marginal? How did you deal with that person? What happened?
q How do you deal with people whose work does not exceed your expectations?
q How do you get subordinates to produce at a high level? Give an example.
q How do you get subordinates to work at their peak potential? Give an example.
q How do you manage cross-functional teams?
Negotiating: Applies a structured approach to negotiations, and sees the different motivations, interests and objectives of all parties involved.
q Describe the most challenging negotiation in which you were involved. What did you do? What were the results for you? What were the results for the other party?
q Have you ever been in a situation where you had to bargain with someone? How did you feel about this? What did you do? Give an example. How did you prepare for it? How did you present your position?
q Tell me about a successful negotiation that you led as a [position]. What were the main factors in your success?
q Tell me about the last time you used your negotiating skills to win a large price discount?
Organization: One who plans action to consistently accomplish daily work.
q How do you schedule your time? Set priorities? How do you handle doing twenty things at once?
q What do you do when your time schedule or project plan is upset by unforeseen circumstances? Give an example.
q What have you done in order to be effective with your organization and planning?
q Describe a situation that required a number of things be done at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?
Performance Management: Develops individual’s skills and competencies by planning effective developmental opportunities for staff. Regularly reviews others’ performance against goals; holds` people accountable for results against those goals.
q Tell us about a specific development plan that you created and carried out with one or more of your employees. What was the specific situation? What were the components of the development plan? What was the outcome?
q Tell us about a time when you had to take disciplinary action with someone you supervised.
q What have you done to develop the skills of your staff?
q How do you coach a subordinate to develop a new skill?
q How do you handle performance reviews? Tell me about a difficult one.
Personal Effectiveness: Committed to permanent self-development through a continuous learning process to improve their contribution to the organization.
q Tell us about a recent job or experience that you would describe as a real learning experience? What did you learn from the job or experience?
q Tell us about a time when you took responsibility for an error and were held personally accountable.
q Tell us about a time when your supervisor criticized your work. How did you respond?
q Tell us about some demanding situations in which you managed to remain calm and composed.
q There are times when we are placed under extreme pressure on the job. Tell about a time when you were under such pressure and how you handled it.
q When you have been made aware of, or have discovered for yourself, a problem in your work performance, what was your course of action? Can you give an example?
Persuasion: Uses persuasion and coaching skills to communicate the benefits the new changes will bring; yet firm in implementing these changes in behavior.
q Describe a situation in which you were able to positively influence the actions of others in a desired direction.
q Describe a situation where you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
q Describe a time when you were able to convince a skeptical or resistant customer to purchase a project or utilize your services.
q Have you ever had to persuade a group to accept a proposal or idea? How did you go about doing it? What was the result?
q Have you ever had to persuade a peer or manager to accept an idea that you knew they would not like? Describe the resistance you met and how you overcame it.
q Tell us about a time when you used facts and reason to persuade someone to accept your recommendation.
q Tell us about a time when you used your leadership ability to gain support for what initially had strong opposition.
q Tell us about a time when you were able to successfully influence another person.
Planning & Organizing: The ability to establish a systematic course of action for self and others to ensure consistent accomplishment of specific objectives.
q Describe how you develop a project team’s goals and project plan?
q How do you schedule your time? Set priorities? How do you handle doing twenty things at once?
q What do you do when your time schedule or project plan is upset by unforeseen circumstances? Give an example.
q What have you done in order to be effective with your organization and planning?
Presentation Skills: Can adapt their presentation to the group they are facing. Breaks up the complex information into small understandable chunks, so that it is easily understood by all the parties.
q How do you prepare for a presentation to a group of technical experts in your field?
q How would you describe your presentation style?
q Tell us about the most effective presentation you have made. What was the topic? What made it difficult? How did you handle it?
q What kinds of oral presentations have you made? How did you prepare for them? What challenges did you have?
Pressure: Can perform effectively while under pressure.
q Tell me about a significant setback you experienced, who were the people you could depend on? What lessons did you learn from this?
q What do you do when circumstances at work make you feel tense and pressurized?
q Tell me about an occasion when something visibly shocked you, but you had to appear composed?
q Would you say that you can easily deal with high-pressure situations? Provide a recent example.
Problem Solving: The ability to build a logical approach to resolve problems or manage the situation at hand by drawing on own knowledge & experience or calling on other references and resources if necessary.
q Have you ever been caught unaware by a problem or obstacles that you had not foreseen? What happened?
q Tell us about a time when you did something completely different from the plan and/or assignment. Why? What happened?
q What are some of the problems you have faced; such as between business development and project leaders, between one department and another, between you and your peers? How did you recognize that they were there?
q Describe a time in which you were faced with problems or stresses which tested your coping skills. What did you do?
q Give an example of a problem which you faced on any job that you have had and tell how you went about solving it.
q Tell us about a time when you identified a potential problem and resolved the situation before it became serious.
q Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you successful in resolving it?
Reliability: Is straightforward and reliable; can accept their faults. Learns from their mistakes and makes sure not to repeat them.
q Tell me about a time when you failed to meet a deadline. What things did you fail to do? What were the repercussions? What did you learn?
q How do you manage your time in a project when the project has a tight deadline? Give an example to illustrate your point.
q How many days of attendance at work should be considered as satisfactory? What has been your record of attendance at work?
q Tell me about a time you did something wrong or in a wrong way? Did you admit your mistake? If so, to whom? How did you handle the situation?
Sales: The ability to execute all phases of the sales process in order to achieve success in all client interactions.
q Give me an example of an occasion when you used your sales skills in a highly pressurized situation? (i.e. needed to reach sales target, major client was going to leave etc)
q Give me an example of a time when you used your sales skills to sell a customer more than he originally asked for?
q How would you rate yourself in relation to achieving appointments for the field sales force, on a scale from 1 to 10?
q How have you dealt with rejection in the past? Can you give me some examples?
q How have you dealt with rejection in the past? Can you give me some examples?
q Tell me about a recent sale that best demonstrates your ability to solve a customer's problem?
q Give me a specific example of a time when you sold your supervisor or professor on an idea or concept. How did you proceed? What was the outcome?
Strategic Thinking: Structures the organization to take advantage of changing fundamentals in the industry.
q Describe what steps/methods you have used to define/identify a vision for your unit/position.
q How do you see your job relating to the overall goals of the organization?
q In your current or former position, what were your long and short-term goals?
q Tell us about a time when you anticipated the future and made changes to current responsibilities/operations to meet future needs
Teamwork: To recognize the importance of a shared purpose, whereby everyone is prepared to collaborate and pool his or her resources.
q Describe the types of teams you’ve been involved with. What were your roles?
q Describe a team experience you found disappointing. What would you have done to prevent this?
q Have you ever participated in a task group? What was your role? How did you contribute?
q Please give your best example of working cooperatively as a team member to accomplish an important goal. What was the goal or objective? To what extent did you interact with others on this project?
q Some people work best as part of a group - others prefer the role of individual contributor. How would you describe yourself? Give an example of a situation where you felt you were most effective.
q Tell us about a time that you had to work on a team that did not get along. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result?
q Tell us about a work experience where you had to work closely with others. How did it go? How did you overcome any difficulties?
q Tell us about the most difficult challenge you faced in trying to work cooperatively with someone who did not share the same ideas? What was your role in achieving the work objective?
Time Management: Works towards the completion of tasks within expected time frames.
q Describe a situation that required you to do a number of things at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?
q How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give an example.
q How do you typically plan your day to manage your time effectively?
q Of your current assignments, which do you consider to have required the greatest amount of effort with regard to planning/organization? How have you accomplished this assignment? How would you asses your effectiveness?