User:Hadseys/Job interview questions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is a list of questions and answers I am anticipating having to answer in my forthcoming job interview. Also included are my responses. The job is for a position as a sales assistant at Marks & Spencer. Enjoy! (Please feel free to comment)

Contents

[edit] Why do you want this job?

This job offers me the opportunity to develop my business and social skills. It presents me with a large opportunity for personal growth as I will be working with many new people who may quickly become friends. I know that I will be working in an environment where I will be persistently challenged. I think that it is important that I work in a challenging environment as this ensures that I will not become bored or complacent, and will thus motivate me to work harder.

[edit] What qualities do you think will be required for the job?

I think that a job at Marks & Spencer will require many qualities because the store has a reputation for demanding excellence. I think that this reputation can only be maintained and further developed by commitment and dedication from the stores employees'. I also think that the company would benefit from an individual who is willing, where required, to take the lead. This shows that the employee doesn't just think of themselves as another cog in the mechanism, so to speak; instead, it shows that they are prepared to take the initiative to solve problems on their own. I also think that good communication skills are of paramount importance when addressing other employees and the customer. If workers can communicate with one another effectively, customers are going to notice and the atmosphere will come across as more inviting. Also, if one has a good working relationship with customers they are more likely to think that they have received a good service and are thus more likely to return. Problem solving skills too are I think useful to have as well because if you're faced with a difficult situation your supervisor will be more impressed if you could first try and tackle the problem head-on; I think that these are the sorts of skills needed to impress people in business as they demonstrate that you go above and beyond what is required to provide customers with a great service.

  • I don't know how to word in the essentials like polite, friendly and reliable

[edit] What can you contribute?

I'm a very fast learner which means that I will quickly acquire the skills needed to operate the tills and other items of machinery. I have been described by many people as a social and articulate person which would mean that I could quickly develop a rapport with customers and assist them in any way possible with any queries they may have. I am an excellent communicator who is prepared to work as part of a team in order to bolster the overall effectiveness of the store. I am also prepared to work to the best of my ability all of the hours which I am able; I am also prepared to perform many tasks, regardless of how menial they may be. I am a very able person who will be able to deal with irate customers effectively. I would do this by calmly discussing the problem with them and explaining their options to them; I would then attempt to reach a mutually benficial compromise.

[edit] Why do you want to work for this company?

I would like to work for Marks & Spencer for many reasons. The company has a reputation for looking after its employees very well. It does this not only by providing them with excellent hourly rates, but by providing health insurance benefits, a pension plan and a 20% discount. This combined with other excellent fringe benefits is a great reason to work for the company. I also want to work here because it offers me the opportunity to develop my business experience, and also to finely tune the skills required to be successful in retail and commerce. Working for Marks & Spencer would also allow me to develop my social skills as it would involve working as part of a large and successful team. This would require everybody within the team to work together in a pleasant environment. This may very well be achieved by organising social get togethers which effectively promote teamwork, and allow one to enjoy ones self at the same time.

[edit] What interests you about our product or service?

The very fact that Marks & Spencer prides itself on excellence is reason enough for me to want to work there. The service is, in my experience, second to none. Your 2007 annual review states that you ae the UK's largest clothing retailer, and I think working for a company with such a large market share would be fascinating and would offer me numerous opportunities to acquire business acumen. The staff are always very helpful, polite and friendly, and I feel that I match this specification too and I would like to demonstrate to you what I have to offer.

[edit] You haven't done this sort of job before. How will you cope?

I am the sort of person who strices to succeed in everything I do. I thrive under pressure, and embrace new challenges and experiences. I pride myself on being a very efficient and determined person and I promise that I will do my best no matter what I am doing. I also promise that if I do not understand something, I will ask for help. I pick up new things very quickly, and I think that this skill will help me a great deal when learning the in's and out's of my new work environment.

  • I think this answer seems like it could be improved a bit, anybody have any suggestions?

[edit] Why should we employ you?

I think that Marks & Spencer should employ me because I am a very hard-worker. I will do any job, regardless of how menial it is. I also guarantee that whilst performing that job I will do it with a smile and that I will strive for perfection, because the way I see it, there's no point doing half a job. I will work efficiently and competently at all times, ensuring that everything I do is done correctly, and conforms to protocol. I am a friendly, outgoing and assertive person who will help customers, regardless of how difficult they may be. I will also try my hardest to communicate well with the rest of the team, and if it appears that a member of the team is unhappy with me or somebody else, I will try to discuss the problem or act as a mediator to ensure that the problem is solved. Overall, I believe I would be a good representative for Marks & Spencer because I'm efficient, hard-working, reliable and friendly, and I'm the sort of person always willing to help; and these are I think the qualities that set apart an average employee from a great employee

[edit] What would your ideal job be?

My ideal job would be one where everybody feels valued, regardless of who they are. I believe that happy workers are effective workers, and therefore they would be more willing to work hard for the company, because they feel valued. A team that teams who feel respected and listened to by their employee's is also a sign that you have a good job. If your employer listens to you, it shows that he doesn't just see you as a tool for profit. I feel that at Marks and Spencers, employee's do feel listened too because they always seem so happy and prepared to help you. I think that a job that promotes variety for its workers is also great because it ensures that nobody everybody gets to perform a wide variety of tasks, which would mean that very few people would get bored. A job also where workers are eligible for promotion is also a plus because it encourages friendly competition and makes people strive to work harder. Jobs like this generate all sorts of avenues where people feel they are given room to grow and succeed within the business.

[edit] How would you describe yourself?

I would describe myself as first and foremost hard-working. I ensure that any task I take on is done to the best of my ability, because there's no point half-doing a job. I'm also a person who is very eager to learn new things, and I generally learn them very quickly. I'm a person who can adapt to a wide variety of situations; I can work well under pressure on my own, or I can work well brainstorming ideas as part of a team. I'm very friendly, bubbly and outgoing and I always stay calm and exercise restraint even in very stressful circumstances. I always arrive where I'm supposed to be on time and I am a very reliable individual.