Coversation between Interviewer and candidate in each 240 Job Interview question India
Interview Question India
Interviewer : What is your greatest professional achievement?
Mahesh : My greatest professional achievement was when I created and presented a sales presentation for a potential new client. Partly because of my presentation our company received a 25 million-dollar contract which was the biggest contract that we received that year.
Interviewer : When did this happen?
Mahesh : It happened 3 years ago.
Interviewer : Have you had similar success since then?
Mahesh : Yes, I have given presentations with similar results, but that time was the first major contract that I acquired for our company and it was also the biggest. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.
Interviewer : That’s great.
Interviewer : What have you done during your career that you are most proud of?
Mahesh : I am most proud of the “Employee Happiness and Well-Being” system that I implemented while I was the human resources manager at my previous company.
Interviewer : Can you tell me a little about that system?
Mahesh : Sure. It was a system that was implemented to ensure that the employees were happy. We believed that happy employees were more productive and creative. The system used surveys and meetings between different levels of staff to encourage communication and to gather information about how the staff felt. Then we used this information to make positive changes within the company.
Interviewer : And was the system successful?
Mahesh : Yes. The feedback we received from the employees was very positive and our staff turnover dropped by over 15%.
Interviewer : That’s impressive.
Interviewer : What would you consider the biggest achievement in your career?
Mahesh : The biggest achievement in my career was becoming a sales manager at my current job. I think it was my greatest accomplishment because only the top salespeople who have leadership qualities become sales managers. It is not easy to do and the competition is very high.
Interviewer : Why do you think you got the job?
Mahesh : First, I always had some of the top sales numbers among all of the sales associates. Second, I often worked with younger sales associates to help them become better at sales. I think that management saw these two things and thought that I would be a good fit for a management position.
Interviewer : I see. And why are you thinking about leaving your job?
Mahesh : Well, I was promoted to sales manager 3 years ago. Now, I am ready for a new challenge. When I saw that your company was hiring a new regional director of sales, I didn’t hesitate to apply. I know that I could do a really good job in that position.
Interviewer : Tell me about a time that you made a good decision.
Mahesh : During my last project, we ran into a difficult problem. This was a high-priority project, so we needed to find a solution fast. I started researching solutions by searching the Internet, asking other managers, and talking to my contacts in the industry. After doing all of this I found the best solution. I made the decision to take my time and use every resource that I could think of, and in the end, it solved our problem.
Interviewer : It sounds like you were very thorough in your search for a solution.
Mahesh : I try to be thorough in everything I do. I would rather spend more time finding the best solution than making a decision quickly and choosing a satisfactory solution. It is important for me to produce excellent work and results.
Interviewer : That is great to hear because we always try to achieve excellence in everything we do.
Interviewer : Tell me about a time that you made a poor decision.
Mahesh : When I was first working as an auditor, there was a problem with one our client’s accounts. I tried to contact the client, but no one answered the phone. I looked for a solution to the problem for 6 hours, but I couldn’t find one. Finally, the client returned my call and I found out the mistake was just a simple typo.
Interviewer : Oh no! That is terrible.
Mahesh : I know. I wasted 6 hours looking for a little detail that was not important.
Interviewer : What did you learn from this mistake?
Mahesh : I learned two things from this experience. First, I learned not to worry too much about the very small details. Second, I learned that I should not be afraid to ask my senior colleagues for help. When I told my senior colleagues that story, they all laughed at me and told that they could have told me that and saved me six hours if I had asked.
Interviewer : Well, sometimes, you need these experiences to learn.
Mahesh : I completely agree. I have never made the same mistake again.
Interviewer : What do you do when you have a problem with a colleague?
Mahesh : The first thing that I do when I have a problem with a colleague is to take some time to think about the situation. I think about what I want to say and what is the best way to tell him or her. Then, I will ask the person to speak privately. After I explain how I feel, I will listen to them.
Interviewer : Have you ever had to actually do this?
Mahesh : Yes. I did this once with my manager at a previous job.
Interviewer : What was the problem?
Mahesh : At that time, I felt like I was ready for more responsibility, but I felt like my manager was still treating me like a junior member. So, I asked for a private meeting with my manager and I told her how I felt, and my manager agreed that I was ready for more responsibility.
Interviewer : Then, everything worked out well for you. That’s great.
Mahesh : Yes. And I have learned from this experience. Whenever I have a problem with a colleague, I try to follow the same steps. It is better and more effective than holding in my feelings and keeping them a secret.
Interviewer : What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?
Mahesh : When I am stressed out or feel overwhelmed, I usually take a break from work. I either go and get a cup of coffee, take a walk in the park, go to the gym for a quick workout, or get a bite to eat with someone.
Interviewer : Why do you think these activities are helpful?
Mahesh : I think that if you work when you are overwhelmed or stressed out, then you are more likely to make mistakes and it will actually create more work for you to do. So, I think the best thing you can do is to take your mind off of your work for a little bit, and then come back refreshed.
Interviewer : That makes sense. How often do you feel overwhelmed at your job?
Mahesh : To be honest, I almost never feel overwhelmed at work. But from time to time, I feel stressed out when I have to make a very important decision.
Interviewer : I think we all feel that way sometimes.
Interviewer : What was the biggest challenge at your last job?
Mahesh : I worked as a semiconductor engineer at my last job. The biggest challenge was definitely meeting the tight deadlines. The deadlines were often tight and they were not flexible. So, things were often very hectic towards the end of a project when the deadline was approaching.
Interviewer : How did you handle this?
Mahesh : I made a schedule of all the things that I needed to complete, and I would try my best to stick to that schedule. Oftentimes, I had to work overtime.
Interviewer : How do you feel about working overtime?
Mahesh : It doesn’t really bother me. I like my work and I realize that working overtime is part of the job.
Interviewer : You’re right. Unfortunately, it is sometimes unavoidable in this line of work.
Interviewer : What was the greatest challenge at your last job?
Mahesh : The hardest part about working as an account manager was dealing with both the clients and the production team from my company. The clients always demanded that their products be shipped to them faster, but the production team always complained that they needed more time. As an account manager, I had to deal with both sides.
Interviewer : That sounds like a tricky problem. How did you deal with it?
Mahesh : I had to find a compromise. I would talk to both sides and I would listen to what they said, then I would try to find some middle ground that would be satisfactory for both sides.
Interviewer : How were you able to get both sides to listen to you?
Mahesh : I worked very hard to establish good relationships with the production team and with the clients. I think that making strong relationships is one of my strengths and it was a key reason why I was successful at my last job.
Interviewer : Tell about a time that you saved your company money.
Mahesh : I’ve never been in a position to save my company a lot of money, but one situation does come to mind. When we were a smaller company, we didn’t get a significant corporate discount on our hardware. After we grew in size, we qualified for a larger discount, but nobody noticed it. I pointed this out and our company was able to save about $10,000 annually.
Interviewer : That’s great. Are you good at paying attention to details?
Mahesh : I think that is one of my best traits. I am a very detail-oriented person, and I like to check even the smallest details to make sure that everything is correct. Even when I was young, I did that.
Interviewer : I guess you must have been an excellent student.
Mahesh : Yes. I always did well in school.
Interviewer : What was a challenge at your last job and how did you handle it?
Mahesh : As you can see on my resume, my last job was assistant manager at a clothing store. Last year, the store manager broke her leg and she couldn’t come to work for 2 weeks. So, for two weeks I had to take over all of the manager’s duties, plus all of my regular work.
Interviewer : So, how did you handle the heavy workload?
Mahesh : It was a lot of work, but I just tried to focus on one task at a time. I had to work a lot of overtime that week, but I also tried to delegate as much work to other staff members as I could. To make a long story short, the store ran smoothly with very few problems until the manager returned to work.
Interviewer : Your manager must have been very grateful to you.
Mahesh : I think that she was. Also, I felt very proud. It was one of the biggest challenges that I have ever faced at work, and I was successful. This is a reason that I am applying for the manager position at your store. I know that I can handle the work and do a good job.
Interviewer : Tell about a time that you did not achieve your goal.
Mahesh : When I was working as a salesperson for a car dealership, I did not meet one of the goals that I had set for myself. It was my third year in that position, and my goal was to increase my yearly sales by 15%. This was a high goal. Unfortunately, I was not able to reach it.
Interviewer : What happened?
Mahesh : I tried my best and did everything I could to achieve it. I worked extra hours, I studied sales techniques in my free time, and I asked senior colleagues for advice. But in the end, I came up short. I ended up increasing my sales by 12%.
Interviewer : A 12% increase in sales is very high.
Mahesh : Yes, it is, and I was proud of it. I set my original goal very high because I wanted to push myself to improve a lot. Even though I did not reach my goal, I think I improved a lot and had a really good year. So, I was only slightly disappointed that I did not achieve my goal.
Interviewer : That’s great. Our company likes people who aim high.
Interviewer : Tell about a time when you demonstrated leadership.
Mahesh : When I was working at a retail store as a clerk, one time I had to be the leader. Our manager told the staff that we had to reorganize the store, but our manager didn’t give us a lot of directions. Everybody was hesitant and didn’t know what to do. So, I took charge and started organizing the staff into groups and assigning tasks to different groups. Everybody followed me and the work was completed well and on time.
Interviewer : Do you feel comfortable being in a leadership role?
Mahesh : Absolutely. I have no problem being a leader if that is what I need to do. But I also have no problem following orders. I just want to do what is best for the company.
Interviewer : It sounds like you are a real team player.
Mahesh : I try to be.
Interviewer : When was a time that you disagreed with your manager?
Mahesh : My last manager and I worked closely together on many projects, so there were quite a few times that we disagreed. One time, we were designing a new logo, slogan, and advertisement material for a rising clothing company. We had disagreements about many things on this project.
Interviewer : So, what did you do in that situation?
Mahesh : I prepared a document and a presentation that outlined what I thought we should do. Then, I showed the document and gave the presentation to my manager in order to persuade her.
Interviewer : Did it work?
Mahesh : It worked for some things. After reading my report and hearing my presentation, my manager and I discussed the points in detail. For some things, she changed her mind and decided to do what I suggested but for other things, she disagreed with my opinion. But I think that we did a great job on that project because we worked well together and shared our ideas openly.
Interviewer : That’s great to hear. We like it when our employees can cooperate and work well with each other.
Interviewer : When was a time that you had a disagreement with a co-worker?
Mahesh : At my last job, a co-worker and I had a disagreement about who was in charge of a project. The project was unique because it required the marketing team and the finance team to work closely together. This caused some difficulties at first because the roles for each department and each individual were not clearly defined.
Interviewer : So, what did you do to solve this issue?
Mahesh : Once I realized that it was a major problem, I asked the top members of the finance and marketing teams to have a meeting. I told them what would be discussed at the meeting beforehand so everyone could think about it and come to the meeting prepared. We discussed the project in detail at the meeting and decided on roles and responsibilities for each team. After that, the project went well.
Interviewer : That’s great to hear. Were there any difficulties assigning the tasks?
Mahesh : There were only minor disagreements. But you know what they say, a good compromise is when both sides are unsatisfied.
Interviewer : That is very true.
Interviewer : Tell about the last time a co-worker or customer got angry with you and how you dealt with it.
Mahesh : Six months ago, while I was working as the manager of an Italian restaurant, one customer got very angry. The waiter got the customer’s order wrong and then the waiter accidentally spilled water on the customer. The customer started to raise his voice, so I had to intervene and deal with the situation.
Interviewer : So, how did you handle the situation?
Mahesh : I listened as the customer explained the situation, and then I tried to calm him down by promising him the best service from then on, and by giving him some free service. If I remember correctly, I think I gave him a 25% discount.
Interviewer : Do you think that was the best way to handle the situation?
Mahesh : Yes, I do. To be honest, I thought the customer was rude. The waiter made an honest mistake and there was no reason to get so angry. But it is better to calm the customer down than to argue and make the situation worse. You know what they say, the customer is always right.
Interviewer : That sounds like a really tough job.
Interviewer : Tell me about the toughest decision you have had to make in the last year.
Mahesh : To be honest, the toughest decision that I had to make last year was whether to leave my company or to stay. I really liked my job and my co-workers, but I felt that my company lacked vision and was not heading in the right direction. Therefore, I decided it would be best if I moved to a different company.
Interviewer : I see. So, what are you looking for in a company?
Mahesh : I am looking for a company that has clear goals and a vision for the future. I want to work for a company that will continue to grow and is focused on producing the best product possible.
Interviewer : How was your previous company different than that?
Mahesh : I felt like my previous company had stopped innovating and creating. The company was only focused on making money and that made me enjoy the work less.
Interviewer : Well, we are very proud of our company’s vision here and we always focus on creating the best product possible.
Interviewer : Tell me about a time that you failed to complete an assignment on time.
Mahesh : One time, I had a project that was due on Thursday. On Tuesday, I analyzed my progress and I saw that I was ahead of schedule. However, on Wednesday, my manager was sick, so I had to attend several meetings instead of her. Because of that, I was unable to finish the project that was due on Thursday.
Interviewer : What did you do?
Mahesh : I went to my boss and I told the truth. I explained the situation and said that if I could have one more day, then I could finish the project. My boss understood and it was not a big deal.
Interviewer : Did you learn anything from this situation?
Mahesh : Definitely. Now, I always try to finish my projects two or three days before they are due. I want to be safe in case something unexpected comes up.
Interviewer : I think that is a responsible habit to have.
Interviewer : Tell about a time you made a mistake.
Mahesh : Sure. One time, I was given a project by my manager. I thought I understood what I had to do, but there was one part that I was not completely sure about. But I decided not to ask my boss for clarification. After completing the project, my manager told me that I had done a part of the project incorrectly. And of course, it was the section that I had not been completely sure about. So, I had to go back and fix it. This mistake put our team three days behind schedule.
Interviewer : What did you learn from this situation?
Mahesh : I learned to ask for clarification if I am not completely sure about something. It is better to ask and be sure than to make a big mistake. And since then, I have never made the same mistake again. I think that one of my strengths is that I learn quickly from my past experiences.
Interviewer : That is good to hear. Mistakes can really help us learn and grow as people if we pay attention to them.
Mahesh : I completely agree with that.
Interviewer : What is the biggest challenge you have ever dealt with?
Mahesh : The hardest time for me was when I was attending university. My parents were unable to pay for my school, so I had to pay for myself. I had three different part-time jobs. On top of that, I attended school full time. It was a very big challenge, but I did it. Now, I consider it my greatest accomplishment.
Interviewer : That is very impressive. How did you manage to do that?
Mahesh : Time management and sacrifice were the key things. I had so much to do, so I had to manage my time very carefully. Also, I had to give up some fun things that normal students usually enjoy. I didn’t go to parties or trips on the weekends because I always had to study or work.
Interviewer : It sounds like it was tough.
Mahesh : It was, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. It taught me a lot and helped me grow as a person.
Interviewer : Well, I admire your dedication and hard work.