Coversation between Interviewer and candidate in each 240 Experience Interview questions
Interview Questions
Interviewer : How far away do you live from here?
Mahesh : I live in the northern part of the city. It takes me about an hour to get here.
Interviewer : Do you own a car or do you take public transportation?
Mahesh : I take the bus.
Interviewer : Do you think the commute is too long?
Mahesh : The commute will not be a problem. My last job was over an hour and a half from my home, but I was on time every day.
Interviewer : What do you do on the bus?
Mahesh : I like to read a book, but if I am tired, then I sleep. Honestly, an hour commute on the bus is not a problem at all.
Interviewer : What does success mean to you?
Mahesh : I measure success in different ways. At work, success is meeting the goals set by my manager or supervisors. After work, I do a variety of different activities. When I am doing a hobby or an activity, success means trying my best and having fun.
Interviewer : What kinds of activities do you do?
Mahesh : In my free time, I take a Spanish class. I have been learning Spanish for 2 years, and I think that I am starting to get pretty good. Also, I like to exercise and stay healthy.
Interviewer : Do you have goals when you study Spanish or exercise?
Mahesh : To be honest, I don’t. If I tried my best, then I am satisfied with the results no matter what.
Interviewer : That makes sense to me. There is no reason to get angry about the results if you did everything you could.
Mahesh : Exactly.
Interviewer : How are your presentation skills?
Mahesh : I am good at giving presentations. I feel comfortable speaking in front of others.
Interviewer : How often did you give presentations at your previous job?
Mahesh : I gave a weekly presentation in front of my colleagues, manager, and department head to inform them about the progress of each of the projects I was working on. I also gave a presentation in front of the entire research and development department twice a year.
Interviewer : How many people were in the research and development department?
Mahesh : About 75.
Interviewer : And do you have any experience giving presentations to customers or potential customers?
Mahesh : No, I do not, but I am confident that I would be able to do it well.
Interviewer : Do you have any experience giving presentations in front of a large audience?
Mahesh : No, I don’t. The largest audience that I presented in front of was about 20 people. That was when I presented to the colleagues on my team about our work and how I thought we could improve. I did this once a year for 5 years.
Interviewer : Would you feel comfortable giving a presentation in front of many people?
Mahesh : Even though I don’t have any experience doing that, I feel like I would be good at it. I don’t get nervous when I speak in front of other people, and I am able to speak in a loud clear voice.
Interviewer : That’s great to hear because if you get this job then you will need to make some speeches in front of large audiences when you attend exhibitions or conferences.
Mahesh : That would not be a problem at all.
Interviewer : How do you feel about change?
Mahesh : I like change. I believe that change can help us grow as people and that it is important for our development. So, I welcome change and I look at it as a new chance to grow and succeed.
Interviewer : Besides looking for a new job, what is the biggest change that you have made in your life recently?
Mahesh : I moved to a new neighborhood six months ago. I wanted to make a change in my life and I wanted to try living in a new place, so I decided to move.
Interviewer : Are you happy that you made this change?
Mahesh : Yes, I am. At first, it was hard, but after a while, I got used to my new neighborhood and now I have many new friends and I really enjoy my life.
Interviewer : It seems like you really do like change. Does that mean you change companies a lot?
Mahesh : Not at all. I think that a person can also change and stay within the same company. If I am satisfied and treated fairly, then I prefer to stay at the same company.
Interviewer : That’s good to hear.
Interviewer : Where did you tell your boss that you were going today?
Mahesh : I told my boss that I was coming here today. I have a very good relationship with my current boss and I am always honest with him. He knows that I am currently looking for a new position, so there was no need to lie to him.
Interviewer : That’s good. If you have a good relationship with your current boss, then why are you leaving your company?
Mahesh : I am looking to make a change in my career. I have been working in sales for 5 years, but I would like to get a job in marketing. Unfortunately, there are no marketing jobs currently available at my company, so I am looking outside of my company for one.
Interviewer : I understand. It’s hard to leave when you have good relationships at a place, but you have to do what is best for yourself.
Mahesh : That is exactly how I feel.
Interviewer : Does your current boss know that you are here today?
Mahesh : To be honest, she doesn’t know that I am here today.
Interviewer : Why haven’t you told her that you are looking for a new job?
Mahesh : I am not actively looking for a new job. I am quite satisfied with my current job, and I would have no problem staying there. However, being a marketing executive at your company is my dream. Your agency is the best at marketing consumer technology products, and I would really like to work here.
Interviewer : That’s great to hear. How do you think your current boss will feel if you leave?
Mahesh : I’m sure that she will be a little disappointed. We have worked together for over 5 years and we have a solid working relationship. However, I know that she would understand. She has also changed companies to advance her career.
Interviewer : I get it.
Interviewer : What do you feel an employer owes an employee?
Mahesh : That’s an interesting question. I think the answer is quite simple. An employer owes an employee a fair wage, a safe work environment, and a chance to advance within the company.
Interviewer : When you say “chance to advance”, what exactly do you mean?
Mahesh : I mean that a company should provide an employee with opportunities to develop their skills and also move to higher positions within in the company. So, I think an employer should help an employee improve their work skills by giving them more responsibilities when they are ready and by giving them the training to help them learn new skills. Also, a company should have a system that allows hardworking employees to get promotions.
Interviewer : I understand. Why do you think promotions are an important part?
Mahesh : I think the opportunity to get promoted motivates people to work hard. If there is no chance for advancement, then employees can become complacent.
Interviewer : I agree with you. And just so you know, our company offers many opportunities for advancement for our employees.
Interviewer : What do you know about our product?
Mahesh : Of course, I know that your company is one of the market leaders in cybersecurity software. I know that many of the world’s largest corporations use your software to keep their data safe.
Interviewer : That’s right. And have you heard anything about what we are working on now?
Mahesh : I heard that you are creating new technology to create more secure databases. I don’t know if this is true, but I heard that this technology would make it almost impossible for hackers to gain access to a database.
Interviewer : That’s what we are trying to accomplish. Does this kind of project interest you?
Mahesh : Yes, it does and it is a big reason why I applied for this position. I have been working in cybersecurity for 5 years, and I have always been interested in creating new software to keep machines safe from viruses and hacking.
Interviewer : That’s good to hear because that is what we do here. We focus on making better cyber defense software to help people protect their data and information.
Interviewer : What do you do when there are too many things to do?
Mahesh : There are a few things that I do when there are too many things to handle. First, I set my priorities. I list all of the things that I have to do from most important to least important. After that, I go to my manager and explain the situation. I see if there is anything that can be done to lessen the workload. And the last thing that I do is work overtime to get everything done.
Interviewer : What are some ways that your manager could help lessen the work?
Mahesh : There are a few different things. Maybe we could extend a deadline, or maybe there is another staff member who is not busy and could help with some of the work. If my manager cannot do anything to help me, then that is okay. I will do it myself, but it is better to ask first.
Interviewer : I see. And how do you feel about working overtime?
Mahesh : Well, obviously I don’t love working overtime, but I have no problem working overtime if that is what is necessary to get the job done.
Interviewer : That is good to hear.
Interviewer : How do you explain the fact that you frequently change jobs?
Mahesh : It is true that I have changed jobs quite often during my career. But most of those changes happened at the beginning of my career. When I was just starting my career, I was not exactly sure what I wanted to do with my life. So, I ended up changing companies a few times.
Interviewer : And what about now?
Mahesh : Now, I know that working in human resources is the best fit for me. So, if I get this job, I plan on staying at the company for a long time. Also, if you look at my resume, you will see that I stayed at my previous company for over 3 years. At this point in my career, I want to settle down at one company.
Interviewer : Then why are you leaving your current company?
Mahesh : The company where I currently work is a small company. It has been my goal to work in the human resources department of a multinational corporation.
Interviewer : I understand. It is important for us that the people we hire plan to stay at the company for an extended period of time.
Mahesh : I understand and I can assure you that if I get this job, I will stay for a long time.
Interviewer : Would you prefer to work for a small company or a large company?
Mahesh : I would prefer to work for a large company. I have worked for both during my career, and I think that working for a large company has more advantages.
Interviewer : What kind of advantages?
Mahesh : First, large companies are more stable, so job security is better. Second, large companies usually offer more opportunities for career advancement than small companies. Also, there are usually additional benefits at large companies like personal development money, better health insurance, holiday bonuses, and things like this.
Interviewer : I see. Are there any disadvantages to working at a big company?
Mahesh : To be honest, it depends on the company. But overall, I don’t think there are any disadvantages to working for a large company.
Interviewer : You are applying for a management position, so I want to ask you some question about how you deal with certain situations as a manager. First, what do you do when a worker on your team is giving the team more problems than helping?
Mahesh : That is a tough situation. I think the best thing to do is to talk to that person directly and to be honest with them about their performance.
Interviewer : I see. So, could you walk me through exactly what you do in that kind of situation?
Mahesh : First, I would ask the person to out to lunch privately. I prefer to have these meetings outside of the office, so other workers do not gossip about the meeting and we can have some privacy. Second, I would tell that employee exactly how he or she is underperforming and exactly what he or she needs to do. Then, I would listen to their point of view.
Interviewer : Have you ever actually had to do this?
Mahesh : Sure. I have had meetings like this a few times in my career. In my experience, this type of meeting is usually helpful.
Interviewer : What do you do if the employee does not change?
Mahesh : In that case, that employee will need to transfer to a different department or find a new job.
Interviewer : What do you do to stay in shape?
Mahesh : My favorite thing to do to stay in shape is hiking. I think that hiking in the woods is very relaxing. On top of that, it is great exercise. I usually go hiking every Saturday, and sometimes I even go on Sunday too.
Interviewer : That’s great. Do you have time to go hiking during the week?
Mahesh : No. Because of work, I am unable to go hiking on weekdays. So, I try to go swimming twice a week at the gym near my house to get some exercise.
Interviewer : I do swimming too. Anyway, our company has a small gym in the basement of the building and employees are free to use it anytime that they want.
Mahesh : How nice! If I get this job, I will definitely take advantage of that.
Interviewer : What is the most recent movie you have seen?
Mahesh : The last movie I saw was Black Panther. I saw it last Friday with my nephew. I usually don’t like superhero movies, but Black Panther was unique and very entertaining.
Interviewer : Did you say that you went to the movie with your nephew?
Mahesh : Yes, he is my sister’s son. I usually take him to the movie theater once a month. He is 13 years old, and I like spending time with him. Family is very important for me.
Interviewer : That’s very nice of you. Are you close to the rest of your family?
Mahesh : Yes. My whole family lives here and we get together quite often for family dinners and parties. I like being close to them and spending time with them.
Interviewer : That sounds really nice. I live very far from my family, and it can be hard at times.
Interviewer : Do you own or rent your home?
Mahesh : Currently, I am renting an apartment in the city. But I just got engaged and I will get married next spring. After I get married, my husband and I will buy a house together.
Interviewer : Congratulations on getting engaged.
Mahesh : Thank you.
Interviewer : How far is your apartment from our office?
Mahesh : Right now, my apartment is only a 20-minute walk from your office, so it is very convenient to get here.
Interviewer : That’s great. A short commute is always better.
Mahesh : I agree. When I buy a house with my wife‚ I am going to try to buy a place that is as close to downtown as possible, even if it is smaller.
Interviewer : I think that is a good idea.
Interviewer : Do you take work home with you?
Mahesh : I don’t take work home with me unless it is an emergency. If I have a lot of things to do, then I just stay at the office late and try to get the work done. However, I do some planning work while I am at home.
Interviewer : What kind of planning work?
Mahesh : For example, if I get a new big project from my boss on Friday afternoon, then I will spend some time at home during the weekend planning and thinking about it. I like to brainstorm ideas and write out some tentative plans. This way on Monday, I can get to work and start bouncing ideas off of other people.
Interviewer : That sounds like a great way to get ahead.
Mahesh : It is, and I really enjoy the planning stages of projects. So, I don’t mind doing this kind of work at my home.
Interviewer : How would you describe the pace at which you work?
Mahesh : I would say that I work at a fast but cautious pace.
Interviewer : Can you explain what you mean?
Mahesh : I usually work at quick pace, but I have learned from my experience that it is important to double and triple check your work. So, even though I finish my work quickly, I like to go back and review it to make sure that there are not any errors.
Interviewer : That’s a good habit to have. Accuracy and quality are extremely important at our company.
Mahesh : They are important to me too. Also, finishing work quickly doesn’t matter if you made mistakes and have to go back later to fix them. It is better to take a little extra time and make sure that everything is perfect.
Interviewer : Well said.
Interviewer : What are you passionate about?
Mahesh : I know that it might sound clich‚, but I am passionate about my work. I have been interested in design since I was young. Even when I am not at work, I design in my free time. I like to design my own sneakers. One day in the future, I would like to launch my own sneaker company.
Interviewer : Very cool. But if you had to pick something besides design, what else are you passionate about?
Mahesh : I would say that my other passion is music. I love listening to records at my home, and I even play the guitar a little bit.
Interviewer : What kind of music do you like?
Mahesh : Really, I am into all kinds of music. But my favorites are jazz and rock.
Interviewer : What will you do if you do not get a job offer?
Mahesh : I haven’t thought about that. I am generally a positive person, so I assume that I will be able to find a job that is a good fit for me.
Interviewer : But what if you don’t get an offer for a while?
Mahesh : Then, I will keep trying until I do. I will find my weaknesses and I will improve them. I will make myself a better candidate until I get a job. I am not the kind of person who easily gives up.
Interviewer : I get that impression. It doesn’t sound like you give up easily.
Mahesh : I don’t. And I think that is what makes me a good saleswoman. If there is something I want, then I keep going after it until I get it. It might sound aggressive, but I think that a tenacious attitude can be an advantage in this line of work.
Interviewer : I agree with you. I have worked in sales for over 20 years, and I can definitely say that it is more effective to be aggressive than to be passive.