Job Interview Questions and Answer between Interviewer and candidate : Work Experience

Interviewer : Could you briefly tell me about your work history?

Mahesh : Sure. After I graduated high school, I got my first job at McDonald’s. I was promoted to manager after two years. Around the same time that I became a manager, I also started attending classes at the local college. In 2009, I got my bachelor’s degree in marketing, and I left my position at McDonald’s and I started working for Ford Motors in the marketing department. And I have been working there ever since.

Interviewer : Was it difficult to work full time and go to school?

Mahesh : To be honest, it was difficult. But I was highly motivated. I knew that I did not want to work in a fast food restaurant for the rest of my life, so I pushed myself every day.

Interviewer : What did you learn from your time as a manager at McDonald’s?

Mahesh : I learned a lot and I am grateful to McDonald’s for the opportunity they gave me. During that time, I learned how to deal with all kinds of people. I also learned a lot about time management.

Interviewer : It sounds like you got a lot of good experience.

Interviewer : Tell me about your work background.

Mahesh : I have only held one position. I worked as an IT specialist for a multinational corporation. I started that job immediately after graduating from university and I worked there for 6 years.

Interviewer : And why did you decide to leave that position?

Mahesh : To be honest, I feel like I am ready for a new challenge. I am hoping to use my skills and knowledge to help create tech products for consumers.

Interviewer : How do you think your experience would help you in this job?

Mahesh : I have in-depth knowledge of current technology and I know what features make technology easy to use and what features ruin the user’s experience. I believe I could contribute a lot to making great products.

Interviewer : That’s great to hear.

Interviewer : How long have you worked at your current job?

Mahesh : I have been working at the company for 12 years. I worked for 8 years as a sales associate, and I have been a sales manager for 4 years.

Interviewer : And after 12 years, why are you thinking about leaving?

Mahesh : I think now is the right time for me to move on to my next challenge. I have accomplished a lot at my current job, but I am ready to take the next step in my career.

Interviewer : And what would you hope to accomplish here?

Mahesh : I would like to have the opportunity to become the director of the sales department at your company. I want to turn this sales department into the most effective and successful in the industry.

Interviewer : I like your ambition.

Interviewer : Have you ever done an internship?

Mahesh : Yes, I have. I did a summer internship at Standard Investment last summer before my final year of university.

Interviewer : What were your responsibilities?

Mahesh : The other interns and I were in charge of gathering data and preparing reports for the financial analysts.

Interviewer : Did you learn a lot during your time as an intern?

Mahesh : I think it was a great experience for me. It got a first-hand look at how a real business operates, and I was able to get some real-world experience. I also learned that I want to work in the finance industry.

Interviewer : It sounds like you got a lot out of that internship. May I contact your manager from Standard Investment?

Mahesh : Absolutely.

Interviewer : What is a time that you disagreed with a decision at work?

Mahesh : My previous job was at a game company. Last year, I had a major disagreement with my boss about the project that we were working on. We had been working on developing a mobile game for over 3 years, but my boss wanted to end the project because he thought it would not be successful. I thought that if we made some changes, then the game could be a hit.

Interviewer : So, how did you handle this situation?

Mahesh : I asked my boss to sit down and have a meeting about the issue. I prepared a presentation and explained to him why we shouldn’t shut the project down. He listened and after that, we had a long discussion.

Interviewer : And what happened in the end?

Mahesh : In the end, my boss decided to end the project. I feel like I did everything I could, but since he is the manager I think I needed to respect his decision.

Interviewer : It sounds like you handled the situation in a very professional manner.

Interviewer : Tell me about the best manager you have ever had.

Mahesh : The best manager that I have ever had was Mary Washington. She was my manager at my first job and everybody liked and respected her. Not only was she smart and talented, but she was also kind.

Interviewer : What do you think made her such an effective manager?

Mahesh : She was a great communicator. She was able to explain her goals and ideas clearly to the staff and everybody knew what was expected of them. But Mary Washington was also a great listener. If an employee had an idea, suggestion, or complaint, she would always listen and discuss the issue with the employee.

Interviewer : What was the most important thing that you learned from her?

Mahesh : I would say that the most important thing that I learned from her was how to deal with people. If you listen to other people and speak to them honestly and respectfully, then you can make strong relationships.

Interviewer : What was your favorite job?

Mahesh : My favorite job was working as a financial analyst. I loved looking at the data and information for certain companies and industries and trying to figure out what was going to happen in the future. The job was challenging and exciting. That is why I am applying for this financial consultant position.

Interviewer : I see. What made working as a financial analyst challenging?

Mahesh : As you know, the financial industry is fast-paced and competitive. There is a lot a pressure to succeed and nobody wants to hear excuses about why you failed to reach your goals. But that is the kind of environment that I enjoy working in.

Interviewer : Why is that?

Mahesh : I cannot stand to be bored and I do not want to do a job where every day is the same. I need a job that is fast-paced and exciting. I think that pressure and competition make a job more interesting.

Interviewer : Well then, it sounds like the financial industry is a perfect fit for you.

Interviewer : In your previous job, how much time did you spend working with foreign business people?

Mahesh : At my previous company, I worked as a salesperson for overseas markets. I was in charge of the South American market. So, I have a lot of experience doing business with people from other countries.

Interviewer : How did you communicate with your clients?

Mahesh : I was in constant contact with all of my clients. I would send and receive emails with them daily and I had a conference call with each client at least once a week. On top of that, we would travel to South America to meet with our clients once or twice a year.

Interviewer : What language did you use?

Mahesh : We mostly used English, but sometimes I used Spanish.

Interviewer : How many languages do you speak?

Mahesh : My native language is Swedish, but I also speak English fluently. I can also speak some Spanish, but I am not a fluent speaker yet.

Interviewer : In your previous job, how often did you use English?

Mahesh : To be honest, I did not use English a lot. Occasionally, I had to write an email in English or participate in a conference call in English.

Interviewer : Well, in this job, you will need to use English daily. Would you feel comfortable doing that?

Mahesh : Absolutely. I have been preparing for a position like this for years. I’ve been taking an English class every weekday for 2 years, and I study English on my own every day. One of the main reasons that I am applying for this job is that I want a chance to use my English skills in business.

Interviewer : I see. It seems like your English is perfect.

Mahesh : Thank you very much. I am happy to hear you say that because I have put a lot of time and effort into learning English.

Interviewer : So, what is your native language?

Mahesh : I grew up in Colombia, so my first language is Spanish, but I have been learning English since I was in elementary school. I also speak some Mandarin.

Interviewer : What was your salary at your last job?

Mahesh : The salary for my last job was Rs 45,000 per year, but I felt that it was low.

Interviewer : Can you explain why you felt that way?

Mahesh : Rs 45,000 is about the average salary for a sales associate in this industry, but my sales numbers were always way above average. I was in the top three of sales at my company every quarter.

Interviewer : Then, why do you think your previous company did not give you a raise?

Mahesh : It is because even though I was performing well, the company as a whole was not doing well. We were often outperformed by our competition and we were having a hard time gaining market share.

Interviewer : Is salary the main reason that you left your last company?

Mahesh : The main reason that I left my last company is that I want to have more responsibilities and I want more opportunities to advance my career. But salary was also a factor.

Interviewer : I understand.

Interviewer : Have you ever been let go from a job?

Mahesh : Yes, I have been laid off from a job. I was laid off from the second company that I worked at after working there for 3 years.

Interviewer : Can you tell me what happened?

Mahesh : The company I worked for was bought by another company. The two companies merged together, so there were a lot of redundancies. The company offered to keep me, but they wanted me to take a 20% salary cut. I refused to take the salary cut, and I was let go.

Interviewer : So, you weren’t let go for your performance or any disciplinary issues?

Mahesh : No, I was not. My manager helped me find a new job and I still speak with him to this day. It was just one of those situations that couldn’t be avoided.

Interviewer : I completely understand.

Interviewer : Have you ever been fired?

Mahesh : To be perfectly honest, yes, I have.

Interviewer : Can you tell me about what happened?

Mahesh : At my previous job, I had trouble working with my manager. My manager constantly micromanaged the staff and if any staff member made a mistake he would yell at them in front of everyone. One time, he started yelling at me and insulting my work, and I told him honestly that I didn’t think it was my fault. Later, he told me that if I argued with him again in front of other people that he would fire me.

Interviewer : So, what happened?

Mahesh : The next time he got angry with me, I argued with him again. I felt like he was a bully and that I needed to stand up to him.

Interviewer : Do you regret how you handled the situation?

Mahesh : Not at all. I refuse to be treated that way. Actually, after I was fired, 3 other staff members ended up quitting because they realized it was not a healthy work environment.

Interviewer : In your previous position, how much time did you spend planning new projects?

Mahesh : In my last position, I was often working on multiple projects at one time. As the online marketing specialist, I had to work with many of our product teams in order to create an online marketing strategy for each product. So, I spent a lot of time planning on my own and planning together with the product teams.

Interviewer : What do you think is the key to making a successful plan?

Mahesh : I think the key to success when planning a project is open and honest communication. If every member of the team brings their ideas to the table and everyone openly discusses the ideas in an honest and respectful way, then creating a solid plan is possible. Also, it is important to learn from one’s mistakes and past projects. It is important to remember what worked and what didn’t work in the past.

Interviewer : In your experience, what is something that can negatively affect a new project?

Mahesh : Something that really hurts the development of a new project is when people are being stubborn. Sometimes people become attached to their own ideas and they do not listen to other people. If this happens, the project’s results usually suffer.

Interviewer : How often did you give presentations at your last job?

Mahesh : I was required to give presentations quite often at my previous job. I gave sales presentations to potential clients in order to gain their business. I also gave presentations to existing customers to inform them of our results and to demonstrate how our firm added value to their business. On top of that, I gave weekly presentations to the sales director to inform her about our progress.

Interviewer : You have a lot of experience giving presentations.

Mahesh : Yes, I do. I feel very comfortable speaking in front of others and I can be quite persuasive. I think giving presentations is one of my strengths.

Interviewer : Would you feel comfortable speaking in front of a large audience?

Mahesh : Yes, I would feel comfortable doing that. Speaking in front of a large audience does not bother me at all.

Interviewer : That is good to hear.

Interviewer : How often did you give sales presentations at your last job?

Mahesh : I never gave sales presentations at my last job. I worked on the sales team and I helped prepare the presentations, but a more senior member always gave the presentation.

Interviewer : This job requires that you make sales presentations often. Do you feel like you will be able to do that successfully?

Mahesh : Absolutely. Like I said, I spent a lot of time preparing presentations, so I know exactly how to prepare an excellent and persuasive presentation. Also, I have watched experienced salespeople give many presentations, and I know that I have the ability to do it, too.

Interviewer : Do you have any experience speaking in public?

Mahesh : Of course. I was on the debate team when I was in university and I gave weekly presentations to management at my previous job. I feel comfortable speaking in front of other people, and I know that I would be able to do a good job.

Interviewer : Well, I like your confidence. And it is good that you have some experience speaking in public.

Interviewer : What were your responsibilities at your last job?

Mahesh : As a store manager, I was in charge of making sure everything in the store was operating correctly. I supervised the employees to make sure everybody was working hard and staying on task. I interviewed and hired new staff when needed. I created the work schedule for the employees. And I was also in charge of finding new ways to improve the store’s design, service, and efficiency.

Interviewer : You had a lot of responsibilities. Which one was the most difficult for you?

Mahesh : It might come as a surprise but making the employee schedule was the most difficult. It was impossible to make everybody happy. There were always times and days that people did not want to work.

Interviewer : How did you handle it?

Mahesh : I just tried to be as fair as possible, and if somebody had a problem with the schedule, then I just explained the situation honestly and directly. I told them that everybody had to work some shifts that they did not want to work. Most people understood and there were never any major problems.

Interviewer : I see. I think your management and leadership skills would be a good fit here.

Interviewer : Who was your worst boss?

Mahesh : Well, I have had a pretty good relationship with all of my bosses. I can’t really say that any of them were terrible. But if I had to choose one, I would say my first boss was my worst boss.

Interviewer : Can you tell me why?

Mahesh : It was because he was so indecisive. When there was a disagreement between the staff about what to do, we needed him to make a decision. However, he didn’t want to make anyone angry, so he often avoided making these decisions.

Interviewer : I see. How did that affect the performance of the department?

Mahesh : It affected our performance greatly. We often fell behind schedule because he couldn’t make a decision and many times we did not have clear directions from him, so the quality of the projects fell.

Interviewer : That must have been frustrating.

Mahesh : It definitely was a little frustrating.

Interviewer : In your previous position, how much time did you spend in meetings?

Mahesh : At my previous company, we had at least a few meetings each week. Each meeting lasted anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. During the meetings, we planned new projects, discussed problems and issues, and assigned tasks and responsibilities.

Interviewer : Did you find these meetings to be helpful?

Mahesh : For the most part, the meetings were useful and productive. We were able to discuss ideas and work together to come up with strategies and plans. I think our team was successful because we worked well together in these meetings.

Interviewer : How did you behave during these meetings?

Mahesh : I listened with an open mind to everyone’s ideas and I shared my ideas and opinions whenever I thought they would be helpful.

Interviewer : Would you feel comfortable leading a meeting?

Mahesh : Yes, I would. Actually, I have led a couple of meetings before. Whenever my boss was sick or away on business, I was in charge of leading the meetings.

Interviewer : Who is your mentor?

Mahesh : My mentor is James Black. James is currently the editor of the Boston Globe newspaper. I met him when I was a junior reporter and he was a senior reporter for a financial magazine called Boom or Bust.

Interviewer : How has he helped you in your career?

Mahesh : James has taught me a lot. He taught me how to do thorough research and how to make sure all the details of a story are correct before publishing it. Basically, he taught me how to be a professional reporter. Without him, I don’t think I would have been successful.

Interviewer : Do you still keep in touch with him?

Mahesh : Yes, I do. I usually talk to him about once a week. We usually talk about current events and what is in the news, but I also still ask him for advice sometimes.

Interviewer : You are lucky that you have somebody like James that you can go to for advice.

Mahesh : I agree. I’m lucky to have worked with James.

Interviewer : Do you have any leadership experience?

Mahesh : I do have some leadership experience. Two years ago, my manager had a baby and she took six months off for maternity leave. During that time, I was the temporary manager of the sales team.

Interviewer : How did it go?

Mahesh : At first it was difficult. I had worked with many of the staff members as co-workers for a long time, but suddenly I was their boss. It took some time to get used to, but after a couple weeks, I settled into the position.

Interviewer : What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you deal with it?

Mahesh : The biggest challenge was making decisions regarding our sales strategy. Every sales member had different ideas about what we should do, but it was my job to come up with a plan for the whole team. I listened to everybody, thought about it for a while, and then I made my decision. After I made my decision, I explained my reasons to everybody.

Interviewer : How did everyone react?

Mahesh : Of course, some people disagreed. I listened to what they had to say, but I was firm in my decision. I was the acting manager, so they needed to respect my decision.