Job Interview Answer: What Is Your Greatest Strength?

My ability to work with all different kinds of people. I enjoy learning from everyone I meet. My greatest strength is my ability to focus on the job at hand. I'm not easily distracted from the big picture. My organizational skills are my greatest strength. I'm capable of keeping many projects on track at the same time.

Why Are You The Best Person For The Job?

My education and life experience have prepared me to take on the challenges of this position. My previous job working as IT Director provided me with the ideal experience for this position. My skill set is a perfect match for the job requirements. I have the ability to find my niche within a group and support everyone's efforts.

1. How would you describe yourself? Sample excellent response: My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become the very best financial consultant I can become. Let me tell you specifically how I've prepared myself. I am an undergraduate student in finance and accounting at _________ University. My past experiences has been in retail and higher education. Both aspects have prepared me well for this career. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 2. What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for your life? Sample excellent response: I want to be working for an excellent company like yours in a job in which I am managing information. I plan to contribute my leadership, interpersonal, and technical skills. My long-range career goal is to be the best information systems technician I can for the company I work for. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 3. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career? Sample excellent response: I have prepared myself to transition into the the work force through real-world experience involving travel abroad, internship, and entrepreneurial opportunities. While interning with a private organization in Ecuador, I developed a 15-page marketing plan composed in Spanish that recommended more effective ways the company could promote its services. I also traveled abroad on two other occasions in which I researched the indigenous culture of the Mayan Indians in Todos Santos, Guatemala, and participate din a total language immersion program in Costa Rica. As you can see from my academic, extracurricular, and experiential background, I have unconditionally committed myself to success as a marketing professional. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 4. Please describe the ideal job for you following graduation. Sample excellent response (equates ideal job with job he's interviewing for): My ideal job is one that incorporates both my education and practical work skills to be the best I can be. Namely combining my education in finance with my working knowledge of customer service operations, entrepreneurial abilities, computer skills, and administrative skills. I want to utilize my analytical expertise to help people meet their financial goals. This is exactly why I am convinced that I would be a very valuable member of the Merrill Lynch team. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 5. What influenced you to choose this career? Sample excellent response: My past experiences have shown me that I enjoy facing and overcoming the challenge of making a sale. Without a doubt, once I have practiced my presentation and prepared myself for objections, I feel very confident approaching people I don't know and convincing them that they need my product. Lastly, I like sales because my

potential for success is limited only by how much of myself I dedicate toward my goal. If any profession is founded on self-determinism, it surely must be sales. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 6. At what point did you choose this career? Sample excellent response: I knew that I wanted to pursue information systems technology about my sophomore year in college. It was then that I realized that my that my hobby (computers) was taking up most of my time. My favorite courses were IT courses. I also realized that I was doing computer-oriented work-study that I enjoyed so much I would have done it for free. 7. What specific goals have you established for your career? Sample excellent response: My goals include becoming a Certified Financial Advisor so I can obtain a better working knowledge of financial research analysis, which would allow me contribute to my client base as a better financial consultant since I would have that extra insight into the companies they are seeking to invest in. Also this is the foundation block to advancing my career to portfolio manager or even branch office manager. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 8. What will it take to attain your goals, and what steps have you taken toward attaining them? Sample excellent response: I've already done some research on other workers at Merrill Lynch to see how they achieved similar goals. I know that Merrill Lynch encourages the pursuit and will reimburse for tuition of a graduate degree. I plan on pursuing a MBA to give me an even more extensive knowledge of business and financial analysis.

Displaying Interview Questions 9-16

9. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career? Sample excellent response: I believe successful salespeople put forth that extra effort that turns potential clients into first-time customers. Salespeople who attend to the details by doing whatever it takes to win over a prospective customer distinguish themselves from the countless others who don't go to any extra effort. Second, I think that if you label success as an attainable goal, you will never consistently remain successful. You can only succeed if you learn all there is to learn about your product, your competitors, and personal selling. Since this learning process is continuous, it's an unattainable goal. With good reason, salespeople should not consider success an attainable ending point but an objective that will always linger slightly beyond their reach. 10. How do you determine or evaluate success? Give me an example of one of your successful accomplishments. Sample excellent response: Last semester I was hired by by university's Council for Student Activities. The group negotiates contracts of entertainers, sets up sound equipment, markets the entertainers to students, and generally decides what kind of programming should be done. When I got hired, I didn't know the first thing about how fill any of those responsibilities. I decided, however, that I wasn't going to fail. Four months later, I have become the Webmaster for the group. I also write our campus newsletter and created Game Night, a student competition of table games. That event yielded the biggest audience ever for a non-concert event. 11. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career? Sample excellent response: I believe I have a combination of qualities to be successful in this career. First, I have a strong interest, backed by a solid, well-rounded, state-of-the-art education, especially in a career that is technically oriented. This basic

ingredient, backed by love of learning, problem-solving skills, well-rounded interests, determination to succeed and excel, strong communication skills, and the ability to work hard, are the most important qualities that will help me succeed in this career. To succeed, you also need a natural curiosity about how systems work -- the kind of curiosity I demonstrated when I upgraded my two computers recently. Technology is constantly changing, so you must a fast learner just to keep up or you will be overwhelmed. All of these traits combine to create a solid team member in the ever-changing field of information systems. I am convinced that I possess these characteristics and am ready to be a successful team member for your firm. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 12. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment? Sample excellent response: A recent satisfying accomplishment I was sent to one of our branch banks that was notorious for not growing their loan base. The branch had logged $75,000 in new loans in an 18-month period prior to my arrival. Having a reputation as a "hired gun" when it came to loan production I was successful in the solicitation and booking of $700,000 in my first six months at the branch. 13. If you could do so, how would you plan your college career differently? Sample excellent response: I wouldn't change anything. All that I have done was a great learning experience that I will carry forward throughout the rest of my life. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 14. Are you more energized by working with data or by collaborating with other individuals? Sample excellent response: I like the validity of information and also like the energy that comes with working with people. The best thing about working in a group is combining the great minds from different perspectives and coming up with something extremely great, compared with when you're working alone. At the same time, information can generate vitality in the project you're working on. No matter how many heads you've got together, without information, you can't go very far. The perfect situation would be a combination of working with information and people, and I'm confident of my abilities in both areas. [Submitted by "Stacey"] See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 15. How would you describe yourself in terms of your ability to work as a member of a team? Sample excellent response: I have had many opportunities in both athletics and academics to develop my skills as a team player. My tenure as a rower with my college's crew team serves as a good example. I learned a great deal about teamwork while rowing because all the rowers in the boat must act as one, which meant that we incessantly worked to keep each movement in the boat synchronized. On an individual basis, we still worked toward group goals through weightlifting and land-rowing. My experience as a marketing research team leader also helped me to learn the role of "team player." I viewed my position as that of group leader and of group member. I ensured that everyone in the

group had equal opportunity to contribute, maintained excellent communication among group members, and coordinated their energies toward reaching our team's goal. 16. What motivates you to put forth you greatest effort? Sample excellent response: You would think that because I am interested in sales, only financial compensation would motivate me to achieve. Although monetary rewards are important to me, I am driven to succeed internally. More than anything, I want to be respected by my friends and coworkers for being the best at what I do. Whether I am considered to be the best car detailer in my hometown or the best columnist for my college newspaper, I want to be recognized as the best. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

Displaying Interview Questions 17-24

17. Given the investment our company will make in hiring and training you, can you give us a reason to hire you? Sample excellent response: I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job -- my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In college and at my previous jobs, I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become. I think my leadership awards from my college, and my management positions are the result of possessing the qualities you're looking for in an employee. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 18. Would you describe yourself as goal-driven? Sample excellent response: Yes, and I demonstrated my goal orientation as president of the local Jaycees, a community service organization. I am very proud of the fact that I set a goal of signing 50 new members by the end of the year, and I accomplished that. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 19. Describe what you've accomplished toward reaching a recent goal for yourself. Sample excellent response: My first few years in banking had me on the fast track to branch management. I realized at some point along the way that my true passion was in offering financial advice not limited to checking accounts and loans. It was at that point that I made the necessary arrangements to go back to school full-time to pursue my goal, which I am just about to achieve. 20. What short-term goals and objectives have you established for yourself? Sample excellent response: My short-term objectives are to graduate from the Professional Development Program before the standard two years and begin developing a clientele. As an intern, I prepared ahead of time by studying for the Series 7 and

Series 64 exams that constitute a majority of a beginning financial consultant's time. I'd like to make make the company that hires me wonder what it ever did without me. 21. Can you describe your long-range goals and objectives? Sample excellent response: My primary objectives are to learn as much as possible about your company's product offering, organizational structure, and professional sales techniques so that I may become the most productive member of your sales team. 22. What do you expect to be doing in five years? Sample excellent response: Although it is hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I will become a very good financial consultant. I believe that my abilities will allow me to excel to the point that I can seek other opportunities as a portfolio manager (the next step) and possibly even higher. My ultimate goal continues to be -- and will always be -- to be the best at whatever level I am working at within Merrill Lynch's corporate structure. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 23. What do you see yourself doing in ten years? Sample excellent response: Ten years from now I see myself as a successful consultant for a world-class firm like yours. I want to have developed a wonderful bond with my employer I will have proven myself a highly competent systems analyst and will represent my company in helping others find solutions to their information-systems needs in a professional and timely manner. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 24. How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict? Sample excellent response: I believe I am quite good at handling conflict. Working in retail and in the residence halls required that I make many unpopular decisions at times, whether it was terminating an associate or taking judicial action on a resident. Often the person in conflict with me would be upset and sometimes physically outraged. I would always make sure that I fully explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those policies exist. Usually by the end of the conversation, the person could see the other side of the situation. 25. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or instructor? How did you resolve the conflict? Sample excellent response: Yes, I had an incident with my Spanish professor. I turned in an essay that she said was too good to be mine. I was honest with her; I told her that I had a native speaker review the essay, but he made very few corrections. However, I had broken the Golden Rule of Spanish Composition -- the essay must not even touch the hands of a native speaker. To prove to her that I was capable of producing an essay that exceeded her expectations of a nonnative speaker, I offered to re-write another essay in her office. I earned an A-minus. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 26. Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you successful in resolving it? Sample excellent response: While working at K-mart, I was one of three people to work in the electronics department. One day upon arriving at work, I was told the district manager was coming the next day to do a store inspection. The two other people

who worked in electronics were both over 55. Neither could lift heavy objects, and one refused to work at all. As a result, the electronics department was usually left to me to keep stocked with product and kept in order. I had about five hours of work time to get the entire department in order. Those five hours passed around, and there was still a substantial amount of work to be done. I asked the store manager if I could stay and work after hours while the overnight stockers were there. He said that because of the employment budget, he could not let me. I was faced with bringing the entire store's rating down, so I suggested a creative staffing solution, allowing me to work the extra hours while temporarily reducing the hours of the other two members of the department. Because of this solution, in a matter of hours, the department was in tip-top shape -- and still under budget. And the results? The electronics department got a score of 95 out of 100. 27. Would you say that you can easily deal with high-pressure situations? Sample excellent response: Yes. My past experience as an Administrative Coordinator required me to deal with many serious situations since I held emergency on-call duties as a supervisor. One example was when I was called by a Resident Assistant to deal with an attempted suicide on her residence hall floor. The situation required that I think clearly and quickly in this life-and-death situation. I had to weigh the many tasks that needed to be completed. I had to assign RAs to call 911, make sure that EMS could get into the locked building, while at the same time applying first aid, and ensuring that the rest of the residents on the floor were OK. I also had to make sure the privacy of the resident in need was respected. I basically prioritized and dealt with each task by its importance. I delegated responsibility to RAs for things that they were capable of handling because I could not physically be in many places at once. Once the resident was taken to the hospital, I was responsible for paperwork and follow up to make sure the staff members, residents, and the resident-in-need adjusted back to "normal" life. I know this is an extreme example not found in the financial consulting field; however, it shows just how well I can deal with extreme pressure. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 28. What quality or attribute do you feel will most contribute to your career success? Sample excellent response: My greatest strength is my flexibility. I have learned that work conditions change from day to day and throughout the day, as well, no matter where I have worked in the past. I also have realized that certain projects require individual attention and others involve a teamwork approach. These are just a few examples of the changes that happen in the financial consulting field, as you are well aware. My flexibility to adapt to the different demands of the job has allowed me to surpass my supervisor's expectations. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 29. What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in school or on the job? Sample excellent response (shows how he recognized his weakness and worked to improve): My greatest weakness had been delegation. I would take it upon myself to do many small projects throughout my shift as a manager that could have been done by others in an attempt to improve my workers' efficiency. Once I realized that I was doing more work than the other assistant managers, and they were achieving better results, I reevaluated what I was doing. I quickly realized that if I assigned each person just one small project at the beginning of their shift, clearly state expectations for the project, and then follow up that everything would get done, and I could manage much more efficiently and actually accomplish much more. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 30. What were your reasons for selecting your college or university? Sample excellent response (tells how education specifically will benefit the employer): My college has always had a reputation as having an excellent accounting department, so I knew that if I enrolled there, I would achieve first-class preparation for my chosen career field. It is also a highly accredited school known for satisfying employers with the preparation of its graduates -- that's why companies like yours recruit at my school -- the school produces top graduates. The school offers an excellent liberal-arts background, which research shows equips graduates with numerous qualities, such as versatility and strong critical-thinking skills. Finally, having visited the campus before enrolling, I knew that the business school emphasized group projects. During my four years in the school, I participated in more than 35 group projects, which taught me invaluable teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 31. If you could change or improve anything about your college, what would it be?

Sample excellent response: My major department had a wonderful internship program, and I was able to complete three valuable internships with my department's guidance. Some other departments in the business school don't have internship programs that are as strong as my department's. I'd like to see all the departments have strong internship programs so all my school's business grads would have the same opportunities that I had. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 32. How will the academic program and coursework you've taken benefit your career? Sample excellent response (response is very specific to the job he is interviewing for): As you will note on my resume, I've taken not only the required core classes for the finance field, I've also gone above and beyond by double majoring in accounting. I doubled majored since I knew that the financial consulting field requires much knowledge of portfolio analysis and understanding of the tax laws. I believe that my success in both areas of study have specifically prepared me for this area. But it's not just taking the classes in these two areas that allows me to offer Merrill Lynch clients more. I minored in Spanish to understand the growing hispanic clientele in the Central Florida area, which as you are well aware is a growing source of revenue for the industry. If you like, I can elaborate on other aspects of my education further. 33. Which college classes or subjects did you like best? Why? Sample excellent response: My favorite classes have been the ones pertaining to my major, which is marketing. These classes have laid the groundwork for my career in marketing. They have also taught me skills that I can bring to my employer, ranging from communication skills to interacting with others. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 34. Are you the type of student for whom conducting independent research has been a positive experience? Sample excellent response: Yes, I love it. I thoroughly enjoyed my senior research in college while many others in my class were miserable. I was never tired of learning more about my topic and found it exhilarating to be researching something that had not been studied before. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 35. Describe the type of professor that has created the most beneficial learning experience for you. Sample excellent response: My favorite professors were the ones who gave me hands-on learning experiences that I can apply to my career. Any person can make you memorize the quadratic equation, but someone who can show you how to use it, and why, were the professors I liked. I liked teachers who realized that sometimes there is more then one answer and everyone thinks differently. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 36. Do you think that your grades are a indication of your academic achievement? Sample excellent response: I have focused much of my energy on work and obtaining real-world experience. I commend my classmates who have earned high GPAs, but I also feel it's important to be well-rounded. In addition to work experience, I participated in sports and extracurricular activities in school. These activities taught me leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. Sometimes my heavy load has not allowed me to keep up with some of my studies, but I have learned an enormous amount that I can apply in my future industry. As you will discover if you talk to my supervisors, my ability to work effectively is much more reflective of my future potential than is my GPA. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 37. What plans do you have for continued study? An advanced degree? Sample excellent response: I plan to continue my education for the rest of my life. In any technology-related field, keeping up to date through continuing education is of the utmost importance. Continuing education can include on-the-job training, courses sponsored by the employer, and courses taken in new technologies as they emerge. I plan to be not only a career employee but a career student so that I can be the best information systems analyst I can be. I will ensure,

however, that any education I pursue not only doesn't interfere with my job or the company's policies, but will enhance my value as an employee. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 38. Before you can make a productive contribution to the company, what degree of training do you feel you will require? Sample excellent response: My background has been focused on preparing me for the financial consulting industry, so I can be productive right away. I already have obtained the educational credentials and skills to allow me to become an immediate asset to Merrill Lynch. After interning for a semester, I am well aware of the shared beliefs of the organization and its corporate values. I already have a very good working knowledge of the financial consulting business. I am confident of my ability to get up to speed quickly in any assignment with which I'm not familiar. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 39. Describe the characteristics of a successful manager. Sample excellent response: A successful manager should have the vision and capabilities to formulate strategies to reach his or her objectives and communicate these ideas to his or her team members. In addition to serving as a positive role model for coworkers, successful managers must also be capable of inspiring others to recognize, develop, and apply their talents to their utmost potential to reach a common goal. These are the traits I hope to demonstrate when I'm a manager. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 40. Why did you decide to seek a position in this field? Sample excellent response: I want to work in the marketing and PR industry because ever since I took my first marketing course in college, I have felt very passionate toward the industry and cannot imagine myself doing anything else. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 41. Tell me what you know about our company. Sample excellent response: You're large and respected worldwide. You're both a clinical and teaching hospital. Over the last 60 to 70 years you've produced award-winning research. In reviewing your Web site, I've familiarized myself with many of your corporate goals and objectives. [Submitted by "Judy"] See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 42. Why did you decide to seek a position in this company? Sample excellent response: I am convinced that there would be no better place to work than Accenture. You are the top consulting firm in the United States. You provide your employees with the tools they need to stay competitive and sharpen their skills while working in an open, team-based environment. I am also aware that you provide a mentor for all new employees, and I would embrace any opportunity to work with a mentor and eventually become one myself. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 43. Do you have a geographic preference? Sample excellent response: Although I would prefer to stay in the Mid-Atlantic area, I would not rule out other possibilities. 44. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located? Sample excellent response: Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend several days in your community, and I fell in love with it. I love the fact that you have a thriving riverfront. I'm impressed with the many cultural opportunities here -- opera, theater, art, and independent films. I've also already become a fan of the Saints and the other sports teams based here. I have conducted significant Internet research on this city, so I am quite comfortable with your location.

45. Would it be a problem for you to relocate? Sample excellent response: I'm open to opportunities within the company; if those opportunities involve relocation, I would certainly consider it. 46. To what extent would you be willing to travel for the job? Sample excellent response: I am more than willing to travel. I understand the importance of going above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy customer requests is sometimes required and that Merrill Lynch's customer focus belief means that travel is expected in some circumstances. I am willing to make this commitment to do whatever it takes to develop that long-term relationship with a small business or client. It is only through this relationship that loyalty can be maintained and financial gains and growth can occur for both the client and Merrill Lynch. It is my understanding from other financial consultants that I have interviewed at Merrill Lynch that this occurs maybe one or two times a month. 47. Which is more important to you, the job itself or your salary? Sample excellent response: A salary commensurate with my experience and skills is important, but it's only one piece of the package. Many other elements go into making up a compensation package, but more importantly, it's critical to me to enjoy what I'm doing, fit into the corporate culture, and feel I'm making a genuine contribution. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 48. What level of compensation would it take to make you happy? Sample excellent response: I am not depending on money to make me happy. What makes me happy is having a satisfying job that provides challenge and new situations daily 49. Tell me about the salary range you're seeking. Sample excellent response: I am sure that I am the candidate you are looking for. If you feel the same, the I'm sure your offer will be fair and commensurate with the value I can bring the company. See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial. 50. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way? Sample excellent response: Recently my company asked for bids on a phone system for our new college campus. Two companies came in very close with their bids, and most of my department wanted to go with a vendor that we have used in the past. After I looked over the proposals, it was clear that this was the wrong decision. So, I talked individually with each member of our staff and was able to change their minds and get the best product that would save money and provide the highest quality. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 51. Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation. Sample excellent response: When I was a resident assistant at my college, a student I did not know asked me if he could use my phone to call another room. Although I did not know the student, I allowed him into my room. He used the phone and in the course of his conversation, he stated that he had just come from a fraternity party and was high from taking some drugs. Well after his conversation, I had to enforce the student conduct code by writing him up. He became very hostile towards me and would not give me any identification or information. I stood in the doorway to prevent him from leaving. I noted the serial numbers on his keys, so when the situation got to the point where I felt unsafe, I allowed the him to leave. I still preformed my job without jeopardizing my or his physical welfare. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 52. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

Sample excellent response: I had a client come into the bank where I worked and request a $5,000 personal loan to "pay off some bills." In the customary review process, I determined that what was really needed was a $25,000 debt-consolidation loan. Rather than giving the customer a "quick-fix" to the problem, I logically solved the problem in a way that was in the best interest of both the bank and the client. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 53. By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments. Sample excellent response: I've shown my ability to adapt by successfully working in several very different jobs. For example, I lived with a native family in Costa Rica. I worked as a nanny for a famous writer in Cape Cod. I was responsible for dealing with Drug Court participants. And I catered to elite country-club clientele. I did it all well and had no trouble adapting. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 54. Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills. Sample excellent response: Arriving at the language school I was attending in Costa Rica in the middle of the night with very minimal Spanishlanguage skills, I found my way to a very small town with no street addresses or names and found my temporary residence. I was scared, but I handled the situation very well, very calmly. In very stressful situations, I am always the one in the group to stay calm and focused. My friends, family, and professors have always said that I am an oasis of calm in a storm. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 55. Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision. Sample excellent response: This happens often in the IT industry, but one recent example was when we had a core backbone switch die. It died at the worst possible time -- during exams -- as they always seem to do, and I needed to get it back up and running quickly. I analyzed the logs and system status, and using my previous experience,I made some quick decisions that rectified problem and got the equipment back up only minutes later. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 56. Describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an important point across. Sample excellent response: As an Administrative Coordinator, I had a staff of 27 students. Having such a large student staff all working different shifts and having varying class schedules meant that meetings could not be held with everyone at one time. I needed to communicate with everyone about important policies and information often, so I came up with the idea of designing a Web page for my staff with written announcements. Each Desk Assistant was required to check the Web page daily at the beginning of his/her shift. I also sent email communications by a distribution list that allowed each Desk Assistant to keep informed about anything. The one situation that stands out in my mind is a last-minute summer camp that decided to come in a day early with only one day's notice. I had no staff scheduled to check in the camps or to organize the keys. I posted an update to the Web page and sent an email. Within four hours, I had the following day completely staffed and desk assistants there to organize room keys for the campers that night. 105. Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a challenge your company/class/organization was facing. What was the challenge? What role did others play? Sample excellent response: The trucks at Wal-Mart come loaded by personnel at by a distribution center, box-by-box. After receiving a few trucks, I noticed that my employees were unloading broken merchandise that took a lot of time to clean up before the rest of the truck could be finished. The broken glass, paint, or whatever material it was prevented the employees from preceding farther into the truck, causing more person-hours than normal. I noticed that the merchandise was broken because heavier boxes were on top of lighter boxes. After a couple of days of this situation, productivity decreasing, I learned that the rest of the stores in my district faced the same problem. As a result, I asked each store to take pictures of the mess so the distribution centers could see exactly what was happening. I also asked each one to write down how many additional person-hours it took to clean up the mess. After we gathered this information for a four-week period, we had a pretty a good estimate of how much the

company was losing, approximately $9.50 per person-hour...an average of $125 per store times 15 stores times 30 nights a month amounted to a substantial sum. We took the information as a group to our district manager. Once he realized how much money his district was losing each month because of broken merchandise in the trucks, he contacted his regional manager, and the trucks after that were loaded more carefully. The district made our Profit and Loss the next month by a 9 percent increase. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 106. Describe a specific problem you solved for your employer or professor. How did you approach the problem? What role did others play? What was the outcome? Sample excellent response: When I was working as a receptionist at an apartment complex, a tenant argued that he had turned in his rent payment the day it was due. He stated that he had slipped it under the door because our office was closed for the day. I decided to consult my manager because I realized that maybe the office needed a sign that stated that we did not accept rent money that is slipped under the door. My boss agreed, and we posted the sign. We never again had a problem with tenants who claimed they'd paid their rent that way. 107. Describe a time when you got co-workers or classmates who dislike each other to work together. How did you accomplish this? What was the outcome? Sample excellent response: When I worked for a law firm, my co-workers and I had a huge mailing to complete. We had the choice of working more efficiently as a team -- or individually in a much more time-consuming manner. My two co-workers did not care for each other and they wanted to complete the mail-out on an individual level. When I presented them with the evidence that we would finish at least an hour earlier by working together, they decided that working together was the right path to take. As a result, we finished the mail-out in a short period of time and could work on other tasks that day. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 108. 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? Sample excellent response: I recently failed to meet a deadline in my communications course with a project I had to do on the Internet. I did not meet the deadline because I underestimated the amount of time the assignment would take me to complete. Therefore, the assignment was incomplete when I turned it in. As a result I lost points on my final grade.I learned the importance of examining tasks more carefully so I can better estimate the amount of time required to complete them. I also learned to build some flex time into projects so that if my estimates are wrong, I'll still have time to complete the tasks. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 109. Describe a time when you put your needs aside to help a co-worker or classmate understand a task. How did you assist him or her? What was the result? Sample excellent response: I was studying right before a major finance test. As the class came into the classroom a couple of students indicated that did not understand a concept that I did. Although there was a small section of material that I had not completely mastered, I realized that I knew enough about that section that I could perform well enough to earn a good grade. I knew that the section that the other students did not understand was a major portion of the exam since the professor had an interest in this particular subject. I stopped what I was doing to explain to the small group about the Multiplier Effect of Bank Reserves on the overall supply of money. Those students learned enough from what I taught them that they did well on the exam. I missed a few points on the section of material that I had not mastered, but I did well enough to get an A, and the satisfaction I got from teaching others the concept made me feel proud. Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 110. Give two examples of things you've done in previous jobs or school that demonstrate your willingness to work hard. Sample excellent response: The day we had inventory at Best Buy, I worked a 13-hour day. I did this because I knew we were understaffed and that a lot of the lower-level employees who would be working with the inventory team were very nervous about being in charge of the inventory when many of them had never done it before. Conveniently, I used to work for the

inventory company that was handling our store, so I still had a fairly deep understanding of their processes and methods. I typically work 8-9 hour shifts, but I stayed longer after my shift to ensure that our lower-level employees felt comfortable and that the inventory got started on time and that it took off in the right direction. I met with a few of the the lower-level employees, and I told them a few tips on how to solve problems they may encounter, and it worked; they all seemed to feel a little more comfortable. Then I walked the store and made sure that it was presentable for our guests and in case we got a surprise visit from headquarters. I couldn't stay for the inventory myself because I had class in the morning, and it would've put me over my 40 hours for the week, but I was glad I could stay long enough to make everyone feel a little more comfortable, and that I had time to make them all feel appreciated. Another example of something that merited a lot of effort on my behalf was my marketing research paper. I enjoy group projects because I enjoy learning about the perspectives of others; however, sometimes the burdens appear to outweigh the benefits. Having a group project such as this one with 5-6 team members was a difficult task when most of us had school and jobs to juggle. We created an online survey and sent it to everyone on our contact list. We were doing research for a museum, and they had a contact list of award-winning artists whose perspectives they wanted us to use in our project. Anyone whose email didn't work or who didn't fill out the survey we tried to contact over the phone. Then we ran all of that data through SPSS and started to create our paper -- in completion our paper was 120 pages. The project was an amazing experience and I am so proud to say I've done it, I love having the opportunity to talk about what I have accomplished, but it merited a great deal of effort and a lot of learning along the way. My group was good; they were a solid group of people who were smart and willing to put in the time, and we got the highest grade in the class. [contributed by Cynthia Buenger] Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 111. Describe the last time that you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative. Sample excellent response: During my internship with World Market, we were asked to pick an area or a problem and create a way to improve World Market process. I noticed that our food vendors were not really pulling their weight -- with the economic downturn and the price of gas especially, our sales are down right now, which often means decreased payroll -- so at this juncture it was critical that our vendors perform up to par so we don't have to waste our payroll hours doing their work. Initially I just wanted to change our vendor survey. The survey had 4 questions for each vendor, who got rated green (good) or red (bad) on each question -- that was it. So I turned it into 10 questions that each fell under the categories of one of the initial 4 questions. I also changed the rating scale to a 1-5 scale, 1-2 were red, 3-4 were yellow, and 5 was green. I did a Likert scale rather than a simple red, yellow, green concept because I wanted to be better able to track improvement. This didn't seem like enough to me; I decided there were so many other ways I could tweak the process. So then I created a new vendor scorecard (their feedback -- this shows them their weekly ratings in each area) and a new Vendor notes card (this is where any comments go and shows them any specific dates we had problems with their products, like spoiled milk, for example). I also created a new vendor expectations guide that was a little more professional and attuned to be consistent with the changed I made to the survey. Finally I created an idea for development, putting the survey on a hand-held scanning device so the Team Leader in charge of that area of the store could take the scanner around with her as she did the survey, increasing its accuracy. The survey would also show the vendors' scorecard history (last month, quarterly average, biannual average, and annual average) so we could determine whether or not the vendor was improving. [contributed by Cynthia Buenger] Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story. 112.What is the most competitive work or school situation you have experienced? How did you handle it? What was the result? Sample excellent response: I worked at a retail store, where we had a competition to win an extra discount at the store. Our task was to get more credit-card applications than any other employee. I handled this task by presenting the customer with the benefits of signing up for the credit card and taking the time to explain to them what exactly they were getting into. This seemed to be a great way to deal with this task because people appreciated the honesty and were happy to get the card because of the benefits. I did very well with this task and ended up wining the contest. [contributed by Keri] Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.

What is Your Greatest Weakness?

When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I implemented a time management system that really helped my organization skills. I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little too much time checking it. However, I've come to a good balance by setting up a system to ensure everything is done correctly the first time. I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense. I would say that I can be too much of a perfectionist in my work. Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I've never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task, and to be confident when assigning others work. I've learned to make my perfectionism work to my advantage at work. I am excellent at meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my work is correct. I used to like to work on one project to its completion before starting on another, but I've learned to work on many projects at the same time, and I think it allows me to be more creative and effective in each one.