Page 140 - You're Hired! Interview Answers

interviewer: So what did you do? PeoPLe-BaSed QueStionS examPLe inteRview anSweRS

7 Poor answer:

“I explained the situation – that our suppliers had let us down – and that we

were chasing the order as hard as we could but that it would be another 5 days

before we could deliver.”

interviewer: So why were they so upset?

7 Poor answer:

“I’m not sure really, as far as I knew the delay didn’t have much impact on

their schedule, they weren’t due to move into the building for another 3 weeks

anyway.”

interviewer: So what was the outcome?

7 Poor answer:

“She calmed down eventually; I promised that I was giving the matter my

personal attention and that I’d see if I could offer some kind of discount to

make up for the delay.”

As well as some clear mistakes – which you should be practised at spotting by
now (‘I had to let her sound off’) – the answer misses a lot of opportunities to
show the people skills that the interviewer is looking for. For example:

n Where is the evidence of recognition of the customer’s position?
n Where is the evidence of exploring, questioning or engaging with the

customer to understand their position?
n Where is the evidence of using or building a relationship with the

customer?

There are lots of missed opportunities here; the interviewer will only go so far in
probing for the words they want to hear; words like ‘understand’, ‘sympathise’,
or even ‘sorry’. These are the words that would indicate that the ‘human’
aspects of the situation were understood. As it is, they are missing, and it is not

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