Interview Questions

  
Pharmacist Interview

During your interview you will be asked a lot of questions so it is important to mentally prepare for this.

Remember to make sure your answers are well thought out rather than learnt so it sounds like you are reading from a script, you must make your answers part of a further conversation.

For a pharmacy interview I would expect to be asked questions such as:
What practice areas are you interested in? Have you had any clinical experience? Have you had any hospital or retail experience depending on the setting and describe that? What is a major issue facing the pharmacy industry today? Make sure you know all about your subject. Have you ever had an incident in a clinic, with a doctor etc and how did you handle it? And more general getting to know about you questions such as:
How would your colleagues describe you? Are you interested in relocating for the right position? How do you handle stress/pressure? Tell me about yourself? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Please remember to think about this one carefully before any interview, its all most certainly going to be asked and its embarrassing when you cannot answer it. Where do you see yourself in five years? What makes you think you are best qualified for this role? Tell me about one situation you handled well and one situation you did not handle well and how you dealt with both of these situations? Some questions can seem very tough but its for the employer to know how you handle these situations which is why I cannot stress enough how preparation is the key.

Here are the basic requirements to become a Pharmacist in the UK:
a four-year Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degreea one-year pre-registration training course in a pharmacya registration examMost asked interview questions:

Why should we hire you?
Tell me about yourself
What do you expect from a Supervisor?
Why do you want this job?
Describe a typical work week?
Give some examples of team work!
What are your salary expectations?

Good luck.

Related job guides:

– Pharmacist CV example
– Pharmacist salary

  
Call Centre Interview Questions

Before your interview you must understand exactly what the role of a Call Centre involves. You will be expected and perhaps targeted on the number of calls you can handle a day this means dealing with each call as quickly and efficiently but maintaining the thorough values of the company throughout.

Depending on the type of call centre you could call them before your interview and see how they handle your questions and what things they ask, it will always give you an insight.

You will need to be an excellent communicator and your interview will explore this greatly.

You could be asked a few or all of the following types of questions:

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in work in the last 12 months and how did you handle this? Why do you want this job? How would your current Manager describe you? What is your biggest achievement? This question doesn’t have to be work related, you may have achieved something in your personal life which is your biggest achievement. Can you give me an example of? Then listen for the scenarios, think customer service and key skills they will be looking for. What are the key factors that make a call centre successfull? Again make sure you have done your homework and look at other call centres to maybe draw comparisons. How do you manage change? What have you done to promote good Customer Service? Remember because of the type of role you are being interviewed for they will want to know how you perform so they could ask you to do a role play and a good one would be for how you would deal with an unhappy customer on the other end of the phone.

Make sure you do as much research as you can so that you feel confident to answer anything that is asked of you.

Most asked interview questions:

Tell me about yourself
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Are you willing to travel?
What can you contribute to this company?

Good luck.

  
What do you know about this industry?

Research is definitely the most important factor here.

You need to do as much homework as humanly possible on the company who you are being interviewed by so that you can impress them when they ask you this question but so that you can also draw comparisons throughout the interview.

If you know anyone who currently works there, a friend of a friend even then speak to them and find out information from the inside, how is it to work there, what are the advantages, disadvantages etc.

Remember to focus on the positives in your interview though!

By being able to answer this question you are showing an employer whether you are Proactive or Reactive, they will want to know if you are a curious person or not and exactly how interested in working with them you are.

How you answer this question shows whether you prepare before doing a task or not and an employer will almost always want someone who takes the time to prepare and think about what they are doing.

Research not only about the job or department you are applying for but the whole company for example:
Do they have other sites? Is that the Head Office? Where are the other sites? How many sites do they have? How many years have they been trading? How many staff? How big is the department? Can you find out about turnover? Quote their website, a company will always want to know you have looked and studied their website carefully. What ever the role you are applying for you want to stand out from the crowd so preparation and through research are the key factors to concentrate on prior to your interview, make notes, don’t be afraid to take them with you and use them during your interview. 

Good Luck.

  
Train Driver Interview Questions

Good jobs like these are hard to come by so when they do you need to feel as prepared as possible.

Worth considering:

If this is a career path you would like to do to make sure you stand out from the crowd you could always find a smaller light railway centre near you that you could volunteer at so that whilst you are looking you are gaining experience. This doesn’t have to interfere with your current role you could do it at a weekend, these places do have special weekend days for families and children that I am sure you would be of help at.

If you are lucky enough to be invited for an interview make sure you research standard train information such as:
Routes Timetables Tickets/Prices/Bookings Carriages Make sure you go on a fee train journeys so that you can comment on anything focusing on the positives in the main, any negatives have to be stated constructively.

The interview will want to assess why:
Why they should choose you over other candidates – remember your volunteering experience What attracts you to this role? What do you think the role entails? As well as general questions assessing your customer service skills, how you handle pressure and deal with the general public?

Can you concentrate for long periods of time? This is important for long journeys.

Look at the safety aspect of trains and journeys and remember you will need to know about this.

Use your research skills wisely, this would be a fantastic career to have, prepare for as long as you can and above all be clear and calm.

Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it

Good luck.

  
What were your starting and final levels of compensation?

Interviewers expect a candidate for employment to be able to provide the details of their compensation history. Be prepared to tell the interviewer how much you earned at each of your prior positions.

Make sure that what you tell the interviewer matches what you listed on your job application. Refresh your memory prior to the interview by reviewing your compensation history, so, you can speak in detail and accurately. Don’t exaggerate or inflate your earnings. Many employers will check references and confirm your salary history prior to making a job offer. A discrepancy between what you reported and what the employer says could knock you out of contention for the job.

It is common for a prospective employer to be interested in your previous salary. This will give them some prospective on how much you will be expecting to earn in a new role, and to a lesser extent, will also help back up some of your interview answers. For example, if you continually mentioned your high levels of responsibility and the levels of trust that put you in situations such as being alone with vast amounts of money, and you were on minimum wage, it may appear to the interviewer that you were perhaps telling one or two lies.

This question will also show the interviewer that you have a good grasp of your own interests. If you don’t have enthusiasm over your own interests then how would you be able to show enthusiasm for the interests of the prospective company. For this reason, if you are unsure, it would be prudent to research back through your own work history and revise the facts and figures. These numbers may also have been required for the initial forms upon applying for the job, so it is essential to ensure that anything you say in an interview, corresponds with what was put in any forms. At worst a slip up and therefore a discrepancy, could paint you as a liar, which is not an attractive trait.

The answer can also be structured to give some indication of your progression in your last position.

Example Answers

1

"After leaving school at 18 I went into my first post at 16,000 per year. After finishing and passing my apprenticeship two years later I received a pay increase with my new position at 22,000. Earnings were loosely performance based. The company gave annual appraisal reports and decisions on pay rises came from these reports. In the three years after my probation period, after passing the apprenticeship, I received three pay rises. The first was to 24,000 then 26,000 before my final salary which without bonuses stood at 28,000."

2

“I was paid a flat rate of £100 per article I wrote, as they tended to be very short articles. My usual rate is £350 per 3000 words, and 3000 words would usually take me one full working day to complete, depending on the subject. So my income was linked very much to how much work I was allocated.”

This shows you are fully aware of how your career had progressed and the figures of your earnings. As long as this compares to the information the interviewer has an answer like this should get a positive response.

Good luck.

  
What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make?

These questions are designed to test your resolve and will show the interviewer your ability to think outside of the box. The answer should be related to the job you have applied for but the way you answer the question, will be much more important than the answer itself. How you answer will depend on the job itself, but ensure you have prepared yourself for this question and practice asking it until you are confident you can deliver an effective response.

No matter how prepared you are for the question you should still take a pregnant pause before answering.

This question is designed to make you think, if it appears you were expecting the question the potency of your answer will be decreased.

To make sure you are not seen in a negative light, avoid answering like the example below:

Example Answers

"I find the most difficult decisions to make are one’s when you are rushed. Not having enough time to fully explore the problem can negatively impact on the outcome."

Whilst this is a valid point, this is highly likely to be a recurring scenario throughout your working life. By telling your interviewer that you struggle under these circumstances, you could be ruling yourself out of the running on this one question. That is another good reason to always give a considered and measured response.

In order to take advantage of this situation you should use a similar answer to the one below:
   
"I find the most difficult decisions to make are when the interest’s of the company are more important and conflicting with the interests of an individual or employee. I always find it difficult not to side with the individual, but know I must have the resolve and moral courage to work in the interest of the company."

This answer explains that you fully intend to be committed to the company and that you know your responsibilities may include resolving difficult and perhaps even controversial scenarios.

Good luck.

  
Accountant Interview Questions

If you have passed your Accountancy exams and are now qualified then you are you just need to find the right kind of company.

There are various types of roles so you need to think which environment you would be best suited to. You could apply for positions within an Accounting Practice or be an Accountant of a company for example a retail head office. Which environment suits you, do your research.

When you have an interview you need to tailor your answers to the company as the environment will allow for differing questions.

Some general accounting questions could be:
What accounting applications are you familiar with? Describe previous accounting processes you have followed and if you have ever changed these and how? Scenarios such as describe a difficult deadline and how have you dealt with this? Explain accounting to someone who does not have an accounting background? How do they understand? Shows how well you can explain and know your chosen career path. Ensure that you read the financial pages for at least a good few weeks before to be fully up to date on any law changes, things that will be important to your role.  Make sure that you are well informed about the firm, accountancy profession and business in general.

Most asked interview questions:

– How would you handle conflicting deadlines with two different bosses?
– Why did you choose accounting?
– Scrutinize this invoice and tell me how you’d enter it in QuickBooks
– What is a CDS?

Tell me about yourself
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Are you willing to travel?
What can you contribute to this company?

Good luck.

  
Mail Sorter Interview Questions

Trustworthiness and reliability are the key characteristics that you will need to emphasise to land this job. The interviewer will be seeking assurances that will be ready to work quickly and efficiently in a fast paced and dynamic environment. Appearing enthusiastic and keen to knuckle into the job will help give a positive impression of your interview.

During the interview, take every opportunity you can to drive home your key characteristics and strengths.

Try to include some of the following:

Trustworthiness- Your potential employer will be worried about hiring someone who could turn out to be a thief. Do as much as you can to alleviate these fears. Include examples of positions of trust you have been given in previous employment or other situations.
   
Dependable and reliable- Due to the pace of this workplace, you need to help the interviewer see you as a candidate who would be always on-time and ready to work hard. They need to know that they can depend on your strength of character, or they will choose someone else.
   
Hard Working- As this job will require you to work at a fast pace with the ability to keep up and ensure assets are sent exactly where they should be. The high volume you will see on the shop floor requires you to remain focused for extended periods.

Integrity- Portraying yourself as having a strong sense of integrity will help with the trust. A mail
sorter will, at one time or another, be in a position where temptation could test his or her integrity. You need to let the interviewer know that you can stand above these temptations and would never consider breaking the trust given to you, should you be given the job.

It will also be important to research the company and familiarise yourself, as far as is practicable, to the industry and the way it works. You will be asked questions about the job you have applied for and will be expected to have at least a basic understanding. When putting your interview techniques and answers together, be sure to practice delivering answers. This should ensure that by the time your interview comes around, you are confident and ready to show yourself in the best possible light.

Most asked interview questions:

Tell me about yourself
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Are you willing to travel?
What can you contribute to this company?

Good luck.

  
Data Entry Clerk Interview Questions

A data entry clerk is required to be able to work quickly and efficiently, while maintaining a high, if not perfect, degree of accuracy. At times, tasking can be monotonous as high volumes of data will often need to be input into a required format or spreadsheet. You must be able to remain focused and motivated under these circumstances and it is likely that you will be given a work related exam to test your accuracy and attention to detail.

Preparing for the interview is essential and the first thing you should be looking into, is the company itself. Make sure you are fully aware of the type of information you will be working with and how that fits in to the overall structure of the company. Questions will be asked during the interview about this and clear, confident
answers will show a level of enthusiasm towards getting this role. 
 
Some sample questions are shown below. Remember this list is not exhaustive and full preparation is essential to improving your chances of success.

Question: What attracted you to applying for this post?

Answer: I believe that my strengths fit in with the job description well. I am capable of working quickly while maintaining high levels of accuracy. I have a keen eye for detail and enjoy working with computers. When evaluating my own skills it seems data entry is an ideal fit and an excellent choice of career for me.

Why? This shows your prospective employer that you are not using this job as a stepping stone to something else and fully intend to put your heart and soul into it.

Question: What are your strength’s?

Answer:  As described earlier my main strength is the ability to work quickly and maintaining an accurate output. I also see myself as dependable and hard working.

Why:     Make your strengths specific to the job. This way the interviewer will view your answers in a more positive light.

Most asked interview questions:

Tell me about yourself
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Are you willing to travel?
What can you contribute to this company?

Good luck.

  
Finance Manager Interview Questions

A good grasp of mathematics and excellent analytical skills are going to be needed for a job as a financial manager. Before getting to this stage, and depending on the company you will soon hopefully be working for, it is likely that you will be required to complete a number of exams. This will include a psychometric test and key skill exams, with particular emphasis on maths. Previous experience that relates to this work is normally a requirement and most positions will be strongly contested.

If you have got this far and are now awaiting your interview, it is of paramount importance to prepare yourself for the upcoming interview. Research the company thoroughly to ensure you are up to date with what the company does and where it is likely to go in the future.

Along with questions about your experience and suitability for the post, you will need to be seen as
confident and very dependable, with a strong work ethic.

The example questions listed below are by no means exhaustive. Ensure you have prepared yourself as far as you can. Practice possible answers to a friend or relative to give you the best chance of coming across as a positive and confident candidate.

Question: What makes you think you would make a strong financial manager?
Answer:   This is the time to explain your previous experience. Be sure to put the emphasis on your skills as an analyst and your ability to work under pressure. Give examples of times you have demonstrated these qualities.

Question: What are the key tasks of a Financial Manager?
Answer:    Here is the question that should be blatantly obvious, but so many people slip up and give incomplete answers. This question will be asked in some way, shape or form so prepare for it.

Tailor your answer to the relevant company. Most questions need time to consider the answer. However, you should be confident enough to rattle through this one and show the interviewer you are ready to take on the role.

Question: Why did you leave your last job?
Answer:   Now you have the opportunity to explain that you are looking for new challenges and the ability to fullfill your potential.Construct your answer to show how your skill set matches the job description.

Most Asked Interview Questions:

Tell me about yourself
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want this job?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?
What motivates you?
Give some examples of teamwork
Describe a difficult work situation project and how you overcame it
Are you willing to travel?
What can you contribute to this company?

– Demonstrate about your analytical skills and the give an example
– How do you feel about working fully on commission?
– Tell me why you would like to work for a company that is experiencing bankruptcy.

Good luck.