1. What five words would be describe you as Dun and Bradstreet?
The hiring manager requests this of you because she wants to know more about your individual personality. This list can reveal a lot to her about who you are and how you might fit into the workplace. Your answer also gives the manager an indication of your self-perception, which is a good indicator of the type of employee you will be.
2. How do you think your colleagues at your last job would describe you?
While your CV will say a lot about your work history At Dun and Bradstreet, the interviewer will most likely look for greater detail with questions such as this. Be positive about previous experience, highlighting your own strengths.
3. Can you tell me a little about yourself?
This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it's crucial. Here's the deal: Don't give your complete employment (or personal) history At Dun and Bradstreet. Instead give a pitch-one that's concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you're the right fit for the job. Start off with the 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences that you most want the interviewer to know about, then wrap up talking about how that prior experience has positioned you for this specific role.
4. What are you looking for in a new position At Dun and Bradstreet?
I've been honing my skills At Dun and Bradstreet for a few years now and, first and foremost, I'm looking for a position where I can continue to exercise those skills. Ideally the same things that this position has to offer. Be specific.
5. What do you know about our company?
You always want to make sure that you're pretty familiar with the company that you're interviewing with. Nothing looks worse than a candidate who knows nothing about the company they say they're interested in working for. Find out everything you can about the company, its culture and its goals. You will also want to know how the company is positioned in its market as well as who its major competitors are.
6. What is your personal mission statement?
Is it to conquer the world? Is it to become a CEO? Is it to give back to the community? Is it to inspire others? Define your statement by stating a clear vision of how you want to make an impact on the world with your work.
7. What is your greatest fear?
We all have fears. It's okay to discuss them. Just don't dive too deeply into them. Discuss how you would work to overcome your fears. You don't want to seem weak. You want to acknowledge it's out there but that you'll be able to work through it.
8. Who has been an inspiration for you?
Cite your role models (possible examples could be your parents, people successful in the industry, world leaders, etc)
9. How much are you willing to sacrifice to be successful at work At Dun and Bradstreet?
With anything comes sacrifice. The questions is how much of it are you willing to sacrifice with regards to work life balance, stress, etc?
10. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far and why?
Be proud of your achievement, discuss the results, and explain why you feel most proud of this one. Was it the extra work? Was it the leadership you exhibited? Was it the impact it had?
11. Do you know anyone that works with our company?
Sometimes companies have policies relating to the hiring of individuals related to current company employees. If you are related to anyone working for the company make sure you're aware of company policies before you enter the interview. If you have a friend or acquaintance working for the company make sure have good relationship with this individual before mentioning them.
I've always been motivated by the challenge – in my last role, I was responsible for training our new recruits and having a 100% success rate in passing scores. I know that this job is very fast-paced and I'm more than up for the challenge. In fact, I thrive on it.
13. Explain what are your strengths At Dun and Bradstreet?
Bad Answer: Candidate is unprepared for question or only gives generic answers.
This is the most common job interview question - everybody should be expecting it. If they don't seem prepared, or give a fairly stock answer, it's probably a bad sign.
Good answer: The consensus is to go for quality, not quantity here. Candidates should give a short list of strengths, and back each one up with examples that illustrate the strength. Also, they should explain how these strengths will be useful in the job you're applying for, and use this question to say something interesting about themselves.
14. Give me an example of how you handled pressure at work At Dun and Bradstreet?
The company is looking to see if you can handle pressure well. Share with them an example where you were able to stay calm during a pressure filled situation (perhaps it was a deadline, or there was an emergency with a customer occurring). Discuss the situation, your reaction and steps you took to resolve it and the outcome.
15. What can you offer us that someone else can not?
Bad Answer: Going negative - if the candidate starts trash talking other candidates, it's a sure sign of a bad attitude. Also, if they can't provide a solid answer, it may show that they lack thorough knowledge of the skills the job requires, and an understanding of where they fit in.
Good answer: The candidate can name specific skills, abilities or understandings they have that apply directly to the job that other candidates are unlikely to have, or are in short supply.
16. What are your strengths At Dun and Bradstreet?
This is one of the most common questions you will be asked. Give an answer relevant to the skills and qualities relevant to the position you are applying to. The interviewer is trying to find if your strengths match the job. For example, if you are applying for a job At Dun and Bradstreet where accuracy is an important issue, one of your strengths could be that you have an eye for detail. It may useful to find different words to describe similar attributes and qualities in order to avoid repetition.
17. What relevant work experience do you have in this career field At Dun and Bradstreet?
Talk about specific work related experience for the position you're interviewing for. Make sure the experience is relevant. Don't talk about previous experience that is not related to the position in question. If you don't have specific career related experience speak about prior experience that has helped you develop the specific knowledge and skills required for the position you are applying for.
18. How did you handle meeting a tight deadline At Dun and Bradstreet?
Review every deadline you need to meet. Prioritize your projects by deadline and factor in how important each project is. Record your deadlines on a digital calendar or spreadsheet.
19. Would you like doing repetitive work?
Why not, I am not only doing a repetitive work but also earning but also getting a good salary by the company At Dun and Bradstreet. And second thing is that nothing is interesting in the life till we are not interested.
20. What kind of work interests you the least At Dun and Bradstreet?
What bores you? What fails to challenge you? What fails to excite you?
21. What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example?
First, find out what the root of the problem is. Second, determine the best steps to remediation with the best possible outcome. Third, take action to put remediation plans in place.
22. If you could do it all over again, how would you plan your academic studies differently?
Whatever you do, just don't act bitter. A lot of times we wish we could change the past, but focus on the positive reasons and results of the decisions you already made.
23. Do you have any blind spots?
This question is often meant to trick candidates since acknowledgment of blind spots would indicate they were aware of them. Also, do not disclose bad habits or other personal concerns. Let the interviewer find out about your personal flaws through the course of the interview without directly stating these flaws.
24. Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year At Dun and Bradstreet?
We all have difficult decisions in our lives. Show how you were able to arrive at it and then how you decisively acted.
25. How do you keep others informed on work issues?
Possible methods:
Talking to them, emailing them, sharing best practices in meetings
26. What will your ramp time be before you become a meaningful contributor?
Companies want staff that can ramp quickly, but also want people who are realistic. So take into consideration how intense the job is and then give a good answer. For example, if you have simple responsibilities that don't require a huge development curve, then your ramp time will probably be shorter. If it's a complex set of skills that you need to develop, then your ramp time could be longer - the key is you have to explain why you believe that ramp time should be.
27. Have you ever been fired and if yes, why?
Answer this as positively as possible and try to avoid disparaging the company you had previously worked for. The key is to accept the fact that yes, you were fired, but you've learned from the mistakes that got you there and you're better now because of it. If you haven't been fired, well, then this question's a piece of cake isn't it?
28. How important is a positive attitude to you?
Incredibly important. I believe a positive attitude is the foundation of being successful - it's contagious in the workplace, with our customers, and ultimately it's the difference maker.
29. Why do you want to work in this industry At Dun and Bradstreet?
Make sure you research the industry first. Then find at least 3 core things about that industry that you're passionate about (for example: how their solutions impact clients, their culture, the leadership, etc)
30. How open are you to relocation?
If you're not, then say you're not. Don't lie about it just to get the job. There's no point if you won't move for the job anyway and lying is unethical. If you are open to relocation At Dun and Bradstreet, let them know which areas you'd be willing to relocate to.
31. What does "collaboration with teammates" mean to you?
Drinking at the water cooler together is not the best example. Think of how you can collaborate with teammates to generate new ideas, to create initiatives to impact the business' success for the better (specifically in the department that you're applying for). For example, if you're applying to marketing, collaboration could mean discussing new ways of social media advertising to reach an audience of over a million people to strengthen the brand awareness of the company.
32. What is the most important lesson / skill you've learned from school?
Think of lessons learned in extra curricular activities, in clubs, in classes that had a profound impact on your personal development. For example, I had to lead a team of 5 people on a school project and learned to get people with drastically different personalities to work together as a team to achieve our objective.
33. How important is the vision of the company to you?
It should be very important if you want a long standing career. Remember, you're investing your time, energy and earnings potential into a company so you want to make sure it's a sustainably successful company that will grow with you over the long haul.
34. What's a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?
Everyone disagrees with the boss from time to time, but in asking this interview question At Dun and Bradstreet, hiring managers want to know that you can do so in a productive, professional way. “You don't want to tell the story about the time when you disagreed but your boss was being a jerk and you just gave in to keep the peace. And you don't want to tell the one where you realized you were wrong,”. Tell the one where your actions made a positive difference on the outcome of the situation, whether it was a work-related outcome or a more effective and productive working relationship.
35. What are your thoughts on social media for this role?
Without a doubt, social media is becoming more and more pervasive in our jobs. You should stress that social media is not appropriate for personal use at work. However, if the company embraces social media in certain departments (for example marketing), then you may want to discuss how you could use it for work (as long as it applies to your role).
36. Describe to me a time where you had to make a hard decision At Dun and Bradstreet?
Hard decisions are hard for a reason. It could dramatically effect the company. It could affect other workers. So if you have a story about how you made a hard decision and had a good outcome, share that. If you have one where the outcome wasn't great, explain how you would have changed the way you approached the decision to show you learned how to improve.
37. Do you have the ability to articulate a vision and to get others involved to carry it out?
If yes, then share an example of how you've done so at work or college. If not, then discuss how you would do so. Example: "I would first understand the goals of the staff members and then I would align those to the goals of the project / company. Then I would articulate the vision of that alignment and ask them to participate. From there, we would delegate tasks among the team and then follow up on a date and time to ensure follow through on the tasks. Lastly, we would review the results together."
38. What is your ideal working environment?
Describe your ideal working environment. Do you like flexibility with work hours? Do you like working in a cubicle or independently? Do you like to be micro managed or empowered? Do you like to work on your own or in a team? Do you like being driven by metrics in your role? How much responsibility do you want?
39. Who was your favorite manager and why?
Describe the attributes you liked about your favorite manager, typically attributes discussed are: Great at coaching, inspiring, motivating, empowering, trusting, delegating, leading, etc.
40. What are the qualities of a good leader At Dun and Bradstreet? A bad leader?
A good leader provides constructive criticism, motivates and inspires, coaches the mentee to be successful with their set of skills, and encourages them to push themselves. A bad leader only cares about his/her own interests and does not look out for the success of his/her staff.
41. How do you imagine a typical day of an employee in our company At Dun and Bradstreet?
Just do not say that you imagine to only walk and watch what people do. Rather try to show them your attention to details and proactive attitude to job. Mention that you would try to observe the problems, weaknesses as well as opportunities to improve the results and take measures according to it.
Usually, if the answer to a brainteaser seems too easy, chances are the answer's wrong. And in this case, the answer is not zero degrees. The hour hand, remember, moves as well. That is, in addition to the minute hand. And so, at 3:15, the hour hand and the minute hand are not on top of each other. In fact, the hour hand has moved a quarter of the way between the 3 and 4. This means it's moved a quarter of 30 degrees (360 degrees divided by 12 equals 30). So the answer, to be exact, is seven and a half degrees (30 divided by four).
43. What do you know about this company?
Research the company on Google by searching recent news (to remain current on them) and their website. Make sure you understand their products / services, vision, competitive differentiators, and work culture.
44. What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
"He/She wouldn't say anything bad, but he/she may point out I could improve in a certain area, and I've taken steps to become better at those skills"
45. What challenges are you looking for in this position?
A typical interview question to determine what you are looking for your in next job, and whether you would be a good fit for the position being hired for, is “What challenges are you looking for in a position At Dun and Bradstreet?” The best way to answer questions about the challenges you are seeking is to discuss how you would like to be able to effectively utilize your skills and experience if you were hired for the job. You can also mention that you are motivated by challenges, have the ability to effectively meet challenges, and have the flexibility and skills necessary to handle a challenging job. You can continue by describing specific examples of challenges you have met and goals you have achieved in the past.
46. Do you work well on a team? How would you define teamwork?
I would define team work as getting the job done At Dun and Bradstreet whether that means if I have to do more then the guy next to me as long as the work gets finished.
47. Why did you choose your major in college or tech school?
People usually choose their major based on their passions or the career path they want to head towards.
48. What types of situations do you consider "unfixable"?
Most situations are "fixable" - the ones that are not are typically related to business ethics (someone is cheating the company, someone is stealing, etc)
49. How do you feel about this company's vision?
First find out where the company envisions itself in 3-5 years. If you can't find the vision of the company, that's probably a big question mark on the company itself. Once you do, identify how those company's visions align to your personal values and goals and then articulate how tightly correlated that is to the interviewer. For example - this company wants to be the #1 provider of green technology in the world and I feel strongly about that vision because we've got a chance to collectively impact the world to become a greener society and save our clients at the same time!
50. How will you approach learning this "new" job At Dun and Bradstreet?
Interview peers and leaders/managers, read industry news, practice the skill sets needed, absorb information on the job as much as possible.
51. Describe to me the position At Dun and Bradstreet you're applying for?
This is a “homework” question, too, but it also gives some clues as to the perspective the person brings to the table. The best preparation you can do is to read the job description and repeat it to yourself in your own words so that you can do this smoothly at the interview.
52. What types of personalities do you work with best?
In the past, I have found it difficult to work with others who see themselves as better than others, who can take criticism, and who refuse to work with others. I have found it challenging to work with them b/c I am a team oriented person who feels the importance of working together over the needs of the individual especially in a learning environment.
53. When was the last time something upset you at work? What did you do?
Almost everyone has an emotional moment related to work at some point - you're not alone. The key is to learn why you reacted that way and to focus not on the problem but HOW to resolve it. Another key component is to be aware of your emotional response so that you can learn to control it in the future in a calm way.
54. How would your friends describe you?
My friends would probably say that I'm extremely persistent – I've never been afraid to keep going back until I get what I want. When I worked as a program developer, recruiting keynote speakers for a major tech conference, I got one rejection after another – this was just the nature of the job. But I really wanted the big players – so I wouldn't take no for an answer. I kept going back to them every time there was a new company on board, or some new value proposition. Eventually, many of them actually said "yes" – the program turned out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. A lot of people might have given up after the first rejection, but it's just not in my nature. If I know something is possible, I have to keep trying until I get it.
55. Explain an idea that you have had and have then implemented in practice?
Often an interview guide will outline the so-called ‘STAR' approach for answering such questions; Structure the answer as a situation, task, action, and result: what the context was, what you needed to achieve, what you did, and what the outcome was as a result of your actions.
56. How do you decide what to delegate and to whom?
Identify the strengths of your team members and their availability based on the priorities they have on their plate. From there, invest the tasks upon each member based on where you think you'll get the best return.
57. Have you got any questions?
This is your final opportunity to persuade the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job. Now is not the time to ask questions about holidays, pay or pensions – all these things can be asked later when you get an offer of employment. Now is the time to ask about any reservations that the interviewer may have about your suitability for the role. You will then give yourself one last chance to persuade the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job.
Example Thank you. I think we have covered everything. Before we finish the interview I would like to take the opportunity to ask if you have any reservations about my suitability for this role?
58. How do you keep each member of the team involved and motivated?
Many managers mistakenly think that money is the prime motivator for their employees. However, according to surveys by several different companies, money is consistently ranked five or lower by most employees. So if money is not the best way to motivate your team, what is?
Employees' three most important issues according to employees are:
☛ Respect
☛ A sense of accomplishment
☛ Recognition
59. If I talked to your three biggest fans, who would they be and why?
If you can reference three professionals with executive titles (CXO, VP, Director, Manager), that carries a lot of weight. Make sure you highlight how you've helped them achieve their biggest objectives and how that's made them your fan.
60. How would you motivate your team members to produce the best possible results?
Trying to create competitive atmosphere, trying to motivate the team as a whole, organizing team building activities, building good relationships amongst people.
61. Explain me about a time when you reached a goal within a tight deadline?
I work well under pressure to meet deadlines without jeopardizing the quality of my work. I have always worked in a fast pace environment where we are constantly under pressure to achieve best results within a time frame.
62. What is your desired salary At Dun and Bradstreet?
Bad Answer: Candidates who are unable to answer the question, or give an answer that is far above market. Shows that they have not done research on the market rate, or have unreasonable expectations.
Good answer: A number or range that falls within the market rate and matches their level of mastery of skills required to do the job.
63. What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial?
A good answer is to discuss the importance of having both elements in a company At Dun and Bradstreet. Structure is good to maintain a focus on priorities and making sure people are productive but having an entrepreneurial spirit can help cultivate new ideas that can truly help the company.
64. Why do you want to work At Dun and Bradstreet for this organisation?
Being unfamiliar with the organisation will spoil your chances with 75% of interviewers, according to one survey, so take this chance to show you have done your preparation and know the company inside and out. You will now have the chance to demonstrate that you've done your research, so reply mentioning all the positive things you have found out about the organisation and its sector etc. This means you'll have an enjoyable work environment and stability of employment etc – everything that brings out the best in you.
65. What general trends do you see in our industry?
Examine what's happened in the industry in the last 5 - 10 years and how it's evolved and then look at what both the company and analysts are saying about the future of that industry in which that company competes in. Read trade magazines / online sources in that industry as well to make sure you stay up to date on trends.
66. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
It's time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss's quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else's words:
“My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor.”
67. What would you like to have accomplished by the end of your career?
Think of 3 major achievements that you'd like to accomplish in your job when all is said and done - and think BIG. You want to show you expect to be a major contributor at the company. It could be creating a revolutionary new product, it could be implementing a new effective way of marketing, etc.
68. Explain me about your experience working in this field At Dun and Bradstreet?
I am dedicated, hardworking and great team player for the common goal of the company I work with. I am fast learner and quickly adopt to fast pace and dynamic area. I am well organized, detail oriented and punctual person.
69. How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
I think you did fine. I'm sure you've conducted a lot of interviews, and it's probably second nature for you now. Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. I'm sure you have a lot of things you have to juggle every day.
I'd say you rate at least ten out of ten. The questions you asked seemed spot on. I can tell you guys are working hard to find the perfect applicant for the job. I'm glad I could meet with you.
70. How do you handle stressful situations?
By remaining calm, weighing out all my options and executing a plan to get the situation resolve .
71. What's the most rewarding work you've ever done and why?
Companies love it when you discuss how you've made an impact on your teammates, clients, or partners in the business or in school. It should be rewarding because of the hard work and creative process that you've put into it.
72. Give an example of a time you successfully worked At Dun and Bradstreet on a team?
On the whole I prefer to stick to doing what I'm told rather than setting myself up to fail by doing things off my own bat. But there was this one time when I suggested to my boss at the pizza parlor that she try offering an ‘all you can eat' deal to students to boost trade on Mondays. She thought it was an interesting idea but nothing ever came of it.
73. Do you have any question regarding this job At Dun and Bradstreet?
Never ask Salary, perks, leave, place of posting, etc. regarded questions. Try to ask more about the company to show how early you can make a contribution to your organization like. “Sir, with your kind permission I would like to know more about induction and developmental programs?” OR Sir, I would like to have my feedback, so that I can analyze and improve my strengths and rectify my shortcomings.
74. What aspect of supervision do you find the most difficult?
Managing different personalities and keeping them focused on the goal at hand.
75. Does your boss know you're here today?
Usually, you probably haven't told your boss for obvious reasons. So it's ok to say that they do not. You don't want to upset the balance at your current job after all and nothing is guaranteed in an interview. The interviewer should understand this stance.
76. Do you have good computer skills?
It is becoming increasingly important for medical assistants to be knowledgeable about computers. If you are a long-time computer user with experience with different software applications, mention it. It is also a good idea to mention any other computer skills you have, such as a high typing rate, website creation, and more.
