1. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?

When discussing a professional disappointment, make sure to discuss a scenario you could not control. Be positive about the experience and accept personal responsibility where applicable.

2. When were you most satisfied in your job As Hardware Store Manager?

I'm a people person. I was always happiest and most satisfied when I was interacting with community residents, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible comfort in a tough situation. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed. Part of the reason I'm interested in this job is that I know I'd have even more interaction with the public, on an even more critical level.

3. What is your philosophy towards work?

This is typically a straightforward question that merits a straightforward answer. Do you have strong worth ethic? Will you do whatever it takes to make sure the job gets done? Just say so in your response. Keep it short, direct and positive.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?

Bad Answer: A generic or uninspired answer. Also, answers that show that this career/company is just a temporary stop for them.

Good answer: One that shows the candidate has thought about this question, has plans, and that those plans align with the job and a career path that is possible in the company. You want to see that this candidate is a good long term investment.

5. Tell me about a time when you had to think strategically?

There was a time when I was told I had to get rid of 20% of my people. I had to determine which persons I needed the most by determining who could do what. I had to put aside personal feelings so that I could keep a working crew to handle he same workload with less people.

6. Explain what are your strengths As Hardware Store Manager?

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.

7. What five words would be describe you as Hardware Store Manager?

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.

8. Why was there a gap in your employment As Hardware Store Manager?

If you were unemployed for a period of time, be direct and to the point about what you've been up to (and hopefully, that's a litany of impressive volunteer and other mind-enriching activities, like blogging or taking classes). Then, steer the conversation toward how you will do the job and contribute to the organization: “I decided to take a break at the time, but today I'm ready to contribute to this organization in the following ways.”

9. How do you prioritize your work?

Depends on the situation... I like to label certain tasks as either A B or C...A being the one that requires immediate attention, and C which are tasks that aren't urgent but eventually need to get done... I like to focus my work As Hardware Store Manager on the things that need to get done, and done quickly... While balancing the other work alongside our first priorities.

10. Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree?

You want to first understand why the policy was put into effect. From there, if you truly disagree with it, explain your position to your management. If they don't change it, then you must accept their decision and continue to work or the alternative decision would be to find a new job.

11. If you were given more initiatives than you could handle, what would you do?

First prioritize the important activities that impact the business most. Then discuss the issue of having too many initiatives with the boss so that it can be offloaded. Work harder to get the initiatives done.

12. How did you handle meeting a tight deadline As Hardware Store Manager?

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.

13. Why do you think you'll do well at this job?

Provide several reasons including skills, experience and interest. If you can show how you've been successful in a similar career field or job position that will go along way to helping the interviewer believe you'll also be successful at this new job.

14. What motivates you?

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.

15. How would your boss and co-workers describe you?

First of all, be honest (remember, if you get this job, the hiring manager will be calling your former bosses and co-workers!). Then, try to pull out strengths and traits you haven't discussed in other aspects of the interview As Hardware Store Manager, such as your strong work ethic or your willingness to pitch in on other projects when needed.

16. What are your greatest professional strengths As Hardware Store Manager?

When answering this question, we recommends being accurate (share your true strengths, not those you think the interviewer wants to hear); relevant (choose your strengths that are most targeted to this particular position As Hardware Store Manager); and specific (for example, instead of “people skills,” choose “persuasive communication” or “relationship building”). Then, follow up with an example of how you've demonstrated these traits in a professional setting.

17. Explain me about a problem or disagreement you had with previous supervisor?

This question is trap. It is meant to see whether or not you'll speak poorly of an employer. No one wants to hire someone who's going to speak poorly of them down the road. Stay upbeat and positive - and most of all don't say anything negative about a previous employer.

18. Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it?

Show that you set great goals and the process and steps you took to achieve it. Details really matter here.

19. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?

Do not claim to be comfortable with a specific role if you in are in fact not comfortable with it. However, if you have no problem working in certain roles or situations, be sure to discuss this with the interviewer.

20. What do you consider ethical spending on an expense account?

It depends on the role - but the better way to answer this is to ask the interviewer what their expectations are with regards to what the role can expense and then simply state that you'll stay within those parameters

21. 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.

22. What is your perception of taking on risk?

You answer depends on the type of company you're interviewing for. If it's a start up, you need to be much more open to taking on risk. If it's a more established company, calculated risks to increase / improve the business or minimal risks would typically be more in line.

23. If you have seven white socks and nine black socks in a drawer, how many socks do you have to pull out blindly in order to ensure that you have a matching pair?

if the first one is one color (say, white), and the second one is the other color (black), then the third one, no matter what the color, will make a matching pair. (Sometimes you're not supposed to think that hard.)

24. Explain me about a challenge or conflict you've faced at work As Hardware Store Manager, and how you dealt with it?

In asking this interview question, your interviewer wants to get a sense of how you will respond to conflict. Anyone can seem nice and pleasant in a job interview, but what will happen if you're hired?. Again, you'll want to use the S-T-A-R method, being sure to focus on how you handled the situation professionally and productively, and ideally closing with a happy ending, like how you came to a resolution or compromise.

25. What are your thoughts on failure?

Failure happens. It's a part of life. The key is understanding that you can't be perfect at everything and more importantly you're going to learn from failures to come out stronger.

26. Do you value recognition or pay more? Why?

Either preference is fine, but just remember you have to be able to explain why. If you say recognition, then back that up by describing how achievement really carries weight with you and how you like to feel valued in the work that you do because it validates that you're helping your teammates / customers and so forth. If you choose money, you can also explain that is important to you as validation and you can highlight how money is important to you because of your goals (financial security, providing for your family, and so forth). The key is to be authentic with your answer. However, if you say you value pay more because you're greedy - know that doesn't align usually to most company's values/vision.

27. How articulate are you in expressing your ideas?

One of the best ways to answer this question is clearly articulate three points that demonstrate how articulate you are (and in a sense show that in a live setting) - for example: "I would say I'm articulate because one, I typically gather my thoughts before speaking, two, I organize my thoughts well, and three I'm concise when making a point.

28. How do you handle conflicts with people you supervise?

At first place, you try to avoid conflicts if you can. But once it happens and there's no way to avoid it, you try to understand the point of view of the other person and find the solution good for everyone. But you always keep the authority of your position.

29. How do you stay up to date with industry?

Discuss how you stay up to date by reading industry specific sites, magazines, and Google / yahoo news. Also make sure you stay up to date by reading the current news on the company's website.

30. What other companies are you interviewing with?

Companies ask this for a number of reasons, from wanting to see what the competition is for you to sniffing out whether you're serious about the industry. “Often the best approach is to mention that you are exploring a number of other similar options in the company's industry,”. It can be helpful to mention that a common characteristic of all the jobs you are applying to is the opportunity to apply some critical abilities and skills that you possess. For example, you might say 'I am applying for several positions with IT consulting firms where I can analyze client needs and translate them to development teams in order to find solutions to technology problems.'

31. What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

What your interviewer is really trying to do with this question-beyond identifying any major red flags-is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, “I can't meet a deadline to save my life As Hardware Store Manager” is not an option-but neither is “Nothing! I'm perfect!” Strike a balance by thinking of something that you struggle with but that you're working to improve. For example, maybe you've never been strong at public speaking, but you've recently volunteered to run meetings to help you be more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

32. How do you inspire others to be better?

First, the key to inspiring others it to first understand what their goals and objectives are. Once you understand what people want, you can inspire them with a vision that aligns to what they care about. People generally care about having purpose, being successful (and being recognized for it), contributing in a meaningful way, and financial rewards (to a degree) and much more. Then once you understand what people set as goals, you can inspire them through 1:1 pep talks, a presentation to multiple people and so forth.

33. Why do you want to join our company?

This is a question that is aimed at finding out whether you know enough about the company and the basic market. The best way to answer this question is to do some research on the company and highlight its positive points.

34. What other companies are you interviewing at?

Be open and share if you are indeed interviewing elsewhere, but do it in a humble way. This way you don't seem arrogant and the interviewer knows your skills are valued by other companies. This also tends to make them want you more as they know they are competing for your services.

35. What do you know about our competition?

Make sure you do your research on their competitors. You can find this by going to yahoo finance and click on their competitors (if they are public). From there research the news on them and go to their websites to understand their positioning on solutions and vision. You can also research local regional companies that are their competition (if it's a smaller private company on a regional scale) by simply typing in similar product offerings in the Google search followed by the city. Make sure you know their competitor's vision, products, culture, and how they are differentiated against their competition (and if they're not, how they could be)

36. What can you tell me about team work as part of the job As Hardware Store Manager?

There is usually a team of staff nurses working in cooperation with each other. A team of nurses has to get along well and coordinate their actions, usually by dividing their responsibilities into sectors or specific activities. They help each other perform tasks requiring more than one person.

37. If you could offer suggestions on how to improve our company, what would you say?

Examine the trends of the company and also where there may be some weaknesses (news articles often document this on public companies or look at their competitors to see how they're positioning it against them.) Then, once you have that knowledge, think creatively on how you could improve upon that weakness for them.

38. What classes did you enjoy most in college and why?

Think back to the classes that either resonated with your passion or truly helped you to develop skills that you believe will help you in your career. Talk about those.

39. What type of extracurricular activities are you a part of?

Discuss the clubs / activities you were in, share a personal story about why you enjoyed it and then describe how it's helped shape you to be who you are today. For example, I enjoyed rock climbing because it taught me the value of practicing hard at a sport to become skilled in it. I bring this same diligence to my work approach today as well.

40. How do you deal with conflict in the workplace As Hardware Store Manager?

When people work together, conflict is often unavoidable because of differences in work goals and personal styles. Follow these guidelines for handling conflict in the workplace.

☛ 1. Talk with the other person.
☛ 2. Focus on behavior and events, not on personalities.
☛ 3. Listen carefully.
☛ 4. Identify points of agreement and disagreement.
☛ 5. Prioritize the areas of conflict.
☛ 6. Develop a plan to work on each conflict.
☛ 7. Follow through on your plan.
☛ 8. Build on your success.

41. Give me an example of when you competed hard and won?

You can reference many different areas here when discussing a story of where you won in competition: Work experience (ideal), sports, clubs, classes, projects.

42. What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role As Hardware Store Manager?

Start by explaining what you'd need to do to get ramped up. What information would you need? What parts of the company would you need to familiarize yourself with? What other employees would you want to sit down with? Next, choose a couple of areas where you think you can make meaningful contributions right away. (e.g., “I think a great starter project would be diving into your email marketing campaigns and setting up a tracking system for them.”) Sure, if you get the job, you (or your new employer) might decide there's a better starting place, but having an answer prepared will show the interviewer where you can add immediate impact-and that you're excited to get started.

43. How would you define success?

Success is defined differently for everybody. Just make sure the parameters are defined by you with regards to work life balance, financial gain, career growth, achievements, creating meaningful work / products and so forth. If you can clearly articulate what it means to you that is a strong answer.

44. Where do you see yourself professionally five years from now As Hardware Store Manager?

Demonstrate both loyalty and ambition in the answer to this question. After sharing your personal ambition, it may be a good time to ask the interviewer if your ambitions match those of the company.

45. Do you have any questions for me?

Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. Describe to me the position As Hardware Store Manager 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.

49. 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.

50. Explain an occasion when you had to adapt in the face of a difficult situation?

One of the most useful interview tactics is to remain positive about your work and achievements. This question lets the candidate draw on their own personal history to show how they have been positive and successful in the face of difficulties. Choose a specific occasion to describe, rather than dealing with generic platitudes.

51. What schedule do you hope to work? Are you willing to work extra hours?

Be honest. If you really want the job and are willing to work any schedule needed, say so. If, however, you have no intention of working late hours or weekends, simply let the interviewer know the hours that you are available to work. The same applies to extra hours. You are more likely to be hired if you are willing to work any time you are needed. However, saying that you are willing and then complaining about the hours once you start working is a recipe for disaster.

52. 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.

53. How much do you expect to get paid As Hardware Store Manager?

For this be prepared and research salary to find out what similar positions are paying in your area before you go to the interview. Try to find this information out before giving your salary expectations. You can and should provide a range instead of an exact number. But again, don't say any numbers you're not comfortable with because if the employer offers you a salary at the lowest end of your range, you don't have much to negotiate with when it comes to getting a higher salary.

54. 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.

55. Give an example of a time you successfully worked As Hardware Store Manager 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.

56. What does quality work mean to you?

Quality work to be is about doing work to the require or set standard, which is very important when it comes to warehouse operations.

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. What is your biggest achievement?

Quality work to be is about doing work to the require or set standard, which is very important when it comes to warehouse operations.

59. 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.

60. What do you think we could do better or differently?

This is a common one at startups. Hiring managers want to know that you not only have some background on the company, but that you're able to think critically about it and come to the table with new ideas. So, come with new ideas! What new features would you love to see? How could the company increase conversions? How could customer service be improved? You don't need to have the company's four-year strategy figured out, but do share your thoughts, and more importantly, show how your interests and expertise would lend themselves to the job.

61. What problems have you encountered at work?

Wow, do we have problems! Where do I begin? Well, most of the problems are internal, just people not working well with each other. I have one person on our team who is a real problem, but it seems like management is afraid to do anything about it. So we all end up having to do extra work to cover for this person, who just doesn't work. We all say that he's retired in place. I think he's just holding on until retirement in a couple years. But he's a real problem. I complain about it--a lot--but nothing ever seems to get done. I've even written negative reviews about the person, hoping he will get canned, but it doesn't happen. I can't wait for him to retire.