BBA EVENING- 7TH SEMESTER

Course Name: Speech Communication

Topic: Interview Question and Answers

ASSIGNMENT-2

Submitted To: Sir Asif Ullah Pirzada

Submitted by: Abbas Haider Zaidi (EP-1802064)

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 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1) Tell me something about yourself.

Well, I am a poised, hardworking and a very professional individual. I have always carried out all the
tasks given to me without reluctance, clearly provided by my seniors. I have also been a good mentor to
my juniors and never hesitate to guide them. Then again, I am a creative person and I love to test my
boundaries and to do so, I keep trying to think out of the box.

Q2) Describe who you are. Or tell me about your background.

I am currently perusing my Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from UoK, Karachi. I am a hard-working

individual and very detail oriented. I have had an excellent academic background and have worked as a
Business Development Executive in my previous company. I had worked with intent of making the
futures of my customers easier to navigate. This work had gained great benefits for me and the
organization I had worked for.

Q3) What are your strengths and weaknesses?

I have the ability to work efficiently with diverse kinds of people. Therefore, I would say that
organizational skills are one of the strongest points about me; I met all the deadlines in time, while
completing a project which included coordinating with various departments of the company. Also, during
the venture, I worked on my multi-tasking skills as well.

Q4) You have not done your PG yet. This is not a drawback, but don’t you think you
should get a PG degree ASAP?

Holding a PG degree is very essential, and getting one from a reputed institute will be a plus point. I am
looking for programs with weekend classes and as soon as I find one, I will definitely enroll myself into
it. As of now, I am looking for other opportunities like starting a new business and want to give that more
time and effort.

Q5) You have changed jobs/jumped ship too many times already, why so?

These shifts in jobs, I believe were not expected but now when I come to think of it, I believe they were
essential. Each job revealed their benefits; they helped me develop my organizational skills, solve critical

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issues more efficiently, made me accustomed to diverse cultures and work environments. In order to learn
more and gain experience, it is vital to shift jobs.

Q6) What are your strong points? Or what are your strengths?

I am passionate towards my work and I am not a person who leaves work midway. I never lose focus,
even if I have deadlines to meet. I also have good communication skills which means I can deal quite well
with my clients as well as with my co-workers. My poised nature and the ability to grasp things rapidly
help me to resolve critical issues well.

Q7) What is your greatest fear?

Well, my family calls me a workaholic; I get work home because I care about it too much and work hard.
I am slowly working on the speed of my work and striving to work smartly, that is, asking help from co-
workers and using available workarounds.

Q8) If I call up your current or previous reporting manager now, what will be their opinion
about you? What will they say that you need to work on?

My previous manager did not write anything under the area of improvement. I had received an
outstanding rating by him. I had kept the other employees motivated and achieved all my targets in time
and beyond expectations.

Q9) Do you have any serious medical issues?

I do not have any serious medical issues.

Q10) Did you ever have a conflict with your current/previous boss or professor?

I have never come under a conflict with my previous boss. Since I am good listener, I always looked for
chances in resolving matters in the organization. However, I did come into a mere conflict with my
professor. It was over a question in the final exam and most of my friends had not attempted it due to
uncertainty; when the matter was taken to the professor, he rebuked me for being inattentive in class. My
batch mates also argued with the professor, but that was not fruitful as he did not compensate for it.

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Q11) What does your friends/co-workers say about you?

I like to build strong professional relationships with my teammates; I keep them motivated with my
enthusiastic nature and since I am a good listener, some of them become good friends. Hence, whatever
they’ll say about me, I am sure, will be positive.

Q12) What did you do in the last year to improve your knowledge?

I am focusing on graphic designing, management skills and digital marketing for carrying out my online
business. Hence, I took courses one on-campus of graphic designing from Aptech and two online for
digital marketing which were taken from Udemy.

Q13) Explain the difference between group and team. Are you a team player?

Simply put, a group is a collection of people who coordinate their efforts and, a team is a group of
individuals who share a common team purpose and a number of challenging goals. Members of the team
are mutually committed to the goals and to each other. Well, I would say I am a team player; I am an
active listener and help my colleagues a lot. I also resolve critical issues quickly and communicate well
with my peers. Also, as a team player, I have held myself accountable for the mistakes done by the other
members as its tasks are mutually done.

Q14) What is your ideal company or workplace?

My ideal workplace or company is the one that values my efforts even as a fresher and motivates me to
share my viewpoints. It is one that will bring out the best in me through challenges and enhance my skills.

Q15) Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?

Yes, I had fired and it didn’t feel good at all. The employee was a poor performer and the team was
suffering with sales and profit. He wasn’t motivating other colleagues and mostly, others were getting
frustrated by his work. Hence, the difficult decision had to be taken.

Q16) What is the most difficult thing that you’ve ever accomplished? or What is the most
difficult thing you have ever done?

Working on my business was the most difficult thing I had ever done. In the past few months, I had
started a small business of my own, and the efforts made day and night exhausted me to the core. I was
tensed because a lot of investment was put in and everything had to be applied at once like finance,

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marketing, management and the like. Even though the launch of the product was late, I managed to
achieve my targeted sales.

Q17) What is the difference between hard work and smart work?

Hard work is completing the work on time with more effort and smart work is completing the work on
time, with lesser effort. Smart work means using the available workarounds and getting your work done
quickly. In today’s competitive environment I believe one has to master both the work in order to be
successful.

Q18) How do you feel about working weekends and night shifts?

I am personally not comfortable working weekends and night shifts on a daily basis as it gets frustrating
and affect the mental health of an employee. However, if the organization requires my contributions
during an emergency or in completing a tough deadline, then I will surely work for it.

Q19) Where do you see yourself 3 years from now? or Where do you see yourself in 5
years?

Well, I see myself as a successful entrepreneur who has opened up a large outlet in the clothing industry. I
want to work and use my managerial skills to establish a prosperous brand of my own. 5 years from now,
I see myself financially strong.

Q20) Give an example of a time you had to respond to an unhappy manager/ customer/
colleague/ professor/ friend.

I once had to respond to a very frustrated customer, who came up to the organization with a complaint.
He was angrily shouting at my colleague who was about to retaliate harshly. I then spoke to the customer
in a calm manner; being a good listener, I heard both the side of the story and apologized to the customer
for the inconvenience caused on the organization’s part- the delivery of the wrong product. He understood
and the issue was resolved quickly.

Q21) How quickly do you adapt to new technology?

I am very quick to adapting new technology. This is because I keep myself mentally prepared for
changes. In this dynamic work environment an individual has to keep pace with the new technology in
order to accomplish tasks easily. I have even taken courses for graphic designing, for instance, and will
further take if required.

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Q22) What software packages are you familiar with?

I am an expert in Operating Systems like Windows and Linux and also proficient with Microsoft Word,
Excel and PowerPoint from the Microsoft Office Suite. I also possess good knowledge of Photoshop and
AutoCAD.

Q23) On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate yourself as a leader?

I’ll give myself a rate of 8/10 as a leader. I was the captain of my team during my school and college days
and my team had gained victory under my leadership. I have accomplished tough deadlines under my
leadership and always kept my team members motivated.

Q24) What makes you angry?

I get frustrated when I am accused of something I haven’t done. In a team, when I witness there is
absence of discipline and coordination; when the job is not taken seriously by team members and
mistakes are made often really gets me angry.

Q25) Are you open to take risks? or Do you like experimenting?

I believe it’s beneficial to take up new ventures and challenges. This will help in learning new things,
gain new experiences. Like, even if mistakes are made, it will prevent me from making it the next time. I
am also adaptive to changes and any new and fruitful change will be taken up immediately.

Q26) What are your future goals? Tell me about your short term and long-term goals.

My short-term goal is to join a reputed firm where I can polish my skills and enhance my abilities as a
manager. My long-term goal is to become and entrepreneur; when I’ll establish a brand of my own with
the experience and skills gained by working in the firm.

Q27) What motivates you?

Well, accomplishing my tasks in the given time motivates me the most. This is because I come to know
about my strengths, my capabilities and points I need to work on. This also helps me in achieving more
and more in life which keeps me going.

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Q28) What are your hobbies? Or What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about singing. I have participated in many singing competitions and won titles and
awards for my school, college and university. I also compose songs with known composers.

Q29) What are your biggest achievements till date?

Well, I have received the title of “Voice of Karachi”, have released two of my compositions, won debate
and singing competitions; these are non-work related. My biggest work related achievement was when I
updated a new version of a product for my company within the budget and deadline. The CEO was very
impressed by my work and recognized my efforts during the annual meeting.

Q30) What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of that moment when I had achieved the targeted sales of my clothing business even
when the launch of the product was late. Since there was a lot investment incurred, the late launch got me
a bit anxious about the sale at the right time but the hard work and efforts of my team paid off.

Q31) What has been your biggest failure?

Well, once I was assigned to complete a task of calling potential clients for a deal which was quite
important for my organization. I was accomplishing my targets gradually. I was very eager to complete it
before the given deadline and when I was making my last call, I skimmed through the details and
mentioned a few. Later on, the deal was cancelled by the client as he explained that all of the information
was not given to him and we could not be trusted. All my efforts went down the drain and the
organization could not reach their target profits.

Q32) What do you always regret? or Do you have any regrets?

During my second semester exams, I had the opportunity to join an internship program for graphic
designing provided by a well reputed firm. I regret turning it down. I could have managed but with the
exams lined up, I became a little anxious and didn’t sign up for the internship.

Q33) How do you respond to change?

I always think positive of any situation; keeping in mind my objective and goal I practically handle
changes and make the best out of it.

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Q34) Are you demanding as a boss?
I become a demanding boss when the project at hand is crucial for the firm and when tasks are not
completed as per expectations. This is because I feel the need for it. However, I always try to delegate
work equally and help my peers as much as possible.

Q35) Are you an organized person?

Yes, I am very organized. I keep my files, documents, certificates, labeled and in specific places. I get
annoyed when someone pits my things here and there without informing me or in an disorganized
manner.

Q36) Can you describe your time management skills?

I make a list of all the tasks assigned to me by my seniors along with their respective deadlines. Those
which are unclear or not dated are completed first or those that are very crucial for the firm are
accomplished first. I also set a time limit for each task so that I don’t lag behind. Some of the work is
delegated to other members that are able to do it efficiently.

Q37) What’s your absenteeism record like?

Well, I have never taken leaves during my academic years of life. Even in my previous job, I have never
skipped a day. If I’ll ever be absent then it will definitely be due to a health issue or an emergency or
punctuality will and always remain my first priority.

Q38) Are you reliable? or Can I trust you with responsibilities?

I am very enthusiastic in completing my tasks and encouraging others to do so. I can be trusted with
responsibilities because I believe in fulfilling them no matter what it takes.

Q39) What are the three things that are most important for you in a job?
The three most important things for me in a job are professionalism, a good work-life balance and
recognition by superiors.

Q40) What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
The toughest decision I ever had to make was when I had to terminate my team member because of his
poor performance for about three months straight. It was difficult for me because he was facing personal
and financial issues that time but I had to make the right call for the organization.

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Q41) If you won a Rs.10-crore lottery, would you still work?
Yes I would. I would have used the amount in a fruitful investment and continued working in order to
gain experience and enhance my skills.

Q42) Give me an example of your creativity.

When a new product was launched of my previous company we had to increase market share and reach
the target in five months. I thought of working with two content writing interns and creating a blog and
promoting it on our social media platforms. Soon we created a fan base with videos on Instagram, product
teasers on Twitter and responsive comments on Facebook. During the first three months we achieved
more than half of what was expected from us. This is one of my creativity examples.

Q43) What makes you happy?

A good workout makes me happy. When I am energized after exercising I feel mentally fresh and I am
able to deliver quality work. Also, going on small non-work events with my colleagues makes me happy
as I get to know them better. Spending time with family and singing also add to the things that make me
happy.

Q44) How do you work under pressure? Can you handle the pressure?
I work really well under pressure. I had realized this back in my school days when I sat to study for my
exams and make assignments right before the due date. I found ways to get my work done quicker.
Hence, I have the ability to handle it well. It also gives me the opportunity to know my strengths better so
I don’t mind working under pressure at all.

Q45) Are you willing to relocate or travel?

Well, if the relocation means more benefits, rewards and conveniences then I would definitely consider it.

Q46) What do you know about us or our company?

Yours is the leading firm in the city and the mission and the objectives of the firm align with those of
mine. I have heard that you give challenging tasks to your employees regardless of their positions which
keep them on their toes and help them develop skills. Your firm offers promising career opportunities
which I want to avail.

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Q47) How long do you think you will work for us after we hire you?
Well, I believe in long hauls. I have worked in two firms and stayed there for more than 3 years. I plan to
stay here for a long time because as far as I have researched, your company will provide with promising
career opportunities. Hence, I’ll stay till my efforts are rewarded and valued in the organization.

Q48) Are you applying for other jobs? Do you have any other offer in hand?
I had received a verbal offer for a job position in HR and I was supposed to receive an application
regarding it but I haven’t yet. Apart from that I have not applied to any other jobs than this.

Q49) Why do you want to work for us or our company? or Why do you want this job?
I believe in team-work. When I saw the job opening article I eagerly wanted to be a part of your firm.
Also, being a team leader, I believe that working as a team and group will bring long term success. Even
your corporate community services made me apply for the job opening; I want to work on my personal
philosophies as well.

Q50) Do you know anyone who works for us?

Well, my batch mates father works here and he has always encouraged me to join your firm even when
he’s not part of it. He has shown me the possible benefits of joining your company and portrays a good
picture of it.

Q51) Why should we hire you? or Why should I hire you?

Sir, I have a great communication, organizational skills and I am an enthusiastic learner. I also possess the
desired skill set and experience for this job. I have successfully carried out projects right from inception
to delivery and I firmly believe that if I get the chance to demonstrate my skills and abilities, it will be
excellent for my future and for the growth of this esteemed organization as well.

Q52) What are your salary expectations?

Well, once my responsibilities are clear then I could state an exact figure. However I believe that you
must be paying someone on the same position currently in the organization so I would prefer to know that
package. After this discussion we both can agree to something mutual.

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Q53) Do you have a good work ethic?
I have maintained a professional and a friendly work environment in my previous job. I always complete
my tasks as per schedule and never missed a deadline.

Q54) How do you deal with feedback and criticism?

A constructive criticism does no harm. In fact, it makes one learn about their strengths and weaknesses. I
have made mistakes many a times and have taken feedback and criticism positively. It has led to creating
a work-friendly environment where I discuss such things with my superiors.

Q55) Why do you want to leave your current job?

I have worked with experienced and skilled people in my current job and have exhausted all the
challenges that could be there for around four years. Hence I want to take up new and different challenges
and open ways for more learning opportunities.

Q56) Your interview is more or less coming to an end when the interviewer asks you, “Do
you have any questions for me?”
Yes, I do. What’s the most exciting part of your job and how has your experience been so far in this
organization?

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