36) How do you minimize the risk of errors in your work
This type of interview question is usually asked to check the candidate’s level of accuracy. Most interviewers ask this question because they want to know how much you can work with minimal errors. Interviewers always ask accounting candidates this question. This is a competency-based question that checks a candidate’s accuracy competency.
You should take note of the following when answering this question:
- Give an example of a work that you have done earlier
- Give instances of your accuracy
- Show the interviewer that you are capable of the work You should avoid the following:
- Avoid giving answers that are not related to the question
Sample Answer
“Working as an accountant, I know how errors can sabotage the whole accounting process. In the early years of my career, I used to double-check my work to make sure that all the details are entered correctly, but later I discovered that checking the work twice is not enough so I decided to start checking the accuracy of the data even before I start entering them. So I stopped checking my work twice and started checking it several times”.
37) How do you deal with stress?
Employers know that everyone feels stressed at one point or the other while performing their tasks. So when you are asked interview questions about how you deal with stress, the interviewer does not expect you to say that you don’t feel stressed. The interviewer only wants to know how stress affects you and how you go about dealing with it.
When you are answering this question, you pay attention to the following:
- Give an example of how you have handled stress well in the past
- Talk about a stressful situation that is related to the work
- Walk the interview through how you managed stress previously You should avoid doing the following:
- Avoid talking about a stressful situation that is not related to the job
- Avoid talking too much about the stress rather than how you were able to manage it
- Avoid giving answers like this “I never feel stressed”
Sample Answers
“I know that sometimes it is hard to avoid stress, but I try to face the situation, rather than being stressed. Regardless of how much work I have to do, I make sure that I tackle the situation rather than being overwhelmed by the problem. That way, I handle the situation better and don’t get stressed. For example, when I dealt with an unsatisfied customer that was really angry and was ready to give a negative review about our product. Instead of feeling stressed, I
concentrated on finding out what her challenge was exactly and looked for ways to help her get the problem solved addressing it to the right channel. My ability to remain calm when dealing with the unsatisfied customer reduced my stress and the stress that the customer may face”.
“For me, communication is key to a stressful situation. Many times I communicate as much as possible to make sure that I am on the same page with everyone involved in what I am working on. It reduces errors and cuts down stress to a very large extent. In my previous job, I was working on a project with another team and found out that after a while we had a different approach to the same project. I called for a stand-up meeting so that we can come to a logical conclusion and carry on with the project. At the end of the day, we agreed on one vision and the project went on successfully”.
38) How do you plan to ensure you complete a number of tasks effectively?
Most times employers or interviewers ask this question so that they can understand how you are able to juggle tasks. This question basically assess your ability to multi-task.
Multi-tasking is one of the abilities that employers look forward to when trying to get a new hire because most times, you may not always do the things that are in your job description. You may likely be asked to perform another task side by side with your major task.
When you are answering this question, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Give an example of a time that you managed multiple tasks
- Walk the interviewer through your multi-tasking process and how you were able to meet up with deadlines
Always avoid errors like:
- Telling the interviewer how much you hate multi-tasking
- Avoid giving short or too general answers like; “I love multi-tasking a lot” “I always find a way to get anything done”
Sample Answers
“No matter the number of tasks I have to complete, I always calm down first and figure the best way to go about completing the task. Whenever I have multiple tasks to complete, I start by organizing the tasks from the most important to the least important task, then I would start working on the most important task. If I am experiencing any challenge working on any of the tasks, I don’t hesitate to ask a professional for assistance”.
“Whenever I have multiple tasks to complete, I, first, of all, maintain a positive mindset on the whole task and avoid getting frustrated. I then come up with a plan to carry out the task and meet up with the set deadline. And if I cannot meet up with the set deadline I would politely ask for an extension”.
39) What was the biggest change you had to deal with in your previous employment? How did you handle it?
Change is one thing that is unavoidable in life, both in your personal and career life. When interviewers ask you questions about how you dealt with a change, they simply want to know how well you can handle change when the situation arises.
The interviewer would love to know how flexible you are, and how you can deal with change because it is inevitable sometimes.
You can answer this question well with the following guidelines:
- Give an example of a real-life situation where you dealt with change
- Talk about how the change affected your job and how you were able to deal with the situation regardless of the change
- Don’t forget to mention that change is a pet of the work life, that all you have to do is to embrace it and work with it
You should also avoid:
- Capitalizing on the negative change
- Avoid criticizing the factor that led to the change
Sample Answers
“I understand that change happens and it may likely happen when one is not prepared for it. No matter how the change comes, I try to maintain a positive attitude toward it and understand the purpose of the change. This approach helps me get used to the change quickly and set my eyes on the goals that we set to achieve.
In my previous position, I was working as a content developer charged with the full responsibility of developing content for the websites. Then the company hired a new content developer without stating what my contribution would be. I walked up to my supervisor and asked her about my contribution to the team, she explained to me that I will handle the more complex content while the new hire takes care of the other ones. This gave me better clarity on my role, and I could help the new hire get used to her role too”.
“I know that change can happen when you least expect it, but whenever a change happens I keep an open mind to embrace it. In my previous employment, I got used to working alone with little or no supervision at all. The director hired a manager that I was supposed to report to.
Understanding her goal for a project was a bit of a struggle for me, but as time went on I came up with a plan to have a meeting with her before I start working on any project to make sure that we are on the same page. As time went on I understood her perfectly and we achieved more working together as a team.
40) How do you build relationships with other members of your team?
The relationship that you build with your team members goes a long way to determining how productive you will be at work. Teamwork is always one top skill that employers look out for when they are trying to get a new hire.
Employers ask this question to see how well you can work in a team and to see a level of relationship you have with other employees
When you are answering this question, you should focus on the following:
- Use specific examples
- Demonstrate your interpersonal skills even from the way that you speak with the interviewer
- Emphasize with your answers that you build a good relationship with people You should avoid the following:
- Focusing on the negative or blaming another person
- Avoid showing any trait that may likely play down on your interpersonal skills
Sample Answers
“I understand that building a good relationship with team members will increase productivity. When I am new to a team, I try to first understand the personalities of team members.
Understanding their personality type will help you better deal with them. I also get interested in what they do and show concern about their interest and goals, then we can communicate on a more shared ground”.
“I build an interpersonal relationship with my team members by building interest around what they do. In my current job, I always take a look at what someone has done and give a form of review or an opinion about how it can be better, or simply encourage good work. I was known to be the eagle’s eye of my team”.
Brain Teasers Interview Questions and Answers
Brain teasers are questions that are abstract. This kind of question will require you to come up with a good answer based on logic and analysis. Interviewers use this kind of question to check
your problem-solving abilities through your thought process. Most times, the interview does not expect you to get the answers right at once.
Employers that use brain teasers interview questions are employers that are interested in knowing your approach to solving a problem and your creativity. Oftentimes, IT-related companies use brain teasers to understand the candidate’s analytic skills.
