3M Mock Interview

Practice 33 3M interview questions covering innovation, technical problem-solving, and collaboration.

Question 1 of 33

Tell me about your communication style.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Entry Level
What You Need to Know
Community Answers

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.

The interviewer would like to be assured that your communication style is a close match to the communication preferences of 3M. When answering any questions in your interview, you'll want the answers you deliver to be actionable and to showcase your work ethic. So, when communicating your answers to every question, display your knowledge of the company, and how much you have prepared for this interview. Briefly describe your communication style to the interviewer and be sure to include the ways in which you feel your communications styles align.

Kevin Downey

"I would say that my communication style is adaptive. I am an active listener. You never know how what you learn by just paying attention can help you in the future. Whether it is a supervisor sharing something with a teammate that wasn't directed towards you but is still useful information, or you find yourself in a confusing conflict situation with someone who is communicating emotionally rather than situationally. It is important to always adapt to the situation and the communication style of those around, and to be empathetic and listen. Similarly, I try to be concise and keep expectations simple to understand. If I had to sum up my communication style in a few words, I would say it is adaptive, concise, empathetic, and friendly. From the communication exchanges I have had with 3M so far, I believe our communication styles are a great fit."

Kevin Downey

As 3M recommends on their website, "In the time leading up to the interview: Get to know 3M as a company. 3M's Culture, 3M's YouTube, 3M's History, 3M's Core Technologies, 3M's News Center. Take time to make the connection between your past experiences and what the position requires. Study the description of the job that you applied for and be prepared to ask detailed questions about the responsibility and scope of the position. These could be questions about initiatives or projects, team culture or the scope of the role. Practice typical interview questions out loud. It really does help you feel more confident in the interview."

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Anonymous Answer

I'm trying to be formal and of course friendly to the customer and colleges. It has to be the right communication style to the right receiver.

Amanda's Feedback

This question helps give the potential employer insight into your level of self-awareness and helps them determine how well you'd fit within a particular team or the organizational culture as a whole. Remember, communication isn't just about the information you send out, but also how you actively listen or take information in. As with many other interview questions, it's important to be able to provide an example of a time when you communicated well and how that helped your team succeed. You can also share the benefits or drawbacks of your particular style. This demonstrates that you've taken the time to consider how you communicate with others as well as your own preferences around being communicated with.

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333M Interview Questions & Answers

Communication

1.Tell me about your communication style.

Diversity

2.Do you have experience working with diverse clients and co-workers across multiple time zones?

Adaptability

3.At 3M we have business partners and interests all over the world. Are you open to international travel? Is there anything that would restrict you from traveling for work?

Adaptability

4.Tell me about a time when you experienced a disruption, major change, or restructure at work.

Compatibility

5.What do you know about our company values and how do they align with your personal values?

Compatibility

6.In your opinion, what does 3M do to stand out from the rest?

Career Goals

7.Being a multi-national organization, there are many opportunities for career growth here. If hired, where would you like to take your career with 3M?

Career Goals

8.Tell me about your ideal workplace culture.

Experience

9.How do you plan to make an impact on our business in the first 90 days?

Accomplishment

10.Tell me about your greatest work-related accomplishment.

Communication

11.Tell me about a time when you made a suggestion for changes in an organization where you were employed.

Accomplishment

12.Tell me about the last time you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.

Career Goals

13.Have you ever taken a role in a company that hasn't fit into your long-term career plans?

Experience

14.What are your strengths?

Communication

15.What value do you place on communication and dealing with others at your current place of employment?

Compatibility

16.Considering your background is in an industry different from ours, what skills and characteristics do you have that qualify you for this position in this industry?

Career Goals

17.What type of work environment allows you to be the most productive?

Leadership

18.How do you like to encourage ideas in others?

Diligence

19.How would your co-workers describe your attention to detail?

Education

20.Tell me about your education.

Experience

21.I see you stayed with your previous companies less than five years. Talk to me about that.

22.What does integrity mean to you?

Performance Based

23.How do you define success?

Leadership

24.When have you had to lead by example?

Leadership

25.Who has been your greatest influence? A person that has defined what type of leader you wish to be.

26.How do you balance your personal life with your work life?

Problem Solving

27.What was the most challenging aspect of your previous job? How did you overcome it?

Problem Solving

28.What sources do you look to when solving complicated problems?

Salary

29.How do you feel about performance incentives?

Salary

30.What are your salary expectations?

Adaptability

31.If you had a co-worker call in sick and you were asked to take over their project requiring overtime from you, how would you approach the situation?

32.How would you rate your performance in this interview so far?

Ask The Interviewer

3M Mock Interview

Tell me about your communication style.

333M Interview Questions & Answers

1.Tell me about your communication style.

2.Do you have experience working with diverse clients and co-workers across multiple time zones?

3.At 3M we have business partners and interests all over the world. Are you open to international travel? Is there anything that would restrict you from traveling for work?

4.Tell me about a time when you experienced a disruption, major change, or restructure at work.

5.What do you know about our company values and how do they align with your personal values?

6.In your opinion, what does 3M do to stand out from the rest?

7.Being a multi-national organization, there are many opportunities for career growth here. If hired, where would you like to take your career with 3M?

8.Tell me about your ideal workplace culture.

9.How do you plan to make an impact on our business in the first 90 days?

10.Tell me about your greatest work-related accomplishment.

11.Tell me about a time when you made a suggestion for changes in an organization where you were employed.

12.Tell me about the last time you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.

13.Have you ever taken a role in a company that hasn't fit into your long-term career plans?

14.What are your strengths?

15.What value do you place on communication and dealing with others at your current place of employment?

16.Considering your background is in an industry different from ours, what skills and characteristics do you have that qualify you for this position in this industry?

17.What type of work environment allows you to be the most productive?

18.How do you like to encourage ideas in others?

19.How would your co-workers describe your attention to detail?

20.Tell me about your education.

21.I see you stayed with your previous companies less than five years. Talk to me about that.

22.What does integrity mean to you?

23.How do you define success?

24.When have you had to lead by example?

25.Who has been your greatest influence? A person that has defined what type of leader you wish to be.

26.How do you balance your personal life with your work life?

27.What was the most challenging aspect of your previous job? How did you overcome it?

28.What sources do you look to when solving complicated problems?

29.How do you feel about performance incentives?

30.What are your salary expectations?

31.If you had a co-worker call in sick and you were asked to take over their project requiring overtime from you, how would you approach the situation?

32.How would you rate your performance in this interview so far?

33.Do you have any questions that I can answer?