3M Mock Interview

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

Question 16 of 33

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?

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Kevin Downey
Kevin Downey

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.

Your interviewer is wondering how confident you are that this is the right position for you, and whether you have the experience level required to perform well in this job. As they say on their career site, "Job titles vary from company to company depending on the size and titles available in the organization, so having those responsibilities listed can help us figure out what your title equates to at 3M. And 3M managers may want to learn about you. Learn how your skills might be a fit at 3M." You can search for jobs on their website where they've posted hundreds of open positions. To adequately answer this question, you should not only have done your homework on the company and this position but also on your own experience, skills, and work history to identify all the ways you are the perfect candidate for them. It is all about relative and translatable experience and less about direct industry experience. Think about the variety of skills that you have and how those can benefit them. These are your transferable skills.

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