How do you balance your personal life with your work life?
Your interviewer has a vested interest in hiring someone who thinks of this job at 3M as a long-term employment opportunity. So, they not only need to make sure you are satisfied with your choice of career, and whether you experienced job satisfaction at your last employer, they need to determine whether you would have job satisfaction in this position. But, being aware, in most circumstances, that if they were to ask this question directly, a candidate would likely just tell them what they thought they wanted to hear. So, this question is an indirect way of getting to that same truth. Someone who experiences career or job dissatisfaction burns out easily on the job, and in their personal life, throwing off their work-life balance. Whereas someone who looks forward to the work they do is ambitious, proactive, and takes every measure to ensure their continued success in both spheres. Talk to the interviewer about how you are able to maintain that appropriate balance for yourself.
"For starters, I have strong priorities, and I manage my time well. I set aside time to manage all of my priorities with work, with my personal life, and all other matters which need attending to. For me, that is a quality of life issue. Then, with fewer worries of my own making, I can enjoy my time at work or at home all the more."
"I find that with the right company, it's pretty simple to balance life and work. When I enjoy what I do, my work never feels like a chore. I am always sure that, when at home, my family gets my attention first. I take time on the weekends to do things for myself and ensure that I regenerate before the workweek begins."
You'll be better equipped to answer this question by familiarizing yourself with the benefits 3M offers to their employees to contribute to their work-life balance. Offering these benefits is a way to ensure their employees' job satisfaction and contribute to their employee retention goals.
As they detail on their careers site, "3M offers many programs to help you live your best-both physically and financially. The 3M Healthy Living Program offers a variety of resources, rewards and incentives to help you live a more active and healthy life. Stress management coaching. Flexible work arrangements and programs that give employees the autonomy to customize when and where they work best. Fitness center discounts. Weight management program reimbursement. Confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Parenting resources, scholarship programs and personal growth resources. Tobacco cessation offerings. Resources to help you manage your medical care and make informed health care treatment choices."
"The perfect balance of work and life is difficult to achieve 100% of the time; however, I feel that in order to achieve a satisfactory balance, one must have hobbies outside of the workplace that they find fulfilling. These don't have to take up a lot of time, but they should help to energize you. For me, I like to go mountain biking on the weekends."
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