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 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.
"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 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.
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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