A.F. Ferguson & Interview
Questions

6. At A.F. Ferguson & we have many local competitors. In your opinion, what makes us stand out from the crowd? It is crucial that you research A.F. Ferguson & Co. before your interview and be sure to learn about their business landscape. Who are their competitors? What are customers saying online? Check out some favorite review sites to get an idea of what the public is saying about A.F. Ferguson & Co. vs. their local competitors. Keep your answer positive and complimentary. Here is an answer example: "After researching A.F. Ferguson & Co. online, I found that you stand out from the many ways that you give back to your community. On the A.F. Ferguson & Co. website, as well as third-party review sites, people are talking about the charitable contributions and generosity coming from A.F. Ferguson & Co.. These factors make your company a big stand-out to me because I am serious about working for an organization that is aware of their social impact." Here is an answer example: "I believe that A.F. Ferguson & Co. has superior services and products. Your competitors seem to scratch the surface with some, but your offerings are so much more robust."7. A.F. Ferguson & values philanthropy and community giving. How do you choose to give back to others? The interviewer would like to know that you are socially responsible and a team player - even outside of the workplace. Your answer can be as simple as babysitting your grand-kids every Sunday, to a standing-volunteer gig, to charitable contributions. Here is an answer example: "I work a lot but, when I do have free time, I spend that with my grand-kids. It helps to give my son a bit of a break as he is a full-time single dad. In addition to this, I volunteer at the local drop-in center every Christmas to help feed the homeless. Giving back is very important to me." Here is an answer example: "Volunteering and charitable acts are important to me. I spend time volunteering at the local drop-in center every Sunday."8. At A.F. Ferguson &, our primary work is to cater to other businesses. What do you foresee as the biggest challenge working in the commercial services industry? Working in the commercial services industry can be challenging for a few reasons. You are working with businesses who have tight deadlines, varying business hours, and multiple departments with different needs. Briefly talk to the interviewer about the challenges you foresee in this role with A.F. Ferguson & Co.. Remain positive and complete your answer by commenting on your abilities to meet these challenges. Here is an answer example: "This position sounds very exciting, and I understand that all roles come with their challenges. If I had to comment on potential challenges, I think the biggest one will be to learn this new industry and the language that comes with communicating with your clients. I am confident; however that I will meet your expectations as I am a quick and diligent learner." Here is an answer example: "As in many industries, I believe that the biggest challenge in business is competing with all of the global e-commerce based organizations. They have less overhead and thus, can offer lower pricing. With that said, I do believe that A.F. Ferguson & Co. does a great job when it comes to building value for your customers."9. Customer service is our top priority at A.F. Ferguson &. What is your customer service philosophy? Because A.F. Ferguson & Co. puts so much effort into their customer service reputation, the interviewer needs to be confident that your customer service values align with theirs. Be sure to research the A.F. Ferguson & Co. website and take note of any keywords they use when it comes to their customers. Match your language with theirs. Here is an answer example: "I noticed on your website that you put a lot of value into your customers by actively listening to their needs. You also survey them regularly while staying on top of industry trends so that you can provide them with innovative new services. To me, customer service goes beyond friendliness and efficiency. You need to understand your customer's business needs and have the ability to analyze their future needs so that you can respond appropriately to their business landscape changes." Here is an answer example: "As overused as this phrase may be, 'Service with a smile' has always been my customer service philosophy. Very few people can resist a great smile and a friendly interaction! Friendliness warms customers up, makes them more inclined to work with you, and also diffuses a conflict quickly."10. We value accountability at A.F. Ferguson &. If a customer sent a formal complaint about an interaction with you, how would you handle it? Assure the interviewer that you are a person of integrity who will take responsibility for any shortcomings in the workplace. Briefly explain to the interviewer that you will handle A.F. Ferguson & Co. customers with great care. Here is an answer example: "I understand that A.F. Ferguson & Co. has put a lot of work into building these long-term client relationships. If one of your clients complained about my communication with them, I would take full responsibility for my actions and issue an apology. I would also be open to feedback to avoid future incidences. Rest assured, in my 15 years of employment, I have not had any clients complain to my employer about my work ethic or delivery of service." Here is an answer example: "Constructive feedback is difficult to swallow at times, but it's helpful for me to remember that everyone receives constructive feedback from time to time. I will always do what is required of me to renew a client relationship."11. Do you fully understand what we do at A.F. Ferguson &? Questions such as these are why it is essential that you research A.F. Ferguson & Co. before your interview. Dive deep into what they do, who their competitors are, who their clients are, and the impact their services have on their customers. Keep your answer as brief as possible and ask for clarification if you need it. Here is an answer example: "From my understanding, the primary service offered by A.F. Ferguson & Co. is XYZ. You service large businesses such as A, B, and C. Without your services, most businesses would suffer because of 1, 2, 3. Would you like to provide me with more details on the core of your business?" Here is an answer example: "I feel that I have a good understanding of what you do at A.F. Ferguson & Co. from my research online, and on your website. With that said, I would love to hear more about it from your perspective."12. When have you contributed to an effort to obtain a corporate goal? Engaged employees are always the most productive. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of being an involved team member by assisting, in some way, to the end goal of the corporation. Here is an answer example: "My most recent employer had an extreme interest in giving back to the community. So much so that we, as a group, logged our volunteer hours and it was treated as another KPI. We would review our community contributions on a quarterly basis. Our goal was always to hit a minimum 500 volunteer hours per quarter which meant that everyone would volunteer one day per month. It was a great initiative and one that I happily participated in." Here is an answer example: "Everyday! The corporate goal is always my primary driver, in my current position. To be successful in my position I need to always be in tune with what my employer is trying to achieve, and be an active participant."13. We value diversity at A.F. Ferguson &. When have you worked amongst a diverse group of people? Are you accustomed to working with a very large or diverse team of individuals? Assure the interviewer that you can handle an environment that offers diversity. Here is an answer example: "I have worked with diverse groups of people most of my career, including my time in University. I am most comfortable, and happy, in this type of environment because it offers a great learning opportunity." Here is an answer example: "In my current role, I work alongside cross-functional teams regularly. Together, we manage our business and effectiveness. I enjoy the diversity component."14. At A.F. Ferguson &, we look to hire those who will be a long term fit. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? It's impossible to know where you will be in 5 years but you need to assure the interviewer that, given all possible circumstances, you could see yourself as a long-term fit for the position at A.F. Ferguson & Co.. Here is an answer example: "Ideally, 5 years from now, I would love to see myself growing into a more prominent leadership role within your organization. My career interests align very nicely with your company's goals which helps me to see a great long-term fit here." Here is an answer example: "5 years from now, I would like to supervise or manage a team of my own with A.F. Ferguson & Co.. I feel like I am progressing in my career at a rate that will make this a possibility."15. Sometimes the services and packages offered at A.F. Ferguson & can be confusing to new clients. How do you explain complicated concepts to those who may not understand? The interviewer wants to know that you are capable of explaining complex ideas without being condescending to your co-workers or talking over their heads. Give the interviewer an example of how you break down information to make it more easily digestible for the average person. Think of a presentation about a complex topic, as a proposal to solve a challenging problem. The solution may seem obvious to you, but everyone else in the room is scratching their heads trying to figure out what you're talking about. When you can define key terms and phrases to make them more relevant to your audience, you have skill! Not everyone can do this. Prepare an example that demonstrates your communication skills and your ability to convey complex information in easy to understand terms. Here is an answer example: "I find that when there is a complicated concept to teach, visual aids are always the way to go. Did you know that 65% of people are visual learners and that presentations with visual components are 43% more persuasive? I took a course on creating effective info-graphics and will often implement those in my presentations." Here is an answer example: "I use the K.I.S.S method...Keep it simple, silly! If you cannot explain it simply, you do not understand it well enough. I recently rolled out a complex compensation plan with many anomalies. I took the approach to share a broad overview and provide detail for reference. I often try to make analogies or share complex information in the form of a story."16. How did you maintain a good relationship with your most recent boss? The interviewer wants to know that you are capable of maintaining a harmonious relationship with those who are considered your leaders. If your relationship with your boss wasn't fantastic, what efforts did you take to make it better? Here are some suggestions: - Try to understand what your boss values the most - Keep your cool, even when you want to lose it - Anticipate their needs and stay one step ahead - Take leadership opportunities to show your worth - Adapt to their preferences Some basic ground rules for a stable working relationship with your boss are open communication, proactive listening, and not taking things personally. Discuss the ways that you cultivated a healthy relationship with your boss. Here is an answer example: "My current boss is a very particular individual. Over the years I have taken the time to understand her preferences, her stress triggers, and what she enjoys seeing in my work. I find that if I stay one step ahead and maintain a positive attitude, we can work productively together." Here is an answer example: "I value having a strong working relationship with my boss. I want to learn what they do and take on as much work to help our team as possible. I scheduled regular update meetings with my boss and went the extra mile wherever I could."17. Tell me why you are the right fit for A.F. Ferguson &, and this position. A successful hire needs to feel like the right fit by both parties. Express to the interviewer that you think this position is a stable fit for your experience and your career goals. Here is an answer example: "I feel that I am the right fit for this company because, from what you have described, my personality, skills, and drive are what you are looking for. The challenges that come with this position are all challenges that I welcome. I am confident that this is the right fit for both of us." Here is an answer example: "I am great at what I do, motivated, and I am an avid lover of your product. This mix creates a great match, in my opinion! Happy employees are more productive and; trust me, I would be thrilled to work at A.F. Ferguson & Co.."18. Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating. On a scale of 1-10, how skilled are you in communication? Why did you choose that particular rating for yourself? Here is an answer example: "I rate my communication skills as a 9/10 as I will, on occasion, have times when I am not as clear as I would like to be. My supervisor and co-workers will attest to my clear and concise communication skills. Because I am an open leader, my team will let me know if I need to clarify anything." Here is an answer example: "I will rate myself an 8.5 because I consider myself a strong communicator. It is the foundation of all success in business. I am always striving to be a better communicator, so I leave the rest of the scale as an aspirational measure."19. 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? There are many ways that you can be a fit for a position, even though you do not come with direct industry experience. Think about the variety of skills that you have and how those can benefit another employer, despite the industry. These are your transferable skills, and they can include sales abilities, customer service experience, and software capabilities. Here is an answer example: "Although my background is not in your precise industry, I have worked with many clients who have been in your industry. I bring excellent transferable skills that qualify me for this position. These skills include my advanced abilities in Excel, my outstanding cold-calling abilities as well as my proven background in team leadership." Here is an answer example: "I bring many transferable skills to this position and industry. My talents and skills revolve around helping people and making companies profitable. Customer service, problem-solving, and data analysis can cross any industry, and I am a pro at all three."20. Looking at your resume, it seems there are certain skills necessary for this position that do not stand out. How do you think you will be able to compensate for these missing skills? Most job descriptions will have a long list of requirements. Hiring managers are aware that, to find a candidate that checks ALL of the boxes, can sometimes be impossible. If you are missing some of the "nice to have" or even the "must have" skills listed in the job description, do not fret! Be open about your shortcomings and discuss with the interviewer how you plan to compensate for those. Here is an answer example: "nice to have" Here is an answer example: "I bring full dedication to learning, and mastering, any skills I do not currently have. I will compensate for any lacking skills through additional research. Also, I am happy to take any coursework that you feel would help."21. Outside of work, what type of creative activities do you like to pursue? A genuinely creative minded person will have outside activities aside from what's happening in the workplace. Tell the interviewer about the variety of ways in which you express your creativity. Here is an answer example: "Outside of work I like to attend dance classes and I also attend the odd paint and sip wine nights at a local wine shop. I also enjoy reading as a way of nurturing my creative side." Here is an answer example: "I think it's important to exercise creativity in a variety of ways. This reasoning is why I am involved in a variety of things such as team sports, reading, and art classes."22. How do you determine priorities when you have multiple projects due? When you feel torn between multiple projects or tasks, how do you decide which one needs your attention the most? Assure the interviewer that you can be diligent when it comes to assessing your priorities. Here is an answer example: "I will determine which project requires my attention by the number of hours we are behind and then the project size. I am comfortable delegating tasks when needed, but I am also aware that these times will require an additional commitment of hours from me. Never have I under delivered on a deadline." Here is an answer example: "Assuming that the projects have different stakeholders, I interview each to determine the value of increased productivity, morale or revenue, decreased costs, and the overall impact."23. At A.F. Ferguson & we value continued education and training. Tell me about your education. The interviewer wants to know how your education has prepared you for this job. A few highlights you can focus on are some of the relevant topics you learned about while attending your courses. How will they help you in this new role? What were some of the most exciting things you learned? Some ideas for you: - If you have experience working on group projects, share how you improved your listening and communication skills when working on a challenging project. - If you learned a new type of software or how to work a kind of equipment you will need to know in this new job, talk about what you know and how you will apply this new knowledge. While attending post-secondary studies, you likely learned some core skills that would be transferable to any position. Think about what you learned in your highest levels of education and how that knowledge applies (or will apply) to your work. Some of these skills could include: - Time Management - Creative Thinking - Proposal Writing - Public Speaking - Presentation Building - Independent Learning - Academic Research - Self-Motivation Here is an answer example: "I am a big believer in post-secondary education. It adds a lot of value to those newer to the workplace. My post-secondary education was in Communication and Journalism. The courses in this program helped me to develop stronger business relationships through professional correspondence. I also learned persuasive writing skills which have proven to be incredibly helpful when working on client proposals, and in negotiations." Here is an answer example: "I have a B.A. in English and Spanish. I graduated with a 4.0 from ABC College, and I also worked full time while going to school, so I not only learned in my courses but also learned a lot of time management skills and how I work best under some degree of pressure. Academically, I refined my writing skills as well as gave a keynote presentation to several hundred attendees, thereby working on my public speaking and presentation skills."24. Tell me about a time when you used good judgement and logic to solve a problem. The interviewer wants to hear about a particular situation where you used good judgment to solve a work-related problem. Be sure to showcase your logic and reasoning abilities. Share a brief overview of the problem, discuss the pro/cons of each decision you could have made, and tell the interviewer why the solution you chose was the best. Here is an answer example: "Just yesterday I had a customer who was upset because our sales associate would not refund a service that the customer had already used in full. She was outside of the 14 days return policy as well. I am the manager, so I stepped in to alleviate the situation. By showing the customer that I could meet her in the middle, she was able to calm down and reason with me. I did not refund her the full price; however, I offered her a $25 in service credit. I know this will cost my company mere dollars and, in the end, I had a happy customer again." Here is an answer example: "I had a customer who was unhappy with his purchase (the service in question cost over $20k). He then was unhappy with the way in which the arbitration process was heading, and although my team all said just to let him be and have him work with our Director of Operations to resolve the issue, I knew that I could lose a customer over a one time issue. I mediated the call, allowed him to air his grievances, and assured him that we would work together to solve the issue."25. What kind of people do you enjoy working with? Culture fit is a critical factor when looking for a new position. Talk to the interviewer about the types of personalities that you best work with. Be sure to remain positive and avoid using this as an opportunity to speak poorly of previous colleagues. Here is an answer example: "I best enjoy working with individuals who are driven, positive, energetic, and take accountability for their work. I do have the ability to work with a large variety of individuals; however, these are the ideal traits I would see in future colleagues." Here is an answer example: "Some other great characteristics of co-workers: - Encouraging - Helpful - Engaged - Positive - Hard-working - Punctual - Reliable"26. Tell me about a time when you took charge of a meeting. Was the outcome a positive one? The interviewer would like to know that you have the confidence to lead a meeting successfully. Think about a time when you have driven a meeting - big or small. This example could be a phone meeting, a lunch and learn, or a large client presentation. Begin by telling the interviewer the reason for the meeting, who was involved, and what approach you took to prepare for the meeting. Finally, be sure to mention why you felt the meeting was a success! What did you do in that meeting to create an effective and positive outcome? Here is an answer example: "My employer asked me to lead a lunch and learn meeting to train 15 employees on our new client management software. I was already a subject matter expert on the software so it wasn't difficult for me to plan the lesson. The challenge was making the content entertaining enough to keep the employees engaged. I created a strong PowerPoint presentation that included pop quiz questions throughout. The presentation was a success, and my employer asked me to lead a follow up meeting a few weeks later." Here is an answer example: "Just last week my boss had a personal emergency and could not make it in time for our monthly staff meeting. Everyone was already gathered, and so he called to ask me to take control of the meeting. I feel that I did a great job relaying the information and my boss was thankful for the way that I was able to step in."27. As a manager, who has been your greatest influence? A person that has defined what type of leader you wish to be. Have you had a strong mentor in your management career? Talk to the interviewer about what type of influences have shaped your management style. Here is an answer example: "The greatest influence in my career has been one of my Professors from University. Mr. Smith was my professor of Business Ethics, and I connected well with his teaching style. Even after graduating University, we kept in touch, and he has greatly influenced my coaching, teaching, and leadership style." Here is an answer example: "The first CEO I reported to has been a tremendous influence on my career. That person helped shape my work ethic and passion for business early on, which has helped me become a better business partner along the way in my career. I wish to be someone who is fair, demanding and supportive. Someone who cares about the customers and cares about our people."28. If you had $50,000 to build your own business, what would you do? If money was no object, what kind of business would you start? The interviewer will be able to learn something new and unique about you through this question. Avoid answers that would include building a business that competes with the hiring company. Here is an answer example: "If I had $50,000 to build my own business I would open up a community center in my neighborhood that offered inexpensive childcare, cooking classes, and other life skills programs. I am passionate about volunteering and see a strong need in those particular areas." Here is an answer example: "I would choose to invest the $50,000 into an existing business in an industry that my spouse has an interest in. I love what I do for a career, but she has always wanted to be an entrepreneur."29. When a problem arises, what is your first reaction? The interviewer wants to know if your reactions to problems reflect maturity and professionalism. How you react will significantly determine how you fit with the team at A.F. Ferguson & Co.. Perhaps your computer crashes, and you realize you may have just lost all of your hard work. Or maybe you are limited on time and have a deadline rapidly approaching. Demonstrate to the interviewer that you take a very methodical approach to problem-solving, rather than reacting in an impulsive way when a problem occurs. Here is an answer example: "When a major problem arises, my first instinct is to take a step back and absorb what just happened. I then go into " Here is an answer example: "I have taught myself to become much calmer with my first reactions when problems arise. Now, I will step back and review my options for solving the problem rather than allow myself to become frustrated."30. What are your salary expectations? The best way to discuss your salary expectations is to use your current earnings as an example. Be open, and honest. Transparency is the best choice when salary based questions arise. Here is an answer example: "Currently, I earn a base salary of $45,000 per year plus a potential 20% annual bonus. Last year my earnings were $52,000, and I would like to stay in the same range or slightly higher." Here is an answer example: "I am currently making $100,000 per year with two bonus opportunities. I am looking for compensation that is aligned with the role and provides an opportunity for growth."31. Strong time management is important at A.F. Ferguson &. How do you manage your time, even on the busiest days? The interviewer would like to know more about the types of tools you use to stay on task and meet deadlines. Discuss how you prioritize when everything demands your attention at once. Think about the ways you manage your projects and daily tasks and how those will help you to succeed in your role with A.F. Ferguson & Co.. Here is an answer example: "I manage my time by exercising the idea of 'time-blocking'. This approach means that I won't incessantly check my email; instead, I will allow myself to return emails in 30-minute time blocks, four times per day. Setting calendar alerts and personal deadlines for myself has also helped a lot." Here is an answer example: "Very carefully! I prioritize deadlines and work that need to be done. Then work backward from there. When necessary, I utilize my resources and team to pitch in and contribute."