Microsoft Finance Internship Mock Interview
Practice 30 Microsoft Finance Internship interview questions covering Excel modeling, financial analysis, and behavioral scenarios.
Question 10 of 30
Describe the difference between working hard versus working smart.
Example Answer
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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.
"They're not mutually exclusive. One should always do both. I start every job by working hard and evaluating where there is room for improvement. Once I get the hang of something I'll evaluate how I can kaizen that opportunity. First, focus on quality, then quantity. By the end, it should take me less effort to produce the same quality of work."
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.
This question sheds light on your grasp of the difference between the two. By determining your familiarity with this concept, they can ascertain your work experience and fitness for the role. They are also looking for insights into your work style and ethic. Putting in hard work can equate to putting in long and taxing hours. Working smart exemplifies your ability to prioritize, organize, and effectively manage your time and strategize how to complete a project or any given task.
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.
Recognize the importance of this question, offering your insights and your field expertise. Frame yourself as a leader, acknowledging the time and place for working hard versus working smart, and how they play into your leadership skills when performing the work yourself versus delegating. Often when working smarter, the hard work you'd otherwise put in is cut in half, lightening your workload and contributing to effective time management.
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