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.

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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.

"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

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

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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Jaymie

A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.

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30Microsoft Interview Questions & Answers

Behavioral

1.Tell me about yourself.

Behavioral

2.What steps do you take to keep your skills current?

Behavioral

3.What is your ideal job?

Behavioral

4.What do you hope to get out of this position?

Career

5.Where do you envision yourself in five years?

Discovery

6.How do you plan your days?

Behavioral

7.What is your favorite piece of technology? Why do you enjoy it?

Behavioral

8.Do you use Microsoft products or services? If so, which is your favorite, and why?

Behavioral

9.If you could change one thing about Skype, what would it be and why?

Experience

10.Describe the difference between working hard versus working smart.

Experience

11.Name something unique that you bring to the table.

Communication

12.If you only had 90 seconds, how would you explain the cloud to someone?

Behavioral

13.What motivates you to excel in a role?

Experience

14.Tell me about a project where your initial assumptions ended up being incorrect. What steps did you take that revealed this? How did you ensure you moved forward properly after?

Teamwork

15.How do you build and maintain functional relationships with colleagues working in other locations?

Leadership

16.Tell me about a time you had to manage an important project. How did you approach this, and how did you communicate your strategy?

Experience

17.Describe a time when you had to solve a problem but didn't have all the necessary information about it beforehand. What did you do?

Behavioral

18.Tell me about a time when you were under a lot of pressure? What was going on and how did you get through it?

Experience

19.Tell me about a time you had to think outside of the box to solve a problem.

Situational

20.Tell me about a time you experienced a conflict with a colleague.

Experience

21.Tell me about a time where you made a mistake?

Experience

22.Describe your biggest failure.

Company Knowledge

23.What keeps Amy Hood up at night?

Company Knowledge

24.Why would Microsoft finance acquisitions rather than use the $130+ billion in cash they currently have?

Experience

25.Describe your most challenging project. How did you ensure it was a success?

Communication

26.Describe a time when you had to deal with somebody who was assertive?

Customer Service

27.What is your approach to customer service?

Knowledge

28.How is AI going to change our every-day lives?

Analytical

29.You are given nine balls, one of which weighs less than the rest. You are also given a traditional two-sided scale. How many times do you need to weigh balls to determine which is the lightest one?

Communication

Microsoft Finance Internship Mock Interview

Describe the difference between working hard versus working smart.

30Microsoft Interview Questions & Answers

1.Tell me about yourself.

2.What steps do you take to keep your skills current?

3.What is your ideal job?

4.What do you hope to get out of this position?

5.Where do you envision yourself in five years?

6.How do you plan your days?

7.What is your favorite piece of technology? Why do you enjoy it?

8.Do you use Microsoft products or services? If so, which is your favorite, and why?

9.If you could change one thing about Skype, what would it be and why?

10.Describe the difference between working hard versus working smart.

11.Name something unique that you bring to the table.

12.If you only had 90 seconds, how would you explain the cloud to someone?

13.What motivates you to excel in a role?

14.Tell me about a project where your initial assumptions ended up being incorrect. What steps did you take that revealed this? How did you ensure you moved forward properly after?

15.How do you build and maintain functional relationships with colleagues working in other locations?

16.Tell me about a time you had to manage an important project. How did you approach this, and how did you communicate your strategy?

17.Describe a time when you had to solve a problem but didn't have all the necessary information about it beforehand. What did you do?

18.Tell me about a time when you were under a lot of pressure? What was going on and how did you get through it?

19.Tell me about a time you had to think outside of the box to solve a problem.

20.Tell me about a time you experienced a conflict with a colleague.

21.Tell me about a time where you made a mistake?

22.Describe your biggest failure.

23.What keeps Amy Hood up at night?

24.Why would Microsoft finance acquisitions rather than use the $130+ billion in cash they currently have?

25.Describe your most challenging project. How did you ensure it was a success?

26.Describe a time when you had to deal with somebody who was assertive?

27.What is your approach to customer service?

28.How is AI going to change our every-day lives?

29.You are given nine balls, one of which weighs less than the rest. You are also given a traditional two-sided scale. How many times do you need to weigh balls to determine which is the lightest one?

30.What questions do you have for me?