At PepsiCo, we value individuals who take initiative. Can you give me an example of a time you did something without being asked?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Entry Level Example
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Taking initiative displays your capacity to be a strong leader at PepsiCo. No matter your role, there is always an opportunity to be proactive in your approach to your work. PepsiCo strives to hire individuals who demonstrate solid leadership skills, and this question is an opportunity for your interviewer to see if you have those leadership skills.

Impress the interviewer by showing how you manage your workload and take action before anyone has the chance to ask you first. Point to a specific example where you made a difference at work by doing something that wasn't expected of you.

"I am a natural mentor, and I always offer a hand whenever I notice a fellow student struggling in class that I excel in. I never wait for someone to ask me for help because I know how hard that can be to struggle silently. I try to share my knowledge and experience with others as often as possible to help them succeed."

"I often find myself taking the initiative without being asked. That will include training staff members on a new procedure, calling customers to follow up on their orders, or taking random inventory counts."

"I noticed the numbers were off on a shipment I delivered to a customer. They ordered 30 cases, and we only delivered 25. When I made the delivery, I let the customer know we would deliver the additional cases the next day, and I called my manager to find out what went wrong. After making that observation, my manager and the client appreciated my sense of urgency and my ability to take action."