Sample Interview Questions and Answers

Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty to get something done or resolve a problem.

Have you ever heard someone say, that's not my job?

Have you ever returned to work after a well deserved vacation and found your in-basket overflowing, and lots of headaches waiting for you?

Annoying, isn't it?

This situational question is really asking you: Can you get outside of yourself and do something for the benefit of others, or the good of the company...even if it's not convenient?

Going above and beyond the call of duty doesn't mean repelling out of a helicopter or bungee jumping off a bridge.

Often times it's the little day to day things that you do that makes someone's job a little easier.

It's not only pleasant to work in a culture like this, but customers and vendors feel it too.

True Story

Her name was Lori.

She loved people and it showed in her attitude.

Before Lori came along, they burned and turned receptionists. It's was a thankless job that few could tolerate.

The phone rang constantly all day long. 80% of the callers were civil. The other 20% were upset, pushy, inconsiderate, or just plain rude.

This never phased Lori as she seemed to always see the good in everyone. I might add that Lori was not one of these fake happy types with the falsetto voice.

Have you ever noticed how most receptionists sound the same? They sound like avatars or robots.

Not Lori.

She was warm and engaging to everyone...especially customers.

And, they loved it.

Lori literally became the face of this company.

The secret to Lori's success is she went above and beyond the requirements of her job. She made it a point to know something personal about each customer which made them feel valued and appreciated.

She recognized their voices even if they didn't identify themselves when they called in.

If a good customer called in, and the customer was noticeably upset, Lori offered to interrupt a manager or go find them out in the plant.

Lori's attitude paid off handsomely for this company, and it even made up for the shortcomings of some less sensitive managers and staff.