This question is a great way to learn more about your potential new employer. Price reporting agencies are often very similar, so it’s important that you’re comfortable with the culture and processes of Argus Media. If you’ve worked for another price agency before, explain what was most similar or different between the two companies.
Example: “In my last position at a local newspaper, I learned how to write concisely and clearly for a wide audience. This skill is important in journalism because we need to make sure our articles are easy to understand while still providing valuable information. In my current role as an editor, I’ve also had the opportunity to work with reporters who are new to the field. I think these experiences have helped me develop strong communication and mentoring skills.”
Example: “I use a variety of tools to keep track of market data, including Excel spreadsheets, Google Sheets and Microsoft Access databases. I find these tools useful for organizing large amounts of information and performing calculations on it. In my last role, I also used MarketPro software to monitor commodity prices in real time. This tool was especially helpful when working with clients who needed immediate updates.”
Example: “When I first started working as a commodities trader, I had to present information about the company’s financial status to my manager. Although I was familiar with the numbers, my manager knew more than me about the company’s overall strategy. Rather than try to explain everything in detail, I focused on the most important aspects of the presentation and asked questions if I didn’t know an answer. This helped my manager feel like they were still involved in the process while allowing me to show them that I understood the material.”
Example: “In my previous role, I had been working on a project that required me to use some new software. When I asked for permission to use the software, my manager said no because it was too expensive. However, I explained why I thought it would be beneficial to our company and offered to pay for it myself if it didn’t work out. My manager agreed, and I used the software successfully. In the end, my company saved money by using the software.”
This is a “homework” question, too, but it also gives some clues as to the perspective the person brings to the table. The best preparation you can do is to read the job description and repeat it to yourself in your own words so that you can do this smoothly at the interview.
Think of your top 3 mentors and what attributes they exhibit that you want to emulate. Common attributes include passion, desire, will, leadership, ability to influence others, intelligence.
Bad Answer: They dont know much about the company. If a candidate is serious and enthusiastic, they should have done some basic research. Good answer: An answer that shows theyve really done their homework and know what the company does, any important current events that involve the company, and the work culture.
Make sure you do your research on their competitors. You can find this by going to yahoo finance and click on their competitors (if they are public). From there research the news on them and go to their websites to understand their positioning on solutions and vision. You can also research local regional companies that are their competition (if its a smaller private company on a regional scale) by simply typing in similar product offerings in the Google search followed by the city. Make sure you know their competitors vision, products, culture, and how they are differentiated against their competition (and if theyre not, how they could be)
Dont say anything that could eliminate you from consideration for the job. For instance, “Im slow in adapting to change” is not a wise answer, since change is par for the course in most work environments. Avoid calling attention to any weakness thats one of the critical qualities the hiring manager is looking for. And dont try the old “Im a workaholic,” or “Im a perfectionist.