HOW TO ACE

YOUR CALL
CENTER
INTERVIEW 101
 HOW TO ACE YOUR CALL

CENTER INTERVIEW 101

DO YOUR HOMEWORK
1 Research the company and its background beforehand.
Search for information online.

PREPARE YOUR QUESTIONS

2 When asked by the interviewer if you have any questions,
have a few ideas up your sleeve.

PRACTICE YOUR TECHNIQUE

3 Think beforehand about how you can best demonstrate
your skills and experiences in an interview.

PLAN YOUR JOURNEY

4 Spend time prior to the interview working out how you’ll
get there.

GET READY FOR YOUR CALL CENTER JOURNEY

PRIMENORTH
 LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

CALL CENTER

An office equipped to handle a large volume of telephone calls for an

organization (such as a retailer, bank, or marketing firm) especially for
taking orders or for providing customer service.

CALL CENTER AGENT

Answering phones from customers professionally and responding to

customer inquiries and complaints.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Provide product/services information, answer questions, and resolve

any emerging problems that our customer accounts might face with
accuracy and efficiency.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The support you offer your customers in both before and after they
buy and use your products or services, that helps them have an easy
and enjoyable experience with you.

GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

To ensure the customer or client is satisfied with the product or

service provided, and with the sales, delivery, installation, use, and
other components of the purchasing process.

PRIMENORTH
 WHY SHOULD YOU APPLY IN A

CALL CENTER?

1. Minimal start experience needed

• If you’re a recent graduate or you’ve just quit your job and need
something to bridge the pay gap, call centers are a great place to work
because they don’t require any experience.

2. High salary and rewards

• The salary for call center agents is pretty high considering these are
entry-level positions.

3. Develop your skills

• Most call centers will train new employees as part of their onboarding
process. It’s a great opportunity to enhance your communication skills—
talking and listening, all while problem solving.

4. Prestige and perks

• Most big companies prefer to promote from within before they start
accepting resumes from outside the company. This means that though
you might start in the call center, you might be moved up and working in
your dream job pretty quickly.

5. More flexibility
• Most call centers allow you to customize your schedule, meaning you
can keep important holidays free or work the hours that are best for you
and your lifestyle.

6. No take-home work
• When you work in a call center, once you’ve logged out of the system,
you’re done for the day and free to head home.

PRIMENORTH
 HOW TO HANDLE IRATE

CUSTOMERS? PT. 1

Building a Process for Handling Angry Customers

As a call center representative, you will come across angry callers on a
daily basis. How you handle these interactions can ether lead to a
successful resolution of their issue or losing the customer forever.

Step 1: Listen
You can usually determine whether or not the caller is angry within the
first few seconds of a call. When you come across an angry caller, it is
important to simply listen to them before trying to defuse the situation.

Step 2: Remain Calm

It is important to stay calm during a call to prevent the situation from
escalating. Focus on using an even tone while you speak. Using an
agitated or angry tone will simply infuriate the caller even more. Put
yourself in their shoes. Having a little bit of empathy for the caller can go
a long way.

Step 3: Repeat Information

When the angry caller has finished talking, it is important to make them
feel as if you are on their side. One way to do this is to apologize about
the problem, convey empathy and then summarize their main points.
Doing so will not only make the caller feel you are listening to them, it will
also give them a few moments to calm down.

PRIMENORTH
 HOW TO HANDLE IRATE

CUSTOMERS? PT. 2

Step 4: Avoid the Hold Button

The hold time will add to the caller’s frustration, escalating the situation.
Some callers believe that hold time allows representatives to talk rudely
without being heard. Instead of putting the caller on hold while you
research the problem, talk to them. Let them know exactly what you are
doing to solve their problem.

Step 5: Make the Caller Happy

Once you have researched the problem, it is time to take action. Below
are tips to help make the callers happy:

Give them options

Offer a refund or voucher
Go the extra mile
Make them smile
Finally, compliment them on being patient or tell a joke to lighten the
mood.

Handling angry callers are part of the job at any call center. Knowing how
to deal with these challenging interactions effectively can go a long way
in improving the customer’s experience with you and your company.
Listening, staying calm, repeating information, avoiding the hold button
and making your caller’s happy are all essential when you have an angry
caller on the line. Employing these techniques will not only allow you to
help the customer, but will also improve customer satisfaction and
reduce handle times.

PRIMENORTH
 INTERVIEW RED FLAGS PT. 1

1. Not Arriving 10 Minutes Early

While showing up late to an interview is a clear red flag, if a candidate
rushes through the door right at their appointment time, this could also
indicate trouble. It might suggest that they have issues with planning or
time management, or that they are disorganized.

2. Appearing Disheveled
Similarly, a disheveled candidate could also indicate a problem. Issues
with cleanliness could be a sign of poor attention to detail, laziness, or a
lack of interest in the position.

3. Badmouthing Employers
At some point, nearly every professional spends at least a little time in an
environment that isn’t ideal. However, badmouthing an employer or
actively complaining may suggest the candidate blames others for the
troubles or has an issue when it comes to accepting responsibility.

4. Not Providing a Recent Supervisor as a Reference

A job seeker who prefers not to list their current supervisor as a reference
isn’t necessarily a red flag. After all, many people prefer to be discrete
when searching for a new job. However, if they won’t provide contact
information for any recent supervisor or member of management, they
may be hiding something.

PRIMENORTH
 INTERVIEW RED FLAGS PT. 2

5. Never Making a Mistake

Hiring managers often ask candidates to discuss a mistake they’ve made
and how they learned from the experience. Since everyone makes a
misstep from time to time, coming up with an example shouldn’t be a
challenge for a job seeker. However, if the interviewee asserts they’ve
never made a mistake on the job, that indicates a lack of self-awareness.

6. Disrespecting Staff Members

Most candidates are on their best behavior during the interview. But, they
aren’t always as careful when it comes to interacting with your staff. If a
job seeker is rude to the receptionist or anyone else they encounter, this
is likely a clearer indication of their personality than what they displayed
during the interview.

7. Asking About Money Too Soon

While the salary associated with the job is certainly relevant to
candidates, it isn’t a topic they should be broaching too early. Asking
about the pay rate at an inappropriate time could indicate they are only
concerned with personal gain and not what they can do for the company.

8. Lack of Preparedness
If a candidate doesn’t have copies of their resume, can’t answer
questions about the company, or doesn’t have a requested item with
them, this indicates that they didn’t take the time to properly prepare for
the interview. It could be a reflection of a lack of interest in the job, poor
organizational skills, or other questionable traits that could impact how
they would perform if they were hired.

PRIMENORTH
 INTERVIEW RED FLAGS PT. 3

9. Limited Eye Contact

A lack of eye contact generally suggests the candidate lacks confidence in
either their responses or themselves. Either way, limited eye contact
should be considered a red flag, and even more so if it is accompanied by
slumping, slouching, or other body language that reaffirms that idea.

10. Unclear Career Goals

Most candidates apply to a job because it helps them move towards their
career goals, whatever they may be. If a job seeker can explain how the
role fits into their overall plan, that is typically a positive sign. However, if
they can’t articulate any meaningful career goals, that could indicate that
they either aren’t sure where they want to be in the future or that this job
doesn’t actually fit into their plan.

PRIMENORTH
 INTERVIEW RED FLAGS PT. 3

9. Limited Eye Contact

A lack of eye contact generally suggests the candidate lacks confidence in
either their responses or themselves. Either way, limited eye contact
should be considered a red flag, and even more so if it is accompanied by
slumping, slouching, or other body language that reaffirms that idea.

10. Unclear Career Goals

Most candidates apply to a job because it helps them move towards their
career goals, whatever they may be. If a job seeker can explain how the
role fits into their overall plan, that is typically a positive sign. However, if
they can’t articulate any meaningful career goals, that could indicate that
they either aren’t sure where they want to be in the future or that this job
doesn’t actually fit into their plan.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

1) I love pushing the edge and learning every aspect of the process. This
position will give me the opportunity to apply my passion and help make
excellent customer experience for your company.

2) I’ve always preferred to work in groups and find that my collaborative

nature is one of my strongest attributes. On projects that I directed, I
work well to inspire diverse team members and work side by side with
them to achieve the project goals. In fact, I’ve increased productivity by
ten percent over the course of two years.

3) I work well under pressure, one specific example that comes to mind is
when I was asked to complete a task that a fellow colleague forgot about.
My supervisor didn’t realize this until two hours before the deadline. It
was an important piece, so I got to work, and with feverish precision, I
was able to complete the task. Not only was it finished on time, but it was
received very well by our managers.

4) I’m relatively new to the BPO industry, but I find that I’m good at
working with people and I truly love it. I love helping people, learning
about their needs and finding ways to help them achieve the resolution
for their concerns.

5) I’m an empathetic person who is skilled at relating to people and

understanding their needs. I know the importance of a happy customer,
and I'm willing to remain upbeat and solutions-oriented.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

PT. 1

1) Whenever I complete a task, I can’t help but feel that I could have done
more even if my work received a positive response. This often leads me to
overwork myself and leaves me feeling burned out. I’ve tried to take time
to look at my achievements objectively and celebrate those wins. It has
helped me to appreciate my team and other support systems that are
always behind me in everything I do.

2) I am incredibly introverted, which makes me wary of sharing my ideas

in a group setting or speaking up during team meetings. I feel that I had
good intentions, I just wasn't always comfortable speaking up. I decided
to start making changes to get more familiar with sharing my ideas for
the benefit of my team. I took local improv classes and started trying to
get comfortable discussing my thoughts. It's still a work in progress, but
it's something that I've improved dramatically over the past year.

3) I tend to want to take on complete tasks all on my own without any

outside help. In the past, this caused me to experience unnecessary
pressure and stress. After an unforgettable experience, I am trying to
teach myself how to ask for help so I can keep my sanity. I've also found a
team of people can produce a better outcome than one harrowed
person.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

PT. 2

4) I'm not familiar with the latest version of the software that you use. I’ve
spent my time recently focused on generating a positive user experience
and have always been willing to learn new things. Throughout my career
software has always changed and I’ve always been willing to adapt to
changing technology. I will put in the time it takes to learn this new
software.

5) I always try to avoid confrontation, in both my personal and

professional life. This caused me to compromise sometimes on the
quality of my work or what I needed to complete a project just to keep
the peace. This became a real problem when I became a manager. One of
the most critical aspects of managing people is telling them what they
need to hear and not what they want to hear. I recognized this weakness
and had been actively working to voice my opinions constructively and
helpfully for the betterment of the team.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS THE PROPER SELF

INTRODUCTION? PT. 1

From the interviewee’s perspective, the “Tell me about yourself”

question is too open-ended, often leading to confusion. What exactly is
the hiring manager looking for here?

Naturally, the interviewer wants to ensure that you’re a good fit for the
job. She wants to gauge how well you’ll fit the role and get along with the
team. This question provides the interviewer with a first impression that
can direct the rest of the interview.

In your answer, you should try to provide three key components:

Who you are - A concise summary of your relevant work experience (or
volunteer/academic experience)
What you’ve accomplished - A brief highlight reel of relevant
qualifications, awards, or recognition
Why you’re here - Why you want this specific position at this particular
company
By doing so, you’ll give the interviewer a clear understanding of your
enthusiasm for the job, as well as why you’re a great fit, from the very
start.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS THE PROPER SELF

INTRODUCTION? PT. 2

Best Example:

I moved to Seattle three years ago from Arizona for the mountains and to
pursue my passion for digital marketing at a local start-up. Being in a
fast-paced environment where I was able to make a meaningful impact
on the business through process improvement really solidified for me
that digital marketing was the right career path for me. I love companies
that focus on leaving a small environmental footprint, which I can tell is
also important to your team. It’s really something that drew me to this
open position. I’m excited by the thought of contributing my skills to this
team!

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS S. A. R. ? PT. 1

It is a technique that helps you answer interview questions using specific

and concrete examples of your skills. Using this method helps you
effectively tackle any interview questions in a few easy steps.

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. According to Brie

Reynolds, Career Development Manager and Career Coach at FlexJobs,
the STAR method “gives you a chance to paint a picture for the employer.
By telling them a specific story to answer their question, you’re engaging
them on a deeper level. They can picture you doing specific tasks. And,
better yet, they’re picturing you doing a task well and getting a great
result.”

When you’re answering any interview question, remember the letters and
what they stand for, then answer each letter in order. This will help guide
your response and keep you on track.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS S. A. R. ? PT. 2

The SAR method does more than help you meaningfully describe your
skills to the interviewer. Using the SAR method helps give the interviewer
insight into how you have used your skills to achieve the desired result.

For example, if your answer to a question is, “I raised revenue,” that’s

great, but it doesn’t mean much. You need to explain how you raised
revenue and what that meant for the company. Doing this gives the
interviewer more information about you, your skills, and how you
approach and solve problems.

Situation
Start with the situation. Explain what was going on and, perhaps, why
you were in the situation. It could be a situation at work, volunteering, or
even in a group project for a class. Explain the barriers you faced. What
was standing between you and your goal? Why was it a barrier? It doesn’t
have to be negative to be a barrier. For example, you could say: I saw
revenue was down for the last two quarters, and I wanted to find out
why.

Task
Describe your specific tasks. Explain what you were responsible for, or
explain what the goal was. For example, you could say: I needed to
motivate other group members so we could turn in the project on time.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS S. A. R. ? PT. 3

Action
Talk about what you did to achieve the goal. What actions did you take?
However, describing your actions isn’t as simple as, “I worked hard.” Be
specific about what you did. I analyzed revenue streams for the previous
six months to identify bottlenecks or gaps in our sales cycle. We then
created lead nurturing campaigns that educated potential customers on
the long-term benefits of our solutions. This messaging aligned with our
sales strategy and helped increase product demos. You’re giving the
interviewer specific, concrete examples of the actions you took that
helped achieve your goal.

If you’re describing a group situation, explain how your individual

contributions helped the group achieve its goal without taking credit for
everything. This can be tricky. But, if you remember that you’re
describing how your contributions helped support other members and
ultimately allowed the group to achieve its goals, you’ll demonstrate that
you’re a team player.

PRIMENORTH
 WHAT IS S. A. R. ? PT. 4

I created a chart with specific due dates for every team member. Then,
when I saw Dillon was behind, I helped him brainstorm ways to complete
his task without sacrificing quality.

Result
What were the results of your actions? Again, it’s not the simple answer
of, “I raised revenue.” Go in-depth about the results, how they impacted
the company, and what you learned from the entire process.

Because of the impact of lead nurturing, our customer acquisition costs

decreased by 20%, and our sales team was able to increase demo
appointments by 15%. After feedback from the sales team about what
pain points potential buyers are experiencing, we were able to create
several more campaigns centered around user feedback.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 1

1. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Answers to this question go one of two basic ways. Candidates try to
show their incredible ambition (because that's what they think you want)
by providing an extremely optimistic answer: "I want your job!" Or they
try to show their humility (because that's what they think you want) by
providing a meek, self-deprecating answer: "There are so many talented
people here. I just want to do a great job and see where my talents take
me."

In either case you learn nothing, other than possibly how well candidates
can sell themselves. For interviewers, here's a better question: "What
business would you love to start?" That question applies to any
organization, because every employee at every company should have an
entrepreneurial mind-set. The business a candidate would love to start
tells you about her hopes and dreams, her interests and passions, the
work she likes to do, the people she likes to work with -- so just sit back
and listen.

2. "Out of all the candidates, why should we hire you?"

Since a candidate cannot compare himself with people he doesn't know,
all he can do is describe his incredible passion and desire and
commitment and ... well, basically beg for the job. (Way too many
interviewers ask the question and then sit back, arms folded, as if to say,
"Go ahead. I'm listening. Try to convince me.") And you learn nothing of
substance. Here's a better question: "What do you feel I need to know
that we haven't discussed?" Or even "If you could get a do-over on one of
my questions, how would you answer it now?"

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 2

Rarely do candidates come to the end of an interview feeling they've

done their best. Maybe the conversation went in an unexpected
direction. Maybe the interviewer focused on one aspect of their skills and
totally ignored other key attributes. Or maybe candidates started the
interview nervous and hesitant, and now wish they could go back and
better describe their qualifications and experience.

Plus, think of it this way: Your goal as an interviewer is to learn as much

as you possibly can about every candidate, so don't you want to give
them the chance to ensure you do? Just make sure to turn this part of the
interview into a conversation, not a soliloquy. Don't just passively listen
and then say, "Thanks. We'll be in touch." Ask follow-up questions. Ask
for examples. And of course if you're asked this question, use it as a
chance to highlight things you haven't been able to touch on.

3. "How did you learn about the opening?"

Job boards, general postings, online listings, job fairs -- most people find
their first few jobs that way, so that's certainly not a red flag. But a
candidate who continues to find each successive job from general
postings probably hasn't figured out what he or she wants to do -- and
where he or she would like to do it. He or she is just looking for a job;
often, any job.

So don't just explain how you heard about the opening. Show that you
heard about the job through a colleague, a current employer, by
following the company--show that you know about the job because you
want to work there. Employers don't want to hire people who just want a
job; they want to hire people who want a job with their company.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 3

Rarely do candidates come to the end of an interview feeling they've

done their best. Maybe the conversation went in an unexpected
direction. Maybe the interviewer focused on one aspect of their skills and
totally ignored other key attributes. Or maybe candidates started the
interview nervous and hesitant, and now wish they could go back and
better describe their qualifications and experience.

Plus, think of it this way: Your goal as an interviewer is to learn as much

as you possibly can about every candidate, so don't you want to give
them the chance to ensure you do? Just make sure to turn this part of the
interview into a conversation, not a soliloquy. Don't just passively listen
and then say, "Thanks. We'll be in touch." Ask follow-up questions. Ask
for examples. And of course if you're asked this question, use it as a
chance to highlight things you haven't been able to touch on.

3. "How did you learn about the opening?"

Job boards, general postings, online listings, job fairs -- most people find
their first few jobs that way, so that's certainly not a red flag. But a
candidate who continues to find each successive job from general
postings probably hasn't figured out what he or she wants to do -- and
where he or she would like to do it. He or she is just looking for a job;
often, any job.

So don't just explain how you heard about the opening. Show that you
heard about the job through a colleague, a current employer, by
following the company--show that you know about the job because you
want to work there. Employers don't want to hire people who just want a
job; they want to hire people who want a job with their company.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 3

4. "Why do you want this job?"

Now go deeper. Don't just talk about why the company would be great to
work for; talk about how the position is a perfect fit for what you hope to
accomplish, both short-term and long-term. And if you don't know why
the position is a perfect fit, look somewhere else. Life is too short.

5. "Tell me about the last time a co-worker or customer got angry with
you. What happened?"
Conflict is inevitable when a company works hard to get things done.
Mistakes happen. Sure, strengths come to the fore, but weaknesses also
rear their heads. And that's OK. No one is perfect.

But a person who tends to push the blame -- and the responsibility for
rectifying the situation -- onto someone else is a candidate to avoid.
Hiring managers would much rather choose candidates who focus not on
blame but on addressing and fixing the problem. Every business needs
employees who willingly admit when they are wrong, step up to take
ownership for fixing the problem, and, most important, learn from the
experience.

6. "Why do you want to leave your current job?"

Let's start with what you shouldn't say (or, if you're the interviewer, what
are definite red flags). Don't talk about how your boss is difficult. Don't
talk about how you can't get along with other employees. Don't bad-
mouth your company. Instead, focus on the positives a move will bring.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 4

Talk about what you want to achieve. Talk about what you want to learn.
Talk about ways you want to grow, about things you want to accomplish;
explain how a move will be great for you and for your new company.
Complaining about your current employer is a little like people who
gossip: If you're willing to speak badly of someone else, you'll probably
do the same to me.

7. "What kind of work environment do you like best?"

Maybe you love working alone, but if the job you're interviewing for is in a
call center, that answer will do you no good. So take a step back and
think about the job you're applying for and the company's culture
(because every company has one, whether intentional or unintentional).
If a flexible schedule is important to you, but the company doesn't offer
one, focus on something else. If you like constant direction and support
and the company expects employees to self-manage, focus on something
else. Find ways to highlight how the company's environment will work
well for you -- and if you can't find ways, don't take the job, because
you'll be miserable.

8. "Tell me about the toughest decision you had to make in the last six
months."
The goal of this question is to evaluate the candidate's reasoning ability,
problem-solving skills, judgment, and possibly even willingness to take
intelligent risks.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 5

Having no answer is a definite warning sign. Everyone makes tough

decisions, regardless of their position. My daughter worked part-time as a
server at a local restaurant and made difficult decisions all the time -- like
the best way to deal with a regular customer whose behavior constituted
borderline harassment. A good answer proves you can make a difficult
analytical or reasoning-based decision -- for example, wading through
reams of data to determine the best solution to a problem. A great
answer proves you can make a difficult interpersonal decision, or better
yet a difficult data-driven decision that includes interpersonal
considerations and ramifications.

Making decisions based on data is important, but almost every decision

has an impact on people as well. The best candidates naturally weigh all
sides of an issue, not just the business or human side exclusively.

9. "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision. What did you do?"
No one agrees with every decision. Disagreements are fine; it's what you
do when you disagree that matters. (We all know people who love to
have the "meeting after the meeting," where they've supported a
decision in the meeting but they then go out and undermine it. Show that
you were professional. Show that you raised your concerns in a
productive way. If you have an example that proves you can effect
change, great -- and if you don't, show that you can support a decision
even though you think it's wrong (as long as it's not unethical, immoral,
etc. Every company wants employees willing to be honest and forthright,
to share concerns and issues, but to also get behind a decision and
support it as if they agreed, even if they didn't.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 6

10. "Tell me how you think other people would describe you."
I hate this question. It's a total throwaway. But I did ask it once, and got
an answer I really liked. "I think people would say that what you see is
what you get," the candidate said. "If I say I will do something, I do it. If I
say I will help, I help. I'm not sure that everyone likes me, but they all
know they can count on what I say and how hard I work." Can't beat that.

11. "What can we expect from you in your first three months?"
Ideally the answer to this should come from the employer: They should
have plans and expectations for you.

But if you're asked, use this general framework:

• You'll work hard to determine how your job creates value -- you won't
just stay busy, you'll stay busy doing the right things.
• You'll learn how to serve all your constituents -- your boss, your
employees, your peers, your customers, and your suppliers and vendors.
• You'll focus on doing what you do best -- you'll be hired because you
bring certain skills, and you'll apply those skills to make things happen.
• You'll make a difference -- with customers, with other employees, to
bring enthusiasm and focus and a sense of commitment and teamwork.
• Then just layer in specifics that are applicable to you and the job.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 7

12. "What do you like to do outside of work?"

Many companies feel cultural fit is extremely important, and they use
outside interests as a way to determine how you will fit into a team. Even
so, don't be tempted to fib and claim to enjoy hobbies you don't. Focus
on activities that indicate some sort of growth: skills you're trying to
learn, goals you're trying to accomplish. Weave those in with personal
details. For example, "I'm raising a family, so a lot of my time is focused
on that, but I'm using my commute time to learn Spanish."

13. "What was your salary in your last job?"

This is a tough one. You want to be open and honest, but frankly, some
companies ask the question as the opening move in salary negotiations.
Try an approach recommended by Liz Ryan. When asked, say, "I'm
focusing on jobs in the $50K range. Is this position in that range?"
(Frankly, you should already know -- but this is a good way to deflect.)
Maybe the interviewer will answer; maybe she won't. If she presses you
for an answer, you'll have to decide whether you want to share or demur.
Ultimately your answer won't matter too much, because you'll either
accept the salary offered or you won't, depending on what you think is
fair.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 8

14. "A snail is at the bottom of a 30-foot well. Each day he climbs up three
feet, but at night he slips back two feet. How many days will it take him to
climb out of the well?" Questions like these have become a lot more
popular (thanks, Google) in recent years. The interviewer isn't necessarily
looking for the right answer but instead a little insight into your
reasoning abilities. All you can do is talk through your logic as you try to
solve the problem. Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself if you get it wrong -
- sometimes the interviewer is merely trying to assess how you deal with
failure.

15. "What questions do you have for me?"

Don't waste this opportunity. Ask smart questions, not just as a way to
show you're a great candidate but also to see if the company is a good fit
for you -- after all, you're being interviewed, but you're also interviewing
the company.

For example:

• "What do you expect me to accomplish in the first 90 days?"

If you weren't asked this question, ask it yourself. Why? Great candidates
want to hit the ground running. They don't want to spend weeks or
months "getting to know the organization." They don't want to spend
huge chunks of time in orientation, in training, or in the futile pursuit of
getting their feet wet. They want to make a difference -- and they want to
make that difference right now.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 9

• "What are the three traits your top performers have in common?"
Great candidates also want to be great employees. They know every
organization is different -- and so are the key qualities of top performers
in those organizations. Maybe your top performers work longer hours.
Maybe creativity is more important than methodology. Maybe constantly
landing new customers in new markets is more important than building
long-term customer relationships. Maybe the key is a willingness to
spend the same amount of time educating an entry-level customer as
helping an enthusiast who wants high-end equipment. Great candidates
want to know, because 1) they want to know if they will fit in, and 2) if
they do fit in, they want to know how they can be a top performer.

• "What really drives results in this job?"

Employees are investments, and you expect every employee to generate
a positive return on his or her salary. (Otherwise why do you have them
on the payroll?) In every job some activities make a bigger difference
than others. You need your HR team to fill job openings, but what you
really want is for them to find the right candidates, because that results
in higher retention rates, lower training costs, and better overall
productivity. You need your service techs to perform effective repairs, but
what you really want is for those techs to identify ways to solve problems
and provide other benefits -- in short, to build customer relationships and
even generate additional sales. Great candidates want to know what
truly makes a difference and drives results, because they know helping
the company succeed means they will succeed as well.

PRIMENORTH
 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

PT. 9

• "What are the company's highest-priority goals this year, and how
would my role contribute?"
Is the job the candidate will fill important? Does that job matter? Great
candidates want a job with meaning, with a larger purpose -- and they
want to work with people who approach their jobs the same way.
Otherwise a job is just a job.

• "What percentage of employees was brought in by current employees?"

Employees who love their jobs naturally recommend their company to
their friends and peers. The same is true for people in leadership
positions -- people naturally try to bring on board talented people they
previously worked with. They've built relationships, developed trust, and
shown a level of competence that made someone go out of their way to
follow them to a new organization. And all of that speaks incredibly well
to the quality of the workplace and the culture.

• "What do you plan to do if ...?"

Every business faces a major challenge: technological changes,
competitors entering the market, shifting economic trends. There's rarely
one of Warren Buffett's moats protecting a small business. So while some
candidates may see your company as a stepping-stone, they still hope for
growth and advancement. If they do eventually leave, they want it to be
on their terms, not because you were forced out of business.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 1

1. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your
emotions so as to communicate effectively, avoid stress, overcome
challenges and empathise with others.

It’s a skill which is learned over time rather than obtained.

There are four main strands to emotional intelligence:

Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship management
Each of these strands is important in its own way and allows you to
communicate confidently with a variety of people.

2. Cohesion and Clarity

Good communication is much more than saying the right thing; it is
about communicating messages clearly and concisely.

Before you start a conversation, type an email or begin a discussion, have

in mind what the purpose of the communication is and what information
you hope to obtain as a result.

Lack of clarity and cohesion can result in poor decisions and confusion.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 2

3. Friendliness
In any type of communication, make sure that you set the right tone. A
friendly tone will encourage others to communicate with you.

Always try to personalise messages, particularly when working with

partners or fellow colleagues.

Wishing the recipient a good weekend, for example, is a great way to

personalise your message.

4. Confidence
In all interactions, confidence (but not over-confidence) is crucial.

Demonstrating confidence will give customers faith in your abilities to

deliver what they need, and that you will follow through with what you
have promised.

Conveying confidence can be something as simple as maintaining eye

contact during a conversation or using a firm but friendly tone when
speaking with people over the phone.

Be careful not to come across as aggressive, since this will have the
opposite effect of what you are hoping to achieve.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 3

5. Empathy
Within a busy work environment, everyone will have their own ideas
about how things should be done. Even if you have disagreements with
your colleagues or partners, their point of view should be considered and
respected.

Empathy is also beneficial when speaking with customers in certain types

of customer-facing role.

The goal here is to understand where the other person is coming from –
and respecting their views, even if they are very different from your own.

6. Respect
Empathy leads into the next communication skill, respect.

If you respect the ideas and opinions of others, they will be more likely to
communicate with you.

Active listening or simply using the name of the person you are speaking
to can both be effective.

Make sure that when you type emails, you don’t write in a way that is
insincere.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 4

7. Listening
Good communication is all about listening effectively.

Take the time to listen to what the other person is saying and practice
active listening.

Pay attention to what the other person is saying, ask questions and
clarify points, and rephrase what they have said so that you know you
have understood correctly.

8. Open-Mindedness
Try to enter into communications without having an agenda.

Strong communications require an open mind and a commitment to

understanding other people’s points of view.

If you disagree with the people you are speaking to, try to reach a middle
ground that benefits all parties.

Approaching a discussion with an open mind is more likely to result in a

successful outcome.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 5

9. Tone of Voice
The tone of your voice can set the whole mood of the conversation. If you
start the discussion in an aggressive or unhelpful manner, the recipient
will be more inclined to respond in a similar way.

The tone of your voice will include the level of emotion that you use, the
volume you use and the level of communication you choose.

The same sentence can have a very different meaning depending on

which words are emphasised and the tone of your voice.

In a customer complaint scenario, for example, your tone of voice should

be as calm as possible, since an unfriendly tone of voice will only serve to
worsen the situation.

PRIMENORTH
 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PT. 6

10. Asking Good Questions

Good questions can help conversations flow and improve the outcome.

During a conversation, always aim to ask open-ended questions. These

are questions with prompts which encourage the recipient to speak
about certain points and they require more detailed responses.

If you need further information still, you can use probing questions which
request even more information from the recipient, such as "Tell me the
process of…”

During the conversation, include a mixture of questions including

clarification, ‘what if’ scenarios and open-ended questions to make sure
that you achieve what you set out to do at the beginning of the call or
conversation.

PRIMENORTH
 OUT-OF-THE-BOX QUESTIONS PT.

• How would you describe the color red to a blind person?

Questions like this are usually asked during the interview to test the
English-speaking skills of the applicant. The key is to be creative when
describing a particular color and use expressive words. It’s okay to keep
your answer short but meaningful. Sample answer: “Red is an intense
color which can signify a wide range of feelings including love, passion,
and hatred.”

• Why is the pizza round?

It’s another unusual question meant to test how skilled you really are
when it comes to speaking the English language. There’s no right or
wrong answer. Try to think of the most creative way to answer the
question while demonstrating that you have great grammar. Sample
answer: “Pizzas are round so it’ll be easier for the customers to carry and
also easier to divide it into separate pieces.”

PRIMENORTH
 OUT-OF-THE-BOX QUESTIONS PT.

• Why are pizza boxes square?

The key is to answer this question in the wittiest way while making sure
that your grammar and pronunciation are both correct. Again, there are
no right or wrong answers so you just have to show that you have a good
command of the English language. Sample answer: “Pizza boxes are
square so pizzas can fit better in the boxes. It will get too cramped if pizza
boxes are square.”

• What’s your greatest fantasy?

This question might be a little difficult since you really have to think long
and hard for the answer. However, it’s a great way to prove that you have
a wide vocabulary. The answer should be as creative and descriptive as
possible. Sample answer: “My greatest fantasy is to have superpowers
that can take me places I’ve never been to before. I’m talking about
teleportation and I think I’ll have the time of my life if I can just have that
superpower for a day. I can go from chilling at a stunning beach in
Indonesia to marveling at the beautiful glaciers in Iceland in just a matter
of seconds. The possibilities are endless and I’d definitely make the most
out of my teleportation ability if I ever get one.”

PRIMENORTH
 HOW TO PREPARE FOR A CALL

CENTER INTERVIEW PT. 1

1. Dress well.

Make sure that you look presentable when you show up for the interview.
Pick clothes that look professional, follow the required dress code, fit you
well, and you feel comfortable in.

2. Mind your behavior and body language.

Always be in your best behavior during interviews. Try not to make it

obvious if you’re feeling nervous or uncomfortable. Practice having the
correct posture when walking, sitting, or standing because it can
definitely help you build confidence. You should look confident,
composed, and at the same time approachable during the interview.

3. Polish your grammar and pronunciation.

Read articles and books that can help you figure out the correct uses of
verbs, tenses, articles, and more. You can also learn how to pronounce
words the right way through Youtube tutorials and online dictionaries.
Once you’re ready, there are various quizzes and exams that you can take
to reinforce everything that you’ve learned.

PRIMENORTH
 HOW TO PREPARE FOR A CALL

CENTER INTERVIEW PT. 2

4. Learn how to perform well under stress.

Handling angry customers is certainly not a walk in the park. However, if

you work on maintaining composure and staying alert even when you’re
under stress, then you’re the perfect person for the job.

5. Study about the company and job you’re applying for.

Before the interview, research as much as you can about the company
you’ve applied to. Know more about its history, important milestones,
what it’s like working for them, and what they’re known for.

PRIMENORTH
 ADDITIONAL TIPS AND

WARNINGS

• Always be honest but not to the point of oversharing that can spread
negativity during the interview.

• Be confident when talking so you’ll sound more convincing and

persuasive.

• Don’t badmouth anyone including your former boss, colleagues, or even

yourself.

• Your answers don’t necessarily have to be lengthy. It’s okay to provide

short answers as long as you’ll be able to perfectly get your point across.
Remember "KISS" (keep it short and simple!).

PRIMENORTH
 CONGRATUTALIONS!

Hi,

I would like to congratulate you in advance, now that you have finished
the self phase training module. I am confident that you are ready to ace
your interview, go out there and get them.

Rooting for your success,

Reniel Norte
C.E.O. / Founder | Primenorth

PRIMENORTH