Difficult Interview Questions at the Final Interview
Who do you admire most and why?
Always opt to pick someone who can be seen as relevant to the cabin crew role you’re applying for. So, in this case, I want to show the recruiter my determination to succeed, never to give up, persistence, innovation, love coming up with an idea and has that global outlook for her success.
The Right Answer:
I would say JK Rowling. She happens to be a single mum, an ordinary person but had a great ideas and passionate to go with her dreams. After writing her book, it got rejected so many times by publishing houses. She was determined never to give up. Today she is a successful British writer that spells global success. Self believe and self development is something I truly admire.Tell me something that isn’t on your CV
The best answer will be for you to show you are a well rounded person.
I was going to Bali for a short holiday but could not ride a scooter and my friends and I decided it was the best and most economical way of travelling and sightseeing. As friends, we are as good as a close knit team, we hired bikes to get around Bali. It was scary initially but I learnt fast. It was such a brilliant experience to know I can adapt, learn quickly, staying confident and positive and to dismiss any thoughts of giving up. Being adaptable and determined to learn has helped in my self development.What do you most dislike about yourself?
Think of this as the same as what is your weakness. They want to find out if you will crack under pressure.
The best answer is
Whilst there isn’t anything significant that I dislike about myself, we all have traits we value over others. For me, I know I dislike confrontations. Fortunately, I do not come across this too often, but I’ve had to deliver bad news, such as poor appraisals, I haven’t enjoyed it all that much. I have now attended courses to manage this and I am confident in balancing it well with encouragement on self development.
Tell me about a time when a client was especially unhappy, and what you did to resolve the situation?
With conflict questions, do show you can empathise and take responsibility for problems, and making it clear that you never shift the blame to someone else.
The best answer is:
When I worked at the water sports facility, a woman came in demanding a refund for her daughter’s swimming lessons as her daughter was struggling and not made any progress. I apologised and said I could see why she was upset – and explained that all children have different learning styles. I then offered to change her to a different class, which turned out great, To my surprise, after more than a week she did so well that her mum came back in to sign up for more lessons.Tell me a time when you disagreed with your manager.
You need to convince the recruiter that you can deal with disagreements in a professional manner – without letting your emotions get the better of you.
The best answer:
I had a disagreement over sales strategy in my last job. Management wanted to switch from generating leads on the phone to door-to-door sales – and I didn’t agree this would be a beneficial tactic, and wouldn’t create a positive image for the business by cold calling in this manner. By speaking up they let me trial my approach, and it ended up working.’
Tell me about a time you’ve had to persuade someone to do something.
The recruiter wants to see your behavioural attributes from your example – from empathy, charm and rapport building, to being positive, confidence, flexibility and humility – which are vital in the cabin crew role.And, it’s not just about demonstrating an ability to be persuasive – you also need to show you actually understand how to do it. This means focusing on the key skills (empathy, consultation, tenacity) you used, as well as the act itself.
Best answer
My last job involved managing a group of six customer service agents, who wanted a flexible schedule that allowed them to work from home. I didn’t see this as a problem, and research proved it does increase productivity, however, I was well aware that senior management weren’t keen on the idea. To help persuade them, I put together a presentation including several studies on the effectiveness of flexible work programmes and their positive impact on hiring and retention. My manager agreed, and my team were over the moon. Productivity even rose by 20%!Tell me about a time you’ve worked hard but still missed a deadline
The recruiter is testing you on your time management skills, as well as your ability to cope under demanding schedules.Never start making excuses for why you might’ve missed a deadline – the reasons aren’t as important as how you react to it. After all, the recruiter isn’t assessing you for your failures, they’re assessing whether you’re able to deal with them.
The best answers will reference a time where things didn’t necessarily run smoothly – but standards still weren’t compromised.
Best answer:
I was responsible for representing the company at trade shows. Three events were scheduled within a month of each other. Although I like a challenge, I soon realised that preparing all three to a high standard was going to be impossible – I had to prioritise. So I agreed with my manager that I’d focus on the two most relevant events. Both of them went really well, and managed to bring several leads back to our sales department.Tell me about a time you worked well in a team
Refer to a specific event that happened in a previous role. Then, focus on giving credit to your colleagues, whilst illustrating the individual components that make you a good team player.
Right answer
Last Christmas was especially busy for the company I’m currently working for. We had a lot of sale stock to put out on the shop floor, and double the amount of customers to serve – so all of the colleagues really had their hands full. To make sure all the stock got put out on time, we all agreed to stay an hour after the shop closed. Not only did we get all the work done, I actually feel like the experience helped us get closer as a team‘Tell me about a time you were faced with a difficult customer issue and describe how you solved it.
Although it might seem tempting to go into the intricate details of what the customer’s issue was, this isn’t really want the interviewer wants to hear. Instead, focus on exemplifying the skills and attributes you used to address and understand the issue, keep the customer calm, and ultimately solve the problem.
Right Answer
‘I recently had to deal with an angry customer that called the helpdesk to complain about a faulty product. First, I made sure I listened to the whole story (and understood it), and apologised and empathised with their situation. Then, I offered two possible solutions (a refund or a replacement), and made sure the customer was happy with these options. Whilst still on the phone to the customer, I was able to put their refund through there and then. I also asked if they needed help with anything else, and gave them my name so they’d be able to get back in touch directly with any other issues.’Describe a time when you provided excellent customer service i.e. go ‘above and beyond’ in the call of duty.
Your ability to serve customers politely and efficiently should be a given at this stage, but the interviewer wants to know if you’re passionate enough about helping people to do more than is expected.
The right answer
‘I recently met with a client to sell an event package. Prior to their visit, I explored previous activities that similar groups had found helpful in the past. This meant I could tailor the meeting accordingly, and could ensure they’d get everything they wanted out of the experience. Afterwards, I sent an information pack to send to all the attendees, with a brief recap of the visit. The company appreciated the personal touch, and went on to book six events with us.Tell me about a time you’ve disagreed with a senior member of staff
To answer this question well, you need to convince your potential employer that you can deal with disagreements in a professional manner – without letting your emotions get the better of you.Your example should involve you fighting your corner constructively, and always pushes for something that’s best for the business.
The right answer
‘I had a disagreement over sales strategy in my last job. Management wanted to switch from generating leads on the phone to door-to-door sales – and I didn’t agree this would be a beneficial tactic, and wouldn’t create a positive image for the business. By speaking up I was able to trial my approach, and it ended up working.’Tell me about yourself…
They’ve given you complete control here, and you should take full advantage of it. They have not, however, asked for your life story.
Keep your answer pertinent, and try not to go off topic too much. You’re here to interview for a particular position, and you shouldn’t lose sight of this. Remember: the interviewer is not just making small talk.
Right answer
Briefly cover your education, your interest in the field, work history and experience.Tell me about your weakness
Everyone has weaknesses or things that they can improve about themselves. And being honest with yourself here will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Best answer
‘I used to find it difficult to work on simultaneous projects, preferring to finish on one task before starting another. However, since taking a time management course recently, I’ve learnt how to manage my schedule more effectively, making it easier to multi-task when necessary’.Tell me about a time you supported a member of your team who was struggling
While many companies rightly value teamwork and empathy in their staff, the cold, hard truth is they do so because they think that helping and caring is of benefit to their bottom line.
The best answers to this question not only stress how you supported a colleague in crisis, but also how your support translated into improved performance for the company.
Right answer
‘My job comes with a fair amount of taking orders using the iPhone app, which means I’m confident using the app provided to me by the restaurant. One of my newer colleagues didn’t have much experience and was having a tough time with using the app, so I offered to help out a few days after work to get her up to speed. Since then, she’s never had a problem with using the app.
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