Questions at SABIC interviews

We analyzed 216 interview reviews for SABIC from various job sites, social network groups and forums.

Here are the most frequent job interview questions asked by HR managers during initial phone or onsite interviews. This list does not include technical or factual questions.

16 frequent non-technical questions at SABIC:

According to our research, hiring managers at SABIC ask soft skills interview questions 17% more than at other companies.

SABIC interview question statistics

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? top question

How to answer

This question belongs to a family of behavioral, or even more precisely, reflective questions.

The interviewer wants to learn two things about you by asking this question.

  • They want to know what you think about the job you are applying for. Remember, they are interviewing you for the job that's open right now. Are you a good fit and will you do a good job for them?
  • Just as important, they want to get an idea of your ambitions and goals for yourself and if your goals align with their needs, especially going into the future.

In this way the employer should see how you see yourself today, and whether you are ambitious and strive to grow as a professional, and whether you like to learn and develop your skills.

  1. About Yourself

    What challenges do you like overcoming? Where are you starting from and where might you be going?

    For example, let's say the position you are applying for is junior accountant. It includes a wide range of tasks such as basic bookkeeping, financial analysis, and reporting. If accounting is your chosen field, then you would most likely want to move in the direction of obtaining your CPA so that you might step up to more responsibility as an accounting manager or senior auditor within the next 5 years. Your responses should make sense in how you see yourself growing in your professional career.

    However, at this point, if you are happy just where you are and want to further your current skills, that is also fine as long as there is a growth path for you that can be imagined and described.

  2. About The Company

    Research the company to learn what career opportunities may be available in the department you are applying to, and what the trends are in the company in general.

    • Is the business expanding, are they opening new locations, or starting new projects?
    • Or are they heavily automating and cutting staff?

    Let’s say you are applying for a UX designer position for a brand-new product.

    In the future, if the product becomes a success - which is what the company hopes for - the company will hire more designers and you may become a lead designer, or you may become a product manager.

    On a side note: If you train your mind to be open to opportunities you will be amazed at how much this world has to offer to you!

  3. About The Fit

    And, of course, try to see where the perfect fit lies between your own potential and aspirations, and the company’s trends and hopes.

    However, beware of the risk of showing too much excitement for future opportunities compared to your attitude towards the current position.

    As we said earlier, you must show interest and enthusiasm for the position you are applying for. If the interviewer senses that you are more enthusiastic about future growth than about the current position, they may conclude that you are not the right person for the job at hand.

Pro Tip

This question gives you a good opportunity to showcase your Key Selling Points (e.g. “As I am very good at delegating tasks, I can easily see myself leading a team of software testers in the future…”), and end your statement by asking about current initiatives and goals at the company.

In thinking about the possibilities that may lie ahead, you also might want to consider taking a personality test (I recommend 16Personalities which is based on the Myers-Briggs test), research the internet on what career paths are possible with your skills and current job.

It is generally NOT a good idea to say something like:

“Oh, I cannot imagine what happens to me tomorrow, let alone in 5 years”.

This will show you as a person who is unimaginative and not forward-thinking enough to grow with and be a good fit for the company.

Statistics

This question is asked 56% more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

2. Tell me about yourself

How to answer

Most job candidates expect this to be one of the first interview questions and probably think of it as an “icebreaker” to get the interview started. It is much more than that! It is your opportunity to show the interviewer your relevance for the job. You want the employer to know that you are qualified to do the job, you are interested in doing the job and capable of getting it done.

  1. About Yourself

    What is your current occupation? Define yourself professionally in one statement.

    Pick 3 key skills that make you great at your work (your Key Selling Points). How have you applied these skills?

    Try to give some numbers to support your statement.

  2. About The Company

    Your first step is to Research the company to find out as much as you can about what they do and their approach to their business and their employees.

    Based on what you know about the company and the job description, why are you interested in the position you are applying for?

  3. About The Fit

    Now is the right time to show the fit between your skills and the company's requirements. Your answer works best if you emphasize your relevance. How do you do this? You will have already researched the company, studied the job description to identify their needs and possible pain points and prepared the relevant Star Stories that show how you addressed similar issues in the past. Your next step is to develop your Present-Past-Present approach.

    Start with the Present. Focus on the skills and experience from your most recent positions. What has enabled you to get the job done successfully and how this relates to what the employer is looking to accomplish.

    Next go back to the Past. Here is where your Star story comes in. Explain how you were able to use your skills and experience to accomplish a task that relates to an area of concern for the employer.

    Finally come back to the Present – summarizing the lessons you learned and how they shaped your response and approach today.

    Remember, the whole conversation is about the present, not the past. Just one sentence can summarize why your approach works, and its applicability and relevance to this position.

Pro Tip

You can also end with a question like:

“Do you know what the current needs in the company/department are, where my skills and experience can help?”

That can help you learn more about the company and the job, turn the “interrogation” into a conversation and will allow you to relax some tension.

Read our blog post to learn more about how to answer this question.

Statistics

This question is asked 28% less frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

3. Why did you leave your last job?

How to answer

This question may be a little touchy for some people, but it's a question asked by interviewers, to find out why you left, in order to better understand how you may or may not make a good fit with their company.

Remember, never speak ill of your old company (this will not go over well).

  1. About Yourself

    There are a number of reasons why people leave or plan to leave their jobs. One very important recent factor has been the impact on jobs and job security due to Covid-19 and all of the issues raised by remote vs. on-site work.

    Regardless of the causes, there are three possible reasons that you left your last job or are planning to leave your current job:

    • You are looking for a career change
    • You are unhappy with your current employment
    • You were let go.

    Whatever the reason, it's best to always speak in a positive light.

  2. About The Company

    Based on your research about the company and the position you are interviewing for, what do you like most about the company? What excites you about the work as it is outlined in the job description?

  3. About The Fit

    Let's take a closer look at how you might respond to each of the three reasons for leaving your last job.

    1. You were let go

    You should simply state the facts (e.g. the company was downsizing, your position was eliminated, your department was offshored, etc.). Focus on the positive. You might want to share your accomplishments at your previous employment by relating a pertinent STAR story if you feel that would be relevant.

    2. You are looking for career advancement or a career change

    In your response you should be upfront, honest and as enthusiastic as you can be about the position. Consider using the Present-Past-Present method when giving this answer. Start with the Present by describing a career goal that is important to you. For instance you are a data analyst applying for a data management position and you are ready for this move. Then go back to the Past to indicate that at your previous job, there were little or no promotional opportunities in your field. Then come back to the Present and say that you are ready to take on the manager role and know that you will do an outstanding job for the company.

    3. You are unhappy with your current employment

    Sometimes a job just isn't going to take you to the next step in your career.

    Keep two things in mind when answering this question, 1) never "bad mouth" your current employer and 2) focus on the postive when speaking about the job and your reason for wanting to leave.

    The following is an example of how this question might be answered. This individual was looking to move up to a project manager position and did not feel that her current employer was the right place to achieve her goal. You might find her answer helpful in crafting your own response.

    "I really like my job as assistant project manager and love working with all of my coworkers on the team. However, the way the department is set up there is no real path to promotion. There are currently 3 project managers and they are all relatively new in their jobs. As far as I can see, they are all doing a good job and opportunties for promotion may not be opening up in the foreseeable future."

    Her comments were positive and her reasoning was clear and consise. Always try to keep your reasons positive and try not to create an impression that you were unhappy with the way you were treated.

Pro Tip

Whatever the reason you are looking for a new opportunity, make sure you are able to show how you are the perfect fit for the job for which you are interviewing!

Statistics

This question is asked 2.0x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

4. What is your greatest weakness?

How to answer

This question ranks as the most challenging for many people. Fortunately, Mr. Simon is here to help!

Interviewers are not out to trick or trap you! They ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness, your honesty and openness, and your capability for self-improvement.

  1. About Yourself

    No one is perfect and your interviewer doesn't expect you to be perfect either.

    While it is good to be honest and open, it will not help you to put yourself down.

    What's important is to find a weakness that you have overcome. How you turned what might be considered a negative into a positive.

  2. About The Company

    Research the company (website, social media, etc) to learn about the company culture.

    What personal and professional qualities do they value?

  3. About The Fit

    This is the time to clearly state a true weakness that you have overcome.

    Be as specific as possible and stay away from vague cliches like “I work too hard.” It would be difficult for anyone to try and explain how they overcame a weakness like that

    Mr. Simon emphasizes the Present-Past-Present method of responding to behavioral questions. When you are asked about your greatest weakness, you should be able to successfully use this approach as well. Here is an example of how someone might answer this question.

    Present - "I have always had a fear of public speaking, and believe this may have held me back in my career, especially when having to make presentations to management."

    Past - "Last year I learned about Toastmasters International and decided to join this group to help me gain confidence in myself and improve my ability to present to others in just about any situation."

    Present - "By overcoming this weakness I believe that it has made me a much stronger candidate for this position, someone you can count on to make presentations to management, conduct training and communicate at a high level."

    It's important to show how well you've overcome a weakness by motivating yourself and learning a new skill to grow professionally.

Pro Tip

Use this question to sell yourself!

Statistics

This question is asked 4% less frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

5. What are your long-term goals?

How to answer

Even in this age of the so-called Gig Economy, employers are always looking for people who can become their strong and loyal “soldiers,” a part of their “army” to help them conquer their market share against their competitors.

So, even if at this moment this job may be a temporary contract, you never know what opportunities may present themselves to you in this company.

Trust me, your hiring manager doesn’t know either!

So, be open to opportunities and use this question to emphasize how your personal goals correspond with those of the company.

  1. About Yourself

    Start with honestly assessing yourself. (At this moment, you are not sharing these thoughts with anyone, so be as open as you can).

    Imagine that you have all the resources in the world and that all roads are open for you.

    • How would you use them?
    • Which road(s) would you choose?
    • What do you see on the horizon in that direction?

    Be audacious and don’t limit yourself. There is no longer a perspective than “long-term,” so be as futuristic as you possibly can.

    List a few “road” options that you would be enthusiastic about going down.

    For example, this list may be as broad as the following:

    • writer
    • choir director
    • software engineer and architect
    • CEO of a unicorn startup company,
    • entrepreneur.

    As William Shakespeare once said, “We know what we are, but we know not what we may be.”

  2. About The Company

    Now, look at the company.

    • What is the industry they operate in?
    • What is the position you are applying for, and what are potential career growth possibilities within the department, company, and industry?
  3. About The Fit

    Which of your “road” options correspond best with the opportunities presented by this company?

    Highlight this option and focus on it. Imagine, in as much detail as you can, going down this road.

    What would be the major milestones for you, in order to move towards your goal?

    Describe the chosen option by focusing on the first 1-2 milestones, and by presenting it in light of company goals and current initiatives.

    For example, if you are applying for a project manager position in a corporation engaged in the education industry, and your “road” option is “CEO,” your next career step may be a program manager, or an innovations and research manager.

    Explain why you are enthusiastic about reaching these goals, and what makes you think you have the necessary traits and skills to reach them.

    How can the company benefit from these traits and skills of yours already today, in the current role you are applying for?

Pro Tip

Framing your answer in the same terms used by the company will help ensure the interviewer can easily understand your language and help both of you to be “on the same page.”

The easier you make it for the interviewer, the better are your chances they will “vote” for you over other candidates.

Statistics

This question is asked 3.4x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

6. Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment

How to answer

Of all your accomplishments (and I am sure you’ve had a great many of them!), you should choose the one most relevant to this job position.

  1. About Yourself

    In preparation for answering this question, list the top 3 professional accomplishments that you are most proud of. No need for lengthy descriptions, just a sentence or two for each one to help you recall each situation.

    Write down your Key Selling Points - your top 3-5 skills that make you a strong professional.

    Make sure you have developed the story behind each accomplishment and have a strong command of the details of what happened so that you can tell the story clearly and distinctly.

    Along with each accomplishment, mark which of your Key Selling Points they showcase. How exactly?

  2. About The Company

    Based on your research of the company, what are their current needs?

    • What are the major projects going on?
    • What are the expectations for the position you are applying for?
    • Think about which of your accomplishment stories best fit their needs and expectations?
  3. About The Fit

    Once you have decided on the appropriate accomplishment story, think how you will relate it in an interview and how you will make it relevant to the the job you are seeking. One approach is to use the Present-Past-Present technique.

    Let's say that the accomplishment was leading your team in installing a new billing system and bringing it in on time and under budget.

    You might start off in the Present by talking about the importance of having good leadership skills.

    Then move to the Past to relate your story about how you successfully lead your team in accomplishing the objective.

    Finally, come back to the Present to address how you will be able to help them reach their goals (the ones you learned about when researching the company) going forward.

    Be sure to keep practicing your accomplishment story until it flows naturally and convincingly.

Pro Tip

Most enterprises are now going through major transformations, often called Digital Transformation.

Do your research on what it means and what is often involved, to get a better idea of the current goals and environments in companies. But one thing that definitely characterizes this transformation is striving for agility.

Whether the prospective employer is a long-established company or a startup, they are looking for people who demonstrate qualities like agility and adaptability, which are generally considered to be both helpful and quite a safe choice in most circumstances today.

Statistics

This question is asked 2.7x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

7. Tell me about a successful project you were involved in. What was your role? What was the result?

How to answer

At first glance you might think that this question is only asked of project managers. That is clearly not the case. In the modern business environment, work is often organized in the form of projects across multiple disciplines involving many people at many different levels.

Projects allow companies to plan objectives and milestones in order to reach their goals, to monitor progress and performance, to clearly define deliverables and success.

  1. About Yourself

    Think about a few projects you have been involved in, regardless of your level of participation. These might range from small projects like organizing a party to large-scale multinational projects with participants and teams across the globe, million-dollar budgets and high risk and reward stakes.

    Develop one or two project-based STAR stories.

    Remember, all project-based STAR stories should start with the following descriptive elements:

    1. Project name
    2. Its purpose and goal
    3. Your role in it
    4. The duration of the project or its phases (in case only some phases were successful)
    5. The approximate number of people or stakeholders involved in it.

    Once you have establish the base facts, its time to describe the challenges and results:

    1. What were the top 3 challenges?
    2. What was the end result?
    3. How did the company (or other stakeholders) benefit from the results?
    4. How can you define your contribution in 3-5 key phrases?

    If you received any praise for your efforts from your boss, peers or clients, what did they say exactly?

  2. About The Company

    Based on the research you did on the company, what kinds of projects can you expect here?

    • What do you know about the goals they are trying to achieve?
    • What do you know about their current challenges?
    • Can you imagine what success will look like for the projects in this company?
  3. About The Fit

    Once you decide which project best fits this question, use the Present-Past-Present approach to answer it.

    Start with the Present by explaining your thinking on what you believe makes a project successful. You might say that your approach to all new projects is to set up the right project framework and tools before you begin, to help ensure that you get off to a good start.

    Next go back to a Past situation in which you and your team took on a project and used your method of clarification to ensure that everyone knew their assignment and through hard work and focus, brought it to a successful conclusion.

    Finally, come back to the Present to show how you will use your approach to help the employer tackle projects going forward.

    Practice telling your story, using the STAR method.

Pro Tip

End your answer by asking the interviewer how they define success for the role you are applying for.

This will provide you with an insight into the company's environment and expectations for this role, as well as helping to transform the “interrogation” into a conversation as the interview continues.

Statistics

This question is asked 6.4x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

8. What makes you unique?

How to answer

Essentially, this question really means "What makes you an exceptionally good candidate?"

Interviewers ask this kind of question to understand what specific skills or qualities help you to stand out from the other candidates. They want to see the evidence of strengths and soft skills you might not have included in your resume or application, but that will help you do well on the job.

It's a chance to provide the interviewer with insight into how you'd be the best candidate for a role, proving you're someone who can think on your feet.

  1. About Yourself

    Remember, unique does not mean “quirky” or “odd.” It means the skills, personality traits and other attributes you have developed over the years that make you “YOU.”

    Think about your creative skills. Maybe you combine both logical and emotional aspects at work to solve problems? Show that you are not afraid to take risks and try something new.

    It’s time for you to remember your best qualities and share the examples from your background, which highlight what you like about yourself as well as your level of confidence.

  2. About The Company

    Research the company and review the skills listed in the job description to see how well your unique attributes relate to the job requirements.

    The more you know about the organizational goals of the employer, the better equipped you’ll be to connect your unique attributes to the job. It can be helpful to think of what’s special about you and how those characteristics will enable you to make a strong contribution to the organization.

  3. About The Fit

    Prove that you're a good fit for the job and that you are compatible with the organization’s culture. Always keep it relevant to the position you are applying for.

    For example, for a management job, you might want to demonstrate communication skills, strong leadership or a willingness to take risks.

    For a job in finance, you might focus on your discretion or your meticulous attention to detail.

    If you previously worked at a small startup and now you want to transfer to a large corporation, it's important for you to mention how the experiences gained at that company have prepared you to take on the tasks at the new company and have given you a “leg up” over other candidates.

Pro Tip

While it's important to share an example or two of what makes you unique, be sure to keep it brief. You don’t want the interviewer to think your unique quality is “talking too much.”

Mention that you always try to find the creative approach to non-standard situations.

Providing strong examples shows the interviewer that you're results-driven. Never use generic phrases like “I’m a hard worker” or “I’m a perfectionist” to answer their questions.

Statistics

This question is asked 8.2x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

9. What are your drivers? What motivates you?

How to answer

Motivation is what we use to drive ourselves forward to complete tasks and bring results.

Why do hiring managers ask this question?

They want to get a sense of your personality. But more importantly, they want to see your resiliency and determination.

They do not want to hire someone who will quit when encountering difficulties, whose focus will be elsewhere, or who will just waste their time.

Enthusiasm ranks very high on the list of qualities employers are looking for in a candidate.

If you can demonstrate that you are genuinely passionate about your profession and interested in the position you are applying for, your chances of getting hired will improve significantly.

  1. About Yourself

    This question requires serious self-examination; you should be asking it yourself long before the interviewer does.

    Look back on everything you’ve done in your life, job, and career so far.

    • What was it about your best days that made them the best?
    • Can you take those feelings and apply them to specific moments from your life and past work experiences?
    • Are you ready for tough projects or for being asked to do something that isn’t quite on your job description, or for having to stay at work till late instead of another team member?
    • Will meeting deadlines, learning new things, finding a way to solve problems or overcoming a challenge inspire you and make you want even more?
    • What gives you a sense of accomplishment when you can look back on and say "I achieved that"?

    Look deep inside.

    Analyze your experience by types of tasks, by type of environment, type of feedback, level of responsibility and stakes? Do you prefer independence, or being part of a team?

    1. Task type: if you were given a whole day or even week at work to focus on just one of your tasks, without interruptions or multitasking, which one would that be? Why?
    2. Environment: do you feel motivated in a dynamic environment with lots of action, communications, deadlines? Or would you rather disconnect from the outside world and immerse into a single task, with your headphones on?
    3. Feedback: are you better motivated by positive feedback, or by healthy criticism? Or maybe by customers’ smiles and “Thank you” messages?
    4. Responsibility and stakes: are you motivated to do your best when you know that the stakes are high and your contribution will make a great impact on the bottom line? Or do you feel better in a more safe and relaxed environment when someone else is responsible for making big decisions?
    5. Financials: what is the salary range that makes you feel comfortable and respect yourself? Let’s be realistic, this is one (although definitely shouldn’t be the first) of the drivers.

    Be creative, this list is not exhaustive.

  2. About The Company

    Take a long look at the job you’re applying for.

    • What kinds of tasks will you be responsible for?
    • What will the environment be?
    • What do you know about the possible kinds of feedback you will be receiving?
    • What is the level of stakes in this role?
    • What do you know about the salary they can possibly offer?
  3. About The Fit

    How comfortable are you with the drivers the company can offer, comparing to those of your own? Pick those that have a match and give some examples.

    For instance, if you’re applying for a software engineer job, describe how you are motivated by solving complex technical challenges.

    If the job involves teamwork, give an example showing that you love collaborating and accomplishing big things as a part of a team.

    That is what drives you to do your best each day. You can say you enjoy meaningful work creating products that change people’s lives, if this is relevant to the company.

Pro Tip

Be enthusiastic. The more enthusiasm you have for what motivates you, the more enthusiasm the interviewer will have for you!

Statistics

This question is asked 4.1x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

10. Walk me through your resume

How to answer

This question is often asked at the beginning of the interview.

The interviewer wants to hear a brief overview, a summary of your professional experience, in order to have a starting point from which they can dig deeper.

Structuring your answer wisely gives you a good chance to emphasize your Key Selling Points and to channel the conversation in the direction you want.

  1. About Yourself

    Print out your resume. For each of your recent job experiences (at this point do not go back more than 5 years), write down 3-5 key points at which you feel you are strong.

    For example, for your current (or previous) job, you may want to list skills like “Excellent presentation skills,” “Employee Engagement guru,” “Analytical skills,” “Attention to detail” (they don’t have to be all soft skills, but being aware of at least a few of your strong soft skills is important). Make sure you have examples for each of your statements.

    If you have difficulties to think of these points, search online for job descriptions for similar job roles, and figure out which of those keywords appeal to you. Look for people on LinkedIn that have jobs similar to the one you are applying for. Their profiles often contain many keywords that you can use in response to this question.

    Now that you’ve gone through all your recent experiences, are there any points that repeat more often than others, or are especially important to you? These are candidates to be your Key Selling Points -highlight 3-5 of them.

  2. About The Company

    Research the company and the role for which you're being interviewed. When researching the company, find out what skills and qualities they value the most. Carefully consider the job requirements. What is it that you will be responsible for?

    Now, write down 3-5 keywords from the job description that you find of utmost importance for this job role.

  3. About The Fit

    Try to establish the match between your own highlighted keywords, and those of the job description. These are your Key Selling Points! You should normally limit yourself by 3-5 such keywords or phrases.

    Now, craft a story based on your career history. You don’t have to go in chronological order - you can start with your current or last job experience, and then go back to your previous ones, or focus on just the experiences that are relevant to your story, and only briefly mention the less relevant ones and only if needed.

    Select one point to highlight for each phase of your career. Make sure you ingrain your Key Selling Points in the interviewer’s memory - after the interview is over, you want them to remember you as someone who is strong at XYZ, or experienced in A, B and C.

    It's okay to focus more on stellar achievements and brag a little bit about them.

Pro Tip

Don't bore the interviewer by going through your resume line-by-line.

Instead, WOW them by succinctly (keep it within 2 minutes) telling a story of how your career path has brought you to this point and how you are the best candidate for this role.

Super tip: The more you practice with Mr. Simon, the better you'll be at telling WOW-worthy succinct stories!

Statistics

This question is asked 2.1x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

11. Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult or disruptive person. It may be a client, manager, or coworker. How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?

How to answer

People skills are highly valued in a company. It is important to show how you can manage difficult personalities, especially if you are applying for a job that involves teamwork, or a lot of interactions with clients.

  1. About Yourself

    Look back on your experience. Have you worked with a difficult or disruptive person? Remember a few such situations and how you diffused them and turned things around. What are your approaches to resolving conflicting situations at work?

  2. About The Company

    • What have you found about the company and its culture?
    • What have you learned about how the employees value each other?
    • How do they treat their customers?
    • Do they have any specific standards and policies?
  3. About The Fit

    Using what you found about the company, choose one of your examples that fits best with the company standards and share your story.

    If it's a customer, how did you turn things around and made a customer happy?
    If it's a coworker, how did you diffuse a tense or difficult situation?

Pro Tip

Use the triple A of diffusing a difficult situation:

  1. Acknowledge - what the other person is feeling,
  2. Apologize - for the way the other person is feeling,
  3. Admit - that there was an issue that you are working on to get it resolved.

If it is a customer, it would add that extra touch if you "Ask" for the customer's contact information so you can update them of any progress on their issue.

Statistics

This question is asked 99% more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

12. Tell me about a time when you failed to meet a deadline. What did you learn?

How to answer

The ability to meet deadlines is crucial in most roles.

However, nobody is perfect, and deadlines will be missed from time-to-time.

This is not a "loaded" or “gotcha” question, designed to catch you. It is a genuine question, asked by the interviewer who knows that there will be times when deadlines pass, and projects go sideways.

  • What they want to know is - how you reacted?
  • Are you someone who is able to turn a negative into a positive or a person who would allow yourself to be sidetracked by such a failure?
  1. About Yourself

    Here are some questions to ask yourself regarding missing and meeting deadlines.

    Knowing the answers to the following questions will help you formulate your answer to the overall deadline question.

    Use them to tell about a specific situation where you missed a deadline but were able to turn it into a positive.

    • Do you take personal responsibility for failing to meet a deadline? (Don’t attempt to put the blame on others, this should be about you)?
    • How well do you work under pressure?
    • What helps you to stay focused when faced with a major deadline?
    • How do you prioritize your tasks?
    • What will you do to keep missing a deadline from happening again in the future?
  2. About The Company

    When you research the company, try and find out what kind of challenges they are facing.

    • What responsibilities will you be tasked with?
    • Will there be a degree of pressure like hitting targets, meeting deadlines or managing multiple tasks at once?

    The job description may also be a good source for understanding what types of tasks might need to meet deadlines.

  3. About The Fit

    When answering a question relating to not meeting deadlines, it is important to look for a story that has a positive outcome regardless of the initial failure to meet a deadline.

    Use the STAR method to tell the story in which something fairly important didn’t go right due to your personal actions (or lack of actions).

    Emphasize that you took personal responsibility for the shortcoming and talk about what you did to improve the situation, how you were able to turn the situation into a positive and what you did to prevent it from happening again.

    Ensure the hiring manager that you learned your lesson and have practiced good work habits since that time.

Pro Tip

Here is an example of a possible answer to this tough interview question.

Last year I missed a project deadline for an important client because I underestimated the need for support staff on the project. Despite working overtime, I missed the deadline by three days. When I realized that the deadline was fast approaching, I called the client and apologized for the delay (as well as informing my boss). I took full responsibility for the inconvenience and provided a new timeline that I could meet. I met the second deadline that I promised the client, and they were impressed with my transparent and honest attitude throughout the process. Since then I have not failed to meet a deadline."

Statistics

This question is asked 9.8x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

13. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

How to answer

Some hiring managers really like these oddball interview questions.

Why would the interviewer want to know what kind of animal you would want to be? They think it’s going to reveal more about your character and can show them how you respond when you’re under stress or when you are thrown a curveball.

Questions like these do reveal your thought process and offer you a chance to show off your creativity and inventiveness.

To answer this question, realize that in fact you are asked ‘What kind of an employee will you be?’ Analogies often tell the truth!

  1. About Yourself

    The answer to the question about animals at the interview is to check how well a person knows himself.

    • Do you understand your strengths and weaknesses?
    • Are you able to objectively look at yourself and see what you actually are?

    The answer must be true and based on reality.

    Before the interview, analyze your internal self and try to figure out all the possible qualities that you possess. If you focus well, you should be able to come up with at least 10 qualities.

    When you are in the interview you can name the animal, and give several of the qualities that you see in that animal that also describe you.

    The question is also a test of your sense of humor. You probably don’t want to choose a giraffe, kangaroo or rhinoceros as these animals might be hard to match to your personal qualities. Also, you really want to stay away from animals like snakes, hyenas, rats or spiders. These animals have negative, off-putting associations.

  2. About The Company

    This question during the interview is a creative way of asking you about the kinds of qualities and skills you possess and how you perceive yourself to fit in the company with those qualities and skills.

  3. About The Fit

    The objective is to understand the depth of your viewpoint and analytical thinking.

    Once you list down the qualities, figure out the ones that will be helpful in the job that you have applied for. The more relatable the qualities, the better you will be able to sell yourself to the recruiter.

    For example, if you compare yourself to an elephant, which is a strong, intelligent, loyal to the group and unstoppable animal, you will explain your ability to adapt to any new environment and work according to the culture and system of the new place.

    Dolphins are very good communicators, loyal to the group and adaptable to many conditions and can be used as an example to indicate how good you are when it comes to handling team tasks.

    Dogs are seen as Man’s Best Friend, that’s why it might be a good example for someone in a support role. Besides, they have such important qualities as loyalty and devotion which are highly valued in most companies.

    If you compare yourself to an eagle, you will highlight the ability to see the whole picture, sharpness and tenacity of vision. These are good qualities for managers or directors.

    Comparing yourself to a lion you are pointing out that you are a skillful leader and a good team worker.

Pro Tip

Always choose the animal that makes a strong impression and fits perfectly with the skills and qualities that you see as needed by the company.

Your example should be based on reality. The way you answer will help the interviewer to understand your thinking skills and managing ability in situations when under pressure.

Statistics

This question is asked 5.7x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

14. How would you handle a customer with difficult behavior?

How to answer

People skills are highly valued in every company, especially in a company that occasionally deals with difficult customers. It is important to show how you can manage difficult personalities.

  1. About Yourself

    Look back on your experience. Have you dealt with a difficult or disruptive customer? Remember how you diffused the situation and how you turned things around.

    • Do you have certain principles, or methodology, to deal with difficult people?
    • Do you have strong people skills, are you good at conflict resolution?
    • Are you high on emotional intelligence? Can you give an example?
  2. About The Company

    • What have you found about the company and its culture?
    • What have you learned about how the employees value each other?
    • How do they treat their customers?
    • Knowing their line of business or industry, what can be some examples of difficult customers?

    Do your research.

  3. About The Fit

    When a question like this asked in an interview, it is an indication that you will probably encounter difficult customers, or other difficult stakeholders while working for this company.

    This would be an excellent opportunity to use the Present-Past-Present approach to respond to this question.

    Start with the Present. Speak about your “conflict resolution” skills and how you apply these today.

    Next go back to a Past situation - remember your Star Stories to relate a relevant situation that happened in a previous job where you resolved a problem for a difficult customer.

    Finally, come back to the Present, summarizing what you learned from past experiences and how you will apply them to the job you are interviewing for today.

    If you can give an example of how you handled a difficult person in the past in a situation similar to what this company may require from you, this will strongly increase your chances of showing yourself as a good fit.

Pro Tip

One methodology for diffusing a difficult situation is called “the triple A” approach:

  1. Acknowledge - what the other person is feeling,
  2. Apologize - for the way the other person is feeling,
  3. Admit - that there was an issue that you are working on to get it resolved.

If the difficult situation involves a customer, it would add that extra touch if you added another "A" to your approach by Asking for the customer's contact information so you can update them of any progress on their issue.

Statistics

This question is asked 39% less frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

15. How did you hear about us?

How to answer

This question is one of the easiest to answer and it usually comes at the beginning of an interview.

By asking this question the interviewer expects to learn about your job search methods and to judge if you’re an active or passive job seeker.

They also want to find out which of their outreach campaigns are working and which platform(s) you commonly visit. This helps them to discover how they are attracting top talent like you!

  1. About Yourself

    The following are questions you should ask yourself in preparation for the interview. They will help you to give a clear and concise response to the question “How did you hear about us?

    • How did you find out about the job?
    • Was it through social media or a friend?
    • What caught your attention?
    • What made you excited to apply to this company?
    • What do you like about its culture?
  2. About The Company

    Research the company, its vision, mission and objectives.

    Think back to when you first heard about the company.

    Find out what they do on LinkedIn, the company’s web site or other resources.

    If it’s possible, try to find more information about the person who will be interviewing you as this will make it easier to relate to them.

    Also, if you can learn any information about why the previous employee left this job it might be helpful in your response.

  3. About The Fit

    The best answer to the question is concise and to-the-point. So, make sure you keep it to one or two sentences maximum.

    If the interviewers want more info, they’ll ask.

    You may say something like this:

    “I* saw your position posted on LinkedIn. It was clearly a great match for my background and experience, and I am really happy to have the opportunity to discuss it with you today.*”

    Or you might say:

    I was contacted by Mary Smith, a recruiter in this field who thought I would be a great fit for this position.

    This is your opportunity to show how your qualities match with what the company is looking for and it is another opportunity to express your interest and excitement for the role.

    Share how you can be an asset to the company.

Pro Tip

What sources can you mention?

  1. Job boards, a career website, the company’s website, an advertisement for a job opening at LinkedIn, etc.
  2. A colleague or friend who works for the company.
  3. You read an article, press release, or another news source.
  4. You were contacted by a recruiter.
  5. You were familiar with the company via previous work and now you would like to work for them.

Statistics

This question is asked 10.4x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

16. Do you have a mentor?

How to answer

This question is seeking to understand how you build your relationships, how you look for and accept guidance from others and what you value in life and at work.

It’s a good opportunity to show that you appreciate learning from others, that you seek continual growth development and that you work well in a team.

  1. About Yourself

    Think back on your work or personal history to come up with at least one person who had a strong impact on you.

    Although you don’t necessarily have to name this person, it is important to say what you admire most about him or her.

    It should be a person who truly has had an impact on you, someone you were close to you and helped you make progress in your life.

    It may be someone who helped you to advance your professional career, or who offered you some advice that helped you to deal with some personal issue.

  2. About The Company

    Read the job description carefully and research the company to learn as much as you can about the company’s culture. What qualities does the company value in their employees?

    See if you are able to match their values to those you learned from your mentor and how his/her influence may have relevance to the company you are interviewing with.

  3. About The Fit

    Telling a specific story about your relationship with a mentor can make your answer more personal and informative.

    Describing your mentor and what you gained from that relationship shows that you proactively seek out learning opportunities. It will help the interviewer to find whether your values and principles match with their mission.

    Provide an example of how you learned an important lesson from your mentor, emphasizing results or achievements that you accomplished as a result of this mentorship.

    If you are applying for a teaching role, for example, you could emphasize how your former professor at the University helped you realize your true vocation for teaching, and showed by example the importance of dedication, research, love for students, patience and communication skills in this field.

Pro Tip

In speaking about a person who inspired and motivated you to be who you are now, be honest, positive and enthusiastic.

In this way, the interviewer will see that you really appreciate other people’s help and can form strong relationships with supervisors and colleagues of their company.

Statistics

This question is asked 345.6x more frequently at SABIC than at other companies.

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This page has been updated on February 23, 2024.

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