Questions at Visa Inc. interviews

1. Tell me about yourself top question

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 15% less frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 27% more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

3. What is your greatest weakness?

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 34% less frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

4. Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 84% more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

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

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 4.3x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

6. Tell me about a stressful situation and how you dealt with it

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   In order to form a response to this question, think back to a time when you encountered a stressful situation at work, and answer the following questions.

   • Was the situation a challenge just to you personally or to your entire team?
   • What was your approach to the problem and how did you handle it?
   • What role if any did emotions play in the process of dealing with this situation?
   • What was the outcome, was it successful?
   • Did the outcome meet the company’s expectations as well as your own?

2. About The Company

   • What do you know about the company, where you may encounter a stressful situation?
   • Are they working on a major project which is approaching a due date?
   • Are they going through what appears to be a difficult time where cost-saving is a top priority? Perhaps the company culture is full of negativity and mistrust, or they have gone through massive layoffs. Is there any chance that customers are being neglected?

   Any of these situations may lead to stressful times at the company, and you should try to know more about their expectations, and how realistic those expectations are.

   Or, are they just a dynamic, highly agile company run by smart and creative folks, which may work excellently for some people and be confusing and mind-blowing for others?

   Do your research.

3. About The Fit

   Once you have determined which STAR story will best answer this question, use the Present-Past-Present method for your response. The following is an example of how someone might apply this method.

   The candidate started with the Present by telling the interviewer that she is able to rise to the challenge of the situation regardless of the level of stress that may come with an assignment.

   She then went back to the Past to describe when she and her team had to hit a tight timeline for a customer that depended on the outcome of her team's work. It was an emotional time in which the team worked long, hard hours with lots of overtime. As hard as it was at the time, in the end they successfully completed the assignment and the customer was so pleased with the results that it increased its business with her company.

   Finally, the candidate came back to the Present to explain how much she enjoys taking on challenges because they help her grow as a professional and she knows that she can successfully complete assignments for the company, no matter how stressful or difficult.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 76% more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

7. Why did you leave your last job?

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 9% more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

8. Walk me through your resume

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 2.3x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

9. Tell me about a time when you've resolved a problem for a frustrated customer

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   Think of a time when, as a customer, you had a problem with a company.

   • How did you feel?
   • How did you want to be treated?
   • Was the situation resolved to your satisfaction? If so what was done to resolve it?
   • If not, what went wrong?

   Have you had experience in the past where you helped a frustrated customer? When you were on the serving side of the table, what did you do to make a real difference to the customer and their experience?

   When considering this question, focus on your principles and your approach. You know that when customers are made to feel neglected and unimportant, they tend to get frustrated. You want to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you have the capacity to understand the customer’s problems and issues and can come up with a solution that best addresses their concerns.

   Of course, this may not always be possible in your line of business or profession, but I guess you see what I mean - showing full attention greatly improves your chances of mitigating the situation.

2. About The Company

   Every company relies on customers.

   Research the company you are applying to and try to find out what their standards of customer relationship or service are, as well as try to find out some real cases where the customers complained about the company, and what the company did to mitigate the situations (a possible source might be Yelp! or another social media platform).

   Based on your research, how does the company treat customers? How do they resolve customer issues?

3. About The Fit

   How do you demonstrate to the interviewer that you can WOW the customer by making their situation better for them as well as helping the company maintain good customer relations? Mr. Simon recommends using the Present-Past-Present method.

   There are many ways to apply this approach. For example you can start with the Present emphasizing that your approach to good customer service always starts with your great listening skills that enable you to fully understand the customer’s situation.

   Next go back to the Past for an example of just how you were able to resolve a frustrating situation for a customer. Focus on a situation in which you listened to and understood the problem and were able to resolve it and prevent the loss of the customer’s business.

   Finally come back to the Present to discuss how your skills and experience in handling frustrated customers will be a real asset to the company going forward.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 5% less frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

10. Why did you choose your major?

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   This is your chance to highlight your strengths and how your major prepared you for your future plans.

   Your answer to this question should reflect your passion and interest in the field you chose. Be genuine.

   There’s every reason to display your passions and interest in your major. They will give interviewers a sense of who you really are.

   Think about who or what influenced your career choice and include the positive influences, not the negative ones.

   • How does this tie into your major?
   • How will you bring your passion and unique knowledge to the new company?

   Emphasize your strong people skills and excellent communication skills, allowing you to connect with others.

   Think of the skills and experiences you gained through your major, think back to assignments and projects from your studies, internships and previous jobs. Consider the skills you developed working on those projects.

2. About The Company

   Write down a list of skills and experiences you gained through your major studies.

   Then, look at the job listing itself.

   Match up any of your skills and experiences that relate to the requirements of the job. How can you apply them to your new position, as well as the future?

3. About The Fit

   Use this question as an opportunity to mention a few skills related to your chosen major that would also be relevant in the workplace.

   Point to a good culture fit.

   Be positive, showing your enthusiasm. Let them know you're excited to be where you are.

   Discuss what you enjoy about the industry you’re considering and why you could see yourself working in it. Even if your major is not directly related to the job, you can likely find connections between the two.

   This is also a chance to explain other ways you have developed skills that will fulfill the role you're applying for.

   For example, perhaps you were a biology major who is applying for a job in computer programming. You might explain that you took a number of online and extracurricular classes on programming to develop the skills needed for the job.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 3.5x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

11. Tell me about your work experience. What was the most interesting?

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   Review the details that you shared in your resume. Select the three to five best points to highlight and relate to the position to which you're applying.

2. About The Company

   Carefully research the company and the job description.

   Find out what duties you'll be taking on to determine which of your top skills to emphasize. Try to find out what current challenges they are trying to solve by opening this vacancy.

3. About The Fit

   Knowing the duties for which you will be responsible will help you identify which prior experiences to highlight.

   How well you connect your previous experiences with the job requirements can tell the interviewer how prepared you are for this role and how enthusiastic you will be about your job.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 72% more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

12. Tell me about a time when you went out of your way to satisfy a customer. What was the outcome?

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   Think about a time you were a customer seeking help with a problem. How were you treated? Was your experience what you expected? Did the customer service representative make this a good or great experience for you?

   Now think about the times you had to help a customer. What did you do to make that experience unforgettable for the them? How did you exceed expectations?

2. About The Company

   Think carefully about the company and what they are looking for. What are their standards for treating customers?

   Look for reviews online (such as Yelp) that can help you identify how they treat their customers? Very positive reviews would suggest that the company places a strong emphasis on great customer service.

   Double check the job description for evidence of the importance they place on customer service.

   Do your research.

3. About The Fit

   Use the Present-Past-Present technique to answer this question.

   Start with the Present by emphasizing your customer service skills and how important you think they are in not just meeting the customer's immediate needs but also retaining that customer for the long haul.

   Next, go back to the Past to relate a time when you went out of your way to help a customer. Here, for example is how this might be related. "I was working late one night and the rest of my staff had gone home when a good customer called with a serious problem accessing his laptop. I stayed with him both online and on the phone for almost two hours to correct the problem and get him back up and running. The next day he called my boss to tell him how grateful he was that I was able help him with his issues. By the way he is still a very good customer."

   Finally come back to the Present to underscore how you will not only bring great customer service to the new job but will work hard to instill this in everyone you work with.

   Be sure to use the STAR method to craft your story.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 2.8x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

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

How to answer

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

Statistics

This question is asked 50% less frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

14. Describe the most challenging work problem you faced in your last job

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   So, how should you talk about your strategy to approach tough situations?

   Try to think about the actual most challenging thing you did, or just pick something that was really difficult, but you succeed at it in the end.

   The situation should be real. Perhaps you went above and beyond to meet a tight deadline while taking over the responsibilities of a coworker who was out sick? Or you took a course, completed an online training, or attended seminars on a topic that was new for you, but necessary to match your qualifications to the position's requirements?

   Make sure your story isn't boring: interesting is a keyword here. Use the STAR method to demonstrate your positive approach to problem-solving.

2. About The Company

   Take a moment to consider the role and the daily tasks you’d be engaged with.

   • What kind of problems might come about?
   • What difficulties can you possibly encounter because you will be working directly with clients or in a big team?
   • Do you have to communicate a lot, or would problems be more technical in nature?

   Do your research.

3. About The Fit

   Your answer is an opportunity to highlight your fit for the role and the work environment.

   This question allows the interviewer to reflect on how you handled past challenges and use this to make predictions about your future capabilities. It might help them to realize you’re a good fit.

   When employers ask such questions, they are looking for some specific details relevant to the job.

   For example, if you are interviewing for a customer service role, highlight how you’ve managed to deal with a difficult situation in customer service.

   On the other hand, if your future role would be very technical, you might talk about a technical challenge you’ve overcome.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 3.1x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

15. Describe a time when you led by example

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   • Are you an entry-level person or a seasoned pro?
   • Are you a manager, a team leader a member of a staff or a team?

   In all these scenarios, you probably had a chance at some point to show someone else how to do the job in the best possible way. In other words, you led by example. This is what you need to keep in mind in responding to the question.

   If you managed or led a team, you have already led by example and the the STAR method should be used to provide an answer.

   If you are at an entry-level, you should be still able to answer the question from your own experiences in school or at a summer job.

   Or you might start by thinking of the different leaders you've worked with or whose lives you have followed and identify what their best traits are. Then, identify those skills that you have that are relatable to the leaders you admire.

2. About The Company

   Review the job description carefully and identify the type of leadership skills required for the role; customize your answer according to their requirements.

   Often, the desired leadership capabilities are spelled right out in the job description. One position may require managing a large team and another may be looking for someone who can take the initiative on special projects.

   Do your research!

3. About The Fit

   Prepare an example that demonstrates your leadership ability; focus on a somewhat recent example.

   Some of your leadership skills might include taking initiative, communicating a vision, translating vision into reality, inspiring others, making tough decisions, motivating, empowering or developing others.

   The best stories include enough detail to be believable and memorable.

   Show how you were a leader in the situation and how it represents your overall leadership experience and/or potential. At the same time, you must make an effort to keep the story concise. Using the the STAR method will help you stay focused.

   Round out your answer with how your leadership skills would fit with the company culture.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 6.8x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.

16. What were your responsibilities in your last job?

How to answer

1. About Yourself

   Remember your last (or current) job and compile a list of things you had to do while working there.

   If you don’t know where to start, picture your typical working day at one of your previous jobs, or college day if you are applying for your first job ever.

   Describe the categories of tasks in bullet points. Then, try to remember the less ordinary tasks you had to do as well, and add them to the list.

2. About The Company

   Research the company and the job description.

   • What do you expect to be doing in this job?
   • How would your performance be measured?

   List a few items in bullet points.

3. About The Fit

   Choose a few task categories that seem like a match between your experience and the requirements of the current position. Think of a couple of relevant examples to illustrate your experience.

   Craft your stories using the STAR method.

Pro Tip

Statistics

This question is asked 2.2x more frequently at Visa Inc. than at other companies.