Management Interview Questions & Answers

The interview was conducted by a Manager who was previously a Graduate trainee and a HR officer. The Manager did most of the talking whilst the HR Officer made some notes. The questions started off fairly simple, what do you know about National Express. Then when they got into the competency based questions, they were predominantly based on teamwork, organisation and project management. One thing I noticed was that the questions are very similar to each other. I found that I had answered the questions in previous questions. They are pretty much what is expected: why do you want to work for us, name a time when you got someone to share your thoughts, name a time when you persuaded someone to follow your views etc etc. It was a fairly laidback interview. It was more of a conversation, the interviewer was engaging in dialogue when I responded.

Name a time when you've gone above and beyond the call of duty?

When compiling the presentation, make sure you know what you are talking about and then make sure you know what you are talking about. Relax and enjoy the day, make the most of the resources. There are a lot of exec members there on the days, as well as current and previous graduates. Use them and their knowledge!

the day was staggered for each of us, at different points of the day we were taken to do different things. The day started off with an introduction from the one of the Exec Team, briefing us for the day and National Express. The group task was essentially a situation based case study, we had 15mins individual time to read the case study, then 30 mins to discuss as a group and reach a conclusion with 10mins to feedback.

We had to give a 15 min presentation on the pre-allocated topic that was highlighted in the invite email.

I orginially found out about Enterprise-rent-a-car at a graduate fair at my University. I went over to the stand the women there were super friendly and they advised me to apply online. Once you have applied online your application is accepted or declined, mine was accepted and I was informed I would have a telephone interview. The telephone interview was to get to know me and look at my experience, and how my experience would help in the role. At the end of the telephone interview my interviewer told me she would like to meet me at a face to face interview at the regions headquarters. The interview was relaxed yet formal. She asked me competency questions like 'tell me a time where you have gone beyond expectation to help a customer', there were lots of these types of questions. At the end of the interview she said she would be in contact with me if I had been successful. By the time I had got home she rang me and told me that I had indeed been sucessful and she had arranged a branch visit. This included watching other members of staff and how the branch worked. After this I met with the branch manager and had a 30 minute formal interview with him. There was a lot of competency based questions. A week after the branch visit I was told they wanted to see me at the assessment centre.

Competency questions. In each interview they ask the same questions just worded differently. Make sure you have plenty of examples for them.

Know your stuff! They will ask you what you know about the company and what particular things you like about their values.
Be prepared with your examples for the competency questions, there are lots of them so be sure you know your information so you won't trip up on your own information.

When we first arrived we were put in a presentation room and we watched the talent acquisition manager give a short presentation about the company.
After this we were spilt in to two groups to have a discussion about a charity and we had to push our charity to get picked. I would recommend to be heard but do not take the lead and be too loud, the interviewers do not like this at all.
We had a short break then we were individually taken in to a room by an area manager for a role-play in an every day situation, this was fun as you get an insight in to the company.
After lunch time we had a test where we were given information about a branch and we had to prioritise tasks and find logical solutions for everyday problems. Finally we had another interview with an area manager, they asked us how we thought the day went and what roles we took in each of the tasks.
At the end of the day we were told we would be told within 24 hours if we were successful.

After filling in a straight forward application form online, I was called by a women from the recruitment team and had a 15-20 minute phone interview which was not too testing.

This basically was a chance for me to give example of previous experience which I could relate back to this job role. So I was asked questions about my CV such as 'Why did you chose your degree?' and other customer service based questions. This was not difficult and I was also told about the application process and what it would entail.

After the phone interview I received an email inviting me to a face to face interview which would last about 30-40 mins and would be full of competency based questions - most of these were customer service based, sales related, team work related etc. I was also asked if i had any questions for her (so definitely ask some). The whole process is well explained and once I had arrived home I had already been asked to attend a branch visit. This is the next step and lasted for 2 hours.

I went to my local branch and shadowed a worker there... she showed me around the branch and explained what goes on there on a regular day. It was good to see where i could be potentially working and what i would would be doing! After this i had another 20-30 minute interview with the branch manager which was very similar to my first face-to-face interview (similar competency questions). A few hours later i received the call to invite me back to the assessment centre which i now have in a few weeks time!

"Describe a time you had to change your priorities."

Make sure that you have rehearsed some answers to competency questions surrounding team work, customer service and sales.
Show passion towards to company and a willingness to learn within the ranks.
On activities such as the branch visit, get involved with everyone and don't be shy! everyone was so friendly and really interested in me and what i was doing so that made it a lot easier for me!
Ask as many questions as you can and show real interest

Although I have not yet attended the assessment centre I have been told that it will include...group activities, role plays and another one to one interview with the area manager...

This is a whole day process with a 24 hour turn around on the decision.

Initially was a telephone interview, which lasted 20 minutes.

At the assessment centre there was a one on one hour interview. Consisted of 9 competency questions which needed to include relevant experience as evidence to support my answers.

Example of when you have received good customer service?

Be friendly and enthusiastic.

The company and everybody involved was very friendly. The Assessment centre was challenging and very tiring. It last from 9am until 4.30pm. The day consisted of an hour group scenario, then there was my presentation lasting 15 minutes. The subject was how University will help with transition into the work place. Next was the one to one hour interview and the day ended with a group tea building exercises which lasted about an 1 hour and 30 minutes

The application was in various stages.

1: Online application and competency based questionnaire.
This was your average competency questionnaire ('Give an example of when you demonstrated leadership?' etc), along with questions such as 'Why Aldi?'.

2: Several weeks after filling in the online application I was invited to the regional HQ for a group interview.
This was with the regional MD and about 10-15 other applicants. It was very informal; and was a question and answer situation. A word of advice is to make sure you speak up and be heard. It's too easy to fall into the background in formats like this, and as the MD is only choosing a few of you, you should aim to make him remember you. I heard back the next day saying I had been selected to advance to the next round, and was asked to fill in an online psychometric test. This basically is looking to see if you fit the role they're looking for. So a tip: answer all the leadership questions as very relevant to you!

3: I was then invited to a 2:1 interview with the regional MD (from the first interview) and their logistics director.
Before the interview began, I was given some numerical and verbal reasoning tests to complete. You get 20 minutes for 3 pages of tests. No calculator, so I suggest brushing up on maths involving fractions, percentages and decimals!
Next, the interview. Again, this was very informal; and was a bit of a CV run through, but mostly a general chat about my background and reasoning behind my application.
Again, very prompt return and heard back in 2 days.

3. The final interview was with a current Area manager in store.
At this point, you are down to about a 1:3 chance of getting the job. This was again very informal. They give a run through of their lives and career and then ask for the same. Then it's a bit of a Q and A, to see if you have any questions you need answering. I suggest getting a few ready!

I heard back about a week later, and got offered two starting dates; one in Sept and one in Feb. I shall be taking the February date.

'Your degree was in .... and your masters was in.... so why Aldi?'
I find this a difficult question as most people's degrees aren't in business or a related field, so you have to be able to convince them that you want the job.

'What attracts you to the retail market at the moment?'

Again, just brush up on current news.

I would suggest before going into the initial interview, to get a good grasp of background knowledge of Aldi, but also what makes their business model different, and their current offers etc. If you can visit a store, that would be best. There are a lot of competitive candidates and you need to be able to stand out.

With regards to the second and third interviews; just be yourself, and be confident. They want you to instil confidence that you would be the right choice, and they want leaders. So when they ask why you want the job/why they should hire you, you need to be able to answer that.

Q and A. Numerical and Verbal tests.

The first stage of the application process was an online application, which included academic qualifications, employment history and some general questions.
I then was invited to an group interview/ assessment center day. There were approx 12 of us on the day, overlooked by two senior members of Aldi. We had to give a timed, 2 min presentation introducing ourselves to the group. We were then given a problem solving scenario and split into groups to debate the outcome under timed conditions, and then report back our decision and why. We had to give a second 2 min presentation on a topic of interest, followed by paper-based, maths, verbal and logical reasoning tests. It all lasted around 2 hours.
I think the key here is to strike a good balance between being able to lead a team but also still be part of the team/ not be too overbearing.

I received a letter about a month later inviting me for a one-on-one interview with the Regional Director, and to complete an online personality test prior to the interview. This interview was more focused on me as a person: what I could bring to the company; how my degree was relevant; hardest decision I've ever had to make; where do I see myself in 10 years? Etc. I was also asked to complete a 10 min task to chronologically order the stages involved arranging a meeting (I presume to test my organisational/reasoning skills).
I received a letter about a week later offering me the job :)

"How does your degree equip you for working in a discount-retail environment?"

We were told on multiple occasions at the assessment center that the company looks for a very specific 'type' of person; that they know exactly what they are looking for and it's 'very niche'. So it's hard to say really what they're looking for. The best advice I can give is to be confident and approachable, but also remember that a manager is a team player, as well as a team leader, so try not to be overly domineering in group tasks.
Neither the assessment day or the one-on-one interviews were particularly intimidating, everyone was very friendly. So embrace the experience, and just give it your all.

There were about 12 of us at the assessment center, overlooked by two senior members of Aldi.
- We first had to give a 2 min presentation introducing ourselves. This was timed, which was important as here they want to see not only how confident you are in addressing an audience, but also that you are able to sustain the audience for a relative period of time and that you have a fair idea about timings. Also be sure to pay good attention to other people, because the position is all about being able to work well with others (i.e being interested and listening to what they have to say.)
- We were then split into two groups for a problem solving exercise. The scenario was that we had a life raft which could only fit 5 out of the 6 of us, and so our task was to decide who to leave behind. We were each assigned a character whose personality we had to assume. This again was timed. I think the key here was to be able to give a reasoned argument as to your ideas and be subtly persuasive, but not overbearing. (Try to strike a balance between giving your ideas and encouraging others/ listening to their ideas). I was outnumbered, but it was important that I noticed this and compromised with the group.
- We had to give a second 2 min presentation (which we had a minute to prepare for) on something we were passionate about. This again was testing the same skills as the first presentation. Try and talk about something that someone else is not likely to talk about- perhaps a hobby, a sport etc as it will keep people engaged. But stick to something you know plenty about, because this will help your confidence. I'd advise using the minute to plan, to focus on a structure to what you're going to say, so that the presentation is clear.
- There were then three short, paper-based, tests we had to complete. A maths, verbal reasoning and a logical reasoning test. Each was about 10-15 questions and timed at approx 5 mins each. These were fairly basic, but you can't use a calculator so brush up on basic maths (i.e. fractions/percentages/ratios/basic multiplication etc)
- Finally we were given the opportunity to ask any questions. Try to go prepared with 3/4 questions, just in case someone else beats you to it. Be careful to do your research; don't ask things which you could find the answer to yourself on google. But do try and ask something, as this gets you noticed and shows your enthusiasm for the company.

First part of the process was a phone interview where they asked things like tell me about yourself, why do you want to work for the company? Why hotel management etc.
Then invited to assessment centre which included a case study, one on one interview, presentation and group exercise.
One on one interview which was competency based.
Around an hour long with 6 questions such as describe a time when you implemented a new idea.

Describe a time when you improved efficiency. What happened and what was the response?

Be yourself and study up on the company before you go, put in info about them at every opportunity you get, there were many internal candidates when I went so it's important not to be at too great a disadvantage.
All assessors were very approachable so I would suggest having a few questions ready to ask so you look interested.

Case study - given one hour in exam conditions to read through a case study and prepare a 15 min presentation including a SWOT analysis.
One on one interview - one hour long with 6 competency based as.
Presentation - given 20 minutes to read through some info on some technology that they are thinking about investing in and you then present your recommendations.
Group exercise - given information on 3 different strategies to improve sales and must decide as a group the best option.

After my initial online application, I had to complete 5 competency questions.
I then was contacted to say I had been successful and moved on to the online testing stage which was completing a Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test. After research, I found out that this test was most often used with law job applications and after a couple of practice tests online (I highly recommend this!), I was ready to sit the real one. It wasn't half as difficult as I thought it was going to be, my advice would be to not look too far into the scenarios and questions given, to remain calm and to write down any information they give you at the start.

I haven't had a one-to-one interview yet as that is in the second assessment centre.

The one-in-one interview is in the second assessment centre so I haven't been to that because I haven't found out if I was successful in the first one yet, but my advice for the day, especially for the group exercise is just to be vocal in your opinions, aswell as being understanding of the other people in the group, and always acknowledge their opinions and ensure that what is asked of you in the exercise is completed. Even if you are nervous, which I was, don't let that show and remember that this is the first time they are all meeting you so they will not have any preconceptions of you, just remain calm.

After completing the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test, I found out I had made it to the third stage of the appplication - the first assessment centre. This assessment centre was made up of an in-tray written exercise and a group exercise. Although you don't have to do any prior research directly relating to the exercises, I recommend doing thorough research of the NHS in Wales, its structure, its core values and visions, and its history, just so you have a good basic understanding of the job and its background. Upon arriving at the assessment centre, I sat with the 8 other candidates who were there for about twenty minutes before being split into two groups. Our group were doing the group exercise first so were led into a room with 4 examiners. We were given a brief and a pack of emails, graphs and the like and were told that we were having a meeting regarding a certain healthcare problem for a fictional healthboard and we were to summarise the key points and problems to be tackled by looking through the material provided. This lasted around an hour. After this, we were left by ourselves for about half an hour, then asked to go into a another room where we were to complete the in-tray/written exercise on an individual computer. We were given a pack of around 20 pages of newspaper articles, statistics, graphs and emails and were to summarise the key points in a table of social, economic, political and technological value and then analyse them and put forward views to be discussed in a further meeting, all this fictional.

The online application was straightforward. Personal details, education, work experience and any additional information (achievements, training etc..).

The next stage was a 30-minute telephone interview with a talent acquisition manager (this person was also at the assessment centre). We discussed the main points on my CV and then moved on to competency questions. These were in line with the jobs competencies (leadership, team work, sales, customer service, decision making...) so have some examples prepared!

The next stage was a branch visit. At the start, I was set a task by the branch manager to obtain specific information from all the employees at the branch (time at company, likes/dislikes of the job, hobbies etc...). This was an exercise to measure communication skills and get an idea of my personality. I then sat down with the manager and talked about the interview process and a normal day in the role amongst other things.
As this stage takes place at a working branch, you get to experience day-to-day tasks of the job. I experienced a complaint and went to pick up a customer during my visit.
After this, I completed an interview with the branch manager, which lasted around 40 minutes. There were several competency-based questions for each core competency of the job.

The next stage was the assessment center.

Be fully prepared for an expansive range of competency based questions which are designed to test both your prior experiences and how closely aligned these are with the core competencies of the position.
Take time to compose your answers as any gaps will be picked up on and scrutinised irrespective of your academic achievements and transferable work experience, knowledge and skills.

Assessment day activities. Make sure you practice them!

Research the company and the industry fully. They don't expect you to know everything but the more you know the easier the process will be.

Be sure to use a range of examples from your past work experiences and use the STAR model (situation, task, action, result) when answering, as this will ensure your answers are concise and you actually answer the question!

Prepare for how to act in the activities during the assessment day. The outcome of activities is not necessarily the most important aspect (although you should meet the objectives!). But rather what role you play within the group, how you justify your actions in the individual activity and how you act in the role-plays.
I've been to a few of these now and I see how some people struggle to perform well in a group activity, as they were uninvolved or too aggressive!

A full day that consisted of; a group exercise, an individual exercise, role-play scenarios and a final interview.

Group exercise- We were all given information of the organisations background along with its core values. Also, we were each given a different business initiative and had to argue why our own should be chosen. We had a budget (meaning only a couple could be chosen) and had 30 minutes to decide which the group would choose, along with reasoning???s to be presented to the finance board (area managers).

Individual exercise- I was given 30 minutes to organise a day in the life of a branch manager. Of course, this was not made straight forward as employees had called in sick, cars were not ready to go out, the correct type of cars were not available for customers etc... I had to address this and draw up a fleet plan, employee duties plan, deal with customers and other issues.
As was explained, there was no one correct way to complete this, but I had to justify my plan.
The assessor was quite thorough and went through my whole plan, ensuring there was no holes in it. Probably the most difficult part of the day for me!

Role plays-2 different scenarios.
1. A customer service scenario, where a customer had not taken out the insurance waiver thus had to pay £500 before they left to cover damages that had incurred while they had the car.
2. A sales scenario, where a customer had booked a basic car with zero extras. I had to encourage sales through upgrading to a higher category car and get the insurance waiver.
The assessor played the part well (must have seen it too many times!) and made both scenarios difficult for me!

Final interview: Again, a competency based interview to measure experiences against competencies of the job role. Lasted around 40 minutes.

First I sent away my application online, and then found out I had an online assessment to complete, composed of 3 elements: numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and logic. Then a couple of days later I found out I had got through to the next stage which was an e-tray exercise. This was a system simulating an email inbox with emails coming in, and I had to prioritise them, using a set of rules given to me. A couple of days later, I had an email telling me I had again been successful and I had 3 days to complete a video interview. It was my first time doing a video interview so it was very daunting! I researched Morrisons, the role and matched my skills to the company's values, and made sure I had revised competency questions. The actual video interview was very surreal as all I could see on the screen was the questions and my own picture, but if you just keep calm, don't waffle on, and seem confident and show a bit of your own personality, you'll do great.

In the video interview, I had a couple of situation-based questions which are fine if you keep in the mindset of a manager. I then had one asking why I wanted to work for Morrisons, which again is fine if you've fully researched the company.

Always be very confident, friendly, make your personality shine through. Show your passion and how hard-working you are and you will not go far wrong.

I was very nervous but I was only with 6 other candidates who were all really nice, and the 4 senior management panel and 2 graduate resourcing team were also friendly. We had an icebreaker, then preparation for a presentation. We then delivered our presentations individually, infront of 2 members of Morrisons and two other candidates. After this, we had our one-on-one interviews with a member of the senior management team. For this interview, I recommend matching your skills with the company's value, and having examples to back up your claims. If these are well-rehearsed and concise, and you are able to convey them confidently, then I have no doubt you will do well. We then had an in-tray exercise where we had to prioritise the work of a trainee manager on a piece of paper, and articulate why. Lastly, we had a group exercise where we had to decide out of a group of 12 people on a sinking boat, who we would save, arguing our points among us, then delivering a short presentation to the team. In this, it is essential you take a leading role from the very beginning, including everyone, not simply dictating.