Describe A Typical Day At Work. How Have Your Previous Positions Prepared You For This One?

When you are asked questions about previous positions and the day-to-day of those previous positions, what the interviewer is truly asking is for you to give examples to verify the skills and expertise that you listed in your resume or may have shared earlier in the interview process.

Points to Emphasize

It is a great idea to review your resume before entering the interview process. When answering the question, you will want to elaborate on the skills you have previously shared while providing new examples.

• Talk about the skills you have that you believe you will utilize most in the position.
• Focus on experiences you have had utilizing those skills.
• Paint your experience in a positive light.
• If you received any awards or recognition through utilizing your skills, speak about them.

Mistakes You Should Avoid

You want to recall your experiences as close to how you shared them previously, whether it was in your resume or verbally. It is important to maintain continuity to avoid it seeming like you may have lied previously.

• Do not allude to the fact that you feel you have previously answered the question and try to breeze over it.
• If you have several previous positions, do not try to talk about all of them; focus on the one or two most relevant jobs.
• Avoid sharing a laundry list of duties; paint a general picture of the skills you utilized on a regular basis.
• Steer away from any negative comments, unless you are speaking of your conflict resolution skills.

Sample Answer

A good answer to address your previous experience might sound something like:

In a typical day in my last position, I fulfilled management tasks of opening and closing the facility, as well as overseeing a staff of seven individuals. Throughout the day I completed various administrative duties as well, including answering phones, drafting documents and emails, filing, and greeting customers. I also provided strong customer service and resolved customer issues.

Utilize this question as a way to drive home the facts that you are aware of the skills necessary for the position, that you have those skills, and that you have the experience to prove it.