Warehouse Jobs: How to Answer Tough Interview Questions

Interview Tips to Eliminate Fear

You’ve been invited for interview for warehouse jobs. Great news. Yet you’re considering not attending. The fact is, like more than nine in 10 employed adults in the United States, job interviews fill you with fear. Especially the tough questions. If only you knew how to answer tough interview questions, the angst you’ve put yourself through in deciding to change jobs could be rewarded. We’ve helped thousands of candidates to secure warehouse jobs, and from their experience we’ve learned what questions you are likely to be asked at the interview. Here are seven of the toughest, and how to answer them.

“Tell me about yourself.”

This is a question that sounds easy but fills most candidates with fear. The problem is that it’s easy to get carried away. The more you say, the more likely it is that you will say something the interviewer doesn’t want to hear. So, why is it that the interviewer asks this question? The simple answer is that the interviewer wants to know what it is about you that makes you the best candidate for their warehouse job. To do this, prepare a short answer of no more than a minute at the longest. In your answer, explain:

  • What jobs you have done in the past
  • How your experience relates to the warehouse role you are interviewing for
  • What your ambition is
  • Make sure that your answer is work-related, and that, even though you have practiced, you don’t sound rehearsed.

“How do you know you are successful in your current role?”

You must demonstrate that you are good at your job, but you don’t want to sound arrogant. There are a few ways to answer this, but the best is to refer to praise from your boss or supervisor. You might briefly describe challenges set for you or the role you played, the results achieved, and the feedback you received from your boss. Make sure that the example you use is related to the role you are applying for.

“What experience do you have that helps in this role?”

This is especially difficult for those with no experience in warehouse jobs. Or is it? The interviewer wants to know that you can do the work set for you. Consider you current and previous jobs, and what you do and have done relating to warehouse jobs. This might include:

  • Working with different software packages
  • Working in a team
  • Communicating with different departments
  • Health and safety work training and certificates

You might also highlight working in a high-pressured environment or your time management and organizational skills.

“You’re asked to lift heavy boxes. Explain how you do that?”

With this type of question, the interviewer is testing your job knowledge and attempting to ensure that you won’t pose an injury risk to the organization.  You should explain about good posture and the lifting method to avoid injury, but also talk about how to stack efficiently to avoid a stack from toppling and causing injury to yourself or others.

“What skills are the most important for warehouse jobs?”

This is like question number 3 but gives you the opportunity to talk about soft skills as well as hard, technical skills.
In your answer you may include using processes and procedures to ensure efficient work and health and safety. You may also include soft skills such as communication, teamwork, organization, flexibility, and people management.

“What is your biggest weakness?”

This is a tough question because it is asking you to admit that you aren’t perfect. It would be natural to try to avoid admitting that you get things wrong. After all, you want the interviewer to be impressed with your credentials. Wouldn’t admitting a weakness damage your chances of landing the job? The secret is how you answer. Admitting a weakness shows that you know yourself. It also shows that you aren’t arrogant. However, having admitted a weakness the key is to show how you are improving in that area. For example, you might say that you found adapting to your employer’s software difficult at first, but to get on top of it you took a specific technology course in your own time.

“What salary are you looking for?”

A horrible question. What do you say? If you undershoot, you could put doubts into the interviewer’s mind. If you don’t value yourself correctly, why? If you overshoot, you might rule yourself out of a job offer. The best way to answer this question is to not answer it! Throw it back to the interviewer, by saying something like:
“I’m sure that, if offered the job, the salary you offer would reflect the scope of the role, my experience, and the knowledge and expertise that I will bring to the team.”

Prepare and Practice

The key to entering the interview room confidently is to prepare and practice:

  1. Understand the role on offer
  2. Think about how your experience and knowledge would benefit the role
  3. Consider what questions might be asked
  4. Prepare answers that relate your experience and knowledge to the role
  5. Keep your answers short and to the point
  6. Practice your answers

In the interview, relax! Listen to the questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. Then pull your prepared answers to impress the interviewer. What interview questions make you shiver with fear? Get in touch with warehouse staffing professionals, and let us help you find the best warehouse jobs and breeze through your interviews.