Chief Operations Officer Interview Preparation Guide
Download PDF

69 Chief Operations Officer Questions and Answers:

1 :: If you were given more initiatives than you could handle, what would you do?

First prioritize the important activities that impact the business most. Then discuss the issue of having too many initiatives with the boss so that it can be offloaded. Work harder to get the initiatives done.

2 :: What attracted you to this company As Chief Operations Officer?

You could discuss the company's vision, culture and solutions/services as reasons for wanting to join it.

3 :: What would you like to avoid completely in your next job As Chief Operations Officer?

Bad business ethics, teammates / managers that are disrespectful / inconsiderate. But of course, this job wouldn't have things like this right?

4 :: Would you like doing repetitive work?

Why not, I am not only doing a repetitive work but also earning but also getting a good salary by the company As Chief Operations Officer. And second thing is that nothing is interesting in the life till we are not interested.

5 :: Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback As Chief Operations Officer?

By asking this question, your interviewer hopes to learn whether you can communicate effectively, address issues in the workplace and motivate others during difficult times. Giving negative feedback requires honesty, thoughtfulness and tact. Answering this question well can help show an interviewer that you would be a good fit for a managerial position or a position that involves working closely with others.

6 :: What's your dream job?

Along similar lines, the interviewer wants to uncover whether this position As Chief Operations Officer is really in line with your ultimate career goals. While “an GGL star” might get you a few laughs, a better bet is to talk about your goals and ambitions—and why this job will get you closer to them.

7 :: Tell me why do you want this job As Chief Operations Officer?

Bad Answer: No solid answer, answers that don't align with what the job actually offers, or uninspired answers that show your position is just another of the many jobs they're applying for.

Good answer: The candidate has clear reasons for wanting the job that show enthusiasm for the work and the position, and knowledge about the company and job.

8 :: Do you consider yourself successful?

You should always answer yes to this question. Briefly explain why without going on and on. If you communicate that you're more successful than you really are you may come off as arrogant or unrealistic. A goof explanation is that you have set professional goals and that you have met some of these goals and are on track to meet more in the near future.

9 :: How do you think your colleagues at your last job would describe you?

While your CV will say a lot about your work history As Chief Operations Officer, the interviewer will most likely look for greater detail with questions such as this. Be positive about previous experience, highlighting your own strengths.

10 :: Why do you want to work for this company?

Again be honest. The interviewer will be able to sense very quickly if you're be disingenuous. Your answer should be base on your person reasons, career aspirations as well as research you've performed on the company. The most important thing you should do is make sure to relate your answer to your long-term career goals.

11 :: Are you currently looking at other job opportunities?

Just answer this question honestly. Sometime an employer wants to know if there are other companies you're considering so that they can determine how serious you are about the industry, they're company and find out if you're in demand. Don't spend a lot of time on this question; just try to stay focused on the job you're interviewing for.

12 :: How well do you perform under pressure?

This is a fair question, as potential employers want to know if you're going to be able to get the job done even when things get a little bit stressful. You may say that you thrive under pressure or that you're able to get the job done even when things get a little bit stressful, just make sure to provide some real world examples of your ability to work under pressure in a prior job.

13 :: What's the last book you read?

Try to talk about a book related to the industry, for example, if you're applying for a role related to business, cite a business book.

14 :: If the company you worked for was doing something unethical or illegal, what would you do?

Report it to the leaders within the company. True leaders understand business ethics are important to the company's longevity

15 :: Explain what are your strengths As Chief Operations Officer?

Bad Answer: Candidate is unprepared for question or only gives generic answers.

This is the most common job interview question - everybody should be expecting it. If they don't seem prepared, or give a fairly stock answer, it's probably a bad sign.

Good answer: The consensus is to go for quality, not quantity here. Candidates should give a short list of strengths, and back each one up with examples that illustrate the strength. Also, they should explain how these strengths will be useful in the job you’re applying for, and use this question to say something interesting about themselves.

16 :: What has been your biggest professional disappointment?

When discussing a professional disappointment, make sure to discuss a scenario you could not control. Be positive about the experience and accept personal responsibility where applicable.

17 :: What can you offer us that someone else can not?

Bad Answer: Going negative - if the candidate starts trash talking other candidates, it's a sure sign of a bad attitude. Also, if they can't provide a solid answer, it may show that they lack thorough knowledge of the skills the job requires, and an understanding of where they fit in.

Good answer: The candidate can name specific skills, abilities or understandings they have that apply directly to the job that other candidates are unlikely to have, or are in short supply.

18 :: What have you done to improve your skills over the past year As Chief Operations Officer?

You'll want to be prepare with some very specific examples of what you've done over the last year and what you're currently doing to improve your professional knowledge and skill set as well as anything else you're doing the shows self improvement.

19 :: Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree?

You want to first understand why the policy was put into effect. From there, if you truly disagree with it, explain your position to your management. If they don't change it, then you must accept their decision and continue to work or the alternative decision would be to find a new job.

20 :: Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision?

Not every decision is popular. In fact, almost every decision is bound to make someone unhappy at some point. The key is to demonstrate how it impacted others positively and why you chose it.

21 :: Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job?

When answering this question, discuss situations where you completed tasks benefitting your previous employers.

22 :: Think about the changes you have seen and tell me how you handle change?

You can cite personal life changes, work place changes, career changes, technology change, industry change. The key is to discuss how seeing or experiencing that change has helped your development. For example, the recent changes in social media has broadened my horizons and helped me learn new forms of efficient marketing.

23 :: What do you expect from this job As Chief Operations Officer?

Talk about the potential career development, your career aspirations, your work relationships and the learning you'll receive.

24 :: What other companies are you interviewing at?

Be open and share if you are indeed interviewing elsewhere, but do it in a humble way. This way you don't seem arrogant and the interviewer knows your skills are valued by other companies. This also tends to make them want you more as they know they are competing for your services.

25 :: Did you get on well with your last manager?

A dreaded question for many! When answering this question never give a negative answer. “I did not get on with my manager” or “The management did not run the business well” will show you in a negative light and reduce your chance of a job offer. Answer the question positively, emphasizing that you have been looking for a career progression. Start by telling the interviewer what you gained from your last job As Chief Operations Officer

26 :: How would you describe your approach to Chief Operations Officer?

In more general terms, a question such as this gives a candidate the opportunity to talk about their professional philosophy and skills. While the question is general in nature, the best answers are usually quite specific, picking one or two points and exemplifying them with instances from personal history.

27 :: Why are you leaving the present company?

According to me we can not grow in the field without taking more responsibilities and risks and also we can’t enhance our team leading capabilities, managerial skills without expose to wide range of people.

28 :: Can you perform Internet research? Please describe to me your steps in doing so?

Internet research can entail Google searches, industry sites, news articles, social networks and company websites.

29 :: What do you already know about our company?

Good reputation of a large home grown company that has various departments and product.

30 :: What is it about this position As Chief Operations Officer that attracts you the most?

Use your knowledge of the job description to demonstrate how you are a suitable match for the role.