Patagonia Interview Preparation Guide
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65 Patagonia Questions and Answers:

1 :: What education or training have you had that makes you fit for this profession At Patagonia?

This would be the first question asked in any interview. Therefore, it is important that you give a proper reply to the question regarding your education. You should have all the documents and certificates pertaining to your education and/or training, although time may not allow the interviewer to review all of them.

2 :: Top 12 Stress Based Interview Questions At Patagonia:

Some jobs require employees to work under stress, and some interviewers just like to see how applicants handle stressful questions.

There are many questions designed for putting the interviewee into an awkward situation, or throwing them off, to see how they do under stress. Here are some samples.

1. How do you feel this interview is going At Patagonia?

2. How would you handle undeserved criticism from a superior?

3. How many other jobs are you applying for?

4. What would you do if you saw a colleague stealing supplies or equipment?

5. What did you do when you had a boss you didn’t get along with?

6. What would you do if a colleague took credit for your idea, and got a promotion?

7. Was the stress of your previous job too much for you?

8. What would you do if a colleague admitted to lying on their resume to get the job?

9. What would you do if a customer verbally insulted you in front of co-workers?

10. What would you change about the design of a baseball hat?

11. Why were you fired from your previous job At Patagonia?

12. How successful do you think you've been so far?

3 :: What is your dream job?

There is almost no good answer to this question, so don't be specific. If you tell the interviewer that the job you're applying for with his/her company is the perfect job you may loose credibility if you don't sound believable (which you probably won't if you're not telling the truth.) If you give the interviewer some other job the interviewer may get concerned that you'll get dissatisfied with the position if you're hired. Again, don't be specific. A good response could be, “A job where my work ethic and abilities are recognized and I can make a meaningful difference to the organization.”

4 :: What have you learned from mistakes on the job?

Candidates without specific examples often do not seem credible. However, the example shared should be fairly inconsequential, unintentional, and a learned lesson should be gleaned from it. Moving ahead without group assistance while assigned to a group project meant to be collaborative is a good example.

5 :: Have you ever been caught stealing, or better yet, have you ever stole anything?

I guess everyone takes a pen or paper or little things like that. But other than that, NO. I have never stole from my employers or better yet At Patagonia, from anyone.

6 :: 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.

7 :: Why do you want this job At Patagonia?

This question typically follows on from the previous one. Here is where your research will come in handy. You may want to say that you want to work for a company that is Global Guideline, (market leader, innovator, provides a vital service, whatever it may be). Put some thought into this beforehand, be specific, and link the company’s values and mission statement to your own goals and career plans.

8 :: Why was there a gap in your employment At Patagonia?

If you were unemployed for a period of time, be direct and to the point about what you’ve been up to (and hopefully, that’s a litany of impressive volunteer and other mind-enriching activities, like blogging or taking classes). Then, steer the conversation toward how you will do the job and contribute to the organization: “I decided to take a break at the time, but today I’m ready to contribute to this organization in the following ways.”

9 :: How did you handle meeting a tight deadline At Patagonia?

Review every deadline you need to meet. Prioritize your projects by deadline and factor in how important each project is. Record your deadlines on a digital calendar or spreadsheet.

10 :: What type of people do you not work well with?

Be very careful answering this question as most organization employ professionals with an array of personalities and characteristics. You don't want to give the impression that you're going to have problems working with anyone currently employed at the organization. If you through out anything trivial you're going to look like a whiner. Only disloyalty to the organization or lawbreaking should be on your list of personal characteristics of people you can't work with.

11 :: What makes you right for this position?

This question can be tricky because you need to show your worth At Patagonia without sounding cocky or arrogant. Research the business ahead of time and become familiar with its mission and values. Take the time to figure out how your personal qualities fit the needs of the business and use that fit to provide your answer.

12 :: Do you know anyone that works with our company?

Sometimes companies have policies relating to the hiring of individuals related to current company employees. If you are related to anyone working for the company make sure you're aware of company policies before you enter the interview. If you have a friend or acquaintance working for the company make sure have good relationship with this individual before mentioning them.

13 :: Describe your management style?

Try to avoid specific classifications, whatever it may be. Organizations usually prefer managers who can adapt their skills to different situations.

14 :: What is the most irritating thing you've experienced about your co-workers?

This question is designed to find out if you get along well on team, with other and whether or not you'll be a fit with the interviewer's organization. It's a trap. Think real hard but fail to come up anything that irritated you about your co-workers. A short positive response is best.

15 :: Tell me about a time when you successfully handled a situation?

For this question, the interviewer wants to know what you do in a situation that doesn’t have a clear answer. This will help the interviewer know how you respond to unforeseen challenges.

16 :: Can you tell me a little about yourself?

This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it's crucial. Here's the deal: Don't give your complete employment (or personal) history At Patagonia. Instead give a pitch—one that’s concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Start off with the 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences that you most want the interviewer to know about, then wrap up talking about how that prior experience has positioned you for this specific role.

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 critical component of this position At Patagonia makes the work challenging?

Heading information: This should include job title, pay grade or range, reporting relationship (by position, not individual), hours or shifts, and the likelihood of overtime or weekend work.
Summary objective of the job: List the general responsibilities and descriptions of key tasks and their purpose, relationships with customers, coworkers, and others, and the results expected of incumbent employees.
Qualifications: State the education, experience, training, and technical skills necessary for entry into this job.
Special demands: This should include any extraordinary conditions applicable to the job At Patagonia (for example, heavy lifting, exposure to temperature extremes, prolonged standing, or travel).
Job duties and responsibilities: Only two features of job responsibility are important: identifying tasks that comprise about 90 to 95 percent of the work done and listing tasks in order of the time consumed (or, sometimes, in order of importance).

19 :: What are your strengths At Patagonia?

This is one of the most common questions you will be asked. Give an answer relevant to the skills and qualities relevant to the position you are applying to. The interviewer is trying to find if your strengths match the job. For example, if you are applying for a job At Patagonia where accuracy is an important issue, one of your strengths could be that you have an eye for detail. It may useful to find different words to describe similar attributes and qualities in order to avoid repetition.

20 :: What type of salary are you looking for?

This can be a very tricky question as the individual asking it is probably digging for something other than a simple answer to the question. We recommend that you don't immediately respond to the question directly. Instead, say something like, “That a difficult question. What is range for this position?” More often than not the interviewer will tell you. If the interviewer insists on direct answer you may want say that it depends on the details of the job - then give a wide salary range.

21 :: What can you offer me that another person can’t?

This is when you talk about your record of getting things done. Go into specifics from your resume and portfolio; show an employer your value and how you’d be an asset.
You have to say, “I’m the best person for the job At Patagonia. I know there are other candidates who could fill this position, but my passion for excellence sets me apart from the pack. I am committed to always producing the best results. For example…”

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

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

23 :: How would you describe your approach to Patagonia?

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.

24 :: 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 At Patagonia

25 :: Tell me an occasion when you needed to persuade someone to do something?

Interpersonal relationships are a very important part of being a successful care assistant. This question is seeking a solid example of how you have used powers of persuasion to achieve a positive outcome in a professional task or situation. The answer should include specific details.

26 :: How do you imagine a typical day of an employee in our company At Patagonia?

Just do not say that you imagine to only walk and watch what people do. Rather try to show them your attention to details and proactive attitude to job. Mention that you would try to observe the problems, weaknesses as well as opportunities to improve the results and take measures according to it.

27 :: How do you handle your anger?

I don't get angry very easily but in the rare occasion that I do, I hold it in and act as though nothing is wrong.

28 :: What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

What your interviewer is really trying to do with this question—beyond identifying any major red flags—is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, “I can't meet a deadline to save my life At Patagonia” is not an option—but neither is “Nothing! I'm perfect!” Strike a balance by thinking of something that you struggle with but that you’re working to improve. For example, maybe you’ve never been strong at public speaking, but you've recently volunteered to run meetings to help you be more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

29 :: What other companies are you interviewing with?

Companies ask this for a number of reasons, from wanting to see what the competition is for you to sniffing out whether you're serious about the industry. “Often the best approach is to mention that you are exploring a number of other similar options in the company's industry,”. It can be helpful to mention that a common characteristic of all the jobs you are applying to is the opportunity to apply some critical abilities and skills that you possess. For example, you might say 'I am applying for several positions with IT consulting firms where I can analyze client needs and translate them to development teams in order to find solutions to technology problems.'

30 :: What have you done to reduce costs, increase revenue, or save time?

Even if your only experience is an internship, you have likely created or streamlined a process that has contributed to the earning potential or efficiency of the practice. Choose at least one suitable example and explain how you got the idea, how you implemented the plan, and the benefits to the practice.