Questions, Answers, What to Wear: Chick-fil-A Job Interview

Now that we have outlined interview clothing that will meet customer expectations and give you a professional look tight off the bat, let’s review how to interact with staff members conducting the interview including how to answer common job interview questions you may get asked.  

• If you are seated when the interviewer comes out to meet you, stand up, make direct eye contact and greet the individual by name.  “Hi Alice, nice to meet you.”  If a handshake feels comfortable to you, offer your hand.  This effort will ensure that the hiring manager has a positive experience with you right away. 
• Beyond the initial greeting, try to use the person’s name a few times throughout the interview.  This will set you apart from 99% of the competition.  It might feel strange the first time but using someone’s name regularly in conversation can quickly become second nature. “That’s a good question, Ted.  An example of me delivering great customer service is that I help my Mom unload groceries from the car and put them away each week.”  If you are a high school student interviewing for your first job, you can absolutely draw from your everyday experience helping around the house or at school to answer questions.  You want to demonstrate that you have a strong work ethic, hold yourself to a high standard and are willing to go the extra mile.
• Other common questions and sample answers:
  • Question:  Can you give me an example when you worked as part of a team?
  • Answer: I play on the basketball team at school and after each practice, my teammates and I work together to put away all the balls and practice jerseys just the way the coach instructed us to do so.  By all pitching in, the work gets done quickly.  OR  “Each night after dinner my two siblings and I are in charge of cleaning the kitchen. We have a system where one person clears the table, one person puts food away in the fridge and I load the dishwasher.  It works well and we have fun!
  • Question: Tell me how you might handle an unhappy customer who encounters you.  Maybe their order was not correct or the fries were soggy.  
  • Answer: First, I would apologize to the customer that they are having an issue and reassure them that we will get the issue resolved.  Next, I would offer an appropriate solution that I learned in my training.  It might involve getting the customer another container of fries or getting them the correct item that they ordered.  I will maintain a positive attitude throughout the entire encounter.  
• A seemingly easy and common question asked during an interview is “Tell me about yourself.” Prepare your answer in advance of the interview and keep it to 3-5 sentences.  A sample answer might look like this:
• “I am a sophomore at Ralston Valley and I’m looking to get a part-time job to start saving for college.  I am a reliable person and can be depended upon to get a job done well.  My neighbors regularly hire me to take care of their dogs when they are out of town.  I take this job very seriously as I know how important the dogs are to their family.  Working at Chick-fil-A interests me because I want to work with other people and get experience in a restaurant work environment.  The idea of working in a fast-paced role excites me!”  As you can see, the answer is highlighting skills of teamwork, strong work ethic and reliability – all attributes and qualities a team leader wants to see in a candidate.
• It is perfectly normal to feel a bit nervous before and during an interview.  If you happen to get stumped on a question and can’t think of an answer after a few minutes of thought, ask the interviewer if you can come back to that question later in the interview.  
• If a job description was made available during the application process, give it another read the day of the interview so that the job responsibilities are fresh in your mind.
• Ideally your cell phone is nowhere in sight.  My recommendation is to leave it in your car in the parking lot to avoid any calls or text messages you could receive during the interview.  You’ll have a lot on your mind the day of the interview and very well could forget to put your phone on silent mode.  If you choose to bring your phone inside to the interview, make sure the phone is on silent and keep it in a purse or pocket during the entire interview. 
• No gum chewing or eating of any kind during the interview.  Totally fine to accept a glass of water if offered or bring your own if you feel you may need it.  
• Demonstrate strong body language throughout the interview.  Sit up straight (no slouching) and keep your attention and eyes focused on the interviewer.  
• Smile and don’t be afraid to show your personality throughout the discussion.  People hire people after all!   And remember, you don’t have to be perfect – there is no such thing.  Even if you feel like you give a “wrong answer” to a question, move on and focus on doing better for the next one.  

You are smart, capable and worthy!   Bring your best self and the rest of the pieces will fall into place.