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English Speaking | Questions Asked in BPO Interviews

Interviews, Life Skills, EnglishHelper, Skill Building, Learn English, Learn English Online, Spoken English, Spoken English Online, Speak English, English Grammar, English speaking

Preparing for an interview is like getting ready for any important test. If you want to do well, you have to prepare! This week, let’s focus on interviews for BPO jobs. Since the BPO industry is a fast growing sector, it is in the interest of BPOs to attract and retain talented professionals who can help make them successful. Therefore, BPOs do offer promising growth – in terms of responsibility, designation, and compensation as well as in terms of experience and learning opportunities. However, these jobs do not come easy and preparing for them is essential! Good English speaking skills will help you make a good first impression in an interview. Candidates are evaluated based on their English speaking skills.

Some of these will most likely be questions that you are asked during the interview.

Interviews, Life Skills, EnglishHelper, Skill Building, Learn English, Learn English Online, Spoken English, Spoken English Online, Speak English, English Grammar, English speaking

Interviewer: What do you know about BPOs?
Key points to keep in mind while responding

Every time you show up for an interview, the prospective employer will seek to gauge if you are serious about working in the industry. Also, demonstrating certain depth of knowledge makes a good impression. It tells the other person that you are methodical and disciplined in your approach.

Sample response:

“BPO companies specialize in performing key business process for their client companies in a manner that is cost effective without loss of quality. There are various kinds of BPOs. Some specialize in servicing certain business verticals only e.g. banking or telecom. On the other hand, some outsourcers may focus on certain functions e.g. payroll. Sometimes, firms engage in telephone based activities also known as call centres. Others may have a bias towards transaction processing. Increasingly, most BPOs offer a wide range of capabilities; it is a competitive market and nobody wants to miss an opportunity to win business!”

Interviewer: Why did you choose the BPO industry for your career?
Key points to keep in mind while responding

A typical BPO job is very demanding. The BPO Company must continuously find ways to reduce costs by enhancing productivity. As such, employees are always measured for quantity and quality. In addition, certain roles can be intense in other ways. For example, a typical call centre agent may attend to 70 customer calls during their shift. Each call is important and customers have unique requirements. Some calls can be pleasant while some people can be difficult to satisfy. Due to time zone differences, customer service agents will often work odd hours i.e. late into the night and sometimes till the next morning. This routine can be disruptive biologically and socially. Thus, employers seek to understand if the job applicant is aware and prepared to deal with these realities.

Sample response:

“I think the BPO industry is very exciting. I want to be exposed to the latest technological tools, world class processes, and an opportunity to engage with people from other parts of the world. I expect to improve my communication skills and grow in confidence. This experience will help me through the rest of my career. I know the job will be fast paced and I will have to adjust to a new life schedule. I am confident, at this stage of my career, I will be able to adapt as needed.”

Interviewer: What is your understanding of a call centre job?
Key points to keep in mind while responding

It is important to display to the interviewer that you know what you are getting into. Every job has its unique attributes. Some aspects work for certain people while for some workers the same issues can be troublesome. You must be able to convey your fit for the job from both, a skill and a cultural perspective.

Sample Response:

“Though I have not worked at a call centre before, I understand the pros and cons quite well. Let me begin with the challenges. I have spoken to many friends who work in the industry and in most cases their issues can be categorized in three major buckets. The first issue is night shift; this makes a big impact on people’s lifestyles. In addition, for a few people, this can even cause health related problems. The second item that is sometimes contentious is the pace of work. Call centre agents can feel worn out and tired at the end of a shift. Finally, continuous high stress conversations can have an adverse impact. On the other hand, there are many benefits of the job. Besides all the professional development opportunities, some agents enjoy the freedom of the day enabling them to undertake many personal activities which may otherwise be difficult. At this stage in my career, I am keen to invest in my growth and am open to make necessary changes as needed to build my future.”

Interviewer: What do you know about working in shifts in the BPO industry?
Key points to keep in mind while responding

An answer such as, “I know people work all night in BPOs, which must be very difficult, but I am willing to try…” is not a good idea. Your interviewers are looking for people with high energy and the drive to work and learn, no matter what the shift. The BPO industry offers a very good career path for people today. One of the realities of BPO life is working in shifts. As someone applying for a BPO job, it is expected that you understand and are excited to experience BPO life. This should reflect in your answer.

Sample Response:

“I have heard about shift working in BPOs from my friends who have similar jobs. I understand that working in shifts is important because customer servicing is a 24 by 7 job. Round the clock service is a key expectation that customers have nowadays. Also, when servicing customers in other countries, we have to align with their clock. I’m excited to experience working in an international environment and shift working is a natural part of it.”

Interviewer: What is your understanding of the position you have applied for? (Customer Care or Tech Support)
Key points to keep in mind while responding

Once again, it is very important to show that you are prepared for the interview. It is critical to convey that you are a thoughtful person who has applied after carefully considering the opportunity. Typically, an applicant will evaluate a job by assessing if it aligns with the candidate’s professional goals and if the skills required will help the individual leverage existing strengths.

Sample Response:

“I understand the role very well. I enjoy people and am a natural problem solver. I think a customer care role will bring out the best in me. Though I work well with people, I am also competitive. I can see myself flourishing in an environment that tracks and rewards performance that can be measured. In the long term, I want to be an entrepreneur. I think I will gain a terrific insight into customers and what makes them loyal. In addition, I will build business knowledge. This learning will be a tremendous asset for me.”

Interviewer: How do you think your educational qualifications will help you in this job?
Key points to keep in mind while responding

Don’t create connections where they don’t exist. If your qualifications are not directly relevant to the job for which you are applying, be honest and clear about it. It is better to be honest if you are thinking of changing fields at this early stage in your career. For example, if you have a B.A degree in History, you will find it difficult to draw a connection to the BPO industry. Of course, you can focus on some skills you have developed because of your education – such as improved communication skills – and talk about how that will help in your job.

Sample Response:

“I have a B.A Pass degree from A.P.X University. Since that is a general course, I did not learn any specific customer service or BPO related skills. However, my college experience, where I was involved in the College Students’ Union, did help me improve my  English speaking and people skills. I believe this will help me now, when I work in a team and will be required to speak with many different types of customers.”

Develop your English speaking skills

Working at a BPO can provide you with many opportunities for personal and professional growth but in order to get the job you must prepare properly. Although there is no specific format or structure for interviews, preparation and practice goes a long way! If you feel that you need more help in structuring your words and holding conversations during interviews, you can try EnglishHelper’s free English learning program. Regular practise will improve your English speaking skills. It will help you understand English as a language which will help you gain more confidence during the interview. Also, the questions presented above might not be a part of your interview but it is better to be ready and confident than unprepared and nervous.

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3 comments

  • abdur

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