Zrothum Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 So, I had about an hour today of free time at work, where I decided to try and jot down some bogus notes to help prepare me for these series of interviews I've been doing. Are any of you in a management role in your careers? Can you offer any feedback, criticisms? (keep in mind, this wasn't some report I had to show anyone, I was just writing this for my own personal good. In one or two of the paragraphs, it began with me asking myself a question, like "Describe a scenario in which you had to manage a group of people and describe an obstacle you had to overcome" Customer Service: Provide timely, consistent customer service. Build relationships, engage other employees to be involved. Make the customer want to shop. Not feel they HAVE to shop. Team: Training ongoing. Follow up, mentor, hold accountable. Ensure team atmosphere. Inspire others to take charge. Engage and monitor. Leave no one out. Build trust and respect. Handle all problems with positive means. Self: Hold self accountable for others. Build upon success and overcome failures. Continue to grow and learn. Get dirty and promote trust and respect. Time management. Adapt to all situations. I guess the best example would be a school project that I had to lead back in high school. We were trying to prepare for a state technology fair and no one really seemed motivated, or at least, they didn't show it. I guess I saw an opportunity to take a leadership role and engage and inspire them. I really tried to express a sense of teamwork and get them to see the end results that were possible. By leading and being enthusiastic I think it really opened their eyes to a sense of self respect and a realization of what we were all trying to do. It wasn't just work for a grade. It was work for a product that we could all be proud of and actually get something out of. There were a few problems that came up, people that I suppose didn't want to be a part of it, or felt like I shouldn't be the one telling them what to do. I just handled it in a friendly matter and assured them I wasn't there to beat them down, I was just there to help them accomplish a mission that would in the end bring them something to look back at and smile on. I really feel there should always be an atmosphere of teamwork and trust in a department. Everyone needs to feel a part of something bigger and they need to have that sense of accomplishment when they do things right. When we work hard and see nothing but a regular paycheck, sometimes we begin to think what we do is for nothing, and no one wants to feel expendable. By inspiring people to see the end results, beyond the labor, I think it gives people a feeling of purpose and belonging. If you can make someone smile while they do something they don't want to do, I think the end results turns out more beneficial than it would if someone did something while they were depressed or felt obligated. The people that are here just to collect a paycheck should be held accountable, along with everyone else, for the problems they create. I think the goal is to create a team of individuals who work not just for money, but for a sense of self satisfaction. Those are the people you really want, people who look for opportunities to succeed and bring success to the team, not people who need constant supervision and direction. There are those who deserve to be trained and guided, sure, but the people who don't possess the very basic skills should be weeded out professionally, by accountability and performance standards. As a leader I think it is important to not lead sometimes. I do not mean that you should ultimately become useless, but sometimes I feel it is good to take a step back and watch the things around you. From this you can observe everything you need to know about your department. You can see exactly what your teammates are doing and how they are handling critical issues. You can find the strengths and weaknesses of your department and give yourself a better understanding of what can be improved and what is doing very well. It allows you the chance to see your product from a customer's angle. Instead of dictating everything and running the show, you are now seeing the result of your work, and being able to evaluate what is effective and what could be changed. It is not impossible to do this while in "manager mode" yet taking a step back every now and then allows you to get the full picture and scope of everything, instead of being in a biased role. Lowe's has been around for years and has proved it's success as being ranked in the top 50 companies in this country. It should only come natural that it's merchandising standards and company wide policies are going to be the backbone of managing a department. I would utilize these tools to their greatest potential. By following these guidelines and adhering to the methods they describe, I feel I can make a difference in problem areas within the store, ensuring levels of customer service, as well as merchadising standards are in place and being executed daily. The biggest tool we have as a company is our employees, being able to combine teamwork with operations and executing them seamlessly, we will create an atmosphere that is unrivaled in any other store and ultimately bring in comp sales and margin increases. Having worked retail in a multitude of roles, I feel I am prepared to enter into a management role in a big box retailer because I have been given all of the tools, in different areas of the industry, that I can now piece them all together and enter into this role. I come from a construction and home improvement background that goes back to high school. Since then I have worked in a various jobs, yet all focused on customer service and providing superior product. I ran a small office in Ladys Island for a computer networking business. I repaired and updated several offices for small businesses in the local area. Maintining a professional relationship and providing superb work were essential in maintining profit levels. I worked directly in the construction and home improvement field as a HVAC technician. I updated and modified HVAC in both new and existing homes. Ensuring a sense of trust and craftsmanship with the customer were important in keeping their business. Following strict procedures allowed me to make sure they got what they paid for and were nothing less than satisfied with their product. All of these smaller roles have led up to this interview, where I feel I can enter into a position and succeed, using my experiences and training to take a positive and pro-active role in the store's management team. That's why I get paid the (not so) big bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfdude Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 sounds like bull**** i'd hear from a collar in an interview goood deal duder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'tarako Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 'Interesting. It reminds me of many papers i've written so far, actual size one paragraph, with alot of filler. Very nice though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myrek Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 two threads should be woven thru the whole thing: proactive and results oriented Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zrothum Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Guess it worked. I made it into the program, first try. Out of 24 people to apply, not only did I make it on my first attempt, past some people who were interviewing for the eighth time....but I scored the highest out of everyone. I might not be around too often for a little while, as I'm going through this program. But, we'll see. I actually thought of the promotion I'll be getting as I was just getting out of the shower....It's like, getting a qclass. Except all those awesome skills you get, turn into reports. And all that extra energy and time you spend playing, is really time you spend working.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsestomp Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 If it's anything like getting a qclass, you can just forget it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evangelion Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Ouch. No, I rephrase that. Oooooooouuuuuch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chayesh Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 If it's anything like getting a qclass' date=' you can just forget it...[/quote'] Unless, of course, you have some friends who've gotten that promotion already and will trade you their job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsestomp Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hey, it'll cost him at least 5 dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evangelion Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hey' date=' it'll cost him at least 5 dollars.[/quote'] Or some sexual favors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zrothum Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 And then today, I land a $63,000 (about 1,500 in my pocket) commercial window sale. With another $60,000 locked in for next year at another apartment complex owned by the same lady. Then a $16,000 (about 200 in my pocket) residential window sale. See what going to bed at a decent hour gets you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.