Finding out how to answer the 10 most common warehouse interview questions is a bit like getting a sneak peek at the hard questions before exam day and having the chance to revise exactly what you need to know. By the end of this post you will know just what to say during your warehouse interview to make the very best impression and stand a great chance of landing the job.
Interviews often follow a similar agenda and some of the questions don’t really change too much from one industry to another so it is worth noting that while you may be asked one or two extra questions that don’t seem warehouse specific, the job and the industry should always be in your mind when you answer.
It is important that you don’t memorise your answers, we don’t want you to sound forced or like you are delivering lines to a camera, we want you to deliver your answers naturally so just write down and learn the main points that you want to communicate in answer to each question.
How to answer the 10 most common warehouse interview questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
When asked about yourself, you do want to be open and personable but try to avoid oversharing. The interviewer is likely busy and so could do without listening to your life story or a rendition of your latest family drama. Stick to the outlines and include things like, relevant work experience, hobbies and interests, and family circumstances (married, single, kids) perhaps with one or two aspirations thrown in for good measure.
2. Why do you want to work in a warehouse?
While it may be true that you needed a job and this is what came up first, try to see it from the interviewer’s point of view and think about what you could say that is a little more inspiring. Stay away from answers like, “it’s good money” or “there are lots of shifts” and talk about it being a good start to a new career in warehousing and logistics, or about how you want to develop your existing warehouse career.
For bonus points talk about why you want to work in THIS warehouse specifically; you could talk about the Company values, the brand, the systems, the facilities or the opportunities they can provide.
3. Do you have any experience with heavy machinery?
The interviewer is probably referring to forklifts, pallet trucks and other similar equipment. You can talk about any licenses and experience you already have with pride, licenses and experience are highly prized in warehouse candidates. If you don’t have any machinery experience then it’s important to be honest but you could emphasise that you are open to training and gaining the experience if it is something you are interested in.
4. Describe a time you have made a mistake at work; how did you handle it?
Everyone makes mistakes and making out that you have never made one is not going to sound realistic. Even if you have not made any really big mistakes you could probably think of something relevant if you put your mind to it.
The interviewer is hoping to hear you talk about reporting the mistake, asking for help then taking action to find a solution and rectify the mistake at the first opportunity.
5. Can you perform to a high level of accuracy?
Ideally you will talk about some experience in a role that required a bit of thought and precision but if you really don’t have any then you could talk about how accuracy and precision are important no matter what the task is and that you take pride in working to high standards.
6. What do you think warehouse work entails?
The job description will provide you with all the information you need to answer this question. The interviewer is not looking for you to recite the list of duties back to them, just for you to demonstrate that you have read the job description and that you understand the work you are potentially going to be doing every day.
If you really want to know your stuff, you can find a heap of extra information on working in a warehouse here.
7. Safety is important in a warehouse, what safety considerations do you think there are?
You will have full safety training once you start in the role, so this question is really intended to see if you have a bit of common sense and a healthy respect for safety and hazards in the workplace. You can demonstrate that you know the basics of safety by talking about safe lifting, looking out for hazardous machinery such as forklifts and pallet trucks, looking out for and minimising trip hazards plus speaking up if something doesn’t look safe.
8. Have you worked as part of a team before?
When an interviewer is asking about team experience, they are hoping that you will confirm that you can work well with others, being considerate and conscientious, listening to ideas and taking advice. For extra points let them know that you also understand the need to take control of your own workload and step up to lead or motivate the team if needed.
9. Where do you see yourself in a year?
This is one of those catch 22 questions, by saying that you don’t know you could appear to be an indecisive leaf blowing in the wind but by being truthful you could find yourself describing a beach in Bali which doesn’t sound like you are here to stay.
Regardless of your future plans, we advise playing this one a little safe and saying that you see yourself as more experienced, more knowledgeable, perhaps with a forklift operator’s license (if applicable) and as a key member of the team. You could also indicate that you hope to have a permanent contract if you are starting out as a temp.
10. How do you handle working under pressure?
Working under pressure is common in a warehouse, you have targets to meet and orders to fulfil so this question has more to do with managing expectations and checking your understanding of the working environment.
You can talk about how pressure can help to keep people productive and motivated. To show maturity and understanding you could also talk about the importance of not taking work pressure home with you and that stress relief and downtime outside of work is essential to help you recharge.
Now that you know what you are going to say in your interview, you can get started on the 5 most important things to think about ahead of your interview.
