Preparing for Your Republic National Distributing Company Interview: Insider Tips and Sample Questions

Cheryl Durzy and I did the interview that was published this week in Shanken News Daily. It seems like a long time ago, even though it was only last month. We talked about how RNDC and LibDib are changing our business to help buyers and sellers find their way in a market that is changing quickly and come up with new ideas.

Since then, the pandemic and how it affected our business have shown us that change needs to happen very quickly and include the kinds of tools that help businesses stay open during the worst of times.

We knew we had to offer a lot more than just an online shopping site when RNDC made plans for the eRNDC ecommerce platform. In the fast-paced world of online shopping, online ordering stepped up the game, and we had to deliver it faster than ever.

So we did. There are three parts to the three-tier system: the buyer, the seller, and the distributor. eRNDC is a marketplace that helps all three. There is nothing like it in the industry. eRNDC transforms the way we support our business partners.

A major piece of eRNDC is the Supplier Portal. About 20% of our suppliers can check the status of requests and manage their brands and distribution from this side of our technology platform, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We now have an industry leading online product catalog that supports our suppliers and our customers. The response from them has been tremendous, especially as we’ve moved to managing our businesses from remote locations. The Supplier Portal truly evolved the way we thought about and managed our product catalog.

This is why the eRNDC Supplier Portal is so useful: it lets our suppliers and marketing services team share products and marketing content. Our suppliers, customers and sales teams can all access our product catalog with rich content.

There was an incredible amount of engineering that went into developing this technology. So, the RNDC team got together with LibDib’s software experts to work with our amazing RNDC IT team to make this happen.

We will keep speeding up the rollout of eRNDC, and by the end of July, we expect 80% of our buying customers to be able to place orders online. This is a huge milestone in our digital transformation.

I believe that innovation is the key to sustaining the three-tier system now, and into the future. I am thrilled to accelerate the launch of eRNDC across our entire footprint. Because the “ante” will only get you into the game. It’s what you do with your cards that will win it.

Interviewing at Republic National Distributing Company? Landing a job at one of the nation’s largest wholesale beverage alcohol distributors can be life-changing but first you have to ace the interview.

With stiff competition for open roles at RNDC, it pays to be prepared when your interview invitation arrives By learning about the company culture, researching common interview questions, and practicing your responses, you can confidently present yourself as a top candidate

In this article, we’ll share insider details on the RNDC interview process, along with sample questions and advice for making a winning impression. Follow our tips and you’ll be ready to land the job of your dreams!

About RNDC’s Interview Process

The interview process at Republic National Distributing Company typically involves two to three rounds, with each one growing increasingly challenging.

Here’s what to expect at each stage:

1. Initial Phone or Video Screen

  • 30 minutes with an HR representative or hiring manager
  • Questions about your resume, experience, and interest in the role
  • A chance to ask questions and learn more about the company

2. In-Person Interview

  • Panel interview with 2-3 managers lasting 60-90 minutes
  • Behavioral questions to assess your competencies and fit
  • Opportunity to tour the facility and meet the team (if on site)

3. Final Interview

  • Interview with senior leadership, potentially including the department VP

  • Technical or role-specific questions to evaluate your hard skills

  • Questions about your salary expectations and availability

  • Be prepared to ‘close’ the interview and discuss next steps

While every interview varies, understanding the typical progression can help you tailor your preparation and polish your presentation at each stage.

8 Common RNDC Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)

Let’s look at some of the most frequently asked RNDC interview questions reported by candidates online. We’ll break down what the hiring manager is looking for with each one, along with sample responses:

1. “Tell me about yourself.”

This open-ended prompt is often used to kick off the interview. When answering:

  • Focus on your professional background and qualifications for this role specifically. Don’t ramble about hobbies or childhood anecdotes.

  • Summarize your experience and skills with keywords from the job description. This shows why you’re a fit.

  • Keep it concise — limit yourself to 3 key points that make you stand out.

Sample response: “I’m an accomplished sales manager with over seven years in wholesale beverage distribution. In my current role at Southern Glazer’s, I lead a 15-person sales team that exceeded our annual quota by 30% last year. My background includes developing new business partnerships, training reps, and leveraging data to improve sales performance. I’m excited to discuss how my skills would translate to helping RNDC continue its impressive growth.”

2. “Why do you want to work for our company?”

Hiring managers want to know you’ve done your research on RNDC and are passionate about their mission.

In your answer, touch on:

  • Something specific that impresses you about their leadership, values, community initiatives, etc.

  • How their capabilities and footprint align with your career goals.

  • Enthusiasm for contributing and growing personally by joining the team.

Sample response: “I’m very interested in working for RNDC because of your company’s commitment to building strong brands and developing talent internally. The chance to represent an unparalleled portfolio of premium brands would be a dream, and I know RNDC invests heavily in training programs like the Management Acceleration Program to help employees advance their careers. The opportunity to work for an industry leader with a 75-year legacy is incredible, and I’m excited to potentially join the team.”

3. “What do you know about our company?”

Make sure you can speak confidently about:

  • RNDC’s history, leadership, and business model

  • Their unique distribution footprint and brand portfolio

  • Recent news like acquisitions, expansions, corporate initiatives, etc.

Sample response: “RNDC has an impressive 75-year history as one of the nation’s leading beverage distributors. You represent top brands ranging from Corona to Jack Daniels across 34 states. Beyond traditional distribution, I know RNDC offers services like data analytics, merchandising, and deliveries for retailers. Recently, you acquired Breakthru Beverage which expanded your craft beer portfolio. It’s clear RNDC is innovative in adapting to market trends while preserving your excellent service reputation.”

4. “Why do you want to leave your current job?”

Even if you have valid reasons, avoid badmouthing your current employer. Instead, phrase it positively:

  • You’re looking for opportunities to advance your career through new challenges and leadership roles.

  • While you appreciate your experience at your current company, you feel you’ve gone as far as you can and are looking for the next step.

  • Mention the attractive qualities that drew you to explore RNDC (portfolio, values, training programs, etc).

Sample response: “I’ve enjoyed my time at my current company, but I’m looking for a larger distributor where I can continue developing my management experience. RNDC’s commitment to promoting from within, extensive training programs, and breadth of brands appeal to me. I know I could contribute meaningfully given my background in sales leadership and wholesale distribution. Most attractive is the chance to represent RNDC’s world-class brand portfolio and work with a talented peer group I could learn and grow with.”

5. “How do you prioritize when you have multiple projects and deadlines?”

To demonstrate your time management abilities, describe your approach:

  • Start by listing all tasks and deadlines to see the full picture. Rank them by importance and urgency.

  • Consider resources available and be realistic about what can get done by when.

  • Continuously re-evaluate and shift plans as needs change day-to-day. Communicate with managers if roadblocks arise.

  • Stay calm under pressure and focused on making incremental progress on top priorities.

Sample response: “Organization is crucial when juggling multiple projects. I start by listing out all deadlines and assignments on my calendar. Then I determine my priorities by impact and timing. If I know certain tasks will hit roadblocks, I frontload work and build in contingencies. Daily check-ins with my manager keep them apprised of progress or shifting needs. I’ve developed a planful yet flexible approach that allows me to tackle even rapid-fire demands calmly and steadily.”

6. “Tell me about a time you faced a conflict at work. How did you handle it?”

Show you can resolve tensions maturely by how you:

  • Approach disagreements with an open mindset and stay professional.

  • Actively listen and propose compromises that address all sides’ concerns.

  • Keep the end goal in sight of maintaining team harmony and delivering work on time.

  • Leverage negotiation skills and avoid unproductive escalation.

Sample response: “When two reps I managed disagreed over an account strategy, emotions were running high and it risked impacting their productivity. I invited each to share their stance and listened thoughtfully. I acknowledged the validity in both their views, then presented a new proposal that I felt incorporated their key needs. This resolved the tension quickly with both feeling heard, and we implemented the revised plan going forward. Maintaining strong relationships is always my priority.”

7. “What are your greatest strengths?”

choose 2-3 strengths to highlight that directly match skills needed for the role. Provide specific examples of when you successfully applied them. For a sales job, you may say:

  • Persuasive communication – I exceeded targets by convincing long-time vendors to expand promotional partnerships.

  • Competitive drive – I led my team to our first revenue record by keeping morale high with competitive team events.

  • Creativity – I increased social media engagement 30% by creating unique and brand-aligned content.

Sample response: “Two of my greatest strengths are my strategic thinking and my ability to motivate teams. As a sales manager, I improved lagging performance by analyzing rep activity data to pinpoint and address gaps. Then I formed a mentorship program where top performers coached newer reps to boost their confidence and capabilities. Combining data skills with people leadership is powerful.”

8. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

Your answer needs to convey ambition and continued growth:

  • Express interest in taking on more responsibility in leadership, training, recruiting, or other areas.

  • Tell them you hope to develop deeper expertise around RNDC’s brands, sales techniques, and supplier relationships.

  • Share that you envision achieving specific career milestones at RNDC like Senior Manager, VP, and beyond.

Sample response: *”In 5 years, my goal is to be in an advance

Interview – Adam Ehmer – RNDC – Episode #517

FAQ

What questions are asked in a partnership for public service interview?

Typical interview questions such as why the Partnership, why you, how do you deal with a difficult situation, how do you handle multiple tasks. Interviewers were very polite and helpful. Why the Partnership, and why you?

What questions to ask in a wine interview?

What is your level of wine knowledge or education? How do you build relationships with guests? What experience do you have conducting tastings? Have you ever bartended or poured wine?

What questions are asked at Andrews Distributing interview?

Interview questions at Andrews Distributing what motivates you? What motivates you to go to work? Why do you feel you’re the right candidate for the job? Tell me about yourself?

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