For the server candidate, the interview is an opportunity to showcase their skills, experiences, and personality. It gives them a chance to show how they can make the restaurant better and why they are the best person for the job. The candidate can also learn more about the restaurant, its culture, and any other expectations that aren’t in the job description during the interview. All of this information can help the person applying for the server job figure out if it fits with their personal and professional goals.
For the employer, the interview is a tool to assess the candidates suitability for the role. It allows the employer to evaluate the candidates skills, experiences, and cultural fit. The interview also gives the employer a chance to sell the restaurant and the job to the candidate. This is important for getting the best people, especially for hospitality jobs.
Instawork is transforming the future of work. As an on-demand staffing platform, it’s revolutionizing the way businesses find qualified workers and professionals find flexible job opportunities. With its innovative technology connecting employers and employees in the local gig economy, Instawork has seen immense growth and success.
As the company expands, competition for jobs at Instawork continues to intensify. Standing out in the hiring process requires thorough preparation and insight into the company’s priorities and values. In this article, I’ll provide tips to help you succeed in your Instawork interview by detailing:
- Instawork’s hiring process and interview structure
- 11 commonly asked Instawork interview questions
- Detailed sample answers to these questions
- Proven strategies for nailing your Instawork interview
Understanding Instawork’s priorities through their interview questions will help you craft compelling responses that highlight your abilities and fit for this game-changing organization.
Overview of Instawork’s Hiring Process
Instawork’s hiring process typically involves
- Initial phone screening with recruiter
- 1-3 technical and behavioral interviews, either in-person or via video call
- For some roles, a practical exercise to demonstrate skills
- Reference and background checks for final candidates
The number of interviews and types of assessments depend on the role. Technical positions will involve more skills testing. Expect the questions to get progressively more difficult as you advance in the process.
Interviews are conducted by team leads, managers, and executives. The behavioral questions aim to understand your experience, communication abilities, and culture fit. Technical questions assess hard skills and problem-solving.
I’ll now dive into 11 common questions asked in Instawork interviews:
11 Instawork Interview Questions and Answers
Q1: Why do you want to work at Instawork?
This opening question allows you to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the company and the role. Focus on what excites you about Instawork’s mission, culture, and values.
Sample Answer: I’m passionate about Instawork’s mission to transform the future of work. Connecting skilled professionals with flexible earnings opportunities creates economic mobility and empowers careers. Instawork’s innovative platform, focus on diversity and inclusion, and rapid growth are extremely appealing. I thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments that push me to continuously learn and develop. The chance to be part of a dedicated team working on cutting-edge solutions that create real impact is a perfect fit with my values. This role aligns perfectly with my interests in leveraging technology to help businesses engage talent in the gig economy.
Q2: Why do you want to leave your current job?
With this question, interviewers want to understand your motivations and ensure you’re leaving for the right reasons. Avoid bad-mouthing your current employer. Focus on positive reasons like seeking growth opportunities or alignment with company mission.
Sample Answer: I’ve learned a tremendous amount in my current role, but I’m now eager to take on more responsibility and have a greater direct impact on end goals. Instawork is focused in an area I’m deeply passionate about and offers broader scope for me to showcase my abilities. The chance to be part of a mission-driven, high-growth company was too compelling to pass up. While my current company is great, I was drawn by Instawork’s innovative solutions and the ability to push myself in new, challenging ways.
Q3: How do you stay motivated when faced with challenges or setbacks in your work?
This behavioral question tests your perseverance. Share an example that conveys resilience, focus on solutions, and accountability.
Sample Answer: I see challenges as opportunities to grow. When facing obstacles, I focus on the end goal and break down problems into manageable steps. For example, when I was struggling to meet an aggressive sales quota, I got demotivated. Rather than dwell on the hurdle, I analyzed why I was falling short and put together a plan to course-correct – like adjusting my outreach strategy. Maintaining motivation is also easier when you feel accountable to your team. I leaned on my peers for support during that difficult stretch, which gave me fresh ideas and encouraged perseverance. Ultimately, we smashed that sales goal. Remaining solution-oriented is key.
Q4: Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work. How did you handle it?
This question reveals your people skills, emotional intelligence, and grace under pressure. Share a story focused on mutual understanding.
Sample Answer: When a colleague and I had opposing ideas on restructuring our team’s sales commission program, tensions rose. I scheduled a 1:1 with them to better understand their perspective. I asked thoughtful questions, listened actively, and expressed empathy for their viewpoint. We discussed the pros and cons of each approach respectfully, found common ground in places, and ultimately compromised. That collaborative conflict resolution led us to an incentive structure that worked for everyone. It was a reminder that hearing people out defuses tension. I focused on a win-win solution, not winning the argument.
Q5: How do you balance time-sensitive priorities and projects in your work?
Strong time management abilities will enable you to thrive at Instawork. Discuss best practices you follow.
Sample Answer: Organization and communication are key for me when balancing multiple priorities. I make detailed task lists and calendars to schedule priorities and block off dedicated time. For team projects, I facilitate open conversations about deliverable timelines and bandwidth early on. I provide status updates across projects to leadership and flag any roadblocks immediately. Asking colleagues for support and delegating when possible prevents individual overload as well. I’ve learned to identify the most critical deadlines and focus effort there when I’m feeling stretched thin. Staying disciplined with my schedule, speaking up about workload, and flexing priorities has helped me successfully deliver on time-sensitive initiatives.
Q6: Tell me about a time you influenced someone without authority over them. How did you convince them?
Instawork values team players who lead through influence. Share an example highlighting emotional intelligence, communication skills, and creativity.
Sample Answer: When I wanted to establish a mentorship program in my department, I realized I needed our CTO’s buy-in, since it involved Technical employees. Rather than make demands, I spoke with some passionate Technical leads to understand their needs. Armed with their perspectives, I put together a proposal outlining the program’s benefits, especially for junior team members. I approached the CTO, leveraged the testimonials I’d gathered, and focused on the positive impacts on employee retention and growth. My preparation, genuine passion for the idea, and willingness to collaborate appealed to the CTO. While I didn’t have authority over Technical, I won support by listening, establishing shared goals, and communicating benefits. My influence skills helped bring that mentorship program to life.
Q7: How would you explain the mission and business model of Instawork to someone unfamiliar with the company?
This assesses your understanding of Instawork’s offerings and value proposition. Focus on conveying the essence simply and engagingly.
Sample Answer: Instawork operates an online marketplace that efficiently connects businesses looking to fill hourly shifts with qualified workers seeking flexibility. On the demand side, employers ranging from restaurants to event venues can quickly fill last-minute staffing needs, optimize labor costs, and access quality talent on-demand. On the supply side, professionals across industries can find temporary gigs that fit their schedule, gain new experiences, and earn supplemental income. The mobile-first platform makes instantly booking and managing shifts simple and smart. Instawork essentially functions as an on-demand staffing agency, leveraging its technology to create value for businesses and workers via a scalable, real-time matching engine. The end result is a win-win for both sides.
Q8: If you were CEO of Instawork for a day, what changes or improvements would you make?
This creative question tests your strategic thinking and how well you understand Instawork’s business. Focus on high-impact ideas aligned with Instawork’s goals.
Sample Answer: If I were CEO for a day, I would focus on enhancements that amplify Instawork’s value to both workers and businesses. For workers, I would accelerate development of mobile features like push notifications to increase shift visibility and ease of booking. I would also create an online community forum for workers to share best practices and experiences, enhancing engagement. For businesses, I would implement new product bundles, like premium recruiting and applicant vetting services to reduce hiring legwork. I would also explore partnerships with major HR/applicant tracking system companies like Workday or Lever, integrating Instawork deeper into hiring
Can you describe a time when you provided excellent customer service?
An employer should be looking for several key elements in the candidateâs answer:
- Knowing about customer service: The candidate should be able to show that they know what it means to provide great customer service. This could mean going the extra mile to meet customer needs, predicting what they’ll want, or helping to make the dining experience memorable.
- Specific example: The applicant should give a specific example from their work history. This should include what happened, what they did, and what happened as a result of what they did. The more detailed and specific the example, the better.
- Communication skills: The applicant should be able to show that they can talk to customers clearly. This could mean actively listening to understand what the customer wants, making sure you explain things clearly, or using positive language.
- Initiative: The candidate’s example should ideally show that they can be more than willing to go the extra mile to give great service. This could mean suggesting a special dish, meeting a special request, or checking in with the customer to make sure they’re happy.
- Impact: The candidate should explain the impact of their actions. This could come from a tip, good feedback from the customer, or more business. This shows that the candidate knows how important great customer service is to the restaurant’s success.
Can you describe your previous experience as a server?
An employer should be looking for several key elements in the candidateâs answer:
- Experience that is relevant: The candidate should be able to talk about when they worked in a similar role before. Here, you can find out what kind of restaurant or event they worked at (high-end, casual, private, etc.). ), the number of customers they usually dealt with, and the tasks they were in charge of
- Skills shown: The candidate should talk about the skills they used and improved in their previous server jobs. This could include being able to deal with customers, do more than one thing at once, manage your time well, handle cash, or know a lot about food and drinks.
- Problem-solving: The applicant should be able to talk about problems they had as a server and how they solved them. This could mean dealing with rude customers, fixing mistakes, or running the business during busy times. This shows their ability to problem-solve and handle stress.
- Professional growth: The applicant could also talk about what they learned from their time as a server and how they’ve gotten better over time. This shows that you are willing to learn new things and have the ability to grow.
- Positive attitude: The candidate should keep a positive attitude about their past experience throughout their answer, even if they talk about problems. This displays toughness and a good work ethic, which are important traits for a server.
