CME Group Interview Preparation Guide
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79 CME Group Questions and Answers:

1 :: What's the last book you read?

Try to talk about a book related to the industry, for example, if you're applying for a role related to business, cite a business book.

2 :: What are your thoughts about working from home?

This is a new policy some companies are adopting. If the company you are interviewing for allows for it, then you should be thankful for the flexibility and convenience yet state that working from home is a privilege that you would honor. The key point you want to make is that you would still be able to focus and be just as productive working at home.

3 :: What have you done to improve yourself in the last year At CME Group?

Discuss how you've improved yourself through work experiences, books you've read, classes, club(s) / extracurricular activities and describe the process on how it's happened. For example: I've improved my presentation skills tremendously because I've had to do 2 presentations this year for my communications class.

4 :: Why was there a gap in your employment At CME Group?

If you were unemployed for a period of time, be direct and to the point about what you’ve been up to (and hopefully, that’s a litany of impressive volunteer and other mind-enriching activities, like blogging or taking classes). Then, steer the conversation toward how you will do the job and contribute to the organization: “I decided to take a break at the time, but today I’m ready to contribute to this organization in the following ways.”

5 :: What are you looking for in a new position At CME Group?

I’ve been honing my skills At CME Group for a few years now and, first and foremost, I’m looking for a position where I can continue to exercise those skills. Ideally the same things that this position has to offer. Be specific.

6 :: Tell me about a time when you successfully handled a situation?

For this question, the interviewer wants to know what you do in a situation that doesn’t have a clear answer. This will help the interviewer know how you respond to unforeseen challenges.

7 :: What do you like to do?

Discuss your passions At CME Group. Ideally if it's work related that's fantastic! If not, talk about your academic / extracurricular passions and WHY you enjoy them. For example: I love playing sports because of the team work aspect - it's fun winning together! (This example shows you're a team player)

8 :: What is your philosophy towards work?

This is typically a straightforward question that merits a straightforward answer. Do you have strong worth ethic? Will you do whatever it takes to make sure the job gets done? Just say so in your response. Keep it short, direct and positive.

9 :: Top 12 Stress Based Interview Questions At CME Group:

Some jobs require employees to work under stress, and some interviewers just like to see how applicants handle stressful questions.

There are many questions designed for putting the interviewee into an awkward situation, or throwing them off, to see how they do under stress. Here are some samples.

1. How do you feel this interview is going At CME Group?

2. How would you handle undeserved criticism from a superior?

3. How many other jobs are you applying for?

4. What would you do if you saw a colleague stealing supplies or equipment?

5. What did you do when you had a boss you didn’t get along with?

6. What would you do if a colleague took credit for your idea, and got a promotion?

7. Was the stress of your previous job too much for you?

8. What would you do if a colleague admitted to lying on their resume to get the job?

9. What would you do if a customer verbally insulted you in front of co-workers?

10. What would you change about the design of a baseball hat?

11. Why were you fired from your previous job At CME Group?

12. How successful do you think you've been so far?

10 :: What is your greatest achievement outside of work At CME Group?

This is a great opportunity for you to discuss how you've given back to the community, how you've achieved in a competitive extracurricular activity (think sports or clubs), how you've mentored others, and so forth.

11 :: Why are you interested in working At CME Group for [insert company name here]?

Bad Answer: They don't have a good reason, or provide a generic answer, "I think it represents a great opportunity."

Good answer: One that shows they've done research on the company, and are truly excited about specific things they can do at the job. This not only shows enthusiasm for the work and basic preparation skills, gives you clues about the cultural fit.

12 :: What kind of work interests you the most?

You can talk about what you're passionate about. What motivates you. What excites you.

13 :: Why are you leaving last job?

Although this would seem like a simple question, it can easily become tricky. You shouldn’t mention salary being a factor at this point At CME Group. If you’re currently employed, your response can focus on developing and expanding your career and even yourself. If you’re current employer is downsizing, remain positive and brief. If your employer fired you, prepare a solid reason. Under no circumstance should you discuss any drama or negativity, always remain positive.

14 :: How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?

The first thing you should do is discuss experience you have the interviewer is unfamiliar with. Once that is detailed, tell the person conducting the interview that you are able to learn new tasks and information in a reasonable period of time and possess a strong work ethic. However, only state this if you can live up to these expectations.

15 :: What do you think about Teamwork?

I enjoy teamwork and am used to shift work. I think I would adapt well to the role. I am looking for new challenges At CME Group and I know I would learn a lot as cabin crew, not just about people and places, but skills like first aid too, how can I help others with in my limits.

16 :: What have you learned from mistakes on the job?

Candidates without specific examples often do not seem credible. However, the example shared should be fairly inconsequential, unintentional, and a learned lesson should be gleaned from it. Moving ahead without group assistance while assigned to a group project meant to be collaborative is a good example.

17 :: What are your strengths At CME Group?

This is one of the most common questions you will be asked. Give an answer relevant to the skills and qualities relevant to the position you are applying to. The interviewer is trying to find if your strengths match the job. For example, if you are applying for a job At CME Group where accuracy is an important issue, one of your strengths could be that you have an eye for detail. It may useful to find different words to describe similar attributes and qualities in order to avoid repetition.

18 :: What makes you right for this position?

This question can be tricky because you need to show your worth At CME Group without sounding cocky or arrogant. Research the business ahead of time and become familiar with its mission and values. Take the time to figure out how your personal qualities fit the needs of the business and use that fit to provide your answer.

19 :: What five words would be describe you as CME Group?

The hiring manager requests this of you because she wants to know more about your individual personality. This list can reveal a lot to her about who you are and how you might fit into the workplace. Your answer also gives the manager an indication of your self-perception, which is a good indicator of the type of employee you will be.

20 :: If you were interviewing someone for this position At CME Group, what traits would you look for?

This is where the interviewer tries to turn the tables on you. Answer confidently by stating 3 specific traits that are applicable to that job role. For example, a consulting job would likely look for someone who can think outside of the box.

After answering, ask them, "Am I spot on here and if not, what traits would you look for?"

21 :: What have you done to improve your knowledge At CME Group in the last year?

Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job At CME Group. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.

22 :: What is your dream job?

There is almost no good answer to this question, so don't be specific. If you tell the interviewer that the job you're applying for with his/her company is the perfect job you may loose credibility if you don't sound believable (which you probably won't if you're not telling the truth.) If you give the interviewer some other job the interviewer may get concerned that you'll get dissatisfied with the position if you're hired. Again, don't be specific. A good response could be, “A job where my work ethic and abilities are recognized and I can make a meaningful difference to the organization.”

23 :: Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year At CME Group?

We all have difficult decisions in our lives. Show how you were able to arrive at it and then how you decisively acted.

24 :: Top 11 Interview Questions to Ask when Emotional Intelligence Matters At CME Group:

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, has come into vogue as a good trait to hire for.

EQ is the ability to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, to recognize other people's emotions and your own, and to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately.

EQ is considered essential to help teams function well. Here are some of the top questions for help you get an idea of how candidates perceive their emotions and those of others.

1. If you started a company today, what would its top values be?

2. Who inspires you? Why?

3. How could you create more balance in your life?

4. What makes you angry?

5. How do you have fun?

6. How good are you at asking for help?

7. How did you deal with a bad day?

8. What's something you're really proud of? Why?

9. Tell me about a time when your mood altered your performance (positively or negatively).

10. Has there ever been a time when you felt you needed to change your behavior at work? How did you do it?

11. Did you create friendships that lasted while working at a previous job?

25 :: Give me an example of how you handled pressure at work At CME Group?

The company is looking to see if you can handle pressure well. Share with them an example where you were able to stay calm during a pressure filled situation (perhaps it was a deadline, or there was an emergency with a customer occurring). Discuss the situation, your reaction and steps you took to resolve it and the outcome.

26 :: What would you do if you won the lottery?

The interviewer is asking this question to find out what your true passion is. Ideally it aligns to the type of work you're interviewing for. If not, tie it back in terms of how it relates to the job, for example, "I believe I'll learn the necessary skills in this job to pursue my passion later on in life."

27 :: Do you like being around people?

People skills are a necessity for medical assistants. When answering this question, be sure to show that you enjoy interacting and working with others and that you also derive great enjoyment from helping others. This will show that you are a team player and that you would be a valuable team member At CME Group.

28 :: What are three positive characteristics you wish you had?

The key here is to be honest about your wish list but then to describe how you plan on developing or growing those characteristics so that it becomes a reality. For example, I wish I had a stronger work ethic and I am reading a book right now about how to instill a better discipline around getting work done efficiently.

29 :: How would you impact the company?

Consider first the role that you're applying for and then think of 3 ways where you could potentially impact the company's bottom line and top line. Then consider how you impact the company in a creative manner (how do you help productivity, the development of new products, marketing etc - of course this part is specific to the role you're applying for)

30 :: How will you approach learning this "new" job At CME Group?

Interview peers and leaders/managers, read industry news, practice the skill sets needed, absorb information on the job as much as possible.