“Can you give me an example of when you’ve had to demonstrate business acumen?”

This is a very common interview question that many employers like. In the legal profession, this is asked in almost every interview for attorneys, paralegals, and partners.

Business acumen is regularly asked about business acumen by HR managers and other recruiting professionals in a wide range of different types of interviews, be it legal job interviews, accounting interviews, manager interviews at a host of different levels.

Sometimes employers try to put a monkey wrench on the job, asking what the difference is between business awareness and business acumen (there isn’t one!).

Many people who have been in business for a few years have no problem answering this question because they understand what a business organization is looking for, but students and newcomers to the job market struggle with the whole concept. as well as quite a few non-professionals who are advising on careers.

The main reason employers ask this question is to make sure the person they are interviewing really understands the concept of working for their daily bread.

This means understanding that if you are paid a salary and the organization you work for depends on making a profit to pay you that salary, then you must contribute to making a profit. If you do not understand this when it will not be of much use to any employer.

It is a common fallacy among graduates who join an organization to advance their own career and gain a good experience for themselves. It is often reflected in cover letters and emails and also in CVs. This is a completely wrong attitude to take when looking for a job. You have to consider each job from the perspective of the employer. If you don’t, you will most likely be rejected.

So when you’re asked a question about business acumen, think about what you’re being asked to understand. If you’re talking to a partner at a high-level organization, you expect them to understand that companies are there to make a profit. Business acumen is demonstrated by understanding that the employer does this in certain ways through marketing, business development, selling to existing clients, effectively performing a job to gain repeat business, and also successfully bidding for business.

If you are interviewing with a smaller company, none of the above is particularly relevant. They are more interested in their own marketing ability, business development, generating their own clients, making sure their turnover levels are high to ensure a good level of profitability, and understanding that you are there to make money for your employer to that he or she can pay you in return.

If you can demonstrate this very quickly by describing a situation where you have had to show business acumen, you will have answered this question well. This simply must be something related to marketing, business development, increasing the profits of a company or organization, or participating in sales.

Specifically, this needs to be in a work setting, so if you’re a student, try to avoid going back to your scheme company young in school and focus on any part-time jobs you’ve done where you’ve identified a way to improve. profitability for that. private company.

If you’re a professional in a business, try to focus on your most current role and demonstrate when you’ve increased profitability, increased sales, generated additional work, acquired a customer, increased your turnover levels, or something similar.

Keep it short, sweet and to the point and you should have no problem answering this question.