Blue Cross Blue Shield Interview
Aug. 27th, 2010 11:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sailorhathorToday I had my interview with BCBS (already tired of typing the whole thing, hee) and here's how it went!
In order to advance on to the interview, you had to pass their job assessment tests, like I mentioned before. The only part that made me nervous was the typing test. I can't even remember if they said how many words they were looking for in the ad, but my best on an average day is 40 WPM, which is okay for most call centers. Still, each typing test is different, and I was afraid I would screw it up somehow.
First, they had us do one of those "mark off which statement best describes you and which statement least describes you" type of tests. The neat thing was that you had to scratch off your answers with a penny as if you were doing a lottery ticket. Hee! The HR lady said that if we didn't give the penny back, we didn't pass the test. Hee again! I must've given them what they wanted on that one. Then we took an essay test. You had to read the instructions, then a sample letter from a customer, and answer what you would do to help the customer. That one was pretty easy for me; I'm good at expressing myself in writing and I made sure that I covered everything we could do for the customer, referencing the letter and such.
Then we went on to the computer testing. Oh, at this point, I'll say that we started off with about ten people in my testing session. Others were tested at other times today and more will be tested tomorrow. The computer testing went fine. First we did a data entry test. We had to listen to sample customers and type out what they were saying as fast as we could (names, addresses, telephone numbers, what dept should handle their call, and what action they wanted taken). I felt like I did okay on that before I found out the results. Then we did the standard call center scenario test. This is the one where you listen to a sample call and mark on the screen how you would handle it, what would be the right action to take and how you should respond. (The sample calls don't necessarily relate to the exact job you will be doing; they are just sample calls of the sorts of problems you could encounter in a call center.) It's always amusing because it'll have things like, "Hi, you guys sent me the wrong computer. I ordered one with a DVD-ROM and this one doesn't have one," and there will be responses like (I'm quoting word for word), "That's not my problem, sir. Take it back to the store." Like anyone should ever respond that way in a million years. XD I felt like I did okay although I spaced out on one question and forgot what the guy had said he was calling about. XD
Next, they took us into another room to tell us a little about the company and the job. At this time, other people were scoring our tests and looking over the results of the computer assessments. Now, remember that I said that I started out testing with about ten people. They eventually came into the room with a bunch of folders and handed them to this one guy, and he goes, "When I call your name, please step out into the hall." He calls my name first, and then two other names. Me and the other two women stepped out into the hall. The guy came out and said, "You three are the only ones who passed all the tests. Congratulations, you will be moving on to the interview." I was FLOORED. Out of TEN people, only THREE passed?!?! That really surprised me. The tests weren't that hard! I mean, I'm used to passing these tests, but I'm not used to so many people NOT passing them! I just can't imagine what it must have been like to still be in that room and to be told I'm sorry, you all FAILED, and then you just go home. I'm still so shocked over that that it hasn't really hit me how amazing that was for me. ^_^
Then they took us all to our interviewers. We were each tag teamed, with two interviewers each. One would ask me a question, then the other, back and forth. I feel like I did alright there. No questions I haven't heard before. I also liked the fact that they let me talk about Greyhound, where I have the most call center experience, instead of trying to get me to talk about my last job, which had nothing to do with inbound calls, or another call center job where I wasn't there for very long. I have tons of built-in stories about Greyhound that are good for job interviews.
Last thing they did was take me to a lady who told me all about the benefits and how the drug test would go if they call me and offer me a job. The health insurance benefits seem pretty awesome, and CHEAP - one of the perks of working for a health insurance company. She said they would call within a week or so if they're going to offer me a job. Then I have to pass the background check and drug test. Should not be any problems there, unless they want to hold my credit problems from the mid-90's against me. I'm very hopeful about this job!! ^____^
I'll keep you guys posted.
In order to advance on to the interview, you had to pass their job assessment tests, like I mentioned before. The only part that made me nervous was the typing test. I can't even remember if they said how many words they were looking for in the ad, but my best on an average day is 40 WPM, which is okay for most call centers. Still, each typing test is different, and I was afraid I would screw it up somehow.
First, they had us do one of those "mark off which statement best describes you and which statement least describes you" type of tests. The neat thing was that you had to scratch off your answers with a penny as if you were doing a lottery ticket. Hee! The HR lady said that if we didn't give the penny back, we didn't pass the test. Hee again! I must've given them what they wanted on that one. Then we took an essay test. You had to read the instructions, then a sample letter from a customer, and answer what you would do to help the customer. That one was pretty easy for me; I'm good at expressing myself in writing and I made sure that I covered everything we could do for the customer, referencing the letter and such.
Then we went on to the computer testing. Oh, at this point, I'll say that we started off with about ten people in my testing session. Others were tested at other times today and more will be tested tomorrow. The computer testing went fine. First we did a data entry test. We had to listen to sample customers and type out what they were saying as fast as we could (names, addresses, telephone numbers, what dept should handle their call, and what action they wanted taken). I felt like I did okay on that before I found out the results. Then we did the standard call center scenario test. This is the one where you listen to a sample call and mark on the screen how you would handle it, what would be the right action to take and how you should respond. (The sample calls don't necessarily relate to the exact job you will be doing; they are just sample calls of the sorts of problems you could encounter in a call center.) It's always amusing because it'll have things like, "Hi, you guys sent me the wrong computer. I ordered one with a DVD-ROM and this one doesn't have one," and there will be responses like (I'm quoting word for word), "That's not my problem, sir. Take it back to the store." Like anyone should ever respond that way in a million years. XD I felt like I did okay although I spaced out on one question and forgot what the guy had said he was calling about. XD
Next, they took us into another room to tell us a little about the company and the job. At this time, other people were scoring our tests and looking over the results of the computer assessments. Now, remember that I said that I started out testing with about ten people. They eventually came into the room with a bunch of folders and handed them to this one guy, and he goes, "When I call your name, please step out into the hall." He calls my name first, and then two other names. Me and the other two women stepped out into the hall. The guy came out and said, "You three are the only ones who passed all the tests. Congratulations, you will be moving on to the interview." I was FLOORED. Out of TEN people, only THREE passed?!?! That really surprised me. The tests weren't that hard! I mean, I'm used to passing these tests, but I'm not used to so many people NOT passing them! I just can't imagine what it must have been like to still be in that room and to be told I'm sorry, you all FAILED, and then you just go home. I'm still so shocked over that that it hasn't really hit me how amazing that was for me. ^_^
Then they took us all to our interviewers. We were each tag teamed, with two interviewers each. One would ask me a question, then the other, back and forth. I feel like I did alright there. No questions I haven't heard before. I also liked the fact that they let me talk about Greyhound, where I have the most call center experience, instead of trying to get me to talk about my last job, which had nothing to do with inbound calls, or another call center job where I wasn't there for very long. I have tons of built-in stories about Greyhound that are good for job interviews.
Last thing they did was take me to a lady who told me all about the benefits and how the drug test would go if they call me and offer me a job. The health insurance benefits seem pretty awesome, and CHEAP - one of the perks of working for a health insurance company. She said they would call within a week or so if they're going to offer me a job. Then I have to pass the background check and drug test. Should not be any problems there, unless they want to hold my credit problems from the mid-90's against me. I'm very hopeful about this job!! ^____^
I'll keep you guys posted.
