M4i Interview Questions
& Process

The phone and in-person interviews were a piece of cake - both guys were very friendly and the questions were really easy. It was the third step of the interview process where it went downhill. They have you shadow another associate in a sketchy Chicago neighborhood, going door-to-door to businesses that have bought from Quill Business Supplies in the past asking and you basically ask they want to buy anything more. It was a miserable all day affair, and the least they could have done was bought me lunch or driven me over there but no, they expect you to cover those parts yourself. Plus the pyramid scheme setup was incredibly unappealing. So when they later left a voice message asking how it went I never called back because I was so unimpressed with my experience.

The interview process at this company is three steps long. It started with a brief initial interview to give me a general idea of what the company does and the prominent clients they work with. Then, I was invited for a full-day, shadow-style interview later that week. This involved shadowing a sales representative to get a feel for the job. Upon arrival, I experienced what seemed like a motivational session before meeting the rep I'd be shadowing and another trainee. During a walk, they reiterated that the role involves B2B sales and direct marketing, and I would observe a typical day, including some training. We visited clients the rep had previously assisted, observing both order check-ins and cold calling for new business. The sales process seemed feasible, with varying levels of client interest. After lunch, the trainer explained the company's growth model and career advancement opportunities, highlighting how the performance-based system resonated with his background in college sports. He also detailed the pay structure, offering a quota-based or commission-based option, with an average annual earning of $37-47K, plus potential for growth. Bonuses for exceeding quota were mentioned as incentives. We continued the day similarly, and I was asked about my communication skills, my greatest weakness, and other standard interview questions. A more experienced rep expressed concern about my communication skills, deeming it crucial for the job. Back at the office, I met with the manager for final questions, and was told a hiring decision would be made the next day.

I sent my resume through an online board and they called me back super fast, within an hour. They asked about my marketing background and if I was interested, then invited me in. It felt a bit off, especially since I couldn't find any info online about them. Everyone there seemed really young, like just out of college. Even though I applied for marketing, the whole interview was about sales, and how they need tons of new sales managers because they're growing so fast. They mentioned it was all commission-based, and when I asked what I'd actually be doing, they said I'd be shadowing sales calls all over the city. That would have been a huge red flag if I was even a little bit into sales. I didn't see enough to really judge the company, but it was pretty underwhelming.

The interview process at M4i was really helpful for my job search. I hadn't experienced a second interview where I got to shadow for a whole day before. I've taken jobs before where I was excited to start, only to be surprised by my actual day-to-day tasks. I appreciated knowing exactly what I was signing up for. The HR manager I spoke with was very friendly, even though I was late for my first interview, and the receptionist was also very nice. The first interview was quite short, which was disappointing at first, but I was still interested, so I went for the second interview, and I was pleasantly surprised.